Religion & morality > Human nature in its four-fold state ... in several practical discourses

j Head V. Trial of the Claim, 8tc. 553
:>} to them. JTwas, from Ecernicy, the Divine Pur-
«} pofe, that there Ihould be fuch a Kingdom for the
3Eledt; and that all Impediments, vdiich might
'Jl mar their Accefs to it, fhould be removed out of
3 the Way : And withal, by the fame eternal De¬
cree, every one’s Place in it was determin’d and fet
fi apart, to be referv’d for him, that each of the Chil¬
li dren, coming Home at length, into their Father’s
Houfe, might find his own Place awaiting him,
I and ready for him; as at Saul’s Table, David’s
Place was empty^ when he was not there to occupy
1 it himfelf, i Sam. xx, aj. And now that the ap¬
pointed Time is come ; they are brought in, to
take their feveral Places in Glory, fet apart and re-
ferr’dfor them, till they ihould come at them.
U s e. I fhall Ihut up my Difcourfe on this Sub-
: jea with a Word of Application, (i.) To all who
claim a Right to this Kingdom. (2.) To thefc
who have indeed a Right to it. (3.) To thefe who
have not a Right thereto.
Firfty Since ’tis evident, there’s no promifeuous
. AdmiJJion into the Kingdom of Heaven, and none
do obtain it, but thefe whofe Claim to it is folemn-
ly tried by the great Judge, and after Trial fuftain-
ed as good and valid ; ’cis necelfary that all of us
impartially try and examine, whether, according to
the Laws of the Kingdom, contain’d in the holy
f Scriptures, we can verify and make good our Claim
to this Kingdom ? The Hopes of Heaven, which
moft Men have, are built on fuch fandy Foundati¬
ons,as can never abide the Trial; having no ground
| in the Word, but in their own deluded Fancy:
’Such Hopes will leave thofe, who entertain them,
miferably difappointed at laft. Wherefore 'tis not
only our Duty, but our latereft, to put the Mat-