The four last things viz. death, judgment, heaven, hell, practically considered and applied in…

3. Besides the Legal Bar that excludes unsanctified Persons from the beatific vision of God, there is a moral incapacity. Suppose that Justice should allow Omnipotence to translate such a Sinner to Heaven, would the Place make him happy? Can two incongruous Natures delight in one another? The happiness of Sense is by an impression of Pleasure from a suitable Object: The happiness of intellectual Beings arises from an entire conformity of dispositions. So that unless God recede from his Holiness, which is absolutely impossible, or Man be purified, and changed into his likeness, there can be no sweet Communion between them. Our Saviour assigns this Reason of the necessity of Regeneration in order to our admission into Heaven: That which is born of the flesh, is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit, is Spirit. According to the quality of the Principle, such is what proceeds from it. The Flesh is a corrupt Principle, ⟨p. 370⟩and accordingly the Natural Man is wholly carnal in his propensions, operations, and end. The Disease is turned into his Constitution. He is dead to the Spiritual Life, to the actions and enjoyments that are proper to it: Nay, there is in him a surviving Principle of Enmity to that Life: not only a mortal coldness to God, but a stiff aversation from him, a perpetual resistance and impatience of the Divine Presence, that would disturb his voluptuous enjoyments. The Exercises of Heaven would be as the Torments of Hell to him, while in the midst of those pure Joys his inward inclinations vehemently run into the lowest Lees of Sensuality. And therefore till this Contrariety, so deep and predominant in an unholy Person, be removed, 'tis utterly impossible he should enjoy God with satisfaction. As it was necessary that God should become like Man on Earth, to purchase that Felicity for him, so Man must be like God in Heaven before he can possess it. Holiness alone prepares Men for Celestial Happiness; that is against the corruption and above the perfection of mere Nature.

3. Besides the Legal Bar that excludes unsanctified Persons from the beatifick vision of God, there is a moral incapacity. Suppose that Justice should allow Omnipotence to translate such a Sinner to Heaven, would the Place make him happy? Can two incongruous Natures delight in one another? The happiness of Sense is by an impression of Pleasure from a suitable Object: The happiness of intellectual Beings arises from an entire conformity of dispositions. So that unless God recede from his Holiness, which is absolutely impossible, or Man be purified, and changed into his likeness, there can be no sweet Communion between them. Our Saviour assigns this Reason of the necessity of Regeneration in order to our admission into Heaven: That which is born of the flesh, is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit, is Spirit. According to the quality of the Principle, such is what proceeds from it. The Flesh is a corrupt Principle,