painful Sufferings and Martyrdom; because that when we have performed all that is commanded, our Saviour requires us to say, We be unprofitable Servants, because 2we have done nothing but what we are bound to do, Luke 17. And because his Holy Apostle affures us, That When all Things are reckon'd up, the Sufferings of this present Time are not worthy to be compared with the Glory which shall be revealed to us, Rom. 8. Nevertheless, God is so good, merciful and bountiful, that he bears with our Imperfections, that he rewards as a Father, with a free Reward, all the good Works of his Servants, chiefly the Works of Charity. Therefore Jesus Chrift tells his Apoftles, and generally all the Faithful, Whosoever shall give unto you to drink a Cup of Water, because you are Chrift's, verily I say unto you, be fall not lose bis Reward. And because 'tis the Custom of the eastern People, to warm their Drink, therefore to give a Cup of cold Water may be reckoned the smallest Affistance. Our Saviour faith, Whosoever shall give unto one of these little Ones to drink a Cup of cold Water only, in the Name of a Disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his Reward, Mat. 10. If fuch as beftow a Cup of cold Water for God's fake, are rewarded in Heaven, what may not those bountiful Souls expect there, who now spend their Estates in charitable Deeds? Befides, we have heard a Prophet tell us, that all fuch as by the Light of their Doctrines, and the Holiness of their Lives, lead many Souls to their Salvation, shall shine for ever in Heaven, as fo many bright Stars. It stands with Reafon; for if our Saviour will in his infinite Mercy reward fuch a small Kindness as the Gift of a Draught of Water, to one of his Children; they shall excel in Glory, who spend for his fake in his Quarrel, every Drop of their Blood, and by their Deaths confirm his holy Gofpel: This is a faithful Saying, if we die with Jesus Christ, we shall also live with him; if we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him. But that which feems to me yet stronger, which makes for this Purpofe, is, That all the fpiritual ۱ L tual Graces which are bestowed upon us in this Life, proceed from the Holy Ghoft, purchased for us by the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by his precious Blood. Now these Graces are different and vari ous. Therefore as there are divers Degrees in Grace, why should not there be also divers Degrees in Glory, since both have been purchased for us with the same Price, by the Death and Paffion of our Lord Jesus Chrift? The other Argument drawn from the Happiness and Perfection of the Glorified is rational, but not infallible. For several Diamonds may be perfect in their Kind, so that the clearest Eye cannot take Notice of any Default. Nevertheless, they may differ in Weight and Price. All the Stars have their Perfection and Light nevertheless, one Star differs from another Star in Glory; all the Angels of Heaven are perfectly happy and holy, and yet there is a great Inequality amongst them in Glory and Dignity. Likewife, altho' all the Blessed shall attain to a perfect Holiness, in my Judgment, that cannot hinder the Diversity of Degrees of Glory and Happiness. I acknowledge also, that the other Objection, drawn from these Words, The Fust shall shine as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father, is not to be despised, but it concludes nothing to the purpose. For if you should cut out excellently well, some Orbs of Chrystal, of different Sizes, some greater, some less, and should put them all in the Sun; they would be all full of Light in every Part, every one of them would represent the beautiful Image of that Sun that looks upon them, fo that it may very well be faid of them all, that they shine as the Sun. Nevertheless, according to their Brightness and Size, they receive more Light, and the Sun feems greater in the one than in the other. To the other Objection, that all the Glorified in Hea ven are named Kings; Ianswer, that this is not to be understood in a literal Sense, no more than when 'tis faid, that they had on their Heads Crowns of Gold. That That I may continue in the fame Comparifon, I may fay, that as all Kings have a fovereign Majefty, which acknowledges none above it, but God from whom it proceeds; and nevertheless, some have a greater Power and Riches than others: Likewife, all the glorified Saints shall enjoy a fovereign and perfect Happiness, and receive it immediately from God; but this cannot hinder them from differing from one another in Glory. I answer next, the other Argument taken out of the Parable of the Father of the Family, who at the Evening of the Day reward equally all his Labourers that had been employed in his Vineyard, giving to every one of them a Penny: That Parables are as Pictures, in which, befides the Thing intended to be drawn, there are many Particulars, which serve but as Flourishes to adorn the Pieces. If we should confider every Particu lar of this Parable, we might conclude from hence, that amongst such as shall be saved, there shall be fome murmuring against God, who shall envy their Companions; which is a gross Absurdity to imagine. The Design of our Saviour is not to speak of the Equality of the glorified Saints, but his Intent is to shew, that those whom God calls first, should not despise the others; because God, who doth with his own what he pleaseth, is able to make them equal, and to bestow upon them the fame Advantages. Lastly, as every one whom the good Man of the House sent into his Vineyard at several Times of the Day, received for their Salary a Penny; in the same manner, whomsoever God calls into his Church effectually, at any time, nay, at the Hour of Death, they shall receive from his infinite Bounty, eternal Life; but from hence we cannot con clude any Thing contrary to this Truth, That in Heaven there shall be divers Degrees of Glory. : The greatest Difficulty in my Judgment, is in this Allegation, That we shall fee God Face to Face, and that he will be all in all, 1 Cor. 13. 1 Cor. 15. Neverthe lefs we may fay, that as all the Damned in Hell shall lofe all all Sight of God, yet that cannot hinder the divers Degrees of Pain and Torment. Likewife, all the Glorified in Heaven shall fee God; but this Sight which all enjoy, cannot remove the Inequality of their Glory and Happiness. As when all Men look upon the fame Sun, but several receive the Benefit of its Beams in a different Manner; thus we shall all behold the fame God, but the gracious Aspect of his Countenance shall be cast upon us varioufly, and produce in us divers Effects. We may also make use of another Comparison : As when we caft many empty Vessels into the same Sea, they are filled up; so that it may be faid of them, that the Sea is in them all. Yet some may be more capacious, and receive more Water than others. Likewife, all the Saints shall enter into the same wonderful. Ocean of the Godhead, they shall be all filled up to the Brim with his glorious Prefence; fo that God shall be all in all. Nevertheless, they shall receive different Meafures of the Waters issuing forth to eternal Life. In a Word, as God will caft headlong all the Reprobates into the fame Lake of Fire and Brimstone, and yet there, shall be divers Degrees amongst them of Punishments, so God shall cause all the Elect to drink out of the fame River of Pleasure; but there shall be a Difference amongst their Degrees of Glory. Moreover, this Paffage may be thus understood, God shall be all in all; that is to say, he shall be to us all Riches, Glory, Light, Meat, Drink, Pleasure, &c. In my Judgment we cannot conclude from hence, that he is to be in all equally. If any have other Thoughts, or is of another Opinion, I shall not offer to condemn him, nor undertake to contradict him: For I conceive, that fince Almighty God hath hid the Glories and Happiness of Heaven, and covered them over with a thick Cloud, on purpose to limit our too curious Inquiry, we cannot mention them with too much Modefty and Refpect. Only I must make another Remark for the Comfort of devout Souls, whose Thoughts and Minds are are in Heaven; that when we affirm, that there shall be different Degrees of Glory in Paradise, we must not fancy that this shall be any Prejudice to the perfect Happiness of the Glorified. For if I may once again make use of the Comparison of the Sun-beams, and of the Waters of the Sea, I cannot find any more proper for this Purpose. As all Eyes that look upon the clear Sun, without Cloud or Mist, receive its Ray in a different Manner, yet they have all Light enough to fee to guide themselves. and to rejoice in this beautiful Light that enlightens them; if some take in a greater Meafure of that Light, this hinders not the Reft from enjoying alfo a Sufficiency: So shall it be with all the glorified Souls, when they shall behold God the Father of Lights, the true Sun that shall shine for ever and ever. If any of them shall have more or less of Light, that shall not concern or prejudice their sovereign Happiness, for every one of them shall enjoy as much as they shall be able to contain, or shall be neceffary to compleat their Joy, and perfect their Happiness. And as when we caft into the Sea many empty Vessels, fome greater, some less, the greater contains more Water, and the leffer not so much; yet they all receive enough to be filled up to the Brim. If the least of these Vessels had the Knowledge to speak, they would not complain of the greater, for containing more than they, because they have all as much as they can either defire or expect. Likewife, when the Saints shall be admited into that bottomless Sea of Glory and Happiness, they shall be filled all up to the Brim, so that they shall not be able to defire any more. They shall be all according to their different Capacities, perfectly and entirely happy. Confider therefore, Chriftian Soul, that if thou enjoyest so much Satisfaction and Delight as thou art capable of, altho' others may have fomething more, thou art no less happy for their Overplus. There is none but God alone, who according to the Infiniteness of his Being, poffeffeth an unmeasurable and infinite Glory and Happiness. |