Of Eternal Judgment. Chap. IV. I.ives,and a viClorious _perfeverance in their Duty, notwithftandingall the pleafing Ternpta. tions or Tortures to withdraw them from tt. Thus the Apoftle exprelfes !liS humble Confi- ;~nac~~/;,•:;f:;lf~;.f,:r:t~i~o~ h~:er~zt!:s r:d;oz::Jtg;v:e;::~7:t.:'~:;, i:~~dn:f !::: (J to me, but to alt that love Ius appearance. ~ Tim. 4· ), 8. We read in the Defcriptit>n of the Laft Judgment, That the Book of Life was opened: the n.1mes of all that were written i~ Heaven, Rev. 20. 12. lballthen be declared, that it may appear they arefavedbyGrJce. For It was !m moll free pleafure to felect fame from the common Mafs of Perdttion, who were natura lly as guilty and corrupted as others, and ro predeftmate them to Eternal Glo• . ry, and efleClual perfevering Grace to prepare them for it. The Saints are ml.ted inChrift ']ejiu untogood works, which God h.rh before ordamed, that they fhould walk m them. And the New Creation is as undeferved and entire an eflect of God's Love as the firft was. But 'ris faid, That every Man wa.r judged according to l1is works. For Eternal Eleaion does not entitle a Perfon immediately to Heaven, but according to the Order eftabliOJ'd in the Gofpet Thus the King at the !aft Day fpeaks to the Eletl; Come, ye blefJed of my Father, in. j;~·~:l;e ~:f/J,ma~7~::~:;,::J:.bt.::.t:v;~~~a;~on of the10orld: for I was hungry, and .I' And according as the Saints have txcell'd in Fidelity and Zeal in God's Service, they fl1all be rewarded with a more excellent Glory. The Stars of the fupreme Heaven are of a different brighrnefs and grearnefs, as the Stars of the vifible Firmament. Indeed all are f~~~:~"~:X h~[~~a ~:Nf~;o~~il~hhl~~t,~~~~~~sr~:~,~;~;t"~;u~!v 0: f~;:~~~dt~hr;~~ iO~~a~~ii~~~ov~~ mem habere ]ued the Widow's rwo Mites1 as tranfcendmg all the magnificent Gifts of others, becaufe ~n~y~j~·ri;t of the degrees of Love i!l the Giver. There w~s aricher Mine o~ Alfe8ion in ~er Heart, Gold of a more noble Vem, more pure and prec10us than all thelf Rtches. Th<S was of greater price. in God's account, who weighs the Spirits in his Ballance. God ••ill accept-and reward accordtng to what aman has, and not accordmg to w/Jif.t he has nfJt. 2 Cor. 8. 12 . He that improves but two Talents with his beft skill and diligence, lball !Jave a greater Ik ·ward than another that had ten Talepts, and wasremifs and lefs careful to employ them for his Mafters Profit. The Rule will he exactly obferved, He that fows bountifully, fb.U reap bountifully ; aJJd he tlw fo••s Jfaringly, fhall reap JP.ringl]. And if God will be thus imparual in rewarding the Saints, much more in punilbing the \Vicked. For the remuneration of our Duty is the effect of his moft free Favour ; but the recompences of Sin are due, and decreed by Juftice, in Number, Weight, and Meafure. The fcverity of the Sentence will be in proportion, as mens Sins have been more nume· rous and heinous. Altho all the Damned lball he equally miferable in Defpair, all broke. on an endlefs Wheel, yet the degrees of their Torment are different. Sins of Ignorance are extenuated in comparifonof rebellious Sins againfl Knowledg. The firft are hke a Servant's dalbing againft his Mafter in the dark, the mhcr like the infolent ftriking him in the light : And as they incur great Guilt, will expofe to great_ Punifhment. Accordingly our Saviour prediCls, That the Servant w!Jtch knew his Lord's wt!l, and prepared not himfilf, ~;~;;~;:; a;;,~:::;::,t~j~,~::' foatei:';;.;;; :::l t:lj;;pe~ 1'£~~.';;~ :;::s.01~ tln~ active Knowledg is worfe than Ignorance. For tlus reafon the Cafe of Heathens wtll be more tolerable than of the 'Jews: for rho fame natural Principles were ftrong and quick in their Minds, that made them fenfible oftllClr Duty and Danger, yet they were not fa clear and perfect as the Law deliverecl by .Mojes. Thofe Sins that were Infirmtues tn a P•ga~t, were prefumptuous in a 'Jew. And the Cafe of the 'Jews will be more. tolerable than of difobedicnt Chriflians, who enjoy rheGofpellefs charged with Ceremomes, and more abundant in Grace than the Molaical Difpenfation. Thofe that have fer before them the Life of Chrift, the Model of all Perfection, that are excited by fuch loud Calls to flee from the wrath to come, and yet are deaf and regardlefs to the Commands, nay to the melt• ing Inv1fations and precious Promifes of the Gofpel,lball have a more mtolerable Judgrnl!llt ~~~ ~~~c~~~~~'l~j"t~~~o~~er"~~s~:r;1~, ~~~u~;~:iaCri~f;n ~~i~r.ftr~~dr!:~i~; are committed with Pride and Pleafure, with eager Appetite and Obftmacy, the revenge of Juflice will be more heavy upon Perfons. . . More particularly, Sins of Confcquence, whereby others are drawn to fin, will hetgh• ten the Guilt, and the retribution of Juftice will be to every Man ae<ordmg to hu wqs, •nd According to the jr11it ofhi1 doings, Jer. '7· 10. . . Tlus will principally concern Superiors in eminencr ?f Place, whofe Dtgmty has alway~ a concomitant proportion of Duty. Their viciousA£bons are Examples, and therr ~xa~ ples more powerful Rules than their Laws, and give countenance to others to fin h~~J~
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=