i 61. Of the Smtence to be pali'd Vol. .IL Degree of their Holinefs, and Obedience, of their Service and Sufferings for God ; and that the Torments of the Wicked (halt be greater or lefs, according to the De. grec and Aggravation of their Sins. (I:) As for good Men; that the Reward, that íhall be beftowed upon therr4 (hall bear a Proportion to the Degree oftheirService and Sufferings for God. This Teems to be intimated in thofe metaphorical Expreffions ufed.by the Prophet Daniel, Chap. 12. 3. They that be wife, (hall thine as the Brightnefi of the Firmament ; and they that turnmany to Righteoufnefi, as theStarsfor ever and ever. Which is much the fame with what St. Paul exprefly affirms, concerning the different Gloryof the Saints at the Refurre&ion, r Cor. 15.41. There is oneQlory ofthe Sun, and another Glory of the Moon, and another Glory of the Stars : for one Star differeth from another Star inGlory. Soalfais the Refurrefíionofthe Dead. Mat. S. io, r Blefed areye, whenMen fhall revile you, andperfecuteyou, and f eakall manner ofEvil againftyouformy Name's fake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad for great isyour Reward in Heaven. Which Words, if they do not fignify a more glorious Reward to thofe who fuller Perfecution for Chrift, have no Emphafis or Encouragement in them. For what Caufe of exceeding Joy andGladnefs is it, to be perfecuted and fuller for Chrift, if a peculiarReward did not belong to thofe who Puffer for him ? If there do not, then thofe who fuf- fer for Chrift, are plainly in a worfe,Condition in this World, than other good Men who efcapç thefe Sufferings ; and yet are in no better Condition, than others in the next World : and then why fhould any Man be glad to fuffer ? Matth. to. 211, 42. He that receivetb a Prophet, in the Name of a Prophet, (hall re- ceive a Prophet's Reward ; and he that receiveth a righteous Man, in the Name of a righteous Man, (hall receive a righteous Man's Reward. Where you fee a Difference intimated between the Reward of a Prophet, and a righteous Man, namely, that a Prophet (hall have a greater Reward than an ordinary good Man. Matth. 19. 28, 29. Where our bleffed Saviour tells us, that all that denied themfelvesfor Chrift, (hall inherit everlafiing Life; but for.his Difciples, who were continually Attendants upon him, and Sufferers for him, that a more i n,laent Degree of Glory fhould be conferred on them ; which is exprefs'd;by their fitting span twelve Thrones, to judge the twelve Tribes of Ifrael. But molt plainly in the Parable of the Talents, where every Man's Reward is according to the Improvement ofhis Ta- lents. He that hadgained foe Talents, is made Ruler over..five Cities and he that had gained ten Talents; Ruler over ten Cities. Luke 19. 15. r Cor. 15. 58. Be yefled- fafi, nnmoveable, always abounding in the Workofthe Lord ; forafmuch . asyou know that your Labour le not in vain in the Lord. But if our Reward fhould not hold a Pro- portion to the Degree of our Service, it would be in vain to be abundant in the Work ofthe Lord. 2 Cor. 4.17. Our light Afiïfion which is but for amoment, work- eth for us afar more exceeding and eternal Weight ofGlory ; that is, ourAffti&ion con- tributes to our Glory, andadds to the Degree of it. 2 Cor. 9. 6. the Apoftle ufeth this as anArgument to perfwade theCorinthians to Ivvery liberal and boun- tiful to their dirtreffed Brethren, becaufe according to the Degree of their Cha- rity, would be the Degree of their Reward. This I fay, he that foweth fparingly, (hall reap fparingly; and he that foweth plentifully, (hall reapplentifully: than which I cannot imagine any Thing can be fpoken more plainly to this Purpofe. And the fame Argument he ufeth to thePhilippians, to ftir them up to Charity, Phil. 4. 17. Not becatrfe I delire a Gift : but Idelre Fruit that may abound toyour account ; clearly implying, that the more Good we do in this-World, the more Abundant ]hall be our Reward in the next. (3.) 'Tis likewife as plain from Scripture, that thePunifhment andTorment of wicked Men will be abated or increafedproportionablyto theDegree and Aggrava- tion of theirSins. Upon thisaccount ourSaviour threatens thofe who continue im- penitent'under the Gofpel, with more heavy and dreadful Punifhments, and tells us, that in the Day ofJudgment their Condition fhall be far worfe than theirs of Tyre andSidon, of Sodom and Gomorrah, Matth. 11. 20, 21. And Matth. 24. 51. he threatens that Servant, who, becaufe hisLorddelayed his coming. prefumed fo much upon the Patience of God, with a more fevere Punilhment : TheLordof that Ser- vant ]hall cut him in fittsder, and appoint him his Portion with the Hypocrites ; intima- ting
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