SECT. III. THE HAPPINESS OF SEPÁRATE SPIRITS. 403 sent the final rewards of the saints at the day of judg- ment ; but to shew that thenation of the Jews, who had been called to be the people of God above a thousand years before, and had borne the burden and heat of the day, that is, the toil and bondage of many ceremonies, should haveno preference in the esteem ofGod above the gentiles who were called at the last hour, or at the end of the Jewish dispensation ; for it is said, ver. 16. " the last shall be first, and the first last, that is, the gentiles, who Waited long ere the gospel was preached to them, shall be the first in receiving it; and the Jews to whom it was first offered, from an inward scorn and pride shall reject it, or receive it but slowly : And Christ adds this con- firmation of it, for many be called, but few chosen, that is, though multitudes of Jews were called to believe in Christ, yet few accepted the call. There is another rea- son why this parable cannot refer to the final rewards of heaven ; because ver. 11. it is said, " some of themmur- mured against the good-man of the house." Now there shall be no envy against their fellow-saints, nor murmur- ing against God in the heavenly state. But the Jews, and even the Jewish converts to christianity, were ready often to murmur that the gospel should be preached to the gentileworld, and that the heathens should be brought into privileges equal to themselves. Thus it sufficiently appears from the frequent declara- tions of scripture, as well as from the reason and equity of things, that the rewards of the future world shall be greatly distinguished according to the different degrees of holiness and service for God, even though every spirit there shall be perfect; nor is there any just and reason- able objection against it. Is it certain then that heaven has various degrees of happiness in it, and shall my spirit rest contented with the meanest place there, and the least and lowest mea- sure ? Hast thou no sacred ambition in thee, Omy soul, to sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob ? Or dost thou not aspire, at least, to the middle ranks ofglorified saints, though perhaps thou mayest despair of those most exalted stations which are prepared for the spirits of chief renown, for Abraham and Moses of ancient time, and for the martyrs and the apostles ofthe Lamb? Wilt thou not stir up all the vigour ,of nature and grace within thee, 213,2
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