DISCOURSE II. 0 that is, though multitudes of Jews were called to believe in 'Christ, that few accepted the call. There is another reason why' this parablecannot refer to the final rewards of heaven ; because verse 11. itis said, some ofthem murmured against the good-man . ofthe house. Now there shall be no envy against their fellow- saints, nor murmuring against God in the heavenly stale. But the Jews, and even the Jewish converts tochristianity, were ready often to murmur that the gospel should be preached to the Gentile world, and that the heathens should be brought into pri- vileges equalto themselves. Thus it sufficiently appears from the frequent declarations of scripture, as well as from the reason andequity of things, that therewards of the future world shall be greatly distinguished, according to the different degrees of holinessand service for God, even though every spirit there shall be perfect; nor is there any justand reasonable objection against it. Is it certain then that heaven has variousdegrees of hap- piness in it, and shall my spirit restcontented with the meanest place there, and the least and lowest measure ? Hast thon no sacred ambition in thee, O my soul, to sit down with Abraham, Isaac, andJacob ? Or dost thou not aspire, at least, to the mid- dle ranks of glorified 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 of the Lamb ? Wilt thou not stir up all the vigour of nature and grace within thee, to do great service for thy. God and thy Saviour on earth, that thy reward in heaven may not be small ? Wilt thou not run with zeal and ,patience the race that is set before thee, looking to the brighest cloud of witnesses, and reachingat some of thericher prizes ? Remember that Jesus thy judge iscoming apace: He has re- wards with him of every size, and the lustre and weight of thy crown shall most exactly correspond to thy sweat and labour. ButI must not dwell always on this head : Iproceed there- fore to the next. III. The spirits of the just in heaven enjoy such a perfec- tion as is consistent with perpetual changes of business and de- lights, even in the same person or spirit. They may be always perfect, but in a rich and endless variety. It is only God who possesses all possible excellencies, and powers, and happinesses at once, and therefore he alone is inca- pable of change : But .creatures must possess and enjoy their delights in a succession, because they cannot possess and enjoy all that they are capable of at once. And according to this con- sideration the heavenly state is represented in scripture in various forms both of business and blessedness. Sometimes it is described by seeing God; Mat. v. S. by
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