beyond their actuall being it was but intentionall or a purpose to loue them When God built this great Fabrick of Heauen and Earth with all the variety of creatures in them his first thought was on himselfe delighting himselfe in his owne Attributes and in the manifestation of them to his creatures as his power and wisedome in the workes of Creation and his works of love and mercy and goodnes in the workes of his providence and his holinesse and justice in the punishment of sin and shewing mercy and forgivenes to whom he pleaseth Thus he made all things for himselfe Prov. 16.4 To set forth the glory of his Attributes then the love of God to himselfe was the first moving cause to bring all things about to his owne glory as Nebuchadnezzar built Babell the great house of his Kindome to shew forth his power and might and for the honour of his Majesty Dan. 4.30 These were his first thoughts then to accomplish this he thought of Timber and Stones and such materials as he was to use in the worke but although these second thoughts came into his mind before the worke was done yet it was not his love to the stones and timber that moved him to build that great Fabrick but it was the love to his owne honour and Majesty that moved him to doe it So it was not Gods actuall love to the Saints that moued him from all eternity to doe all his great works but the love to his own honour and glory that was the mouing cause of all his workes and as a man may have the modell or frame of his house in his mind before he begin to build it So had the Lord the modell or frame of the whole world in his mind before he began to create them and as mans affections are no more to one stone than to another before they be squared and fitted for the building and then he actually loves them So when the Lord finds us all mixed together with the wicked There is no difference Rom. 3.22 Acts 15.9 till wee are squared and fitted and made living stones for his spirituall Temple and then he loves us and though God saw all things from all eternity in the thoughts of his heart yet not as being actually then created and perfectly finished but they were in the thoughts of his heart how they should be and where they should be he seeth all things that are not as if they were not that they are really so indeed no not in his sight God sees all the travels of men out of one Kingdome into another and their birth and death and their soules departure either to Heaven or Hell but not as if he saw them in many places at once this were to make the creature Omni-present to be in many places at once and to say God sees our birth and death all at once would seeme to repute him uncapable of the passage of time here with us so they would make him unable to performe his promise at the time appointed But God is able to keepe his promise to a thousand Generations Psal 105.8 And performe it the selfe-same day Exod. 12.41 The Lord bid the people write the self-same day and shall we thinke that hee doth not keepe a strict account of time till time bee no more yet in Heaven I grant there is no account of time by houres daies and yeares but wee having the account of time and according to our account God did see one thing comming after another into execution and not all being actually done from all eternity therefore he is faithfull to performe every promise made unto his people in the very instant of time promised he sees the way and meanes which he hath decreed to bring about all things to their appointed ends So God from all eternity saw his people in his purpose to give them a being and when they have a being he sees them as having a being but since the fall he sees his Elect in their bloud before conversion and after conversion as his owne children yet as having sin in them and in the world to come as without sin now if they should say that Gods love to the creatures before they were moved him to doe all that is done to them then I demand what moved God towards them when all mankind fell out of this loue of God in that sin of Adam was it not his purpose to doe them good now if they say that God alwaies actually loued them then I reply that if this be true Christ died in vaine but the truth is When we were enemies to God we were again reconciled by the bloud of his Son Rom. 5.10 see Col. 1.21 And to say that God actually loved them before they had any being is all one as to say God loved them before his owne Image was stamped upon them which every creature hath some resemblance more or leste by Creation therefore being made they were all very good but not before Againe if God should actually love his Elect from all eternity then on the contrary he must actually hate the Reprobate before they have any sin and if God should actually love the Elect from all eternity then this love was fruitlesse till the time of Creation Againe we are all borne children of wrath even as others and slaves of the Devill now doth God love any more in us at that time than what we had left off the worke of God by Creation and so he loves the Divell as to owne his workeman-ship in him then here is the difference God is purposed to doe good to his Elect although for the present they lie in the guilt of Adams sin but God hath no purpose to doe good unto the Divels that sinned Againe if God loved slaves of the Divell then what doth hinder but such may be saved and goe to Heaven in that condition but if this be true what need is there of the new Birth nay it matters not in what condition we are if God love us But yee have not so learned Christ If so be yee have been taught as the truth is in Iesus Then put off the former conversation the old man which is corrupt Ephes 4.20 21 22. Yet God loveth the least measure of grace that he hath wrought in his people Hee hath wrought in us that which is well pleasing in his sight Heb. 13.21 Let us have grace whereby wee may serve God acceptably Chap. 12.28 I exhort you by the Lord Iesus that as yee have received of us how yee ought to walke and to please God so you would abound more and more 1 Thess 4.1 You please God now labour to please him better walke as Christ walked 1 John 2.6 So shall you grow in favour with God and man as he did and be able daily to doe his will more and more as strength and wisedome increaseth Luke 2.52 And at length with Daniel be a man greatly beloved Dan. 10.11 And with Mary
highly favoured Luke 1.28 Being full of faith Acts 6.5 Now it is not God that changeth in his love but the change lies in us for Gods love is infinite in greatnes like himselfe so that no creature being finite is able to containe this infinite love of God it is like the Ocean Seas nothing is able to contain it but himself al the creatures are but as so many vessels of several sizes cast into this Ocean and every one receives his measure but the beasts and sowles are not able to receive so much as men nor men before conversion being dead in sin and having no hand of faith to receive it as he that hath a new life infused into him and the hand of faith given him whereby he is made more capable to receive a greater measure nor he that is but in part sanctified and having the burden of sin upon him as he that is wholly sanctified and freed from all sin and so as faith increaseth wee are more able to receive this infinite love of God and some have fiue Talents some but two now if God make some creatures more capable to receive and then bestowes more of this infinite love upon them this must needs bee agreeable to what God purposed to bestow on them from all Eternity Againe some to whom God hath purposed to bestow lesse yet they may haue it in actuall possession sooner than those to whom God hath purposed to bestow more saith Paul Andronicus and Iunia were in Christ before me Romans 16.7 Yet Paul I suppose did soon exceed them and so the last became first for hee was not behind the very chiefest Apostles he did improve his tallant more then they all yet while he was a persecutor a blasphemer and injurious then I say Andronicus and Iunia were more beloved then he because his graces lay in the purpose of God and they had it in actual possession again Christ chides some for their little faith Mat. 14.21 And others he highly commends for their great faith Mat. 8.10.15.28 Some are more carnall then spirituall yet babes in Christ 1 Cor. 3.1 Heb. 5.12 But herein is my father glorified when we bear much fruit John 15.8 Rom. 4.20 Christ himself the more he grew in strength and wisedome the more able was hee to perform the work of Mediator-ship therefore as he encreased in strength and wisedome he encreased in favour with God and men Luke 2.52 because then he was able to do more both for God and man Thus the greatest vessel being cast into this ocean recovereth the greatest measure of this infinite love of God Again the love of God is also eternall like himself and God hath made some creatures eternall to keepe their measure that they have received for ever whereas other creatures are mortall and not able to keep that measure of love which they have received for ever because the vessel wil decay and so that love which they received returns back into the â—cean where it was before the creation and for those Angels that were made eternall vessels and yet carelesse to keep their measure of love which they had received They shal suffer eternally the losse of this infinite love of God Jude 5. And the rest that did not sin were established by Christ but for man all sinned and came short of the glory of God the Scripture hath concluded all under sin that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that beleeve Gal. 3.22 All were under the curse and might justly have suffered eternally with the reprobate had not Christ redeemed us from the curse Gal. 3.13 And he prepared this broken vessel to make us meet for our Masters use 2 Tim. 2.20.21 For this is the wil of God even our sanctification and that we should know how to possesse our vessels in sanctification and honour 1 Thes 4.3.4 But God did not impart this infinite love into these vessels before they were and that actually from all eternity Again they alleadg that place in Ezek. 16.6 7 8 9. That the Lord saith When I passed by thee I saw thee polluted in thine own blood now when I looked upon thee behold thy time was the time of love I answer first God doth not say in that time that he looked upon that polluted sinner that he loved her but thus Behold thy time was the time of love that is thy time of effectual calling out of the state of sin into the state of grace by true faith and repentance and reformation Thus not my time when I saw thee polluted but thy time when thou art washed and cleansed that was the time of love for saith the Lord When I saw thee polluted J said unto thee live yea when thou wast in thy blood I said unto thee live vers 6. Now this was such a powerful voyce as when hee said in the creation let there be light and there was light or such a voice by which Christ raised up dead Lazarus to life Iohn 11.44 For marke I caused thee to multiply as the bud of the field thou art encreased and waxen great and thou art come to excellent ornaments whereas thou wast naked and bare vers 6. This was the time of love vers 7. For those ornaments was the righteousnesse of Christ to justifie her for saith he I spread my skirt over thee to cover thy nakednesse vers 8. Yea she had the grace of faith-wrought in her wherby she was capable to enter into Covenant with God and so saith he thou becamest mine vers 8. After this she declared her self to be washed with the water of sanctification and adorned with all those graces following vers 9.10.11.12.13.14 Then was she actually loved of Christ but this will not prove that the elect are actually loved of God from all eternity For when God actually loves a man He draws that man by those cords and bands of love to him againe Hos 11.4 We love God because he first loved us 1 John 4.19 Love is a bond of perfectnesse Colos 3.14 But this could not draw us before we were the love of God is shed abroad in your hearts by the holy Ghost Rem 5.5 But he that hath no bowels of compassion toward his brother how dwelleth the love of God in him Ioh. 3.17 Now keep your selves in the love of God thus of some have compassion and others save with feare pulling them out of the fire Jude 21 22 23. But was Paul such a one before his conversion when he made havock of the Church of God and breathed out threatning and slaughter against the Desciples of the Lord did this love of God dwel in him then our heavenly Father wil give his spirit to them that aske him Lu. 11.13 But can they aske him before they were While Peter was yet speaking the holy Ghost fel on them which heard the word Acts 10.44 Then was this actually done in Gods decree or did the holy Ghost dwel in Paul
before conversion by working or acting grace in his heart or was he then led by the spirit of God into all truth Iohn 16.13 When he persecuted and made havocke and breathed out threatning and slaughter against the Saints of God was the love of God then shed into his soule or did he then love the Saints of God when he so thirsted for their blood it is true he then loved them as the wolfe doth his prey But the true love of God is the infusion of that grace of love into their soul which both knits them to God and to his people but this could not be before their conversion then sure it was not before their being When God infuseth the graces of his spirit into the soule by those graces be sanctifies it and these are not the causes of our salvation but they are a part of it as the first fruits of that harvest Rom. 8.33 Iam. 1.18 And the earnest of that bargain He hath given unto us the earnest of his spirit 2 Cor. 5.5 After that ye beleeved ye were sealed with that holy spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance Ephes 1.13.14 Meaning the graces of Gods spirit Mat. 7.11 Compared with Luke 11.13 Therefore the promises commonly run and are made to them that are sanctified and seldome or never to them that are justified because the perfecting of sanctification is the last work and brings us into ful happinesse to al eternity then imputed righteousnesse ceaseth and faith ceaseth aad prayer ceaseth and the intercession of Christ ceaseth but the righteousnesse of sanctification that is begun is us here being purchased by Christ also and wrought by his spirit in us that abideth with us to all eternity for it is eternal life begun in us then what a miserable delution is that which speaketh evil of that eternal life that is begun within us saying what have we to do with that dungy durty duties of sanctification we thank God through Jesus Christ we have nothing to do with them these are workes for horne-book Christians but let me tel them that the promise of heaven and happinesse is only made to holinesse Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Mat. 5. And without holinesse no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12.14 Again Heaven is the inheritance of them that are sanctified Acts 20.32 But no unclean thing shall enter into it Rev. 21.27 Now all the persons in Trinity may be said to sanctifie us To them that are sanctified by God the Father Jude 1. I am the Lord that doth sanctifie you Exo. 31.13 Levit. 20.8.21.8 The very God of Peace sanctifie you 1 Thes 5.23 God the father sanctifies us by giving his son to purchase it for us and by sending the holy Ghost to worke it in us and by hearing and granting those petitions which are moved in us by his own spirit Rom. 8.26 Secondly God the Son is said to sanctifie us first by the purchase that he gave for it he hath washed away our sins in his owne blood Rev. 1.5 The blood of Christ doth purge your consciences from dead workes to serve the living God Heb. 9.14 Secondly by his ordinances the word and Sacraments Christ gave himself for his Church that he might sanctifie it with the washing of water by the word Ephes 5.26 First by the word in shewing us our sins by it and also our duties and begetting faith in us by it whereby wee have both knowledg of and power to do these duties and to refraine those vices discovered by it and also by the Sacraments by strengthning and encreasing faith all other graces in us Thirdly We are sanctified by the spirit of God 1 Cor. 6.11 2 Thes 2.13 Now as the Father works by the Son and the holy Ghost so the holy Ghost workes both from the Father and the Son therefore it is said Your heavenly father wil give the spirit to them that aske him Lu. 11.13 The Father shal give you another comforter John 14.16 And saith the Son If I goe not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I wil send him unto you John 16.7 Now saith the Apostle He saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost which is shed on us abundantly through Iesus Christ our Saviour Tit. 3.5 6. The spirit of God sanctifies by changing us into the same image from glory to glory that is From the glory of grace begun to the glory of grace perfected 2 Cor. 3.18 And by leading us into all truth John 16.13 This is done by inward motions and comforts encreasing that which he before infused into us Again it is said that faith sanctifies that they may receive forgivenesse of sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith Acts 26.18 Purifying their hearts by faith Acts 15.9 When faith takes hold and receives the blood of Christ and makes it ours so it justifies us as an instrument or a hand laying hold on Christ the justifier But as faith works by love Gal. 5.6 And stirs up all other graces in their lively motion so it sanctifies us when it makes us love God unfainedly and stirs up a lively hope that maketh not ashamed and fear to offend God and care to please him and a zeal for his glory humility self denyall mortifying sin and a chearful walking with God in all holy obedience thus faith may be said to sanctifie and although other graces were infused into us by the spirit of God as wel as faith yet when faith acts them and stirres them up in their lively motion this second working may be called the fruits of faith because they are acted and encreased by it instrumentally although the graces themselves are all the fruits of Gods spirit wrought in us Gal. 5.22 But our Antinomians are strangers to this kind of working for they will have the spirit of God to do his own work and they must be as empty trunks for it and as dead stones without life or motion yea their faith they so much boost of must be but a spectator to look on their love must free them from obedience and their faith is without labour but saith Paul Remembring without ceasing your work of faith labour of love 1 Thes 1.3 Heb. 6.10 Again the Saints are not rewarded according to the righteousnesse of Christ imputed to them for then they should bee as high in glory as Christ yet I grant that to be the cause of our salvation but we are saved according to the measure of our sanctification that is wrought in us by the spirit of God neither are the reprobates rewarded according to the imputation and guilt of originall sin although that was the cause of damnation for then all should be tormented alike but they are rewarded according to their actual sins committed in their own persons For he that treasureth sin he treasureth up wrath against the day of wrath
into the spirituall Kingdome or Church of Christ only our heart should not be set upon these things So then all that can be gathered from this Parable is this those that enter into the spirituall Kingdome or Church of Christ their outward peny for the day of this life shal be all alike there is no sort of men that have any promise for more of outward things than other men Eccles 9.2 But what is this concerning the glory of Heaven saith Paul There is one glory of the Sun and another of the Moone and another glory of the Stars for as one star differeth from another in glory so also is the resurrection of the dead 1 Cor. 15.41.42 So the Saints of God they that have done most and in the best manner being acted by the strongest Faith and with the purest aimes at the glory of God they shall receive most of God For the Lord will render to every man according to his work Psal 62.12 Blessed are they that dye in the Lord one reason is because their workes follow them Revel 14 13. The Lord will give both grace and glory to them that walk uprightly Psal 84.11 He giveth more grace to the humble Jam. 4.6 Thus you see they that most and best improve their Talent of grace here shall have both more grace here and glory hereafter therefore the workes of Sanctification are well-pleasing to the Lord in a justified person and the more Sanctification wee have here the more glory wee shall have in Heaven for ever for what is the glory of Heaven but the perfection of sanctification which is begun here and the grace of Sanctification is nothing else but glory begun therefore the Apostle in that golden chaine of grace he puts glorified in the place of sanctified Rom. 8.30 He that believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but it passed from death to life John 5.24 It is eternall life to know God to be the onely true God and Iesus Christ whom he hath sent Jo. 17.3 and this knowledge is in all beleivers So then I conclude he that most increaseth in grace here must needs increase his glory hereafter Yet this hinders not the spirit of God from being both the Author of grace and glory and the degrees thereof for this sanctification is that work of grace wrought by the spirit of God in beleevers which adornes them and makes them fit Temples for himselfe to dwel in he infusing grace into them makes them all glorious within Psal 45.13 This work is done onely by the spirit of God in the first infusing of it and we are more passive in the worke but we improving that Tallent and growing in grace as we are commanded 2 Pet. 3.18 In this we are labourers together with God 1 Cor. 3.9 And so doing we may both increase our grace here and glory hereafter This Sanctification or work of grace that is wrought in the soule differs both from inherent righteousnesse and from imputed righteousnesse for inherent righteousnesse is that civill justice that we have by the light of nature which is bred and borne with us and cannot properly be called grace but nature The Gentiles doe by nature the things contained in the Law which shewes the work of the Law written in their hearts Ro. 2.14 15. This was not infused into us but growes from naturall principles But the righteousnes of Sanctification is that worke of grace infused into us by the spirit of God as clean water that is poured into a stinking vessel which doth something corrupt the scent of it takes off that sweet savour that should ascend up into the nostrils of God so that we dare not appeare in the presence of God at his seat of justice having nothing but this upon us yet in its proper place is wel-pleasing to the Lord as I said before For he hath wrought in us that which is wel-pleasing in his sight Heb. 13.21 But if wee should presume to put this righteousnes of Sanctification in the the place of justification and so stand before Gods Tribunall Seat having onely this it would he as filthy rags and as a menstruous cloth Isa 30.22 64.6 and could not justifie us in the sight of God Now imputed righteousnesse is that holinesse of the humane nature of Christ which is without us and remaines onely in Christ and therefore it is pure and cleane in the sight of God as the water in the Fountaine In this alone we dare appeare in the presence of God and by this perfect righteousnes of Christ without us the defects of our Sanctification in our owne persons is covered so that now our works of Sanctification are accepted and all our failings are made up by that perfect reghteousnesse which onely remaines in Christ and imputed unto us and all our sins are imputed to him so long as we carry about with us this body of sin Christ makes interession for all our failings till this mortall shall put on immortality and this corruption shall put on incorruption and we by death bee freed from sin Rom. 6.7 Then shall this imputation of Christs righteousnesse cease and we shall be fully and perfectly sanctified in degrees and this shall bee our glorification and our happines to all Eternity when all defects and weaknesses shall be done away This shall be the honour of all the Saints Psal 149.9 Thus you see that God did not actually love his people from all eternity if wee look beyond the Creation it was but intentionall or a purpose to love them and when Adam was created then God loved him as the principle of his creatures and after the fall before conversion God onely loves that workmanship of his in man that is left since the fall and after conversion as his owne child yet but in part sanctified and in heaven as wholly sanctified Again some have more grace here than others and shall have more glory than others and therefore more beloved than others yet the change lies onely in us and not in God For there is no variablenesse with God neither shadow of turning James 1.17 Christ is the same yesterday to day and for ever Heb. 13.8 And saith the Lord I change not therefore the sons of Jacob are not consumed Mal. 3.6 But as al the creatures differ in their goodnesse so every one receives his measure of the love of God take the creatures in their first creation yet then God did not love a dog so wel as he loved a man nor the foules of heaven as the Angels of heaven If this were well observed it might be sufficient to convince them of another grosse errour that was then defended against me stil they hold the same which is this After a man is converted he is as dead as before even as dead as a stone and all his actions in themselves as they came from him are as bad as the works of the devill They
been slumbring For what of this I am not here speaking of the causes of our justification but of the witnesses which is the spirit of God and our spirit or conserence But one of these you have lost which is your conscience many of you which I can make to appeare by your dealings with men and you with me at this time The fourth tenet you hold that God cannot correct you for sâ—n and yet you say that I confesse that God doth not punish and plague his people in wrath sury but what of this Will it hold therefore that God doth not correct them at all for sin saith David There is no rest in my bones by reason of my sin Psalms 38. But if thou be made whole sin no more lest a worse thing come unto thee John 5.14 Thou shalt be dumbe saith the Angel because thou beleevest not my words Luke 1.20 But if you be not satisfied read my book better and answer those Scriptures alleadged to prove it or else for shame leave cavilling The fist Tenet and so here you own them all although you say that they are in my trimming but here your naturall conscience flyes in your face saying tongue thou liest but for this Tenet which is that the free grace of Christ hath freed you from the commanding power of the law of God and yet you say that I confesse that the Judiciall law was not made for us and that the Ceremoniall Law was ended in Christ and that we obey the morrall law freely without the lashing or constraining power of it but what of this we obey the law and so escape a whipipng but the best of us may be whipped againe if we be negligent in our obedience to it but this is not our controvercy about the manner of our obedience to the law of God whether it be love or whether it be fear that moves us to obey it but whether the commanding power of the law of God be abrogated or made void to beleevers so that they wil not be moved by love nor feare to obey the law for say they it is no rule for them Thus Mr. Simpson expressed himselfe to me and confested the same before the Assembly of Divines if you would leave your sophistay and desire satisfaction I would entreate you to read my book better In the next place you say I must not call you Aypocrites and sons of Belial and rejecters of the law of God just like theeves and whores who love those sins and as a sweet morsell can hide them under their tongue yet they would not be called theeves and whores by no meanes but it is my disposition you must bear with me for I shal cal a spade a spade and I am the more bold now the baudy Courts are down yet I must needs confesse it is not very toothsome to them that are guilty and if you say that I take upon me to be both witnesse and Judge I have answered you already that your hereste hath been condemned by all good men ever since Luthers time and you tax me for slandering accusing you but you need not except you could cleare your selves better and for rash anger but I being angry at your sins and not at your persons I may be angry and yet not sin And then you tax me with contradictions but in the mean time you can prove none Then you say that I storme against those that have inherent holinesse when I only bring it in for distinction betweene the imputed righteousnesse of Christ and our inherent righteousnesse or sanctification Page 1. But marke here who they be you know not for stil you are but dead stones and empty trunks Again because I say that the imputed righteousnesse of Christ abides in him and not in us although our faith receives and makes it ours but you say faith abides in me and faith is imputed for righteousnesse I answer faith for the goodnesse or worthinesse of it as a grace is not imputed but as a hand or instrument taking hold of Christs righteousnesse and thus faith hath a long arme which can reach from earth to heaven and take hold of Christs righteousnesse and yet not bring it into the soule by infusion A Beggar can take a suit of cloaths with his hand and cloath himself although he doe not put it into his belly then take heed how you say that it is a lame faith that brings not the righteousnesse of Christ into the soule by infusion that justifies you but leaves it without but he is the blessed man whose sins are covered for the being of sin is there still You say that I affirme that the sinnes of Gods people lay on Christ upon the Crosse and yet you say that I affirme we are in a damnable estate before we beleeve as if it was not Christ but our saith that takes away our sins but this I have answered in the first Tenet Againe you say that I say God is of purer eyes then to behold sin but here you mistake my words again leave out with approbation for the very next words of the Prophet are these Wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously Hab. 1.13 This was the divels practise to Christ and his children will follow their example Againe you say that I confesse that the children of God have sins and that God sees them I answer God sees them as mortally wounded and as dying daily yet we are not freed from sin till death Rom. 6.7 But yet God sees them read my book better Againe you say that I affirme that Gods spirit wil not dwel where sins are yet that I should say that sin is where the spirit of God dwels the last of these I grant but the first of these is a manifest lye as if by sophistry you would make me to be ignorant of what I have written it is true I say that the spirit of God wil not dwel in that foule and filthy heart where the divels reigne page 4. line 3.8.15.20 Christ wil not be an underling in that soule where the Divel reignes in ful possession but there is no such word in my book that Christ wil not dwel where sin is the Divell may come sometimes where Gods spirit dwels as an intruder where he hath nothing to do but to trouble and molest the best of Gods people Againe you say that I affirme some things that are doubtful as where I charge you to hold that you must neither repent nor be sorry nor pray for the pardon of any sin past present or to come neither must we heare of it any more I answer I shewed you my author wher it was written by some of your own gang I suppose you have seen it the author was be that made the answer to Dr. Taylors book I doubt but that you know him and besides your doubt is of my proofe but you deny not the thing which shewes that you are or may be ashamed
Rom. 2.5 There are degrees of torments in hel as there are degrees of sin here A wicked mans heart gathereth iniquity to it self Psal 41.6 Now he that gathereth most sin here shall have the most torment hereafter for so he treasures up wrath against the day of wrath Evill men and seducers waxe worse and worse 2 Tim. 3.13 Then them that for a pretence make long prayers when they intend to devour widdowes houses such shall receive the greater damnation Mat. 23 14. And some have more means to prevent sin then others Therefore it shal be easier at the day of judgment for Sodom then for Capernaum and for Tyre Sidon then for Chorazin Bethsaida Mat. 11.22.24 Again some their sinnes are as gnats and moats and some are as huge as beames and cammels Mat. 7.14.23 24. Therefore some shal be beaten with many stripes and some with few stripes Lu. 12.47.48 For he shal be punished more that sins against knowledg and conscience against counsel and admonition against promises and Covenants and under the means of grace and cleare sun-shine of the Gospel then he that sins through much weaknesse and ignorance and beset with strong temptations and without the means of grace and without admonition or counsel to the contrary the former shal certainly be punished more then the latter of these Again some their sin is more scandalous then others being in some eminēt place in the world whose example doth much hurt to others saith the Lord Thou makest the enemies of God to blaspheme 2 Sam. 12.14 This being against much mercy shal be punished more then he that hath not received so much as being in a mean place and not taken notice of his sins being more private Again he that goeth on in sin 30. or 40. years shal be punished more then he that dyeth an Infant Yea an untimely birth is better then he Eccles 6.3 It is some mercy to a reprobate to be taken away in his youth for the longer he lives here the more he encreaseth his torment hereafter his going on in sin is a bringing fuell daily to that unquencheable fire So likewise there are degrees of glory in Heaven as there are degrees of grace here For every one shall receive according to his owne labours 1 Cor. 3.8 For God wil render to every man according to their works Psal 62.12 Now mans works or labours differ in their goodnes First in their kind some are imployed in curing bodily diseases and some are imployed about curing of soules now this latter is a more noble work than the former and rewarded accordingly For they that are wise shall shine as the brightnes of the firmament but they that turne many to righteousnesse shall shine as the Stars Dan. 12.3 Now as the stars exceed the firmament in glory so those that are imployed in the curing of soules exceed in glory those that have beene imployed about the diseases of the body Again the labours of the righteous differ in the manner of performance some are done with a greater love and a greater zeale and a greater care and conscience to discharge their duties and some with lesse love zeale care and conscience to discharge their duties now the former shall receive the greater reward for so it is promised Every one shall receive according to his owne labours 1 Cor. 3.8 Againe they differ in their measure Some labour but one boure some beare the burden and heat of the day and some have better imployed their talent than others for some have gained ten more and some but five more Luke 19.16.18 So answerable was their glory ver 17.19 But suppose they object and say those that wrought but one houre in the day and those that bore the burden and heat of the day every man had his penny Mat. 20.10 Here I might give an answer to this as some have done and say this peny is to be understood Caesars coyne for substance and not for quantity as when Christ called for Caesars coyne they shewed him a peny Mat. 21.19 Aswell they might have brought a shilling if it was of Caesars coyne but I have not liking to this answer for when the last received a peny the first supposed that they should have received more yet they likewise received every man a peny ver 10. So that the quantity being equal to those that wrought but one houre is the thing that offends them Againe some it may be will answer that such a one as Paul comming into the vineyard but one houre might doe as much work in that houre as others that had laboured all the day and so receive all alike but this I wave also knowing that the most labouring Christians many times are as long and sometimes longer in the vineyard of Christ than those that have been something remisse and therefore in reason should have a greater reward yet not for their work but according to their work Psal 62.12 But these answers I approve not for in the Chap. before Peter said unto Christ Behold wee have forsaken all and followed thee what shall wee have Christ answered in this world an hundred fold that is a sufficiency of outward things such as they had forsaken and this Parable comes in as a reason of it For the Kingdom of Heaven is like unto an Housholder which went out early in the morning to hire Labourers into his vineyard and some agreed for a peny a day and some stood to their Lords courtesie Mat 20.1.2.4 Now this vineyard is the spirituall Kingdome or Church of Christ and this peny is to be understood all outward things and this day is to be understood the time of our life in this world now the Apostles left their possessions and so did many more neither said any of them that ought of the things that he possessed was his owne but they had all things common Acts 4 32. Now these went into the spirituall Kingdome or Church of Christ never so much as minding these outward things but cast themselves wholly upon their Lords courtesie although they take a journey all the world over and provide neither gold nor silver nor brasse in their purse nor scrip for their journeys neither two coats neither shooes nor staves for the workman is worthy of his meat Mat. 10.9 10. In like manner the seaventy disciples were sent out Luke 10.3.4.7 Thou shalt not muzzle the oxe that treadeth out the corne the labourer is worthy of his hire 1 Tim. 5.18 But doth God take care for oxen 1 Cor. 9.6 And will he not take care for those that labour in his vineyard that they shall want nothing that is good for them Psal 34.9.10 Especially those in the first planting of the Gospell who left their Trades and callings as Paul saith But wee will give our selves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word Acts 6.4 But now it is not required that we should leave our possessions Trades and callings when wee enter