Part 101 HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
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Part 102 HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
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If we cannot hit upon the exact meanings of the reward here promised—yet we may safely and easily gather from the description of it that there shall be different degrees of glory in Christ's kingdom of glory. The apostles followed Christ through great tribulations and afflictions, and they continued with him in all his temptations; they forsook all, to follow him; and after they had faithfully, laboriously, successfully, and very eminently served him—they made themselves an offering for him, as I have formerly showed you, and therefore Christ will at last in a more eminent way exalt them, and glorify them, than he will others who have never seen that of Christ, nor received that from Christ, nor done that for Christ, nor sufferedthat for Christ—as they have done.
Degrees of glory shall at last be proportioned out answerable to those degrees of service which in this life men have been drawn out to. Such a thing as this the apostle Paul does more than hint, if I mistake not, in 1 Thes. 2:19-20, "For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? For you are our glory and joy." The crown that Paul speaks of here is not that common crown of righteousness, nor that common crown of life and immortality, nor that common crown of glory which all the saints shall be crowned with at last; [2 Tim. 4:8; James 1:12; Rev. 2:10; 1 Pet. 5:4.] But he speaks here of an apostolic crown, of a special, peculiar crown, that should accrue to him upon the account of his serviceableness to their souls; and of this crown he speaks again in that Phil. 4:1, "Therefore, my brethren, my dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved." He calls the Philippians his crown, and that partly because their spiritual growth, constancy, and perseverance was now his glory among other churches—but mainly because they should be his particular crown of rejoicing in the great day of our Lord Jesus. He knew that the Philippians' profit would be his crown and his advantage another day. The apostle alludes here to the custom of the Romans, who, as they had their common crowns of ivy and laurel, etc.—and these were such that their horses which won the race were often crowned with, which occasioned Theocritus to say, "See what poor things the world glories in; for, as their conquerors are crowned—just so, are their horses!" Just so, they had their peculiar, their special crowns, which were the rewards of their conquerors that had done special service for their country.
Just so, there are common crowns that belong to all the saints, as saints—as the crown of righteousness, the crown of life, and the crown of glory. And as there are these common crowns—just so, there are special and peculiar crowns, that they shall be crowned with, who are exercised in more high and excellent services than others have been employed in; and this is the crown that here the apostle speaks of. He knew very well that his reward should be answerable to his work, for though God never did, nor ever will, reward men for their works, as if they were the meritorious cause of the reward—yet he will for degrees reward them according to their works. There are peculiar crowns, special crowns, for those who have done peculiar and special services for Christ on earth.
[6.] A sixth scripture is Mat. 5:11-12, "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven." Suffering saints, persecuted saints, shall be sure of great rewards. God will reward his people, not only their innocence, integrity, patience, and courage under their sufferings—but the more their sufferings, revilings, and persecutions are multiplied in this world, the more shall their recompense and reward be multiplied in the eternal world. It is true, Christ has many lovers of his crown—but few bearers of his cross. All would reign with him—but few care to suffer for him. But yet it is as true on the one hand—namely, that those who bear most of his cross shall be greatest sharers in his crown; those who suffer most for him on earth shall be most blessed and rewarded by him when they come to heaven.
Look! as the consolation of the saints rises higher and higher in this world, even as their sufferings rise higher and higher, 2 Cor. 1:4-5—just so, the glory of the saints shall rise higher and higher in the eternal world, as their sufferings rise higher and higher in this world. Tertullian writes of the persecuted Christians who cry out, "Your cruelty is our glory, and the harder we are put to it, the greater shall be our reward in heaven!" One speaking of the martyrs said, "look how many sufferings they have—just so many crowns they shall have!" For every suffering—God shall set a crown on their heads. "By how much men's sufferings have been greater," says Chrysostom, "by so much the more their crown shall be bright and resplendent!"
"The greater conflicts and buffetings which any saint has endured, the greater shall be his reward, and the more ample shall be his glory," says Austin. As Christ has many crowns upon his head, suitable to the multitude of his sufferings and victories—just so, Christians at last shall have crowns suitable to the multitude of their sufferings, and suitable to those famous victories which they have gained over a tempting devil and a persecuting world, Rev. 19:7. Certainly it will be but justice, that they should receive the weightiest crown who have bore the heaviest cross, 1 John 5:4, and 2:13-14.
[7.] The seventh and last scripture that I shall produce is Mat. 10:41, "He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet, shall receive a prophet's reward;" that is, say some, they shall be partakers of the same reward which is laid up for the prophets. Without all question, these two things lie fair in the text:
First, That there is some special and eminent degrees of reward due unto a prophet above other men. And,
Secondly, That he who shall entertain a prophet, and perform any offices of love and favor to him under that name and notion, he shall be partaker of that reward. He who receives a prophet, as he is God's messenger, and employed in his service, and sent about his errand, and not upon any carnal or worldly respects—he shall receive a prophet's reward; that is, he shall receive either such a reward as the prophet himself shall receive at last, or he shall receive such a large, ample, and noble recompense as is fit for one to receive, who received a prophet as coming from the Lord.
Look! as such who give an honorable reception to the ambassadors of kings or princes, do highly raise themselves in the favor and esteem of those kings or princes who had sent them—just so, those who receive the faithful prophets of the Lord, as the ambassadors of God, they shall be highly interested in the favor of God, and as nobly be rewarded by God.
I might produce several other scriptures that echo to the same purpose as these seven do—but enough is as good as a feast; as that Mark 6:20; John 14:2; Mat. 20:20-24.
I shall, therefore, in the second place come to the REASONS that may further evidence and confirm this great truth—namely, that there shall be different degrees of glory in heaven. Among many other reasons that might be given, I shall only give you these five.
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Part 102 HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
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