Object 3. Our Obedience is not only indissolubly connected with Salvation, and Preparatory to it, but the Scripture expressly speaks of bestowing eternal Blessings as Rewards for the good Deeds of the Saints. Math. 10 42. Whosoever shall give to drink, unto one of these little ones, a Cup of cold Water, only in the Name of a Disciple, he shall in no wise lose his Reward. 1 Cor. 3. 8. Every Man shall receive his own Reward, according to his own Labour. And in many other Places. This seems to militate against the Doctrine that has been maintained, two Ways, 1. The bestowing a Reward carries in it a Respect to a moral Fitness, in the Thing rewarded, to the Reward: The very Notion of a Reward being a Benefit bestowed in Testimony of Acceptance of, and respect to, the goodness or amiableness of some Qualification or Work, in the Person rewarded. And besides the Scripture seems to explain it self in this Matter, in Rev. 3. 4. Thou hast a few Names, even in Sa•dis, which have not defiled their Garments; and they shall walk with me in Whi•e; for they are Worthy This is here given as the Reason why they should have such a Reward, because they were Worthy: ⟨p. 88⟩Which, tho' we suppose it to imply no proper Merit, yet it at least implies a moral fitness, or that the excellency of their Virtue in God's Sight, recommends them to such a Reward; which seems directly repugnant to what has been supposed, viz That we are accepted, and approved of God, as the Heirs of Salvation, not out of Regard to the Excellency of our own Virtue or Goodness, or any moral fitness therein to such a Reward, but only on the Account of the Dignity, and moral fitness of Christ's Righteousness. 2 Our being eternally rewarded for our own Holiness, and good Works, necessarily supposes that our future Happiness will be greater or smaller, in some Proportion, as our own Holiness and Obedience is more or less; and that there are different Degrees of Glory, according to different Degrees of Virtue and good Works, is a Doctrine very expressly, and frequently taught us in Scripture. But this seems quite inconsistent with the Saints all having their future blessedness as a Reward of Christ's Righteousness: For if Christ's Righteousness be imputed to all, and this be what entitles each one to Glory, then 'tis the same Righteousness that entitles one to Glory, which entitles another:
Object 3. Our Obedience is not only indissolubly connected with Salvation, and Preparatory to it, but the Scripture expresly speaks of bestowing eternal Blessings as Rewards for the good Deeds of the Saints. Math. 10 42. Whosoever shall give to drink, unto one of these little ones, a Cup of cold Water, only in the Name of a Disciple, he shall in no wise lose his Reward. 1 Cor. 3. 8. Every Man shall receive his own Reward, according to his own Labour. And in many other Places. This seems to militate against the Doctrine that has been maintain'd, two Ways, 1. The bestowing a Reward carries in it a Respect to a moral Fitness, in the Thing rewarded, to the Reward: The very Notion of a Reward being a Benefit bestowed in Testimony of Acceptance of, and respect to, the goodness or amiableness of some Qualification or Work, in the Person rewarded. And besides the Scripture seems to explain it self in this Matter, in Rev. 3. 4. Thou hast a few Names, even in Sa•dis, which have not defiled their Garments; and they shall walk with me in Whi•e; for they are Worthy This is here given as the Reason why they should have such a Reward, because they were Worthy: ⟨p. 88⟩Which, tho' we suppose it to imply no proper Merit, yet it at least implies a moral fitness, or that the excellency of their Vertue in God's Sight, recommends them to such a Reward; which seems directly repugnant to what has been supposed, viz That we are accepted, and approved of God, as the Heirs of Salvation, not out of Regard to the Excellency of our own Virtue or Goodness, or any moral fitness therein to such a Reward, but only on the Account of the Dignity, and moral fitness of Christ's Righteousness. 2 Our being eternally rewarded for our own Holiness, and good Works, necessarily supposes that our future Happiness will be greater or smaller, in some Proportion, as our own Holiness and Obedience is more or less; and that there are different Degrees of Glory, according to different Degrees of Vertue and good Works, is a Doctrine very expresly, and frequently taught us in Scripture. But this seems quite inconsistent with the Saints all having their future blessedness as a Reward of Christ's Righteousness: For if Christ's Righteousness be imputed to all, and this be what entitles each one to Glory, then 'tis the same Righteousness that entitles one to Glory, which entitles another:
