tain Degree. As the perfect Happiness of the Angels is to attain to that Degree of Glory, of which the angelical Nature is capable. Likewife, the perfect Happinefs of Man, is to enjoy all that Bleffednefs, which the humane Nature alone and fingle is able to enjoy, I muft fay the fingle Nature of Man, to diftinguish it from that which is united to the Perfon of the eternal Son of God. For by this Union, this hath attained to an incommunicable Glory, of which other Creatures cannot partake in the fame Perfection; it hath attain'd to an Happiness, far above the Glory of all the Children of God, and of all the Holy Angels of Heaven, far above what they can or may expect.

Again, I may fay, that there is a fupreme and perfect Happiness independent, which fubfifts of its felf, without any foreign Affiftance. This Kind of Happinefs is only to be found in God: for as he is of himself an infinite Being, he borrows nothing from others, and of himself is abfolutely and perfectly happy. The other Happiness is that which proceeds not out of our felves, but is derived to us from another, fuch is the Glory and Happiness of the Angels. This Leffon the Holy Ghoft teacheth us in thefe Words, God puts Light into his Angels; that is to fay, that these Holy Spirits have nothing of Light or Glory, but what is derived to them from the Father of Lights, and his gracious Afpect. Such alfo is the Glory of our Lord Jefus Chrift, as Mediator. Therefore he speaks thus to God his Father, Glorify thy Son, that thy Son may glorify thee, John 17. In a Word, fuch fhall be our Glory and Happinefs; for as we have our Being from God, 'tis from him that we derive our Well-being; alfo 'tis from him only that we expect all our Glory and Blifs.

From hence you may eafily underftand, that God is the only Object, and the only Source of our eternal Glory and future Happinefs. If you enquire from me what fhall be the effential Form; I anfwer, that it fhall be our Likeness and Refemblance with God,

which fhall be as perfect as humane Creature is capable of. Now this Refemblance and Similitude fhall confift in three Things, in a pure and bright Light, which fhall not be mixed with the leaft Obfcurity; in a perfect and compleat Holiness, where there fhall not be the leaft Blemish; and in an infinite and unalterable Joy and Content, where there fhall never be the leaft Cloud of Grief; but of this we have fufficiently treated already.

Some there are that enquire whether in Paradife there fhall be an Equality, or an Inequality of Glories and Happineffes. This Queftion is more curious than neceffary. For we need not enquire whether there fhall be any more or lefs happy than our felves. It fhould fuffice us for our Comfort, to know, that if we be true Believers, and truly Penitent; if we fear God as we ought, if we ferve him with a religious Mind until the laft Gafp; that in fuch a Cafe we fhall attain to the Glory of the Children of God, and poffefs with them a perfect and eternal Happiness. Nevertheless, that we may feem to omit nothing which might give Satisfaction to every believing Soul, I shall examine this Particular, but it fhall be without advancing any new Thing, which I have not feen in the holy Gospel, nor learn'd from the true Doctor of our Souls. I fhall declare the Opinion of the moft Learned upon this rich and excellent Subject. Afterwards I fhall add mine own, which I fubmit, as the reft of this Treatife, to the Judgment of the wifer and more learned Perfons, who are better acquainted than I am, with the spiritual and heavenly Enjoyments.

Some believe, that in Paradife there fhall be every where the fame Glory and Happinefs, equal and uniform in every Perfon that fhall enjoy it. Their principal Reafons are: First, That we fhall have no Glory nor Happiness, but that which hath been purchased for us by the Death and Paffion of our Lord Jesus Chrift; and that as this glorious Saviour hath purcha Hh2

fed

fed this Glory and Happiness for all the Elect equally, they fhall all enjoy it in the higheft Degrees and Per fection. Secondly, That the Holinefs of all the Blessed fhall be perfect; therefore, as they fhall be all perfectly holy, they fhall be all likewife perfectly happy in the fame Degree. Thirdly, That our Saviour faith exprefly without any Exception, That the Saints fhall fhine as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father, Matth. 23. Now the Sun is the King of the Stars, and the brightest of all the heavenly Bodies. Fourthly, That the Elect are reprefented in Heaven as fo many Kings, having upon their Heads Crowns of Gold, Rev. 1. 4, 5. Now there is no Inequality between Kings; for each of them is in Poffeffion of Sovereignty, and an independant and fupreme Authority. Fifthly, That Jefus Chrift reprefents to us the laft Tranfactions of the World, by the Parable of a Father of a Family, who at the End of the Day, beftows the fame Salary upon every one that hath laboured in his Vineyard, Matth. 20. Sixthly, That 'tis faid in general Terms, That we shall fee God Face to Face, and that we shall fee him as he is, 1 Cor. 13. 1 John 3. And that in this bleffed Vision shall confift the chief Happiness of Man. Lastly, That after the Refurrection, God fhall be in us all in all; which Expreffion declares the highest and most compleat Happinefs and Glory.

Others think the contrary, that in Heaven there fhall be an Inequality of Glory, and feveral Degrees of Happinefs. This their Opinion they ftrengthen chiefly with two Paffages of Holy Scripture, the one is in the 14th of St. John, where Chrift faith to his Apoftles, In my Father's Houfe there are many Manfions. The other is in the 1 Cor. 25. where St Paul difcourfing at large of the Happiness of the Saints after the Refurrection, faith, There is one Glory of the Sun, another Glory of the Moon, and another Glory of the Stars; for one Star differeth from another Star in Glory; fo alfo is the Refurrection of the Dead.

There are fome that are not content to believe an Inequality of Glory and Happiness, but undertake

farther

farther to discourse of this Matter, with as much Confidence, as if God had admitted them to the Knowledge of his eternal Secrets; as if he had difcovered to them all the Wonders of the heavenly Jerusalem, more, plainly than to his beloved Difciple. They tell us, that there fhall be not only divers Degrees of Glory and Happiness, but they affirm, who they are that thall obtain fuch and fuch degrees. They determine abfolutely, and prescribe what Glory fhall belong to Virgins, what fhall be that of Confeffors, and what shall be that of Martyrs. In a Word, fome are fo puffed up with an high Conceit of themfelves, and of their meritorious Acts, that they make an open Profeffion of being of the Number of fuch as fhall obtain the higheft Degrees of Glory and Happiness.

But my Opinion is, That the Truth is to be found between thefe two Extremes. I fhall not prefcribe a Law to the Consciences of any, in a Matter whereof the Decifion is not abfolutely neceffary to Salvation. Yet we may fay, that in Heaven there fhall be divers Degrees of Glory and Happiness, but we dare not defcribe them, nor venture to apply them to any Perfons, or to tell who of us thall poffefs fuch and fuch Degrees. This were a bold Prefumption against Hea.. ven, and an Attempt upon the forbidden Fruit. Inftead of being ferviceable to others, we should wilfully lofe our felves. For fuch as are fo audacious, to fearch into the Divine Majefty, fhall be swallowed up in his Glory, Prov. 25.

And tho' we verily believe Degrees of Glory, yet, we may fay, without Offence to any Perfon, that this Belief is not to be eftablifhed upon the fore-mentioned Paffages, from whence we cannot make any fuch Conclufion; for in the 14th of St. John, our Saviour faith not that there are divers Degrees, or Divine Manfions," whereof fome are richer and more glorious. than ethers, but only, that in his Father's Houfe there are many Manfions. The Meaning of our divine Saviour is clear as the Day; he had an intent to raife up the Hh 3

droop

drooping Courage of his holy Apoftles, and to com-
fort them in his Abfence; for that purpose he affures
them, that he was going to lodge in an Houfe, where
there is not only Room for himself, but also for them,
and for all that shall believe in him, through their
Teaching, He expounds his Words plainly in the
17th Chapter of the fame Gofpel, where he speaks
to God in this Manner, I will, that they also whom
thou haft given me, be with me where I am, that they may
behold my Glory which thou haft given me. For the other
Text of the ift of the Corinth. I befeech
you, devout
Souls, read over the Apostle's Words, and confider
with a religious Obfervation, what goes before, and
what follows after. You shall find that the Apostle de-
figns not to compare the Saints, the one with the o-
ther, but only to difcover the Difference which is be-
tween our Bodies as they are in this corruptible and
mortal Life, and as they fhall be when they fhall have
put on Incorruption and Immortality. Therefore,
when he had faid, There is one Glory of the Sun, another of
the Moon, another of the Stars, for one Star differeth from
another Star in Glory. He doth not add, likewife, fo
fhall be the Glory of one bleffed Perfon differing from
another; but he faith, So fhall be the Refurrection from
the Dead; The Body is fown in Corruption, it shall be rai-
fed in Incorruption; 'tis fown in Dishonour, 'tis raised in
Glory; 'tis fown in Weakness, 'tis raised in Power; 'tis
foun a natural Body, 'tis raised a fpiritual Body.

What is it therefore that may incline us to believe thefe divers Degrees of Glory and Happiness? I anfwer, First, the divers and different Pains and Punishments of the Damned. For as in Hell there fhall be divers Degrees of Torments; likewife 'tis very probable, that in Heaven, there fhall be divers Degrees of Happinefs, and feveral Degrees of Glory. Secondly, Secondly, God to declare his Divine Wisdom, which is various in all Things, beftows at present all his Bleffings and Riches with a wonderful Variety, and admirable Order, Thus you may fee in Nature,

that