and Glory, are not able to pry into these bottomlefs Depths, they are not able to approach this infinite Light. In a Word, it belongs only to God himself, to comprehend and understand perfectly, the infinite Glory, and the highest Perfections of the Godhead.

Altho' our Sight fhall not be able to fearch into the Bottom of thefe Depths of the Divinity, tho' we shall never be able to comprehend perfectly the infinite Being of God; nevertheless we hope to behold openly this wonderful Object, and to obtain as much Knowledge of it as fhall be requifite to render us perfectly happy. For as when our Eye beholds the Noon-Sun, it cannot steadfastly look upon it, nor receive all its Beams, but it partakes of as much as is neceffary to enlighten it; and when there shall be a thousand Suns, our Eyes would never make use of more Light than they do at present. Likewife, in beholding the Father of Lights, this beautiful Sun of our Souls, 'tis altogether impoffible to admit the Immenfity of its Beams; but we shall partake of as much as fhall be neceffary to drive away all our Darkness, and to fill us full of perfect Light, to make us become Light in the Lord, and to caufe us to fhine for ever as fo many Stars and little Suns. As an empty Veffel, when 'tis caft into the Sea, comprehends not all its Waters, but receives only enough to fill it up, fo that there is no Part empty: Thus when we fhall be caft into the Ocean of the Godhead, we fhall not be able to comprehend and receive God's infinite Glory and Happiness; but we shall receive and comprehend as much as fhall content all our Defires, and fatisfy all our craving Appetites. So that there fhall be nothing at all wanting in us, which might be expected in the highest Felicity of an human Creature.

I do not fay, in the highest Felicity,abfolutely without Limitation; for there are two Sorts of Felicities; the one abfolutely perfect, beyond which there can be nothing expected. This Felicity or Happiness is only to be found in God. The other is perfect, in a cerHh

tain

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 human Nature alone and fingle is able to enjoy: I must 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 attained 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 say, that there is a fupreme and perfect Happinefs independent, which fubfifts of it 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 Ghost 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 in them, 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 fpeaks thus to God his Father, Glorify thy Son, that thy Son may glorify thee, John xvii. In a Word, fuch fhall be our Glory and Happiness; for as we have our Being from God, 'tis from him that we derive our Well-being; alfo 'tis from him only that we can expect all our Glory and Blifs.

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

which fhall be as perfect as a human Creature is capable of. Now this Refemblance and Similitude fall; 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 leafst Blemish; and in an infinite and unalterable Joy and Content, where there fhall never be the least Cloud of Grief; but of this we have fufficiently treated already.

Some there are that enquire whether in Paradife there shall be an Equality, or an Inequality in Glories and Happinesses. This Queftion is more curious than neceffary. For we need not enquire whether there fhall be any more or lefs happy than ourselves. It should 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 Happinefs. Nevertheless, that we may feem to omit nothing which might give Satisfaction to every believing Soul, I fhall examine this Particular, but it shall be without advancing any new Thing, which I have not seen in the holy Gofpel, nor learned from the true Doctor of our Souls. I fhall declare the Opinion of the most Learned upon this rich and excellent Subject Afterwards I fhall add my 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 Happiness, equal and uniform in every Perfon that fhall enjoy it. Their principal Reasons are, Firft, That we can have no Glory nor Happiness, but that which hath been purchased for us by the Death and Paffion of our Lord Jefus Chrift; and that as this glorious Saviour hath purchaHh 2 fed

fed this Glory and Happiness for all the Elect equally, they fhall all enjoy it in the highest Degree and Perfection. Secondly, That the Holinefs of all the Bleffed fhall be perfect; therefore, as they shall be all perfectly holy, they shall be all likewife perfectly happy in the fame Degree. Thirdly, That our Savicur faith exprefly, without any Exception,That the Saints fhall fhine as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father, Matth. xxiii. 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. i. 4, 5. Now there is no Inequality between Kings; for each of 'em is in Poffeffion of Sovereignty, and an independent and fupreme Authority. Fifthly, That Jefus Chrift represents to as the last Transactions 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. xx. 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. xiii. 1 John iii. And that in this bleffed Vifion fhall confift the chief Happiness of Man. Laftly, That after the Refurrection, God fhall be unto us All in All; which Expreffion declares the highest and most compleat Happiness and Glory.

Others think the contrary,that in Heaven there shall be an Inequality of Glory,and feveral degrees of Happinefs. This theirOpinion they ftrengthen chiefly with two Paffages of Holy Scripture; the one, in Job. xiv. where Chrift faith to his Apoftles, In my Father's Houfe there are many Manfions. The other is in 1 Cor. xxv. 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 difcourfe of this Matter, with as much. Confidence, as if God had admitted 'em to the Knowledge of his eternal Secrets ; as if he had discovered to them all the Wonders of the Heavenly Jerufalem, more plainly than to his beloved Difciple. They tell us, that there shall 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 prefcribe what Glory fhall belong to Virgins, what fhall be that of Confeffors, and what fhall 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 highest Degrees of Glory and Happiness.

But my Opinion is, that the Truth is to be found between these two Extremes. I fhall not prefcribe a Law to the Confciences 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 Perfon, or to tell who of us fhall poffefs fuch and fuch Degrees. This were a bold Prefumption against Heaven, and an Attempt upon the forbidden Fruit. Inftead of being ferviceable to others, we fhould wilfully lofe ourselves: For fuch as are fo audacious, to search into the Divine Majefty, fhall be swallowed up in his Glory, Prov. xxv.

And tho' we verily believe Degrees of Glory, yet we may fay, without Offence to any Perfon, that this Belief is not to be established upon the forementioned Paffages, from whence we cannot make any fuch Conclufion; for in St. John xiv. our Saviour faith not that there are divers Degrees of divine Manfions, whereof some are richer and more glorious than others; but only, that in his Father's Houfe there are many Mansions. The Meaning of our Divine Saviour is clear as the Day; he had an Intent to raife up the drooping

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