Of the different Degrees of Glory and Happiness in Heaven.

I PROCEED now to the fourth thing that I designed, which was to show that there are different degrees of glory and happiness in Heaven.

Men shall be rewarded in the next life, not only according to the kind and quality of their actions in this, considered in general as good and evil; and so good shall be rewarded to the good, and evil to the evil; (for thus our Saviour teaches, Matt. xvi. 27.) "The Son of Man shall come in the glory of his Father, with his angels, and shall reward every man according to his works:" and Rev. xxii. 12, 13, "Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last," tells St. John, behold I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to render to every man according as his works shall be;" and Rom. vi. 23," The wages of sin is death;" but the degree of reward shall likewise be proportioned to the degrees of good and evil that men shall have done here on earth; that is, a more eminent degree of piety and holiness here, shall be rewarded with a proportionably greater share of glory and happiness hereafter; and greater and more heinous sins shall then be loaded with greater and heavier punishments.

I shall chiefly consider the former of these in this place; that good men shall hereafter receive in Heaven a reward proportionable to the degree of their holiness and obedience to GoD in this world.

This is plainly asserted in abundance of places of the Holy Scriptures. I shall mention some of them. Thus saith the prophet Daniel, chap. xiii. 3, “They that be wise, shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars for ever and ever." Which is much the same with what St. Paul expressly affirms concerning the different glory of the saints at the resurrec

tion, 1 Cor. xv. 41, 42. "There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differeth from another star in glory so also is the resurrection of the dead." In these words the Apostle, no doubt, sets forth the disparity that will be at the resurrection, even among the glorious bodies of the saints, some shining with brighter, and some with fainter rays of glory; as among the heavenly lights some are more glorious than others.

To the same sense have been generally expounded by many of the ancient fathers, and some of the most learned modern interpreters, those words of our Saviour,' John xiv. 2, "In my Father's house are many mansions." The multitude of mansions in Heaven seems hardly intelligible, without admitting a difference of degrees in the heavenly glory. For if all the saints should be placed in one and the same degree of bliss, they would all have one and the same mansion in Heaven; but when it is said, that in our "heavenly Father's house there are many mansions," it cannot well be understood in any other sense, but that there are some higher, and some lower mansions, according to the measure of proficiency in virtue and goodness, which men have attained to in this life.'

'Hence, says a learned father of the Church,' "There are with the Lord many rewards and mansions, according to the proportions of men's lives." And thus says another," How are there many mansions with the Father, but according to the variety of the good works of men?" Hence also our Saviour promises to the Apostles, that at the great and general renovation of all things, "when CHRIST shall sit on the throne of his glory," as the judge of men and angels, "they also should sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel," St. Matt. xix. 28. Intending, no doubt, thereby to express to them, That as the office of an apostle

was an office of the highest service, labour, and difficulty; so they who should perform it well, should have the highest reward for so doing; should then be exalted also so as to sit in the next degree of glory and power to himself, the King of glory.'

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This again is plainly intimated to us by our Saviour, in the parable of the talents, St. Luke xix. 15. that had gained ten talents, was made ruler over ten cities; and he that had gained five talents, was made ruler over five cities," ver. 16, 17, 18, 19. The reward which the LORD bestowed upon his servants bearing proportion to the several improvements made by each of them.

And upon this principle, the Apostle St. Paul presseth the Corinthians to be very liberal and bountiful to their distressed brethren, because according to the degree of their charity, would be the degree of their reward, 2 Cor. ix. 6. This, I say, "He that soweth sparingly, shall reap sparingly : and he that soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully;" clearly implying, that the more good we do in this world, the more abundant shall be our reward in the next and so, on the contrary, the thinner our seeds of charity, and other good works are sown here, the lesser will be our harvest of glory hereafter. I think nothing can be spoken more plainly to this purpose than those places of Scripture which I have mentioned.

Yet still, to add a further confirmation to it, it may not be amiss here to take notice, that though all the angels of Heaven are glorious creatures, yet there are among them some higher in dignity, and some lower; some are greater, and others are lesser ; some are angels, and some are archangels, that is, chief angels, some that have a pre-eminence above the rest.

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Now seeing we are sure that in the future state we shall be like unto the angels," Luke xx. 36, why should we not be so in this respect also? seeing

in the angelic polity, there are diverse orders, ranks, and degrees, why should we imagine that the communion of saints should be a levelled society? This is utterly incredible. And therefore, for these reasons, 'the Catholic Church has ever held it as an undoubted truth, that there shall be a disparity of rewards in the life to come.'

Notwithstanding the plainness of the foregoing truth, some have thought fit to call it into question, alleging such reasons as the following for their so doing.

First, That since the merits of CHRIST's death, by which eternal life is purchased for all, are of virtue sufficient to purchase the highest degree of glory for them all; there is, therefore, they say, no doubt but that all will receive the same effect from them; that is, that all will be made partakers of the same degrees of glory, and no difference made between them in that respect.

In answer to this, it may be said, that it is very true indeed that CHRIST is the common Saviour of all, his blood is alike sufficient, and was alike shed for the redemption of all; but it does not therefore follow, that the rewards purchased by that blood will be bestowed on all alike, any more than that the same degrees of holiness and sanctification will, through the efficacy of that blood, be alike communicated to all. For eternal life and happiness does not accrue to us, by way of necessary and natural result, but from the all-sufficient merits of CHRIST'S obedience and sufferings: but a covenant of grace, and mercy, and life eternal is thereby procured, ratified, and established between GoD and the sons of men; and the condition of this covenant on their part, is faith working by love, or a faith fruitful of obedience and good works, and thus the Scripture has declared, that "CHRIST is the author of eternal salvation to them that believe and obey him:" and to them only. So that obedience is the condition to

be performed on our part, and according to the degrees of our holiness and obedience, shall be the degrees of our happiness.

It is indeed by this covenant of infinite mercy in CHRIST JESUS alone, that our imperfect good works are made a condition of so excellent a reward, as the future glory; for nothing that we can do, can possibly deserve so great a reward. The highest degree of grace and goodness, can never be equal to the lowest degree of glory, so as to deserve it. There being no proportion between an eternal reward, and a short momentary service, though it be that of the best saints. But it is the mercy, the rich mercy, the royal bounty and liberality of GOD, expressed in the same covenant, that assigns to greater degrees of grace and goodness here, greater degrees of glory hereafter. And accordingly it is declared in the several places of Scripture above mentioned, that thus it shall be.'

Another objection against the disparity of rewards in the life to come, is usually raised from the parable of the labourers in the vineyard, mentioned by our Saviour, St. Matt. xx. where it is said, That they that came in at the last hour, received as much as those that came in at the first, and had borne the heat and burden of the day. Whence they infer, that the future reward, signified by this penny, shall not be proportioned according to the difference of men's works, but be one and the same to all.

In answer to this, it may truly be said, that this parable belongs not at all to the matter in question; as if thereby was designed to be shewn that all good men shall have equal degrees of glory in the other world: whereas the scope of it is plainly intended to another purpose, viz. to justify GoD's proceedings in the dispensation of his grace towards the Church of the Jews, and that of the Gentiles; the former being greatly offended, and murmuring that the latter, who were called in the last age of the world,