Difcourfe the Eighth.

Matth. V. ver. x, xi, xij.

Bleffed are they which are perfecuted for Righte oafness fake, for theirs is the Kindom of Heaven. Or, as it may be read from the Clofe, Great is their Reward in Heaven.

T has been ever a great occafion of Diffatisfaction to fome Men that there fhould be any fuch thing as Evil in the World. A greater yet, that this Evil fhould often fall upon good, and fometimes upon the best of Men. But the greatest of all is, that not only good Men fhould meet with Evil, but that their very Goodness fhould betray them into it; that fuffering fhould not only be the Portion of the Righteous, but that Men fhould fuffer for the Sake of their Righteoufnefs. It seems hard indeed that a Righteous Man fhould fuffer, but much more that he fhould fuffer for his being Righteous; and that Affliction fhould not only be the Lot, but also the Effect and Confequence of his Vertue. For if Honefty and Integrity cannot be a Defence and Priviledge against Evil, yet one would expect it fhould not be a Procurer of it, and that if the Man were not

the

the better for his Virtue, yet at least he fhould not be the Worse.

These have been always as perplext Appearances in the Moral, as any that arife in the Natural Syftem of the World; a frequent Trouble and Difcouragement to the Good and Pious, and a more frequent Occafion of Triumph to the Atheistical and Prophane, who have raised from hence their most plaufible Objections both against the Being and the Order of Divine Providence, which by these greatest Difficulties of it they have been incouraged either to Deny or to Condemn.

With the two firft of thefe Difficulties I am not at present concern'd, nor fhall I determin of what force the laft and greatest might be, were this the laft ftate of things, and the All-concluding Scene of the World. Perhaps it might then be strong enough to conclude what fome are now fo weak as to wish and believe. But certainly with the fuppofition of an After-ftate the Objection is fo far from being Defperate, that I can fee nothing Difficult in it: And I think 'tis here fufficiently answer'd by that ample Compenfation promis'd by our Saviour to all those whofe faithful adherence to a good Cause, fhall at any time engage them in Sufferings and Afflictions. For fays he, Bleffed are they which are perfecuted for Righteousness fake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Which

Which laft Words (as our Saviour afterwards explains them) contain not only a Promise of Heavenly Happiness in general, but of a greater Degree and Measure of it, and intitle the Sufferers for Religion, thofe who undergo Perfecution for Righteousness fake, to a more than ordinary weight of Glory. So that hence arife two Propofitions to be distinctly consider'd :

First, That there are Degrees in that Glory which fhall be the Reward of Saints in Heaven.

Secondly, That one of the Higheft Degrees of it fhall be the Reward of those who fuffer Perfecution for the fake of Righteous nefs.

That there are Degrees of Glory, tho by fome a much contested, is yet I think a moftcertain and unquestionable Truth. The certainty of which I fhall endeavour to establish upon these few evident Principles.

First, I confider that this must needs be the natural and neceffary refult of things. And here I defire only it may be granted me, That there are some certain Difpofitions of Soul neceffary to relifh and enjoy the Happiness of Heaven. This I think is a Suppofition that need not be difputed, fince even to the enjoyment of fenfible good there is requifite

a proportion of Senfe. The Ear must be tunably fet to relish the Charms of Musick, and the Palate must be rightly disposed to find any pleasure in the sweetest Delicacies. And if these groffer Objects that have a more natural Affinity with the Organs of Sense, and ftrike hard upon them, will not yet affect them without fome more particular inward Preparation; there is greater reason to think that the Delights of Heaven that are fo far above the Level of our Natures, fo pure and forefined, cannot be tasted but by a fuitable Difpofition of Soul. The Neceffity of which appears fo great, that I am apt to think (as a late worthy Writer Practical Dif- of our Church does) that the Death, p. 76. whole Moral Excellency of fome Vertues is their Qualification for the Happiness of another State, they being of no great confequence to the prefent Order of this World.

course of

Well then, if certain Difpofitions of Soul be required to fit us for the Happiness of Heaven, then it follows, that the more difpofed any Soul is for the Glories of Heaven, the more happy she must needs be in the enjoyment of them. And if fo, then 'twill be neceffary to fay, either that all Souls are equally difpofed, which would be to contradict the Sense and Experience of the whole World; or if one be better difpofed than another,

another, then in proportion one will also be more happy than another. The Confequence is plain and neceffary, If there must be a Moral Qualification of Soul to fit a Man for Happiness, then certainly the more qualify'd the more happy. Which has made me often wonder at the self-inconfiftency of those who allowing a virtuous Frame and Temper of Mind to be a Natural Difpofition for Happiness, do yet deny greater Degrees of Glory to greater Degrees of Vertue. Indeed if a Moral Difpofition of Soul did not fit us for Happiness, the cafe were otherwife; but fince 'tis allowed to do that, I cannot conceive but that the Degrees of Happiness must follow the Degrees of Vertue. And indeed how can he that thinks at all, think otherwife, but that a Soul well purged and purified, that has undergon a long courfe of Mortification, till she is throughly awakened into the Divine Life and Likenefs, and is arrived to the meafure of the ftature of the fulness of Chrift, Eph. 4.13. must find more Happiness in the Vifion of God, than a Soul juft pregnant with the Divine Form, and that carries away with her only the first Rudiments of Spiritual Life! Certainly that Soul which is most like God will be most happy in the fruition of him. This is no more than what may be concluded from the meer natural neceffity of things without having recourse to any Positive Or

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