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373 equality of Degrees of Glory and Happiness fhould make any Uneafinefs, or that Levelling which makes Confufion upon Earth, would be the Occafion of Satisfaction in Heaven. The

Angels in Glory, we all own, are exceeding happy, yet there are great Degrees and Prerogatives of Honour and Glory among them; we hear of Angels and Archangels, of Thrones and Dominions, of Principalities and Powers; why then should it be thought any Diminution of the Glory of the Saints, to have others advanced to any Degree of Glory above them? For Happiness and Contentment are not reftrain'd only to the fupreme Degree of Dignity, except we believe that we fhall carry Pride and Ambition along with us to Heaven, which, I confefs, would make us unhappy, even there.

So much for establishing the Doctrine of the different Degrees of Glory in Heaven. We are, in the last Place, to confider of what Ufe and Importance it is in a Chriftian Life. And, indeed, the Ufe of it is plain and obvious, to encourage us to grow in Grace, and always to abound in the Work of the Lord; forafmuch as we know that our Labour fhall not be in vain in the Lord. Alas! we live in an Age, in which not only wicked Men abound in all manner of Wickedness, but good Men, likewife, are very barren in good Works: We have forgotten almost what it is to lay up Treasures in Heaven. We think it very well, if we abftain from grofs Vices, and do not run with others to the fame Excess of Riot; but for any great Fruitfulness in good Works, I doubt there is but little of it in our Thoughts and Study, and I am füre very little there is to be feen in our Lives and

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and Converfations. If one may apply what our Saviour fays of the three Sorts of Servants entrufted with their Lord's Talents, to the feveral Ages of the Church, we may fay, I think, that the Apostles with their Talent gained ten, by their unwearied Diligence and Industry in their Master's Service; and that the primitive Fathers of the Church did fo improve their Talents, that with one they gained five: But in these latter Ages we are fo barren in all manner of Goodness, that we are like that lazy, faucy Servant, who hid his Lord's Talent in a Napkin, and pretended, too, to juftify and excufe it. And indeed I am apprehenfive, that by our unwary Confutation of the Popish Errors concerning Merit and Supererogation, we have too much depreciated good Works themselves; whereas, it is moft certain, they ought to be highly had in Eftimation, not only as the genuine Signs and Fruits of a lively Faith, but as neceffary Conditions of Salvation, and not only of Salvation, but of our Growth in Grace, and our Advancement to higher Degrees of Glory. If Men did seriously believe that not only every good Perfon, but likewise every good Action, shall have its due Recompence of Reward, and that all the Good we do here is like good Seed fown in fertile Ground, or like Money put into a profitable thriving Bank, and that it will produce a rich Income and Increase in Glory; that, as the Apostle faith, It is Fruit that will abound to our Account, Phil. iv. 17. that fo foon as we reft from our Labours, our good Works fhall follow us, Rev. xiv. 13. they would not be fparing in laying out on fo good an Account, but would be continually pouring into this Bank, and would think they could never do

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or fuffer too much for Chrift, when the very leaft Service performed to him, even the giving a Cup of cold Water to any Chriftian for his fake, is not to go without its Reward. This would lead me to II. The Second Thing I proposed to confider from this Part of the Words, namely, Why this great Reward is fo particularly promised to them that fuffer for Chrift; why annexed to this, more than to any other of the Beatitudes. But because this is a Subject which will require a more particular Confideration than is fit to attempt in the End of a Sermon, I fhall refer it to another Opportunity; praying God to follow what we have heard with his Bleffing, that it may bring forth Fruit to his Glory, and our Edification and Salvation, through Jefus Chrift. To whom, &c.

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SERMON XXII.

MAT. V. 12.

Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: For great is your Reward in Heaven: For fo perfecuted they the Prophets, which were before you.

The Eighth Sermon on this Text.

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FTER I had spoken to the comfortable Direction here given to those who fuffer for Chrift, and their Duty, that they should rejoice, and be exceeding glad; I came to confider the two Reafons annex'd, the one taken from the Greatness of the Reward prepared for fuch Sufferers in Heaven; and the other from the like Usage of the Prophets who went before them.

In fpeaking to the firft of thefe, the Greatness of their Reward in Heaven, after interpreting it in this Senfe, as if our Saviour had faid, " Rejoice, and be exceeding glad, for proportion"ably to your greater Sufferings upon fo good

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an Account here on Earth, your Reward fhall "be fo much the greater in Heaven:" There were two Things I propos'd to account for from the Words explain'd in that Sense.

1. That there are different Degrees of Rewards in Heaven.

2. Why fuch an high Degree of Reward is promis'd to them who fuffer for Chrift.

Now having at the last Occasion confider'd the first of thefe, namely, the different Degrees of Rewards in Heaven; I fhall proceed now to the fecond, and confider why fuch an high Degree of Reward is promised to them that fuffer for Chrift. Which, together with the Example of the Prophets, is all that remains now to be confider'd from this Text.

This Doctrine, then, as I conceive, may be accounted for on thefe two Confiderations; the Perfon of Christ, on whofe Account they fuffer, and the Excellency of the Act of patient refolute Suffering.

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1. First, If we confider the Perfon of Chrift, on whofe Account they fuffer, it is most suitable to his Honour that they who fuffer on his Account should be admitted to a great and distinguishing Reward in Heaven. Rewards are difpenfed, as other Confiderations, fo particularly according to the Dignity and Generofity of the Perfon to whom the Service is perform'd. The fame Service done to a mean Man, perhaps, is no way rewarded at all, but with Thanks, which, if done to a Prince, would be rewarded with great Honour and Profit: And the Reafon is, becaufe every Perfon of Honour thinks himself obliged to requite Services according to his Quality and Ability, especially if thofe Services have this obliging Circumftance to recommend them, that they are done to a diftreffed Prince in his low and afflicted Circumstances, while he is grievously affronted and perfecuted by others. All this enhances the Obligation, and if he is a Prince of a grateful,

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