Now is the pure intellectual world alone destitute alone of this delightful variety? Is the nature of spirits utterly incapable of this diversity and beauty, without the aids of flesh and blood? Hath the wisdom of God displayed no riches of contrivance there? And must there be such a dull uniformity no where but in the country where spirits dwell, spirits the noblest parts of God's creation and dominion? Has he poured out all the various glories of divine art and workmanship in the inanimate and brutal or animal world, and left the higher sort of creatures all of one genius and one turn and mould, to replenish all the intellectual regions? Surely it is hard to believe it. In the world of angels we find various kinds and orders St. Paul tells us of thrones and dominions, and principalities; Col, i. 16. and St. Peter speaks of angels and authorities, and powers; 1 Pet. iii. 22, and in other parts of the word of God we read the names of an archangel, a seraph, and a cherub. And no doubt, as their degress and stations in the heavenly world differ from each other, so their talents and genius to sustain those different stations are very various, and exactly suited to their charge and business. And it is no improbable thought, that the souls of men differ from each other as much as angels.

But if there were no difference at first betwixt the turn and genius of different spirits in their original formation, yet this we are sure of, that God designed their habitation in flesh and blood, and their passage through this world as the means to form and fit them for various stations in the unknown world of spirits. The souls of men having dwelt many years in particular bodies, have been influenced and habituated to particular turns of thought, both according to the various constitutions of those bodies, and the more various studies and businesses, and occurrences of life. Surely then we may with reason suppose the spirits departing from flesh to carry with them some bent and inclination towards various pleasures and employments. So we may reasonably imagine each sinful spirit that leaves the body, to be more abundantly inflamed with these particular vices which it indulged here, whether ambition, or pride, or covetousness, or malice, or envy, or aversion to God, and to all goodness, and their various sorts of punishments may arise from their own variety of lusts, giving each of them a peculiar inward torment. And why may not the spirits of the just made perfect have the same variety of taste and pleasure in that happy world above, according as they are fitted for various kinds of sacred entertainments in their state of preparation, and during their residence in flesh and blood? He that that hath wrought us for the self same thing is God; 2 Cor. v. 5.

In the world of human spirits made perfect, David and Moses dwell: Both of them were trained up in feeding the flocks of their fathers in the wilderness, to feed and to rule the nation

of Israel, the chosen flock of God. And may we not suppose them also trained up in the hearts of holy government on earth, to be the chiefs of some blessed army, some sacred tribe in heaven? They were directors of the forms of worship in the church below under divine inspiration: And might not that fit them to become leaders of some celestial assembly, when a multitude of the sons of God above come at stated seasons to present themselves before the throne? Both of them knew how to celebrate the praise of their Creator in sacred melody; but David was the chief of mortals in this harmonious work: And may we not imagine that he is or shall be a master of heavenly music, before or after the resurrection, and teach some of the choirs above to tune their harps to the lamb that was slain?

But to come down to more modern times, is there not a Boyle, (a) and a Ray, (b) in heaven? Pious souls who were trained up in sanctified philosophy; and surely they are fitted beyond their fellow-saints, to contemplate the wisdom of God in the works of his hands. Is there not a More, (c) and a Howe, (d) that have exercised their minds in an uncommon acquaintance with the world of spirits? And doubtless their thoughts are refined and improved in the upper world, and yet still engaged in the same pursuit. There is also a Goodwin, (e) and an Owen, (f) who have laid out the vigour of their enquiries in the glories and wonders of the person of Christ, his bloody sacrifice, his dying love, and his exalted station at the right-hand of God. The first of these, with a penetrating genius, traced out many a new and uncommon thought, and made rich discoveries by digging in the mines of scripture. The latter of them humbly pursued and confirmed divine truth; and both of them were eminent in promoting faith and piety, spiritual peace and joy, upon the principles of grace and the gospel. Their labours in some of these subjects, no doubt, have prepared them for some correspondent peculiarities in the state of glory. For though the doctrines of the person, the priesthood, and the grace of Christ, are themes which all the glorified souls converse with and rejoice in; yet spirits that

(4) The honourable Robert Boyle, Esq. a most pious enquirer into nature, and an improver of the experimental philosophy.

(b) Mr. John Ray, one of the ministers ejected for nonconformity 1662, he employed most of his studies afterwards in the cultivation of natural philosophy, in collections and remarks on the variety of plants, birds, beasts, fishes, &c. and writ several treatises to improve natural philosophy in the service of religion. (c) Dr. Henry More, a great searcher into the world of spirits, and a pious divine of the church of England.

(d) Mr. John Howe, a name well known and highly honoured for his sagacity of thought, his exalted ideas, and converse with the spiritual world, as appears in his writings.

(e) Dr. Thomas Goodwin. And

(f) Dr. John Owen, two famous divines of prime reputation among the churches in the last century.

have been trained up in them with peculiar delight for forty or fifty years, and devoted most of their time to these blessed contemplations, have surely gained some advantage by it, some peculiar fitness to receive the heavenly illuminations of these mysteries above their fellow-spirits.

There is also the soul of an ancient Eusebius, (g) and the latter spirits of an Usher (h) and a Burnet, (i) who have entertained themselves and the world with the sacred histories of the church, and the wonders of divine providence, in its preservation and recovery. There is a Tillotson, (k) that has cultivated the subjects of holiness, peace, and love, by his pen and his practice: There is a Baxter, (4) that has wrought hard for an end of controversies, and laboured with much zeal for the conversion of souls, though with much more success in the last than in the first. Now though all the spirits in heaven enjoy the general happiness of the love of God and Christ, and the pleasurable review of providence; yet may we not suppose these spirits have some special circumstances of sacred pleasure, suited to their labours and studies in their state of trial on earth? For the church on earth is but a training-school for the church on high, and as it were a tiring-room in which we are drest in proper habits for our appearance and our places in that bright assembly,

But some will reprove me here, and say, what must none but ministers, and authors, and learned men have their distinguished rewards and glories in the world of spirits? May not artificers, and traders, and pious women be fitted by their character and conduct on earth for peculiar stations and employ:ments in heaven?

Yes doubtless, their zeal for the honour of God, their fervent love to Christ, their patience under long trials, and the variety of their graces exercised according to their stations on earth, may render them peculiarly fitted for special rewards on high: The wisdom of God will not be at a loss to find out distinguishing pleasures to recompence them all; though where the very station and business of this life is such as makes a nearer approach to the blessedness and business of heaven, it is much easier for us to guess at the nature of that future recompence.

Let me ask my own soul then, "soul what art thou busy

(g) Eusebius, one of the fathers of the christian church, who wrote the bistory of the primitive ages of christianity.

(h) Dr. John Usher, in the last century, archbishop of Armagh, whose chronological writings and his piety have rendered his name honourable in the world.

(i) Dr. Gilbert Burnet, late bishop of Salisbury, whose serious religion and zeal to promote it among the clergy, made him almost as famous as his History of the English Reformation.

(k) The names of Dr. John Tillotson, late archbishop of Canterbury; and of () Mr. Richard Baxter, a divine of great note among e protestant dis senters, need no further paraphrase to make them known.

sbout? What is thy chief employment during thy present state, of trial? I hope thou art not making provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof; for then thou art fit for no place in heaven, the doors will be for ever shut against thee. But what special works of the spirit art thou engaged in? Dost thou redeem what hours thou art able, from necessary businesses of life, to do more immediate service for God, to converse with things heavenly? Art thou seeking to gain a proper meetness for the sublimer employments of that upper world, and a relish of the most refined pleasures."

But I proceed to the second particular:

II. The perfection of the spirits above, not only admits of a rich variety of entertainments, according to the various relish and inclination of the blessed, but it is such a perfection as allows of different degrees even in the same blessedness, according to the different capacities of spirits, and their different degrees of preparation. The word perfection does not always require equality. If all the souls in heaven were of one mould, and make, and inclination, yet there may be different sizes of capacity even in the same genius, and a different degree of preparation for the same delights and enjoyments; therefore though all the spirits of the just were uniform in their natures and pleasures, and all perfect; yet one spirit may possess more happiness and glory than another, because it is more capacious of intellectual blessings, and better prepared for them. So when vessels of various size are thrown into the same ocean, there will be a great difference in the quantity of the liquid which they receive, though all might be full to the brim, and all made of the richest metal.

Now there is much evidence of this truth in the holy scripture. Our Saviour intimates such differences of rewards in several of his expressions. Mat. xix. 28. He promised the apostles, that they shall sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And it is probable this may denote something of superior honour or dignity above the meanest of the saints. And even among the apostles themselves he seems to allow of a difference; for though he would not promise James and John to sit next to him, on his right-hand and his left in his kingdom, Mat. xx. 20, &c. yet he does not deny that there are such distinct dignities, but says, It shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of his Father, ver. 23. Again our Lord says; Mat. x. 41, 42. he that receives a prophet, and entertains him as a prophet, shall have a prophet's reward; and he that entertains a righteous man, agreeable to his character, and from a real esteem of his righteousness, shall have a righteous man's reward: And even the meanest sort of entertainment, a cup of cold water given to a disciple for the sake of his character, shall not go without some reward. Here are three sorts of degrees of reward mentioned,

extending to the life to come, as well as to this life: Now though neither of them can be merited by works, but all are entirely conferred by grace, yet, as one observes here, "The Lord hath fixed a proportion between the work and the reward; so that as one has different degrees of goodness, the other shall have different degrees of excellency.

Our Saviour assures us, that the torments of hell shall admit of various degrees and distinctions; some will be more exquisite and terrible than others; It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, who never sinned against half so much light, than it shall be for Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum where Christ himself had preached his gospel, and confirmed it with most evident miracles; Mat. xi. 21-24. And the servants who did not the will of their Lord, shall be beaten with more or fewer stripes, according to their different degrees of knowledge and advantages of instruction; Luke xii. 47, 48. Now may we not, by a parallel reasoning, suppose there will be various orders and degrees of reward in heaven, as well as punishment in hell; since there is scarce a greater variety among the degrees of wickedness among sinners. on earth, than there is of holiness among the saints? When the apostle is describing the glories of the body at the great resurrection, he seems to represent the differences of glory that shall be conferred on different saints, by the difference of the great luminaries of heaven; 1 Cor. xv. 41, 42. "There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars for one star differs from another in glory: So also is the resurrection of the dead,

The prophet Daniel led the way to this description, and the same Spirit taught the apostle the same language; Dan. xii. 2, 3. And many of them, that sleep in the dust of the earth, shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt; and they that be wise shall shine, with common glory as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness, shall have a peculiar lustre, as the stars for ever and ever. And if there be a difference in the visible glories of the saints at the resurrection, if those who turn many to righteousness shall sparkle in that day, with brighter beams than those who are only wise for their own salvation; the same reason leads us to believe a difference of spiritual glory in the state of separate spirits, when the recompence of their labours is begun. So I Cor. iii. 8. He that planteth and he that watereth are one, and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. If all be rewarded alike, the apostle would not have said, each man shall receive according to his own labour. Surely since there is a distinction of labours, there will be a distinction of rewards too. And it is with this view that the same apostle exhorts the Corin