variety, according as one surpasses the other in glory and brightness.
A difference, however, that does not cause jealousy. But, as we have seen already, this diversity does not occasion the least dissatisfaction among the elect, because in the state of perfect happiness there is no room for envy or sadness, since all love each other perfectly and rejoice in each other’s happiness just as they do in their own; and that because each one knows that a higher degree of glory than he ‘enjoys would not be suitable or becoming for him; therefore each one is quite content with his state.
Hence one can here make his future glory always greater and greater. From this it follows that as each one can add more and more to his merits on earth daily, hourly, nay, every moment by sanctifying grace, so also can he increase more and more his future glory in heaven and add to it almost infinitely. Degrees and dignities in heaven are on a far different footing from those on earth, where in a few steps we can reach the summit. Citizens, counsellors, nobles, counts, princes, kings, emperors, monarchs, there you have the whole of our earthly dignities, and no one may mount higher. But in heaven the ladder is endless in length; no matter how high you may go, you will never come to the last round, so that you shall be able to say: now I am at the top, and cannot go higher. No; the good we shall possess in heaven is the infinite God, an uncreated, immense, fathomless ocean of all imaginable delights and joys; no matter how deep you drink of it there will always remain more and more delights that can be enjoyed by a greater light of glory. Thus by increasing my merits and growing constantly in sanctifying grace I can become not only equal to the angels in heavenly glory, but can far surpass the angels, archangels, cherubim, and seraphim, and after I have accumulated merit to that extent, there are still higher and higher degrees beyond all the choirs of angels to which I might ascend if my life were prolonged and I continued to add to my merits. O Christians! what a happiness for us poor mortals if we only rightly consider the matter! What a priceless benefit the good God has bestowed on us in creating us for such a high and noble end, preserving our lives, aud placing us in the state by which, if we wish, we may attain such great happiness! Ah, should we not be fired by a noble emulation and vie with each other in adding more and more to this eternal happiness?
The least
For what an immense, indescribable good is such an increase!