The Christian Life, Chapter 3
CHAP. III. Concerning the Heavenly Part of the Christian Life, which is the Proximate Means of obtaining Heaven; shewing what Virtues it consists of, and how much every Virtue contributes to the Happiness of Heaven.
VIRTUE in the general, consists in a suitable Behaviour to the State and Capacities in which we are placed; Now Man, who is the Subject of that Virtue we are here discoursing of, is to be considered under a threefold Capacity. The
First is of a Rational Animal; the
Second of a Rational Animal related to God; the
Third of a Rational Animal related to all other Creatures.
And these are the only capacities of Virtue that are in Humane Nature: So that all the Virtues we are obliged to, and capable of, consist in behaving our selves suitably to the State and Condition of Rational Animals, that are related to God and their Fellow Creatures.
BY which three Capacities of our Nature, the Virtue or Suitableness of Behaviour which we stand obliged to, is distinguished into three kinds, viz.
The Humane,
The Divine, and
The Social.
Humane Virtue consists in behaving our selves suitably to the State and Capacity of mere Rational Animals:
Divine Virtue consists in behaving our selves suitably to the Condition of Rational Animals related to God:
Social Virtue consists in behaving our selves suitably to the Capacity of Rational Animals related to their Fellow Creatures, but especially to Rational Creatures that are of the same Class and Society with us.
THAT I may therefore proceed more distinctly in this Argument, I shall endeavour to shew what those Vertues of the Christian Life are, which are proper to a man in each of these Capacities; and how much each of those Virtues contributes to the Happines of Heaven.