giving us an opportunity of being far more holy; secondly, by giving
us the occasions of doing innumerable good works, which otherwise
could not have been done; and, thirdly, by putting it into our power
to suffer for God, whereby "the spirit of glory and of God rests upon
us": may be of such advantage to the children of men, even in the
present life, as they will not thoroughly comprehend till they attain
life everlasting.

It is then we shall be enabled fully to comprehend not only the
advantages which accrue at the present time to the sons of men by the
fall of their first parent, but the infinitely greater advantages
which they may reap from it in eternity. In order to form some
conception of this, we may remember the observation of the apostle,
"As one star differeth from another star in glory, so also is the
resurrection of the dead." The most glorious stars will undoubtedly
be those who are the most holy; who bear most of that image of God
wherein they were created. The next in glory to these will be those
who have been most abundant in good works: and next to them, those
that have suffered most, according to the will of God. But what
advantages in every one of these respects will the children of God
receive in heaven, by God's permitting the introduction of pain upon
earth, in consequence of sin? By occasion of this they attained many
holy tempers, which otherwise could have had no being: resignation
to God, confidence in him in times of trouble and danger, patience,
meekness, gentleness, long-suffering, and the whole train of passive
virtues. And on account of this superior holiness they will then
enjoy superior happiness. Again: every one will then "receive his
own reward, according to his own labor." Every individual will
be "rewarded according to his work." But the Fall gave rise to
innumerable good works, which could otherwise never have existed, such