с only way to seeing and possessing. I told you before what a miserable case it is that every unconverted sinner is in, that he is not sure to be safe an hour; and would you not be out of that state? Would it not be a blessed state for you to be sure that you shall live with Christ an endless life? Then you may challenge death with Paul, "O death where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory ©?" Then you may challenge all the world, even earth and hell, as he did. "If God be for us, who shall be against us? It is God that justifieth, who shall condemn? Who shall separate us from the love of God? Shall life or death, d?" &c. I do here proclaim to you in the name of the Lord, that you may have this blessedness if you will be converted, and that without conversion it will never be had. Get once into this state, and you may have cause to joy as long as you live, and far greater cause when your present life is ended. I tell you, a true converted man is never in so sad or low a case, but still he hath more matter for his joy than for his sorrow. O therefore do not set light by such a happiness, and choose not to yourselves a life of terror, when you may have better if you will. 18. Another great benefit of the converted, is this; The longer they go on, and the further they proceed, the greater will be their felicity: the case of the wicked, is, the longer the worse; but the case of the converted, is, the longer the better when a wicked man hath had the sweetness, it may kill his heart to think what a bitter cup is kept for the last : but when the godly have had the bitterest here, it may sweeten all to think of what remaineth. If a wicked man should have never so much trouble in the flesh, there is another kind of trouble to be endured hereafter the worst of their condition is still behind; but the best is still behind with the converted: you shall have what is good for you here; you shall have pardon of sin, and peace with God through Jesus Christ, and access to him in peace, when other men are shut out; and help in your distress, and strength in your temptation: but all this is as nothing in comparison of that which is yet to come. You know partly what you have, but you know not what you shall be, but only in general, that when Christ appeareth, you shall be like him. Your glory is not within the sight of flesh and blood. You walk here as other men in the same frail flesh; and compassed with infirmities, and as men of sorrows; and the world knoweth not that you are the children of the God of heaven, and that you shall reign with him in glory: for the heir in his minority differeth not to outward appearance from a servant; but yet by right he is lord of all: no wonder if it be thus with you, for so it was with your head the Lord of all he was found in shape as a man, and there appeared no worldly glory or comeliness in him, for which he should be desired, but was despised, and became a man of sorrows, bearing our iniquity, and the chastisement of our peace. But he that was, among men, of no reputation, was worshipped by angels, and dearly beloved by the Father, and for his humiliation is highly exalted, and hath a name given him above every name, and hath seen of the travail of his soul, and been satisfied. And so it is also in their measure with his members; for if you suffer with him, you shall also reign with him; and if you be made conformable to him in his death, so shall you also be in his resurrection and glorification. Though your way to heaven may seem uneven and troublesome, yet still the further you go, the nearer you are to it; and though sometimes you must pass through the valley of the shadow of death, where the place of your happiness may seem out of sight, yet still you are going on towards it; and the foul way as well as the fair, is the way to heaven, and the waves and storms shall help you to the harbour. Though you be delivered to death for Jesus' sake, it is that the life of Jesus might be manifested in you. And though you always bear about in the body, the dying of the Lord Jesus, it is that his life may be manifested in your bodies. "For we know that he which raised up the Lord Jesus, will also raise us up by Jesus; for which cause we faint not; for though our outward man perish, yet our inward man is renewed day by day: for our light affliction which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things that are seen, but at the things that are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal'." Great cause therefore have we to "groan earnestly, desiring to be clothed with our house, which is from heaven, that immortality may be swallowed up of life" " As Christ was nearer his glory on the cross, and in the grave than before, when no man laid hands on him; so are his members in the last of their afflictions: for though the last enemy, death, must yet be encountered with, yet he also shall be overcome through the strength of him that hath conquered him for us; and who through death destroyed him that had the power of death ". O sirs, if there were but this one thing to shew you the difference between a converted and an unconverted state, methinks it should sink down into your hearts, that the last day of the ungodly is still the worst, because that all endeth in their eternal misery; and the last state of converted souls is still the best, because all will end in everlasting glory. Careless sinners do seem to have some merry days for awhile; but O, how will they answer that question of Peter's, "Judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinners appear ° ?" Their ways do now seem right in their own eyes, but the end thereof are the ways of death P." "O,that they were wise to consider this, and that they would remember their latter end." The not considering of their end, is the cause that it proveth so miserable. But the end of a believing, holy life is another kind of end. "Mark the upright man, and behold the just, for the end of that man is peace. But transgressors shall be destroyed together; the end of the wicked shall be cut offs." For eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor hath it entered into the heart of man, what God hath prepared for them that love him." And this end is not far off: we have but a little while to wait, and we shall see the Lord upon the throne of his glory, and see the accomplishment of his promise to his saints. 12 Cor. iv. 14. 16-18. o 1 Pet. iv. 17, 18. r Isa. xlvii. 7. Lam. i. 9. 66 m 2 Cor. v. 2. 4.7. "For yet a lit n Heb. ii. 14. 9 Deut. xxxii. 29. t 1 Cor. li. 9. 66 tle while, and he that cometh will come, and will not tarry "." It is many ages since the apostle said," the end of all things is at hand.? Seeing therefore all things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in all holy conversation and godliness "." O therefore yield to that grace that would convert you. Conversion is the first gate, and an holy life the way to heaven. Though this gate be strait, and this way be narrow, and few find it, yet the end is it that will pay for all: as ever you would have this blessed end, see that you make this happy beginning. 19. Yet this is not all; but besides all these benefits to yourselves, Conversion will make you useful to others: it will make you become a blessing to the place where you live as a wicked man hath a curse upon him, so usually he is a curse to others; and judgments many times follow him, and those about him may fare the worse for his sake. And as a true Christian hath a heart full of the blessing of God's right hand, and is himself a blessed man, so is he usually a blessing to others, and many fare the better for his sake. As you may see in the case of Joseph, Gen. xxxix. 3. 5. While you are ignorant and ungodly, what are you but hinderers of other men's salvation; and temptations to those about you? But when God hath illuminated you, and changed your hearts, you will be forward to do good to others, and to help them to that life and hope, which you have received. If they want instruction, you will be more able to instruct them: if they are ignorant or careless, you will have some words to say to them for the awakening of their souls: if they be in danger, you can tell them of it; and you can go to God, and pray for them in their distress : you have a spirit of prayer which you had not before; and you have interest in God, which you had not before, and therefore you may speed better for others, though not so certainly as for yourselves. I tell you, sinners, the stoutest of you all may be glad of the fellowship of a godly man, if it be but for the benefit of his prayers. Jeroboam that did stretch forth his hand against the prophet, was glad to beg his prayers, for the restoring of that hand". And Simon Magus was glad to crave the prayer of Peter . A few more u Heb. x. 37. x 1 Pet. iv. 7. a Acts viii. 24. y 2 Pet. iii. 11, such as Lot was, might have saved Sodom from the flames, when his ungodly neighbours were the cause of that heavy judgment. You are made the fitter for to do God's service, when you are converted, for that is it that maketh you his servants; this is it that bendeth your hearts and thoughts to God, and causeth you to devote yourselves, and all that you have to him, and therefore you can never do him ассерtable service till this work be wrought. That is the most happy and honourable nation, that hath most of these converted people in it. Let the world think of them as basely as they please, it is these that are the honour and safety of your country, and of your towns and parishes, and of the families where they live. If England be any better than the nations of infidels, it is by the godly. If the Lord would make this town to abound more with true converts and godliness than any other, I dare say, it would be a happier town than any other. I tell you that is the best place where there is most of the fear of God; that is the best family in the town that hath most true converted persons in it; or where those that are, are the most eminent in holiness. Were there but such hearts within you, that you would all agree together to yield to the saving work of the Gospel, and set yourselves in good earnest to the work of your salvation, this would make you the happiest, the most honourable place in the world. Every good man is a common good: their light shines abroad to others, and such light will not be hid the heat of their graces doth help to warm others, and happy are they that live near them, and have but the opportunity of conversing with them, so they have but hearts to improve such opportunities. 20. If all this be not enough to shew you the blessedness of the truly converted; consider in the last place, That it is not only to themselves, nor only to the world about them, that the comfort doth redound, but the heavenly host of God do in some sort partake of it. For the Lord Jesus telleth us," there is joy in heaven at the conversion of a sinner that repenteth. Hearken to this all you that live a worldly, fleshly life; it would be the very joy of angels to see your true conversion; and will you rob them of their joy? They know what good this change would do you, when you do b Luke xv. 10, |