430 A Converfation becoming the Gofpel S E RM. Laflly, The great rewards which our Sa- XV. viour hath declared he will give to his faith - `"" ful fervants at the laft day, are a mighty fup- port to virtue. However ftrong the arguments from reafon itfelf may appear to us for a fu- ture exiftence, yet the wifeft men who had no revelation were uncertain about it ; but now God hath brought life and immortality to light by the gofpel, which defcribeth the future judg- ment fo fully and circumftantially, and repre- fenteth the iffues of it fo diftinetly, that the argument drawn from that topic appeareth in a quite different light ; and the apoftle had reafon to fay, as he doth Ads xvii. 3o. The times of this ignorance God winked at, but now commandeth all men every where to re- pent. And not only is this a confideration which ftrongly urgeth us to repentance and the reforming our lives in general, but it hath force enough to raife every virtue to the higheft pitch and defeat the molt powerful temptations. Are we called to arduous fer- vices, and to undergo grievous fufferings, to take up the crofs and follow Chrift, to deny ourfelves, to fubmit to God's will patiently under the greateft afietions, and truft in him, even in the greateft dangers ? There is fufficient encouragement to all this in the exceeding great and eternal weight of glory which
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