836 Tuut EIORT ÍmritovaSIERT OF LIFE. of life and grace. What if the services you do for God on earth should still bring forth new fruit among men long after your death ? and if yourhappiness should be ever increasing in this proportion? When the great Judge comes, he will surely reward every one according to their works : But inder. xvii. 10. it issaid, Goa will not only give to every man according to his wags, butalso according to the fruit of his doings? What if our labours, our prayers, our pious works and words, or our examples on earth should go on to produce this divine fruit, even the conversion of souls whenwe are in heaven ? And what if the rich and over- flowing grace of God should reward us on this account with growing glories? And those who turn many to righteousness in this manner, should shine as stars with increasing lustre`.? Some divines have supposed, that the mischievous influence of the works and lives of the wicked shall increase their tor- ment : And perhaps, Jeroboam, who set up the calves at Dan and Bethel, and who made the land of Israel to practise idola- try for some hundreds of years after his own death, might feel yearly more intense agonies ofconscience, and his hell grow seven times hotter. This is a dreadful thought, and should terribly awaken and impress those sinners who have diffused their iniqui- ties far and wide, who have corrupted whole families, and cities, and nations, and spread their poison through succeeding, ages. And why may not the joy and crown of St. Paul increase . and brighten by the conversion of sinners, through sixteen hundred years, by the influence of his holy writings amongst all theChris- tian' nations ? And thus notthe Thessalonians alone, but the in- habitants of Great Britain, shall be the matter of his glory and joy ! O it is a blessed thing to multiply good instructions, and counsels, and exemplary practices of holiness; and to hear of them after we have gone to heaven, eitherby ministering angels, or by souls newly arriving there, that they still yield on earth a further crop and harvest of honour to Christ, and profit to men. Such tidings as these cannot but raise and advance our own joys. As your zeal andlabour in active service shall find a retribu- tion every way answerable, so your patience under sufferings shall meet with a proportionable reward ; 2Cor. iv. 17. Forour light afflictions, which are but for a moment, are working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. Life is the only season, as I shall shew afterwards, for this sort of exercise ; and the longer we endure sorrows here honourably, the richer shall our reward be hereafter, though the reward is not of merit but of free grace. How many saints are there in heaven exalted to eminent stations in that upper world, and some who wear, perhaps, the
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=