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while the saints were "mocked, destitute, afflicted, tormented," and while<br />
they had their personal imperfections, yet, in the judgment of the Holy<br />
Ghost, they were men "of whom the world was not worthy." Much more<br />
unworthy will the world be of their fellowship in glory.<br />
II. I know many will be ready to think they could spare these things in<br />
this world well enough, and why may they not be without them in the world<br />
to come? <strong>The</strong>refore, to show them that this loss of heaven will then be most<br />
tormenting, let them now consider,<br />
1. <strong>The</strong> understanding of the ungodly will then be cleared to know the<br />
worth of that which they have lost. Now they lament not their loss of God,<br />
because they never knew his excellence; nor the loss of that holy<br />
employment and society, for they were never sensible what they were worth.<br />
A man that has lost a jewel, and took it but for a common stone, is never<br />
troubled at his loss but when he comes to know what he lost; then he laments<br />
it. Though the understandings of the damned will not be sanctified, yet they<br />
will be cleared from a multitude of errors. <strong>The</strong>y now think that their honors,<br />
estates, pleasures, health, and life are better worth their labor than the things<br />
of another world; but when these things have left them in misery, when they<br />
experience the things of which they before but read and heard, they will be<br />
of an other mind. <strong>The</strong>y would not believe that water would drown, till they<br />
were in the sea; nor the fire burn, till they were cast into it: but when they<br />
feel, they will easily believe. All that error of mind which made them set<br />
light by God, and abhor his worship, and vilify his people, will then be<br />
confuted and removed by experience. <strong>The</strong>ir knowledge shall be increased,<br />
that their sorrows may be increased. Poor souls! they would be<br />
comparatively happy, if their understandings were wholly taken from them,<br />
if they had no more knowledge than idiots or brutes; or, if they knew no<br />
more in hell than they did upon earth, their loss would less trouble them.<br />
How happy would they then think themselves, if they did not know there is<br />
such a place as heaven! Now, when their knowledge would help to prevent<br />
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