No degrees of mortification and self-denial, no private prayers, no secret mournings, no instances of charity, no labour of love, will ever be forgotten, but all treasured up to our everlasting comfort. For though the rewards of the other life are free gifts of God; yet since he has assured us, that every man shall be rewarded according to his works, it is certain that our rewards will be as different as our works have been. XIII. Now stand still awhile, and ask yourself, whether you really believe this to be true, that the more perfect we are here, the more happy we shall be hereafter? If you do not believe this, you know nothing of God and religion. And if you do believe it, is it possible to be _awake_ and not aspiring after Christian perfection? What can you think of, what can the world shew you, that can make you any amends for the loss of _any degree_ of virtue? Can any way of life make it reasonable for you to die _less perfect_ than you might have done? But if you would now devote yourself to God, perhaps you must part with some friends; you must displease some relations, you must refrain from some pleasures, you must alter your life; nay, perhaps you must do more than this, you must expose yourself to the hatred of your friends, to the jest and ridicule of _wits_, and to the scorn and derision of worldly men. But had you not better do and suffer all this, than die _less perfect_, less prepared for eternal glory? And indeed the suffering all this is suffering nothing. For why should it signify any thing to you, what _fools_ and _madmen_ think of you? And surely it can be no wrong or rash judgment to think those both fools and mad, who condemn what God approves, and like that which God condemns: but if you think this too much to be done, to obtain eternal glory, think on the other hand, what can be gained instead of it.