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Where is a right conversion of the heart there is also a true alteration of the life, and where there is an embracing of the true Christian religion there is a change of our conversation.

I. THE REASONS OF THIS DOCTRINE ARE EVIDENT, and shine as clearly as the sun at noonday.

1. If we consider our natural estate and condition, what we were before our conversion, we shall easily be brought to acknowledge both where and what and whence the change is; for naturally we hate the truth and the professors of the truth.

2. When men are truly converted they will make conscience of hurting; they will abstain from wrongs and injuries; they will be ready to do good to others, to profit others, to walk in all the duties of their callings, and to keep a good conscience toward God and man.

3. True conversion worketh in us the love of God and men, and so maketh us fruitful in all good works; it suffereth us not to be barren and unfruitful, and it subdueth the rage and corruption of our sinful nature.

II. Now let us come to the consideration of THE USES, AND TO THE APPLICATION OF THE DOCTRINE TO OURSELVES.

1. We see hereby that they are greatly deceived that think true godliness to be unprofitable, and no gain at all to return to the practiser of it. Great is the benefit of true religion, and much is the profit of our conversion. When once we are truly converted we have gotten Christ; He has become ours; we have Him dwelling in us — Him, I say, in whom dwelleth the fulness of the Godhead bodily, who is the Head of the Church, whom to know is eternal life. By Him our bondage is turned into freedom, our beggary into riches, our thraldom into liberty, our death into life. Who is it, then, can be so simple or ignorant to affirm that profession to be without gain and profit that bringeth Christ Jesus with it, in whom all treasures are hid and had?

2. Seeing Christian religion, planted in the heart of a man, maketh him good and helpful to others, who before was unjust and unprofitable, let everyone prove his effectual calling and true conversion by earnest seeking after the good of others, and by a careful abstaining from hurting, troubling, and wronging of others. It is to be chosen as a better thing to suffer than to offer wrong, to receive than to require, to take than to give.

3. Seeing it is the turning of us to God that turneth us to the good of men, it serveth as a notable direction unto us, to teach us that whosoever desireth that such as belong unto him should be profitable and faithful unto him, let him labour to plant godliness in their hearts and to sow the seeds of eternal life in their minds.

(W. Attersoll.)

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KJV: Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me:

WEB: who once was useless to you, but now is useful to you and to me.