SERMON XVII.

THINGS TEMPORAL AND ETERNAL.

2 COR. 4. 18.

We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

IN these words the apostle describes the disposition of mind wrought in himself by true religion. And he gives us, at the same time, a plain reason, such as may convince us that it would be well for every one of us to view these things as he did. "We look not," says he," at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen." This is the habit which all should endeavour to attain. And the reason follows," for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which

this reason. Let us weigh well the words temporal and eternal. And let us observe how we are hence required, as reasonable creatures, to fix our attention on things not seen, in preference to those which we see daily all around us. For this is what is meant by looking at them; not as we look at countless stars, which we never hope to reach, but as at a distant home, at an inheritance we are detained from for a time, and to which we hasten, without resting, till we may safely reach it.

Now certainly our own sense plainly directs us to seek for that good which is within our reach; not to waste our time on imaginary advantages, but to learn, and labour, to spend our thought and energy, for the acquiring such blessings as we may actually enjoy. And these, it is very commonly thought, are the objects of sense, the things which are seen, the riches and the comforts, the pomps and the vanities of the world; or at least the ordinary necessaries of life, what we shall eat, and what we shall drink, and wherewithal we shall be clothed. To look to

these things, to provide for ourselves as large a share as lies in our power, of the desire of our eyes; this, if we may judge from the common practice and from the common conversation of mankind, this is deemed the prudence, this the truest wisdom, of a human being.

But set against this notion the certain truth, "the things which are seen are temporal." We say nothing now of how many times they disappoint you in the pursuit. We say nothing of how many times they afford no satisfaction when you obtain them. We dwell on this one single consideration; they are temporal. They exist only in time. They last only for a time. And at the end of a time, nay a very short time, they perish. This is what the text declares of every thing earthly. This is what we exhort you to bear in mind concerning all that you behold, of all that you desire, nay of all that you can imagine in this present world. They are temporal.

It

conceive how by his stripes we are healed, how by his blood our souls are washed clean, how, by his word and work, life and immortality are brought to light, even a resurrection unto life eternal, secured to us in the covenant of grace. It is so to know as to believe. It is so to believe as to obey. It is so to believe, and so to obey, as to study to have a conscience void of offence towards God, and towards man. is to know these things in such sort familiarly, as that the thought of them is continually present to our minds. It is to have them rehearsed to us, and to rehearse them to ourselves, daily as each sun returns or sets, weekly as each sabbath yields us our timely rest, and reminds us of that joy which is eternal in the heavens. It is thus to know Christ in the heart, to love Him better, as we know Him more, and continually to strive by all outward ordinances, and all inward means of grace, both more to know, and more to love; this is that knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord, for whose excellency the apostle counted all things but loss.

Knowledge of Christ Jesus such as this I would now first recommend earnestly to yourselves. I would next exhort you to promote it as far as may be amongst all mankind.

Are there then any who doubt its excellency, who would prefer a life of pleasure, such as the world calls pleasure, who are enticed by the surrounding objects of sense to forget those heavenly joys, compared with which all other joys are only vanity, all other pleasures pain? To such I say, however powerful your evil habits, however fond your affection for things carnal, however allowable, within due bounds, your regard for earthly ties; you must be ready, nay eager to count them all as loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus your Lord. If yet you value not that excellency, if yet you know Him not to be your Lord, it is because you are not thus ready, not thus eager. It is because you have left nothing, done nothing for his sake. Therefore it is that you value not the knowledge of Him and of his truth. "Ye cannot," saith our Lord