ly run upon eternity. We all wish ior the jn-esent, sometiiing that may delight the senses. If we could have lived, as Augus- tine saith, a cunahuli mnndi, — from the in- fancy of the world to the world's old age, — what were this? What is time measured with eternity ? As the earth is but Ji smajj point to the heaven, so time is but, nay scarce a minute to eternity ! And then, what is this poor life which crumbles away so fast? O think of eternity! Annos ester' nos in viente habe ! Brethren, we are every day travelling to eternity ; and whether we wake or sleep, we are going our journey ; some of us are upon the borders of eteniiiy, O study the shortness of life and length of eternity !
2. More particularly ; think of God's e- ternity, and the soul's eternity. ( I .) Tliink of God's eternity. He is " the Ancient of days," who was before all time. There is a figurative description of God. Dan. vii. 9., " The Ancient of days did sit, whose gar- ment was white as snow, and the liair of his head like the pure wool." His white garment, wherewith he was clothed, signi- fied his majesty; his hair, like the pure wool, his holiness ; and ' the ancient of days,' his eternity. The thought of God's eternity should make us have high ador- ing thoughst of God. We are apt to have mean, irreverent thoughts of him : Ps. 1. 2 1 ., " Thou thoughtest I was altogether such an one as thyself;" weak and mortal, but if we would think of God's eternity, — when all power ceaseth, he is King eternal, — his his crown flourisheth for ever, — who can make us happy or miserable for ever, — this \\-oul(l make us have adoring thoughts of God. Rev. iv. 10., " The four and twen- ty elders fall down before him that sat upon the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever ; and cast their crowns be- fore the throne." The saints fall down, to signify by that humble posture, that they are not worthy to sit in God's presence. They fall down and they worship him that liveth for ever and ever ; they do as it were kiss his feet. And they cast their crowns before the throne ; they lay all their honour at his feet ; thus they shew humble adora- tion to the eternal essence. Study God's eternity, it will make us adore where we
48
GOD'S UNCHANGEABLENESS.
cannot fathom. (2.) Think of the soul's eternity. As God is eternal, so he hath made us eternal. We are never-dying creatures ; we are shortly entering upon an eternal state, either of happiness or mi- sery. Have serious thoughts of this : say, O my soul, which of these two eternitirs is like to be thy portion ? I must shortly depart hence, and whither then shall I go, — to which of these eternities, either of glory or misery? The serious meditation of the eternal state we are to pass into, would work strongly with us. — 1. Thoughts of eternal torments are a good antidote a- gainst sin ; sin tempts with its pleasure ; but, when we think of eternity, it may cool the intemperate heat of lust. Shall I, for the pleasure of sin for a season, endure e- ternal pain ? Sin, like those locusts. Rev. ix. 7., seems to have on its head a crown like gold, but it hath in it a tail like a scorpion, V. 10., and a sting in its tail, and this sting can never be plucked out- Shall I venture eternal ^vTath ? Is sin committed so sweet, as lying in hell for ever is bitter ? This would make us flee from sin, as Moses from the serpent. — 2. The serious thoughts of e- ternal happiness would very much take us off from these worldly things ; we should
not esteem much of them. What are these sublunary things to eternity ? they are quickly gone, they salute us, and take their farewell. But I am to enter upon an ever- lasting estate; — I hope to live with him who is eternal, — what is the world to me ? They who stand upon the top of the Alps, the great cities of Campania seem as small things in their eyes ; so he who hath his thoughts fixed on his eternal state after this life, all these things seem as nothiug in his eye. What is the glory of this world? How poor and contemptible, compared with an eternal weight of glory. — 3. To con- clude : The serious thoughts of an eternal state, either of happiness or misery, should have a powerful influence upon whatsoever we take in hand ; every work we do, pro- motes eitlier a blessed or cursed eternity ; every good action sets us a step nearer to an eternity of happiness ; every bad action sets us a step nearer to an eternity of mi- sery. O what influence would the thoughts of eternity have upon our religious duties ! It would make us do them with all our might : a duty well performed, lifts a Christian higher towards heaven, and sets a Christian a step nearer to a blessed eter- nity.
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GOD'S UNCHANGEABLENESS.
THE next attribute is God's unchange- ableness : Mai. iii. 6., " I am Jehovah, I change not." 1. God is unchangeable in his nature. 2. In his decree.