Use 5. And it should teach m^ to j^rovide for stable, for certain things in changes and alterations. Look to somewhat that may stand by us when all things are gone. Will all these things leave me, and must I leave them? How is it with me for the world without end ? Shall I not therefore look for those comforts, and those graces, and for that condition that will abide when I am gone hence ? What desperate folly were it ! Let us labour for a sanctified use of the 'passing away' of these things, that we may provide for that which is not subject to alteration and change. The * That is, ' put a high value upon.' — G,
THE SPIRITUAL MAN S AIM. 00
favour of God in Christ is for everlasting. The graces of God's Spirit are for everlasting. The condition of God's children is for everlasting. And therefore why should we look after perishing things, and neglect better '? For a Christian hath the reality of things : he hath a husband for ever, he hath matter of joy for ever, ho hath a possession for ever ; and then there will be a new world. All these things are but shows. The Christian hath the reahty of all, that never ' passes away.' And therefore, considering that all things else ' pass away ' but the things that belong to a Christian as a Christian, let Christians learn to make most of their best calling, and value themselves as they are Christians, and value others as they are Christians, not as they arc rich, or as they are poor, as they are noble, or as they are great : ' The fashion of this world passeth away.' Value them by that they have of eternity. What of the Spirit is in them ? What of the image of God is in them ? What gi-ace is in them ? Are they new born ? Ai-e they truly noble ? Are they new creatures ? Value them by that, and labour to get that stamped upon our children, and upon our friends. Labour to have communion so with those that we love, that we may have eternal communion in heaven with them. Labour so to enjoy our friends that our friendship may continue in heaven, considei'ing that • the fashion of this world passeth away.' All friendship, all bonds, all possessions, and all that we doat of and are desperately mad on, all passeth away : ' The fashion of this world passeth away.'
It is a strange thing, beloved, that a man capable of high thoughts, of excellent thoughts, should spend the marrow of his soul, and the strength of his spirits, about these things ; that he should tire his spirits, that he should crack his conscience, that he should wear out his life, about things which he cannot tell how long he shall enjoy them, and neglect these things that abide for ever. For a man this is ill ; but for ' brethren,' as he saith, for ' brethren' to do so, that have an inheritance immortal ; for them to be cast ofi' the hooks for every cross, for every loss, that are the children of God and heirs of heaven ; what a shame is this, that Christians are so much in joy, and so much in sorrow, for these things ! It comes from these grounds :
[].] First, They do not consider and look vpon things as passed. They look not with the eye of faith upon things ; these things will pass. But they look upon things in passing, and they see no alteration for the pre- sent. They should consider ; ay, but what sentence is upon them ? These are as good as passed ; they will be gone ere long. Look upon them therefore as thi»gs passed. We are dead ; our friends are dead ; and the world is gone. Faith saith this. We consider not this ' ay,' and so we are carried away with them. We look upon things passing, and there we see little alteration. A man that looks upon the shadow passing, he cannot see it ; but if he come two or three hours after, he shall see it past. Let us look upon things as gone. Though they be not for the pre- sent gone, see them in the eye of faith, and that will make us consider them as ' passing away.'
[2. J Again, we are deceived hence in the passing of the things of this life, that icc compare thon not ivith eternity. We think it a great matter to enjoy things twenty or forty years. WTlat is this point of time to eternity ? Compare this short time here, of health and strength, of honour and place and friends ; what is this to eternity ? What desperate folly is it to ven- ture the loss of eternity for the enjoying of these things ! Compare these things with world without end, Eph. iii. 21, and that will keep us from
56 THE SPIRITL\VL MAn's AIM.
being deceived with those passing things. We are deceived, because wo lay them nut iu the bidauco with Ihings that are for ever.
[3.] And tliL'n the third ground is, ur arejoriictj'ul, ive are not mindjul of our best cotidition, ne make nut that itsc of uur knouUdi/c (hat ive iniijht.