[It is of very small consequence whether we have more or less of this world : its pleasures, riches, honours, are but for a moment. What enjoyment has the Rich Man now of all his sumptuous fare ? or what sense has Lazarus of all his former wants? All is passed away; and nothing remains of all the good or evil that befell them in this world, but a responsibility for the use they made of it. The period allotted for the enjoy- ment of earthly things is but a day, an hour, a moment. What does it signify to a man acting a play, whether he performs the part of a king or a beggar ? Whatever his real character be, that he assumes, and that he retains, as soon as the last scene has ended. So the only thing that is of importance to us is, What is that character which we shall sustain to all eternity ? Have we been rebellious and disobedient ? or have we feared God and wrought righteousness? Those are the points that will determine our future destinies ; and therefore they are the only points deserving of any serious regard.]
But this leads us more particularly to notice,
. a 1 John iii. 23. •' Rom. xiv. 9. « Tit. ii. 14.
d 2 Pet. i. 4. e 2 Cor. vii. 1. <" Acts xxvi. 18.
II. The consideration that gives to it all its weight and importance — This will be the one point of inquiry at the last day — [God will come to judge the world : and, when examining the state of every individual, he will not ask. What sect we were of; or, What our sentiments and professions were; hut, What our practice was, and What the hahit of our minds towards him ? I may even say, that that which passes under the name of Christian experience, will be of no account, as distinct from the duties inculcated in our text. It is radical and universal holiness alone, that God values : and, if that be right in its principle and end, it is the only thing which will be regarded in God's estimate of our character. In a word, it is " the whole of man ;" it is his whole duty, and his whole happiness : his whole duty, as comprehending universal holiness ; and his whole happiness, as being really a foretaste of heaven itself.]
According to this will our eternal state be fixed —
[Some of this will appear in our external conduct, but some will be found only in the internal habit of the mind ; because there is very rarely scope for discovering in outward act all that the grace of God will form in the heart. " Every secret thing" therefore, every secret desire, purpose, inclination, appetite, affection, will go to the forming of God's estimate, and the determining the measure of our future recompence. If these have been evil, the best acts will have lost their value : but if these have been good, the smallest acts that can possibly have been performed, the widow's mite, or a cup of cold water given to a disciple, ^vill be ranked amongst the most acceptable ser- vices, and be acknowledged as such by God himself. If we have really had " the fear of God in our hearts," and " walked in his fear all the day long," and, under the influence of that principle, laboured to approve ourselves to him in all things, we shall assuredly hear him say to us in that day, " Well done, good and faithful servants, enter ye into the joy of your Lord."]
This subject will be of the greatest use,
1. To correct the errors of those who affect supe- rior light —
[Many there are who leave out all practical godliness from their system. They can think of nothing but God's eternal decrees, and of the finished work of Christ /o;- us ; for- getting that there still remains a work for him to accomplish in us. They would account all such views as have been presented to you, legal, and unfit to be ofiered to a Christian auditory, What Solomon accounted "the conclusion of the whole matter," and " the whole of man," they account as nothing. But so did