goes only to the conduct of men so far as it is visible to those around us : but the Christian code extends to the inmost feelings of the soul ; and requires a conformity to the Saviour himself, not only in the dispositions of his mind whilst he sojourned upon earth, but in the change wrought upon him in his exaltation to heaven : it requires us to be dead to sin as truly as ever he died for sin ; and to live as truly and entirely to God as he did, and yet does, in his risen state in glory. The precept which you have just heard will fitly illustrate this truth. I will endeavour to mark,
I. Its import —
Directions in Scripture are often put in a way of contrast, when they are to be understood only in a way of comparison. Such, for instance, is the decla- ration, " I will have mercy, and not sacrifice." We are not to understand that passage as prohibiting sacrifices, which had been expressly enjoined, and were yet of necessity to be offered ; but only as ex- pressing an approbation of acts of mercy, even though they should supersede the observance of some posi- tive injunction. When our Lord says, " Labour not for the meat that perisheth, but for the meat that endureth unto everlasting life," he must not be un- derstood as discouraging an attention to worldly business : for God has authoritatively commanded, " Six days shalt thou labour." It is in a comparative sense only that his words must be understood : and in the same manner must we interpret also the words before us. Mark,
1. The things here contrasted — [" The things which are on earth" are those which relate to this present life. Even intellectual pursuits must be in- cluded, no less than the pleasures, or riches, or honours, of the world. On the other hand, by " the things which are above," we must understand every thing relating to the soul, its first acceptance with God, its progressive restoration to the Divine image, and its final possession of the heavenly glory. The latter of these we are to pursue, if not exclusively, yet su- premely, so as to shew that they have no rival whatever in our souls.