temporal Things, and all too little that was employed about eternal ones. Confider, once more, 4. Many present and great Advantages will attend our looking at eternal Things; Advantages, which will have a powerful Effect upon our present Temper and Character, and, confequently, on our cternal State; and they are thefe; looking at and regarding Eternity will restrain our Fonduefs for the World, increase our Hatred of Sin, and Love to God and the Redeemer; it will make us careful to redeem our Time, promote our Patience under Afflictions; make us ferious and lively in all the Duties of Religion, dispose us to do good to others, and make us willing to die. Let me just touch upon each of these Thoughts. Looking at eternal Things will "reftrain your Fondness for the World," Its Riches, Honours, and Pleasures; for, it will fhew you that they are all temporary, fading, and deceitful. This will teach you to follow your wordly Bufinefs with Moderation, fenfible that you have more important Business to mind. It will abate your Love of Money and Eagerness to gain it. You will not be elated with the Poffeffions and Enjoyments of Life, which you must leave all behind you, which, in themfelves, will be of no Avail to your eternal Happiness, but, on the contrary, render render it extremely hazardous. It will abate your Fondness for the Honours and Applaufe of the World, and all thofe Marks of Diftinction and Pre-Eminence after which little Minds are fo eager. In this View, when a new Pope is inftalled, an Officer is appointed to approach him, and fay, "Holy Father, "think of the Days of Eternity." The Honours of this World cannot filence a clamorous Confcience, or avert or fufpend the Poffeffor's eternal Doom. A great Man, of a neighbouring Country, had an extraordinary Mark of Diftinction and Honour fent him by his Prince, "Alas!" fays as he lay on his Death-Bed. he, looking coldly upon it, "this is a mighty "fine Thing here in this Country; but I am just going to a Country where it will be of no Service to me." So trifling will all the Honours of Earth appear to the Man who has Eternity in his Eye! I like Manner it will restrain your Fondness for the Diversions and Amusements of Life. You will relifh, yea, will need, very few of them. You will have better Things to mind, nobler Objects to purfue, and tafte Pleasures in the Purfuit which will be rational, manly, refined; which will improve upon Reflection, and last for ever. A Lady of this Nation, having fpent the Afternoon and Evening at Cards and in gay Company, when he came home, found her Servant-Maid reading a pious Book: She looked over her Shoulder, and faid, "Poor "melancholy Soul! what Pleasure canst thou "find in poring fo long upon that Book!" That Night the Lady could not fleep, but lay fighing fighing and weeping very much. Her Servant asked her once and again what was the Matter. At length fhe burst out into a Flood of Tears, and faid, "Oh! it was one Word I law in your "Book that troubles me; there I faw that « Word Eternity! Oh! how happy fhould I "be if I were prepared for Eternity!" The Confequence of this Impreffion was, that she laid afide her Cards, forfook her gay Company, and fet herself seriously to prepare for another World. The Thoughts of Eternity would lead us cheerfully to facrifice any temporal Gain, Honour, or Pleasure, to the Welfare of the never-dying Soul. Again, Looking at eternal Things will increase This evil Thing threw the Angels out of Heaven; it degrades the human Soul, defaces the Image of GOD upon it, deprives it of eter-. nal Blifs, and plunges it into everlasting Torments. Did you eye Eternity, you would never hearken to the Counfels of the Wicked, nor comply with other Temptations to Sin. You would, at once, recollect, that, though Sin may appear pleafant, its Pleafures are but for a Season, and its Wages are eternal Death. You would be refolute in denying worldly Luft, crucifying the Flefh, and laying afide the Sin which easily befets you, though it be as difficult and painful as cutting off a right Hand or plucking out an Eye; confidering, that it is better to enter into Life halt, or maimed, or blind, than having two Eyes or Hands to be caft into everlasting everlasting Fire. (k) One ferious Thought of Eternity would banish those vain Excuses which we are apt to make for Conformity to the World, and venturing on the Appearance of Evil. This would "increase our Love to GOD "and the Redeemer;" It would excite and cherish the most grateful and affectionate Emotions in our Hearts towards our Lord Jefus Chrift, and GOD, even our Father, who have loved us, and given us everlasting Confolation and good Hope through Grace; and, in Proportion to the Solidity and Liveliness of our Hope, it would fill us with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory. — Again, Looking at eternal Things would “make (C us very careful to redeem our Time." We should then fee that Time is ineftimably precious; beyond the Price of Silver and Gold, of Pearls and Jewels. It would humble us before GOD that fo much has been mifpent already, and awaken us to feize and improve every Moment for GOD and Eternity. — Farther, It would "promote our Patience under Af"flictions, and reconcile us to those we "feel or fee." (k) Mat. xviii. 8. It It was St. Paul's regard to eternal Things which kept him from fainting under his grievous Sufferings, as he observes in the Verfes before the. Text. Such a Confideration of Futurity would tend to reconcile our Minds. to the unequal Diftributions of Providence, and those Indignities and Pains which some of the best Men fuffer, and some of the worst efcape. Carry your Thoughts into Eternity, and you will fee thefe feeming Disorders rectified, and the Wisdom and Goodness of GoD appearing moft illustrious. You will fee the profpercus Sinner lamenting his Profperity, and the afAicted Saint praifing GoD for his Afflictions. And, indeed, it is, comparatively, a little Matter to an immortal Being whether he fufters Affliction, or enjoys Profperity, during the few Years he fpends on Earth. To a Soul that eyes Eternity, his Afflictions will appear Mercies, as being intended to make his Heart better, to preserve him from everlasting Pain, and make him meet for everlafting Pleasure. The Thought of Eternity has reconciled many pious Perfons to very heavy Sorrows. That divine Man, Mr. Philip Henry, when he felt the most acute Pain from a complicated Fit of the Stone and Cholic, faid, I am tormented; but, bleffed be GOD, not in this Flame. I am on Fire; but, blessed be GOD, it is not the Fire of Hell! Another pious Minifter, after he had uttered many doleful Groans, through the Agony of his Pain from the Stone, faid to his Friends, Well! for all this roaring and groaning, I would not, for ten thousand Worlds, change Conditions with the healthieft, |