S$RM. :II.1 INWARD WITNESS TO CHRISTIANITY. 23 which is butfor a moment, workethfor us a far more exceeding and eternal weight ofglary: While we look not at the things which are seen, but htthings which are notseen ; for the things which are seen, are temporal ; but the things which are not seen, are eternal. For we know, that ifour earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made ,with hands, eternal in the heavens, Cor.. iv. 17, 18. and v. 1. Other professions taught their followers not so much to contemn riches and pleasures, as to exchange them fôr fame and glory, and public applause ; and this they looked upon as their chiefgood. Most of the philoso- phers may be charged with this just accusation: and Cicero, that great philosopher, in a notorious degree ; but the christian both labours and suffers reproach, be- cause he trusts in the living God, and has the promise of the life to come; 1 7inì. iv. 8, 10. he goes through the trial of cruel mockings, as well as scourgings and torture; that he may obtain a better resurrection ; Heb. xi. SS, 36. He neglects his ease and his honours to- gether, and despises fame as well as pleasure and riches, and all mortal desirables, when they stand in competition with his immortal hopes. Others have despised the grandeur and pomp of life, and thrown their money into the sea; but instead of exalting themselves above men, they have neglected all the necessary duties and decencies of life ; they havé lived, as it were; in common with their fellow animals of the earth, and degraded themselves to the rank and level of brute beasts ; such were the Cynic philosophers : But the christian is diligent and active in all services to God andman, and fulfils the duties of his present state with honour, while he lives upon the hopes of futures and invisibles. Thus if we consider either the degree of this part of holiness, viz. the contempt of theworld, if we consider the reasons upon which it is founded, or how far this contempt of the world has prevailed among the gene- rality of christians ; we shall find the gospel háth infi- niter the advantage Of all other doctrines, of all other religions. c4
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