18 INWARD WITDIRSS TO CHRISTIANITY. up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust dog corrupt, andwhere thieves break through and steal: But lay up foryourselves treasures in heaven, whereneither moth nor rust Both corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. Pluck out a right eye, cut off a right handon earth, lest sparing these thy whole body becast into hell, where the gnawing worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched : Mat. v. 29, 30. Mark ix. 43, &c. And the afflictions, as well as the comforts of life, are contemned and surmountedby the spirit of a christian, upon the same noble principles ; Rom. viii. 18. He reckons that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shallbe revealed in lis ; and therefore he endures the cross, and despises the shame, following the divine example of Christ. Other doctrines have endeavoured to raise the minds of men abovethe solicitudet or cares ofthis life upon mean- and baseprin- ciples, unworthy of human nature, denying the immortality of the soul, and the life to come. Thus the Epicureans would raise the professors of their religion above the fears of death, by assuring them, that'after death there wasnothing ; that the soul and body died together, were blended in the dust, and were for ever lost in one grave : but, on the other hand, the religion of Christ gives is a view ofthingsbeyond the grave, insures a resurrection to us, bringsIife and immortality to light by the gospel, by Christ Jesus, Who together with the Father, is originally' possessed of eternal life, and thus leads us on to a glorious contempt of this present worldof vanity: For our light affliction, which is but for a mo- ment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen, are tem- poral; but the things whicharenot seen, are eternal. For weknow, that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, wehave a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens; 2 Cor. iv. 17, 18. and v. 1. Other professions taught their followers not so much to con- temn riches and pleasures, asto exchange them for fame and glory, and public applause; and this they looked upon as their chief good. Most of the philosophers may be charged with this just accusation ; and Cicero, that great philosopher, in a nOtorious degree; but the christian both labours and suffers reproach, because he trusts in the living God, and has the promise of the life to corne ; 1 Tim. 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. 35, 36. He neglects his ease and his honours together, and despises fame as well as. pleasure and riches, and all mortal desirables, When they stand in competition with his immortal hopes.
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