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These fugitive, transitory things
(Philpot, "Heavenly
Realities and Divine Certainties")
"The world and its desires pass away, but the man
who does the will of God lives forever." 1 John 2:17
There is a reality in true religion, and indeed,
rightly viewed, a reality in nothing else. For every
other thing passes away like a dream of the night,
and comes to an end like a tale that is told. Now
you cannot say of a thing that passes away and
comes to an end, that it is real. It may have the
appearance of reality, when in fact it is but a shadow.
Money, jewels, pictures, books, furniture, securities,
are transitory. Money may be spent, jewels be lost,
books be burnt, furniture decay, pictures vanish by
time and age, securities be stolen.
Nothing is real but that which has an abiding substance.
Health decays,
strength diminishes,
beauty flees the cheek,
sight and hearing grow dim,
the mind itself gets feeble,
riches make to themselves wings and flee away,
children die,
friends depart,
old age creeps on,
and life itself comes to a close.
These fugitive, transitory things are then
mere shadows;
there is no substance, no enduring substance in them. They
are for time, and are useful for a time. Like our daily food
and clothing, house and home, they support and solace us
in our journey through life. But there they stop; when life
ends they end with it.
But real religion; and by this I understand the work of God
upon the soul, abides in death and after death, goes with
us through the dark valley, and lands us safe in a blessed
eternity. It is, therefore, the only thing in this world of
which we can say that it is real.
"The world and its desires pass away, but the man
who does the will of God lives forever." 1 John 2:17
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