take up his cross and follow Christ, and join the number of his despised disciples? Is this the price at which he must purchase heaven? For such a demand he is wholly unprepared.→ "Can such a demand be reasonable? Can so "immense a sacrifice be requisite? What ne

cessary connection can exist between re"nouncing the blessings of this life, and secur

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ing an inheritance in that which is to come?

May not the treasures of both worlds be "successively enjoyed? May not a rich man "enter into the kingdom of God? If so nar"row and difficult be the way to life, who "then can be saved? Can the person, who ❝ inculcates such harsh and unpalatable doc"trines; who, instead of bestowing commen❝dation and encouragement, where so many

commendable qualities are found, insists "only on the necessity of the most unreason"able sacrifices; can this person be a teacher "sent from God? Can the Almighty have "invested with a divine commission one, who "calls upon mankind to slight the gifts of "Providence, and by a voluntary rejection of "the means conferred upon them, to diminish "their opportunities, and to contract their "sphere of usefulness?"-Such are the reflections which in rapid succession occupy the young man's mind. What is the result?/He goes away sorrowful; for he has large possessions,

The secret, unsuspected attachment to earthly things prevails. Grieved, disappointed, mortified, he terminates a conference, which, instead of gratifying his expectations, by flattering his self-complacency and pride, only tends in its consequences to lower his pretensions, and to represent him as far removed from the kingdom of heaven.

Such are the state and character of the person who here addresses our Lord,

II. I propose to your consideration the conduct of our Lord on this occasion.

It is said by St, Mark, in his account of this transaction, that Jesus beholding the young man, loved him. We are not to collect from this expression, either that Jesus was ignorant of the young's man real character, or that knowing it he regarded him with approbation, As God, he knew all men, and needed not that any should testify of man, for he knew what was in man*. As God, he could not but disapprove of a proud, self-justifying, worldly spirit, wherever it might be found. But the expression is to be understood in reference to the human nature of Christ. As man, he could not contemplate so many pleasing and amiable qualities without feeling an involuntary affection for the object who possessed them: an affection, how

*John, ii. 24, 25.

ever, mingled with sentiments of the tenderest compassion, from a consideration of the miserable state of Self-Deception into which he was plunged, and of the imminent danger to which his soul, notwithstanding all his apparent anxiety for its safety, was exposed.

Under the influence of these sentiments, what is the conduct of our Lord? He does not promote the Self-Deception, and thus contribute to augment the danger. He does not ery, Peace, peace, when there is no peace. He does not compliment the young man on his moral attainments, on his religious professions; and thus help to confirm the favourable opinion, which he already cherishes of his own state and character. Like a true friend, and an experienced physician, who has the real interest of his patient at heart; who knows that palliatives will only increase the disorder, and that nothing less than a deep and entire renovation can effect a permanent cure, our Lord proceeds with consummate skill to probe the wound, and to detect the secret poison, which lurks beneath this promising appearance of health and soundness. An attention to the several steps, by which he endeavours to draw aside the veil of Self-Deceit, will excite our admiration of the wisdom and tenderness displayed on this occasion.

The young man accosted our Lord with the

title of Good muster. Jesus saith, Why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is God. We are not to interpret this reply, as if our Lord intends to intimate, that the title of good, when addressed to himself, is improperly applied. On the contrary, the very reasoning which he adopts, proves the peculiar propriety of such an application: for He is God; and to him therefore, by his own limitation, the title of Good pre-eminently belongs. But in this passage he speaks of himself not according to his real character and essential dignity, but in reference to the inferior apprehensions entertained of him by the person with whom he is discoursing. Of the mysterious excellence of Christ, as God manifest in the flesh*, the young man has no conceptions. The highest character which he ascribes to Jesus, is that of a human teacher invested with a divine commission.. With these sentiments he approached our Lord. What then is the meaning of our Lord's reApproaching me with such senti"ments, why callest thou me good? A fel"low mortal as you deem me, with yourself, "have I any pretensions to this title?" The tendency of the words thus explained is obvious. Let them silently operate as a cor

ply?

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*Timothy, iii. 16

rective to the pride and self-sufficiency of the person to whom they are directed. The young man thinks himself good. He has been accustomed to call himself good. Can he any longer assume a title, which even a teacher sent from God disclaims? But our Lord has still a further object in view. He wishes to shew, that the terms good and goodness, in the sense which his new disciple assigns to them, are under every circumstance totally inapplicable to man. There is none good but one, that is God. "God only is in

herently and essentially good. Therefore "to God only is the title of good appropriate. "On a created being of the highest order it "would be improperly conferred. With "what propriety then can it be conferred on

any of the sons of men, the thoughts of "whose hearts are only evil continually? Let "this reflection be suitably improved. Hence"forth ascribe not to man that title which "belongs to God only. Henceforth ascribe "not to man that title to which he

possesses no pretensions. Learn to think and to "speak of your own heart in a manner more "accordant with its real state; more consist

ent with those representations which the "Scriptures and experience exhibit of its in“herent and universal depravity."

But there is another point to be assailed,