now, is the accepted time, now, now, is the day of falvation; if these fermons you hear do not become a favour of life unto you, they will be a favour of death unto death. May the dear Lord command a bleffing on what has been spoken, and make it truly profitable to all your fouls. Amen, Amen.

SER

SERMON XII.

T

HESE are the words of one, who like many a proud and felf-opinionated profeffor, was full of himself, rich, as he thought, and increafed with goods; but was in reality an utter ftranger to himself, as a fallen and weak creature; and to that pure and perfect law, whofe precepts are exceeding broad, and concerning which, he fcrupled not to affirm, all thefe things have I kept from my youth up.

There are feveral things remarkable in this paffage, and deferving of serious attention. Jefus had many that followed him, from place to place; and many that applied unto him from many motives, and very different; fome were moved with curiofity, seeing the miracles which he wrought upon the bodies of thofe that were difeafed; and others from more base motives ftill, because they did eat of the loaves and were filled; and fome attended

to

to him through a perfuafion that he was the Meffiah, that was to come into the world. What moved our querift in the text to apply to him, has been matter of doubt amongst commentators; fome think he came feriously, to receive information from our Lord, agreeable to the question firft propofed, good mafter, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? Others think, that he came in a captious fpirit with an intent to puzzle our Saviour; thinking from the pride of his heart that he was too wife to be inftructed, and too holy to need an addition of any other virtue. However, an attention to the defcription given of his perfon and deportment, in this whole affair, may poffibly fix our judgment concerning him, as determinately as is neceffary; it being more immediately our concern to detect the hypocrify of our own hearts, than that of others. It seems the perfon that here came to our Lord was a young man; alafs! how few of these come to enquire about eternal life; young perfons often think that religion is only fit for the grey-headed, and fuch as are bowed down with age and infirmities; but however there is one young man comes to Jefus, may he be followed by multitudes.

But it is furthermore faid of him that he was very rich; it is therefore more ftrange to hear him talking about fpiritual things; most youths in the like fituation are throwing loofe the reins of fenfual appetite, and evil defire, and their chief enquiry is, who will fhew us any good? Probably in this degenerate age, fuch indications of piety would be efteemed the buddings of enthufiafm, the symptoms of a diftempered brain, or the fruits

and

and effects of grofs ignorance. But none of these appear to be the cafe of this young man, for we are informed by the evangelift Luke, that he was a ruler, a magistrate, and being yet young it is not unlikely his abilities were bright and promifing. But be this as it will, he had youth and riches, and if one may fuppofe his profeffions real, fo that he had the fear of God alfo; one might almost venture to call him the phenix of his age; and would God, viewing him in this light, we might fee many young and rich perfons treading in his steps. This young gentleman came to Jefus, and faid unto him, Good mafter, what good thing fhall I do, that I may have eternal life?

What good thing, it seems as if he should fay, there is no task so arduous, no fuffering fo great, that I am not willing, yea defirous to do and fuffer, that I may be faved; perhaps fome of you may be forward as he was, to make fuch profeffion with your lips, concerning whom God may fay as he once did of profeffing Ifrael; O that there were in them fuch a heart. After our Saviour had reproved him for calling him good, and yet at the fame time difbelieved in him as God, befides whom says he, there is none fo; he answers to his question, if thou wilt enter into life keep the commandments It is by no means to be admitted, that our Lord here dallied with the young man, when fuitable to his character, and behaviour at other times, he fhould have directed him; nor that he spoke ironically, and tauntingly; but that obferving the fpirit, and difpofition of the querift, and through a prerogative peculiar to himself knowing the miftaken conceptions of his heart, he prescribed the moft effectual remedy for

the

the removal of his disorder, and laid before him the most exact rule, whereby to adjust the work he feemed fo defirous to compleat and perfect. One may charitably fuppofe, this youth had been fingular in his life and conduct; not running into the follies, and extravagancies which too many in the like condition do; thereby fowing those feeds, those pernicious feeds, that frequently ripen into a mortal harvest in the midst of life, and bring down the grey hairs of their tender and indulgent parents with forrow to the grave. He probably had been obfervant of the rites and ceremonies enjoined by Mofes, yea it is not unlikely he had been kept from murder, adultery, &c. as to the outward and grofs acts, and therefore like Saul of Tarfus might think himself as touching the righteousness of the law, to be blameless; but the want of attending to that pure and holy, that extenfive and inflexible law, in it's fpiritual nature; had betrayed him into the moft grofs and dangerous mistakes. And what is it but the like want of attention to this, that fome are led to talk of falvation without a Saviour, and to expect mercy contrary to juftice; and others in a spirit not alien to this mistaken youth, to beast of obedience in heart and life fully adequate and every way anfwerable to the largest demands of the injured law of God.

As the fcriptures teach no way to life and falvation but Jefus Chrift, as our Lord declared himself to be the only way to the father; and as none that are not conscious of their own finfulness and helpleffnefs will come to Chrift, our Saviour's anfwer and inftruction was the most pertinent and ufeful that could poffibly have been given him; for the

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