Sermon II.

THE AMIABLE YOUTH.

MARK *. 21, 22.

THEN JESUS, BEHOLDING HIM, LOVED HIM; AND SAID UNTO HIM, ONE THING THOU LACKEST : GO THY WAY, SELL WHATSOEVER THOU HAST, AND GIVE TO THE POOR; AND THOU SHALT HAVE TREASURE IN HEAVEN; AND COME, TAKE UP THE CROSS, AND FOLLOW ME. AND HE WAS SAD AT THAT SAYING, AND WENT AWAY GRIEVED; FOR HE HAD GREAT POSSESSIONS.

THIS is a very interesting part of fcripture. The context acquaints us, that a youth of fortune came running to our Saviour, and kneeling before him, propofed that very important queftion," Good Mafter, what fhall I do, that I may inherit eternal life?" To which our Lord replied, "Thou knoweft the commandments; do not commit adultery; do not kill; do not fteal; do not bear falfe witnefs; defraud not; honour thy father and mo

ther."

ther." "And he answered, and faid unto him, Mafter, all thefe have I obferved from my youth. Then Jefus, bebolding him, loved him; and faid unto him, One thing thou lackest go thy way, fell whatsoever thou haft, and give to the poor; and thou fbalt have treafure in Heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. And he was fad at that faying, and went away griev ed; for he had great poffeffions."

There is fomething very engaging in this conversation, and alfo in the characters by which it was conducted. We behold a youth, of family and fortune, thoughtful of his foul, and seriously concerned about its eternal welfare. With pleasure we behold the delicacy of his manners and deportment; and are powerfully attracted by the respectful language in which he addreffed the Son of God. The prevailing tenour of his life and converfation makes a deep impreffion on us.. And had he been as indifferent about his worldly poffeffions, as thofe guilty pleasures young perfons too generally purfue, we should have pronounced him, a moft accomplished, a perfect human character. But wealth had charms, which he was not able to refift. He could not prevail with himself to part with all, and follow Chrift. He could

not

not exchange the fplendour of his ftation for poverty, fufferings, and death. He therefore facrificed duty to intereft ;and, for the perishable treafures of this world, forfeited those durable riches which are reserved in heaven for the righteous.. This is the fubftance of his unhappy story, which, however, affords us many useful reflexions.

And, first, I would obferve, the agree able impreffion this youth made upon our divine Lord.. Beholding him, he loved him. Yes, the Son of God, who was perfectly acquainted with his character, loved a youth who prefered earth to heaven, riches to his foul, and the Splendour of this world to the glory of a better! This may seem like a paradox, but it is undoubtedly a mat-ter of fact.. In the text, it is pofitively af ferted..

But how did he love him? Not furely with that ardour of affection, which he entertains for those who are wholly conformed to God, who are ready to part with all the good things of life, and even life itself, when called to fuch a facrifice. His love was not of that kind which is excited by the true difciple. It was of an inferiour nature, and fuch as we often feel towards perfons, whe, together with innumerable

numerable faults and imperfections, poffefs fome moft amiable qualities. And this might well confift with a fupreme regard for true godlinefs and virtue.

Without all controverfy, our Lord felt a generous concern for his welfare. He was folicitous for his eternal well-being. Impreffed with his amiable qualities, he wished to fee them improved into chriftian graces, that the fplendour of his worldly ftation might be eclipfed by the fplendour of his religious character! So much affection he certainly entertained; as much has been exhibited by others, and less could not confift with a principle of univerfal benevolence.

But this was not all. His fuperiour regards were excited by the refpectful behaviour of this young man, the regularity of his paft life, and the rational concern he discovered for his eternal welfare. It was extraordinary, that a youth in his circumftances fhould be undebauched by the temptations of fenfe, unfeduced by the fyren voice of forbidden pleasure. But expofed as his fituation was, he had hither. to efcaped the groffer pollutions that are in the world. When the commandments were recited to him by our bleffed Lord, he replied, All these have I kept from my

youth

youth up. And no doubt he was fincere in this declaration. Our Lord does not charge him with falfehood, which he cer tainly would have done, had the other violated the truth on this occafion. It amounts, therefore, to a matter of fact, that this young man had led a very regular life. He had paid a refpectful deference to his parents; he had been juft and honeft in his dealings; he had neither invaded the lives nor property of his neighbours; fenfual exceffes he had carefully avoided; and he had fully acted up to the part of a good citizen, and a worthy member of society. Thefe virtues he had early discovered; and at that time, they were his ornament and glory. Thus regular in his moral conduct, our Lord loved him. He was pleased to fee fo much wisdom and prudence in a youthful character; and beheld him with very different eyes from thofe with which he regarded others, who were strangers to his good qualities.

But, fecondly, the refpect, with which this young man treated our bleffed Saviour, was a further recommendation to his regards. To the utmost regularity of behaviour, he joined a moft winning politenefs. Perfectly acquainted with the rules of good breeding, he accofts the Son

of