honors; and had he not a right to recall what he had merely lent? Had he any just cause of complaint, if God, who, for a time, had elevated him above his fellow-creatures, should now reduce him to a level with the poorest of his people? Had not God the same right to disperse his wealth among the poor, as he before had to accumulate upon one single man? Moreover, this sacrifice, which he was called to make, would contribute very much to the comfort of suffering humanity, and would ultimately return with a rich and abundant recompense into his own bosom. Can this command, then, under such circumstances, be deemed unreasonable? Is it not what the whole mercantile world are glad to do, to sacrifice the temporary possession of their treasures, in the hope and prospect of far richer treasures in return? Every trading man in the universe acts upon this principle; and upon this principle, the most splendid fortunes have been accumulated.

Neither was this command, however difficult, singular. This young man was a Jew, and with his countrymen in general, gloried in being a descendant of Abraham, who was called out from his country and kindred, to go he knew not whither, to subsist he knew not how. He was well acquainted with this historical fact, and he also knew that Abraham never found occasion to repent of his self-denying obedience. He furthermore had, at this very moment, before his eyes, persons who had obeyed a similar call, and who could say, Lo, we have left all, and followed thee. And, in fact, though we are not called to the same act of obedience, we are called to manifest that spirit which would ensure the performance of this act, if, in the course of Divine Providence, we are called to it. Every true disciple of Jesus must renounce, whatever of temporal good God in his providence requires, and must also submit to every privation, to every trial and affliction, which he may be called to endure in the faithful discharge of his duty. Nor was there anything in the latter part of this injunction either unreasonable or singular. He came to Jesus for instruction, and he bade him to become a stated attendant on his ministry. In the discharge of this duty, he would, doubtless, have a cross to bear; but, had not all his disciples to bear the same cross? and had not Jesus a far heavier cross to bear than any of them, or than all of them together? Indeed, had not he come from heaven to bear the cross for them? Was it unreasonable for them that the disciple should be as his master, and the servant as his lord?

Had this young man been really desirous of obtaining salvation, there was nothing in the injunction given him which did not deserve a cheerful and unreserved compliance. Moses, in the very prime and vigor of life, cast behind his back all the honors and all the treasures of Egypt, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasure of sin for a season; for he had respect unto the recompense of reward. And had this youth been animated by the same principles, had the honor of God

and a desire for his own salvation been as deeply rooted in his heart as they were in the heart of Moses, he would not have found the least difficulty in obeying the injunctions given to him.

II. But we shall have clearer views of this subject, in the second place, if we consider the peculiar reasons for the command under consideration. Our blessed Lord, in his reply to the young man, designed to discover to him the depravity of his own heart. This young man was ready to imagine, because he had not been guilty of any notorious breach of the commandments, that he had no ground of humiliation and contrition. In this he was most wofully deceived. Our Lord, had he pleased, might have convinced him of his error, by opening to him the spirituality of the law; he might have shown him how greatly he was mistaken in supposing that he had kept all the commandments from his youth up. But he took a shorter and a more convincing method: he gave him a specific charge, which was his indispensible duty to obey. By his reluctance to obey his command, our Lord showed him that his heart was not so much in unison with the law of God as he imagined, and that he was greatly deceived on this subject. He taught him, that if duty and interest should stand in competition with each other, he would prove as great a rebel as most flagrant transgressors.

Thus our Lord sought to counteract his pride and self-complacency, by leading him to manifest the worldliness and carnality of his heart. He demonstrated to him, in a most clear and convincing light, that his heart was not right in the sight of God, and that he loved and served the creature more than the Creator. Alas, what powerful obstacles the possession of riches throws in the way of our duty. The love of money is the root of all evil: let those, therefore, who have large possessions beware of their danger, and take the alarm. Let them remember that they are surrounded with snares and temptations, which require constant watchfulness and care. Let them see that it does not darken the understanding and warp the judgment, and dispose them to neglect the duties they owe to their own souls, and also to society around them.

He also designed to wean him from self-confidence and self-dependence, which seem to have gained great ascendency over his mind. This is evident by the question which the young man so confidently asked-What lack I yet? It seems, by this question, that he saw no defects in his obedience, and had no doubt of his acceptance with God, on account of that obedience. The drift of his original question, What shall I do, that I may inherit eternal life? seems to have been to this effect: "Master, I perceive that thou art a teacher sent from God, and that thou requirest of us something different from what I have been accustomed to hear or practice, be so kind, therefore, as to inform me what it is; for I would not willingly omit anything, whereby I may secure the salvation of my soul." It appears, according this view of the

question, he wanted to establish more firmly, and substantiate more fully, his claim to eternal life, on the footing of his own obedience. Against this fatal error, the injunction of our Lord was strongly directed. It was an axe laid to the root of his selfrighteousness and self-dependence. It had a most powerful tendency to convince the youth, that all his hopes of heaven were built on a foundation of sand. It showed him that he had been trusting in a refuge of lies that would fail him in the trying day, and expose his defenceless soul to the devouring wrath of God. And if this refuge would not sustain, him, it must fail all who put their trust in it. May God shake the sandy foundation of the selfrighteous, and make them sensibly feel its insecurity before it be everlastingly too late.

He further designed, in this injunction, to lead him to the salvation provided for him in the gospel. Our Lord might have preached the gospel to him more clearly and more fully, and might have informed him that salvation was to be obtained only by faith in him, as the way, the truth, and the life. But the time, as yet, had not arrived for the full disclosure of gospel truth. Jesus Christ made known the great truths of the gospel by degrees, as the mind was prepared for their reception. The son of righteousness had not yet risen in his full glory; he merely gilded with his refulgence, the highest mountains, and the tallest trees, and shed but a faint and feeble light over the land of Judea. Besides, had our Lord plainly and clearly declared unto him the way of salvation, there is reason to think that the young man would either have rejected the truth without further inquiry, or would have embraced it without a due preparation of soul for its reception; and, in either case, he would miss the end which he was solicitous to attain. In leading him to salvation, it was the best way to show him, in the first place, his need of it. He would then enter upon this great work with an earnest zeal that would ensure success, and with a gratitude which was necessary to establish him in the true faith. Little can be affected in the great work of saving the soul, till the mind can be impressed with a deep sense of the evil of sin, and of its lost and helpless state without the divine interposition. When this can be truly and properly done, no sacrifice is deemed too great to make, no difficulties too hard to surmount, in order that we may obtain the pearl of great price.

III. But while we thus vindicate the injunction given to him, we cannot but lament, in the third place, the effect it produced upon him: And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved; for he had great possessions. The injunction of our Saviour produced a very different effect from what he intended. This was owing entirely to the state of mind in which the young man sought instruction. He was not an ardent and sincere inquirer after truth; he was not deeply and sensibly impressed with his lost and perishing condition; for, had he been, he would have received the in

structions of the Saviour gladly. But, instead of rejoicing at having obtained a knowledge of the right way, he was filled with grief-He was sad at that saying. But what made him sad? Was he grieved and ashamed on account of his backwardness to obey the injunctions given him? No, no; that would have been a hopeful sign, and would probably have issued in his conversion to God. But, alas! he was grieved at the strictness of the precept. He had great possessions, and could not prevail upon him, self to part with them, though they might prove his eternal ruin. His riches were his idol; and of more value, in his estimation, than any treasure in heaven. Had he been called to sacrifice a part of his property, he would probably have complied with the injunction; but to bereave himself of all, to reduce himself to a state of poverty, to place himself in a condition of entire dependence, this was a requisition which he could not comply with, a command which he could not endure.

Such is the effect of the gospel upon many at the present time: they would gladly embrace it, and would make some sacrifices to obtain its blessings; but to renounce the world with all its riches, honors, and pleasure, to mortify the deeds of the body with the affections and lusts thereof, to turn their backs upon all that is pleasing and engaging to flesh and blood, and to bring upon themselves nothing but contempt and persecution from their dearest friends and relatives, appears to them too great a sacrifice, and they hope to get to heaven upon some easier terms. Such a doctrine appears to them to be absurd, such a command unreasonable, and they turn away from them sorrowful. Thus, the reforming efficacy of the gospel is frustrated; and between a sense of their duty, and an aversion to perform it, its only effect is to render them unhappy.

But the injunction of our Lord, finally, determined him to forsake Christ altogether: He went away grieved. Much as he revered the Lord Jesus, and wished to partake of his salvation, he could not continue with him on such terms as these. The price which Jesus demanded for salvation was too great for him to pay, and he therefore turned his back upon him-He went away grieved; and this is the last we hear of him. He, probably, from this time abandoned all idea of becoming a disciple of Christ. He chose rather to abide in his legal views and practices, and suffer the consequence, than to yield obedience to a demand so contrary to his views and feelings.

Unhappy youth! How much better had it been for him if he had been born in a low estate-in the humble walks of life! The good things of this life, which God designed as a blessing, proved a curse to him; his riches stood between him and the Saviour of the world; they robbed him of the richest treasure, the most sparkling diamond heaven could bestow. Who is not ready to weep over the folly of this young man, when he reflects upon the fatal effects of his decision? Who, that sees this hopeful youth turning

his back upon his Lord and Teacher, giving up all hopes of heaven, and deliberately preferring a portion in this life to an inheritance in the life to come, does not tremble, lest he himself should be left to make the same wretched and foolish choice?

1. In the conclusion of our remarks on this subject, we shall offer a few reflections. What multitudes there are who think themselves entirely safe, yet, at the same time, they are on the very brink of ruin. Had we seen this youth approach Christ in the respectful manner here described, kneeling before him with the profoundest reverence, addressing him in manner and language as to intimate that he thought Jesus to be more than human; if we had seen him declaring confidently, that, to the best of his knowledge, he had persevered in the uniform obedience to all the commandments, and was ready to fulfil any duty that could be pointed out to him; above all, if we had seen Jesus himself, struck with his amiable deportment, and loving him for his excellent qualities; who amongst us would not have been disposed to envy that youth his prospects of a happy immortality? Yet, after all, this young man came short of heaven! There was one thing he lacked; and for that one thing, he perished forever. What a terrible thought! My dear young friends, you are moral, you are amiable, you are lovely; but not more moral, amiable, and lovely, than was this young man; but he turned his back upon his Saviour, and sunk down to hell in chains and rings of gold; he could not go to heaven, he lacked one thing; he was not willing to forsake all for Christ. And what multitudes there are in this city, who, like this young man, are rich, and moral, and amiable, and lovely, and yet lack one thing; they are unwilling to forsake all for Christ; they would sooner part with him, than part with all for his sake. They are willing to have a religion that requires no sacrifices, no crosses; that admits of pomp and splendor, fashion and parade, pride and luxury; but a religion of humility, of selfdenial, of the mortification of sinful passions and appetites; a religion that leads to a renunciation of the world, and to obey God in all things, they cannot endure, away with it. They are unwilling to purchase heaven at so great a price; they prefer present gratifications and indulgences to deeds of mortification and selfdenial; they seek first the kingdom of this world and the glory thereof, and still flatter themselves that all is well. Deluded by a false hope, they go on anticipating the joys of heaven; and perhaps the illusion may not be dispelled, till they awake in all the horrors of despair. O, my young friends, let this matter be duly weighed by you; and never imagine yourselves in the true way to heaven, till you can count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus; till you are willing to suffer the loss of all things, rather than part with Christ.

2. If the lack of one thing cuts a man off from a true hope of heaven, how awful is the condition of those who have no concern