It was true perhaps, that, with respect to the outward service, he had thus kept the commandments. For Jesus beholding him, loved him. He loved his sincere endeavours. He loved his carefulness to obey the law. He loved his perseverance; he had kept it from his youth up. But still in this very thing, his greatest error consisted. He was ignorant of himself, trusting in himself, satisfied with himself. And therefore there was not that absolutely necessary mark of a changed and awakened state, a broken and a contrite heart. There was not that fitness which the Lord requireth, to feel our need of him.

4. And therefore the Lord proceeded to apply to him one test more. For we may further observe ;— that the fourth and the final deficiency in his character, which at last, when it was discovered to him, drove him from Christ, and shut him out from the kingdom of God, was this: that after all, it was an imperfect service. "What lack I yet?" said he. And said Christ to him: "One thing." "One thing thou lackest." And that one thing was the one thing needful. "Go, and sell what thou hast, and give to the poor, that thou mayest have treasure in heaven, and then come, and take up the cross, and follow me." This was the test, and it pronounced against him: he was not willing to do it. "He went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions." ."* It was then discovered that all his service of obedience, all his keeping of the Law, was an imperfect service. And why was it imperfect? Just for this reason, brethren. It was not an affair of the heart. It was an outward, formal compliance, but not an inward love. So that when the Gospel rule was put to him, "My son, give me thy heart;" when he was commanded to sell all that he had, to forsake, and come out, and be separate from a wicked world, to bear the reproach of the cross,

* Ver. 20, 21, 22. Mark x. 21.

and to follow Christ; then it was found, that he could not do it. He had trusted to his own obedience. But even this, when put to the proof, was found an imperfect service. Weighed in the balance of the sanctuary it was found to be wanting.

1. In conclusion, my dear brethren, do you not detect and discover something of this in yourselves? You are willing to keep the commandments; not, it is true, in the spiritual meaning, or from a spiritual motive, but in the outward act; yea, to be ever so rigid, and ever so strict. You are willing to frequent and attend all the appointed ordinances. And truly, if heaven could be obtained by outward works, nothing would you spare to obtain it. But when the Lord says to you, Give me thine heart, Fix it not on thy possessions; not on thy gratifications; not on thy selfsufficiency; not on thy fleshly lusts, nor on any earthly thing; but come and follow me; return into an affectionate surrender of thyself to God, through my mediation, to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and thy neighbour as thyself; then do you not feel a reluctance? Do you not find that nothing but genuine love to the Redeemer will ever bring you to do it? Do you not feel a resistance to the demands of Christ upon you? You cannot give up this world, and the spirit of the world that is in you, that you may have treasure in heaven. You cannot make the sacrifices which the Word and the service of Jesus Christ require at your hands. And in proportion as your possessions are great in the world, you cleave and cling to them. And having heard the demand of the Gospel upon you, having counted the cost of surrendering yourself up to it to take the yoke of Christ, you determine at last to reject it, you refuse to have your portion with the saints of Jesus Christ, as pilgrims and strangers upon earth, but for whom an everlasting heaven is provided: you go away sorrowful into the

world again, and walk in its way to an everlasting hell. And so it is fulfilled to you, that "it is easier for a camel," that is to say, for the largest beast of burthen, laden with stores upon it, "to pass through a needle's eye," the narrowest thing which is ; than for you, so laden with the weight of your riches, and cares, and possessions, for you, with your heart so full of this present world, to find an admittance into the kingdom of God.

2. Finally, perhaps there are some who are really desiring, notwithstanding all the sacrifice, and all the self-denial it calls them to, there are some who are really and earnestly wishing, to become the disciples of Christ, and, provided only they can do it, to take up the cross, and follow him. You are only afraid that you shall never be able, never have strength to achieve it. Temptations are strong, and many circumstances are against you. The effects of former sins are as bands upon you, and hang as a weight about your neck, so that difficulties and hindrances are on every side. And your heart is mistrustful and faint within you. The Spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Now then hear, in conclusion, from the remaining part of this chapter, the strong inducements which our Lord has given you to begin this great and important work.

(1.) In the first place he promises to give you the help and assistance of his heavenly grace. Are you saying, in yourself, as those disciples did, at that saying of the needle's eye, when they asked, in a state of 'exceeding amazement," "Who then can be saved?"* Then hear the answer of Christ. "With men it is impossible but with God all things are possible." God alone is able to perform it. But he is sufficient, and he is willing to do this. Jesus, our Great High-Priest,

* Ver. 25.

has undertaken the full and complete salvation of all that look to him for it, as a matter of covenant engagement, and of covenant truth. And hard as it may be, with him it is possible, for he is the mighty God: "Why," or rather, Why not, "dost thou call him good; there is but one so, and he is God." He "will give grace and glory." And this is his faithful Word, "Thy shoes shall be iron and brass, and as thy day is so thy strength shall be."* And therefore, brethren, whenever you feel to be weak and drooping, and doubt arises within you, then ask of yourself that question, "Is any thing too hard for the Lord ?" Is any thing too hard for him that is head over all, for a Godhead Christ to do? Could he, when on earth, heal by the word of his power all manner of diseases, and cast out the unclean devils, and raise the dead? And can he not cure my spiritual maladies, and heal my spiritual sorrows, and banish Satan from my soul, and raise me dead in trespasses and sins to a new and heavenly life? Could he speak into calm the stormy winds and tempests, and the winds and the sea obeyed him? And can he not break my strong temptations, and hush, and curb, and tranquillize the raging hurricanes of pride and passion that disturb my soul? Was it his mighty power which made the heavens, the world, and them that dwell therein, and by which he shall at last fold them up as a vesture and they shall be changed? Then can he make me a new regenerate creature, born again of his Spirit. Then can he change my evil heart of unbelief within me, and make it by his grace, believing, true, and clean. He can take the heart of stone from within me, and give me instead of it a heart of flesh. Therefore, let us each of us say: "Why art thou cast down, O my soul, and why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance and my God."

*Deut. xxxiii. 25.

(2.) And then, lastly, that he may induce you to begin this important work, he has given you, not only the promise of his gracious help by the way, but likewise as a matter of grace, the promise at last of a great and rich reward. When Peter proceeded to say to him, "We have left all, and followed thee;" then said he unto them, "You that have followed me, in the regeneration, and every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive here in this world, an hundredfold, and shall inherit eternal life.”* Here, in the present world, he shall have it fulfilled to him, "The meek shall inherit the earth" he shall have a cleansed conscience, a peaceful mind, a sanctified heart; a sense of the reconciliation, the love, and the favour of God. He shall obtain hereafter, what this disappointed applicant could not obtain by the outward works of the Law, he shall inherit eternal life."

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