2. The next circumstance is the person by whom the question was put. The text saitli only, ' There came one running to him.' What this one was we shall find by laying several scriptures together. (1.) This one is said to be veavio-Ko^; ' a young man,' Mat. xix. 20 ; (2.) n\ovaio<; ' a rich man,' ver. 22, ' He had great possessions.' (3.) "Ap^oov, ' a ruler,' Luke xviii, 18. What is meant by that ? Possibly one of the chief pharisees, for they were called cipxopTe^;, rulers, Luke xiv. 1, or a ruler of the synagogue ; or, as Grotius thinks, one of the magis- trates of his town, or rather the head and chief of his family. The honourable families among the Jews had their heads and chiefs, whom they called their rulers. Now such a ruler, a young man, an honour- able person, a head and chief of his family, he comes to Christ, and puts tliis question to him.
410 SERMONS UPON MARK X. 17-27. [SeR. I.
3. The manner of his address to Christ ; it was voluntary, ' He came,' saith the text, that is, of his own accord. It was zealous and earnest, ' He came running to him.' It was humble, ' He kneeled down to him ; ' and besides, it was civil and respectful ; he calls him ' Kabbi,' and gives him the title of ' good,' ' Good master.' He comes with a kind compellation which shows his reverence and respect to Christ. This was tlie manner of his address.
4. The question itself, which is weighty and serious, ' What shall I do to inherit eternal life ? ' Out of all these circumstances take this observation —
Doct. That men may go very far in a sense of religion, and yet come short of true grace.
I give it with respect to the context. This young man is a pregnant instance. He went far, for, as this text delivers his character to us, you will find few his equals, and the most part of the world left behind him. Here is a young man, a rich man, a nobleman, that is troubled about salvation, and seems to forget himself and his dignity ; he comes running to Christ, kneels to him, and puts a serious question ; but yet he came short ; the context shows that, for when he heard of Christ's terms, he went away sorrowful.
To make good the observation —
1. I shall show what was commendable in this young man.
2. Where the defect and fault was ; for here seems to be nothing but what is fair and plausible ; he comes, and he comes kneeling to Christ, and says, ' Good master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?'
I. There is something, yea, much commendable in him, and worthy of imitation, and that will appear by considering — (1.) The question which he puts ; (2.) The quality of the person that propounded it ; (3.) The manner how.
First, The question asked, ' What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life ? ' This, for the substance of it, is a good question and very necessary for all to ask. Our hearts would be in a much better frame than they are if we did ask it more and ask it of teuer : Oh ! how shall we do to be saved ?
1. It is not a question about another man, but himself. We read of an impertinent question put by Peter to Christ: John xxi. 21, 'Lord, what shall this man do ? ' Many do not look inward, and are busy about the concernments of others ; but here it is not. What shall ihey do, or what shall others do ? But, Good master, what is my duty? what shall I do to be saved ?
2. It is not a curious question, or the proposal of some intricate doubt and nice debate : Titus iii. 9, ' Avoid foolish questions.' Curious questions argue wantonness ; they that are heart-whole will dispute and wrangle about unprofitable needless points, but neglect those that are most weighty and necessary ; and it is a true rule, Deficit in necessariis qui redwidat in superfiuis — Those that wholly give up themselves to vain janglings neglect more necessary and profitable matters. But the young man's question is not about curious speculations, but a weighty point, 'What shall I do to be saved? '
3. It is not about the body, but the soul. There are things necessary
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for the outward man ; and questions of that nature are too rife with us : ' What shall we eat, and what shall we drink, and what shall we put on ? ' Mat. vi. 25. All men's care is about the body, and these worldly- questions do most perplex their hearts, How shall I he clothed and fed ? But this young man's question is not about any matter of the world, but the saving c^his soul. How shall I do to live for ever with God?
4. About his soul ; he doth not ask a frivolous or small thing, but a thing of the greatest moment in all divinity, ' What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life ? ' A weighty matter, the weightiest of all others : Mat. vi. 33, ' Seek first the kingdom of God and his right- eousnesss ; ' Pro v. iv. 7, ' Wisdom is the principal thing ; therefore get wisdom, and with all thy getting get understanding.' And certainly such a question as this discovers a good spirit. (1 .) That he was no Sadducee, for he inquires after eternal life, which they denied. The young man was one that did believe in heaven and hell, and inquires after the way how to escape the one and obtain the other. (2.) It discovers some thoughtfulness about it. Many of Christ's own disciples dreamed of an earthly kingdom ; they were ever putting questions to Christ about it : Acts i. 6, ' Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel ? ' But his thoughts were more upon the kingdom of heaven than upon a temporal reign, which they fancied to themselves. (3.) It discovered that he was very sensible of the connection that is between the end and the means, that something must be done in order to eternal life. There are some men that would have heaven and happi- ness, but are loath to be at the cost : Num. xxiii. 10, ' Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my latter end be like his.' At oportuit sic vixisse ; but we must live so, if we would die so. It is presumptuous folly to hope for the end without the means ; there are means lead- ing to the end, which must be inquired after and regarded by us. Well, then, so far the pharisee is right, that without ' holiness no man shall see the Lord.' (4.) This question so put discovers that he was sensible that a slight thing would not serve the turn, not a little saying and outward profession. This was not a vain and loose person, but a moral man, and one that had done much ; yet, ' What good thing must I do ? ' (.5.) This was the errand and great thing that brought him to Christ, to find the way to heaven and true happiness. The man was rich, but he saw that his happiness lay not in riches, but in everlasting salvation, and thereupon he goes to Christ to learn how he should do to obtain it. There were many which followed Christ upon other accounts ; some for his miracles, he cured their diseases ; others for the loaves, John vi. 26 ; but he comes to him about eternal life.