VeR. 19.] SERMONS UPON MARK X. 17-27, 433
Use 3. Honour and praise him for this in word and deed : Ps. cxviii.
1, ' O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good.' You all have tasted of the goodness of God, now what shall he done to the Lord for this ? Certainly we should be good, and do good, that we might imitate our heavenly Father.
SERMON IIL
Tliou hnoioest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, do not hill, do not steal, do not hear false ivitness, defraud not, honour thy father and mother. — Mark x. 19.
In former discourses upon this context, you have heard of a necessary question asked, and that by a young man, concerning the way to eternal life. He doth not put it upon good words, or anything less than good works really to be done, ' What good thing must I do that I may inherit eternal life ? ' Yet, because he spoke in a legal sense, Christ accommodates his answer thereunto. First he gives answer to his com- pellation, ' Good Master,' and now to his question, to convince his conscience, and bring him to brokenness of heart, and now remitteth him to his rule.
1. He mindeth him of his pattern, ' Why callest thou me good ? there is none good but one, which is God.' This young man had too high a conceit of his own goodness, therefore Christ shows him that originally and absolutely that title belongeth to God only.
2. He refers him to his rule. Though we be not so perfect as God is perfect, yet if we answer our rule, the law given to us, it is enough for us creatures, and therefore the young man is put upon that trial. Thou art not good as God is good, so thou canst not be, for God alone is good ; yet ' thou knowest the commandments, do not commit adultery,' &c. Observe here —
[1.] Christ directeth him to the commandments for an answer to his question. The question was, 'What must I do that I may inherit eternal life ? ' Christ saith, ' Thou knowest the commandments,' &c. That here is a direct answer to the question appeareth by comparing the evangelists ; for we see, Mark xix. 17, 18, it is drawn dialogue-wise thus, ' If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. He saith unto him, Which ? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, thou shalt not commit adultery,' &c. If thou lookest to be saved by doing, keep the law perfectly.
[2.] For the particular commandments, he instanceth in those com- mandments for his trial which were more apt to convince him of his sin and of his imperfection : and here it is notable that they are all of the second table, ' Do not kill, do not commit adultery,' &c. And there is one clause, ' defraud not,' that is left out in Luke ; and in Matthew instead thereof there is put this general clause, ' Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself,' Mat. xix. 19.
VOL. XVI. 2 E
434 SERMONS UPON MARK X. 17-27. [SeR. III.
Three questions tlien are necessary for explication —
(1.) Why Christ refers him to the commandments ?
(2.) Why the commandments of the second table are only mentioned?
(3.) Why, seeing it is plain that the six commandments of the second table are alluded unto, ' defraud not ' is put for the last commandment, ' Thou shalt not covet ? ' for of the method wherein they are recited we need not move any doubt, for Christ beginneth with the negatives, and the affirmative precept is put last, as a thing not accurately to be stood upon.
Quest. 1. Why Christ refers him to the commandments ? The rea- son of the doubt is this, because the fallen creature can never be justified or saved by his own works : Eom. iii. 20, ' Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight ; ' Titus iii. 5, ' Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us ; ' 2 Tim. i. 9, ' Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace ; ' Eph. ii. 8, 9, ' For by grace ye are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God : not of works, lest any man should boast.' The scripture doth always run in this strain ; yea, Christ himself puts salvation upon another score, upon believing in him : John iii. 16, 'For God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.' Why then doth Christ refer him to the commandments? I answer — Christ speaketh not this as if any man could be saved and justified by the works of the law. It was far from our Saviour's meaning to foment such an error ; but the scope of his speech is to show that it is in vain to inquire for the way to heaven while men trust to their own righteousness ; and therefore good works and obedience to the law are proposed to convince him of his impotency, to humble him in the sense of his guilt, to drive him out of himself, and to draw him to seek salvation by a better covenant, or if not, to leave him without excuse. That this was Christ's aim, to show him his sin, and miserable condition, and disability to be justified by the law, will appear by these following considerations —