Use. This is spoken to reprove us, because we always think it too soon to begin with God. Where is this timely care and forwardness ? Alas !
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we cannot say, ' All these have we kept from our youth ; ' but wlien we come to look to the commands of God, we may say, ' All these have we broken from our youth,' While they are young, most men live profane, and without all fear of God. Certainly there was some goodness in this man's speech, and that occasioned me to observe it, for ' Jesus, beholding him, loved him.'
But was it true ? ' All these have I kept from my youth.' In a sense it was true, in regard of outward conformity, but not true in regard of that perfect obedience wliich was required.
1. It was true in regard of outward conformity. Externally he had kept them all, though not in the just extent of the law, yet he was as to men unreprovable, being no adulterer, no murderer, no extortioner, no thief ; he did not lie certainly in this profession he made, he spoke as he thought, and out of simplicity and error rather than deceit ; tho man lived blamelessly, and did nobody harm, and therefore saith, 'All these have I kept from my youth.' Outward obedience and conformity to the law is a good and commendable thing in itself, yea, necessary, and required of us, but we are not to rest in it ; but to escape the vices and pollutions of the world is so far praiseworthy. There are many that are openly profane and wicked in life, swearers, drunkards, sabbath- breakers ; these come short of this young man, who yet came short of the kingdom of heaven. AVhat will these say for themselves ? Will they pretend that their heart is good ? Can a pure fountain send forth impure streams ? If the heart were good, would the life be so naught? If there be light in the lantern, will it not shine forth? If there be grace in the heart it will appear.
2. It was not true in regard of that perfect obedience which the law require th, and so he ignorantly and falsely supposed that he had kept the law well enough, and done all those things from his youth. The falsity and presumption of this answer will appear by considering —
[1.] What the scripture saith of the state of man by nature : Gen. viii. 21, 'The imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth.' And he saith, 'All these have I kept from my youth.' Oh ! how much do they forget themselves that boast of their own perfection !
[2.] The falsity of it appears by the sense of the commandment pro- duced, ' Thou knowest the commandment,' saith Christ, ' Do not commit adultery,' &c., which will reach the most perfect man upon earth. It was a command of the second table, which wrought such tragical effects, and that stirred up those stings of conscience, and agonies of heart in Paul : Rom. vii. 7, ' I had not known lust, except the law had said. Thou shalt not covet ; ' and thereupon he groundeth that general, ver. 14, ' The law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin.'
[3.] The falsity will appear by comparing him with other holy men of God ; how differently do they express themselves from this man, that was so full of confidence ! Compare him first with Josiah, who, when he heard the law read, ' he rent his clothes,' 2 Kings xxii. 11 ; and here Christ recites the law, ' Thou knowest the commandment ; ' and this young man saith, ' All these have I kept from my youth.' Oh ! what a difference is there between a tender self-judging heart and a conceited justiciary ! A tender conscience is all in an agony when it hears the law, and will smite for the least failing, as David's heart
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450 SERMONS UPON MARK X. 17-27. [Ser. I V.
smote him for cutting off the lap of Saul's garment. Again, compare him with the man that brought his son that was possessed with a dumb devil ; he brought him to Christ to be cured, and Christ asked him, Dost thou believe I can do it? and he cried out with tears, 'Lord, I believe ; help thou my unbelief,' Mark ix. 24, That was a humble spirit indeed; there is a work of faith, 'Lord, I believe;' but he acknowleJgeth mixtures of weakness, ' Help thou my unbelief.' But here is no lamenting of defects, 'AH these have I kept from my youth.' Good souls, in the best actions they perform, will bewail the mixtures of sin ; when they own anything of grace, they are still acknowledging their weakness and many infirmities. We may, and we must, acknow- ledge the good that is wrought in us, but still we may and we must be sensible of the mixtures of infirmity in our best actions. Again, compare him with Paul ; he was one that had cause to stand upon his privileges as much as any ; he had all those things which the finer sort of hypocrites can plead and rely upon before they come to Christ. Before he became a christian, lie was ' as touching the righteousness which is by tlie law blameless,' Phil. iii. 6. He had a life free from all scandal and any outward vice ; yet when he comes to look upon this, he says, ' I count all but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,' ver. 8. Paul was broken-hearted, touched with a sight of sin and deserved wrath ; but this man, what an utter stranger was he to this blessed work of broken- ness of heart ! ' All these have I kept from my youth.'