Sermons Volume 4, Sermons on Mark 1 · Sermon 5
SERMON V. ON MARK X. v. 21.
Then Iesus beholding him, loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest; go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the Poor, and thou shalt have Treasure in Heaven, and come take up the Cross, and follow me.
IN this Verse is contained the fourth and last part of the Conference between our Saviour and this Young Man. Observe here,
First, The Gesture and Carriage of our Lord Christ towards him, Then Iesus beholding him, loved him.
Secondly, The Answer he gives him: In which there is,
(1.) An Admonition of his Defect, One thing thou lackest.
(2.) A Precept and Injunction, which is twofold, Particular and General.
(1.) Particular, for the Tryal of this Young Man, where is the Duty, Go thy way, sell whatever thou hast, and give to the poor: And the Motive, or Promise, And thou shalt have Treasure in Heaven. The Precept is Particular, but backed with a General Promise.
(2.) General, Come take up the Cross, and follow me. These are the parts, let us insist upon them as they offer themselves.
And Iesus beholding him, loved him. This Clause hath troubled many Interpreters, how Jesus could Love this Young man, who seemed to be so full of Pride, and Self-conceit, and whose Heart was so addicted to worldly Riches, that when he knew Christ's Mind, he went away from him sad: but there need not so great ado about the matter. To open it, two things, will be necessary to shew you, the Cause of this Love, and the Kind of it, why, and how he Loved him.
1. Why he loved him; surely it was not for his Outward Feature, or External Complement. Christ's Love was never set upon these things; but his Goodness of Disposition, Moral Integrity, and Ingenuity, that was the Reason why he loved him.
2. Now for the Kind of this Love. Christ you know had two Natures in him, and accordingly we may distinguish of his Love and Affection; there is the Divine Love, and the Humane Love of Christ, as he was God, and as he was Man.
(1.) If you interpret it of his Divine Love, the difficulty will not be great; for there is a General and Common Love, and a Special Love: with the first God loves all his Creatures, especially Mankind, and amongst them those that have any strictures of his Image in them more than others. But then there is a Special Love, and so all those are Saved whom God thus Loveth: So God loveth his own People, either with a Love of Good-will, when they are uncalled, Ier. 31.3. Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting Love; or else with a Love of Complacency, when Called and Converted: Zeph. 3.17. He will rejoyce over thee with joy, he will rest in his Love. Now this will easily salve the Matter; there was a general Love, or a liking, and Approbation of those Moral Vertues and good things which he saw in him, but not that special Love which brings Grace and Salvation along with it. But,
(2.) Let us consider Christ as Man, and so speak of his Humane Love. Jesus Christ, as he took our Nature, so he had the same Affections, and Aversations that we have; and therefore as Man he loved his Parents, his Kindred, his Nation, his Friends and Acquaintance in their several Relations. Some there were with whom he contracted a more special Friendship; as Lazarus, Iohn 11.3. Lord! Behold he whom thou lovest is sick: He loved Lazarus in a special manner, as a singular Good man: So also his two Sisters, v. 5. And Iesus loved Martha, and her Sister, and Lazarus: And Iohn is called the Disciple whom Iesus loved, Chap. 13.23. Christ in his own practice would sanctifie holy Friendship, and therefore it pleased him as Man to have a special Humane Love to some above others. Once more, There were others who he loved with a larger Love, as they had more or less of good in them, as this Young man for his Good Nature, and Blameless Life. Iesus beholding him, loved him; that is, shewed some signs of Inclination towards him.
Now this was either a Love of Courtesie, or a Love of Pity.
(1.) A Love of Courtesie and Respect; Origen interprets it, he kissed him, or shew'd him some outward sign of favour. Indeed if the word had been, foreign, it might have been interpreted so; but the word is foreign. Others more generally, He treated him kindly. So this word sometimes is taken for Courteous Speech, as Grotius, and other great Criticks in the Greek Tongue observe: He loved him, that is, spoke friendly and kindly to him: So in Homer, foreign Welcome Guests, you shall be loved by us; that is, friendly entreated or received. And so again, he excuseth himself that he did not Love him as soon as he saw him at first; that is, did not treat him so kindly; so Jesus loved him, that is, treated him with Kindness.
(2.) A Love of Pity, pitying him who had done so much to so little purpose, who lost the benefit of all he did by a vain Opinion of his own Righteousness. As we pity Moderate Papists, sober Turks, or Infidels; so Jesus Christ might love him with a Love of Pity. Well then, it was a Love of Humane Affection, as one Man loves another for his Good Qualities; not a Love of Familiarity and Friendship, but either a Love of Courtesie or Pity, seeing a Man so Young, so Rich, so Powerful, and in so great Corruption of Manners had kept himself so blameless; this was that for which Jesus loved him.
I observe two Points of Doctrine from hence:
1 Doct. There may be some Amiable and Good Qualities in Vnregenerate Men.
Here was a Young Man without saving Grace, yet of a Moral Conversation, and as touching the Externals of the Law blameless.
Now that there may be such Good Qualities in them, appears thus:
(1.) All are Created with some Inclination to Good, thô not to good Spiritual, yet to Good Natural and Moral. In our decay'd Condition there are some remainders of right Reason, some Impressions of Equity, some Principles of Common Honesty still left and preserved in us, thô as to Spiritual Endowments, We are altogether become filthy and abominable, Psal. 14.2. yet some Moral Inclinations are left, to shew what Humane Nature once was. As in a rifled Palace, thô the rich Furniture be gone, the Plate and the Jewels, and thô the fashion of it be much spoil'd, yet some of the Fabrick is left still standing, to shew what a Magnificent Structure it once was. Nature teacheth to deal justly with all, and startles and looks ghastly at some kind of Abominations. The dictates of Morality and Common Right are very Legible in our Conscience: The Gentiles which have not the Law, do by nature the things contained in the Law, Rom. 2.14. As Iob's Messengers said every one of them, I alone am escaped to tell thee: So there are some Principles of Conscience that are left, and escaped out of the ruines of the fall, to warn us of our Duty, and to make us give back at monstrous and gross Impieties, and to leave us without Excuse. Thô men be born in Sin, and are dead to all Spiritual Good, yet some restraints are left still upon Nature, lest man should not shew himself to be Man.
(2.) For the good of Mankind; God is the Patron of Humane Society, and delights in the welfare and preservation of it. He Created not Man as he did the Angels, to live several and Independant from one another. We are all multiplied and propagated from one Original Root, that we might live in mutual Society and Converse with one another. It is observed that ravenous and noxious Creatures live single and apart, but the useful in Herds and Flocks; so Man was made by Nature a Sociable Creature. Now there would be no such thing as Humane Society, if there were not some sweetness of Nature, and Moral Dispositions yet left in us: The World would be but one great Forrest of Wild Beasts, if God had not left some Authority in Conscience to keep men within the Bounds of Honesty. And therefore to uphold order in the World, there must be some amiable Qualities; even in the Unregenerate or Corrupt State, some are more Innocent and unblameable than others. I'll set it forth by this Similitude: As Nebuchadnezzar, when he carried the Princes and Chief men into Captivity out of the Land of Iudea, he left some of the People behind him to Till the Land, least it became a Wilderness: So that the World might not become a Forrest of wild Beasts, there are some that observe the Common Dictates of Nature, that men might be commodious and useful one to another; for did not these Impressions bear sway, the World could not subsist, nor Justice and Honesty be maintained.
(3.) There are other things besides renewing Grace that might cause these Amiable Qualities.
(1.) Bodily Temper may encline Men to some good. We see some are of a rougher Temper, and others of a sweeter Disposition. Some are soft, smooth, and docible, others stiff and stubborn: The Scripture takes notice of the different Dispositions of Esau and Iacob, Gen. 25.27. Esau was a cunning Hunter, a man of the Field, but Iacob was a plain man dwelling in Tents. Look, as Blades, thô all are made of the same Mettal, yet they differ much in Goodness by reason of the Temper; so there's a great deal of difference between Men and Men by reason of the Temper of their Bodies; some are ingenious and shame-…aced, and not so easily drawn to Outrage and Sin, but others are of a baser alloy. The Complexion of the Soul doth very much follow the Constitution of the Body, and therefore some are better Natured and Temper'd than others: So that there may be Amiable Qualities in them, and yet without Grace.
(2.) The increase of one Sin may cause others to decrease; as a Wen that grows big and monstrous, defrauds other parts of their Nourishment. Thô all Sin be kindly to a Natural Heart, yet some Sins are more apt to take the Throne, and other Lusts are starved to feed that. As for Instance: He that is Covetous, by the force of his Covetousness and Parsimony is made an Enemy to Prodigality, and a Friend to Frugality; as Iudas that lov'd the Bag, was against Profuseness and wastfulness, Ioh. 12.5, 6. A Prodigal Man is not Covetous, and so more prone to be Liberal and Free-hearted. A prophane Man is an Enemy of Superstition, and loves to be moderate and indifferent in Religion: A Superstitious Man hates Prophaneness, and lays out his Zeal upon every little trifle that can lay Claim to Religion, and so he may seem to be a greater Friend to Zeal. A Voluptuary hates Despair and Morosity, and is more Sociable and Friendly in Converse. Thus as Weeds destroy one another, so do many Vices; so many Vices occasion something that is Amiable. Ambition makes Men Diligent, Sober, and Vigilant to improve their Opportunities.
(3.) It may be occasioned partly by Discipline, and strict Education; or else the miseries and Calamities of the present Life; for these things, thô they do not mortifie Sin, yet they may much weaken and hinder the discovery of it. Solomon often tells us of the force of Education, and that the Rod of Correction gets a great deal of Folly out of the Heart of Children, Prov. 22.15. Foolishness is bound in the Heart of a Child, but the rod of Correction driveth it far from him: And as they grow up in years, God takes them into his own Discipline: Pharaoh is devout under his Plagues, and Ahab under a severe Threatning walks softly. God's Correction may work some Commendable Qualities in them.
(4.) By Politick Government, and Laws which keep men within the Bounds of their Duty, so that they are orderly by constraint, and for fear of Penalty, which if they should follow their pleasure in sinning, they would be exposed to. Austin saith, Leges humanae munditoria instrumenta sunt: He compares Laws to Brooms, which thô they cannot make Corn of Weeds, or of Chaff, yet they serve to sweep in the Corn, and keep it within the Floor. Laws may make men good Subjects, thô not Good men. As Seneca tells us, the Heathens observed many things; they may do many things, Non tanquam dijs grata, sed tanquam legibus jussa, magis ad morem quam ad rem; not as pleasing God, but as required by the Law; not for the thing, but for the fashion; they may be very harmless, put on a Face of Goodness, but it is not out of Conscience; the Magistrate makes them so, who is the Minister of God for good, Rom. 13.4.
(5.) Unregenerate men may be translated from the Grammar School of Nature, to the University of Grace; and thô they never Commence there, and took the Degree of true Sanctification, yet they may come very near it by Common Grace, and may not be far from the Kingdom of God. This may be by the Efficacy of the Word, which is very perswasive, and pressing, take it as it works only in a Moral way; as Herod heard Iohn Baptist, and did many things, and heard him gladly, Mark 6.20. Or else they may have this Common Grace by Experience of the Providence of God over the Church, or themselves; when they see God's Interest stands out against all Assaults, Psal. 129.1, 2. Many a time have they afflicted me from my Youth, (Now may Israel say:) Many a time have they afflicted me from my Youth, yet have they not prevailed against me. When they observe that all those that dash against the Corner-stone are broken in pieces; that many good men, thô molested and troubled, yet visibly have a Blessing and a Providence that attends them, and that the prophane are overtaken in their Sins by pursuing Judgments; that it is never better with them than when they own that which is Good: This cannot but move them to something that is amiable to some sense of Religion, and siding with the better Party: Or they may have the Common Gifts of the Spirit, Heb. 6.4, 5. they may be enlightened, may have Gifts of Prayer and Preaching; some vanishing Tastes of the Goodness and Sweetness of Evangelical Doctrine; some Motions and Impulsions, and Excitations to good. These are the Reasons.
I. VSE. It shews us how inexcuseable they are in the sight of God, and how just their Condemnation will be, that have nothing lovely in them. Certainly they might have had something or other lovely in them, even while they were Natural, if they would give their Heart to it; either Wisdom or Valour, Meekness or Zeal, Humility or Charity. Every Temper yieldeth some Way and Means of Glorifying God; and it is their own Fault if they have not some Endowment or other. I speak this not as to Spiritual Grace only, which they do not only neglect, but reject the Means whereby to get it; they put away the Word of God from them, shut the door upon themselves, Acts 13.46. Ye put the Word from you, and judge your selves unworthy of eternal Life; and esteem Spiritual Grace nothing worth, yea it is Folly to them. 1 Cor. 2.14. The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned: Yea they think it as dishonourable and prejudical to them. But also in respect of Moral Endowments, I say certainly some Crown or other they might have, if they did not uncrown themselves by Sin. Natural Men may have brave Wits, but they besot themselves, and quench them in Luxury, and Riot, and pervert those Moral Inclinations, those Seeds of God that were in their Nature, while they Drink, Whore, and play away their Consciences. There are none but have a Conscience, till they get the Victory of it, and smother it, and outgrow the feelings and checks of it, and lose all sense, Eph. 4.19. Who being past feeling, have given themselves over to lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. They might have lived Vertuously and Morally, till they brought upon themselves the Tyranny of evil Custom, and then no wonder if they are wholly given up to Sensual Lusts, and to walk in a sinful way: They have lost all former Advantages, they have spoil'd their Natural Temper, they have lost the Benefit of their Education, despised Instruction, and the Discipline of Parents, lived in defiance of Laws, received the Grace of God in vain, 2 Cor. 6.1. In a word, they have slighted God's Judgments, quenched their Gifts, checked the Motions of God's Spirit. Therefore certainly they are altogether without Excuse that out-sin these Helps; Natural Conscience, Temper, Education, Laws, Ordinances, Providences, and the Spirit's Motions, they are all helps, and God forsakes men in none of these till they first forsake him, and by some notable Sin provoke him to withdraw such Helps: And therefore what will you say for your selves that have not any of these amiable Qualities, and Moral Endowments? Will you say you would fain be better, but cannot? That cannot be, for many of these Amiable Qualities are found in Natural Men, and you have had many Helps and Advantages either to get or increase them in your Souls. If many Moral Heathens go to Hell that had not half those Helps, and and yet were Exemplary in so many Amiable Qualities, what will become of you, if you refuse all the Helps which God hath vouchsafed to you in his Providence, and yet run into enormous Evils?
II. VSE. If there may be Amiable Qualities in Unregenerate Men, then do not rest in these things: Mat. 5.46. If you love them that love you, what reward have you? do not even the Publicans the same? And Verse 47. foreign, What do you more than others? What over and above? A Natural Man may have all these. You may live orderly, and yet if you have not Faith you cannot please God, Heb. 11.6. For without Faith it is impossible to please God. You may be Blameless, yet if you be not born again, you shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven: Iohn 3.3. Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God: Therefore do not rest in this, that you have some Good Qualities which are Amiable and Praise-worthy before God and Men; but labour for the sanctifying Vertue of God's Spirit, and the Power of Godliness, that you may be partakers of the Divine Nature; 2 Pet. 1.4. for if thy Heart be not yet truly changed, thy Person may be odious to God. It is not mine, but the Advice of Jesus Christ, Make the Tree good, and his fruit good, Mat. 12.33. A man may carry the Fruits of Canaan, as the Spies did upon a dry Staff; but learn to bear them from a living Root. To be Harmless, Meek, Chast, Just, Temperate, all this is good; but it is much better when they flow from a renewed Heart, then they are gracious Evidences to you. A Good Nature without Grace makes a fair shew with the World, but it is of little Respect with God as to your Salvation: All this may be from Temper and awe of Men. How may a Man mistake a still Nature for Meekness, Fervency and heighth of Spirit for Zeal, want of Affection to holy Things for Discretion, Stupidity for Patience, Obstinacy for Constancy: but God knows how to distinguish. Will Complexion and Temper ever pass for Grace in God's Account? And usually if a Natural man hath one Good Quality, he hath another Bad One to match it. It is observed in History of Alexander, that he was an Enemy to Uncleanness, but extreamly given to Drunkenness: Iulius Caesar was not given to Drunkenness, but exceedingly addicted to Uncleanness. Natural men, if they have their Amiable Qualities, they have some domineering Bad Quality to match them. Nay a Good Nature once corrupted doth prove the worst of all others, as the sweetest Wine makes the tartest Vinegar. Augustus at first was of a good merciful Nature; Suetonius observes of him, that he was at first loth to consent to the Persecution, but when he was once in, he was more inexorable and merciless than the rest of his Companions. None have done more vile things against God, and the Interest of God, than men accounted of a Good Nature, when once the Temptation hath prevailed upon them. Herod Agrippa was a sweet natur'd Popular man, but he slew Iames, and would have slain Peter also, Acts 12.1, 2. and all out of Easiness and Facility, to please the People. Usually none fall sooner into the Snare of Persecution and Hatred of the Saints of God than they; and the Reason is, Counsel is of great Advantage upon those that are of a plyant and pleasing Disposition, and all their Parts and Excellencies are but like a Sword in a Cutlers Shop, as ready for the Thief as the True man to purchase. He is easily made a Prey to Satan and turned against God: therefore do not rest in these things.
2 Doct. That in some respect Christ loves those that are Orderly and Civil, and do but outwardly carry themselves according to God's Commands.
I shall give the Reasons, and then Apply it.
(1.) The thing is Good in it self, thô the resting in it makes it useless as to the Salvation of the Person that goes no further. Micah 6.8. He hath shewed thee, O man! what is good, and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God. These things are agreeable to the reasonable Nature, and the Perfection of it lyes in them. Now all Good is the Object of Love: therefore if it be good, Christ loves it.
(2.) Because our Lord Christ is willing and ready to own the least Good in us, that he might draw us on to more. Here was a towardly Young man, and Christ would not discourage him; thô he was not Gracious, it is said, He looked upon him and loved him. Mat. 12.20. A bruised Reed will he not break, and smoaking Flax shall he not quench; that is, not despise and reject Weaklings. When a Reed is broken we cast it away, it is good for nothing but to be trampled under Feet; and we are discouraged from blowing while we see no Flame, but Smoke: But Christ is of another Disposition, he will not cast away the bruised Reed, nor despise the smoaking Flax; so far as there is any thing of Goodness in a Creature, thô it be but Smoke, Christ will own it.
(3.) Because these things tend to the profit of Mankind, and Jesus Christ his Heart is much set upon the good of Mankind. His rejoycing was in the Habitable parts of the Earth, before there was Hill or Mountain; Prov. 8.31. Rejoycing in the habitable parts of the Earth, and my delights were with the Sons of men: And his Apostle doth press this, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works, these are good and profitable to men, Titus 3.8. Christ is a great Friend and Patron of Humane Society, therefore will shew his liking of it, and how pleasing all things are to him that tend to maintain it, as Justice, Equity, Temperance, Prudence, Moderation, Fidelity. Christ would put some mark of his Favour on those that excell in these things. When he instructeth the Young man in the Commandments of the Second Table, and he said, All these have I kept from my Youth, Iesus loved him.
VSE. Now let us see what Use we may make of this:
(1.) Negatively: To shew what Use is not to be made of this Passage; for men may be apt to abuse and make an ill use of Jesus his Love of these Moral Vertues.
1. We cannot make this Use of it, as if Christ did Love Moral Vertues as meritorious of Grace; they are not such things upon which God hath bound himself necessarily to give the Grace of Conversion. The Pelagians had this Axiom, Facienti bomini quod in se est, tenetur Deus dare ulteriorem gratiam: That let a man do what in him lyes, God is necessarily bound by that to give him further Grace. And the Papists build upon the same ground their Doctrine of Meritum ex congruo, Merit of Congruity. As they hold Merit of Condignity in the Works of Renewed men, so they hold Merit of Congruity in the Works of Unrenewed men; as if God in Right and Equity were bound to recompence them with the Reward of Conversion: But the Scripture puts Conversion upon another bottom, and shews that it is not given according to the Good Works we have done, but meerly of the Lord's Grace and Mercy: Titus 3.4. Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of Regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost. The Apostle speaks there of Converting Grace, wherein we have a Negative and an Affirmative Cause. He could have said simply of his mercy he saved us, and no more; but he would disprove Works, therefore he doth express it Negatively, Not by works of Righteousness which we have done: Or at least he might have said this, Not only by works of righteousness which we have done, but also of his mercy he hath saved us; and so might have allowed it as a Con-cause, as having some influence, something in it to bind God: O No, he excludes Works altogether, Not by works of righteousness: Or at least, if the Apostle would express it Negatively and Positively, he might have said thus, Not by works which we have done, but of his Mercy he saved us: No, but he says, Not by works of righteousness which we have done. He describes the Works which he rejects, as being a Cause of Saving Grace. All our Moral Righteousness, the best of our Works, they have no Influence upon God to give us Grace, but meerly of his Grace he hath saved us; therefore do not think that God by a certain Infallible Law is bound to give Grace.
2. We must not so take this, as that he doth love Good Qualities, so as to make them equal with Christian Vertues, or the Graces of the Spirit. Morality is good, but we must not lift it up beyond its place. There is something better, and that's Grace, those things which do accompany Salvation, Heb. 6.9. I observe this, because there are many secret Atheists that will cry up Moral Righteousness beyond its worth, and the Vertues and Honesty of the Heathens, to debase the Esteem of Christian Religion, which the World now is grown weary of. They think there was more Honesty by the Natural Institutions of the Heathens, than by the Law of Christ, and cry up Moral Honesty to the great detriment and prejudice of the true Religion. I do confess, if we compare some honest Heathens with many Christians in Name, that have defiled themselves with monstrous Impieties, it is not hard to determine which are the better men. Loose Professors dishonour their Religion, but the sound Grapes in the Cluster must not be judged of by the rotten ones, nor is the Beauty of a Street to be measured by the Filthiness of the Sink and Kennel. Those that are the Sink and Disgrace of Christianity, are unfit to shew forth the Vertue of it: I confess we are fallen into days wherein Moral men may justifie themselves, Non quod boni sunt, sed quod mediocriter mali; as Augustin saith: Not that they are perfectly good men, but they are tolerably good in Comparison of many sinful Christians. Compare those that have felt the Power of Religion with Heathens, and then you may see the Power of Christan Graces is far greater than of Moral Vertues: Compare the Continency of Alexander and Scipio, with the Continency of Ioseph; they forbore to defile Darius his Wife, out of Gallantry; but Ioseph he forbears to commit such wickedness, that he might not sin against God, Gen. 39.9. They were not solicited by their Captives, but he yielded not when solicited by his Mistress, that was able to preferr him on the one side, or undo him on the other. What once was said of Alexander in a time of drought, when a Souldier brought him a Helmet full of Water, he poured it out, saying, I will not drink, the hearts of these men would faint; pointing to his Companions, because they had not the like. Compare this with David's Action: 2 Sam. 23.16, 17. He would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the Lord, and said, Be it far from me, O Lord! that I should do this, is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. So that if you compare these things, their Morality is but like a Field Flower to a Garden Flower, or wild Fruits to Orchard Fruits; it is a wild thing in comparison of Grace, and not any way comes up to the height of it.
3. We must not from hence make this Use, that we should think our selves to be in a good Condition because of Moral Qualifications. Men may be Viceless, but yet if they be Christless and Graceless, and never brought to Brokenness of Heart, (for certainly that's necessary to prepare men for Faith, and for pardon of Sin) they may perish for evermore. Without Faith and Gospel Conditions, and Qualifications, you can never have any acceptance with God; thô they may be profitable to others, yet they are not acceptable to God: Sine Christo omnis virtus in vitio est, saith Ierom; in Point of Salvation they fail and fall short, thô in a Civil and Humane Respect, they are useful and commendable; these Moral Vertues do not give us a Title to Eternal Life. Jesus loved the Young man, as approving the matter of his Obedience, but not his State and Condition; he tells him, One thing thou lackest: O! when you have all your Moralities, something is lacking still! This Moral Righteousness proves a Snare to you, when it keeps you from Evangelical Righteousness, and seeking Reconciliation with God. If we rest in it, and are conceited of it, Publicans and Harlots shall go into the Kingdom of Heaven before us, Mark 21.31. and so we might have been better, if we had been worse.
(2.) Positively: What use may we make of this, that Jesus loved this Young Man?
(1.) If Christ did love Civility, much more will he love true Grace in any of his, thô mingled with much weakness. Certainly, he that delights in the obscure Shadow of his Image, will much more delight in the lively Picture and Impression of it upon the Souls of his People, thô we have our weaknesses. Iohn 11.5. it is said, Iesus loved Martha, and her Sister, and Lazarus: Martha is mentioned, and in the Gospel Story we find her twice tripping. She was busie about the house, and neglected the one thing necessary, Luk. 10.39, 40. At another time we find her Questioning Christ's Power, Iohn 11.39 Lord! by this time he stinketh; yet Jesus loved Martha. There's much difference of growth in God's Children, and some have their Blemishes more than others, yet Christ loves true Grace how weak soever it is. It is notable to observe what a Veil and Cover the Scripture puts upon the Imperfections of the Saints: Heb. 11.31. By Faith the Harlot Rahab perished not, when she had received the Spies with peace. Alas! there was dissembling in the Case, and Weakness, but the Faith is mentioned, and the Lye covered. So Iames 5.11. You have heard of the Patience of Iob: I, and of his Impatience too, and Murmuring, when he cursed the day of his Birth; but the Holy Ghost puts a Finger upon the Scar, and covers the Failing: So 1 Pet. 3.6. As Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord. Mark, the Scripture that is alluded to in that place, is Gen. 18.12. Sarah laughed within her self, saying, After I am old shall I have pleasure, my Lord being old also? The whole Speech savoured of Unbelief, there's but one good word in it, Lord, expressing her Reverence to her Husband, and the Holy Ghost takes notice of that, picks a Jewel out of a Dunghill. The Lord takes notice of the least act of sincere Obedience to his Commands, when it is mixed with many sinful Failings.
(2.) We learn by Christ's Example to Honour others for their Common Gifts: Some respect is due to them that have any good in them. We are bidden 1 Pet. 2.17. To honour all men; how so? All partake of some Excellency from God. How vile soever they be in other respects, they have something of the Image of God, Iames 3.9. some Gift received from God, for which they deserve Respect and Honour, therefore we ought to give them some signs of Respect, that we may be in a better Capacity of doing good to their Souls. The Gifts of God we ought to esteem, wherever we find them.
(3.) This we may learn, Children, Young men and others, all may know how to get Christ's Love, if they be tractable. If you are free from all Intemperance, and Disobedience, and of honest Conversation, then you are such as this Young man whom Christ loved; and thô more be required of you, yet these things are pleasing to Christ, and want not their Reward, (what reward they have I will shew by and by.) Solomon tells us, Prov. 30.29. Many seek the favour of the Ruler: Jesus Christ is the King of Kings, the great Ruler of the World, is he only unworthy that you should not seek his Grace and Favour? He loves Moral Qualifications, therefore abound in these. On the other side, he hates those that are Dissolute, Intemperate, Gluttons, Drunkards, Lyars, Wantons, and all those that are Prophane and wicked from their Youth. By the Rule of Contraries, if he loves Conformity to the Law of God in Externals, he hates those that walk contrary to his Law; and he will shew his hatred by Publick Acts of Vengeance, tho it be upon Children. If Children do not reverence their Superiours, he hath Judgments for them: As the two she-bears out of the wood tore in pieces forty two Children, 2 Kings 2.24. And then for Grown men, God will have Judgments for them. It is a sad time, and it calls for much Weeping, Lamentation, and Grief, that we live in an Age wherein Moral wickedness abounds, Drinking, Whoring, Swearing, Murdering, Stealing, and such like Abominations. Take this Observation: God doth not usually punish in this World for Unbelief, and want of Love to Christ; he leaves it to the World to come: but for breaches of the Moral Law he doth; Rom. 1.18. The wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness, and unrighteousness of men. When the two Tables are violated by Ungodliness and Unrighteousness, then the Wrath of God breaks out by some notable Judgment: So Heb. 2.2. Every transgression, and Disobedience, (of Moses) received a just recompence of Reward: And Hos. 4.1, 2. The Lord hath a controversie with the inhabitants of the Land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land; by Swearing, and Lying, and Killing, and Stealing, and committing Adultery, they break out, and Blood toucheth Blood. There are Sins against the Moral Law reckoned up, which provokes the Lord's Anger. As in Temporal Favours God expresseth love to those that are morally Righteous; so in Temporal Judgments he hath expressed his Hatred against Immoralities. I confess, some Gospel Provocations God doth punish in this World, (as for Instance) when men persecute the Profession of the Gospel, or when they grow weary of the Gospel after they have long had it, then it concerns God as Governour of the World to punish such, the Good of the World being very much concerned. But chiefly his Judgments are for Sins against the Moral Law of God, when these are broken in our Streets, there ought to be much Weeping and Lamenting before the Lord in a sense of these things.
(4.) It Condemns those that will pretend to the peculiar Love of Christ, when they are not Moral, but froward, undutiful in their Relations, unconscionable in their Dealing, and have not learned to be sober, to possess their Vessels in Sanctification and Honour: what do you talk of being Christians, when they are not so good as Heathens? Never think of the higher Mysteries of Religion, of Believing in Christ, and Communion with God, when you live so contrary to the Light of Nature; as the Apostle speaks of the Natural Branches, and the Branches contrary to Nature, Rom. 11.24. It is in vain to think of grafting things that are contrary to Nature, if the Natural Branches be not grafted in. There are certain who are doubly dear, both in the Flesh, and in the Lord; not only in the Lord, upon the Account of Religion, but in the Flesh, upon the Account of Nature, as Onesimus was dear to Philemon when Converted, Philemon 16. There were many Moral Heathens of a sweet Nature, that had great Command over their Passion: Many civil Carnal Men will rise up in Judgment against high-flown Christians, that pretend to great heights of Faith and Love to Christ, but are defective in Morals. As it was said of the Men of Nineveh, and the Queen of Sheba, that they shall rise up in Iudgment against this Generation, and condemn it, Mat. 12.41, 42. so will these Heathens, Men morally Just, Exact, Punctual in their Dealings, rise up in Judgment against many that pretend to believe in Christ: Si non praestat fides, quid praestitit infidelitas? How should this put you to shame, when those that are graceless cannot be taken Tardy in those things wherewith you are charged? I say, if their Moral Principles, and Civil Institutions binds them to the Peace and good Behaviour, and will not suffer them to do wrong; and all the Laws of Christ will not confine you within your Duty, how great will your Condemnation be? see that you be not exceeded by them. I may represent it thus, when a School-boy knows more and better of Arts and Sciences than a University-man, is not this a great shame to him? I remember it is said of Sarah, Gen. 20.16. Abimelech said, Behold I have given thy Brother a thousand Pieces of Silver; behold he is to thee a covering of thine Eyes unto all that are with thee, and to all other; thus was she reproved: Here is no word of Reproof, how was she reproved? Why here a Pagan King dismisseth her untouched, with Gifts to her Husband, he provides for her safety, and this was a reproof of Sarah's dissembling; his Morality was a reproof to her that was acquainted with the true God, and a Professor of the true Faith, and yet was found tardy. You are shamed, and Christ is put to shame in you.
(5.) It invites us to go so far, for Jesus loved this Young Man; est aliquid prodire tenus: What was in this young Man? Here's his Care to seek after Eternal Life, his reverend Esteem of Christ's Person, his outward Conformity to the Laws of God, his abstaining from all gross sins from his Youth: O these are amiable Properties and Qualities, and those that are endowed with them, Christ loveth them.
Obj. But here's an Objection: How is this a Motive? Christ was Courteous and Respectful to this Young Man, but now he is in Heaven, what Love doth Christ shew now upon Earth to those that are Moral?
1. Moral Vertues will at least procure a Temporal Reward: Christ loves Vertue so, that he rewardeth the Shew of it; it keeps off many Temporal Judgments, and procures many Temporal Benefits; as the Ninevites Repentance, though not real, kept off the Judgment, Ionah 3.10. and Ahab's Humiliation kept off the Judgment in his days, 1 Kings 21.29. Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? Because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the Evil in his days, but in his Son's days will I bring the Evil upon his House. It encourageth us to seek him, since he rewardeth a Temporal Repentance with Temporal Favours. O what will the hearty Humiliation of a true Penitent do, when a Counterfeit one is thus far accepted with God? And so that kind of Zeal that was in Iehu, was not without its Reward, 2 Kings 10.30. Because thou hast done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes, and hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart, thy Child…en of the fourth generation shall sit on the Throne of Israel, though he did it with an imperfect Heart. The Egyptian Midwives when they saved the Children of the Israelites, though it were by a Lye, the Lord multiplyed them and blessed them, Exod. 1.20. Therefore God dealt well with the Midwives; and Ver. 21. It came to pass, that because the Midwives feared God, that he made them Houses. So Austin observes, that the Romans as long as they did excell in Justice and Temperance, were rewarded by God with Victory and Prosperity; as long as that Empire kept honest in Civil Vertues, it had eminent Success, and their Commonwealth prevailed and overtopt the Nations; but when they degenerated into Beasts for Impiety, all went to ruine.
2. There will be some Serenity of Mind resulting from the Rectitude of your Actions. Look as the Heathens when they did by Nature the things contained in the Law, they had the approbation of their Consciences, Thoughts excusing, Rom. 2.15.
3. It is some advantage to Grace; it is like the Priming the Post, that maketh it receptive of better Colours. At least they do not aggravate their Condemnation, nor encrease their Weakness, nor draw upon themselves Penal Blindness and Hardness of Heart, and utter Despair. However it is like the Embalming a Carkass, though it do not restore Life, yet it keeps the Body from stinking. As long as they are at work, they are not given over to a Reprobate Sense, They are not far from the Kingdom of God, Mark 12.34. An humble Man that hath some Thoughts of God and of Eternal Life, certainly is sooner Converted than an Outragious Wretch that doth swagger and out brave the Ordinances of God; whereas Men that are strangers to all Goodness, and of an inveterate Wickedness and Falshood, that are estranged from the Womb, and go astray so soon as they be born, speaking lyes, as the Propet expresseth it Psal. 58.3. are more hardly Cured.
4. As to their Eternal Estate, it will be more tolerable for such than for others: Though they fall short of Heaven, yet mitius punientur, at least they have a cooler Hell, their Account is more easie; as the Scripture speaks of foreign, of a greater Damnation, Mat. 11.22. It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sydon at the day of Iudgment, than for you. Cato suffers less than Catiline, Socrates than Nero; and certainly it shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah than for those that despised the Gospel; therefore a Heathen could say, No such Feast as to do our Duty which God requires.