LECTURE XCVI. LUKE XVIII. 18-27. "And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? 19. And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God. 20. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother. 21. And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up. 22. Now, when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me. 23. And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful; for he was very rich. 24. And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! 25. For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. 26. And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved? 27. And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God," WE find substantially the same history in the 19th chapter of Matthew from the 16th verse, and in the 10th chapter of Mark from the 17th verse; and both these evangelists, as well as Luke, introduce it immediately after the account of Christ's blessing little children. That event took place "in the coasts of Judea beyond Jordan." Matthew says that when Jesus had "laid his hands on them he departed thence. And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master," and so on. Mark says that this happened when Jesus" was gone forth into the way." 66 The passage before us, in Luke, opens thus: "And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" The person who now came to Christ was a ruler;" this may signify that he was a ruler in a synagogue, or a civil magistrate, or merely, that he was a chief person in respect of station and wealth; it is, indeed, expressly said that he was very rich. Though it is true that the souls of the lowest are unspeakably valuable, that with God there is no respect of persons, and that some attach undue weight to the circumstance of men of note adopting or rejecting particular opinions-like the Pharisees, who seem to have thought it enough to prove our Lord an impostor, for them to say, "Have any of the rulers, or of the Pharisees, believed on him?"-yet society is so constituted, that the conversion of persons who, being distinguished for birth, wealth, power, or talents, attract more than ordinary observation, and, in various ways, have it much in their power to influence others, is justly considered as very important, not only in itself, but in respect of its probable consequences to many. Every promising case, therefore, of inquiry, on the part of such a person, excites much interest in those observers of it who are already under the influence of religion themselves; and it always occasions them deep regret to find, in any such case, their expectations disappointed. It is quite necessary to observe and remember that Matthew* says that the person who now came to Jesus was a 66 young man." If he was indeed an ecclesiastical or civil ruler, at so early an age, it is to be supposed that his promotion was owing not merely to his wealth, but also to his attainments and respectability of character. Regularity of life, diligence, and prudence, are favourable to a young man's success in the world, even when truly spiritual qualifications are wanting. "The man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valour: and Solomon seeing the young man that he was industrious, made him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph." Jeroboam, however, notwithstanding all his valour and industry, and still greater subsequent success, sinned greatly against the Lord, and made Israel to sin, and "returned not from his evil way." 66 With regard to this young ruler, there are various circumstances mentioned in the first part of the account, which appear very promising, and which, were it not for the sequel, might lead to the supposition that he was not far from the kingdom of God." Mark mentions that he came running." This betokened an eager desire to meet with Christ, and to consult him, before he left that part of the country, and was like the conduct of Zaccheus, when, desirous to see Jesus, "he ran before," and chose a situation in which he might make sure of his object. Let us cultivate, but follow out more consistently, the eagerness which the ruler thus manifested; let us betake ourselves with all speed to the Saviour; let us "make haste and delay not to keep his commandments." Mark also states that this ruler "kneeled" * Matt. xix. 20, 22. Neavionos. +1 Kings xi. 28. to Jesus. It appears, from what follows, that he was not aware that Christ was worthy of being kneeled to as an expression of divine worship; but his kneeling was certainly a mark of courtesy, esteem, and reverence, and even of some humility. It is worthy of notice, too, that he did not seek a private interview with Jesus, but courageously ran and kneeled down to him on the highway, as neither ashamed nor afraid to go to him. This also looked well. So let us, with more decision ultimately, however, not be ashamed of Christ, or of his words, but come forward openly as his disciples, and confess him before men. Luke, as well as the other two evangelists, mentions that the young ruler addressed Jesus by the title of "Good Master." The word master here signifies teacher; and Jesus Christ was a good teacher, whether we take the word good as signifying general excellence, or the particular qualification of kindness. He was a perfect, unerring teacher. He was a teacher "come from God." It was a true testimony which the chief priests and the scribes bore to him, though with a treacherous intention,* “ Master, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither acceptest thou the person of any, but teachest the way of God truly.""The people were astonished at his doctrine; for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes." With all his knowledge and authority, he was unrivalled for condescension and kindness in his manner of teaching; and, in the very act of teaching, he conferred on his disciples the most substantial blessings, and the most heartfelt happiness. "Learn of me," said he, "for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest to your souls." When he preached the gospel in the synagogue of Nazareth, his hearers "bare him witness and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth." He was well addressed, then, by the ruler. "Ye call me Master and Lord," said he," and ye say well; for so I am." Let it not be forgotten, however, that he also says, "Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? ?" Let us apply to him as our teacher, with reverence, humility, and a determination to follow his instructions; and he will teach us to profit. Nor was it a trifling subject on which the kneeling ruler proceeded to consult our Lord: it was the most important of all subjects—the subject of "eternal life." This proved * Luke xx. 21. that he was a believer in the realities of another world, and not like the infidel "Sadducees, who said that there was no resurrection, neither angel nor spirit." This also manifested a desire for future happiness, and some personal concern about salvation. Neither, were it not for the way in which this young man afterwards betrays his real character, is there any thing in the particular form of expression, "What shall I do to inherit eternal life?" which would necessarily convey an unfavourable idea of him. His meaning might have been nothing different from that of those who, under deep conviction, on the day of Pentecost, exclaimed, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" or from that of Saul of Tarsus, when, "trembling and astonished, he said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" or from that of the jailer at Philippi, when he "fell down before Paul and Silas, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" This might have been merely a general inquiry as to the way of acceptance, and the rule of duty; in which sense it would have been a very wise inquiry. It is well when people begin to be earnest, and to inquire at all in this affair. There is hope of inquirers that they may obtain the light of life. But it is clear, from the result of this ruler's inquiry, that he made it in a worldly, self-righteous, and self-willed spirit. He pretended that eternal life was the great object of his desire, but he soon showed that the world had the chief place in his heart: he gave out that he only wished to know what he should do, in order actually to do it, but, when he was put to the test, he disobeyed: he laid such a stress on what he himself should do, as intimated his persuasion that his own doings would go far to procure, if, indeed, they were not all that was necessary to procure, salvation; he imagined that he had done wonders already, in the way of obedience—had done all that he knew to be incumbent on him; and he signified that he was not aware of any thing else he could do, but that, if there was any one other splendid act of virtue he could perform, he would thank Jesus to let him know, and would certainly perform it. "What shall I do"-according to Matthew, "What good thing shall I do"-" to inherit eternal life?" It requires but a slight acquaintance with the law of God, the character of man, and the revealed way of salvation, to perceive the folly and the guilt of such a spirit. It is not enough that we begin to feel some concern, or even be very deeply concerned, about salvation, and make earnest inquiries about how we may obtain it; we must be careful that our inquiries take a right direction, and be pursued in humility, and in accordance with at least the strong scriptural outlines of our own natural condition, and God's method of acceptance: for if they are not conducted in this way, they must either leave us a prey to unalloyed anxiety, or terminate in a false peace. 66 Our Lord, who "knew all men, and needed not that any should testify of man, for he knew what was in man," was perfectly aware of the character of the young man he had now to deal with, and addressed himself to it with infinite skill accordingly. He began with adverting to the manner in which he had been accosted by him, calling on him to consider whether he had employed so honourable a title with any clear light, or just meaning: Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God." It can never be inferred from this that our Lord meant to object to the appellation of "Good Master," as more honourable than he deserved; for we have already seen that it is exactly descriptive of him, and it may be added, that he who took to himself the title of "The Good Shepherd," would not refuse from another the title of "Good Teacher." Nor can it be inferred from his saying that " there is none good but one, that is, God," that he meant to say that he himself was not God, that is, to deny the doctrine of his own divinity. It is an important truth, that whether goodness be put for universal excellence or for graciousness, none is essentially, absolutely, and perfectly good, but God only. "There is none holy as the Lord: for there is none besides thee; neither is there any rock like our God.""Thou art good, and doest good."—" God is love." In him all goodness exists, and from him all goodness is derived. "Every good gift, and every perfect gift, is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights." But no doctrine of Scripture is to be held, in any sense, which would overthrow any other doctrine of Scripture; and therefore this truth, that there is none good but God only, must be interpreted, whereever it is found, consistently with the other truth taught in such passages as these: "The Word was God"—" All men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father""I and my Father are one"- "Ye have denied the Holy One and the Just;" that is, this truth should be interpreted consistently with the Godhead of the Son. We must understand our Lord, then, as accommodating himself to the imperfect views of the young ruler, and asking how he could ་ |