VOL. III.

SERMON.

MARK, X. 22.—And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions..

Our Saviour taught as one having authority. His preaching raised the admiration of some, and the curiosity of many. Multitudes of all denominations and classes of men followed him from place to place; some scribes who were teachers, some Pharisees who were sober and strict in their lives, some Sadducees who were lax in their sentiments, some publicans and sinners who were openly vicious in their practice, and some rulers who were the principal men in the nation. Of the class last mentioned, a young ruler of an amiable appearance and deportment, came to him with this serious and important question, "Good master, What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" Jesus having directed him to keep the commandments, he promptly replied, "Master, all these have I observed from my youth. Then Jesus 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. And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions."

VOL. III.

No. 1.

This declaration of Christ instantaneously stripped the young man of all his fond hopes of future happiness; for he was conscious that he never had, and thought that he never could, exercise that disinterested love, which Christ required as an indispensable condition of salvation. He was griev ed, that he could not obtain heavenly treasures, without giving up his worldly possessions. He supposed, that he could never be saved on the condition which Christ proposed. The spirit of the text, therefore, leads us to conclude,

That sinners think it is impossible for them to be saved on the condition of disinterested love. I shall,

I. Show that disinterested love is the condition of salvation.

II. Show that sinners think it is impossible for them to be saved on this condition.

I. I am to show that disinterested love is the condition, upon which salvation is offered to sinners in the word of God. If we look into the Old Testament we shall find, that God requires pure, supreme, disinterested love, as the condition of his peculiar favour both in this life and in that which is to come. Moses having called all the people of God together, says, "Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord: 1

and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart." The love which God here requires as the condition of temporal and spiritual favours, is the same disinterested love, upon which Christ says all the law and prophets do hang. Our Saviour abundantly inculcated disinterested love as the condition of salvation. In his sermon on the mount, he insisted largely upon the nature and necessity of disinterested love, in opposition to the selfish principles and practices of the scribes and Pharisees.

But I say unto you, Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you, bless them that curse you, and pray for them that despitefully use you. And as ye would that men should do unto you, do ye also so to them likewise. For if ye love them that love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them. And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same. And if ye lend to those of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful." Our Lord also spake a parable, on purpose to show, that no man can be saved upon selfish principles, and consequently, that disinterested love is the only condition of salvation. "The ground," says he, "of a certain rich man

It

brought forth plentifully: and he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do because I have not where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater: and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul thou hast much goods laid up for many years take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night shall thy soul be required of thee: then whose shall all those things be which thou has provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” was one of Christ's common sayings, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; and whosoever loseth his life for my sake, shall find it." This was saying in the plainest and strongest terms, that disinterested love is the only condition of salvation. He said, "He that loveth father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me and he that loveth son or daughter more than me, is not worthy of me." When a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, "Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and and with all thy mind, and thy neighbour as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right this do and thou shalt live. But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?" In answer to this, Christ spake the