wonder he regarded him with sentiments of love.

gave

Thus have I confidered the affection of our Lord for this young perfon, and the attractives on his part, by which it was excited. And from hence it is obvious to remark, that youth cannot appear more amiable, than by fobriety of conduct, decency of fpeech, and a modeft and polite deportment. How agreeably are we impreffed with the language and manner in which he approached our Saviour? His running, kneeling, and the title he him-Good Mafter-do him peculiar honour. Modefty and good breeding have charms, which few can refift. Every man of feeling and sentiment is captivated by them. They are abfolutely effential to a religious character. And without them, any perfon (and more efpecially a youth) is but a fuperiour kind of brute. Deftitute of these amiable qualities, a man may be feared, but it is impoffible that he should command esteem. Roughness and ill manners excite our utmoft abhorrence.

To infpire the world, therefore, with favourable ideas of us, we cannot do better than to copy the graces of this amiable youth. His modefty and condefcenfion will recommend us to universal esteem;

and

and if, joined to thefe, we imitate his regularity of conduct, we fhall be, at once," the bleffing and ornament of fociety. In the bloom of youth, we fhall exhibit the wisdom of age and, as we proceed in life, we fhall advance in favour both with God and man.

en,

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And this leads me to another obfervation that a man of his character is much nearer to God, and the kingdom of heavthan perfons who are deftitute of morality. I have heard it afferted, that there is more hope of the moft profligate and abandoned debauchèe, than of a mere moral man, one who is externally pure and righteous, who is innocent of great tranfgreffions, and has escaped the groffer pollutions, that are in the world. But furely fuch a doctrine as this is not authorized from scripture. Have the advocates for it confidered the confequence? Does it not virtually make Chrift a minifter of fin, and his gofpel an encourager of licentioufnefs? Does it not involve in it this abfurdity, that the old world, had it been more abandoned, might have efcaped the deluge? And that Sodom and Gomorrha were not profligate enough to he proper fubjects of God's fparing. mercy?

It

It is an undoubted truth, that a mere external conformity to the law, an outward decency and regularity of behaviour, is no argument that a man is renewed by the Holy Ghoft, and morally fit for the heavenly felicity. Something more is ne ceffary, in order to conftitute an actual right to the divine favour. He must be pure in heart, as well as pure in life. He must be formed to the moral image of his Maker; and become, in the fcripture fense of the word, a new creature..

Nevertheless, the nearer a man ap proaches to this character, the nearer he is to the favour of God, and the expected: felicity of a better world. His profpects of being effectually turned from darkness to light, are much greater than those of the abandoned finner. And in the course of things, it is highly probable, that a work of grace will be wrought upon his foul; that his morality will ripen into evangelical obedience. Certain it is, the Saviour of the world will regard him with a favourable eye, otherwise we cannot account for his affection to this young man. For him he loved, though materi ally deficient in point of faith, and only diftinguished for his morality, or exter nally good behaviour.

Having confidered the bright fide of this youth, and pointed out the excellen cies of his character, I now go on to fhew wherein it was defective. And it appears, amid all his virtues, he retained a predominant love for the world. For Jefus faid unto him, "One thing thou lackeft: go thy way; fell whatfoever thou haft, and give to the poor; and thou fhalt have. treafure in heaven: and come, take up. the cross, and follow me. And he was fad at that faying, and went away grieved; for he had great poffeffions." I do not wonder the youth was furprized at the apparent rigour of this injunction. It was a great facrifice for him to make. To part with thofe poffeffions, which had defcended to him from his ancestors; to refign all his wealth into the hands of the poor; to reduce himself, at once, to a level with the meaneft; joined to all this, to embark in a caufe, that muft unavoid ably expose him to every temporal calamity; how natural his grief and furprize! There are very few, even of those who make the highest profeffions, that are wil ling to part with their fubftance, for the honour of God, and the good of fociety. Wealth has charms in almoft every eye; and the Chriftian is not always proof against them. However,

D 2

However, I would not be thought to justify the youth in this part of his conduct. Though he had many good quali ties, he certainly was very deficient in point of faith. He had not fufficient confidence in Christ to part with all, and follow him. He could not trust himself with the blessed Jefus, and refign himself up to that fate, which awaited his Divine Mafter. He, therefore, declined the propofal which was made to him; and went away grieved at an answer fo unlike his expectations.

Very different from this was the behav ļ iour of Abraham, when put to the trial. At the divine command, he quitted his native country, his father's house, and all his connexions. He cheerfully went forth to a land he knew nothing of. Relying upon the care and protection of God, he refigned himself up to his difpofal, knowing he would provide for him in fuch a manner, as fhould be for the divine glory, and his own beft intereft. The truth was, he had faith, and under the influence of that principle, he acted such an heroic part.

And in like manner, when called upon to facrifice his fon, he difcovered the ut most readiness to comply with the will of heaven. He did not plead the feelings of a parent