VII. SOVEREIGNTY AND PERMANENCE OF LOVE (1 Cor. xiii. 13) LESSON 1 Cor. xiii. HYMNS: 287, 381, "Shining Shore." LESSON: Acts xvii. HYMNS: 212, 463, 622. XII. THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT (Gal. v. 22, 23) PAGE XIV. THE INSPIRATION OF SCRIPTURE (2 Tim. iii. 14-17) 251 LESSON: Eccl. xii. HYMNS: 367, 816, 1294. XVI. THE NEW INCARNATION (John i. 14) LESSON: Matt. ii. HYMNS: 228, 206, 203. LESSON: Luke i., 14. HYMNS: 132, 865. XIX. OTHER MEN'S CONSCIENCES (1 Cor. x. 29) LESSON 2 Cor. iv., 6-18; v., 1-5. HYMNS: 40, 365, 346. XXV. THE BURNING OF THE BOOKS (Acts xix. 11-13) LESSON: Psalm ii. HYMNS: 278, 249, 690. 489 THE CENTRAL PRINCIPLE OF CHARACTER. "But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions.”—MATT. XIX. 22. There is no greater contrast than that which exists in the treatment accorded by our Saviour to different persons who approached him. Nor, if we look on the outside, does it seem possible to determine why he should have made such a difference. Certainly, there is every reason why we should have expected that he would have received this young man far more encouragingly than he would such a one as the publican Zacheus, who was confirmed in habit by many years, and was not of a good reputation among his own kind. He held himself, in some sense, aloof, drawn rather by curiosity, apparently, than by aspiration. And yet, Christ came to him, called him down to his side, invited him to his dwelling, and heard his profession of faith, declaring that salvation had come to that house, thus making an overture all the way through. The young man was amiable, and he was attracted, it is declared,. that way. The Saviour looked upon him. And that does not mean that he merely cast his eye toward him, but that he gave him one of those long, fond, gazing looks which indicate affection. He looked lovingly and long upon him. And yet, he drove him away-that is, he prescribed such conditions as amounted to that. And it seems very strange that this one should not have been encouraged, since Christ had encouraged Zacheus. Why was not this young man, who came to Christ with such alacrity that he ran, and who asked the very question of all questions, "Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life ?" and who, upon further conversation, declared that this had been the object of his research from the beginning, and that, according to the light and the teaching which he had had, he had all LESSON: MARK. X. 13-31. HYMNS (Plymouth SUNDAY MORNING, Jan. 30, 1871. Collection) Nos. 947, 878, 567. his life long sought to keep the commandments-why was he not encouraged? Why should the Lord have laid this hard condition on him: "Confiscate everything you have, and then follow me"? You cannot solve this question without solving, also, a very profound question of mental philosophy; and it is a question of such universal reach and significance, that it will constitute the body of my discourse this morning. This young man was amiable, I have said. His dispositions were admirable. But it was evident that he had laid the foundation of his life and character in his own physical well-being. He had not alone an estate, but great possessions; and it is very plain that he stood on these. That is to say, these were to him the foundation qualities of excellence. Because, the moment the question came, "Which prefer you to have, spiritual excellence or these temporalities ?" which admitted of not an hour's or a moment's debate; the moment the question presented itself to him, " Which is better for you, to forsake estate or spiritual possessions ?" without any argument or reply at all, he chose his estate. He went away sad. The thing came home to him vividly. He had asked the question, "What shall I do to inherit eternal life ?" and he was an excellent young man; but, after all, his root was in his possessions. There was where he had centered his interest. He meant to have a great deal more than the riches which he had accumulated; but he meant that these should be the foundation of all other things-that other things should be so much in addition. But when Christ, instead of taking him at his word, instead of responding to his statement, that he already had so much good, and to his inquiry as to how he should get more, made a division, and said, "Here are physical and here are spiritual excellencies: take your choice; give up one or the other; which will you have?"-then he saw, as with a beam of light, between the one and the other side, and he chose the physical, the temporal. He was not less amiable; but you will observe that the key-note of his character had been revealed. He had laid the foundation of his life in physical well-being; and when he was called to take something higher, he refused it, and went back to that as to the dominant center of his life. Not only was this young man willing to have something else, but, we cannot but think, he felt the genuine want of higher qualities in a limited degree. Even bad men have strong impulses toward good. They admire good things. And so, a man may be selfish in a thousand ways-predominantly selfish-and have a very genuine admiration of benevolence. Not only that, a selfish man, I had almost said a man whose purposes are selfish, may be struck |