Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the iffues of life*. -Hence arifes, IN the fourth and laft place, another instruction, that it is of the utmost importance to us all, frequently to look up to Him who made the human heart; and to implore his affiftance in the regulation and government of it. Known to him are all the fources of bitterness and joy by which it is affected. On him it depends, to let them forth, or to fhut them up; to increase, or to diminish them at his pleafure. In a study fo infinitely important to happiness, as that of the preservation of inward peace, we cannot be too earnest in befeeching aid from the great Father of Spirits, to enable us to keep our hearts free from diftrefs and trouble.-Befides the affiftance which we may hope to derive from divine grace, the employments of de votion themselves form one of the most powerful means of compofing and tranquillifing the heart. On various occafions, when the fources of heart-bitterness have been moft overflowing, devotion has been * Prov. iv. 23. found found the only refuge of the fufferer. Devotion opens a fanctuary, to which they whofe hearts have been moft deeply wounded, can always fly. Within that quiet and facred retreat, they have often found a healing balfam prepared. When grieved by men, they have derived, from the afcent of the mind towards God and celeftial objects, much to footh them at present, and much to hope for in future. Let us, therefore, neglect no mean with which religion can furnish us, for promoting the joys, and affuaging the bitterness, of the heart. Amidst the frailties of our nature, the inconftancy of men, and the frequent changes of human life, we shall find every affistance that can be procured, little enough, for enabling us to pass our few days with tolerable comfort and peace. SER M. XIII. SERM. MARK, X. 21. Then Jefus, beholding him, loved him. prefents to us are infinitely diversified. In fome, either the good or the bad qualities are fo predominant as ftrongly to mark the character; to difcriminate one person as a virtuous, another as a vicious man. In others these qualities are fo mixed together, as to leave the character doubtful. The light and the fhade are fo much blended, the colours of virtue and vice run in fuch a manner into one another, that we can hardly diftinguish where the one ends, and the other begins; and we remain in fufpence XIV. fufpence whether to blame or to praife. SERM. While we admire those who are thoroughly good, and deteft the grofsly wicked, it is proper alfo to bestow attention on those imperfect characters, where there may be much to praise, and fomewhat to blame; and where regard to the commendable part fhall not hinder us from remarking what is defective or faulty. Such attentions will be found the more useful, as characters of this mixed fort are, more frequently than any other, exhibited to us in the commerce of fociety. It was one of this fort, which gave occafion to the incident recorded in the text. The incident feems to have been confidered as remarkable, fincé it is recounted by three of the evangelical writers; and by them all, with nearly the fame circumstances. The perfon to whom the hiftory relates was a 'ruler; one of higher rank and ftation than thofe who ufually reforted to Jefus. He was a rich man; He was a young man. His whole behaviour was prepoffeffing and engaging. He appears to have conceived a high opinion of our Lord. He addreffed him with the utmost respect; and the queftion XIV. SERM. queftion which he put to him was proper and important. He kneeled to him, and faid, Good Mafter, What shall I do that I may inberit eternal life? His conduct in the world had been regular and decent. He could proteft, that he had hitherto kept himself free from any grofs vice; and in his dealings with others, had obferved the precepts of God. Our Lord, beholding him, is said to have loved him; whence we have reason to conclude, that he was not hypocritical in his profeffions; and that his countenance carried the expreffion of good difpofitions, as his fpeech and his manners were altogether complacent and gentle. Yet this perfon, amiable as he was, when his virtue was put to the teft, difappointed the hopes which he had given reason to form. Attached, in all probablity, to the indulgence of ease and pleasure, he wanted fortitude of mind to part with the advantages of the world, for the fake of religion. When our Lord required him to fulfil his good intentions, by relinquishing his fortune, becoming one of his followers, and preparing himself to encounter fufferings, the facrifice appeared to him too great. Impreffions of |