the condition of the learner's heart, the Lord saw meet, at
the close of his discourse, to lay a specific cross on this promising
disciple, in order at once to reach and eradicate the specific disease
that threatened the life of his soul,--"Sell all that thou hast, and
come, follow me." The young man loved the world more than Christ:
compelled to make his choice, he cleaved to the portion that he loved
best. When by the sovereign act of the Lord he was placed in such a
position that he could not enjoy both portions, he parted with the
Saviour and clung to his wealth. Peter and the rest of the apostles
listened and looked on, during this decisive interview: they gazed after
the youth, perhaps with tears, as he slowly and sorrowfully withdrew.
But their Lord did not leave the impressive fact to sink into their
minds in silence: He interposed at the moment, to print the lesson
permanently on their hearts, "How hardly shall they that have riches
enter into the kingdom of heaven!" "Then answered Peter;"--as usual this
impetuous man burst suddenly into a speech upon the point in hand,
before he had well considered what he was about to say. For one thing,
there is no deceit in Peter's question; he thinks aloud, and his thought
is one of intense and undisguised self-conceit. The spirit of the
Pharisee was there, "Lord, I thank thee that I am not as other men." His
heart at this moment was undisguisedly mercenary; his eye was on the
main chance. We have done and suffered so much for God; what return may
we expect for our services? That young rich man would not part with his
portion in this world, in order to follow Christ: Peter, thereupon, made
a most comfortable comparison between himself and the undecided youth,
and expressed a hope that his own great devotion would not be overlooked
in the day of reward.

I sometimes think the Papists acted wisely in making Peter the first
Pope. He serves better as a type for them than any one of the twelve,
unless they had gone all the way and chosen Judas. None of the true men
were so forward as Peter in giving their judgment, or so frequently
wrong.

The reply of our Lord to Peter's self-righteous demand is twofold.
First, he owns and reiterates the truth that all labourers in his
kingdom will be rewarded; and next corrects the abuse of that principle
into which a self-pleasing human heart is apt to fall. In the discourse
recorded at the close of the nineteenth chapter, he teaches the c