When the young man came to Jesus and said, “Good master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?” our Lord did not answer him by saying, “If thou wilt enter into life believe, have faith in the Son of God, but he said, “If thou wilt enter into life keep the commandments.”
Our Lord, to whom all things are open and known, was well acquainted with the pharisiacal boasting which swelled the heart of this proud justiciary, even before he declared that from his youth he had kept all the commandments. But on our Lord's probing him farther, he discovered his deficiency, and went away sorrowful.
And this is often the means he takes, when men will be their own saviors, and look for righteousness by the law, he bids them go and keep the commandments; he holds up that mirror to shew them their deformities, and when broken and humbled at the horrible view, instead of threatening, he encourages and comforts them with rich promises of free grace. Then he invites them to lay their burden down, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest; “The spirit of the Lord is upon me to preach liberty to the captive.” &c.
Samuel Bolton, Christian Freedom: pp 83-84
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