A man may set himself to work awhile for the good of his soul, and yet may miss of salvation: _Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way that leads to life, and few there be that find it_; Mat. vii. 14. And _many which seek to enter in, shall not be able_; Luke xiii. 24, They seek, but not with all their might: they are not willing to forsake all for heaven, and therefore they obtain it not: they seek, perhaps, with diligence for a season, and give out before they have attained; they tire, and grow weary, and lose the prize: they seek, but not in God’s appointed way, and according to the rules of the gospel; and no wonder if their labour be vain; for _he that striveth is not crowned, except he strive lawfully_; 2 Tim. ii. 5. And this was the case of the rich young man; he sought eternal life, but not with all his soul, for he could not take up his cross and follow Christ; he sought the kingdom of God for a season; but when he came to the hard work of self-denial, he would not venture into that thorny path, but turned back, and _went away sorrowful_. He sought justification and peace with God, but not in a right way; for being _ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish his own, he fell short of the righteousness of God_, and attained it not; Rom. x. 3. He loved heaven well, but he loved this earth better: he chose his portion and happiness in this world, and lost his soul. The eye of God, our Judge, is sharp and severe; he sees the hidden vices of the mind, through all the fairest veils of nature, and the brightest dress of outward virtue. We may cheat others with the disguises of religion, and allure the love of the best of christians: we may cheat ourselves by these fair appearances, and entertain a fond opinion of our own saintship; but the great God can never be imposed upon at this rate. He knows well what is lovely and excellent in his creatures; but when he seats himself upon his throne of judgment, all their shining ornaments of body and mind are blemished, are darkened, are lost in his eyes, if he discovers a secret love to sin in the heart. Where the love of this world prevails, it over-balances all other good qualities, though ever so valuable in themselves, and though they may create love in every beholder, yet the love of God is not to be purchased, nor persuaded, contrary to his own settled and eternal rules of judgment. _If any man love this world, the love of the Father is not in him_; 1 John ii. 15. nor does the Father love him. The prince of devils has many noble endowments, and intellectual glories; the natural powers of an angel remained still with him; but his inward enmity to God, confines him for ever to hell: and in the sense of the apostle James, _Whosoever will be a friend to the world, is the enemy of God_; James iv. 4, though in many other excellencies he might be a fellow for angels.