ment, and it shall delight in the union; for S ER M. there fhall be no perfection in the foul but XXII. fhall have a correfpondent beauty in the body; and it shall be more perfect and glorious than when it first came out of the hands of God. Call up therefore all the powers of your minds, and fet to the work. The weakeft perfon that hears me hath this image of God, this fpark of heaven within him; and it is not worldly wisdom, but the divine grace that must be your affiftance: Make it therefore your business to trim this lamp, and fupply it with oil, that it may burn clear at the appearing of the lamb. And I pray God your body, and foul, and Spirit may be preferved unblameable, unto the coming of our Lord Jefus Chrift: To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghoft, the holy ever bleffed and glorious Trinity, be all honour, and glory, and praise, and thanksgiving, adoration and worship, now and to all eternity. Amen. SERMON SERMON XXIII. The duty of plucking out the eye explained, SERM. MARK ix. 47, 48. And if thine eye offend thee pluck it out: It is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be caft into bell fire; where their worm dieth not, and their fire is not quenched. T HESE words of our Saviour are recited, as fpoke upon two occafions: In the 5th of St. Matthew they are an application to what he fpeaks concerning the purity and chastity of the mind, which is equally necef fary with that of the body. Here, and elfewhere, they follow our Saviour's discourse, concerning giving offence to weaker chriftians, and difcouraging any beginnings of chriftianity in others, out of fpiritual pride and fondness for our own opinions. In one place is fignified, our our being drawn into fin ourselves; in the S ER M. other, the being the occafion of fin to others. XXIII. Now whether the text is an answer to any objection exprefsly made, as fome think; or whether they were fpoken to obviate the thoughts of mens minds, upon hearing of precepts which had fo much appearance of difficulty, is much the fame thing; it is plain they fuppofe precepts he had been giving of the chastity of the very eye, and the fincerity and humility of the mind, by cherishing all degrees of religion and piety in others, in contradiction to their own opinions and worldly interests, might look like a heavy yoke, and were hard fayings, and degrees of virtue too refined for flesh and blood. If people muft not tranfgrefs with a look themselves, nor be any way the occafion of fin to others, though by doing what is innocent and lawful in itself; who then can be faved? But in the words of my text he lets them know, that these degrees of virtue are both neceffary and poffible; and therefore, that they are difficult is no objection; for what ought not men to do to gain heaven, and avoid the everlasting torments of hell? If men will endeavour as much for the preservation of their fouls, as they ordinarily do for the health of their bodies, they will furely gain their point, and overcome the strongest temptations: If thy hand or foot offend thee cut it off; and if thine eye offend thee pluck it out; it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God SER M. God maimed, or with one eye; than having XXIII. two eyes to be caft into hell fire. The word to offend or fcandalize is metaphorical, and taken from walking: So that it fignifies any thing, fuch as a stone, or block in our way, which may make us trip or ftumble; from thence it is used to exprefs any thing which may let or hinder us in our chriftian courfe, and make us ftumble or fall into fin and therefore if our eye offend us, or be occafion of fin, if all other ways fail; we are bid to pluck it out. ; any As to that expreffion of entering into the kingdom of God with one eye; the meaning is, that it is better for us to want one of our eyes while we are in this world, and go to heaven at laft; than to keep both our eyes here, and by that means be cast into hell hereafter. A form of speaking very agreeable to what we find in other places; as where our Saviour fays, that the publicans and harlots enter into the kingdom of Heaven before them; (i. e.) those who had been publicans and harlots. Nothing is lefs intended here, than that people should use any violence to their bodies, by wounding or maiming themselves any way, and difabling it for any the actions of life; this is contrary to the laws of God and nature; we are never to do any thing for religion and virtue that is unnatural or unreasonable. But the whole is a figurative way of speaking; by our eyes, is fignified any thing that is near and dear dear to us; and by plucking them out is SER M. meant, the removing them from us, and de- XXIII, nying the gratification of any inclination of the✔ body, or defire of the mind which betrays us into fin. The force of the argument is in this; it is highly prudent and advisable to quit fome prefent pleasure or advantage, though with great uneafiness and reluctance, than lofe a greater good hereafter, and undergo a greater evil; it is a piece of prudence that common fense suggests to every one; it is no other than what men practise every day in the concernments of life: And nothing is more usual than for people to have their flesh fear'd, and their limbs cut off to preserve the rest of their body; they undergo a prefent pain, though very acute and violent, for future health and eafe. This is what he adviseth men to in religion; and though they feel much uneafiness and hardship, in denying their lufts and vitious inclinations; and find the attainment of virtue and holinefs ever fo difficult; yet, let them act by the fame rules and principles of prudence in this, that they do in other things; and let the expectation of those advantages they fhall procure by it hereafter, prevail on them to undergo chearfully the hardships and difficulties; and let the profpect of hell flames on the other hand, make them forego those finful pleasures which will furely bring them to that miferable end. So |