SERM. the plucking out our eye is given as an inXXIV. ftance, is, because it lets all the temptations of

the world in upon us; for which reason it is faid, if thine eye be fingle thy whole body fhall be full of light; and yet we must part with it, though it is one of the tendereft and moft ornamental parts of the body.

And this is fo far from being a hard saying, that the only intent of it is to make the practice of virtue and holinefs easy to us; it would have been a very hard faying indeed, if he had required us to expofe ourselves to all manner of temptations, to be ever in the way of them, and yet to refift and overcome them all; if he had commanded us to be always in the midft of infection, and yet never fuffer ourselves to be tainted with it. This perhaps would have been as impoffible in religion as it is in nature; for many temptations are infectious and catching, and we are naturally difpofed to be wrought upon by them as by fickness, and there is a great likeness in both with respect to us: So that it is easy to keep ourselves from it, but the remedy or cure is very hazardous and uncertain.

So that there is a neceffity of depriving ourfelves of any enjoyment whatever, though as dear to us as our eyes, if it be the occafion of fin to us. Some temptations are of that nature, that they never will be conquered by any other means; if we venture upon them any way, at the beft we do but create our

other

felves a great deal of danger and uneafiness ; S ER M. and it is ten to one but it gets the better of us XXIV. at laft. So that in many cafes we are to shun temptation, and fly from it rather than ftay and encounter it: There is a great deal of christian fortitude in flying; for if I know my frailty to be fuch, that the presence of a temptation is too ftrong for me, I overcome it effectually by keeping out of the way of it, and cutting off all occafion or opportunity; and though fome affection or inclination to the fin may remain, (as people may have a great tenderness for thofe infected limbs they cut off to preserve their life,) yet if I restrain myself fo far as to keep out of the reach of the temptation, which if present I have reason to fear would be too hard for me, it is but temptation ftill, and my innocence is preferved.

Men never gain any thing by daring of their fpiritual enemies; this vaunting hath common-. ly as ill fuccefs in religion as it hath in war; they are not to be met in the field and engaged in a pitched battle, unlefs in extraordinary cafes, where God gives us a warrant and unusual strength for the fight. Inftead of engaging them all at once in the field, in their greatest force, we have more need of prudence, and caution, and forefight to weaken them by degrees; by guarding all our out-works, preventing their approaches, and keeping them always at a diftance.

5. Another inference I fhall make from thefe words is, that no wilful fins perfifted in

can

SER M. can be of excufable infirmity; nothing is more XXIV. ordinary in the world, than for people upon

the ftrength of a lively imagination, and a warm temper, to keep up a great appearance of devotion and piety, though they at the fame time continue in the practice of wilful and deliberate fins; and they quiet their consciences with the hopes, that they are only the unavoidable infirmities of good and regenerate perfons. But let the temptation be what it will, it is abfolutely neceffary that we should conquer it; for if our hand offends us we must cut it off; if our very eye offends us we must pluck it out; there is nothing fo dear to us that we must not part with to avoid a fin; no pleasure fo great that we must not foregoe; and we must quit the greateft worldly enjoyments, which our own experience fhews us we cannot preferve without a fin; this is indifpenfably required from us in the words of my text.

And it is certainly in our power to undergo the feverest methods of virtue, and to conquer the strongest temptation incident to human nature, if we will but follow our Saviour's directions, and cut off and caft away from us every thing that is a ftrong temptation to us; for though it may not be in our power to overcome the temptation, yet, it is certainly in our power to remove it, and this will render us inexcufable before God. How ftrong foever our natural inclinations to fin are, we

muft

must suppress and reftrain them, and how SER M. great foever the temptation is we must over- XXIV. come it; there is no other condition of falvation, and we are told plainly we cannot enter into the kingdom of God upon any other

terms.

No excufe of weakness or infirmity will ferve our turn, for the grace of God will be fufficient for us if we use the means; and this is the proper means to cut off the temptation, and remove from us what we are not able to conquer. All pretence of infirmity is fhamefully foolish and ridiculous, while people continue the immediate causes and opportunities, and occafions of finning: This is the true reafon of that weakness they complain of, because they will not part with the temptation; they will cherish a snake in their bofom, and then complain they cannot prevent being ftung by it.

in

;

Let no one therefore encourage themselves any false hopes of falvation, while they remain in any known fin; for it is certain that he that commits fin is of the devil, and they that are born of God do not commit fin there is no pleasure or advantage this world affords, but they are ready to cut off and caft away from them with indignation; and they are ready to part with all that is near and dear to them, for the prefervation of innocence and á good confcience.

VI. Another thing I fhall obferve to you from these words is, that a thorough conqueft VOL. II.

Q

of

SERM. of that temptation which is ftrongest and XXIV. most prevalent with us, is the greatest evidence ~ of our fincerity in religion: and indeed the only one upon which we can build any com

L

fortable hopes of heaven: It is true what our Saviour fays here may be applied to all temptations which affault any of us; but however they plainly intimate that fome one temptation in each person is moft powerful, and that one perfon may have a hand to cut off, and another an eye to pluck out; and he seems to lay the greatest stress upon that very inftance of virtue and holinefs which we are apteft to tranfgrefs; and upon avoiding that very fin which we are most violently tempted to.

It is very common with people to fay, by way of juftification of themselves, as they ordinarily do for other people, that this is my only great failing, and the only infirmity I have not mastered; I am very well inclined in all other refpects; and fince I am not otherwife faulty, I hope God in mercy will pass by this, and accept of my obedience in all other inftances; especially fince I do not perfist in fin out of any defigned contempt: This is too general a deceit, and a prevailing hypocrify; but it is a fatal one, and will as furely cut them off from heaven, as if they were guilty in all other refpects; for he that offends in one point is guilty of the whole law, he is as liable to condemnation as if he had tranfgreffed it all.

How