If preferment, or honour, or profit was in his eye, his _eye_ was not _single_. And our Lord knew no medium between a _single_ and an _evil eye_. The _eye_ therefore which is not _single_ is _evil_. It is a plain, adjudged case. He then that has any other design in undertaking or executing the office of a minister, than purely this, to glorify God and save souls, his eye is not _single_. Of consequence, it is _evil_; and therefore his _whole body_ must be _full of darkness. The light which is in_ him _is_ very _darkness_: darkness covers his whole soul: he has no solid peace: he has no blessing from God: And there is no fruit of his labours.
It is no wonder, that they who _see no harm_ in this, see no harm in adding one _living_ to another, and, if they can, another to that; yet still _wiping their mouth_, and saying, they _have done no evil_. In the very first step, their _eye_ was _not single_: therefore their mind was filled with darkness. So they stumble on still in the same mire, till their feet _stumble on the dark mountains_.
*It is pleaded indeed, That “a small living will not maintain a large family.” Maintain? How? It will not _cloath_ them _in purple and fine linen_; nor enable them to _fare sumptuously every day_. But will not the living _you_ have now, afford you and yours the plain necessaries, yea and conveniencies of life? Will it not maintain you in the frugal, Christian simplicity, which becomes a minister of _Christ_? It will not maintain you in pomp and grandeur, in elegant luxury, in fashionable sensuality. So much the better. If your eyes were open, whatever your income was, you would flee from these as from hell-fire.
It has been pleaded, secondly, “by having a larger income, I am able to do more good.” But dare you aver, in the presence of God, that it was _singly_ with this view, _only_ for this end, that you sought a larger income? If not, you are still condemned before God; your _eye_ was not _single_. Do not therefore quibble and evade. This was not your motive of acting. It was not the desire of doing more good, whether to the souls or bodies of men, it was not the love of God; (you know it was not, your own conscience is as a thousand witnesses) but it was _the love of money_, and _the desire of other things_, which animated you in this pursuit. If then the word of God is true, you are in darkness still: It fills and covers your soul.
I might add, a larger income does not necessarily imply a capacity of doing more _spiritual good_. And this is the highest kind of good. It is good to feed the hungry, to cloath the naked: But it is a far nobler good, to _save souls from death_, to _pluck_ poor _brands out of the burning_. And it is that to which you are peculiarly called, and to which you have solemnly promised to “bend all your studies and endeavours.” But you are by no means sure, that by adding a second living to your first, you shall be more capable of doing good in this kind, than you would have been, had you laid out all your time, and all your strength, on your first flock.
“However I shall be able to do more _temporal good_.” You are not sure even of this. _If riches encrease, they are increased that eat them._ Perhaps your expences may rise proportionably with your income. But if not, if you have a greater ability, shall you have a greater willingness to do good? You have no reason in the world to believe this. There are a thousand instances of the contrary. How many have less will, when they have more power? Now they _have_ more money, they _love_ it more. When they had little, they _did_ their _diligence gladly to give of that little_: but since they have _had much_, they are so far from _giving plenteously_, that they can hardly _afford_ to give at all.
“But by my having another living, I maintain a valuable man, who might otherwise want the necessaries of life.” I answer, 1. Was this your _whole_ and _sole_ motive, in seeking that other living? If not, this plea will not clear you from the charge: your _eye_ was _not single_. 2. If it was you may put it beyond dispute. You may prove at once the purity of your _intention_. Make that valuable man rector of one of your parishes, and you are clear before God and man.
But what can be pleaded for those who have two or more flocks, and take care of none of them? Who just look at them now and then for a few days, and then remove to a convenient distance, and say, _soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease; eat, drink, and be merry_?