Mark ix. 43 — 48. If thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thy foot offend thee cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having koo feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched : where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 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 cast into hell-fire : tvhere their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
TO oppose and persecute the people of God is to make God himself our enemy; nor can we cast a stumbling-block in their way without aggravating thereby our own condemnation a. But it is not only by open profaneness that we endanger our salvation ; we are no less obnoxious to the dipleasure of God if we retain any secret sin. Hence our Lord gives us the most solemn and repeated admonition to cut off every occasion of sin. In discoursing on his words we shall consider, I. His injunctions —
There are many things which prove to us an occa- sion of sin —
[We are too ready to be drawn aside by our worldly in- terests. How often have they led men to profane the Sabbath, to engage in unlawful occupations, to practise deceit and falsehood, and in a thousand other ways to violate the dictates of their conscience ! How has an undue regard to them de- terred many from embracing the Gospel and following the Lord fully b! And how many have been turned aside by them from the truth of God, even after they had maintained a long and honourable profession0! Carnal affections also frequently prove a very fatal snare. How many spiritual people have been led to connect themselves for life with an unconverted person, through an unwillingness to thwart their natural incli- nations, and that too, in opposition to the most express com- mands of Godd? How many through an excess of attachment have idolized the creature while they possessed it, and mur- mured against God the instant it was removed ? Need we add sensual appetites to this black catalogue ? who, that knows the danger of an impure looke, must not tremble ?]
These, as soon as ever we discover their baneful
tendency, should be cut off —
[We are far from condemning these things as bad in themselves. Our carnal appetites and affections were given us to be indulged, and our worldly interests indispensably require a considerable degree of care and attention ; but when
a ver. 42. b Mark x. 22. c 2 Tim. iv. 10.
* 2 Cor. vi. 14, 17. e Matt. v. 28, 29.