The Morning exercise [at] Cri[ppleg]ate, or, Several cases of conscience practically resolved

Motive 1.

Right-eye sins; and right-hand sins are the greatest hinderances of the ⟨p. 61⟩souls closing with Christ. When you flea any creature, the skin comes off with ease, till it comes to the head, and there it sticks, more then ordinary skill is required to get it thence. Now I must tell you the sin that I am dissuading you against, is, not only the eye sin, and the hand sin, but the head sin, and here conversion sticks. The sinner forbears many sins, and performs many duties: but when it comes to this, Oh master, saith flesh and blood, pity thy self, beware what thou dost; what, be thine own Executioner? pluck out thy right eye? cut off thy right hand? A mans sin is himself; to deny ungodliness, is to deny self this is a kind of [Greek or Hebrew], self-murder: No man ever yet hated his own flesh. Is there no getting to heaven, unless a man leave himself behind? this is durus sermo, an hard saying: As Naaman the Syrian, 2 Reg. 5.18. When my master goeth into the house of Rimmon, to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow my self in the house of Rimmon, the Lord pardon thy servant in this thing: So the sinner, the Lord pardon thy servant in this thing. ¹The young man in the Gospel tells Christ, that he had kept all the commandments from his youth: but when Christ said to him; One thing thou lackest, go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasures in heaven, and come and take up thy cross and follow me: here he sticks, verse 22. he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved, for he had great possessions, or his great possessions had him; Alas, this poor young man little thought, that notwithstanding his forwardness to keep the Commandments, he was under the power of worldly lusts. Oh sirs! there is great strength in a river, when it runs smoothly, and without noise.