(43) And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life manned, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: (44) Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. (45) And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: (46) Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. (47) 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: (48) Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
So very important, are those solemn and awful words, that the LORD Jesus was pleased thrice to repeat them. It may well become us to make as solemn an enquiry into their meaning. Perhaps the Reader will recollect, that they are a quotation from the close of Isaiah's prophecy. JESUS thus confirms the words of his servant, by giving the authority of the Master. In that prophetical chapter, with which, Isaiah ends his ministry, he describes the result of the whole. When the LORD hath brought home his kingdom, and the new heavens and the new earth are formed; and all his redeemed are made Priests to GOD and the FATHER, in order to effect their minds with suitable impressions of distinguishing grace, they shall from time to time go forth and look upon the misery of the wicked, for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched. Isaiah 66:21 to the end. Now whether this prophecy referred to the Gospel Church, when Jerusalem was destroyed, or whether to the more spiritual state, when, as in the present day, the Jews nationally considered are given up to an unbelieving mind; eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear. Romans 11:8. Or, whether it hath a reference to the awful judgments of the last day, or whether the whole be included, and it refers to all taken together; in either sense the doctrine is the same. As in the case of the Parable of the rich man and Lazarus, the misery of the former was encreased in be holding the blessedness of the latter; so the terrors of hell, will be aggravated from a view of the felicity of heaven; and the glories of distinguishing mercy will make the redeemed tenfold more illustrious when looking over the battlements of heaven, they view the horrors of unredeemed transgressors.