A Christian Directory Volume I Part 76

[374] Luke xv. 20, 22, 23.

[375] Deut. vi. 6-8; xi. 18-20.

[376] Eph. iv. 19.

[377] Psal. x.x.xiii. 18; xlii. 5; xliii. 5; cxlvii. 11; lxxi. 14.

CHAPTER VIII.

DIRECTIONS FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF THE SENSES.

PART I.

_General Directions for the Government of the Senses (by a Life of Faith)._

The most wise and gracious G.o.d, having been pleased to const.i.tute us of soul and body, that our n.o.bler part, in its preparation and pa.s.sage to a n.o.bler state, might have a companion and instrument suited to the lower place and employment, through which it is to pa.s.s, hath appointed our senses not only for the exercise and helps of life, and the management of our inferior actions, and the communication of his inferior mercies, but also to be the common pa.s.sage to the fantasy, and so to the mind, and to be serviceable to our rational powers, and help in our service of our Maker, and communion with him in his higher gifts. To these ends all our senses should be used; as being capable of being sanctified and serviceable to G.o.d. But sin made its entrance by them, and by sin they are now corrupted and vitiated with the body, and are grown inordinate, violent, and unruly in their appet.i.te; and the rational powers having lost and forsaken G.o.d, their proper end and chiefest object, have hired or captivated themselves to the sensitive appet.i.te, to serve its ends. And so the sensitive appet.i.te is become the ruling faculty in the unsanctified, and the senses the common entrance of sin, and instruments of Satan: and though the work of grace be primarily in the rational powers, yet secondarily the lower powers themselves also are sanctified, and brought under the government of a renewed mind and will, and so restored to their proper use. And though I cannot say that grace immediately maketh any alteration on the senses, yet mediately it doth, by altering the mind, and so the will, and then the imagination, and so the sensitive appet.i.te, and so in exercise the sense itself. We see that temperance and chast.i.ty do not only restrain, but take down the appet.i.te from the rage and violence which before it had: not the natural appet.i.te, but the sensitive, so far as it is sinful.

The sanctifying and government of the senses and their appet.i.te, lieth in two parts: first, In guarding them against the entrance of sin: and secondly, In using them to be the entrance of good into the soul. But this latter is so high a work that too few are skilled in it; and few can well perform the other.

_Direct._ I. The princ.i.p.al part of the work is about the superior faculties, to get a well-informed judgment, and a holy and confirmed will; and not about the sense itself. Reason is dethroned by sin; and the will is left unguided and unguarded to the rapes of sensual violence. Reason must be restored, before sense will be well governed; for what else must be their immediate governor? It is no sin in brutes to live by sense, because they have not reason to rule it: and in man it is ruled more or less, as reason is more or less restored. When reason is only cleared about things temporal, (as in men of worldly wisdom,) there sense will be mastered and ruled as to such temporal ends, as far as they require it. But where reason is sanctified, there sense is ruled to the ends of sanctification, according to the measure of grace.

_Direct._ II. It is only the high, eternal things of G.o.d and our salvation, objectively settled in the mind and will, and become as it were connatural to them, and made our ruling end and interest that can suffice to a true and holy government of the senses. Lower things may muzzle them, and make men seem temperate and sober as far as their honour, and wealth, and health, and life require it: but this is but stopping a gap, while most of the hedge lieth open, and engaging the sense to serve the flesh, the world, and the devil, in a handsome, calm, and less dishonoured way, and not so filthily and furiously as others.

_Direct._ III. The main part of this government in the exercise, is in taking special care that no sensitive good be made the ultimate end of our desire, nor sought for itself, nor rested in, nor delighted in too much; but to see that the soul (having first habitually fixed on its proper higher end and happiness) do direct all the actions of every sense (so far as it falls under deliberation and choice) to serve it remotely to those holy ends. For the sense is not sanctified, if it be not used to a holy end; and its object is not sanctified to us, if it be not made serviceable to more holy objects. A mere negative restraint of sense for common ends, is but such as those ends are for which it is done. When the eyes, and ears, and taste, and feeling are all taught by reason to serve G.o.d to his glory and our salvation, then, and never till then, they are well governed.

_Direct._ IV. To this end the constant use of a lively belief of the word of G.o.d and the things unseen of the other world, must be the first and princ.i.p.al means by which our reason must govern every sense, both as to their restraint and their right employment. And therefore living by sight and living by faith are opposed in Scripture, 2 Cor. v. 7. For "we walk by faith, not by sight;" that is, sight and sense are not our princ.i.p.al guiding faculty, but subservient to faith; nor the objects of sight the things which we princ.i.p.ally or ultimately seek or set by, but the objects of faith; as it is before expounded, 2 Cor. iv. 18, "While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal." Therefore "faith" is described to be the "substance of things hoped for," and "the evidence of things not seen," Heb. xi. 1. Believing is to a christian instead of seeing; because he knoweth by G.o.d's testimony, that the things believed are true, though they are unseen. And you know that the objects of sense are all but trifles, to the great astonis.h.i.+ng objects of faith. Therefore if faith be lively, it must needs prevail and overrule the senses, because its objects utterly cloud and make nothing of the transitory objects of sense. Therefore the apostle John saith, 1 John v. 4, "Whatsoever is born of G.o.d overcometh the world; and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." And "Moses, by seeing him that is invisible," overcame the desires of Egypt's treasures, and the "fear of the wrath of the king, having respect to the recompence of reward," Heb.

xi. 26, 27. Stephen easily bore his cruel death, when "he saw heaven opened, and Christ standing at the right hand of G.o.d," Acts vii. 56. I dare appeal to that man that is most sensual, and saith, I am not able to deny my appet.i.te, or rule my senses, whether he would not be able if he did but see at the same time what is done in the other world? If he saw heaven, and h.e.l.l, the glorified and the d.a.m.ned, and saw the majesty of that G.o.d who commandeth him to forbear, would he not then be able to let alone the cup, the dish, the harlot, the sport, which is now so powerful with him? I would not thank the most beastly sensualist among you, to live as temperately (as to the act) as the strictest saint alive, if he did but see the worlds which departed souls now see. It is not possible but it would overpower his sensual desires; yea, and call off those senses to serve him in some inquiry what he should do to be saved. Therefore if believing the unseen world, be instead of seeing it with our eyes, it is most certain that the means to overcome sensuality is faith, and lively belief must rule our senses.

_Direct._ V. The more this belief of G.o.d and glory doth kindle love to them, the more effectual it will be in the government of the senses. Our common proverb saith, Where the love is, there is the eye. How readily doth it follow the heart! Love will not alter the sense itself, but it commandeth the use of all the senses. It will not clear a dim, decayed sight; but it will command it what to look upon. As the stronger love of one dish, or one sport, or one company, will carry you from another which you love more faintly; so the love of G.o.d, and heaven, and holiness, will carry you from the captivity of all sensual things.

_Direct._ VI. It must be well considered how powerful and dangerous things sensible are, and how high and hard a work it is in this our depraved, earthly state, to live by faith upon things unseen, and to rule the sense and be carried above it: that so the soul may be awakened to a sufficient fear and watchfulness, and may fly to Christ for a.s.sistance to his faith. It is no small thing for a man in flesh, to live above flesh. The way of the soul's reception and operation, is so much by the senses here, that it is apt to grow too familiar with things sensible, and to be strange to things which it never saw. It is a great work to make a man in flesh to deny the pleasures which he seeth, and tasteth, and feeleth, for such pleasures as he only heareth of; and heareth of as never to be enjoyed till after death, in a world which sense hath no acquaintance with. Oh what a glory it is to faith, that it can perform such a work as this! How hard is it to a weak believer! And the strongest find it work enough. Consider this, that it may awake you to set upon this work with that care that the greatness of it requireth, and you may live by faith above a life of sight and sense; for it is this that your happiness or misery lieth on.

_Direct._ VII. Sense must not only be kept out of the throne, but from any partic.i.p.ation in the government; and we must take heed of receiving it into our counsels, or treating with it, or hearing it plead its cause; and we must see that it get nothing by striving, importunity, or violence, but that it be governed despotically and absolutely, as the horse is governed by the rider. For if the government once be halved between sense and reason, your lives will be half b.e.s.t.i.a.l: and when reason ruleth not, faith and grace ruleth not; for faith is to reason as sight to the eye. There are no such beasts in human shape, who lay by all the use of reason, and are governed by sense alone (unless it be idiots or mad-men). But sense should have no part of the government at all. And where it is chief in power, the devil is there the unseen governor. You cannot here excuse yourselves by any plea of necessity or constraint: for though the sense be violent as well as enticing, yet G.o.d hath made the reason and will the absolute governors under him; and by all its rebellion and violence, sense cannot depose them, nor force them to one sin, but doth all the mischief by procuring their consent. Which is done sometimes by affecting the fantasy and pa.s.sions too deeply with the pleasure and alluring sweetness of their objects, that so the higher faculties may be drawn into consent; and sometimes by wearying out the resisting mind and will, and causing them to remit their opposition, and relax the reins, and by a sinful privation of restraint to permit the sense to take its course. A headstrong horse is not so easily ruled, as one of a tender mouth that hath been well ridden; and, therefore, though it be in the power of the rider to rule him, yet sometimes for his own ease he will loose the reins: and a horse that is used thus by a slothful or unskilful rider, to have his will whenever he striveth, will strive whenever he is crossed of his will, and so will be the master. As ill-bred children that are used to have every thing given them which they cry for, will be sure to cry before they will be crossed of their desire. So it is with our sensitive appet.i.te: if you use to satisfy it when it is eager or importunate, you shall be mastered by its eagerness and importunity; and if you use but to regard it overmuch, and delay your commands till sense is heard and taken into counsel, it is two to one but it will prevail, or at least will be very troublesome to you, and prove a traitor in your bosom, and its temptations keep you in continual danger. Therefore be sure that you never loose the reins; but keep sense under a constant government, if you love either your safety or your ease.

_Direct._ VIII. You may know whether sense, or faith and reason, be the chief in government, by knowing which of their objects is made your chiefest end, and accounted your best, and loved, and delighted in, and sought accordingly. If the objects of sense be thus taken for your best and end, then certainly sense is the chief in government; but if the objects of faith and reason, even G.o.d and life eternal, be taken for your best and end, then faith and reason are the ruling power. Though you should use never so great understanding and policy for sensual things, (as riches, and honour, and worldly greatness, or fleshly delights,) this doth not prove that reason is the ruling power; but proveth the more strongly that sense is the conqueror, and that reason is depraved and captivated by it, and truckleth under it, and serveth it as a voluntary slave. And the greater is your learning, wit, and parts, and the n.o.bler your education, the greater is the victory and dominion of sense, that can subdue, and rule, and serve itself by parts so n.o.ble.

[Sidenote: Deny not sense with the papists.]

_Direct._ IX. Though sense must be thus absolutely ruled, its proper power must neither be disabled, prohibited, nor denied. You must keep your horse strong and able for his work, though not headstrong and unruly; and you must not keep him from the use of his strength, though you grant him not the government. Nor will you deny but that he may be stronger than the rider, though the rider have the ruling power: he hath more of the power called d??a??, natural power, though the e???s?a be yours. So it is here: 1. No man must destroy his bodily sense; the quickest sense is the best servant to the soul, if it be not headstrong and too impetuous. The body must be stricken so far as to be "kept under and brought into subjection," 1 Cor. ix. 27; but not be disabled from its service to the soul. 2. Nor must we forbid or forbear the exercise of the senses, in subordination to the exercise of the inferior senses, Heb. iv. 14. It is indeed a smaller loss to part with a right hand or a right eye, than with our salvation; but that proveth not that we are put to such straits as to be necessitated to either (unless persecution put us to it). 3. Nor must we deny the certainty of the sensitive apprehension, when it keepeth its place; as the papists do, that affirm it necessary to salvation to believe that the sight, and taste, and smell, and feeling of all men in the world, that take the sacrament, are certainly deceived, in taking that to be bread and wine which is not so.

For if all the senses of all men, though never so sound and rational, be certainly deceived in this, we know not when they are not deceived, and there can be no certainty of faith or knowledge: for if you say that the church telleth us that sense is deceived in this, and only in this, I answer, If it be not first granted that sense (as so stated) is certain in its apprehension, there is no certainty then that there is a church, or a man, or a world, or what the church ever said, or any member of it. And if sense be so fallible, the church may be deceived, who by the means of sense doth come to all her knowledge. To deny faith is the property of an infidel; to deny reason is to deny humanity, and is fittest for a mad-man, or a beast (if without reason, reason could be denied); but to deny the certainty of sense itself, and of all the senses of all sound men, and that about the proper objects of sense, this showeth that ambition can make a religion, which shall bring man quite below the beasts, and make him a mushroom, that Rome may have subjects capable of her government; and all this under pretence of honouring faith, and saving souls; making G.o.d the destroyer of nature in order to its perfection, and the deceiver of nature in order to its edification.

_Direct._ X. Sense must not be made the judge of matters that are above it, as the proper objects of faith and reason; nor must we argue negatively from our senses in such cases, which G.o.d in nature never brought into their court. We cannot say that there is no G.o.d, no heaven, no h.e.l.l, no angels, no souls of men, because we see them not.

We cannot say, I see not the antipodes, nor other kingdoms of the world, and therefore there is no such place: so we say, as well as the papists, that sense is no judge whether the spiritual body of Christ be present in the sacrament, no more than whether an angel be here present. But sense with reason is the judge whether bread and wine be there present, or else human understanding can judge of nothing.

Christ would have had Thomas to have believed without seeing and feeling, and blesseth those that neither see him nor feel, and yet believe; but he never blesseth men for believing contrary to the sight, and feeling, and taste, and all that have sound senses and understandings in the world. Their instance of the Virgin's conception of Christ, is nothing contrary to this; for it belongeth not to sense to judge whether a virgin may conceive. Nor will any wise man's reason judge, that the Creator, who in making the world of nothing was the only cause, cannot supply the place of a partial second cause in generation: they might more plausibly argue with Aristotle against the creation itself, that _ex nihilo nihil fit_; but as it is past doubt, that the infallibility of sense is nothing at all concerned in this, so it is sufficiently proved by christians, that G.o.d can create without any pre-existent matter. Reason can see much further than sense by the help of sense; and yet much further by the help of divine revelation by faith. To argue negatively against the conclusions of reason or divine revelation, from the mere negation of sensitive apprehension, is to make a beast of man. We must not be so irrational or impious, as to say, that there is nothing but what we have seen, or felt, or tasted, &c. If we will believe others who have seen them, that there are other parts of the world, we have full reason to believe the sealed testimony of G.o.d himself, that there are such superior worlds and powers as he hath told us. We have the use of sense in hearing, or seeing G.o.d's revelation; and we have no more in receiving man's report of those countries which we never saw.

If they will make it the question, whether the sense may not be deceived; I answer, we doubt not by distance of the objects, or distempers, or disproportions of itself or the media, it may: but if the sense itself, and all the means and objects, have their natural soundness, apt.i.tude, and disposition, it is a contradiction to say it is deceived; for that is to say, it is not the sense which we suppose it is. If G.o.d deceive it thus, he maketh it another thing. It is no more the same, nor will admit the same definition. But, however, it is most evident, that the senses being the first entrance or inlet of knowledge, the first certainty must be there, which is presupposed to the certain judgment of the intellect; but if these err, all following certainty which supposeth the certainty of the senses is destroyed; and this error in the first reception (like an error in the first concoction) is not rectified by the second. And if G.o.d should thus leave all men under a fallibility of sense, he should leave no certainty in the world; and I desire those that know the definition of a lie, to consider whether this be not to feign G.o.d to lie in the very frame of nature, and by constant lies to rule the world, when yet it is impossible for G.o.d to lie. And if this blasphemy were granted them, yet it would be man's duty still to judge by such senses as he hath about the objects of sense; for if G.o.d have made them fallible, we cannot make them better; nor can we create a reason in ourselves which shall not presuppose the judgment of sense, or which shall supply its ordinary, natural defects. So that the Roman faith of transubstantiation, denying the reality of bread and wine, doth not only unman the world, but bring man lower than a beast, and make sense to be no sense, and the world to be governed by natural deceit or lies, and banish all certainty of faith and reason from the earth. And after all, (with such wonderful enmity to charity as maketh man liker the devil, than else could easily be believed,) they sentence all to h.e.l.l that believe not this; and decree to burn them first on earth, and to depose temporal lords from their dominions, that favour them, or that will not exterminate them from their lands, and so absolve their subjects from their allegiance, and give their dominions to others. All this you may read in the third canon of the Lateran general council under Innocent III.

_Direct._ XI. Look not upon any object of sense with sense alone, nor stop in it, but let reason begin where sense doth end, and always see by faith or reason the part which is invisible, as well as the sensible part by sense. By that which is seen, collect and rise up to that which is unseen. If G.o.d had given us an eye, or ear, or taste, or feeling, and not a mind, then we should have exercised no other faculty but what we had. But sure he that hath given us the higher faculty, requireth that we use it as well as the lower. And remember that they are not mere co-ordinate faculties, but the sensitive faculty is subordinate to the intellectual: and accordingly that which the sensible creature objectively revealeth through the sense unto the intellect, is something to which things sensible are subordinate. Therefore if you stop in sensible things, and see not the principle which animateth them, the power which ordereth and ruleth them, and the end which they are made for, and must be used for, you play the beasts; you see nothing but a dead carca.s.s without the soul, and nothing but a useless, senseless thing. You know nothing indeed to any purpose; no, not the creature itself; while you know not the use and meaning of the creature, but separate it from its life, and guide, and end.

_Direct._ XII. First therefore see that you ever look upon all things sensible as the products of the will of the invisible G.o.d, depending on him more than the suns.h.i.+ne doth upon the sun; and never see or taste a creature separatedly from G.o.d. Will you know what a plant is, and not know that it is the earth that beareth and nourisheth it? Will you know what a fish is, and yet be ignorant that he liveth in the water? Will you know what a branch or fruit is, and yet not know that it groweth on the tree? The nature of things cannot be known without the knowledge of their causes and respective parts. It is as no knowledge to know incoherent sc.r.a.ps and parcels. To know a hand as no part of the body, or an eye or nose without knowing a head, or a body without knowing its life or soul, is not to know it, for you make it another thing. It is the difference between a wise man and a fool, that _sapiens respicit ad plura, insipiens ad pauciora_: a wise man looketh comprehensively to things as they are conjunct, and takes all together, and leaveth out nothing that is useful to his end; but a fool seeth one thing, and overseeth another which is necessary to the true knowledge or use of that which he seeth. See G.o.d as the cause and life of every thing you see. As a carca.s.s is but a ghastly sight without the soul, and quickly corrupteth and stinketh when it is separated; so the creature without G.o.d is an unlovely sight, and quickly corrupteth and becomes a snare or annoyance to you. G.o.d is the beauty of all that is beautiful, and the strength of all that is strong, and the glory of the sun and all that is glorious, and the wisdom of all that is wise, and the goodness of all that is good, as being the only original, total cause of all. You play the brutes, when you see the creature, and overlook its Maker, from whom it is, whatsoever it is. Will you see the dial, and overlook the sun?

Remember it is the use of every creature to show you G.o.d, and therefore it is the use of every sense to promote the knowledge of him.

_Direct._ XIII. See G.o.d as the Conducter, Orderer, and Disposer of all the creatures, according to their natures, as moved necessarily or freely; and behold not any of the motions or events of the world, without observing the interest, and overruling hand of G.o.d. Sense reacheth but to the effects and events; but reason and faith can see the First Cause and Disposer of all. Again, I tell you, that if you look but on the particles of things by sense, and see not G.o.d that setteth all together, and doth his work by those that never dream of it, you see but the several wheels and parcels of a clock or watch, and know not him that made and keepeth it, that setteth on the poise, and winds it up, to fit his ends. Joseph could say, G.o.d sent me hither, when his brethren sold him into Egypt; and David felt his Father's rod in s.h.i.+mei's curse.

_Direct._ XIV. See G.o.d the End of every creature; how all things are ordered for his service; and be sure you stop not in any creature, without referring it to a higher end: else, as I have oft told you, you will be but like a child or illiterate person, who openeth a book, and admireth the workmans.h.i.+p of the printer, and the order and well-forming of the letters, but never mindeth or understandeth the subject, sense, or end. Or like one that looketh on a comely picture, and never mindeth either him that made it, or him that is represented by it. Or like one that gazeth on the sign at an inn-door, and praiseth the workmans.h.i.+p, but knoweth not that it is set there to direct him to entertainment and necessaries within. And this folly and sin is the greater, because it is the very end of G.o.d in all his works of creation and providence, to reveal himself by them to the intellectual world; and must G.o.d show his power, and wisdom, and goodness so wonderfully in the frame of the creation, and in his daily general and particular providence? and shall man, that daily seeth all this, overlook the intended use and end? and so make all his glorious work as nothing, or as lost to him? Sense knoweth no end but to its own delight, and the natural felicity of the sensitive creature, such as things sensible afford; but reason must take up the work where sense doth end its stage, and carry all home to him that is the End of all. "For OF him, and THROUGH him, and TO him, are all things, to whom be glory for ever. Amen," Rom. xi. 36.

_Direct._ XV. Besides the general use and ultimate end of every creature, labour for a clear acquaintance with the particular use and nearer end of every thing which you have to do with, by which it is serviceable to your ultimate end, and suppose still you saw that special use as subserving your highest end, as the t.i.tle written upon each creature. As, suppose upon your Bible it were written, The word of the living G.o.d, to acquaint me with himself and his will, that I may please, and glorify, and enjoy him for ever. And upon your G.o.dly friend suppose you saw this t.i.tle written, A servant of G.o.d, that beareth his image, and appointed to accompany and a.s.sist me in his service unto life everlasting. Upon your meat suppose you saw this t.i.tle written, The provisions of my Father, sent me as from my Saviour's hands, not to gratify my sensuality, and serve my inordinate desires, but to refresh and strengthen my body for his service in my pa.s.sage to everlasting life. So upon your clothes, your servants, your goods, your cattle, your houses, and every thing you have, inscribe thus their proper use and end.

_Direct._ XVI. Know both the final and the mediate danger, of every thing that you have to do with; and suppose you still see them written upon every thing you see. The final danger is h.e.l.l; the mediate danger in general is sin; but you must find what sin it is that this creature will be made a temptation to by the devil and the flesh. As, suppose you saw written upon money and riches, The bait of covetousness and all evil, to pierce me through with many sorrows, and then to d.a.m.n me.

And suppose you saw written upon great buildings, and estates, and honours, and attendance, The great price which the devil would give for souls; and the baits to tempt men to the inordinate love of fleshly pleasures, and to draw their hearts from G.o.d and heaven to their d.a.m.nation. Suppose you still saw written upon beauty, and tempting actions and attire, The bait of l.u.s.t, by which the devil corrupteth the minds of men to their d.a.m.nation. Suppose you saw written on the play-house door, The stage of the mountebank of h.e.l.l, who here cheateth men of their precious time, and enticeth them to vanity, luxury, and d.a.m.nation, under pretence of instructing them by a nearer and more pleasant way than preachers do. The like I say of gaming, recreations, company: see the particular snare in all.

_Direct._ XVII. To this end be well acquainted with your own particular inclinations and distempers, that you may know what creature is like to prove most dangerous to you, that there you may keep the strictest watch. If you be subject to pride, keep most from the baits of pride, and watch most cautelously against them. If you be subject to covetousness, watch most against the baits of covetousness.

If you are inclined to l.u.s.t, away from the sight of alluring objects.

The knowledge of your temper and disease must direct you both in your diet and your physic.

_Direct._ XVIII. Live as in a constant course of obedience; and suppose you saw the law of G.o.d also written upon every thing you see.

As when you look on any tempting beauty, suppose you saw this written on the forehead, Thou shalt not l.u.s.t--Wh.o.r.emongers and adulterers G.o.d will judge--They shall not enter into the kingdom of G.o.d.[378] See upon the forbidden dish or cup the prohibition of G.o.d, Thou shalt not eat or drink this. See upon money and riches this written, Thou shalt not covet. See upon the face of all the world, "Love not the world, nor the things that are in the world: if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him," 1 John ii. 15. Thus see the will of G.o.d on all things.

_Direct._ XIX. Make not the objects of sense over-tempting and dangerous to yourselves; but take special care, as much as in you lieth, to order all so, that you may have as much of the benefit, and as little of the snare of the creature as is possible. Would you not be gluttonous pleasers of your appet.i.te? choose not then too full a table, nor over-pleasant, tempting drinks or dishes, and yet choose those that are most useful to your health. Would you not over-love the world, nor your present house, or lands, or station? Be not too instrumental yourselves in gilding or dulcifying your bait! if you put in the sugar, the devil and the flesh will put in the poison. Will you make all as pleasant and lovely as you can, when you believe that the over-loving them is the greatest danger to your salvation? Will you be the greatest tempters to yourselves, and then desire G.o.d not to lead you into temptation?

_Direct._ XX. Let not the tempting object be too near your sense; for nearness enrageth the sensitive appet.i.te, and giveth you an opportunity of sinning. Come not too near the fire if you would not be burnt (and yet use prudence in keeping the usefulness of it for warmth, though you avoid the burning). Distance from the snares of pride, and l.u.s.t, and pa.s.sion, and other sins, is a most approved remedy, and nearness is their strength.

_Direct._ XXI. Accustom your souls to frequent and familiar exercise about their invisible objects, as well as your senses about theirs.

And as you are daily and hourly in seeing, and tasting, and hearing the creature, so be not rarely in the humble adoration of him that appeareth to you in them. Otherwise use will make the creature so familiar to you, and disuse will make G.o.d so strange, that by degrees you will wear yourselves out of his acquaintance, and become like carnal, sensual men, and live all by sense, and forget the holy exercise of the life of faith.

_Direct._ XXII. Lose not your humble sense of the badness of your hearts, how ready they are as tinder to take the fire of every temptation; and never grow fool-hardy and confident of yourselves. For your holy fear is necessary to your watchfulness, and your watchfulness is necessary to your escape and safety. Peter's self-confidence betrayed him to deny his Lord. Had Noah, and Lot, and David been more afraid of the sin, they had been like to have escaped it. It is a part of the character of the beastly heretics that Jude declaimeth against, that they were "spots in their feasts of charity, when they feasted with the church, feeding themselves without fear,"

ver. 12. When the knowledge or sense of your weakness and sinful inclination is gone, then fear is gone, and then safety is gone, and your fall is near.

PART II.

_Particular Directions far the Government of the Eyes._

_Direct._ I. Know the uses that your sight is given you for. As, 1. To see the works of G.o.d, that thereby your minds may see G.o.d himself. 2.

To read the word of G.o.d, that therein you may perceive his mind. 3. To see the servants of G.o.d whom you must love, and the poor whom you must relieve or pity, and all the visible objects of your duty; to conduct your body in the discharge of its office about all the matters of the world.[379] And in special often to look up towards heaven, the place where your blessed Lord is glorified, and whence he shall come to take you to his glory.

_Direct._ II. Remember the sins which the eye is most in danger of, that you may be watchful and escape. 1. You must take heed of a proud, and lofty, and scornful eye; which looketh on yourselves with admiration and delight, as the peac.o.c.k is said to do on his tail, and on others as below you with slighting and disdain.[380] 2. You must take heed of a l.u.s.tful, wanton eye, which secretly carrieth out your heart to a befooling piece of dirty flesh, and stealeth from beauty and ornaments a spark to kindle that fire which prepareth for everlasting fire.[381] 3. Take heed of a greedy, covetous eye, which with Achan and Gehazi looketh on the bait to tempt you to unlawful love and desire, and to bring you by their sin unto their ruin.[382]

4. Take heed of a luxurious, gluttonous, and drunken eye;[383] which is looking on the forbidden fruit, and on the tempting dish, and the delicious cup, till it have provoked the appet.i.te of that greedy worm, which must be pleased, though at the rate of thy d.a.m.nation. 5. Take heed of a gazing, wandering eye,[384] which, like a vagrant, hath no home, nor work, nor master, but gaddeth about to seek after death, and find out matter for temptation. Prov. xvii. 24, "Wisdom is before him that hath understanding, but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth." 6. Take heed of an envious eye, which looketh with dislike and discontent at the prosperity of others, especially such as stand cross to your own interest.[385] Matt. xx. 15, "Is thine eye evil because I am good?" It is the envious eye that in Scripture most usually is called by the name of an evil eye, p?????? ?f?a???. It is an eye that would see evil rather than good upon another:[386] as Deut. xv. 9, "Lest thine eye be evil against thy poor brother," &c. Prov. xxiii. 6, it is an eye that grudgeth another any thing that is ours. So Prov.

xxviii. 22; Mark vii. 22. 7. Take heed of a pa.s.sionate, cruel eye, that kindleth the hurting or reviling fire in thy breast, or is kindled by it; that fetcheth matter of rage or malice from all that displeaseth thee in another.[387] 8. Take heed of a self-conceited and censorious eye, that looketh on all the actions of another with quarrelling, undervaluing, censure, or reproach.[388] 9. Take heed of a fond and fanciful eye, that falls in love too much with houses, or friend, or child, or goods, or whatsoever pleaseth it. 10. Take heed of a sleepy, sluggish eye, that is shut to good, and had rather sleep than watch, and read, and pray, and labour.[389] 11. Abhor a malignant eye, which looketh with hatred on a G.o.dly man, and upon the holy a.s.semblies and communion of saints, and upon holy actions; and can scarce see a man of exemplary zeal and holiness, but the heart riseth against him, and could wish all such expelled or cut off from the earth.[390] This is the heart that hath the image of the devil in most lively colours, he being the father of such, as Christ calleth him, John viii. 44. 12. Abhor a hypocritical eye, which is lifted up to heaven, when the heart is on earth, on l.u.s.ts, on honours, on sports, or pleasure, or plotting mischief against the just.[391] Know the evil and danger of all these diseases of the eye.

_Direct._ III. Remember that the eye being the n.o.blest, and yet the most dangerous sense, must have the strictest watch. Sight is often put in Scripture for all the senses; and living by sight is opposed to living or walking by faith. "We walk by faith, not by sight," 2 Cor.

v. 7 And a sensual life is called, a "walking in the ways of our heart and in the sight of the eyes," Eccles. xi. 9. An ungoverned eye doth show the power of the ungoverned senses. Abundance of good or evil entereth in by these doors: all lieth open if you guard not these.

_Direct._ IV. Remember that as your sin or duty, so your sorrow or joy, do depend much on the government of your eyes; and their present pleasure is the common way to after-sorrow. What a flood of grief did David let into his heart by one unlawful look!