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 God, that thereby your minds may see God himself. 2. To read the word of God, that therein you may perceive his mind. 3. To see the servants of God 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 peacock 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 lustful, 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 appetite of that greedy worm, which must be pleased, though at the rate of thy damnation. 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, πονηρος οφθαλμος. 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 passionate, 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 godly man, and upon the holy assemblies 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 lusts, 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 noblest, 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.