Divine optics. OR, A Treatise of the EYE, Discovering The Vices and Virtues thereof; as also How that Organ may be Tuned.  
Chiefly grounded on PSAL. 119.37.  
By ROBERT DINGLEY, M. A. and Minister of Gods Word at Brixton, alias Brison, in the Isle of Wight; formerly Fellow of Mag. Col. Oxon.  Prov. 23.5. 
Wilt thou cause thine eyes to fly upon that which is not?  Psal. 123.2. 
Our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until that he have mercy upon us.  
Non debet intueri quod non licet concupisci.  Greg. 
Oculi id circo dati sunt corpori, ut per eos intueamur creaturam, ac per hujusmodi Mirabilem Harmoniam agnoscamus Opificem.  Athanat. contra Gentes. 
London, Printed by J. M. for H. Cripps, and L. Lloyd, and are to be sold at their shop in Popes-head Alley. 1655.   

To the truly Religious, and my Honoured Friend, Mistress MARY PALMER.  
AMongst my other Dedications, I held myself bound to present this poor impoverished Treatise to your view; The Lord hath given you a very discerning Spirit; you have a choice unction from Heaven: yet humility eminently crowning all your other Graces, I know she will not disdain, but highly prise the labour of those that are faithful. I have formerly received encouragement from you in my work, and you did not despise my youth: This therefore is to show, that neither time, nor distance of place, can blot out those characters which the Memory of your Graces, and singular Favours, have imprinted on my heart. The Laws of Persia, Macedonia, and Athens, condemned the ungrateful to death; and unthankfulness may well be styled the Epitome of vices: 'Tis as oblivious as Messala Corvinus, that forgot his own name. Some that are forgetful of benefits, are tenacious of injuries; the former they writ in dust, the latter on marble: But I know your Modesty wishes an end to this discourse. I here lay before you a Treatise of spiritual optics, discovering the infirmities of the eye by Nature, with its excellencies attainable by Grace. 'Tis a Subject rarely written of; And I never yet could see any Treatise, opening at large, as distinctly, what I here undertake: If I have mingled divine with human Observations, the Righteous God knoweth it is; that the latter may( with vulgar Readers) be as sauce to the former, to make them relish the better: So praying for your daily improvement in Grace; that at last I may see you glister in Eternity,( where our Communion will be renewed) I rest  
Madam, 
 Yours, and the Churches 
 Servant in the things 
 of Christ. 
 ROBERT DINGLEY.   

THE TABLE.  

OF the 119 Psalm: And the Coherence and Division of the 37 verse, Turn away mine eyes from vanity.  
From thence three Observations are raised: viz.  
Doct. 1. That all earthly things are no better then vanity. Where it is shewed, 

1. What the word Vanity contains?  
Ans. 1. Inutile, 2. Falsum. 3. Imperitia. Unprofitable, False, and Foolish.  
2. How it may be proved that the World is a Map of all vanity?  
Ans. 1. By descending to particulars. 2. Nothing but God in Christ can satisfy the heart. 3. All earthly things are vanishing and uncertain?    
Use 1. See the folly and madness of our spirits, in fixing our hearts, or eyes on sublunary things.  
Use 2. Mistake not with Monks and Hermits, who court the other extreme.  
Use 3. Most men have the Theory, few the Practical Part of this Truth.  
Use 4. Pray the Lord to avert your eyes from vanity.  
Use 5. Expect not rest or satisfaction on this side Heaven.  
Doct. 2. The eye of man is the chief in-let of all vanity and mischief. Proved by eight Arguments. 1. This is oft expressed in the word. 2. experienced in the world. 3. The eye is a nimble and active Broker for sin. 4. There lie every where many baits and snares for the eye. 5. Men's affections are like their eyes, and resemble that which they see. 6. The eye lets in a flood of unquietness and dissatisfaction into the mind. 7. The eye discovers much of the heart, and so gives occasion for suitable temptations; There it is shewed, that the Scripture speaks much of an evil eye: viz. 1. A proud eye. 2. Wanton. 3. thievish. 4. Idolatrous. 5. timorous. 6. Furious. 7. Envious. 8. suspicious. 9. Bribed. 10. Winking. viz. 1. As mocking. 2. As given to immoderate sleep, where there is and gression of visions and dreams. The eight and last Argument, is; That our eye doth not only injure ourselves, but others; and the eyes of others, us.  
Use 1. Lamentation; That so excellent an Organ should be now out of tune by reason of mans sin: Where something is said, 

1. Of the eyes wonderful and rare Frame.  
2. Of his Necessity. 3. Its Benefit. 4. Its being an Ornament to the body.    
Use 2. Admonition in two Branches.  
1 Branch. Be very watchful over this wandering sense.   

The Motives and Means.  
1. The Motives, which are eight. 1 Gods eye is upon us; we cannot look or think awry but he sees it. 2. We are commanded to watch over that sense. 3. The Lord hath made a promise to circumsoection over our eyes. 4. That which had a blemish in the eye, was not to be offered under the Law. 5. A spark in the eye is more easisily quenched, then a flamme in the heart. 6. The Saints have been very careful in this thing. 7. mere Heathens have done somewhat in this work. 8. And lastly, The Lord will most certainly punish unbridled eyes. 1. Temporally. 2. Spiritually. 3. Eternally: where it is shewed how the eye shall be tormented in hell fire with the most ghastly spectacles.  
2. The Means or Helps which are four. 

1. Watch over the heart, and then the eye is safe.  
2. balk needless occasions of beholding vanity and evil.    
Where it is asked, 1. If we may see an Idolatrous Worship? Or 2. Be present at Stage-plays, and Masks? 3. Implore help and aid from the Lord. 4. Fix not the eye too long on any Object, which may probably draw out our corruption, or strike fire into the tinder of our affections.  
2. Branch of Admonition, To endeavour to make the eyes happy in-lets of grace and comfort.  
The Scripture qualifications of a sanctified eye. 1. There is a Pitiful eye. 2. Penitent, weeping for sin. 3. Pure. 4. Liberal. 5. Zealous. 6. A Praying eye, in three respects. 7. A waiting eye of Hope. 8. A Thanksgiving eye. 9. An Eye much in reading Gods word. 10. And lastly, Beholding Gods Works, both of Creation and Providence.  
Whereof the choicest of Gods visible works, The SAINTS: That our eyes must be upon their Graces and Footsteps.  
Caution: We may not cast a loving eye upon persons of heretical and unsound principles.  
Two comforting Considerations for the Saints, whose eyes are thus made the In-lets of Grace.  
1. The Lords eyes are upon them for good here on earth.  
2. Their bodily eyes shall be on Christ, in the Kingdom of Heaven.  
Where four things are mentioned touching the eyes happiness in Glory.  
1. Thine eye shall be ravished with the sight and survey of thine own personal happiness; and the glory that will be poured upon thy body.  
2. With viewing the bodies of all the glorified Saints.  
3. With beholding the Real and Glorified Body of Christ Jesus; to which the Sun is but a dark Globe.  
4. With observing the Palace of the Great King, and the glittering Glory of the New Jerusalem.  
And all this without Twinkling, Astonishment, Weariness, or Period.  
Doct. 3. Prayer is the best means to chain up and sanctify our wandering eyes.  
1 Enq. What the Expression means; Can our eyes be turned from seeing any vanity?  
Ans. 1. There is a necessary and lawful Vision, which is transient. 2. A laudable and excellent Vision, which is contemning. 3. A sinful and dangerous sight of vanity, which is approving, admiring, and idolising.  
2 Enq. How Prayer becomes so useful, and chaining to this sense?  
Ans. 1. By Diversion. 2. Confession. 3. Supplication. 4. Resolution, and vowing it to God.  
The Use. Imitate holy David, and humbly entreat the Lord to turn away thy eyes from beholding vanity; especially at five times.  
1. In the time of public Worship. lest we be distracted.  
2. Of Private Meditation. lest we be distracted.  
3. In a time when most vanity is presented unto us; as in our youth, and in time of tentation.  
4. In the time of old age, when many re-act their sins by contemplative villainy.  
5. At the hour of death; that thou mayst be willing to leave this world for a better.    

Divine optics.  PSAL. 119.37. 
Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity.  
THis Psalm in the judgement of Ambrose exceedeth all the rest, 
B. Couper on this Psalm, p. 4.  as much as the Sun excelleth the Moon; And let us therein observe the high esteem that David had of Gods Word; For in every verse of this Psalm( excepting the 122.) he makes mention of the Word of God under some Title or other: The Word was never to them as lively seed, to whom it is not as acceptable food. As for the Order of this Psalm, 'tis divided into twenty two Sections, every Section hath in it eight Verses, and every Verse begins in the Hebrew with that letter wherewith the Section is entitled; As all the Verses of the first Section begin with Aleph, of the second with Beth, and so forward, according to the Alphabet; This justifies Method and Logical Order in delivering of Gods Word: Finally, all the Verses of this Psalm may be reduced to Praises, Prayers, and Protestations. In this 37 Verse you may observe, the Coherence, or the words themselves.  
First, Of the Coherence with the foregoing and following matter; and each of them affords us an Observation.  
1. That the way to have our hearts Preserved, is to get our senses ordered; As the way to preserve the treasure in a house, is to shut fast the doors and windows. Incline my heart to thy Testimonies, Not to Covetousness; Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanities.  
2. That our hearts and eyes be not ensnared with vanities, we must desire the Lord to quicken us in his ways; without that we are able to do nothing, but are de●● in our sins; And there is so much glory and true sweetness in his ways, that the discovery thereof will divorce our hearts and eyes from vanity: Quicken me( saith he) in thy way.  
Secondly, To the words themselves; Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; They fall into these five parts.  
1. A Description of the World in its greatest splendour; 'tis no better then VANITY: 
* Herbert.  One calls it, Nothing between two Dishes: Much expectation, little satisfaction. 2. A Confession of the souls weakness and folly, it is very apt to wander after vanity. 3. The Instruments or Inlets of great mischief to the soul specified, the eyes. 4. The Appropriation of wandering eyes to himself: For he saith not, Turn away Mens eyes, but My eyes from beholding vanity. 5. A Prayer unto God, that he would restrain and bridle his eyes and divert them to better objects: He seeth his own disability, and makes out unto the Lord for strength; Do thou turn away mine eyes from vanity? I shall raise three Observations from these words.  
1. That whatsoever earthly thing we fix our hearts or our eyes upon in this life, it is no better then vanity.  
2. The eye of man is become the in-let of much evil to the soul.  
3. Prayer is the means to chain up, and sanctify that wandering sense.  
I begin with the first; That all earthly things are no better then vanity: Or, That vanity is the Worlds Motto. Prov. 23.5. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings, they fly away as an Eagle towards Heaven: In the Hebrew it is thus: Wilt thou cause thine eyes to fly upon that which is not? i. e. Wilt thou eagerly pursue that which is no better then vanity? do it not. You red in Habakkuk, 
Hab. 2. 1●.  of those that weary themselves for very vanity: As children that sweat and tyre themselves to catch a painted Butterfly. Solomon the wisest of men had ample experience of this truth, and comes in with his Vanitas va itatum, 
Eccl. 1.2.  omnia vanitas: Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.  
Now here let us inquire, 1. What the word Vanity contains? 2. How it may be proved that the whole world is a lump of vanity, mingled with vexation?  
First, What the word Vanity imports? I answer three things; Inutile, Falsum, and Imperitia.  
1. Inutile; Sometimes Vanity is taken for a thing without use or profit, 1 Sam. 12.21. And turn ye not aside, for then should ye go after vain things which cannot profit. 
1 Tim. 6.6.  So sin is called an unfruitful work of darkness: And the same may be said of the creatures, 
Rom. 6.21  and lawful comforts of the world; What would it profit a man to grasp the whole world and lose his own soul? The World is unprofitable and helpless in the hour of terror, Affliction, Death, or Judgement: then indeed it is a Golden Cipher, that by itself signifieth nothing. Cleopatra  told Marcus Antoninus, that he was not to angle for Trouts and Gudgeons, but Castles and Cities: So a Saint must not aim at earthly trash, but heavenly treasures, 
Mat. 11 12  and the taking of Heaven by force.  
2. Vanum is also used for Falsum; A lying, a false thing opposed to verum, Psalm 31.6. I hate them that regard lying vanities. Sin and the creature do promise much, but perform little; They screw and raise up our expectations, but answer them with nothing save Frustration and Disappointment. The Devil offered Christ all the Kingdoms of the world, which were not his to give. Men propound unto themselves much peace and comfort in the service of that Master, whose wages is death: And Solomon saith, He that followeth evil, seeketh his own r●ine. So also the World,( that great Inchantress) doth multiply vain and frothy promises, which it is not able to make good: The Israelites thought of the garlic and Fleshpots, but forgot the Bricks and Bondage of Egypt: Sh●bna built his sepulchre in one Country, and was butted in another; You see the world is vain and lying, cannot come up to our expectations. Miscentur tristia laetis. Nescis quale tegat splendida vita malum: If with the Bee it have a little hony, it hath also a very sharp sting.  
3. Vanitas is sometimes used for Imperitia: i.e. e. Unskilfulness, or Ignorance. Vanus est mente vacuus, 1 Tim. 6.20. Shun profane and vain babblings. Vanity and foolish babblings are coupled. 
Isai. 5.18  Sin is by solomon in the Proverbs ever styled folly. Fox styled Sir Thomas Moor, a wise foolish man: Wise in his head, foolish in his life. Let us hear Seneca; You eye such a man as great, but strip him naked( saith he) lay by his Honours and Estate, Et alia fortunae mendacia, and his other lying and false disguisements of Fortune, and perhaps you will find his mind to be empty; or like the coloss, full of led and rud stuff. O let us see the folly of all creatures; there is in them unskilfulness, ignorance, and awkedness; for they cannot make us happy, or commend us to God: They cannot save one soul, nor take off the guilt of one sin; No, They must let that alone for ever. Vocat eas res vanas, 
Musculus in Psa. 119. p. 698.  quas nostra stultitia magni facit, saith Musculus on this Text: He calleth those things vain that have not any solidity in them, but the which our folly doth advance, magnify, and cry up; as did the Ephesians Diana.  
Now some may say, Do you not in all this disparaged and vilify Gods works? concerning which, after a survey, the Lord himself affirmed that all was good? Gen. 1.31. And God saw every thing that he had made, and behold it was very good. How dare we then attest their vanity?  
The Answer is ready: In the first Creation, All was very good, but all things changed with man, and became vain; Sin put chinks into the creatures, whereby very much of their sweetness and goodness is leak'd out. Rom. 8.20. The creature was made subject to vanity, q. d. which before was free from it. And man by reason of his corruption reaps nothing but vanity out of these things; as a Spider that draws poison from the sweetest flower. 1 Tim. 4.4. Every creature of God is good,( not only was good) and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving; For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. So then, because the creatures are not rightly received or used, This it is that makes them to become vain unto us; our filthy Spiderlike nature sucks poison from them. We love them too much, we trust in them, we abuse them. 
Tit. 1.15  Unto the pure all things are pure, but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure, but even their mind and conscience is defiled: As pure water that runs into a filthy channel, or a rich garment received with miry hands.  
Next, Let us require how it may be proved, that this World is a Map of vanity? I answer, The Field and theme is very large, but I shal only touch on three things. 1. go to particulars, they will prove it. 2. Nothing but God can satisfy the heart, creatures cannot. 3. All earthy things do fa●e and vanish from us in a very short time: And as flowers newly gathered, the harder we grasp them, and the more we smell to them, the sooner they droop and whither: but if we let them grow, they will  shed their leaves, and quickly let fall their Mantle of glory; so is it with all creatures.  
First, I say, Should we go to particulars, and call in the creatures; and should they all appear before us,( as they did before Adam, to have names given them) they would readily seal to this truth, and confess that their Motto is vanity. As for the Angels there was folly in them, 
Job 4.18. Psa. 39.5 Psa. 62.9 Isai. 40.17. Psal. 33.17.  for one moiety fell. Man the Masterpiece of the lower Creation, in his greatest glory, is altogether vanity. Yea, He is lighter then vanity: Nay is it not said, That All Nati●ns are less then nothing and vanity? Why then should I mention other inferior creatures made for mans use? 
Psal. 33.17.  An Horse is a vain thing t● save a man. The same also may be said of all the honours, riches, and delightful things of the world. Varro collected out of the Philosophers 288 things, in which they would have our Summum Bonum to consist, yet they all did shoot wide and miss the mark; not one of them mentioning Communion with God in Christ, every one set up his beloved vanity for a God. Would you see the picture of vanity that you may know its face? Look on Beauty, Knowledge, Nobility, Plenty, Pleasure, and long life. Vanity shows itself in Food, Recreations, Apparel, and Buildings. What shall I say, when the highest Glory of the World is vanity? For twice you red of vain Glory; 
Gal. 5.26 Phil. 2.3 Jam. 1.26  Glory, and yet vain! Nay you red of a stranger thing yet, a vain Religion, in Saint James; This mans Religion is vain: that is, mostly, not only the worlds villainy and folly, but its Religion also is vain, as being a cloak for their sin, and made subservient to our lusts and interests. If the creatures and all our enjoyments be so vain, how vain a thing is SIN? Oh who can number the sons and daughters of Vanity? Surely another Deluge of Vanity hath overflowed the Creation! Solomon, that dived to the bottom of the World, brought up this News, That all is vanity!  
The second Argument is this, Nothing but God in Christ can satisfy the heart: To feed upon husks, and yet not have a bellyful of them, was the Prodigals misery. The world is but husks, hollow and deceitful food; or a feeding u●on wind. With the dog in the fable, we catch at shadows; and embrace with Ixion a Cloud in stead of Juno. We dream we eat, and when we awake, we find ourselves empty: This world is but the dream of a shadow; and the good things thereof are rather appearances then realities: The round world cannot fill the triangular heart; some nooks and corners will be empty, and there is a intenseness in the Soul after more. Whence arise distractions of heart, rovings after variety, sparkles of endless thoughts, and saith one, Those secret flowings and ebbs, and tempests and estuations of that Sea of corruption in the heart of man, but because he cannot find a fullness and satisfaction in Sublunaries? with Noah's Dove, he sees no footing but on the Ark, Christ Jesus. Solomon saith, The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear with hearing; Why do ye bestow your labour for that which satisfies not? 
Isa. 55.2.  O but there's a fullness in Christ, His flesh is meat indeed; and he will satisfy the longing soul with goodness. 
Ps. 107.9 Symond's Case and Cure.  One compares this World to a Kings Palace; children and Country people are taken with the Pictures and fine Hangings, but the wise and grave Statesmen do pass by them, their business is with the King: So most men stay in the out-rooms and low things of the world, whilst believers pass on, and have communion with the King of Kings.  
Thirdly, All earthly things are vain, because they do vanish, as Varnish that endureth not; worldly things vanish from us, or we from them  
1. Created glory doth vanish like a shadow, especially from those that follow it most eagerly. Jonas his gourd was the emblem of this world; it soon shrivels, its delights are pleasing, but fading; for, saith Paul, the fashion of the World passes away. How doth Providence ring the changes in the lower steeple of this world? Pithias who had feasted Xerxes and his whole Army( so rich was he) afterward pined away for want of bread; Ir●s & est subito qui modo Craesus crat. Behold Bajazet( the great Turk) sitting in a Cage, and fed with crumbs from Tamerlain's Table. The Roman Nobility had a distinguishing Ornament, in the form of a Moon, to show that all Mundane honours are mutable; they wore it also on their shoes, to signify their contempt of this world. The same may be said of pleasures, 
Heb. 11.25. Pro. 23.5.  that are but for a season; and of riches, that take to themselves wings and fly from us: Not the wings of a tame bide, that will return; nor the wings of an Hawk, that may be found by his bells; but, the wings of an Eagle, never more to be seen by us.  
2. We also must vanish from the bubble glory: as the ship under sail we are in constant motion, and shall suddenly reach the cost of Eternity. Although the glory of the world should be true to us, and attend us to the grave, yet it cannot go with us a step farther. Adrian the Emperor, that had lived so gloriously, dyed as despairingly: 
Ael. Spartianus. p. 23.  
Animula, Vagula, Blandula,  
Quae nunc abibis in loca?  'Twas a divine speech of Cicero, Mors terribilis est iis, quorum cum vitâ omnia exti●guuntur; Death must needs be frightful to them, whose happiness ends with their life. And Seneca thus; De fa●licitate homin●s ultimus dies judicat: Thy last day will resolve thee whether indeed thou art happy. At the hour of our death then the world will appear in its vanity; for naked we must return to the Earth, our common Mother.  
1. See then the folly and madness of our spirits, in doting and fastening our eyes and hearts upon outward and transitory things; In lifting up the soul to vanity, 
Psa. 24.4.  as the Psalmist expresses it: How many more foolishly then the rude Indians, who exchange gold for glass, barter the treasures of immortal life for trifles and toys, nay vanity itself: like Esau that sold his birthright for a mess of pottage, and the foolish Gadarens, that preferred their Swine before Christ: such are described, 
Eph. 4.17  to walk in the vanity of their mind. How are the hearts of many( who yet profess Christ) riveted and glued to the world, the follies and advantages thereof; saying with Peter, Bonum est esse hic; Lord it is good for us to be here! But let brutish Mammonists and mere Earth-worms( especially) consider their estate: If the Word cannot represent Earths vanity to you, Death will: Offer a man that is struggling for breath, embroidered apparel, cophers of gold, titles of honour, the most exquisite music, or the most sumptuous buildings, he will dis-regard your offers, and tell you, Now I see all this is vanity: Dreadful to worldlings will be the hour of their death; when their friends shall bemoan them, Physicians forsake them, God frown upon them, senses fail them, Earth leave them, Heaven refuse them, and Tophet challenge them; then assuredly the note will be changed; No more, Vanity of vanities, all is vanity! but now, Misery of miseries, all is misery! This will be an everlasting sting in their hearts, to ponder how much they have lost for how little; that they have lost glory for vanity, happiness for vexation, Christ for a 
* Pro. 28.21. Amos 2.6  Crust, and immortal life for the dream of a shadow; like them that sold the Righteous( and consequently partend with Heaven) for a pair of shoes. Millions do lose endless pleasures for things that perish in the using.  
2. Mistake not, with Monks and Hermits; who because of the worlds vanity forsake all company and lawful refreshings tending to the comfort of life; fly into the Wilderness, shut up them in Cloisters, Cells and Rocks; bury themselves alive( as it were) in the Earth: And thus while they cry out of the worlds vanity, they themselves become vain and sottish creatures, and unprofitable burdens of the Earth. 
1 Tim. 4.4  Paul saith, No creature of God is to be refused: Divines say, There is Abstinentia Noxia, & cum Valetudinis Dispendio, which is alike sinful with excess.  
3. See that not only the Theory, but the Practical part of this Point sink into you: Many will rail against the world, but yet enjoy and pursue it: like the buyer, saith one, in the Proverbs, who saith, It is nought, 
Prov. 20.  it is nought! but when he is gone apart he boasts of his bargain: So many will say of the world, it is nought, it is nought; they will swear all is vanity; but when they are apart, they reconcile themselves unto it, they roll it as a sweet morsel under their tongue: And this shows the vanity of the world, when its favourites and Vassals will confess it; and such as most love it will not openly own it.  
4. Pray the Lord with David, That he would avert your eyes from the world, that they may not be taken with its glistering vanities. The world hath many baits and snares forth, but hear Gregory, Non debet intueri quod non licet concupisci; You must not look upon that which it is a sin to covet: The world is a great Sorcerer, sets a spell on very many; and at last( saith one) shall be burnt for a Witch. 
2 Pet. 3. 7● Virgil.   
Cum semel ardenti fllagrabunt omnia Febre. Now, by the eyes, oftentimes, as by windows, death steals into the heart, as in the case of Eve and David. The eye is the Souls burning-glass; if it fix too long, it may endanger the burning of our affections. 
Muscul. in Ps. 119 p. 967.  Per oculo● maxima objectorum tentatio mentibus illabitur, saith Musculus on this Text: A world of mischief creeps into the heart by the eyes, Pray the Lord therefore to hold and guide the reins of that wandering sense, that so the worlds vanity may keep without us; or if our hearts must be the thoroughfare of vain thoughts, yet they may not 
* Jer. 4.14.  lodge in us.  
Lastly, If it be thus, That the whole World is a MAP of Vanity, Then expect not your Rest in this life; Hope not to get full satisfaction till you get save into Heaven: Resolve to center and anchor in Jesus Christ. Fecisti nos Domine adte, & inquietum est cor nostrum donec requiescat inte, said Austin. As the Needle in a Compass trembles till it settles in the North-Point, so the heart can have no rest but in Christ. cvi Christus incipit dulcescere necesse est amarescere mundum, saith Bernard; When Christ begins to grow sweet, and we relish things spiritual, then the world will grow bitter, and we shall grow better. God is worthy of our loves, and we may safely put our trust in his word; which cannot be affirmed of any thing below God. Saints may well say and sing of Christ, There is no Beloved like this Beloved! Stand aside Vanity, away with all the gilded glory and pomp of the world; here is a Brightness that outshines it, and a Glory that swallows it up! As the shining of the Sun makes the stars to disappear; so the transcendent Beauty, and the matchless Glory of Jesus Christ, draws a veil upon the splendour of this world! Christ is the Apple-tree among the trees and shrubs of the forest: Christ must have the pre-eminence: And what is Heaven but to see and enjoy Christ? Surely in Heaven we shall turn our eyes from one glory to another, and bless ourselves that ever we should be so sottish as to view and prise the meaner trifles and vanities on Earth: I conclude with reverend Bolton, Faith and her princely train tread down triumphantly before us the painted babbles and Babels of this transitory world; holding still fresh and flourishing in our eye the immortality and bliss of a never-fading Crown.  
The next Observation is this, That  
The Eye of man is the chief inlet of much vanity, and evil to the soul. This is clearly implied, for otherwise David had not put up that request, That God would turn away his eye from beholding vanity. You see my Task; I am to treat of Spiritual optics; a theme that hath not been distinctly handled by any that I know of: Let not, Reader, thy heart and eyes wander, while I am describing unto thee the eyes infirmities by Nature; with its excellencies, and high operations by Grace and Glory.  
Now that the eye is an inlet of much mischief to the Soul, may thus appear to us.  
1. It is often expressed in Gods Word, which is a Word of Truth: I shall here instance but in two places, which are of all other the most eminent. 2 Pet. 2.14. Eyes full of adultery, that cannot cease from sin: And 1 John 2.16. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. How oft is there mention in the Gospels of an evil eye?  
2. This also is evident from Examples; The forbidden three was lovely to the eye of Eve. 
Gen. 3.6.  Potiphars wife cast her eyes too often on the comely person of Joseph, which did her no good. David from his Turret espied that which occasioned great and complicated mischief. 
Josh. 7.21  Achan saw a goodly babylonish garment, and so was ensnared. 
●1 Reg. 21.2. Prov. 23.31  Ahab saw Naboths Vineyard, and how commodiously it lay for him, and so was set on fire to covet it: And Solomon saith. The colour and sparkling of the wine inviteth the drinker to excess. Thus you see it confirmed by Examples, and we see it proved by frequent and sad Experience, That the eye is, and hath been an inlet of much evil to the Soul: Euclid saith, An Ocular Demonstration is of all other the strongest, and who hath not this in his own bosom? Who is it that hath not seen and observed much evil to slide in upon the heart, by that sense, both in himself and others?  
3. The Eye is a most active Broker, a nimble Spy and busy Factor for sin, to search out temptations for the whole man; 'Tis, as I said, the burning-glass of the Soul, that fixing too long on forbidden fruit, will beget a flamme in the heart that is not good, before we are ware of it. Evil thoughts, like little thieves, put in at the windows of our eyes, do soon open the door for greater, I mean the most fearful sins. 
Musculus in Ps. 119. p. 968.  Deinde etiàm imprudentibus & longè aliud agentibus, ipsi Oculi, corrupti cordis ministri, ad ea qua vana sunt exorbitant, saith Musculus on this Text. Before we think on't our eyes do fasten their phanges on vanity. The eye is quick and nimble in motion; therefore the lightning is seen before the thunder is heard, though the thunder is in time before it; And when the Scripture describes the suddenness of any thing, it saith, in the twinkling of an eye. 
2 Cor. 15.52.  The Hawk or Eagle cannot stoop on his prey with that celerity as the eye can glance upon an object: There is also a quick and easy passage from the eye to the heart, although in the fabric of the body there is such a distance between them. Antequam sentias irrepit malum, per oculos contractum in ipsa affectuum penetralia, & perditionis seminaria injicit. The eye can very suddenly convey and shoot mischief into the heart.  
4. There are every where many baits and snares for the eye of man: corruption is ever stirring within, and Satan very busy without; and whatsoever we look on may have a pit, a noose in it. Quocunque te vertas occurrunt irritamenta malorum: Which way soever thou turnest the rolling eye, it doth move from one vanity to another, as a bide that hops from a limetwig, and is taken in a snare, and there suddenly surprised. Inter tot passions hujus corporis, inter tantas illecebras hujus saeculi, difficile est tutum servare vestigium. Among so many corruptions in the heart, and in the world, it is hard to tread even: Nay if the eye discover not a Net laid for thee, itself( saith Ambrose) will become a snare unto thee.  
5. Mens actions are like their eyes, and resemble that which they see: We, 
2 Cor. 3.18.  saith Paul, beholding as in a mirror the Glory of the Lord, are ourselves transformed into the same image: So on the contrary, by beholding vanity we degenerate and become vain: As Jacobs sheep looking on the Rods, brought forth Lambs like the Rods, 
Gē. 30.39  Ring-straked, speckled, and spotted, Lam. 3.51. Mine eye affecteth my heart. Such as the eye is, such will the heart be; That liketh the heart, which pleaseth the senses most. The old Serpent having wound his head in at our eye, will easily work his whole body into the heart and life. This is brought as the character of vile men, that they have not the Fear of God before their eyes, Psal. 36.1. Intimating that if the Fear of God be not before our eyes, it cannot be set before the heart, or have any influence upon the life: 
Musculits.  Maximum irritamentum pravae concupiscentiae est in oc●l●s, si permittatur illis vagandi libertas: If without all fear of God we give our eyes full liberty to range, 'twill prove a fearful spur unto lust: And the vain objects which thou beholdest will imprint their image and likeness on thy heart. 'Tis decided among Philosophers, that Visio sit specie visibili extrinsecus in oculum r●cepta. By receiving in the species of a visible object, is any thing seen, and not by emitting certain rays or spirits from the eye to the object; Aristotle holds the former, 
Aristot. de Sen. & Sensib. lib. 1. cap. 2. Plato in Timaeo.  and Plato the latter. Christianity goes further, and tells us that the species of vain and sinful objects are not only received into the eye, but into the heart. You may see your face in the eye of another man, if you look near it, whence the Hebrews call the Pupil of the eye the little man in the eye: But then, not only the eye but the heart doth receive and harbour the images of the things that we see.  
6. The eye lets in a flood of discontent upon the soul, when it cannot attain what it seeth and desireth. The vulgar saying tells you, that which the eye seeth not, the heart ruth not. The eye of man ranging and searching for content, and some further variety thereof, brings home the dissatisfaction it sindeth, and lays it down at the heart, Eccles. 1.8. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear with hearing. If Austine had enjoyed his wish. To see Rome in its glory, 
Hugo. carded. in Psal. 119.37. Tom. 2. tub. 306.  Paul in the Pulpit, and Christ upon earth, His eye had not reaped any absolute contentment. On the other side, How many things do we covet by seeing, but enjoy not? Hugo Cardinalis writing on the Text, hath this Observation; As women with child do miscarry if they see any eating thing with a longing eye, and do not enjoy it, so the sight of many outward vanities, which we long for, doth render us much discontented, and maketh our religious intentions abortive.  
7. The eye discovers much of the heart, and so gives occasion for suitable temptations from Satan and men, who not knowing our thoughts directly or absolutely, do collect and gather much from the eye. Momus wished there were a casement in his breast that all men might red his thoughts. The wish was needless; for the eyes are two crystal windows, by which Angels and men may look in and red very much of our hearts: Our thoughts are apt to bewray themselves in the face, and chiefly in the eyes: As a man sees, so he is seen by his eyes. In oculis, & poculis homo cognoscitur; All men discover themselves by their eyes, and some among their cups; In vino veritas. Si quis corporis oculos considenet, eos admodum esse garrulos, qua●vis sine voice, comperiet: 
Drexelius de Rect. Int. lib. 2. cap. 9. P. 370.  Suum Dominum saepissimè produnt, latentes Affectus evulgant, saith Drexelius. The eyes without a voice, are very talkative, apt to babble and divulge the secrets of the heart; for they often uncase and betray their Master: In oculis relucet cor & anima, omnesque ainae affectus, saith Alapide. The heart and all the passions shine through the eye as a candle through the lantern, or jewels in the Sun through a Lovehood. I find in Scripture ten epithets given to the eye, all which promulgate the temper and frame of the heart.  
1. You red of a proud and scornful eye; the stoutness of the heart sparkles out at the eye: 
Pro. 6.17. & 30.13  You red in the word, of a proud look, and a lofty eye. Pride, scorn, mocking, and disdainful contempt have their chief Rande zvouz in the eye. Some red more in the looking glass then Bible. And Narcissus or pygmalion like, they are enamoured with their own shadows and images. 
Psal. 131 1.  Lord, saith David, Mine heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty! If there be haughtiness in the heart, there will be loftiness in the eyes.  
2. Next you red of a wanton and lustful eye, that declares the heart to be frying with unchaste flames. The Daughters of Jerusalem ●●nt with stretched forth n●●ks, 
Isal. 3.16  and war 〈◇〉 e●es. Incesta est sin● st●●●● quae cupit sinprum, saith Seneca: 〈◇〉 Saviour saith the same, 
Matth. 5.28  He that looks on 〈◇〉 woman to lust after her, hath already 〈…〉 adulter, 
2 Pet. 2.14.  in his heart. The word is not 〈◇〉, but 〈◇〉; The one signifieth to ●●e or behold, the other to look earnestly, not only with the eye, but heart: In Evangelio motus oculi adaequatur adulterio, & illecebrosa affectio visus transcurrentis, cum opere fornicationis punitur, saith Hilary. In the Gospel the lascivious motion of the eye is made equal with adultery, and the enticing affection of a glancing look is punished for fornication. Impudicus oculus impudici cordis est nuntius, saith Jerom, A wanton eye is the Messenger and Trumpeter of a lustful heart. Zaleuchus commanded the eyes of an Adulterer to be put out, as being partners in the sin, and little Beagles that hunt after lustful objects: And I have red that a certain Roman was degraded for kissing his wife before his children.  
3. There is also a thievish, false, and filshing eye; such an eye had Achan; his heart and eye plundered before his hand: We are charged not to covet our neighbours goods, That is, 
Josh. 7.21  not only not to put out the hand, but not to put out a long, or a longing eye after them. Justin saith of one, that Quae em●re non poterat, oculis devorabat; What he could not buy with his purse, he devoured with his eye. This was Ahab's sin, when he oft viewed and coveted the Vineyard.  
4. There is an idolatrous eye, an eye that is too superstitious, and pleased with outward pomp and splendour in Gods worship. Pictures and images are first the Laymans book, by and by his God. What is the Romish profession, but a religion to catch men by the eye? what is the meaning of their pompous and gaudy worship? what signifies their painted windows and walls, their marble Floors and Pillars, their embroidered Copes, and Altars so richly decked, but to court and ensnare the eyes of the vulgar? 'Tis said, when Aaron saw the melted Calf of Gold, 
Exo. 32.5 2 Reg. 16 10  he made an Altar before it: And when Ahaz saw an Altar at Damascus, his heart must needs have a pattern of it to sand Urijah.  
5. Next there is a timorous and fearful eye: When a certain soldier turned from the face of Augustus, he gave this for a reason, Qui fulmen oculorum tuorum far non possum; His eyes were so weak and timorous that he could not look on the flaming eyes of Augustus. 'Tis said that when goliath came out, all the men of Israel that saw him fled, 
1 Sam. 17 24. Ephe. 6.6  and were fore afraid. Bad Servants are described to give eye-service to their Masters: That is, No further then fears or their Masters eye is upon them. Tacitus also hath a pretty saying, that in battles the eyes are the first that are conquered.  
6. There is a furious and wrathful eye: When Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, then was Haman full of wrath: 
Esth. 3.5  Cum spirat ira sanguinem, nescit tegi. If there be wrath boiling in the heart, it ever flames at the eyes. Cor palpitat, corpus tremit, 
Greg. Mor. lib. 3.  facies ignescit, exasperant oculi, saith Gregory. A Tyrant is one that scatters death with his frowns, an angry man is the picture of the Devil.  
7. There is an envious and carping eye: Mat. 20.15. Is thine eye evil, because mine is good? This is a pin and web in the eye of many, who look a squint on the prosperity of others. There is an eye that ever gazeth on the infirmities of other men: They who prie into the lives of others, are like Plutarch's Lamie, who put their eyes in a Box when they stayed at home, and never set them in their heads but when they went abroad: And our Saviour speaks of those, that see a more in their brothers eye, 
Mat. 7.3.  but spy not the beam that is in their own eye, Mat. 7.3. The man full of envy, hath Vultus minax, torvus aspectus, 
Cyprian. Serm. 2. de zelo & livore.  Pallor in fancy, in labiis tremor, saith Cyprian: A threatening screwed countenance, with paleness in the cheeks, and trembling lips, and so he goeth on to paint out the odious face of envy.  
8. There is a suspicious and jealous eye, which is, 
Pro. 6.34.  saith Solomon, The rage of a man; he will not spare in the Day of vengeance. Suspitio venenum amicitiae est: To be jealous of thy relations and friends is the way to make them thine enemies. But charity, saith Paul, 
Chrys. supper Mat.  thinks no evil: And we are bid to lay aside all our foolish surmises. Let us hear Chrysostom on Matthew, Omnis homo ex se aestimat alterum, fornicarius neminem purat castum, &c. A jealous and suspicious eye is an argument of an unsound and bad heart, which judgeth others by itself.  
9. There is a bribed eye, perverting justice, that seeth and seeth not. Hear Solomon, 
Prov. 16.19.  Thou shalt no● respect persons, nor take a bribe; for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous. A bribed eye is hung upon a Golden hook, it hath a very thick mist before it: Therefore the Areopagita of Athens heard all their causes in the dark night, that their eyes might not be tempted to have respect of persons.  
10. Lastly, There is a winking eye; as given either first to craft and mocking; Or secondly, to overmuch sleep.  
1. There is a winking eye that ever doth mock and deceive. 
Prov. 10.10.  He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow: And the Psalmist saith, 
Ps. 35.19  Let not them that are mine enemies rejoice over me, neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause. The vanity of the heart doth discover itself by these kind of Gestures, and Motions of the eye.  
2. There is a winking eye, that is besoted with sluggishness, and given up to immoderate sleep: Somno delectari est quasi mortem moliri; To be given to much sleep, is to be butted alive: Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little winking with the eye, 
Pro. 20.13  a little folding of the arms to sleep! Poverty and misery are coming on this wretch as armed men. One saith, He never knew a great sleeper come to be eminent in Church or State. Immoderate sleeping is the nurse of diseases, the moth of estates, the canker of time, the bellows of lust, and the bane of Souls. But then our sluggishness on the Lords Day is most unpardonable: Then early rising is good, to have time to tune the affections and presume the Soul for the public Worship: 'Tis said, 
Mark 1.35, 38. Mar. 16.2.  that Christ rose early, and went into a solitary place, and afterwards he preached in the Synagogues: And the two Maries were up early in the morning of the first day of the week, the Christian Sabbath. How desperate a sin then is sleeping on that day, and in the time of the public Ordinances? 
Mat. 26.40  Some cannot watch with Christ one hour. Acts 20.7. They heard Paul till midnight. Mediâ nocte vigilant, saith Chrysostom, ut eos condemnent qui mediâ die dormiunt; They wake at midnight to condemn others that sleep at noon. Let such as sleep in the solemn Assemblies remember Eutichus, and know their damnation slumbers not. 1. They lose the Word. 2. Offend the Speaker and hearers. 3. Publish the rottenness of their sottish hearts. 4. Give men cause to suspect their game and drunken watching the night before. Austin saith, 'Tis a shane for the Sun to find us asleep in our beds; how much more may I say to find us nodding in our pews?  
Before I close this, 
Of Visions and Dreams.  let me say something to Revelations and Visions in dreams of the night, wherewith poor Seekers and seduced ones are ensnared by the Devil: Familists gape for Visions and Revelations, calling such as have their eyes open and on the Scriptures, Litterists and Vowalists; and the written Word a low and inky Divinity, yea Pessimum mundi Idolum. The Anabaptists in Munster were much lead by dreams and inspirations, and were a vile crew of Monsters, in the doublets of men. Violent impulses, moving to break Scripture bounds, drop from one that can transform himself into an Angel of light. 
See Burgess Reftnings, sec. 3. p. 133.  Tertullian was sadly deluded by admiring of Montanus and Priscilla, as Prophets; contemning all others as people in the dark. 'Tis said of Swinkfeldius( who cried up Revelations) that caput regulatum illi defuit, cor bonum non defuit; But commonly such opinions usher in a loose conversation. Of old indeed God did immediately reveal his Will in 
* Gen. 48.12 Mat. 27.19.  Dreams; but now by his Word to which nothing is to be added to the worlds end, Rev. 22.18. Irenaeus tells of some that called themselves Apostle-menders. Mahomet saith he discoursed with the Angel Gabriel, 
Bulling. adv. Anabapt. lib. 1. c. 2.  whose Dictates are recorded in the Alchoran. The Helcesaits, saith Bullinger, affirmed they had a Book sent them from Heaven, in which all divine Mysteries were revealed. We red of John of Leidens deep sleep and dream for three days together; at last awaking and feigning himself speechless, he wrote down twelve poor men to be Governors of Munster; adding, that a man was not tied to one wife. Now this heretics do, for the amazing and amusing of the vulgar, and to secure their corrupt Tenets from the hazard of Disputation: But enough of these filthy Dreamers, as judas calls them, if not too much.  
And thus you have seen the several sins of the Eye, which trumpet forth the vanity of the mind, and disclose the secrets of the heart: 
M. T. Cicero Orat. lib. 3.  So true was that of Cicero, Imago animi vultus est, Indices autem oculi: The mind is written in the volume of the face, but the eyes are the Index.  
And so much of the seventh Reason, That the eye discovers much of the heart, and so gives occasion for suitable temptations; for Satan hath a bait for every fish, snares and hooks of all shapes and sizes.  
8. And lastly, The eye is not onely a means to wrong ourselves, but others; as the Basilisk who kills men by beholding them, if the story be not feigned. What James saith of the tongue, is as true of the eye: 
Gen. 6.2, 17  It is a very little member, but how great a matter doth a little fire kindle? 'Tis an unruly evil, a world of iniquity, setting on fire the course of Nature, and it is set on fire of Hell. Beauty and lust so enflamed the old World, that it cost them a Deluge to quench the fire: Sparkling eyes so bewitched men in those corrupt times, that 'tis expressly mentioned among the causes of the Flood, and of bringing the World to confusion. When Alexander took any beautiful Captives, 
●rch.  he saluted them with eyes fixed upon the ground, to avoid ensnaring; but among his familiars he would say, Dolores oculorum sunt Perficae pvellae, The Persian Ladies made his eyes to ache. Histories tell us, that if Helena's eyes had been less sparkling, the Grecians and the Trojans had not lost so many thousand of their friends, who sacrificed themselves in her quarrel. 'Tis said, that whilst Apelles drew the Picture of the fair Com●aspes, he foolishly grew in love with her, that was the Mistress of Alexander; who yet denied himself, and gave her to Apell●● in marriage. Solomon adviseth men not to look upon an harlot; Lust not after her b●●ury in thy heart, 
Pro. 6.25  neither let her take thee with her eye-lids: q. d. come not within ●●●not of her deadly wounding eyes: which, saith Austin, made the beautiful Thus●●n to ●eform his most lovely face with 〈…〉 lest it should prove to others an incentive of lust. 
2 Sam. 11  Bathsheba's beauty was the occasion of Davids sin, her own desiling, and her husbands undoing.  
And thus I have given you the several Arguments, which prove the eye is the inlet of evil.  
Come we now to the A●●plication.  
1. Here is 〈…〉 ●●er●ation, that so usent and 〈…〉 ●●mber as the eye ●f man, 〈…〉 ●ned and bruised and corrupted by the Fall: 
Gen. 3.6.  The forbidden fruit appeared lovely to the eye; so that the misery man first began in that sense.  
Let us consider four things of the eye.  
1. First, The wonderful Frame thereof; It is a little globe full of visory spirits, 
See Brierhood & Sciblers optics, And Dr reeds Anatomy of the eye.  and resembles the round animated world. The visory spirits are begotten of the animal, which flow from the brain, into the eye, by the Nerve optic; From those proceed the visible and reflected rays in the eye as in a glass; which soon form an image of the thing seen, and is received in the crystalline humour; and by the visory spirits, through the nerve optic, is conveyed to the brain, to be considered by the internal senses of Imagination, Memory, and the common sense. The eye hath greatest variety of objects to feed and delight in; It ranges through the world, and in a moment pierces the Skies even to the fixed stars: The eye is made up of many wonders, and large Tracts are written of it Philosophically; to let you know the frame of it, and display the several colours, muscles, tunicles and humours that be in the eye; of all which the curious Anatomist and exact Artist hath taken notice. The eyes for number are two, the better to give direction to the body; In figure they are round, and most capable thereby of objects and motion; In situation, they are placed very high, in the most royal place of the body, far above the rest of the senses to direct our motion, and espy any dangerous evils.  
The eye-lid is a Purse or 
* Oculus dicitur ab oculendo, saith Varro.  Case for this jewel, and the eye-brow a bulwark to defend it. How sensible then should we be of sins malignity, that hath made a member so excellent, to become a snare, and a trap, a daily occasion, and contriver, and intelligencer, and inlet of much mischief to the soul; That it had been better for millions, if they had been born blind.  
Secondly, Consider the Necessity of this Organ for our outward well-being, and the Government of ourselves, and our affairs: Without this sense the life of man is a burden unto him, and he himself a burden to the earth: If thine eye be evil, saith Christ, 
Mat. 6.23.  thy whole body shall be full of darkness. Ty●●henus having lost his eyes in a sight with Lygdamus, commanded his body to be set right against the face of the enemy, that so he might discharge his Darts upon them, or at least in receiving his deadly wound, supply the room of a valiant and seeing soldier. The want of this sense made venerable Bede, deluded by his wicked guid to preach unto an heap of stones. Should you walk into the Hospital in Paris, where there are three hundred blind men all together, you would hear the precious sense of seeing not a little extolled; and the sad affliction of blindness as much bewailed.  
Thirdly, Weigh the benefit of sight: for by it we do foresee many dangers at a distance, and prevent them; and by it we peruse the Word and Works of God.  
Fourthly, Adhere unto the ornament of the eye; for if the face be the Palace of beauty, the eye is the Throne; if the face be as a Ring of Gold, the eyes are the Diamonds set in it. Pulchritud horninis maximè discernitur in fancy & oculis, saith Alapide.  
Now that the Sense that hath in it such a Necessity as to happy life, should a so bring with it a Necessity of sinning; That the eye which hath so many benefits, should have as many maladies; And finally, that the eye which is such an Ornament to the body, should add unto the souls deformity: How should all this afflict our souls, and make us mourn and weep over the ruins of fallen man, Nay, even those which appear in the eye; And then withall to consider, that the eye had not had that faculty of weeping, if man had not fallen? How many distempers is the eye of man subject unto? Charron in his Book of Wonders saith, the Diseases of the eye are an hundred and twenty: and perhaps itis spiritual maladies may be as many.  
The second Use, shall be Matter of Admonition, unto two duties. 1. That we should be very watchful over this wandring sense. 2. To make our eyes happy inlets of Grace.  
First, 
1 Branch of Admonition.  Is the eye of man the sad inlet of much evil, and vanity to the soul, as you have heard? ( the more is the pity) then let all Christians be admonished to watch over that roving and wandring sense, that you may prevent or mitigate those evils and mischiefs that else will follow the neglect.  
I shall spread before you the Motives and Means. 
1 Motives.   
The Motives are such as these,  
1. Consider God's eyes are upon us, to observe all our Motions, Glances, and Deportment: He seeth every idle glance of the eye, and readeth our thoughts afar off. He that made the eye, shall not he see? 
Isa 32. 1●  His eyes run to and fro the earth. Hear Is●iah, Great in counsel, and mighty in work; for thine eyes are upon all the ways of the Sons of men, to give every one the fruit of his doings. Solomon saith, 
Pro. 15.3  The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. Giges his Ring could not make him invisible as to God. 
Caryl on Job. Vol. 3. P. 452  There is a vast difference between Gods eye and mans; which One unfolds in seven Particulars. 1. Mans eye is but a Means or Instrument of knowledge, but Gods eye is his knowledge. 2. Man must have a twofold light to see by, An inward light in the Organ, an outward in the Medium: 
Job 34.22.  But God seeth in the night; The darkness and light are both alike to him. 3. Man seeth one thing after another, but God seeth all things at once. 
Psal. 33.13, 14.  4. The eye of man seeth but at a certain distance, God is Omnipresent, and nothing is far from him. 5. Mans eye seeth the out-side of things, but the Lord is a discerner of the heart, and nothing is hide from him. 6. The eye of man may be deluded and deceived, Gods cannot. 7. The eye of a man is but of yesterday, Gods eye is from everlasting. To which I may add, 8. The eye of man is not always open, or awake, the Lords eyes never slumber nor sleep. 9. Mans eye may be darkened by Dimness, Diseases, or Bribes, 
Psal. 80.16. & 104.32.  Gods cannot. 10. And lastly, The eye of man may see and observe that which is amiss, but is not able to punish it, God's is notable; for the eye of Jehovah can look us into hell; he can nod us to destruction.  
O stand in awe of God and his eye, which is ever upon thee; For if thou do but look awry, or think awry, God sees it: He is totus oculus, all eye, that looks upon thee; And he cannot abide to behold iniquity in the eye, in the heart: Go which way thou wilt God sees thee; as the eye of a well-drawn picture, which vieweth all that be in the room: Thales Milesius being asked if God saw our evil actions: Yea, said he, if we do but think amiss.  
2. Know that God hath commanded us to hold fast the reins of that wandring, 
Pro. 4.25.  unruly sense: Let thine ey●s, saith Solomon, look right on, and let thine eye-lids look strait before thee. Ponder the path of thy feet; and let all thy ways be established. i. e. Let not your eyes wander, but be sixed on right objects: Have Oculum in Metam, which was Ludovicus vives his Motto. Do as mariners, That have their eye on the Star, or Haven, their hand on the Stern. Look not on the wine when 'tis read, 
Prov. 23.31  when it gives his colour in the Cup, when it moveth itself aright. Vitiis nobis in animum per oculos est via, saith Quintilian. Solomon doth not say, Drink it not, but Look not on it. q. d. Let not thine eye intoxicate thy heart.  
3. God hath made an excellent promise to circumspection over our eyes. He had rather draw us with Cords of love, then whip us with Scorpions. 
Isai. 33.15, 16.  He that shutteth his eyes from seeing evil, shall dwell on high, his place of defence shall be the Munition of Rocks, bread shall be given him, his waters shall be sure, thine eye shall see the King in his beauty. Here is a large promise of Temporal and Eternal blessings, to such as watch over their senses, and shut their eyes from seeing evil.  
4. That which had a blemish in the eye was not to be offered in sacrifice to God, 
Levit. 21 20  and he that had a blemish in his eye was not to approach the Altar, and offer it. That which was offered, whether male or female, 
Deut. 15 21  was to be without any kind of blemish; If it had a blemish in the eye, though otherwise never so fat and fair, it was not to be offered to the Lord. All this was Hieroglyphical, and Typical of far greater mysteries under the Gospel; For if there be any anger, or lust, or envy in the eye, the whole Sacrifice is spoyled; God will not accept of it.  
5. A Spark is more easily quenched then a flamme; while the tentatian is only in the eye, it is but a spark, and may be quenched; If it be recommended by the eye unto the heart, and the heart closeth with it, it becomes a flamme. Principiis obsta, Crush the Cokatrices egg before it break out to be a fiery, flying, and stinging Serpent. If a mad man be only in the porch of our house, we sit still and fear him not, but boult the doors, and shut him out of the Hall and Parlour: Thus the eye is the Porch of the Soul, many vagabond temptations will come there, but let them not proceed any further, and they shall do thee no harm: So it was with Paul, when he presently shook off the Viper into the fire.  
6. The Saints have been thus careful and diligent in watching over their eyes, and have held it a business of no small importance to be so doing. You see David is praying for it in the Text; And again he saith, Mine eyes are ever towards the Lord! Joseph would not look on his Mistress, 
Psal. 25.15.  nor harken to her dangerous invitation; but escaped from her, saying, 
Job 31.1  How can I do this wickedness, and sin against God? Job, that he might not look lasciviously, made a Covenant with his eyes to be sober; and arming himself against unclean and impure thoughts, resolving to maintain the Fort of his heart, he prepares to secure the Line of Communication, and neglects not the Outworks of his senses; He made a Covenant with his eyes; and purposed they should not go post at pleasure, from one vanity unto another. The Marian Martyrs, being fastened to the stake, and the fire now kindled, would not look upon the Box,( containing in it a pardon upon recantation) which was set upon a stool before them; but cried Away with it, away with it! Nazianzen wished for doors before his eyes, that such a throng of temptations might not thereby crowd into his mind.  
7. mere Heathens have done much in this Work: 
Aelian. Var. hist. lib. 3.  Amaebeas( in Aelian) would not look upon his own wife; And it is said of Clitomachus, Si quando canes videbat coeuntes seize avertebat; I forbear to English it, lest the vulgar Reader take offence. 'Tis recorded of Procopius, the Emperour, that when he came amongst women, he would ever keep his eyes fixed on the ground. I have red, That Widows among the Romans were ordered to be married on days of extraordinary Solemnity and rejoicing; Plutarch gives this reason; That the Bulk of the people being abroad at their sports and pastimes, might not see nor take so much notice of their second marriages; which in those days were no way reputed virtuous or honourable. 'Twas a notable saying of Xenocrates, 
Idem. lib. 14  There is no difference between setting your eye or foot in another mans house, they are both alike vicious and forbidden us. Menander saith, We must covet so much as a Button. To conclude, Seneca being sensible of the many snares that were laid in the eye, saith thus; Nonne intelligis partem faelicitatis nostrae esse caecitatem? Dost thou not understand 'tis part of our happiness to be made blind? Beware lest Amaebeas, Clitomachus, Procopius, Plutarch, Xenocrates, Menander, and Seneca, rise up in judgement against Christians at the great Day: For, in the  
8. And last place, The Lord will certainly punish unbridled eyes; and that temporally, spiritually, and eternally.  
1. Temporally; Hear Solomon, 
Pro. 30.17  The eye that mocks at his father, and despises to obey his mother, the Ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young Eagles shall eat it: that is, they were to die and be unburied, and so lye open to the fowl of Heaven, who falling on a carcase first begin with the eye: You see the Lord will follow a scornful look with an whole valley of curses. So samson, who fed his eyes too much in Dalliance, 
judge. 26.21. Gen. 34.2  and gazing on the beauty of Dalilah, had his eyes put out. The sight of Dinah cost the Shechemites their lives. Noahs son, Ham, had his fathers curse for looking forward, when he should have looked backward with his brethren; And Lots wife had Gods curse for looking backward, when she should have looked and marched forward with her husband: 
Joh. Trap on the Penteteuch, p. 149. Gē. 19.26 Luke 17.32.  Of the latter one thus writeth; Lots wife( Tytea, say some, by name) whether out of curiosity or foolish pity, or loth to leave so sweet a Country, she turned her about and she was turned; herein, seem it never so light, was a compound of many sins; And saith Austin, she was turned into a pillar of salt to season us; To caution us, saith our Saviour; that we look not back: The Fable of Eurydice, lost by her husbands looking back upon her, was devised by the Devil, to clude this holy History: You see how Tytea was punished for a wry look: Our eyes are not our own to wander at pleasure; an odd look may be as much as our lives are worth: 
Gen. 6. ●.  Nay wanton looks cost the world a Deluge. You red also in the ninth of Jeremy, 
Jer. 9.21.  That Death came in at the windows; perhaps at the windows of their eyes, by reason of the sins thereof.  
2. God will punish a careless eye spiritually, and by withdrawing his assistance, and leaving men to their lusts; As in the famous case of David, whose giving liberty to his eye on the Turret, was punished with giving up to adultery and murder. Let us hear Gregory; It is, saith he, 
Greg. lib. 2. in Job.  a just work of God, ut qui exteriori oculo negligenter utitur, interiori, non injust, caecetur: That he which negligently uses the external eye of his body, should be justly punished with blindness and sottishness, in the inward eye of his mind.  
3. The Lord will punish it Eternally; So Christ tells us, 
Matth. 5.29.  'Tis better to pull out the right eye sin( that is, say some, the sin that is lodged in the eye) then to be cast into Hell fire. And so Eccles. 11.9. Walk in the sight of thine own eyes; but know that for this God will bring thee to judgement! Pliny the younger went so near a smoking burning gulf, to see the cause and manner of the Eruption, that he was swallowed up of it. Eudoxus begged of the Gods, that he might with his eyes behold the Sun so near, as to comprehend his form, beauty, magnitude, and afterwards he cared not if he burned; So many rather then they will mortify the itch of curiosity, and lose their envious, libidinous, and malicious looks, resolve for ever to be burned in Hell fire. How shall the ghastly vizages of the damned, and unspeakable triumphing of the Devils, besides the fire unquenchable, and worm never dying, and darkness dismaying; vex and torment the eyes of those, who gave them up to all vanity and villainy in this life? To Eternity they shall have no pleasing object to look upon. Then those eyes that formerly were delighted with curious sights, and to feed themselves on beauteous and comely objects, and proudly to look on vain apparel on themselves, must then see nothing but what shall amaze and terrify them; An angry, sin-revenging God above them, and those Saints whom they scorned, enjoying the glory they have lost; and about them will be onely Devils and damned Souls, with whips, wracks, and other instruments of pain and cruelty: Ah then, 
Baxters Rest, 3 Part.  how will they wring their hands, gnaw their tongues, teer their hair, stamp with their feet, to consider their own folly and madness? How will they look back and say, Are all our merry meetings, our tedious dressings and paintings, our newest fashions, our wanton toys and revels, come to this? Then they shall hear the skrieks and cries of their damned associates; children crying out against their fond parents that gave them encouragement or example in evil, husbands crying out upon their wives, and wives upon their husbands, masters and servants cursing each other: one bans the time that ever he saw the face of his enchanting Dalilah; another that ever he beholded his money, his gardens, his houses that ensnared him: a third wishes that he had been born blind; and he suddenly hears an echo of many thousands, wishing they had never been born! 
Mat. 8.12  Sad is the entertainment, where the first course is continual and despairing weeping, and the second course gnashing of teeth! Momentaneum est quod delectat, aeternum quod cruciat: Oh if we could but look into Hell, and through a certain chink discover the miseries of the damned, how watchful would we be o'er the senses? how fearful of displeasing God? Chrysostom would have us daily to take a turn among the damned in our Meditations; this would wean us from sinful pleasures, and turn away our eyes from beholding vanity.  
And so much of the Motives; 
2 The Means or Helps.  Now for the Means, to help us in this work of guiding and ordering our eyes; There are four Rules that may assist you therein; Watch over the Heart, Implore strength, Shun occasions, and Fix not the eye when it happens to glance on vanity.  
1. 
1 Rule.  Be advised carefully to watch over the HEART; Keep the Fountain clean, and the streams will run pure: Let not the main Fort be taken, and the out-works will be regained: In keeping the heart the eye is preserved. Keep thy heart with all diligence( or above all keeping,) 
Prov. 4.23, 25.  for out of it are the issues of death: Let thine eyes look right on, and thine eye-lids strait before thee. And again, Prov. 23.26. My son give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways. 
Jun. & Tremel. in Ps. 119 fol. 150.  Junius and Trimellius do thus expound our Text; avert oculos, i.e. studia animi mei avoca ab iis rebus, quae hominibus videntur expetendae. Turn away mine eyes, that is to say, my thoughts and studies from vanity. Which way the thoughts and desires of your hearts go, that way goeth the eye. Our blessed Saviour expresses, that from within, out of the heart precedes an evil eye, Mat. 7.22. nile peccant oculi si oculi● animus imperat. If there be not an evil heart, there cannot be an evil eye; I mean, an eye habitually evil: The eye, ear, tongue, and all the members, are lead and acted by the heart. Ubi amor, Ibi oculus. Get then an humble, honest and clean heart; watch over it, 'tis very slippery, a gulf of deceitfulness: Get the Law of God written on thy heart in golden characters of the Spirit; this being done, thy heart will give Laws to the senses, 'twill hold the reins of the eyes.  
2. Implore health and strength from God, so doth David here; Christ bids us pray that we may not be lead into tentation: But more of this in the last Point.  
3. balk occasions of evil, and come not too much with thinking of vanity: As weak eyes forbear to look upon the Sun, so you must observe the spiritual infirmities of the eye, aand shun the objects that feed them, and provoke them to offend God: 
Erasmus out of Plutarch.  Erasmus used this similitude, As hunts-men call in their dogs, and will not suffer them to stir or bark until the fit time; Also they keep them hungry that they may with eagerness pursue the prey. Sic oportet aures & oculos non sinere quovis vagari, said rebus necessariis reservare: So it concerns us to prevent the wandring of our eyes, reserving them for necessary things. It is an hard matter, saith Nazianzen, 
Naz. de laud. Basil. Seneca, Epist. 70 lib. 2.  To pull the eyes from objects that are pleasing. 'Twas a good Rule of Seneca's, Qui deponere vult desideria rerum, quarum cupiditate flagravit; & oculos & aures ab his quae reliquit, avertat. Look not upon that which thou wouldest not lust after. Solomon saith, The eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth, i.e. 
Prov. 17 24  He suffers them to range without control, which proclaims his folly, and will work him mischief in the end. The old rule, thus; Impera, Cave: Tutus eris; Tutiorst lignum non aspexeris. Command thyself, Beware; and thou art safe: But safer if thou look not on forbidden fruit. Alipius in Austin, solicited to be at the Gladiatory combats where much blood was spilled, resolved there to shut his eyes, that he might not be defiled with the sight of those cruelties: But being there, and hearing a shout of Applause, he opened his eyes, and was so taken with those sports, that afterwards he frequented them with delight. It was a wise and gracious resolution of David,( bit by experience) To set no wicked thing before his eyes: 
Psal. 101 3. 2 Cor. 4.18  And Paul saith, We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen and Eternal. Where the word 〈◇〉, say the Grecians, is so to look as the Archer looks at the mark; not with a careless, but diligent and piercing eye; so to look on things temporal is dangerous. Cicero tells us that when Sophocles extolled the beauty of a youth very lovely, Pericles standing by gave him this seasonable check, Decet O Sophocles praetorem, non modo manus, said oculos & linguam habere abstinentes: It becomes a Praetor to instruct, not only his hands, but his eyes and tongue in the point of temperance; thereby checking the one for beholding the other for extoling so great a vanity as beauty: How many evils might we shun if we did not run headlong into their occasions?  
Here a Question may arise, Whether a Protestant, reserving his conscience to himself, may be present at Mass, or see any idolatrous worship?  
The Answer is Negative; His presence there is unlawful upon a double Ground; 
See Bishop Halls Cases of conscience Dec. 3. Case 3.  of sin, and of scandal; Of sin, if he partake in the idolatry, And who knows but his eyes may be ensnared by that gaudy worship? Of scandal, if he do but seem to partake; for he confirms the Idolaters in their sin, draws others by his example into sin, grieves the spirits of the good. Paul would not have his Corinthians eat meat sacrificed to an Idol: And else-where he saith, 
1 Cor. 8.1 ad 10. 1 Thess. 5 22  We must abstain from all appearance of evil. What if Naaman will still bow in the house of Rimmon, not to the Idol, but the King his Master? Yet consider, he was a poor ignorant Pagan, whose practise was no example for us: 
2 King. 5  For though the Prophet bad him Go in peace, yet that ordinary and formal Salutation, and Valediction to a Syrian, can be no warrant for a Christians willing dissimulation: What do you among the Wolves, if you be a Sheep? or among the Cranes, if you be a Stork? Come ●ut from among them, lest you receive of their plagues: Be not too confident of thy own strength; be rather jealous of eyes and heart: And the same may be said of Balls, Masques, 
* See Bolton's Discourse of true happiness. p. 73, 74. Bodin. de Repub. lib. 6. c. 2.  Stage-plays, and the like, where vanity and villainy do kiss each other; It is possible to see them and not be defiled, but 'tis safer not to see them at all.  
As for Stage-plays, a Politician hath decided them to be, Turpitudinis & vitiorum omnium sentinam & scholam. The School of all vices, and sinks of filthiness. What variety is there of all sinful vanities, obscenities, oaths, 
Deu. 22.5  Men in the apparel of women, and all sorts of levity, and enticing follies, to empoyson all the seeds of virtue, and emascute all Manliness as well as Grace? If filthiness must not be name among Christians, much less may it be acted; But thou dost only see it? If there were no Spectators, there would be no Actors: Thou maintainest them in their ungodly Trade; and wouldest thou willingly that death or the Day of Judgement should find thee at a Play, or at cards and dice? Let this well be considered, as also how youth hath been corrupted, and the famous City dishonoured by those abominable spectacles: And consequently let us bless God that our Senators have abolished them. In a certain place, there was acted a Tragedy of the Death and Passion of Christ; 
Phil. Melancton.  You shall see the event, He that played Christ's part, hanging on the across, was slain, ( by him that should have thrust a spear into a Bladder of blood, fastened to his side) who with his fall slay another that played one of the lamenting women's part under the across: His brother that was first slain, seeing this, slay the Murderer, and was himself therfore hanged by Order of Law: So the Mock-crucifixion cost four of them their lives. 'Tis ill sporting and playing with edg'd-tools.  
'Tis safest then to balk all occasion of evil, that we come not where too much vanity is presented: We have instanced in the Mass, and Stage-plays, and shewed the unlawfulness and danger of seeing either.  
4. Because every looking on common vanities that daily pass by us, is not evil, Neither is it possible ever to avoid the sight of temptations; Take this as a choice Method of your Preservation, according to the rules of Christian Prudence; FIX NOT THE EYE on such objects as may be fuel to the fire, and oil to the flamme of thy lusts; or at least strike some spark into the tindar of thy heart: and this do, if thou tender thy safety. Where a careless glance of the eye will do no hurt, a fixed and eager look may endanger the Soul. Austine hath a Similitude to this purpose; 
Aug. de Honestate Mulierum. cap. 5.  Si aliquis carbones, &c. If a man, saith he, shall take living coals in his hand, and suddenly cast them away, they cannot injure him; but if he keep them any time, he will certainly be burnt; So if thou look intentively and long upon an object, and suffer thy heart quietly to close with it, and nestle there; blame thyself if thy affections be singed: Excutere à te sine ainae plagâ non potes. There is Oculus casualis & informans; this is not evil. There is Oculus Ruminans and Depascens, this is nought. Though the Worlds vanities will stand before our eyes, we need not let them enter by our eyes into our hearts: If worldly vanities come to make nests in our eyes, and burrows in our hearts: the Case is deplorable.  
Aquinas on a time, 
Prexel. de rectâ intent. lib. 1. cap. 8.  fixed his eyes somewhat long on a very beautiful woman; he studied too much the Rareness of her features and pureness of complexion: Being asked the reason, he thus excused it; Mundi Crea orem admirabar; si enim rebus creatis tantum est formae, ipse opifex infinitè pulchrior sit, & formostor necesse est: He took a rise from the creature to the Creator, to admire his ineffable Glory. His wit( you see) wanted not an excuse for that performance, which might have proved fatal unto him. If Ahab had not looked too often, and too long on Naboths vineyard, he had not discerned how very commodiously it lay for the King. Thy corruption by long and diligent search may find out a snare in the best object on earth; 
2 Pet. 3.16.  seeing some pervert and rest the Scriptures to their own destruction. 'Twas an excellent Rule of Austine; Oculi vestri si jaciantur in aliquem, fig●●tur in neminem: If thine eyes look on any one, let them six upon no man. You cannot behold the wife of the bosom, 
Mat. 10.37.  or( those precious pieces and pictures of yourselves,) your children, but Satan is able to coin a Temptation in that very minute. Turn away your eyes from them, Remember they are fading Flowers, Breathing Dust, Earthen vessels, that may soon be broken.  
The second Branch of Admonition is this, 
2 Branch of Admonition.  Make your eyes inlets of grace and comfort: That which is depraved and perverted by Nature, must be restored and renewed by Grace: A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump; The least true Grace in the heart will diffuse and spread itself into all the faculties of the soul and members of the body: And if the heart be first renewed, the eye will soon be reformed: No longer now an Exchange full of vanities; no longer Stews of uncleanness, and Shambles of blood, malice, and revenge: For the eye is one Pew in the Temple of the Holy Ghost, and one Field of that purchase for which Christ dyed.  
Would you see the Scripture Qualifications of a sanctified eye, both what it must Be and Do: Then observe these ten Particulars.  
1. There is a Pitiful eye; An eye that cannot look on the miseries of others, 
1 A Pitiful eye.  and the sufferings and desolations of the Church, without sympathy, fellow-feeling, and compassion. When Aaron looked upon Miriam's leprosy, his eyes and his heart-strings were touched; 
Num. 12 10  Alas! my Lord, I beseech thee lay not the sin upon us. The good Samaritan, 
Mat. 9.36.  when he saw, truly pitied him, that lay wounded by thieves, and half dead. See Mat. 9. When Jesus saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion towards them, because they fainted, and w●re scattered as sheep without a S●epherd. So again, Looking on Jerusalem, he wept over it, to think of its present stubbornness, and future calamity. Thou art a glass eye, or wooden leg in the body, if thou hast not a fellow-feeling with the Members of Christ: He that denieth pity to others, shall not find compassion: Pity those especially that lie in their blood, in their sins; and pity such as go astray into dangerous opinions. Man is born unto troubles; so there is daily work for compassion. Xerxes having prepared an Army of three hundred thousand men to fight the Grecians, 
Justin.  and beholding so great a multitude of Souldiers, fell a weeping to consider that an hundred years after, not one of them should be living.  
2. There is a Penitent eye, An eye that knows how to weep for sin: 
2 A Penitent eye.  A true Penitent wishes his head were a Fountain, and his eyes Spouts or Rivers of tears, that he might weep day and night for his sins. The eyes of David gushed out with tears for the sins of others; 
Psal. 119 120  And his Couch did swim with his tears for personal failings. Peter wept bitterly for denying Christ thrice. Magdalen, that had abused her eyes by lascivious glances, her hair by wanton curling, and her lips by unchaste kisses, doth upon repentance otherwise employ them; For she washed the Feet of Christ with her tears, kissed them with her lips, and wiped them with the hair of her head: So then, The eye that hath looked wantonly must weep penitently; Tears do rebaptize us. 
H●●ren●●● Isa●●●  The rarest music is heard upon the water, and our prayers do make best Melody over a flood of tears. Oratio Deum lenit, lachryma cogit, saith Jerom. Prayers entreat, but tears overcome. I have heard thy prayers, and seen thy tears, said God to Hezekiah. Then our prayers do pierce the clouds, when they are pointed with tears. He that can weep for worldly losses, and not spiritual failings, hath in him nothing but nature. Austine saith, he did wonderfully weep in reading the Fourth Book of Virgil, when Dido was killed; Oh, saith he, what a wretched soul had I, that could weep for her misery and not for my own! 
Bernard in Cantic.  Tears, saith Bernard, are the wine of Angels, who rejoice over a sinners compunction. The Hammer of the Law may break an icy heart, but the Sun-shine of the Gospel dissolves it into tears; You know Peter was melted by a Love-glance of Christ. Tears are Serenatae conscientiae suavitas; None hath that content as the soul that can weep for its sins; 
Chrys. supper Mat.  For, Post lachrymarum Pluvias sequitur mentis Serenitas, saith Chrysostom: After a wet See●time follows often a glor●ous Harvest, and after a shower of tears, the Sun-shine of joy. Though tears are not meritorious, yet they may be evidential of our Interest in Christ. Such as do weep only in afflictions, may be compared unto Stills that cease dropping when the fire is extinguished: And some with Cain and Judas mourn for sin, not because the Lord Hates, but because he Heats it. A believer would weep if there were no Hell, nor any punishment for sin: The sense of unkindness offered to Christ, sets a broach the sorrow of his heart at his eye. Revenge is one fruit of repentance; and the true penitent observing the bypassed failings of his eye studieth an holy revenge upon himself; and those eyes that have been the inlets of vanity shall be the outlets of sorrow.  
And this especially at the Sacrament, Then our eyes must busily affect and wound our hearts; For as Christ in the Word preaches to the ear, and by the ear conveys himself into the heart; so by the Sacrament and holy Eucharist( too too much neglected and disused) he preaches to our eyes, and so works upon the Soul; When the bread is broken, and wine poured out, and so the Passion of our Lord reacted before us; how then should all the sluices and floodgates of sorrow be opened? How should we sigh and mourn that our sins were the procuring cause of his sorrows? How can we look, but with eyes glazed with tears in the face of that Jesus whom we have pierced?  
The drooping head and dropping eye is also most seasonable on days of solemn Humiliation: That's a time when the Lord calls for hanging our harps on the Willow three; when he calls for weeping, fasting, and mourning; and when his people should draw much water before him. There is a time to weep, 
〈◇〉 3.4.  and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance! 'Tis good also to behold the sick, and the dying of our nearest friends, that those doleful spectacles may tune us to mourning, and let us see the vanity of all things here below. 
Eccles. 7.2, 3.  'Tis b●●ter to go to the ho●se of Mourning then the house of Feasting; for that is the end of all men, and the living will lay it to heart, and by the sadness o● the conmenunce the heart is made better: that is, by the blessing of God it will become less vain.  
3. 
3 A pure eye.  There is an harmless and pure eye; an eye that can look on beauty, brave building, rich clothes, and much vanity, without the ebullitions of lust: As a Bee, that lights upon a flower, draws hony from it, but defaceth it not: Or as a Traveller in a strange Country, that looks on much bravery, 
Heb. 11.13.  sees magnificent Palaces, Cities, Vineyards, Academies, &c. but bastens homeward, what he can; so Bereevers live as pilgrims upon Earth, and the world is to them but a thoroughfare to Heaven. These have pure eyes of their own, 
Heb. 1.13  though they are not pure in their own eyes. God is of purer eyes then to behold iniquity so as to ●pprove of it: And herein also stands he purity of a sanctified eye, it beholds not iniquity; that is, it rejoices not in it, nor sins it without much discontent. Now the Apostle tells us, 
Tit. 1.15.  that To the p●re all things are pure: That which is miry and defiling to the eye of Nature, becomes pure and harmless to an eye that is renewed and new-moulded; it passes among the creatures, and is untainted, undefiled thereby. As a man that runs a race looks on many things, but chiefly minds the way and the Goal; so Moses in his Christian Race looked on the glory of the Court, but chiefly pondered his duty to God, and the recompense of Reward.  
4. There is a bountiful eye, 
4 A liberal eye. Pro. 22.9.  an eye that goes along with the liberal hand and grudges not: Solomon tells us, He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed. Dat been, dat mul um quia dat cum vnlnere vultum: He draws out not only his coin, but his Soul to the hungry. 
Isai. 58.  This is Pauls cheerful giver, and one that shows by his countenance, 'tis a work that pleases him full well. The gloss of mens charity is taken off by a sullen look, a rugged word, and an angry eye. 
Gen. 18.2  'Tis said, when Abraham lift up his eyes, and saw the strangers( which proved to be Angels,) he ran to meet and entertain them; He first entertained them by his eyes, words and arms, and afterwards by such accommodations as his Tent afforded.  
5. 
5 Azealous eye.  There is a zealous eye, or an eye that cannot look well when God is dishonoured, but must sparkle out dissent, abhorrency, and the highest detestation; such an eye had Phineas, 
Num. 15.7.  his eye threw out dislike, and his hand a Javelin: And such an eye had the meekest man on Earth( except Christ) when he saw the Calf, that golden Abomination: And finally, with such an eye Paul looked on the Sorcerer Elymas, Then Paul set his eyes upon him, 
Act. 13.9  and uttered comminations against him; Elymas no sooner saw the lightning of his eyes, but he heard the loud thunder-clap of his Reproof. When Gods Honour is concerned, as in the correction of children by parents, or Delinquents by Magistrates, 
Ezek. 9.5 Pro. 19.18  the hand must smite, The eye may not pity nor spare. Qui non vetat peccare cum posset, Jubet, saith Seneca; Not to forbid sin is to bid for it. Sicut est misericordia puniens, ita est & crudelitas parcens, saith Austin truly; As there is pity in punishing, so there may be cruelty in sparing: But if it lye not in the power of thy hand( though it be in the will of thy heart) to punish sin and sinners, yet do not fail to brow-beat them, and with flaming eyes sparkle indignation against them. 
6 Apraying eye.   
6. There is a petitioning and praying eye; for the eye hath a voice: Psal. 6.8. I have heard the voice of thy weeping. The eye may be said to pray in three respects:  
1. In vigilancy or refusing many times to sleep, that we may pray and call upon God: So David; 
Psal. 119.148  Mine eyes prevent the night-watches, that I might meditate in thy Word, hear my voice according to thy levingkindness. Not that I commend the devotion of those who at the tinging of a bell, arise from their beds to the beads, and in stead of offering the calves of their lips, they offer, saith one, the lips of calves; by irreverent muttering over such a number of prayers, or rather babblings and vain repetitions: But that rather extol the holy frame of Davids heart, who sweetly communed with himself in the night-season, and his waking thoughts were with God.  
2. The eyes may be said to pray, when they are lifted up to Heaven: As God heard the moving of Hannahs lips though she spake not, so he regards the silent prayers of our lifted-up eyes. Psal. 121.1. I will lift up wi●e eyes to the hills, whence cometh my help. W●●●e you have not only the place whence our help comes, the Heavens; but also the means of craving that help, by the still. yet most rhetorical, language, of eyes lifted up; especially, if the heart be lifted up with them. Clama, non voice, said mente; nam & tacentes exaudit Deus, saith Austin: Cry unto the Lord not so much with thy voice as with thy heart, for the Lord heareth our desires before we cloth them in words. Solomon would have us remember God our Creator before they that look out of the windows be darkened. 
Eccles. 12 1, 〈◇〉  The Lord made our eyes to look upwards, and 〈◇〉 given mans eye one muscle that the 〈◇〉 have not; to show that our eyes 〈◇〉 be●●ted up to himself in prayer. 
See Torshels Hypocritc.  I 〈◇〉 deny but long prayers, in an affencted 〈◇〉 with eyes much lifted up, may be 〈◇〉 hypocrites; when the poor Pub 〈…〉 little, with eyes fixed upon the 〈◇〉 which made Chrysostom advice the 〈◇〉 to take heed of ostentation in pray 〈◇〉 devotion; 
Chrysost. in Mat. 6.  Nec voice clamet, nec oculos 〈◇〉 notabilis fiat; Let him not howl with his voice or lift up his eyes to be observed of men. Yet notwithstanding, if thou lift up thine eyes in secret, or in public with sincerity, it suits very well with the nature of prayer and practise of the Saints, who have prayed to God with eyes, yea with hands lifted up: But especially when thou liest on thy sick bed, and thy speech is taken from thee, thou oughtest to pray to God, and to quicken by-standers, by lifting up thine eyes and thine arms unto him.  
3. The eyes may yet further pray to God by weeping in prayer: The eye speaks more then the mouth, and the heart more then both: Oratio n●n est elevatio vocis in aerem, said mentis in Deum: God regards not the eloquence, so much as the penitence of prayers: A broken and contrite hea●t he will not despise. If Christ turned not himself from those that spat in his face, he will not frown on such as weep at his feet. He that bottles up our prayers and tears, will not break the bottle upon us. One observes, 
Spurstow in a Serm. on 1 Sam. 7.6.  there are two strange things in Tears. 1. Deorsum fluunt, & erelum petunt; They drop downward and fall to the Earth, yet they reach upwards and pierce the Heavens: Devout tears may be called, Raining upwards. 2. Mutae s●●t & loquuntur; They hold their peace, yet cry very loud. Psal. 6. The voice of my weeping; And Lam. 2.18. It runs thus in the Original, Let not the pupil of thine eyes hold its peace! Now, if tears do thus alone, O then how powerful are the Saints, when their prayers and tears go together? when in secret the heart groans, the knee bends, the hands smite, the lips tremble, the tongue cries, and the eyes run, as if they meant to make furrows in the cheeks? Vis unita fortior; especially when Jesus Christ shall fan our sighs, perfume our tears, indite and present our prayers to the Father; and his blood shall cry aloud for us: Quot vulnera tot ora! Look how many wounds, so many mouths to intercede for us. Thus you see the sixth thing, that there is a praying eye, and an eye that cries, Abba, Father.  
7. 
7 An eye of hope.  There is a depending and believing eye; an eye that knows how to wait upon God, for an answer, of our prayers, and the fulfilling of all his promises. How sweetly is this expressed? Psal. 123.2. Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hands of her mistress, so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, 
Psal. 119 81, 82.  until that he have mercy upon us. David was in a had case when he said, My Soul faints for 〈◇〉 Salvation, mine eyes fail for thy Promise: 〈…〉 was not an utter failing, for he add, 〈◇〉 wait on thy Word. Hope is the Anc●●● of the Soul that keeps it steadfast; it will not let us trust in ourselves, but makes us center in God; 
Bernard in Vigil. Nat. Chr. Serm. 5.  for saith Bernard, Sibi ipsi fidere non fidei said perfidiae; Is vero fidelis est, qui nec sibi credit nec in se sperat: To trust and hope in ourselves is egregious presumption. galen mentions a fish called the Uranoscopus, having but one eye, the which eye is so placed that it ever looks upward; And thus a Christian hath his eye of hope ever fixed on God. The most are Credentes oculo magis quam Oraculo; relying more upon their five senses then the four Evangelists: But the hopeful eye is fixed upon the Promise; 'tis not lead by sight, but faith. Abraham is said to see Christ and his day, 
Joh. 8.56.  viz. by the eyes of faith and hope. Corpus spirando, anima sperando vivit: As the body lives by breathing, so the Soul by believing. When the Moon decreases it is close above, open below; but when it increases 'tis close below, open above: 'Tis a sign thou increasest and growest in grace if thou art shut and close toward the world, and hast thy heart opened and enlarged towards Heaven. The more we depend upon Christ, and have commerce and communion with him, the more is our stock of grace and comfort enlarged, augmented, till we come to the full of our glory in Heaven. Hope is styled by one the Mother of Boldness, and Mistress of Endeavour; The hopeful eye doth patiently expect the fulfilling of all sorts of promises to the Soul, to the Church, 
Psa. 9.18  for this life and a better. The patient expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever. We look out of the window, we think the Charet-wheels do move slowly; but he that shall come, will come, and not tarry. 'Tis the Promise that quiets us; were it not for that, our eye-strings, our heartstrings would break and fail us, with waiting for the Lord.  
8. 
8 A Thanksgiving eye.  There is a Grateful and Thanksgiving eye; An eye that on all occasions looks upward to bless and praise God for all his Mercies, Promises, and Fatherly Corrections. 
Mat. 11.41  Jesus lift up his eyes, and said, Father I thank thee, that thou hast heard me. The little birds do not sip one drop of water, but they look up, as if they meant to give thanks: To shane all of a swinish disposition, that devour mercies, but never look up to the hand that gives them. Plato overlooked God, that he was a graecian, an Athenian, and the scholar of Socrates: And Theodosius more that he was a Member of Christ, then Head of the Empire. With him and Paul we should especially lift up our eyes to God, and bless him for all spiritual blessings in Christ. Yet there is no mercy so small but it requires thankfulness. At meals we must look up to God; so did Christ Mark 6. 
Mark 6.41  And when he had taken the five loaves, and two fishes, he looked up to Heaven, and blessed, and broke the loaves, and gave them to his Disciples. 
Words, Peace-Offering, P. 25.  Epictetus wished he were a Nightingale, to be ever singing contentedly day and night: Bernard saith, We must imitate the Birds, who morning and evening, at the rising and setting of the Sun, omit not to praise their creator. This is the sure Mark of a man unregenerate, to be earnest in craving mercies, but slow and dull in returning praises; Then the Dumb Devil possesses men. 
Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. 7. cap. 2.  Pliny tells of some in the remote parts of India, that have no mouths, but live on the smell of herbs, and sweet flowers: You had better believe him, then go to disprove him. Sure I am, some have no mouths to praise the Lord; Halitu vivunt, Aura scilicet vanae Gloriolae; They greedily smell to the fading flowers of earthly vanities: There is no grace but love, and no duty but thankfulness goes with us to Heaven. A good man is not only grateful for blessings, but with holy Job, he lifts up his eyes, and sincerely blesses God for his Fatherly corrections, The Lord hath given, the Lord hath taken away; 
Joh 8.21.  blessed be the Name of the Lord. For, saith one, If the Lord whip his children, it is with sweet briar, he doth it in faithfulness and mercy: And if he hid his face for a moment, with everlasting kindness he will embrace them. Every Christianus is Crucianus, he knows how to bear afflictions, not onely with patience, but thankfulness.  
9. 
9 An eye reading the Word. Prov. 23.26. 1 Tim. 4.13. Rev. 1.3.  There is an eye much on Gods word, oft in reading, oftener in comparing his life with the rule. My Son give me thy heart, an● let thine eyes delight in my ways. viz. In the Word and Will of God. Paul charges Timothy, that he give attendance to reading. Blessed is he, saith John, that readeth and heareth the words of this Book. As this should be performed daily, so chiefly on the Sabbath, a Day set apart for God. Quid est sacra Scriptura nisi quaedam Epistola Omnipotentis Dei ad Creaturam? saith Gregory. The Scriptures are Gods Epistle unto man. Christ hath honoured reading with his own example; For coming to Nazareth, 
Luke 4.16. Joh. 5.39. Act. 7.11 Traps Treasury. p. 303.  as his custom was, he stood up to red the Scriptures. And the same Christ hath charged us that we also do search the Scriptures; And for so doing, the Bereans are styled Noble. Sabellicus saith, The virgin Mary spent the third part of her time in reading the Scriptures. Tim●thy was trained up in them from a child, 
2 Tim. 3 15.  and so was Origen. And although the word preached be the ordinary means of conversion, yet some have been called in reading of the Scriptures, as Austin and Foulgentius; and Junius by reading the first Chapter of John, 
Isidor. de Sum. Bono lib. 3.  Lectio Scripturarum intellectum ●rudit, & à mundi vanitatibus abstractum Hominem, ad amorem ●ei, perducit; saith Isidore. Reading the Scriptures shuts out worldly cares, dulls carnal delights, inflames divine love: It steers the judgement, clears the memory, cheers the conscience, and sweetly composes the affections. Let thine eyes be on the Scriptures daily, they will make thee perfect; in credenda & ag●nda; Doctrines of saith, and rules of life. The Spouse hath but two breasts, the Old and New Testament, therefore Tradition in the Romish Church, will make her a Monster; And how will they answer to God the 
* See Robert Boltons Sure and Perpetual guid. p. 28 to 42. and 213. to 227.  hiding of the Scriptures from the people, who are not permitted to have the bible in their Mother tongue? Let us then bless God for the Scriptures, and be daily turning over the Charter of Eternal life. Alphonsus, King of Naples, red the Bible over forty times; whereof fourteen with the Annotations of Lyra and Burgensis. If Lipsius, when he did but red Seneca, saith one, thought that he was even on the top of Olympus, above mortality, and human things; And if Julius Scaliger thought twelve verses in Lucan better then the German Empire: O then what thoughts should be in them that red the Word of God, which is the Magazine of truth? The rabbis say, That on every syllable and tittle of the Law, hangs a Mountain of Sense, and holy Doctrine. 'Tis a dreadful thing that so many slight and neglect reading of the Scripture: I have red that Politian, a Cannon of Florence, being asked if ever he red the Bible over: Answered, Yes, Once I red it over quiter through, but never bestowed I my time worse: Preferring moreover the Oades of Pindar, before the Psalms of David. Let no man say he is ignorant, and not Book-learned, but now set himself to learn reading, on purpose that his eyes may be ravished with the Scriptures: Let no man think himself too learned or too spiritual to red the Scriptures: The antiscripturists goes blindfold through a wilderness of error into Tophet prepared for him. Those of highest Attainments and Endowments may find much delight in the Word, for in the Scriptures we find variety of learning, that the eye of no Reader depart unsatisfied. There, saith one, are Histories for the Temporist, Philosophy for the Naturalist, ethics for the Moralist, Mysteries for the Artist, and Tongues for the Linguist: There is Flood for Elephants, Food for Lambs, Milk for Babes, 
1 Cor. 3.2.  and Meat for men: Let us then delight to have our eyes on the Scriptures, into which Angels prie: red, though you understand not; In Gods time a P●ilip comes to the Eunuch, Mingle Meditations and Ejaculations with your reading; Confer with the Judicious, that are dead by their comments; That are living, by conference: Despise not prophesying. Finally, 
1 Tim. 5.20.  Live up to the light you have received; so shall you mind, understand, remember, 
John 17.17.  and delight in the Scriptures, above thousands of Gold and Silver.  
10. And Lastly, 
10 An ey● on God's works.  There is an eye much on God's Works, taking of notice of all his creatures, and promises, that thereby we may give glory to him, and not reap vanity and snares to ourselves. Isai. 40.26. 
Isai. 40.26.  List up your eyes aloft, and behold who created all these things. So the Poet would sing his, as homini sublimè dedit, coelumque tueri jussit. And this David practised, When I consider the Heavens, the work● thy singers, the work of thy fingers, 
Psal. 1.3.  the Moon and the Stars, which thou hast ordained; what is man that thou art mindful of him? So his rolling eye passes on from the fowl of Heaven, to the beasts of the earth, & the fish playing in the waters; The beginning and conclusion of the Psalm is this, How excellent is thy Name in all the Earth? So for the Providences of God, John 2.23. Many beli●ved in him when they saw the miracles which he did. There is much to be seen and red of God in the volume of the creature. Quaelibet Herba, and much more, Quaelibet Stella Deum. 
Rō. 1.20.  For the invisible things of him from the Creation of the world, are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his Eternal Power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, saith the Apostle.  
Hyperius comments thus upon the place, 
Hyperius in Rom. 1.20.  1. Saith he, God hath revealed himself, Arcano modo in hominum pectoribus. Men may see a God in the glass of conscience, and by the dim light of nature. 2. Ex ipsâ mundic●gniti●ne, perpetuáque confervatione, atque administratione, &c. Then again, God is seen in his creatures that he hath made, and enameled them with his Power and Wisdom; and also by sustaining and governing the whole world.  
Another writing on the place, saith thus, 
J. Trap.  Ut solem in aquis, sic Deum in operibus contemplamur: As we can discern the Sun in the water, so also the Sun of Righteousness in his works.  
A third thus, 
Hemingius in Rom. 1. p. 33.  Res creatae nos introducunt in cognitionem aeternitatis, potentiae, & divinitatis opificis, So Heminguis, the things that are made do usher us in to see and confess the Eternity, Power and Divinity of their Creator.  
A fourth thus; Elucet ejus Majestas in Operibus, & Creaturis universis; 
Calvin in locum.  queen Artificem suum perspicué declarant; Ideo dicunter specula, vel spectacula rerum invisibilium; saith Mr. Calvin. The Majesty of God doth shine and glister in his works, who plainly declare their Creator, and they are glasses to represent unto us things that are invisible. Heb. 11.3.  
So then consider this, that much of God is to be seen in his Works, and if we do not behold them aright, we shall be inexcusable saith Paul; If our eyes be shut that we do not see God in his Works, it presages that our mouths also will be shut, 
See Bellarmin. Ascenper Scalas creature.  that we shall not frame an excuse for our Atheism and Irreligion before Men and Angels. How many sweet Meditations might we raise from the creatures? Nay Athanasius saith, 
Athana. cont. gent.  our eyes are given us for that purpose. Oculi id circo dati sunt corpori, ut per eos intueamur creaturam, ac per hujus modi mirabilem harmo●iam, agnoscamus opificem. For this cause were eyes set in our bodies; that we might behold the creature, and from the admirable harmony thereof, learn to know and acknowledge the Creator: Yea, the creatures will help us not only to know God but 
* Dr Taylors. Medet● of the ●reatures.  ourselves.  
To instance in a few things.  
1. When thy rolling and aspiring eye looks upward in a frosty night, and sees the bespangled Roof of Heaven, glistering with innumerable Stars like Diamonds; Think that is thy Country ( who art in Christ,) that from thence thou expectest a Saviour, that those goodly creatures are reserved for the sire of the great Day by reason of mans sin, and that God would never have set up so many glorious Tapors ( the most of them judged bigger th●n the Earth) to give light to man, but that he hath great and just expectations that man will do some work and service for God thereby.  
2. When thou lookest down upon the Earth, Meditate of its smallness, 'tis but a Punctum to the Heavens; And then think of thy brittle frame; for of dust thou wert made, and thereto thou shalt speedily return; The grave is the house of all the living.  
3. When thine eyes look upon Trees and Plants, Pray the Lord to give thee rooting in Christ, to make thee fruitful in grace; and that the more thou art laden with good works, the lower thy branches in humility may hang: The Hen no sooner cackles and proclaims her fruitfulness, but her egg is taken from her; To boast of any thing is the way to have it blasted.  
4. When thou turnest thy wandering eyes upon the Beasts, let their several properties stir up in thee good meditations: When thou seest the innocent Lamb, forget not ONE that was dumb before the cruel Sheerers; when the Ox and Ass, 
Isaiah 1.  see thou know thy Master that feeds thee daily; when the Horse and Mule, 
Psal. 32. Pro. 6.6.  that thou bridle thy passions; when the little Emmet, that thou lay up by Providence, and forecast against sickness and death.  
5. When thou seest the birds of the air, remember how cheerfully they live, though they know not where they shall roost this night, or dine to morrow; 
Matth. 6.26. & 10.16.  only the Lord opens his hand and feeds them. The Sparrow should mind thee how Providence extendeth even to him; And the Dove should quicken thee to innocence and meekness.  
6. When thou lookest upon the Sea, consider who calms and bounds it; That the Sea may be fathomed, Christs fullness cannot: In the Sea are innumerable creatures small and great. There go the Ships, and such as go in them see the Wonders of the Deep: There play the Leviathans; some of which have been six hundred foot long, and three hundred sixty foot broad.  
7. When thou lookest upon Men, consider that among so many millions as tread upon the Earth, not two are to be found, that have faces, voices, gestures or dispositions, in all things alike: which the Lord hath done to show his wisdom in so great variety, and for the preservation of Order, Relation and Government.  
8. When thou seest stately houses and Palaces, think what dunghills they are to the New Jerusalem.  
Do thus, and every day will be a Sabbath, every creature a Sermon: I may say as, 
Job 26.14  Job 26. These are part of his Ways; but how little a Portion hear we of him? The Thunder of his Power who can understand? The Saints have ever been much in meditation of Gods Works and Word; They eye the wonderful operations of his hands: For this end did Isaac in the Even walk out into fields, that he might see and consider Gods Works: John went into the desert to meditate; Daniel did meditate by the River Ulay; Peter on the house top( where he might see far,) and Chrysostom in the Bath; In your gardens, in your Corn-fields, by the Sea-shore, and on the high Mountains, ( where your eye hath a brave and large Prospect,) there let out your hearts in meditation: Be sure every morning, when thou feest thyself in a glass, that thou consider and remember what manner a man thou art, and whether thou art altogether such as thou shouldst be. When thou lookest in Perspectives think of faith, whereof if thou turn one end to thy eye, the Earth and her glory appear very little, and obscure, not worth the admiring; but if thou turn the other end, and look upward, it represents Heaven in its glory, very great, 
Bernard Serm. 1. in Epiphan.  and nigh at hand: Nam fides Lynceos habet oculos, saith B●rnard.  
Having treated of Meditation by seeing the Works of God in general; let me not forget the choicest Works of his upon Earth, I mean the Saints: Oh let thine eyes be much upon the people of the most high God! and of all that have in them aliquid Christi, as Bucer spake: Let thy Soul yern, and thy heart and eyes hanker after such as do bear the Image of Christ: For if a man loves not h●● brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath never seen? You love to look on the pictures of your friends, and you adorn your rooms with them; Remember that every Saint hath in him the Picture the lively and lovely Image of Christ; Whom having not seen we love. Psal. 101.6. Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the Land! Upon those he loved to look, and with such he delighted to converse: See that your love to Saints be of the right stamp; for Amatur aliquand● res bona non bono Amore. It must be a cordial, faithful and fervent love: a pure, diligent and speedy love: a meek, spiritual and impartial love; finally, it must be merciful, steady and growing affection; If thy love move in this happy 
* Rom. 12.9. 1 Pet. 4.8 Ps. 141.5 1 Tim. 1.5 1 The. 1.3 Prov. 3.27.28. Gal. 5.13 Mat. 10.42. Col. 1.4. 1 Pet. 4.8. Gal. 4.18. 1 Thes. 3.12.  Scripture zodiac, it is such as it should be; such a love and so qualified, must your hearts sand out through your eyes to the people of God: It is not enough to say you love them with your hearts, but your eyes, hands and feet must declare it, by looking cheerfully upon them, giving liberally to them, and enjoying frequent society with them: chiefly see that you eye their example and follow their steps: Non ratione componimus said omnes consuetudine abducimur, saith Seneca; 
Seneca in Epist. 122  We live not so much by Precept and Counsel, as by Example: Professors are the Looking-glasses of the People, by which they will dress themselves: Magistrates, Pastors, Parents, and Masters, should especially see that they give good example to the people, children and servants: Yet see you make not the falls of Professors, Stars to sail by, but Rocks to shun; follow Saints no further then they follow Christ; And when you see the infirmities of Saints, observe also their repentance: Hear Gregory, 
Greg. in Ezek. Hom. 25.  Perpendo Petrum, & nihil video, nisi ante oculos nostros positum spei & paenitentiae exemplum: I look upon Peter and his fall, and I find there is set before our eyes an eminent example of Repentance and Hope. Walk so as ye have us for an example, saith Paul: And again, 
Phil. 3.17 1 Cor. 11.1 Tit. 2.7.  Be ye followers of me as I am of Christ: And he bids Titus, show himself a pattern of good works: Such as begin to work with the needle, look much on their Sampler and Pattern; 'Tis so in learning to writ, and indeed in learning to live: Observe the good conversation of the Saints, let your eyes heed their honest, humble and holy deportment; writ after the fairest copy you can find; imitate those Christians that are most eminent in grace: I end this with that of the Heathen, 
Seneca in Proverb.  Optimum est masorum sequi vestigia, si rectè praecesserint; It is best to tread in the steps of those who are gone in a safe and good way before us.  
So then, let us love, praise and prise the Saints of God; Let us cast an eye of love, yea an eye of honour upon them, and not despise them for their poverty, or every petty difference in judgement. Vera amicitia eodem oculo respicit amicum divitem & mendicum, fortem & debilem: True friendship looks with an equal eye on a friend, poor or rich, weak or strong; This we shall do if we love Christ in the Saints: Of old the Christians were of one mould and mind; why then so much gull in our Pulpit, so much Wormwood at the Press? We cannot be exactly of one mind on Earth, let us bear and forbear, pity and pray for one another, and go hand in hand to the celestial Canaan.  
I say not you must cast a loving eye on all that style themselves Saints, 
Caution.  and are of the Synagogue of Satan; or as one stiles a vile sort of men, The excrements of Beelzebub; such as well shoveld up would make a Trench: You must shun and be shy of those that are heretical and dangerously unsound in the Faith; and chiefly such as crying up the liberty, do cry down the holiness of the Gospel. John saith, You must not bid them, God speed. Paul saith, 
2 Ep. of Joh. 10.11  From such turn away, 2 Tim. 13.5. As if he had said, Do not honour them so much as to look upon them. Saint John will rather not go into the Bath, then there be forced to look upon Cerinthus, that monstrous heretic, then bathing himself. And when Martian would have saluted Polycarp, and taken him by the Hand, he refused, saying; Agnosco te Primogenitum Diaboli; I know thee to be the Devils first born. He turning away, refused to give so desperate an heretic as Martian, a kind look or hand. I play God our Tepid indifferency, in this Thing, 
Rev. 3.16  do not cost us a spewing out of Gods mouth. Thus( at large) you have seen, How the eye may be employed to a right end, and become an in-let of Grace and Comfort; Yet before I quit this Meditation, let me point at two singular consolations belonging unto such as make this their work.  
The Lords Eyes will be on you upon Earth, and your eyes shall be on him in Heaven.  
First, 
1 Consolation.  The Lords Eyes will be upon you good; Behold the Eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him. Indeed his eye of Providence and Omnipresence, is upon all the the children of men; By his eye of Omniscience, he views and sees and knows all things; But the Lord hath a special and tender eye of love upon his people; An eye that opens his ear, heart and hand, for their good: 
1 Pet. 3.12.  The Eyes of the Lord are over the Righteous, and his ears are open to their Prayers, but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. Nay the Lord doth not only afford his people a loving glance of his eye, but they are dear unto him, as the Apple of his eye; 
Deut. 32.10  and as the Signet on his right hand. The Lord will not silently see them injured; but saith, Touch not my people, & do my prophets no harm! Consider how much Christ is enamoured with lookingon his people; 
Cant. 4.9. & 6.5.  Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my Spouse; How much better is thy love then Wine? And the smell of thy Perfume, then all spices? Turn away thine eyes from me, for they have overcome me! By which you see how deeply Christ stands affencted to a true believer; 
See my Treatise of the Angel Guardian. P. 191.  he looks and looks again: he is not ashamed of his Love: He professes how dear thou art to him! And if the Lords eye do yearn after the Saints, you may conclude the eyes of Angels are towards them; The Curtains of the Tabernacle were pictured full of Cherubims. Which way the eye of a great Monarch goes, that way goes the eyes of his Nobility and followers; Therefore, seeing God looks upon us, it is not to be doubted but the A●gels eye us. How safe, 
Aristot. Aecon. 2. cap. 6.  how comfortable then is the condition of Gods people? Oculus Domini equum pi●guem reddit, said Aristotle, Which is come into a Proverb, The masters eye makes the Horse fat: 
Seneca de Tranq.  And 'twas an Observation of Seneca's, A stinari nos putamus toti●s, quoties aspici: We think our selv●s prizel as oft as we are looked on. How then are ●eleevers esteemed, and how shall they be cherished, that have their masters eye upon them for good, yea the eye of a Father and Husband, and an eye that cannot slumber? We cannot sigh, 
Mat. 6.4.  or pray in secret, but he sees us: We cannot lift up our eyes to him at midnight; but he observes it; In all our 
* Rev. 2.2 9, 13, 19.  services and sufferings he sees us, will pitty and help us; He will know ●ur soul in adversity, and choose us in the furnace of affliction. 
Psal. 116 15 3 Consolation.  precious in his sight is the death of his Saints.  
Secondly, As the Lords eyes are upon you for good here on Earth, so your eyes shall be upon him for joy, in Heaven. Hear Job; Though after my skin, 
Job 19, 26, 17.  worms destroy my Body, yet in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my my reins be consumed within me. How fully doth holy Job express and believe the sight of God with his bodily eyes in the Kingdom of Heaven? So also John; It doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him; 
Joh. 3.2.  for we shall see him as he is: And more fully yet by the Apostle St Paul; Now we see through a glass durkly, 
Cor. 13.  but then face to face. These three places are sufficient to prove the beatifical vision of Christ, not only with the eyes of our mind, but even our bodily organs, which shall be piercing and strong like the eyes of Eagles, delightfully to behold the Sun of Righteousness.  
I shall not here go about to limn out the Happiness of Heaven in all its Branches, revealed in the Word; only something let me say, of the happiness of the eye, in our state of Perfection. Bellarmin treating of Eternal Felicity hath wrote a Chapter, 
●clarm. 〈◇〉 Eternâ ●●i●tatae. ●ib. 4. Cap. 5.  de gaudio ●●ulorum, of the eyes happiness in Heaven; his method I shall trace, though very briefly.  
1. The glorified eye shall be employed and ravished with the sight and survey of thine own happiness and the glory that is poured out upon thy body: Oculus gaudebit de proprii corporis splendore & pulchritudine. Our very bodies shall be made like to the glorious Body of Christ. 
Phil. 3.21.  Though a Saint here should have the several deformities of Acco, Agesilaus, Aesop and Thersites, yet in Heaven he should appear without blemish: Mephibosheth shall no more complain of his lameness, all infirmities shall vanish: our bodies shall be Transparent like crystal, full of nimble agility: 
Aquin. in supplem. 83. quaest.  Aquinas saith, The body shall move up and down, which way it will, suddenly, as a bide in the air; Luther saith, as swift as thought, without toil or labour: Our bodies shall be immortal, beyond all gun-shot or fear of death: Finally, adorned they with most exquisite beauty; They shall shine as the Sun, saith Christ. 
Aug. de Cog. verae vitae. Lib. Cap. 45. Mat. 13.43.  Erunt quip illa corpora ut animus agilia, ut Sol perspicua, saith Austin; As nimble as the mind, as clear and sparkling as Phebus. If Moses face after forty days communion with God in the Mount, had so much splendour on Earth, what glory is reserved for us in Heaven? Oh the rich Ornaments wherewith the bodies of the Saints shall be decked in that day! The costly Cloak of Alcisthenes, which dionysius sold to the Carthaginias for an hundred Talents, was indeed a mean and beggarly Rag to that embroidered Mantle that Christ will put on us: Now when the glorified eye reflects upon the body thus transformed, here is rich content and marvellous delight for it; it sees the hands and feet, yea all the members, sparkling with rays of glory.  
2. The eye shall be delighted also with surveying the bodies of all the perfected Saints; If the view of one SUN dazzles us, what then will it be to see innumerable Suns, all incircling the Throne of Christ? No dazzling at all to us; our sight shall be fortified to behold it without twinkling or dimness: We shall see and know all the Saints in their glory, void of all imperfections: One Christian will not look strangely upon another, there L●ther and Zuinglius do well agree.  
3 We shall with our bodily eyes( though very much ref●ned) see the real and glorfied Body of that Jesus wh●m we love: When all the glory of Saints shall be compared with that of Christs, it will be like a twinkling star to the Sun in his greatest splendour. This ●o tongue nor pen can express; For if his Body was so glorious on Mount ●abor, how transcendently beautiful and majestical is it on that Mountain of Spices? Well, be the glory never so great, that is poured on his flesh, we are concerned in it, and our eyes shall have a full and everlasting view of it. Nullum bonum additum Visioni Dei facit magiis beatum, saith Aqui●as; Nothing added to the immediate Vision of Christ can increase our happiness: This it was that made St Paul desire to be dissolved, that he might see and enjoy Christ, In whose presence is fullness of joy, and at whose right hand are pleasures for evermore: O when these eyes of ours that are now chained to vanity, shall be immediately fixed on the face of him that dyed for us, of whom we have heard so much, and to whom we have prayed so often; then certainly they will not thirst for any higher or more glorious object to look upon.  
4. And lastly, Our eyes shall see the Palace of this great King, the glittering glory of that New Jerusalem: 'Tis at large described by St John; 'Tis made of crystal, 
Revel. 20 1  Gold, Pearl, and several kinds of most precious Jewels; We red that the Foundations, Pavements and Gates are made of of these; How resplendent then will be the Roof? how astonishing the Throne? Well, our eyes Shall see it, and our fingers Shall handle it; and Eternity Shall be little enough to take the survey of its Glory, and to wonder at its splendour; to tell the Towers thereof, and to measure it with the golden reed of our best observation: If the World made in six days be a fabric so excellent, what will that City be, which hath been building and beautifying from Eternity? 
Mat. 25.34.  Enter( will Christ say) into the Kingdom prepared for you! God is still preparing, furnishing and perfuming Heaven for you: What shall I say? For eye hath not seen, ear hath not heard, nor hath it entred into the heart of man, 
1 Cor. 2.9  to conceive the things hath God hath provided for them that love him. 
Mat. 25.23.  That joy cannot enter into us, 'tis sufficient we shall enter into it.  
When we come to see ourselves encompassed with all this Glory, we shall say as the Queen of Sheba of Solomon, 
1 Reg. 10.7.  when she saw the order and splendour of his Court; The one half of this Glory was never  told us! And thus you see what it is wherewith our eyes shall be feasted: though the manner is ineffable, when we come to our Fathers house: we shall reflect upon ourselves, and see our own glory; Then we shall view the enameld bodies of the Saints, surrounding the Body of Christ; to which the Sun is but a globe of darkness; and finally survey the splendour of the New Jerissalem; and all this eternally, without astonishment, trembling or weariness: Wert thou fuller of eyes then Argus is pictured, quick-sighted as lynceus( who they say, could see Ships one hundred and thirty mises off) Nay hadst two sights in each eye, as the Bithiae, women of Sitia are said to have had; yet behold here's a glory, a glory surpassing our imagiuation, that would not only busy and employ, but puzzle and dazzle and extinguish those eyes to look upon it, were they not confirmed and conformed, and supported by the infinite Power and Wisdom of God; for otherwise, that Weight of Glory, would crush and destroy us. 
2 Cor. 4.17.  Why then shall the world with its vanities, be able to enchant and bewitch thee any longer to behold them? Why wilt thou once lend an ear or eye to Satans temptations, that would deprive thee of thy Crown, and rob thee of this happiness? Why dost thou not prise Jesus Christ and speedily close with him; who is the way, the truth and the Life? And so much of the second point.  
The third and last Observation from the Text is this, That prayer is the means to chain up and sanctify our wandring eyes. This Point is raised from the form of the Text, which is a prayer unto God, 
Musculus in Psal. 119 p. 968.  Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity! Let us hear Musculus; Non dicit avertam, said avert oculos meos, &c. Opus est divinâ custodiâ: He saith not, I will, but do thou avert Mine eyes from vanity: Without God we can do nothing, and the prayer of Faith is the Key of Mercy.  
Here we shall inquire. 1. What the expression means. 2. Wherein prayer is useful in this Work.  
1. What the expression means, of turning away our eyes from vanity.  
We cannot absolutely turn away our faces from all vanity, 
Mr Fuller of Christs Tempt  which as it is so bad we should not look on it, so( saith one) i● is so common we cannot look besides it. For if we turn our eyes from the East, to the West, and then to the North, and from thence to the South; we do but exchange one vanity for another, and it may be a less for a greater; For, All is varity.  
There is therefore a threefold beholding of the Creature.  
1. The first necessary and lawful, to behold vanity with a transie●t eye; Democrit●s, pulling out his eyes to avoid lust, is censured by Tertullian, Emendatione incentinentiam arguisse; To make the remed● worse then the disease: And unless with him we will dismember ourselves of those precious Lights; 
1 Cor. 5.10.  Or as Paul saith, Get us our of the World; we must and may look on vanities as one that rides Post through a Town, sees the People and buildings, but cannot give you an account of them; or as Ahimaaz saw a tumult, 
2 Sam. 18  but knew not what it was: so we may look on Mundane glory with a slight and transient glance, look as if we looked not, 
1 Cor. 7.30.  rejoice as if we rejoiced not, buy as if wee possessed not.  
2. The second way of eyeing worldly vanities is laudable and excellent; To behold them with a contemning and disdaining look, slighting their transitory, empty glory, and pitying those that are besotted and ensnared therewith.  
3. The third way of beholding sublunary follies is sinful and dangerous; And that is, if we approve them with an Admiring or an Idolatrous eye, as the Disciples gazed on the stately fabric and Furniture of the Temple. 
Luk. 21.5.  Now from this kind of beholding earthly Vanities, it is that our eyes must be averted. 
Col. 3.5.  The sin of Covetousness is styled Idolatry, because many when they see, do even worship those golden, and silver Images, which they draw out of their bags: and 'twas well done of that Christian Prince, who caused to be set on his coin the Image of himself praying on his knees, that the people might not be hold their money with a covetous and an Idolatrous eye, but rather be put in mind thereby of their duty to God. You see from what beholding of vanity our eyes must be turned, unless we do behold them with an eye of holy contempt, by which Vision much benefit is reaped. The Lacedemonians by showing their children one that was very drunk, in all his Apish and loathsome postures; besmeared with mire, vomit, and blood; did much prevail upon their children to loathe that 'vice: and if thus we observe the corruptions of men; and the admired follies of the world, we shall not need to Turn away our eyes from them.  
The second Enquiry is this; How prayer may be useful in turning our hearts from loving, and our eyes from beholding vanity? I answer four ways: By Divertion, Confession, Supplication, and Resolution.  
And 1. Prayer doth it by Divertion, or turning our eyes to a better Object sometimes; From the Creature to God: Mine eyes saith David, are towards thee! The young Man in Austin, 
Aug. de Civ. Dei, lib. 2. c. 17  that beholded an obseen and filthy Picture, till his heart was inflamed; would have sped better, if he had suddenly diverted his eyes to an other Object. The Egyptians built them fairer Tombs then Houses; And in every Feast, one dish was the Skull of a man, to clip the comb of their pride, and divert their eyes from ostentation and gluttony to the meditation of Mortality; Facile contemnit omnia, qui se semper cogitat Moriturum, saith Jerome; He will easily despise all things that considers he is Mortal. I have red that a certain man, blind from the womb, standing by him that pierced Christ, was made to see by some of the blood that spirted on his eyes; 'Tis a wonder if that man could fix his on any vanity, that were seasoned by so doleful a spectacle as the death of his Redeemer; A sight so horid, that the SUN drew in his head as blushing to behold it. 'Tis said also that Lazarus after his Resurrection, was never seen to laugh; having once beholded the glories of Heaven, his eye could not relish earthly vanity: Now 'tis thus in prayer and meditation, the eye and mind are diverted to better Objects.  
2. Prayer doth it by way of Confession; For in praying to the Lord to Turn away our eyes from vanity, we acknowledge First, that they are apt to behold it with delight. 2. That the things we so eagerly behold are but vanity, and cannot satisfy us. 3. We confess our own weakness and dissability to remove our eyes from them, notwithstanding: Presumption hath been the bane of millions; but self-diffidence or distrust of our own wisdom and strength is the first step to preservation and happiness.  
3. By way of Supplication, in imploring the aid and engaging the assistance of the great God: Omnia a Deo petit, d●cens illum omnia efficer; He begs it of God and so declares that he only can do it: He that made the Sun to stand still, that great eye of Heaven, 
Josh. 12.12.  so swift in motion, can easily rebuk and chain up thy wandering eye: He that makes a watch can mend it, when it goes amiss or too fast; so the Lord that created, can correct the Organ of sight.  
4. Prayer doth it by way of Vow and holy Resolution; when praying to the Lord, we do vow unto him, that, in his strength, we will order and watch over that ranging sense, which like Quicksilver, laid upon the Table, is ever moving: Job therefore made a Covenant with his eyes, Job 31.1. In the Original 'tis, I cut a Covenant with my eyes. For it was a fashion in making Covenants, 
Annotat. on Job. 31.1.  to divide some beast, and to walk between the pieces; intimating that they desired the Lord so to mingle-mangle and destroy them, if they broken the Covenant, which is mentioned, Jer. 34.18. So that Job made a Covenant with his eyes, and desired the Lord to cut him in pieces, and to shred him in his wrath, if he did not carefully set a watch before his eyes, that they might not sin against God. Now though the command of God be sufficient to bind us to a duty, yet an Oath may further bind the fickle heart to God, and strengthen our care of obedience 
* Andr. cat. Doct. 224. ad 226. . An Oath is Jus jurandum assertorium de facto, and Jus jurandum promissorium de futuro: And these must be Sub Deo teste, which is called, contestatio; 
judge. 8.19. 1 Cor. 4.5. Ro. 22.9.  And Sub Deo vindici, which is called, Execratio: In the Contestation we show that we believe God will bring all things to light; In the Execration we show that we believe the Power of God is able to bring judgments upon us. It hath been much used by the Saints to knit their hearts unto God by promise 
* Gen. 18.20. Josh. 24.25. 2 Par. 15 12. Psal. 119.106. , So did Jacob, Joshua, Asa and David: I have sworn, saith David, and will perform it, that I will keep thy Righteous Judgments! Thou not only mayst but must tie thy fugitive heart and eyes to the Lord: But be sure you do it not( with Peter) in your own strength; but beseech the Lord that he would stand by you and support you.  
So then, 
The Use.  Imitate holy David, and on thy bended knees, beg of God, that for the sake of Christ, he would not leave thee to thyself; But watch over thy heart, thy senses which are five doors into thy heart, but especially thine eyes, which are not only doors but windows, through which the evil spirits do prie much into thee: To apply suitable temptations: They are well kept whom God keeps: The poor tenant often lets his house be unglazed; but if the Landlord undertake it he will keep it in repair: The Lord Paramount can easily keep the windows of our earthly Cottage well glazed, and our eyes well armed and provided against temptations.  
Now pray the Lord especial to divert thine eyes from vanity, In his public Worship, In private Meditation, In the time when most vanity is presented; Also in old age, and at the time of death, that thou mayst willingly leave this ensnaring world: and that thine eyes may be closed up with the assurance of Gods love in Christ.  
First, I say; in the time of public worship; whether many come rather to see and be seen in their best apparel, then to serve God: 'Twas a precept of Pygath●ras, that when we enter into the Temple to worship God; we must not so much as speak or think of any worldly business; least we make any Gods Service: 〈◇〉; an idle perfunctory and lazy Recreaation. In the Eastern Churches, The women were not suffered to sit where the me● could see them, to prevent the almsgiving of their eyes: And even now in Amsterda●, the Jewish women are placed in an high Gallary apart from the men, which was the best custom I observed in their worship: They are ( poor souls) marked in the eye, by which they may be known from all other men, for casting an envious and malicious eye on Christ in the Temple, and on the across; yet let not us insult over them, but 
* See my Treatise of Angels p. 205. ad 207.  pray for them: boast not thou of the goodness of thy eye, for birds do excel us in that sense: nay a Toad also hath an excellent eye: pray the Lord that thine eyes may be Sanctified and that he would chain them up when thou are in his public Worship; that they may not distracted thee in his Service. In our Saviours time, the people fastened their eyes on the Minister. Luke 4. 
Lu. 4.20.  And the eyes of all in the Synagogue were fastened upon him; 'Tis a good help against distractions to clasp the the wandering eye and fugitive heart to the word: 
Eccl. 5.1.  Look to thy feet, that is, to thy affections, and to all thy senses, When thou goest into the House of God: Thou mayst stumble with thine eye as well as thy foot; Pray the Lord to buckle thy heart and senses to himself.  
Secondly, in the time also of private Meditation; A fixed meditation and wandring eye do seldom meet. There is a extemporal meditation in our callings, and there is a meditation which is deliberate and set: In the latter chiefly, our eyes must be charmed and bounded by holy resolutions, least they discompose and ravel our meditation. Therefore did David Meditate in the night season as he lay in his bed; 
Psal. 4.4.  because then his eyes were uncapable of Avocations. advice your straggling thoughts to stay at the bottom of the hill, whilst you ascend the Mount of contemplation; Shut them out of your closerts, and buffet them out of your walks, or no good will be done: And the way to keep out vain thoughts, is to covenant with your eyes, To cast up divine Ejaculations; and to call God into the work.  
Thirdly, pray the Lord specially to Turn away thine eyes from vanity, in a time when most vanity is presented to thy view, by the world or Satan; that at such a time the eye may not tickle and inveigle the heart. When the Syrens sang most sweetly, and looked most pleasingly, Ulysses tied himself to the mast of the Ship, and stopped his fellows ears with wax, lest the sweet voice of Lagea, and the lovely features of Parthenope and Leucosia, say the Poets, should entice them to the Rocks and devour them: An apt emblem of this important Truth; When pleasures and vanities do show themselves to us in their best attire, when the bait of temptation is most pleasing, Pray the Lord that the eye may not be playing with it; O give not ear to Satans inchantations! There was a time when the Devil shewed unto Christ, at once, 
Mat. 4.8.  as in a landscape, all the glory of this World, He was armed to resist it; Thou knowest not but God may permit him to assault thee in such a way: but desire the Lord, that when the world and sin put on all their glory, that thine eyes may be turned away from beholding it. Great offers have been made by Persecutors to the Christian Martyrs if they would deny Christ: Jerom tells a story of a certain soldier, 
Hieronimus in vita Pauli.  whom when the praetor could not by any torments remove from Christianity, he commanded to be laid on a bed, in a pleasant garden, among the flourishing and flagrant flowers; which done, all others withdrawing, a most beautiful Harlot came to him, and used all art to destroy his Soul; but the good Christian, fearing God, bit off his tongue with his teeth, and spat it in her face, as she was tempting him; And so got the victory by the constant grace of the Lord assisting him. When some talked of winning Luther to Rome by money and great preferments; one answered, Hem! Germana haec bestia pecuniam non curat; This German brute careth not for money! The very enemies of Luther confessing that he was tentation-proof, and that 'twas bootless to lay by him the most amiable baits. And as we must pray that our eyes may not be ensnared, so that they may be raised to himself at such a time, when the glory of the world shall put on the most enamoring dress. Fulgentius( Bishop of Ruspa) being present at a General Assembly of the Roman Nobility, to whom Theodoricus, King of the Goths, made an Oration; and marking the habit, state and splendour of so many worthy Lords, O God, said he, how beautiful and gorgeous is the heavenly Jerusalem above, when the earthly Rome is so illustrious in pomp and majesty? The sustre of the world should be so far from drawing us from God, that by such meditations it should screw up our hearts unto him.  
4. Fourthly, This also must carefully be done in the time of old age; for then a proud or lascivious look is most unseemly and intolerable. For a man with four eyes to look upon rude and wanton pictures, the beauty of an Harlot, or to see his game of Cards or Dice, how unbecoming is it? His spectacles do upbraid him with the vanity of that heart, which so many years experience and affliction cannot call from the world. Many when age hath disarmed them of ability to serve Satan, go on in speculative uncleanness, and please themselves with contemplative villainy: But hear Seneca, Laetitia Juverem, Frons decet tristis senem; or rather Saint Paul, Let the a●ed m●n be sober, grave, temperate, 
Tit. 2.2.  sound in faith, charity and patience. Let old men set among their Tulips a plant called Napel, which carrieth a flower that most perfectly resembles a Deaths head; and if Tulips of of all colours do please their sight, Napels will instruct their Reason.  
5. Fiftly and lastly, Pray the Lord that at death thine eyes may not be linked to vanity; that thou mayst not unwillingly be drawn from a Prison to a Palace, from rags to Robes; some coming to die, have charged their Relations to keep out of sight, least the heart should be drawn out towards them( through the eyes) which might breed an unwillingness to die. When Crane came to suffer, his wife and children, kneeling down before him, desired to know how they should subsist, Crane answered, He that provides for the young Ravens, will certainly look after the young Cranes, that cry unto him; and so shuting out those cares, and affections he peaceably slept in the Lord: death is often called a sleep: 
* Mat. 9.24. 1 Thes. 4.13  we shut our eyes when we desire to court sleep to come unto us, that we may be refreshed thereby: so before death you must especially shut your eyes close, against the allurements of the world, and suggestions of Satan; who will then double the Files of his Assaults, Let such onely have an hankering eye after the world, 
Rev. 12.12  whose portion is in this life: But to good men, Mortis dies non tam fatalis quam natalis, said Seneca, The day of their death is not fatal, but a birth-day unto them: So then, be not dismayed( you that are in Christ) when you come to die; for when thy Alter Ego hath closed up thine eyes, they shall never behold vanity or misery any more: Mark the upright man; 
Ps. 37.37  observe his last deportment, For the end of that man is peace.  
SOLI DEO GLORIA.  
FINIS.   

Some of the Faults escaped in the Authors enforced Absence.  
P. 12. l. 11. after glory, add, of Earth. l. 26. r. hoins. p. 16. l. 12. for save r. safe. p. 43. l. 4. r. not covet. p. 49. l. 5. r. within ken of vanity. p. 52. l. 16. r. emasculate. p. 36. l. 11. r. Add hereunto. p. 61. l. 24. for vulnere, r. munere. p. 63. l. 23. r. I extol.  
Courteous Reader, There are other Faults which will need a charitable Mantle to cover them, or Pen to amend them: but chiefly mend the erratas of thy life.  
Vale.