The vanitie of the eye first beganne for the comfort of a gentlewoman bereaved of her sight, and since vpon occasion enlarged & published for the common good. By George Hakewill Master of Arts, and fellow of Exeter Coll. in Oxford.

THE VANITIE OF THE EYE .

CAP. 1. That the eie is a speciall instrument of want onnesse , gl●ttony , and cove tousnesse .

THough manie and singular bee the commendations of the nature and frame of the eie , & the vse of it in the ordinary course of life bee no lesse diverse then excellent as wel for profit as delight , yet the dangerous abuses which arise from it not rightly guided , are so generall , and almost inseparable , that it may iustly grow to a disputable question whither wee should more regard the benefit of nature in the one , or the hazard of grace and vertue in the other . For if wee consider the testimony of scripture , and current of times , we shal meet with more examples of running into mischiefe by the suggestion of this one s●nse , and more prayers , & precepts bent against the abuse of it , then any of the rest severally , or all of them iointly ; the same being often taken ( as well in scripture , as in common speech ) for all the other foure , as S. Au●●stin● hath wittily obserued in 〈◊〉 112 Epistle , for wee say no● only see how it shines , but see how it sounds , see how it tasts , see how it feels , see how it smels and the same godly father hath written an entire chapter of this subiect in his booke of confessions , which he entitles the allurement of the eies . His words are so sweet , & so fit for the present purpose , that I cannot passe by them without setting downe a part of them , howbeit they cannot but loose much of their grace in rendring . L ▪ 10. ● . 34 . Mine eie longs to look vpon beautiful , & various shapes fresh , & pleasant colors , but l●t not these possesse my mind , let God possesse it , who indeede made these things very good , but he o●●y is my good , not thes● ; & whiles I speak therof , I am miserably intangled , but thou , ô Lord , dost free me mercifully . Hence David having praied God to turne his heart to the keeping of his testimonies , imm●diat●y 〈◊〉 , turne away my eies ( O Lord ) from regarding Psal. 119. v. 37. vanity , as su●posing this latter the readiest meanes , & best way for the attaining the ●orme● . But Iob steppeth yet one degree farther , from a prayer to a vow . I haue made a covenant with mine eye , Ca. 31. v. 1. why then should I looke on a maid ? And , which is ●ore , from a vow to an imprecation . If mine heart haue walked after Ca. 31. v. 7. mine eie , let me sow , & let another eat , yea let my plants be rooted out . After these holy men of God came Solomon , behind them indeed in time , but before them in wisdome , who , being led partly by a speciall illumination from heaven , and partly by his owne great experience , laieth downe this position , as a rule without exception , Prov. 23. v. 33. Thine eies shall looke vpon strange women , & thine hart shal speak lewd things . And in another place , Eccl. 9. 5. 8 gaze not on a maid , lest thou fal by that that is precious in her . Turn away thine ey from a beautiful woman , & look not thou vpon others beauty , for many haue perished by the beauty of women , & through it loue is kindled as a fire . Wherevpon S. Peter marking out vnto vs the badges and cognizances of false teachers , forgets not this one among the rest most notorious , Hauing eys full of adultery , and that cannot cease to sin , Ca. 2. v. 2. where we see the very chaire , & throne of adultery , to be seated in the eie ; howbeit it be in truth but the passage , & pipe to convey it to the soule . The word in the originall is full of an adulteresse ( a phrase of speech vsual in holy writ for the full expressing of the suparlatiue degree ) which some interpret to be meant of the pupil of the eie , and the rather for that the latin , and greeke giue it the name of a young maid , and the Hebrew , and Spanish tearme it the daughter of the eie . To proceed , our Saviour in the Gospel affirmeth that ʰ Ma●. 5. 28. whosoeuer looketh after a woman to lust after her , hath committed adultery with h●r already in his hart , wher in doubt not but lusting even vpon here say without looking , is no lesse iustifiable ; yet it pleased our savior to instance in looking , as well knowing himselfe , and withall intending to make vs knowne , that lusting for the most parte follows looking . Which the very heathens well vnderstanding in the dedication of the several parts of mans body to their severall Gods , & Godesses , as the eares to Minerua , the tongue to Mercury , the armes to Neptune , they leaue the eie to Cupid their God of lust , as being the fittest for his vse , the proverb holding alike in inordinate lust , as in ordinary loue , out of sight , out of minde . For as the finger ever waits on griefe ; so doth the eie on loue . Whence in the greeke , the same word only by the change of a vowell signifieth both to see , 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 & to loue , & as they come neer in name , so , saith Plutarch , their cognation , L. 5. symp and sympathy is in nature so marveilous , that they seeme not to vnderstande the strength , & force of it , who wonder at the propertie of a chaulky brimstone mentioned by Plinie , Lib. 2. cap. 105. which snatcheth fire to it selfe , though removed from it by a competent distance , the eies drawing it to the soule ( which is not so much where it liveth , as where it loveth ) in a far larger distance , & by a nimbler kinde of working : vpon which consideration , Valerius Max. fitly cals the eies the spies which lie in ambush for the vnder mining of other mens mariages , Lib. 2. ca. 1. & Alexander vsing a different phrase shot at the same marke , when he named the Persian maides , the griefes of the eies , Plut. in vita Alex. & thervpon in my iudgment hee iustly refused that Darius wife ( whose beauty the Macedonians so much admired ) should be once brought in to his presence , as fearing least hee that had manfully subdued so many nations , should in the end himselfe be shamefully conquered at the sight of a woman ; which was also the reason , as I suppose , R●d●g . l. 3. cap. 38. that Procopius the Emperor went alwaies with his eies fixed on the ground . This sense being therfore rightly tearmed by Mercurius Tresmegistus the tyrant , or butcher of reason , leading it captiue in triumph , & delivering it over as a prisoner to the lower faculties , forcing it of a Queene , and mistresse to be come an homager , and base vassal , being then none otherwise harkened vnto , or observed , then a magistrate in a state shaken , & torne with civill discords , to which purpose the fathers bring those two passages of I●remy , pertinent enough in regard of the matter , but whether naturall from the text I doubt ? ( Mine eie hath de●oured my hart ) and in another place , Lam. 3. 31. Death hath climed vp by the windowes , Proph. 9. v , 21. for by the eies ( saith Clemens Alexandrinus ) Lib. 5. p●d ▪ Cap. 11. lo●e first entreth the lists to challenge combat with reason , that being it which is first tainted before any other part of the body be corrupted : & therfore the comedians ( saith he ) bring in on the stage the wanton Sardanapalus sitting in an ivory chaire , reaching out his hand for his purple , & casting his eie in euery corner , his conclusion is that i● is a matter of les● consequence to fall by the foote , then by the eie , since the one is only daungerous to the ▪ bodie ; but the other to both body and soule . Let vs then for preventing this mischiefe , imbrace the graue advise of S. Gregory ; In commen● . super . 31. I●bi . bridle thy soule ( saith he ) for feare that vnadvisedly running , it fal not vp●̄ the sight of that which may stir it to lust , lest afterwards being hood winkt , it begin to couet that which it saw ; & so in the persuit of things visible , it make shipwrack of invisible graces . How many haue we seene , & heard of , who after the sight of women haue grown peevish ? & some stark mad , others haue raised armies , and razed whole Citties , and townes to make away their competitours , and at length haue laid violent hands on themselues ? Nay if we proceed yet one step farther in ripping vp , & searching out the abuse of the eie , we shall easily discover it to be an immediat in strument , not only of wantonn●s , but of gluttony , covetousnesse , ●●eft , idolatry , iealousie , pride , contempt , Psa. 112. ●10 . curiosity , ᵇ envy , witchcraft , 〈◊〉 . 26. v. 8. & in a manner of the whole rebellion , & apostasie , as well of the body , ●●ccl . 14 v. 〈◊〉 as the minde . Which assertion though it seeme larg● , and by consequence bold ; yet I finde the way chaulked out vnto it by Gregory Nissene in his exposition vpon the Lords praier , in the article of lead vs not into temptation . For the first then of these particulars , Salomon giues an excellent precept , Looke not thou ( saith he ) vpon the wine when Pro. ●3 . 31. it is red , & when it shews his coulour in the cup , in the end therof it will bite like a serpent , & hurt like a cocatrice , & in an other place , stretch not out thine h●nd wherso ▪ Eccl. 31. 13 ever thine eie looketh , & thrust it not with it into the dish , as giving therby to vnderstand , that intemperat powring down strong drink and inordinate devouring delicious meats , ariseth oftner from the greedinesse and vncontent of the eie , then from any reall want , or desire of the appetite . For the second , the same Salomon in an other place maketh it as cleare as the former . Eccles. 4. v. 8. There is on● alone ( saith he ) and there is not a second , which hath neither sonne nor brother , yet is there no ende of all his travell , nor can his eie be satisfied with riches , noting the chiefe cause of the restlesse discontent of the mind , and needelesse spending of the bodie to arise from the insatiablenesse of the eie . Eccl●s . 1. v. 8. The eare being neuer filled with hearing , nor the eie satisfied with seeing . For a covetous mans eie hath never enough of a portion , and his wicked mallice withereth his owne soule , which the divell well vnderstanding in his last , and hottest assault vpon our Savior , tempted him by the eie , in shewing him all the kingdomes of the world , Mat. 4. 8. & the glory of them . Which word no doubt is expresly added to signifie the chiefe bait , by which the tempter had well hoped to haue caught our Saviour .

CAP. 2. How Idolatry hath a kinde of necessary dependance vpon the eie .

I had thought to haue passed over in silence the rest of those particular vices , which flow from the eie , without any farther opening of them , onely contenting my selfe to haue pointed at them , with some briefe references in the margin , but vpon farther search , I founde some of them , and those of the higher degree to depend vpon the sight in a more necessary , & immediate manner , then at the first I conceived : among the chiefest of which rancke is Idolatry , which as it had his original from the eie , so is it still nourished by the same , the verie name giving vs to vnderstande that primarily , Steph. in Thes. Z●● . de Re● lib. 2. cap. 17. and properly in the nature of the word , it is no●thing els but the representation of somwhat , in a material shape , apprehended by the eie , & adored by the minde ; whence it is in my iudgement that among all these idolatrous nations , which worshipped false Gods , & went a whooring after their owne inventions , ascribing the honour due to the creatour , to some cre●ture ; the greatest part haue ever consented in worshipping the hoast of heaven , the sun , the moone , or the st●rs , which among all creatures the eie most admireth , and delighteth in as the Egyptians , the Assyrians , the Phoenicians , the Medes , the Massagetes , the Persians , & in a word , as Macrobius hath learnedly observed , Saturn lib. 10. cap. 21. all the heathen ; howebeit they differed much about the names of their Gods , yet really , and indeede they consented in the worshipp of some of these , ●nd mothinkes for this present purpose , t is worth the considering that they which helde the sunne for their God , adored him not at noone day , walking then as a gyant in his ful strength , not to be gazed on ; but either at rising or ●alling because then hee appeares most glorious to the eie ; & the greatest part at rising ; because his glory after the darknes is most acceptable to the sight , it being therfore compared by the Psalmist , in rising , to a bridegroome comming forth of his chamber , who in passing by draws everie mans eies after him . For this cause doeth God by his Prophet call Esa. 20. 78 the Idols of Egypt the abomination of the eies , twice within the compasse of 2. verse , and in the 15. of Numbers , Ver. 39. you shal not seek after your own hart , nor after your own eies , after which you go a who ring , 4. 15. but that of Exodus is in my iudgement yet much fitter for this present discourse . Take therfore good heed vnto your selus , for you saw no image in the daie that the Lord spake vnto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire , that yee corrupt not your selues & make a graven image , or representation of figure , and least thou lift vp thine eies to heaven , and when thou seest the sunne , and the moone , and the stars , with all the hoast of heaven , shoulst be driven to worship them . Which wordes in the weakest apprehension , at first view , cannot but inforce a very powerfull , and actiue operation of the eie , in drawing the minde from the contemplation of the fayrest visible creatures , to the fow lest of all sins , if it finde not the grace of God , and the sense of true religion planted in it . I will conclude this point with that notable speech of Iob ; 31. 26. where amongst the rest of his imprecations vpon himselfe , he inserteth if I did behold the sun when it shined , or the moone walking in her brightnes , this had beene iniquity to be condemned , for I had denyed the God aboue , which words the common streame of interpreters vnderstand to bee meant of the daunger of falling into this spirituall fornication , & sinning against the Creator , by too much doting vpon , & admiring the beauty of those glorious creatures .

CAP. 3. How pride is begotten , and ●o●r●shed by the eie .

THE next particular that offers it selfe worthie consideration is pride , which in nothing shewes it selfe more , then in the pompe , and magnificence of maskes , pageants , triumphes , monuments , theaters , amphitheaters : I speake not against their lawfull vse , but of their abuse : when they tie the eie in such manner vnto them , as they withdraw the minde from the contemplation of that glorie , which neither Praeter , T●m. 3. c. 1 nor Consull can exhibite ( as S. Cyprian speakes ) but he only from whom , and by whom we liue , & moue ; The like may as iustly be said of giving of almes to be seene of men , of all manner of excesse in building , in houshold stuffe , in apparell , as wel for matter , Cap. 3. 18. as fashion . Of which the Prophet Esay hath named some , taken vp by the women of his time . As the ornament of the slippers , the calls , the round tires , the bracelets , the bonnets , the tablets , the earings , the wimples , the crisping pinnes , the fine linnen , the launes ; of all which surely the greatest part are devised rather for pleasing the eie , then for vse either in covering nakednesse , or in garding the body , against scorching heat , or pinchinge cold . Some notwithstanding there are , who insteed of purchasing the applause , and admiration , they pursue , incurre the censure which the Anemolian Ambassadors found among the Vtopians , Ca. de commer . who as Sr T. Moore sets it downe thinking to dazel the eies of the poore Vtopians , with the luster , and glistering of their chains , & precious stones ▪ the children playing in the streets , tooke them for greate boyes , which had not yet laid aside their brouches , & bables ? the women for the Ambassadors iesters , & the men for their slaues or servants ; saluting those which were so indeed● , insteed of their masters , but misliking the chaines , & bracelets , as being to little , and to lose , which by that meanes might easily either bee broken , or cast of . But in this point , me thinks t is worthy speciall consideration , that nature hauing so framed the eie , as it can neither behold it selfe , nor the face , in which it is set , yet haue men invented for the supplying of that vse looking-glasses , as the artificial eies of pride ; the eie being as it were a liuing looking-glasse , & the looking-glas again a dead eie , by means wherof many Narcissus like become enamored of themselues , by to to much admiring their own beauty , or Pigmalion-like fall in loue with their own images , or on the other side , with Io , & Acteon in the fable , stand amazed at the vglinesse of their own shapes ; & sometimes with the Camel , and Buc●phalus ( in stories ) grow in regard at the sight of their own shadowes . In which kind , I remember I haue heard , of a yong Gentleman of this Vniversity , who being newly recovered from the smal pox , & by chance seeing the change of his face in a looking-glasse , for meere griefe fell into a relapse , and within short time died . And sure I am perswaded , that the vse of it in the art of seeing , is not of such consequence as it can in any sort countervail the damage arising from it , in the art of manners , nether are there by it so many staines and blemishes discovered in the face , as imprinted in the soule .

CAP. 4. That often seeing is the meanes to draw both things , & persons into contempt .

The 5. considerable particular is contempt , whence it is that those things which wee most feare , and reverence , are most remoued from our sight as God , & the divell , heaven , & hel , among the Papists the relicks of their Saints , & in the Aegyptian temples the God which they worship . For which cause also , ( as I suppose ) God himselfe considering the weaknesse of man in this behalfe , in the leviticall law commanded , that none should enter into the holiest of al , ● . 9. 7. saue only the high Priests alone , and that once in the yeare only , and vpon the same ground , no doubt it is , that the great Turke suffers not his subiects to looke him in the face , when they speake vnto him ; and that those Easterne Princes the Duke of Mus●ovia , the great Cham of Tartary , and Praester Iohn ( as Boterus & Paulus Venetus report ) present themselues to be seene of their subiects but once , or twice in the yeare at most ; as well remembring that presence much weakneth report ; and that 4. good mothers bring forth foure bad daughters : vertue , envy ; peace ; idlenesse ; truth ▪ hatred ; and familiaritie , contempt . To this effect also is that excellent discourse which Comineus hath in his second booke , to proue that enterviewes betweene great Princes for the most part proue more dangerous , Cap. ● . than profitable . The examples hee brings , hapned all in his own time , & some of them himselfe , had been present at , as that between Edward the 4 King of England , & Lewes the 11 King of France , & of the rest , had hee beene credibly informed . Among which , the first and chiefest for our purpose , is that which was held betweene the forenamed Lewes , and Henry king of Castile , in the conclusion of which those two confederate nations ( saith he ) began to scoffe , and iest , each at other ; the king of● Castile was deformed , & weak of behaviour , and the French misliked his apparel wherfore they derided him : Againe the French king wore his apparell very short , and marvellous vncomely , & was sometimes clad in very course cloth , & besides wore an old hat , differing from the rest of his company , and an image of lead vpon it , where the Castilians i●stiested , as if this proceeded from b●senes , so that these two kings being ever before this entervew confederats , & good frends , parted discontent on both sides & never loued hartily after● that meeting . Notwithstanding I denie not , but that there may be● Solomon , the very sight of whom may adde much to heresay , and report , as the Queene of Saba who came to see him witnesseth , in these wordes , Kings li , 2. Ca. 10. v. 6. it was ( saith shee ) a true word which I heard in mine own country of thy wisdome & of thy sayings , howbeit I beleeued not their report vntil I came , & mine eies had seene it . The like issue had that renouned entervew ( if I may so tearme it ) at that King of Denmark his comming over , to see his Maiestie , the true Solomon of this age of whom I may as iustly say , that his presence in this Vniversitie , bred a greater admiration , and reverence than the report which was sent before him , which howbeit it were almost beyond credit , yet his presence much ou●streched it . But howsoever some on such Phoenix may arise in an age , yet for the most part ( which arts , & precepts only consider ) I durst confidently maintaine my first position , grounded aswell vpon reason , as common experience , that presence much weakneth report , and diminisheth reverence , aswel towards persons , as things .

CAP. 5. How curiosity and prying into other mens businesse is bred and maintained by the etc.

THe 6. particular is curiositie , for such is the condition of most men , that although nature haue seated the eie in the inner chamber of the face , yet are they prying alwaies into other mens busines ; sharp sighted as Eagles in censuring other mens actions , but bats , & moles in their own . Not vnlike those witches called Lamiae , Cap. ●● of whom Plutarch speaks in his booke of Curiosity , who were wont to put vp their eies in a boxe whiles they stayed at home , and never to set them in their heads till they were going abroad . Insomuch that the oracle of truth it selfe , hath pronounced it for truth , that those who can see a mote in their brothers eie , Mat. 6. 4. can not yet discerne a beame in their own , & the second wise man that ever liued , hath laid it down for a maxime , that a wise mans eies are in his head , but a fooles are peeping in at euery window : which lesson it seemes Antoninus the Emperour was to seeke of , when curiously casting his eies about in another mans house , 't was freely told him , that it became a ( guest as he was ) in that place to be deafe & blinde ; to which purpose also we read in the Acts of the Apostles , that our Savior being taken vp in a clowd , Cap. 1. 10. out of their sight , they were checked by the Angels , for gazing curiously after him , and in a kinde of reproofe stiled with the name of men of Galilee . 1. 6. 19. Yet more memorable is that instance out of the booke of Samuell , where t is said that the Lord smote the men of Bethshemish , because they had looked into the Arke , & as t is added in the text for that very fact he slew among the people fifty thousand 60. & 10. men , But for a plesant example in this kinde I haue not met with any answerable to that of Rablais , Lib. 3. c. 33 who reports that Pope Iohn the 22 being in France & passing by the nunnery of Fōthenrant , the Abbesse with her Nuns presented vnto him a supplication that it might be lawfull & sufficient for them , to confesse one to another , since many secrets fell out among them which they durst not either for shame , or feare , trust the Priest withall ; The Pope gaue them the hearing , & told them he would consider of the matter ; and at his departure deliuers to the Abbesse a little box ( in which he had put a Linnot ) to be kept without opning ( vnder pain of excommunication ) til his return ; his holines had no sooner turn'd his back , but they with one consent , set al vpon the Abbesse , for the opening of it , to see what was in it ( such was their curiositie of prying even into the Popes secrets ) shee being easily perswaded , did so , by which meanes the Linnot escaped ; the Pope presently returning ( vnder pretence of some other occasion ) demaunds his box , but finding the bird gone , tels them that if they could not keep his counsell , vpon so straight a charge , they would hardly keepe one anothers , and so inioines them their wonted form of confession .

CAP. 6. Of bewitching by the eye .

THE seaventh and last particular in this kinde which I will speake of , is bewitching by the eie , to which the Apostle S. Paul alludes in his Epistle to the Galathians , where he demands [ who had bewitched them ? ] ●ap. 3. v. 1. 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 . the word in the originall is found but this once onely in the new Testament , & ( as I thinke ) in the Canonicall scripture , & ( as the learned Beza hath rightly observed ) properlie signifieth a kinde of fascination , or bewitching by the eie , and therefore the Apostle in the same verse , continuing his metaphor , opposeth therevnto as an amulet● , or preservatiue , the cru●ifying of Christ in their sight : and Tertullian in his booke of the vailing of Virgins , De velandis Virginibus . brings this as a reason to perswade them to the vse of their vailes , least the heathen might thereby take advauntage to bewitch them , in finding their faces vncovered , and by that meanes subiect to maligne aspects . Arist. sec● . 20. prob . 34. And the chiefe secretarie , or privie counsailour of nature as also his followers in their problems , Alex. lib. 2. prob . 54. or questions , of the secrets of nature , haue inserted among the rest , one of this kinde of bewitching ; not as doubting of the trueth of the thing , but as searching onlie into the manner of it , and remedie against it ; but the best that I haue met with , for discovering this mystery , is Plutarch in the fift booke of table-talke , where hee witnesseth , Prob. 7. that whole families , & nations haue beene tainted with that disease ; & Plinie giues the reason of placing Satyres , and Antikes to be looked on , in the entries and portales of great mens houses , to haue beene the possessing by that meanes , of the thoughts of that malicious kinde of people , by which their strength in hurting might either bee diverted , or abated . Some write that women that haue a double pupill in their eie , doe most harme this way ; but vpon what certaine grounds of experience , I cannot affirme ; only in this , I finde most of auncient heathen Philosophers to concur , & some of the latter christian Physitions , that not only men and women , Vlmus de occultis remediis c ▪ 10 doe interchangeably hurt one an other in this kinde ( as hath already beene shewed , ) but both of them vnreasonable creatures , and they againe , both men , and women . For the first of which sort , Plin. li. 30. cap. 11. it is in my iudgment worth the observing , which many natural historiographers , ( & these of the chiefest ranke ) report , & Plutarch addes , that himselfe hath tryed , that a man beeing sicke of the yelow-iandise , if he stedfastly looke vpon the eie of the bird Icterus ▪ or Galgalus , him selfe may perhaps recover , but the bird dies instantly , without faile ; And on the other side it is as commonly receaved not onely among the vulgar , but the learned ; that the Basilike by his eie killeth a man : Picolom . Zabarel in lib. de visu . which the 2 greatest naturalists of this age ▪ take as granted , when as having set downe their state , that the act of seeing ariseth from somwhat receaved into the eie , they obiect this experience against it , and answere it rather by wai● of exposition , then denial , granting indeed that he hurts a man by his eie , but rather by some pestilent vapor , which proceedes from it , them by any ray , or beame , which helps it in seeing , which resolution of theirs , as it salveth their former assertion , so doth it plainly make for our present discourse , of poysoning by the eie ▪ I here passe over the fresh bleeding of a dead corps , at the looking on of the murtherer , as also Medusaes turning men into stons , by her looks alone , which though it bee indeed but a Poeticall fiction , yet their meaning doubtlesse , stretcheth farther then the ordinary reader at first blush conceaveth ; in shadowing vnder that fable , the suddaine astonishment of men , at the raies of her rare beauty . But for the full clearing of this point , let vs but consider the common experience of infecting one another , by bleare eies , and the spotting of a looking glasse , especially if it be new , Arist. li. de insom . 2. c. 2. and cleare by the looking on of a menstruous woman , and this case● ( as I thinke ) in an indifferent ▪ Lemnius lib. 2. c. 13. iudgement , not possessed with preiudice ( howbeit Vairus and Vallesius●unne ●unne a contrary bias ) wil passe for currant .

CAP. 7. How the generall r●bellion of the body is occasioned by the eie .

NOw for the generall rebellion of the body , the words of our Saviour are plain , if thine eie be evill , all the body is darke ; Mat. 6. 23. & in the chapter going before , hee instanceth : in the eie , and the hand , as the two most offensiue members of the body ; the one a● the counsailour to the heart , & the other as the executioner ; whence S. Iohn fitly comparing all worldly vanities to a three headed Cerberus , or 3. shapte Chimera , placeth the lust of the eies ▪ betweene the lust of the worlde , and the pride of life ; to which middle head ( in my iudgment ) may fitly be reduced , that excessiue delight , which we naturally take , in beholding one beast cruelly to wo●ry , and devour another . And which is worse , in seeing one man combating with an other ; nay with wilde beasts , & that even to the powring out of bloud , & sometimes the life it selfe , which among the ancient Romans was vsuall , De vero cul●u l. 6. cap. 2. as may appeare by that complaint of Lactantius in his time , They are angry ( saith hee ) with the combaters , vnlesse one of them be slaine , & as if they thirsted after human bloud ; they are impatient of al delay , they require fresh men to enter the lists , that they may instantly glut their eies with an other bloudy spectable . T is an excellent observation , that S. Augustine hath of Alipius his friend in frequenting these sports , Confess . l. 6. cap. 8. that being by his advise , once withdrawne from them , and by company drawne thither againe ; hee told them , that they might force his body thither , but his eies , they should not , which protestation hee indeed made good ; vntill at length , a grievous wound being given by one of the Combaters , a great shout was sudd●̄ly raised , through the theater ; at which ( Alipius not able any longer to forbeare ) opened his eies and seeing the bloud trickling downe , dranke in cruelty with the sight , receaving a greater wound in his soule , then the combater did in his heade , neither was he now the man that came thither , but one of the manie ▪ vnto whom he came ; and a true companion , or rather captaine , of those who drewe him thither by force . Hither also may be referred , the lewd masking , which the Papistes vse in their Carnivals , or rather Bacchanals , at Shrouetide ; the women marching through the open streetes , in mans apparrell , and the men in womens ; as also the Iesuits exhibiting of heaven and hell , God & the divell , the damned , and the elect , vpon their stages : to which may be added , the beholding of vaine & wanton pictures , such as Aretines , ordinary among the Italians , & west Indians . But for their dangerous effect , I refer the reader to that example , Lib. 2. c. 17 Ex Ter. which S. Augustine alleadgeth in his booke of the citty of God , Of a certaine young man , who looking vpon a painted table , in which was described Iupiters descending in a golden shower , into Danaes lap , takes hold of the next opportunitie , of running into the same kinde of sensualitie , and defends his fact , by the Example of Iupiter the great Monarch and governour of the world . Lastly , here might challenge its due place , that lascivious grosse action , which is ever represented , in the French Comedies and daunces ▪ and sometimes in our common Mercenarie interludes here at home , whe● at the greatest part , would surely otherwise rather blush , then laugh ; but that they holde that place in a manner priviledged : Against this abuse in plaies and the christians frequenting of them , beeing acted by the heathen , composed of heathenish matters , and instituted in honor of there heathenish Gods● ; the fathers are eloquent , & copious but especially the golden mouthed Doctor , Hom. 3. de David ▪ & Saul sparsim . Art thou not afraid ? ( saith he ) dost thou not tremble to beholde with the same eie , with which thou lookedst on thy bed , where the foule adultery was represented , the sacred table where the tremblable mysteries of the sacrament are performed ? Whiles thou accustomest thy selfe to see such spectacles , insensibly , & by degrees , bidding adue to shame & modesty , thou beginnest to entertaine & practise the same . Those verie women , whom their own lewdnes , & vnhappines , hath prostituted to the common vse , are notwithstanding covered with the darke , & secret retiring places : & even they who haue sould their blushing , yet in such actions blush to be seene . But this Monster enters the ▪ theater , dares mount the stage , & doth take a pride , to play his part , in the publike view & face of the world ; and not only to speak & do naught , but to glory & boast in it , & which is worse to professe himself a Master & teacher of Art ; so that in regard of this boldnesse , the brasen forehead of the stewes , may iustly challenge the title of Modestie .

CAP. 8.

How the eie was the chiefe occasion of originall sin , & of exam●es in all those mischiefes which ●ormerly are proued to arise from it .

NOw for originall sin , which was the first personall in our first parents , and cleaues to all their posterity as natural , Gen. 3. 67. wee ●inde the first outward occasion of it to haue been the fairenesse of the apple apprehended by the womans eie , & the punishment first inflicted on it to haue been the opening of the eies , whether of the minde or the body I dispute not . 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 Whence it may be in the Hebrew the same worde signifieth as well an eie as a fountaine ; to shew that from it as from a spring or fountaine did flowe both sinne it selfe , the cause of sin , and misery the punishment of both ; and because by the eie came the greatest hurt , therefore God hath placed in it the greatest tokens of sorrow . For from it comes teares , by which the e●pressing of sorrow is peculiar to man alone : in which regarde i● were to bee wished that men would often pervse that excellent treatise of the gouernment of the eies written by M Grienham , a worke vndertaken vpon like reason no doubt , as was that practicall discourse of the government of the tongue , by the late reverend , and ever renowned Mr Perkins . The former of which we doubt not but is so much the more acceptable , and vsefull , as the subiect is more large and error dangerous ; for the tongue discloseth what evill ●loweth vnto it , but the eie keepeth it close which is a thing more perilous . But to proceed from reasons & precepts to examples ( the most popular arguments ) there doth not want in holy writ a clowd of witnesses to bring in evidence of the necessity & vse of the precepts before laid downe . Of covetousnesse in Achan , of fornication in Sichem , in David & Putaphars wife of adulterie , of gulttony in our first parents , of anger , envy , and revenge in Soule : in each of which particulars it pleased the holy Ghost ( no doubt that hee that readeth might consider ) to set down in expresse tearms the sense of seeing , as the first motiue which drewe them into these particulars . 1. for Achan we haue it registred vnder his own confession . los 7. 21. I saw among the spoile ( saith he ) a goodly Babylonish garment & 200 shicles of siluer & a wedge of gold of 200 shicles weight , & I coveted them & took them . 2. for Sichem the text it self is clear . Then Dinah the daughter of Lea. the which she bare to Iacob , Ge● . 34. 1. went out to se● the daughters of the Cuntry whom when Sichem the son of Hamor Lord of the Country saw , hee took her & lay with her & defiled her . 2. Sam. c. ● v. 2. 3 for David we find it in the forefront of this temptation , & when it was euening , saith the Text , David arose from his bed , & walked vpon the roof of the Kings Palace , & from the roof he saw a woman washing her selfe , & the woman was very beautifull to looke vpon , then David sent messengers & tooke her away and she came to him , & hee lay with her . And for Put aphars wife , the Text saith that she cast her eie on Ioseph , Gen. 39. 7. and said , ly with me . 4. For Saul , the scripture is very rema●kable , where it s said that afte● the slaughter of the Philis●ians the women sang by course , 1 Sam. 18. ● Saul hath slain his thousand ; & David his tenthousand ; wherefore Saul had an eie on David from that day forward . Lastly for our first parents Moses , the pen-man of God or rather the spirit of God inditing to Moses , rather then that circumstance should be vnvrged in content to thrust it into a parenthesis . Gen. 3. 6. see the woman ( saith the Text ) seeing that the tree was good for meat , & that it was pleasant to the eie , and a tree to bee desired to get knowledge , took of the fruit therof & did eat , and gaue it also to her husband , & hee did eat . To these may be added , as Apocripha the example of the 2 Iudges in the story of Susanna of whom it s said That they saw her walking daily in her husbands garden , Vers. 8. & from thence their lust was first inflamed towards her , & to conclude this point for making vp the musick ful to this vniversal diluge of sin may bee added the cause that drew the generall flowd of waters vpon the old world , which in the letter of the Text is expressed to be , that the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were faire , Gen. 6. 2. and they tooke them ▪ wiues of al that they liked , & sure it is to bee thought that from the eie first sprang the sinne of the Sodo●●●s conceaued against the Angels which Lot receaued because from thence their punishment first began , Gen. 9. 11. according to that rule of the C●vilians ; L●si quis de servi●u●e . who advise not so much the fact i● selfe , as the first originall cause from whence it springs to bee looked into . Vpon which ground was founded that more wise than strict law of Zalencus in commaunding the eies of an adulterer to bee put out as being either the chiefe guides or counsellers in that worke ▪ Valerius . and his owne son afterward offending in the same kinde , rather then his law should be broken , content he was good man to loose one of his owne eies , by that meanes to redeeme one of his sonnes . And vpon the same reason of Iustice did Oedipus in the Poet execute vpon himselfe the same kinde of punishment : Sen. in oe. ●ipo act. 5. and in the same member , though in the appearance of men for a different offence , was Henrie the 2. king of France striken by the finger of God , hauing that eie put out by the splinter of a staffe broken in Tilting , with which not long before hee had vowed to see Anne of Burge one of the Presidents of the Parliament of Paris , & some other of his associats of the reformed religion to be burnt , ( if they persisted in that opinion ) as Serres , and Thuanus , both French , and excellent historiographers of this age haue left recorded . But to returne to the matter , once of this we are sure , that the pleasing of Herods eie by Herodias daughters dauncing was that which cost Iohn Baptists head , Mat. 14. 6. the minde of man ever conceaving great & little spots by the media●ion of the eie , as Labans sheepe did their young at the sight of the pilled rods which Iacob laide in the watering trough . Gen. 30. 37 .

CAP. 9. Of the false report , which the eie makes to the inner faculties , in the apprehension of natural things

NEither doe our eies onely ▪ serue as panders , and brokers , or rather traiterous porters , for the inletting of these enemies vpon the soule , but also as false reporters in naturall , & artificiall things , and secret intelligencers in morall matters for discovering her weaknesse to the world : the former of which wee dayly try in discerning magnitudes , distances , proportions , Colours , in which reason by conclusions drawne out of her principles often checks & controules this sense for false reporting ; for instance we need go no farther than those colours which appeare in the rainbowe , or on a Doues necke by the reflection of the sunne beames , those night-chas●●s & gapings in the firmament . The seeming of Comets to bee in the same distance from vs , that stars and one starre from another ; the sparkling in the darke of precious stones , of the eies of certain beasts , of glo-wormes , of ro●ten wood , of fish bones , and the like . S. Basil in his hexameron demaundes the question , who it is ▪ that in his owne experience hath not often tried , that throwe in the water a little peece of silver , seemes to be double in quantity ? and straight things crooked ? that from the topps of high mountaines , heardes of cattell seeme to be but Ants , and from a ▪ watch tower a farre of , shipps vnder saile , but as flying doues ; large square towers like little round pigeon houses , and the sea and heavens to imbrace and kisse each other . These things all men knowe , and the greatest part acknowledge , to be errors of the eie , Though the learned only , Vi●●llio In opricis Ar●st ▪ in lib. de sensu & sensibili & in 〈◊〉 search into and finde out the causes of it ; the discoverl● of which because it falls not naturally within the compasse of this discourse , I wil not enter vpon the vnfolding of it ; it being withall a theame ( as I conceaue it ) of difficultie , and tediousnesse alike ; but will only ad a conclusion most vndoubted out of the rules of art , though hardly beleeued of the vulgar ; that the sun ( which the sharpest eie cannot possibly iudge to be aboue 2. or 3. foote broad ) is found by iust calculation , ●laviu● . to exceed in bignesse the whole globe of the earth and water aboue 166. times . Hence is it that Charron in his Treatise of wisdome ( a book second to none in this age for moral discourses ) and the French Academy , insisting herein in the steppes of the Stoicks and Academicks ; hold this sense rather to hinder ▪ then further true , and sound knowledge : though I confesse Eusebius in his preparation to the gospell , Lib. ● . c. 7. and Tertullian in his booke of the soule labour the contrary , but rather out of a zeale ( as I conceaue it ) offreeing the workes of God from imperfection then out of any deepe philosophicall discussing of this point : neither ( to speak a truth ) doe I see how in graunting an imperfection in the worke wee should or can from thence draw an argume●t of want of goodnesse ; or wisdome in the workman , especially if the worke bee of such nature , as that it haue in it selfe free will , to retaine , or deface that perfection , in which it ▪ was created .

CAP. 10. A generall discourse of the delusion of ●he eie by artificial means as also by the passions of the mind .

I Might here take occasion to enlarge of the delusion of the sight by the subtil●ie of the divell , by the cha●mes of sorcerers by the spells and exorcismes of coniurers ▪ by the legerdemaine of Iuglers , by the knaverie of Priests and Friers , See Sco● . 〈◊〉 l 13. 〈◊〉 by the nimblenesse of ●umblers , and ropewalkers , by the sleights of false and cunning marchants , by the smooth deportment and behaviour of Hypocrits , by the stra●agems of generals , by the giddinesse of the braine , by the distemper of phrensies , and lastly , by the violent passions of feare , and melancholy ; besids a thousand prety conclusions drawn● out of the bowels of naturall Philosophy , and the mathematicks ; by the burning of certain mixt powders , oiles , & liquors . By the casting of false lights , by● the reflection of glasses , and the like ; of which kind I will onely set downe one conclusion , which my selfe haue seene often practised , to the great astonishment of such , as beholding it , vnderstood not the reason o● it . The practise is thus ; take a study , or closet , where ( by closing the woodden leaues ) you may shut out all the light : then bore an hole , through the midst of one of the leaues to the bignesse of a pease , and cover it with a peece of spectacle glasse , and when the sunne shines on the ground before the window , hold on the inside right before the hole ( to the distance of two foot or thereabout ) a sheete of white paper or a large peece of faire linnen ; and you shall perfectly discerne by the shaddowes ; the shapes , and motions of men , and dogs , and horses , & birds , with the iust proportion of trees , and chimnies , and towers , which fal within the compasse of the sun neere the window .

To this artificiall● Conclusion , of deluding the sight may be● added a pleasant merry i●st out of Cashlios Courtier , Lib. ● . of a gentleman who having lost all his mony at dice , and getting to bed in a great chafe , insteed of praying fell a cursing , and so a sleepe ; which his fellowes perceiving , thought to put a tricke vpon him by putting out there ligh●s & making a noise as if they had continued there play , whereat he suddenly awaking out of his new sleep , fals to his old railing , that having gotten his money they were set vpon it purposelie to vexe him , having no light to see what they did ; they tolde him he was either mad or blind ; to thinke that they would play without light or not to see it standing full in his eie ; to which he replies that if they spake in earnest he had indeed lost his sigh● supposing it to be a plague of God sent vpon him for wishing it so often on others : they to ripen the rest confirmed him in his opinion till at length they brought him to vow to our Lady I knowe not how many fasts & pilgrimages for the recoverie of his sight ; which being performed falling hartily to his praiers he fals a sleepe ; now was the time to worke the feat ; his Companions cause lights to be conveyed into the chamber and renuing the former noise , awake him the second time , Le d●nger passe Le Saint est ●rompè . who nowe perceiving the lights which hee saw not before gaue God & our Lady solemne thanks for the recovery of his sight , but perfourmed his vowes at leasure .

CAP. 11. Of the delüsion of the sight , by the immediate working of the divel .

NOw for the other particulars aboue named , I will not dwell vpon anie of them , but will only point at some choice examples in the chiefest . First then for the divels sub●iltie in deceiving the sight , t is a matter agreed on on all hands ▪ that hee hath the power , ( Vertum●us or Proteus like ) to turne himselfe into any shape , or ( Chameleon like ) into any colour : nay which is more , wheras the Chamaeleon cannot chaunge himselfe into white ; yet can the Divell transforme himselfe into an Angell of light : and not only himselfe , but other things in such sorte , that sometimes hee makes them seeme to bee present when they are not , and sometimes not to seeme when they are , and at other times againe , to appeare in another shape and fashion than they are indeed , & in their owne nature . In al which kinds I finde among the Dutch writers plentiful & rare examples , De spectris Von Zau . ●erey . but chiefly in Lavater & Whitikind , who hath written the best in this kind of any I haue met with ; but in Dutch and vnder the name of Augustin Larcheimer . For the practise then , of making things appeare to be present which indeed are not ; the former of them brings this story . Lau. part ▪ 1. de de spect●is ex Alb. Cran●z●o l. 4. c 5. Henry the second Emperour of that name , vchemently suspecting Chunegund his empresse , for vsing false play with a Courtier too familiar with her , his iealousie was ( as he thought ) iustly increased , for that the Courtier was often seen to come forth of her chamber , early in the morning ▪ and alone ; but the good Empresse , beeing put to her purgation by the Ordalian lawe for the clearing of this vniust surmise , walked over fire hot culters , with naked feet , vnhurt , which discovered to the world , as wel her innocencie , as the divels policy , in counterfaiting such a shape and vsing it in such sort , as might most incense the Emperour , and drawe the Empresse , with others , into vndeserved suspition . The same authour , in the same booke , relateth that himselfe had heard of a wise , and graue man , one of the chiefe governours of the Tigurin Canton ; that himselfe , and his servant , travailing in a sommers morning , through the medowes , hee saw ( as him seemed ) one of his neighbours committing bestiality with a Mare , but knowing the good honest report of the man , and thereby misdoubting his owne eies , hee gets him p●esently to his house ; where hee finds him good man , in his bed , fast a sleepe . Wherein we may see , as in the one , the divels businesse , in abusing the weaknes of this sense , so in the other Gods providence in clearing the innocent . I vrge these examples to this ende , that if these men had trusted there owne sight , and not made farther search they had surely incurred what the divell by those ●leights hunteth after , the offending of God , and the endangering there own souls in the shedding of innocent bloud . If I might without tediousnesse , I would adde one history more , of the divels cunning in making things appeare which indeede are not , which tooke effect according to his designe . ( I confesse I vrge it not so much for the fitnesse , as the strangenes of the story . ) It fell out in the yeare 1282. in a towne named Hammel , vnder the Duke of Brunswikes dominion , an od mate comming thither vnder the habit of a Rat-catcher , and having done good service to the towne , for which hee was but poorely rewarded ; one day hee walkes through the streete ; playing on his tabour and pipe , by which mea●es , a number of the children of the towne , flocking after him , followed him so far , till at length comming without the gates , he led them al into a little hillocke , where they all vanished togither , & were never seene after to the number of 130. The relation I knowe cannot but seeme very strange , and therfore will hardly paste for credible , but Wierus a Germane borne & chiefe Physition to the Duke of Cleues and ( as his workes shew ) a professed enemy to monkish fables , Li. 10. 16. de prae●lig . daemonum constantly affirmes , out of his own experience , that the act is at this day to be seene registred in the recordes of the towne , and painted forth in the glasse-window of the cathedral ▪ church , and besides that the streete through which they passed , beares his name of the accident , and their ancient publicke instruments of law , as bands , & leases beare date , as well from the yeare of the departure of there children , as from the incarnation of Christ ; which inducements me thinkes , are able to make a man swallow a greater difficultie .

Nowe for the divels seconde practise , in deceiving the sight , by making things not appeare which indeede are present , I finde a memorable example , which hapned not long since , Whitikin . dus cap. 6. at Francfort vpon Odera an vniversitie belonging to the Marquesse of Brandeburg , where a certaine maide possessed as they thought , woulde often thrust her empty hand into the open aire , and drawe it backe full of ven this is nothing else but a delusion of the sight either by fitting the skinns of such beasts to the bodies of men and women , who by a deepe strong imagination , or naturall disease , suppose themselues to be such indeed , as they seeme to bee ; or by applying to them aiery bodies ; which sometimes to bee so is manifest in that being torne with the teeth of dogs , or striken with staues , their former shape soone vanisheth , but the print of the blowe remaineth . To which purpose Whitikind I remember maketh report of an old woman in the Dukes of Meckelburges country , 12. who appearing in the shape of a great Mastiue dogge the hounds espying her , ran with full mouth vpon her , & the country hinds with pronges , and pike staues , fel about her , til at length she being sore wounded , the shape of the Mastiue vanished , and nothing was left to the slake , out a poore silly old woman , begging mercy & pardon : this news being brought to the Vniversitie of Francford , where our Author then liued , Iodochus Willi●hius their professor of physick , from thence took occasion to discourse of this point now in hand , and in the ende approued that conclusion which we haue aboue proued . The patrons of the contrary opinion , as Bodin , & Sprenger in his book of the hammer of witches , vrge the reall transfiguration of Vlysses followers into beasts , 〈…〉 Diomedes souldiers into birds , & that vnsavory ridiculous tale , of an egg which a witch in the kingdome of Cyprus , neer the city Salamin sould to an Englishman , and by the same transformed him into an asse ; and made him her market Mule three yeares , and that at last shee remetamorphised him into the shape of a man againe . Besides these they bring the transformation of diverse passengers in Italy in the time of S. Augustine , being there , into cariage horses , by certaine alewiues , but chiefly they stand vpon Nabucadnesars change in to a beast , and Lots wi●e into a pillar of salt : to which I answere that these changes are either to bee vnderstood to haue happened rather in the affections of the minde , then in the figure of the body , or if so , rather by the immediate finger of God , them by the working of the divel and for those reall true effects , which seeme to bee the inseparable companions of a reall change , as swift running , devouring of children , vndergoing of great burdens , and the like ; I hold some of them to haue bin performed by the divell himself in a seeming phantastick body ; others in the bodies of beastes , possessed by himselfe ; and lastly not a few , by beasts themselues ▪ suddenly conveied into the place of such ; as witches suppose they haue transformed all by the delusion of the eie , and none of them by any reall or true change : it being no more possible ▪ for the reasonable soul of a man to dwell in the bodie of a beast , then for the vnreasonable soule of a beast to dwell in a mans body ; which if we● should grant , I see no reason but vpon the same ground , aswell a gap might be opened , and way be giuen to Pythagoras dreame of the interchangable recourse of soules , from beasts to men , & from men to beasts againe .

CAP. 13. Of the delusion of the eie , by the exorcismes of Coniurers .

FOr the exorcismes of Coniurers , and Necromancers , in raysing the dead , that one example of the witch of Endor is sufficient , 〈◊〉 . 1. 28. to prooue them all meere delusions of the sight , it being not to bee thought , ( besides the generall reason , that the soules of the righteous , are in the hands of God ) that the true Samuel would bee drawne to answer him , whom God had denied to answere by dreames , by Vrim , or by Prophets ; or that Samuell woulde haue suffered Saul , to haue done him worship by inclining his face to the ground , and bowing himselfe ; or lastly , vnderstanding that Saul was reiected of God , would notwithstanding ▪ haue assured him of being with him the next morrow , except wee should affirme , the good , & the bad , the castwaies , & the chosen to goe both to one place . Though the Papists indeed , to maintaine their Limbus , and their purgatory fire ( which except , they still keepe in , ●hat of the Popes kitchen wil sone go out ) would needs haue it to bee a true reall apparition , grounding themselues vpon these words , V. 14. & Saul knew that it was Samuel , which in my vnderstanding , inforce not so much a certaine knowledge , as a ful perswasion which grew no doubt , out of the cunning & artificiall counterfeit , which hee saw represented before his eies : the Divels art being strange in that kinde , as may appeare by the apparition of , Mary Dutchesse of Burgundy to her husband Maximilian afterwarde Emperour , raised by Trithemius Abbot of Spainheim at the Emperours own request out of a vaine curiosity of seeing her once againe . The Ghost ( as the story sets it downe ) did in all parts so living represent the dead Empresse that not so much as a little blacke warte , which shee had in the hinder-part of her n●cke , was wanting ▪ as both the Emperour himselfe & the standers by did well obserue Cornelius Agrippa , & Iohn F●ustus were renowned in this kinde , for vnder this head may fitly bee ranged the shewing of the vi●age of such in a looking-glasse , as had stolne any thing , or committed any villany , and lay vnknowne ; the pre●enting of banquets onely for shew to please the eie , by deceauing it ; nor for substance to delight the tast , or content the stomack . But of all I haue hearde , or read of this nature , the rarest was that of Albert us Magnus , who living at Colen , and the Emperor William Earle of Holland passing that way , from his coronation at Aix , and hearing of ●his merry Monke , 〈◊〉 cap. 8. desirous to see some of his tricks , sent for him , and after kinde entertainment , acquainted him with his purposes the Monke not scrupulous of she wing his art , thus drawne in beganne to set the spirit of his wits , or rather the wit of his spirits aworke ; and not long after caused the chamber , where was the Emperour , with his Courtiers about him , suddenly to bee flored over with greene gras●e , hearbs , plants , flowers , roots , & trees among : vpon which were delicate fruits , and birdes ; some singing , others chirping , to the great admiration , and astonishment of the beholders ; It being in the dead of winter , a perfect representation of the spring .

CAP. 14. Of the delusion of the eie by the imposture of Priests and Fri●rs .

FOr the knavery of Priests , & Friers without doubt the gretest part of those Ghosts , faires , pixes , hobgoblings , that haue beene seene to walke in former ages haue bin set a foot by these people ; partly to get money to their coffers , in causing them ever to begge somewhat for the Church ; and partly reputation to their order in shewing the vertue of their exorcismes vpon them : The like may bee saied of the sweating , and weeping of their images , of the rowling of their eies , & nodding of the heads . It is worth the remembring which Erasmus recounts to this purpose , of a Priest ▪ who a little before Easter in the night , Lib. 22. Epist. penu●t . conveied into his church yard liue crabbs , fastning little wax candles burning ▪ to their sides , they creeping in this sort about the graues , made a fearefull shew in the night , and none du●st come neere to discover it . The report being cast abroad , was entertained with a feareful kinde of reverence of the most , and the wisest were content to bee hudwinckt for company . The next sunday comes the Priest , to play his part , and out of the pulpit tells them very seriously that these walking spirits were the soules of their dead friends , who being sore tormented in purgatory begged to be loosed from those paines , by masses & almes ; this perswasion went currant , vntill at length by the negligence , or forgetfulnesse of the Priest , two or three of the crabbes were founde in the day time among the rubbish , with ▪ the candles sticking to their sides , by which meanes the knavery was detected and the Priest punished . To these may be added those ▪ comicall impostures for the casting out of devils practised by Priests , and Iesuits , in which the principal part is prooued to bee nothing else but the delusion of the beholders sight ; and Geffry Chaucer , who had his two eies , wit , and learning in his head , spying that all these brainelesse imaginations were the forgeries , and legerdemaine of crafty and lecherous friars either to maske their vene●ie , or to inrich their treasures , plaies vpon them thus ▪ For there as w●nt to walken was an Else There walketh now the limitor himselfe In every bush and vnder every tree . There is no other inc●bus but hee .

CAP. 15. Of the delusion of the sight by the distemper of the braine .

FOR the distemper of the braine the case is cleare in Aix , who ran vpon an heard of Swine , with his drawn sword in his hand , supposing it to haue bin the army of the Graecia●s . & hung vp the two greatest hog● ▪ taking them for Agamemnon , & Vlysses , the former as his competitour , and the latter as a partial Iudge ; the like we read of Pentheu● who in his madde moode ▪ thought he saw two sunnes , and two cities of Thebes ; of Orestes ▪ who saw his mother in his sister and Agaue wilde beasts in her children . These mistakes were in raging persons ; but others there as much mistaken ▪ howbeit in a merrier vaine , as hee of whome Aristotle speaks in his book of wonders , who living in the Citty of Abydos in Asia ▪ would spend whole daies by himselfe alone in the empty theater ; commending the Actors , and clapping his hands as if he ▪ had seen some stately tragedy .

CAP. 16. Of the delusion of the eie by the smooth cariage of Hypocrites .

FOR the smooth and cunning deportment of hypocrits , and dissemblers , I need not goe farther then common experience , to shewe that there speciall skill consists in casting a mist before the eie of the worlde : which the Cynicke , no doubt , well vnderstoode when he cryed out that the graue beard , and the long cloake he saw , but the pholosopher he saw not . Whence it is that these kind of men , are ever painted foorth vnto vs by the resemblance of things , which most deceiue our sight ; as of Wolues masked vnder Sheepe skinnes , of tombes , or monuments , which on the outside are whited over , and sometimes set out with curious works , in mettals and carved stones , of diverse colours , but within are ful of rottennesse , and dead mens bones : of Apothecaries boxes which without are fairely painted ▪ but within are ful of poisons : of tragedy bookes which without haue covers of velvet , with stringes of silke , and claspes of silver , but within are full of periuries , and murders , and incests : of those apples , which are reported to growe in the land ; where Sodome stoode , Solinus . which appeare exceeding faire , & beautifull to the eie , but being once touched with the finger they moulder into ashes : of the hill Etna which without is ever cold & white with a mantle of Snow but within burnes with continual flames ▪ of the Aegyptian temples , which without shine with gold , and ●cat , and marble , but haue within some secret yle , a Crocodile or serpent for the God , vnto which they are dedicated : of those pictures which on the one side represent a faire gentlewoman , & on the other , an horned Satyre : Lastly of Cebes tables in which pleasure , and good fortune are seated in● the forefront ; but grie●e and punishment , and revenge , and dispaire , lie hidden in a dark obscure corner behinde . So that except a man had the eies of those Spaniards ( which Delrio in his magicall disquisitions reportes himselfe to haue seene at Madrid ) who could see into the bowels of the solid earth , Lib. ● . Cap. 3. Qu. 4. and there discerne minerals , and quarries , & springs ; It is impossible but that in our ordinary conversing with men , wee shoulde often with Esops dogge catch at shadows , and let goe substances .

CAP. 17. Of the delusion of the eie by stratagems of warre .

LAstly for stratagems of war I will instance only in two , the one of our owne chronic●es devised by Stygan , Archbishop of Canterbury , and put vpon William the Conquerer at his entrance into Kent ; by commaunding his souldiers ready armed to range themselues into their squadrons with young trees , or big boughs in their handes , & so to attende the comming of their enemie ; the conquerour , ( according to the Archbishops proiect ) supposing hee had seene a wood before him , and still marching towards it , found himselfe to bee wrapped in the midst of his enemies , before hee could discrie where they lay in camped . The other is out of the Romane history , Livie . invented by Hanniball , & put vpon Fabius , by tying wads of straw to Oxe-hornes , which being fired , and the Oxen let loose toward the enimies camp , in the dead of the night , some of them affrighted with the sight , as it drew nearer and nearer toward them , withdrew themselues from there tents , & by little and little drew the rest after , till at length Hanniball found a cleere coast to escape with his armie , being before hardly beset , and in great straits . To these may bee added two other famous oversights in warre , of the same nature with the former , but differing in this , in that they were rather incurred , then imposed ; The former by Charles Duke of Burgundy , Comines . who lying at the siege of Paris ; and having certaine intelligence of the kings drawing toward him , for the raising of it , sent out his scouts to discover the coast , but the day beeing somewhat far spent , and clowdy withal , they tooke a field not farre of , overgrowne with high thistles , 9. 26. to be the kings pikemen ( as Gaal in the booke of Iudges tooke the shaddows of the● tops of the mountaines to be men ) which errour●caused afterwarde in the Dukes armie much trouble and some losse . 2. King . 3. 21. The latter is of the Moabites who mistook the morning shining of the sun vpon the waters for the colouring of bloud : the words of the ●ext bee these , & when the Moabites hard that the kings were come vppe to fight against them , they gathered al that were able to beare harnes , and vpwarde ▪ and stood in their border , and they rose early in the morning , when the sun arose vpon the waters , and the Moabites saw the water over against them , as red as bloud , and they said the kings are surely slaine & one hath smitten another : now therfore Moab to the spoile ; & when they came vp to the host of Israell , the Israelits arose & smo● the Moabits so that they fled before them , but they invaded them & smot Moab , not much vnlike this serious narration is that iest which d' Accords puts on the Duke of Vandosme , the common tabour of the french wits ; who ( after their fashion ) having caused his wine ( in the heate of summer ) for the better qualifying and refreshing of it , to be let downe in a bucket , into the bottome of his well , and not long after going foorth to see the manner of ●●t having never before seene his face in the water and then suddenly espying it , but not understanding from whence it should proceed , runs in in all hast , and cries for helpe for the beating downe of the Antipodes , who were drinking his wine in the bottome of the well .

CAP. 18. Of the delusion of the eie by painting .

THESE later examples may not vnfitly bee reduced to the delusion of the sighte , wrought by the ignoraunce of natural causes ; but among al artificiall deceiving of the eie , ( wherof I intended in this place chiefly to speake ) that of painting , and limming is the most noble ; by which not only vnreasonable creatures , as birds by flying at painted grapes haue beene deceived ; but men also , nay ( which is more ) a painter himselfe ; bidding his Corrival ( if he feared not shame ) by his worke , to draw his curtaine , & present his table to the publike censure ; whereas the curtaine was indeed but counterfeit ; and by that meanes was the price adiudged the latter , for that the one had deceived birds onelie , the other men . For so it is that this sense which I finde not in any of the rest , is so bewitched that it s then most delighted , when t is most deceived , by shadowings , and landskips , and in mistaking counterfaits for truths

CAP. 19. That the eies serue not only as treacherous porters , and false reporters in naturall and artificiall things , but also as secret intelligencers , for discovering the passions of the minde and diseases of the body .

NEIther doe our eies onely serue as false reporters to the minde , in natural and artificiall things , but as secret intelligencers , in morall matters , for discovering her weakenesse to the world . Thus by a fierce sparkling eie , we discover anger ; by an open staring eie , vnstaidnes : by a rowling vnsetled eie wantonnesse ; by a hollow wan eie , envy ▪ and iealousie ; by a hautie skornfull eie pride ; by a narrow deiected eie , basenesse ; by a dull fixed eie , heavines of spirit ; many times to the shame , & sometimes to the disadvantage of him that is discovred ; his enemies by this means gaining advantage to work vpon that passion , by which they see him Possessed , or to which they iudge him most inclined : Prov. 17. 24. to this agrees that of Salomon , wisdome is in the face of him , that hath vnderstanding ; 3. 16. but the eies of a foole are in the corners of the world , and of Esar , Eccle. 9. 7. the daughters of Sion are hauty and walke with stretched out necks & with wandring eies , wherfore the ●on of Sirachs councell is good , goe not thou gazing about in the streets of the citty , neither wander thou in the secret places thereof , for a wise man will easily discrie thee , & he that hath understanding wil know thy thoughts . Nether are passions of the minde alone , but withal the diseases of the body , and in them their increasing & decreasing , by the eie more than by any other part , laid open to the view of the world : whence it is that Hippocrates out of his owne observations rightly counsails practitioners in physick in visiting their Pati●nts to view the face well , and in it especially the eie , be cause by nothing sooner is the habilitie or weaknes of the inner facultie discerned ; & hence it● is that Orpheus tearms the eies the looking glasse of nature , Aphrodiseus the casements of the soule , and Blemor the Arabian went so farre as to affirme that the soul had her principall dwelling & mansion house in the eies . Here then let Momus be summoned to natures court , & pay her honourable amends , for having iniuriously accused her , that in the fabricke of mans body there wanted christal windowes in the brest , to discover the thoughts , & diverse passions of the hart to the world .

CAP. 20. Of the infinite diseases & casualties which the eie is subiect vnto .

NOW besides this secret intelligence , which the eie giues the world of the souls weaknes , & the bodies imperfectōs ; I find themselues subiect to far more diseases from within , and casualties from without , then any other member . Lib. 1. c. 11 Charron in his book of wisdome counts the diseases only to be sixscore , Lib. 7. c. 20 but Rhodigin , who runnes over the particulars , bringes in a catalogue of a greater number , and Laurentius in his treatise of the eie , purposing to speake of this matter begins in this manner . I wil not vndertake ( saith he ) in this place to set down any exact description of the diseases of the eie , it being an enterprise to tedious , which would require at least an hundred several chapters , the particulars are so infixit . And sure if we consider aright the diverse peeces , & parcels of the eie , as the three humors , the 7 tunicles , the muscles , the vaines , the arteries , the nerues , the spirits , & withal vnderstand that each of these hath his severall diseases proper to it , besides those which are many times imparted from the distemper of the braine ( with which the eie holdes a marvelous correspondence ) and those which are incident to the whole bal of the eie as excesse , or defect in quantitie , improper situation , or figuration , or the like , cannot but conceaue as much as is before affirmed , especially if to these internall diseases we ioine those externall accidents , offensiue to it , winde , dust , smoake , gnats , straines , stripes , bruises , sometime to the diminution , and sometime to the depravation , and not seldome to the totall losse and perishing of the sight . But aboue all it is most considerable that light the very obiect in which it most delighteth , and comforteth it selfe , it notwithstanding most hurtfull , and dangerous to it by dispersing and dissolving ( as it were ) the opticke spirits ; as may appeare by S. Paul stricken blind , with a light from heaven , which suddenly shoane round about him : and by Zenophons souldiers who travelling many daies , through the snow , the greatest part of them lost their sight ; To this ende , t is worth the remembring , which Galen mentioneth in his tract of the sight , Lib. 10 de vsu partii● . Cap. 3. that Dionysius the tyrant of Sicilie being disposed to punish any with blindnesse , would first cast them into a deepe dungeon in which was no crevise , or chincke for admission of the sunne beames , where hauing kept them by the space of certaine daies , they were in a cleere sunshine weather , immediatly from thence brought into a higher chamber full of lights , and all pa●ieted over with a bright kind of plaister ; by which meanes surfiting ( as it were ) and glutting their eies vpon this new fresh lustre , within a while ●according to the tyrants designe ) they became flarke blinde . The truth of this assertion is also prooued by the experience of seeing the starres at noone day , from the bottom of a deep well , or when the sun is eclipsed ( as Thucydides witnesseth it happened in his time ) the sight being otherwise so dazeled with the cleerenes of the sun-beames , that it cannot possibly apprehend or discern those lesser lights in presence of the greater . But beside these assaults of the sight from without , and diseases arising from the natural disposition from withi nt ; diverse kindes of meates , and sauces there are , in our ordinary diet , which serue as much to diminish or depraue the sight , as to nourish or augment the body . Of these D. Baily in his treatise of the preservation of the eie sight , hath mustred vp a faire troupe ; which mixed withsome other accidents , the schoole of Salerne hath notwithstandinge summarily , and pithily comprehended in a few verses , and and because they are happily rendred by S. Iohn Harrington , I will set them downe in our own mother tongue . Wine , women , bathes , by ar● or natur● wrought , Onions , garlicke , mustard seed , ●ire , and light , Smoake , bruises , dust , pepper●to powder brought , Beanes , l●tiles , straines , winde , teares , & Phoebus bright . And all sh●rpe things our eie sight doe molest . Yet watching hurts them more then all the rest . Among wh●ch one hath vnhappily marked two things , as offensiue to the sight , which notwithstanding are most necessary in the life of man , hic & haec ignis , the one to the preservation of mankinde , and the other of particulars . The former of which notwithstanding is found to bee lesse offensiue to the eie ●ight in other countries , especially in the higher Germany then t is here with vs ; there being ever in their hypocausts a convenient warmth , howbeit the fire bee never seene ; so that , the scorching heat ( which is it that dries the christalline humor , ● & by that meanes hurts the eie ) is not felt in those parts . Others there are , who note two other things , as vseful in another kind & yet as offensiue to the eie , ● to that purpose alleage the authority of the same author . Shee that ha●h happe a husband ●●d to burie , And is therefore in ha●t , not sad , bu● meri● ; Yet if in shew good manners shee will keepe , ●nions , and mustardseed will make her weep● . But for my part I tooke especiall notice of watching , and teares , the one being the readiest meanes to gaine knowledge & the other to giue vent to our grie●es , to which may be added fasting , as hurtful to the sight & yet more vsefull in a Christian mans life then any yet named .

CAP. 21. That the eie is not so vseful fon the gathering of knowledge , as is pretended , whether wee consider it absolutely in it selfe , or in respect of the hearing .

AND surely for the gaining of knowledge , I durst confidently a●●irme , that were the eie never so inde●atigable in watching , or inform'd the inner faculties aright in al it apprehended ; yet in most things 〈◊〉 it not possibly without the helpe of hearing , hunt out the truth , since as well in the works of art as nature , that which hath greatest force in actuating , & quickning the thing wee see ( as the soule in the body ) is notwithstanding it selfe for the most not seene ; the statelinesse of houses , the goodlines of trees , when we behold them , delighteth the eie ; but the foundation which beareth vp the one , and the roote which to the other ministreth sap and iuice , is in the bosome of the earth concealed . And generally the sight is not capable , but of corporal , accidental , particular things ; and in them only of their crust , and surface , and that only in direct obiects , and by helpe of the light : wheras the hearing apprehends all manner of sounds , from all difference● of places , as well from behinde as from before , & that at all times as well in the darke , as in the day , and that which chiefly makes for the increase of knowledge , vniversalls , immaterials , and the inward parts of things . Therefore Socrates as for other things , so for this among the rest was adiudged by the oracle the wisest living ; that casting his eies vpon a faire but silent face , he bid him speak , that hee might see him : as if hee had said in other tearmes that the sense of hearing , makes more to the vnderstanding of the true nature of things , then that of seeing ; and in this case one care witnesse is of more value then ten eie-witnesses . Thus doe we iudge by the hearing onely of the temper of mettals , the soundnesse of timber , the emptinesse of vessels , the deepnesse of waters ; & ordinarily , in the course of life● , wee finde the hearing to bee the sense of precept ▪ & rule , safe , and certaine alike ; but● the other of example , and imitation no lesse dangerous ▪ then vncertaine . Whence it is that we haue heard of many blinde men who haue become famous for wisdome & learning ; but of deafe men we haue not heard of any : for which cause ( as I suppose ) in our common law such as are borne dea●e● , though they see perfectly well , yet are they ranked among mad men , lunaticke persons , and children , whome ( as Bracton affirmeth ) in cases of felony , their very want of common reason and vnderstanding priviledgeth from the ordinary punishment inflicted by lawe : but for such as are borne blind● I finde no such priviledge ▪ the law supposing them to be as capable of reason as others , & no● only capable to conceiue reason but to expresse it as well by speech as writing , which in men borne deafe is not only vnvsual , but ( in mine vnderstanding ) impossible . Whervpon in the civill law , though they be indeed excluded from intercession or postulation as they call it , ( though vpon a blind h h Quod in signia magistratus vider●●on p●ssi●●●● p. 1. l. 3 ▪ ● . 1. reason in my iudgement ) yet are they not forbidden to supply the places of iudges , or magistrates , it being not the blindnesse of the body , but of the minde , Lib. quaest. illust. which taketh away the faculty of iudging ; as the iudicious Hottoman hath wel stated the question ; Quest. 28. affirming withall , in the same place , that he seeth no Canonicall hindrance , but that me● blind from their verie birth , may be sufficiently instructed in the civil law , and other liberal sciences . Vpon which grounds I well remember , at the last commencement saue one held at Cambridge , t was proved , & defended that a blind man might lawfully supply the place of a iudge . And thus much my selfe da●e confidently affirme , that want of sight is many times the occasion of cutting of partiall respects , then which nothing is more inwardly necessarie to the office , and rightfull proceeding of a iudge . Now how forward we ar to passe our iudgment according to the outward appearance , let that one example of Samuell ( one of the vprightest iudges that ever Israell bred ) su●fice to proue , 1. Sam. 16. 27. who being commanded by God to annoint one of the sons of Ishai , king of Israell : when they were all come before him , he looked on Eliab the eldest & said , surely the Lords annointed is before him but the Lord saide vnto Samuel looke not on his countenan e nor on the height of his stature , because I haue refused him , for God se●th not as man seeth , for man looketh on the outward appearance , but God beholdeth the hart , 2 ▪ ● . which in effect is the same thing that Saint Iames cōdēnes in his Epistle to the 12. tribes , if there come into your company ( saith he ) a man with a gold ring & goodly apparrell , & there come in also a poore man in vile raiment & you haue a respect to him that weareth the gay cloathing are yee not partiall in your selues , & are become iudges of evil thoughts ? When the Evangelicall Prophet Esay speaking of the Messias ; 10. 2 3. tels vs that the spirit of wisdome & councel shall rest vpon him ▪ & immediatly ads this as an effect flowing from it , or a ●igne to discern it by , he shal not iudge according to the sight of the ei●s . Commend not● therefore a man in his beauty , Ecclesiast. nor despise a man in his outward appearance . Now besides the cu●ting off of these partiall respects in a iudge , blindnesse also occasioneth ( as is alreadie proved at large ) the taking away of lustful lookes , which as often pervert the course of iustice , as may appeare in the story of Susanna , and by that worthy speech of Pericles to Sophocles , who admiring and commending the faire face of a boy that passed by , Pericles telleth him plainely , that not only the Praetors handes ought to bee clean● from bribes , but his e●es too ( & that much ●ather ) from lustfull looks . But now to returne again from the particular office of a iudge , to the general point proposed which was the gathering of knowledge and wisedome : we read that Democ●itus supposing the sh●rpnesse of his sighte to hinder the quicknesse of his wit ; was content to plucke out both his eies for the better compassing of that one ende , which he attained so●wel , Tuscul. 5. that ( as Tully witnesseth of him , ) though hee were not able to pu● a difference betweene blackes and whites , yet was hee able to distinguish between good and bad , iust and vniust , honest and dishonest ; & without the variety of colours could he liue happyly , without the knowledge of thinges hee could not ; and when others saw not that which lay before their ●ee●e , he travelled through al infinity , setting no stint● to his boundlesse conceipt : and surely I for my part am clearely of opinion that howbeit his practise in this case , be not allowed , much lesse his example to● bee followed , yet the reason and ground of the action was not so strange , and ridiculous as some men haue conceited it , it being a necessary certaine meanes for the vnity of the thoughts , and by it redoubling of their force , which by the sight are commonly distracted in the varietie of obiects ; & by consequent loose much even of their naturall st●ength ; the truth of this assertion partly appeares in that little but excellent description of the Spaniards life , in which among all the masters of al conditions whom Lazarillo de Tormes served we finde none comparable to his blinde master , for the smelling out of his knaveries ; but yet more fully in our night meditations , which by reason of the restraint of our sight spring from our most retired thoughts ; and by that meanes for the most part savour as much of iudgement , and ripenesse , as those of the morning of quicke and ready dispatch ; for which cause ( as I suppose ) the Greekes haue given the same name to the night and good invention : 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 . and one of the sharpest Philosophers that ever put pen to paper , Sco●us . borrowed his name from darknesse . Besides it is noted of our Saviour ( whose imitable actions , Ma●. 6. 6. ought ever to be our patterns ) that hee prayed oftner in the night , or alone in the garden or vpon the mountaine , then in the daie or in the presence of company ; and himselfe commands vs the practise of the same exercise retired a part and our chamber dore shut : & surely reason me thinks teacheth vs thus much , that the soule being shut vppe , and kept in from peeping out , and as it were gazing abroad through the casements of the body , shee must by co●straint reflect her beames vpon the con●emplation of her selfe , and such thinges as shee hath before apprehended .

CAP. 22. Containing an answer to an obiection , that man alone hath therfore given him an vpright figure of body to the end he might behold the heavens .

IF anie heere obiect that God hath given man aboue all other creatures an erect and vpright countenance , and ( as the Anatomists haue observed ) one nerue more then to bruit beastes , for the turning of the eie vpward , to the ende hee might beholde the heavens , and in them , ( as in large characters drawn in faire velom ) the glory of their maker ; I answere that man indeed considered in the state of integrity , might & would haue made excellent vse thereof ; but in the state of corruption the greatest part , either thereby are induced to Idolatry ( as hath bin before shewed ) or which is no lesse pardonable with Thales whiles they looke vp into heaven , fal into the ditch of curiosity , and presumption , and from the contemplation of the starres ( notwithstanding that in producing particular effects , they concurre only as vniversall causes ) ( rushing into the chaire of God ) haue peremptorily decreed of the alteration of whole states , the destinies of Princes , and private men : secrets no doubt sealed vp and fast locked within the bosome of the eternall wis●dome ; but only when it selfe pleaseth vpon extraordinary occasions ; to disclose & to impart them to the sonnes of men ; and ( which is worth the observing ) whiles these men pretend to ●ee in the stars the notable actions , and events of the whole world , ( as Menippus is ●abled to haue don from the circle of the moone , ) yet knowe they not many times what is acted in their owne closets , by their owne servants , and children , or with their wiues & daughters in their own houses . Paralell with these figure-flinggers may not vnfitly be matched those fortune-tellers , who vndertake to foretell men and womens marriages & fortunes by their pretended art of Physiognomie and chiromancie , the one con●isting in beholding the traies of the visage , & the other the lines of the hande ; but the folly of both appeares in that one wise answere of Socrates to a professour of these artes , who looking stedfastly on him , and out of the grounds of his profession pronouncing him to be vitiously given , Socrates replies that indeed he said somewhat , if a man lived as a beast , and followed the disposition of his inbred corrupt nature , not rectified by education or morall verture .

CAP. 23. Setting downe at large the hinderances of the eie in the service of God .

NOW to proceede from the little service which the eie performes vs in the gaining of knoweledge to the ill offices which it supplies in spiritual exercises , let every man in this case but examine his owne conscience , either when himselfe speakes to God in prayer , or when God speakes to him in preaching ( which two are as it were the ascending and descending Angels in Iacobs ladder ) & he shal surely finde , that the div●l takes occasion to withdraw his mind from the ●crious thoughts of those exercises by nothinge more then by the wandring of the eie . For the prevention of which mischiefe wee see those that are appointed to die in commending themselues to God before the stroake of iustice , and others , as well at thansgiving at meals , as other publike praiers , close their eies , and cover their faces ; which howbeit some others censure , yet do I nothing doubt but the practise of it fi●st grewe out of a sensible feeling of this kinde of temptation . 1. Cor. 1● ▪ 〈◊〉 Whence it is that S. Paul commands wome to be couered in the church , by reason of the Angels either least the bad Angels , by that means take occasion to stirre vpp ill thoughts ( as some interpreters thinke ) or lest the minister who is elsewhere named the Angell of God ▪ should thereby take offence ( as others are of opinion : ) which custome remained among the Corinthians ( vnto whom S. Paul wrot this epistle ) vnto Tertullians time , as himselfe witneseth in his booke de velandis virginibus , in which he disputs excellently for this present purpose . Such ( saith he ) are the eies of the virgin that desires to be seene , as those that desire to see her , the sā● kind of eies desire interchangably to see one another , and it proceeds from the same roote , the forwardnes to see & to be seen ; wherefore let the virgin fly to her head co●ering as to her helmet or targ●t , by which she may defend her selfe against the assaults of temptation & against all the darts of scandall , suspicion , surmise , & emulation . I beseech thee , whether thou bee a mother , or a sister , or a daughter , cover thy head ; if a mother , for thy sons sake ; if a sister , for thy brethrens sake ; if a daughter , for thy fathers sake ; for all ages are indangered in you : put on therefore the armour of modesty , intrench your selus within the bulwark of shame facenesse , build vp a wall for the weaknes of your sex , that neither your own eies may peirce through it , nor admit others ; for I cannot imagine how she should escape vnpunished , who is unto others the cause of falling , for hee perisheth through thy beauty , & thou art be come a sword to him . The Arabian women then shal iudge you , who cover not their head alone , but ( as Susanna before the iudges , & Rebecca before Iscac ) the whole face in such sort as they are content rather to see with one eie , then in seeing with both to haue their whole face seen . In regard whereof for ought I knowe , t is no discommendable order which the Iews ( who deriue the name of a virgin from retiring & hiding her selfe ) obserue at this day in their Synagogues , 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 that their men haue their seates in a roome apart , and the women apart by themselues , there passing only a thinne partition betweene them , in imitation of which there is a Church lately built in the Duke of Wirtenberges country , at the Dukes owne charge , the fashion of which is so contriued , that nether the men see the women , nor the women the men , & yet both hearthe minister sufficiently alike ; & surely to speak a truth ) for ought my selfe haue seene or heard by report of others , or read out of written relations ) I think no where in Christendome is the like freenes for the promiscuous sitting of men & women togither , as in our English churches ; especially our women wearing no maner of vaile , which in other countries is vsefull not only in their Churches , but in their streets too ; Villamont lib. 3. cap. 1 in which kinde the very Turkes as a french gentleman reports ( who lived long among them ) are so precise , that if a woman passing by discover any part of her body naked , if but her hand , they esteeme her little better then a curtisan ; and the same gentleman in his first booke of the same worke , discovering the manners of the Venetian women notes that their virgins being once passed 14. yeares of age , vntill the day of their marriage , never step over the threshal of their fathers dore , but only vpon Easter day , to heare masse and receaue their creatour ( as they tearme it ) which done the poore soules return immediatly into their former prisons , there to remaine , and expect the comming of a husband . So that it is to be feared ●east those Arabians , & Iewes , & Turkes , & Papists , shall one day rise in iudgement against those Christians , who present themselues before God and his holy Angels ; in the assembly of his Saints , with painted faces & naked breasts , as if they came rather to bee seene of men , then ( as David speakes ) to see the beauty of God in his Temple .

CAP. 24. That supposing the ●ight hinders not , yet is it prooved that it furthers ther s little in matter of religion , together with the answers to sundry obiections belonging to that purpose .

NEither , to speake a truth , see I what great vse wee haue of our seeing though rightly guided in the furtherance of the service of God or our owne salvation , but only in beholding the outward circumstances of the sacraments , the want of which may also sufficiently bee recompenced by the other senses of feeling & smelling , but especially hearing and tasting ; whence it is that men borne deafe are excluded from this sacrament by the common consent of divines but not blind ; howbeit Danaeus in his book of the sacraments affirmes that M. Beza & himselfe , ●ib . 5. ● . 15 living in Orleans , admitted one Merardus borne deafe to this sacrament ; being induced thervnto by reason of certaine signes which he made for the demonstration of his faith ; but how hee shoulde come to the knowledge , which might guid him to the making of such signes , or how the minister by them might apprehend his conceits , neither doth Daneus expresse , nor ( to speake a truch ) can I imagine . First then for faith which S. Paule defines to bee the evidence of things not se●ne , He● . 11. ● . 2. Cor. 5. 7. & by which we walk , not by sight , wee find it to bee bred by hearing onely as the ordinarie meanes , and nourished by the same alone , as by the ordinance of God , that only caseof the sacraments excepted ; and therefore it is not said that a colour or a shape tooke flesh , but the word that was incarnate , that was God , 2. for hope , Paul in an other place speaketh thus , Rom. 8. 24. hope that is seen is not hope : for how can a man hope , for that which he seeth ? but if wee hope for that which wee see not , with patience wee abide whiles we looke not on the things which are seen , 2. Cor. 4. 18 but on the things which are not seen ; for the things which are seene are temporal , but the things which are not seene are eternall . Lastly , ● . 18. for charity the third theologicall vertue , S. Peter highly commends them to whom he directs his Epistle , for louing the Lord Iesus , whom they had not seen , Luk ▪ 10. 24 Mat. 13. 16 & reioicing in him with ioye vnspeakable & glorious . To the wish then of those Prophets and kings , or as the other Evangelists haue it righteous men ( making them reciprocal , ) who desired to see the day of our Saviour , and saw it not , I answer that their desire concerned not so much the beholding of him face to face , as a distinct & particular knowledg of the Messias and the vertue of his incarnation and passion : in which sense Abraham is said to haue reioiced to haue seene his day , and he saw it , & was glad , and the Apostles eies are pronounced blessed for seeing those things which they saw . ●oh . 8. 5● . For otherwise Iudas that betraied him , P●late that condemned him , the Priests that accused him , the faithlesse Iewes that s● i● him in the face , crowned him with thornes , buffered him with their fists , whipped him with rods , railed on him ; & nailed him to the crosse ; should be more happy then we , to who● the light of the Gospell is fully revealed ; or then Moses , and Paul , of whom the one was a faithfull steward in the house of God , and the other , the doctor of the gentiles , in nothing inferior to the chiefest of the Apostles ; neither of them , notwithstanding having ever seene our Saviour in the flesh : and for the song of Simeon , Luk. 2. 30. now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace , because mine eies haue seen thy salvation , I am surely of opinion that his peace consisted not so much in this , that hee had seene our Saviour with his carnall eies , and imbraced him with the arme of flesh , as that hee saw him by the eie of faith , and imbraced him in the armes of spirituall affection ; as t is truely said of the blessed Virgin , that her blessednesse consisted not so much in bearing our Saviour in her wombe , as in her heart : and for that speech of S. Augustine ( if it be his ) where he is said to haue desired to haue seene three things , Rome in her flower , Paul in the pulpit , and Christ in the flesh ; I may iustly suppose his meaning to haue beene rather in living in those times of the purity of the church for the fuller clearing of some controversies then afoot in his time , then out of any curiositie of seeing the person of our Saviour .

CAP ▪ 25. That the popish religion consists more in e●e service then the reformed .

OVR adversaries indeede , place a greate and maine part of their superstitious worship in the eie-service ; in the magnifike & pompous fabrick , and furniture of their Churches and attiring their Priests ; in gazing vpon their dumb ceremonies , which with very multitude as leaues cover the fruits , in beholding the daily elevation of their Idoll in the masse , ( for the greatest part hear nothing ) & lastly in fixing their eies vpon pictures , and images ; giuing them the Titles of remembrances for the learned , & books for the laity . And surely I am perswaded that it may very cleerely bee shewed out of the historie of the Church , that images never came to bee of that vse , & in that request which now they are , before the preaching of the Gospell grew so cold ; that the Idoll Priests not able to suffice their auditorie in hearing ; were forced to set vp , and the people content to receaue those Idols , for the satisfying of their minds by seeing . But S. Paul was of an other iudgem●nt in this case , as we may see in the third chapter of his Epistle to the Galathians , where hee affirmeth that Christ was described ( the originall word is painted forth ) before their eies , VI. 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 . and among them crucified , which was not ( as some Priests haue sottishly vrged in mine hearing ) anie corporall crucifix or picture vpon a woodden table or glass-window with materiall colours , but a liuelie demonstration in the evidence of the spirit ; as may be gathered by the words themselues , besides the drift of the place : and besides all this they haue framed to themselues , insteed of an invisible head in heaven , a visible head here on earth , as if the not seeing of a thing tooke away the not being or working of it ; and those glorious titles which are given either to the invisible triumphant Church aboue , or the militant truly consisting of the elect heere below , they for the most part attribute to a visible congregation of the Pope , and his Cardinals in their consistory , or to the assembly of an oecum●nicall Councell .

CAP. 26. That the sight of the creature helpeth vs little in the knowledge of God .

LAstly for the sight of the creatures & frame of the visible world , as S. Paul sheweth in the first to the Romans , it shal rather serue for the inexcusablenesse & condemnation of those that bel●eue not , then for the furtherance of the salvation of them that beleeue : neither , ( to speake a trueth ) is the sight of the creature so much availeable to the knowledge of the creator , as the vnderstanding of its depending from him , and working by him , which notwithstanding is rather gotten by hearing then by seeing : & to grant all that may bee reasonably required in this case yet stil on the other side must it necessaryly bee yeelded vnto , that in al the articles of Christian religion ( howbeit some of them may be prooved by conclusions drawn from the sight ) the words of our Savior to Thomas ought to prevaìle with all true harted christians , blessed are they that haue not seene , & haue beleeved , it being then most acceptable to God , to yeeld our consent in beleeving , when the experience of sense , and the reach of reason most faile vs , and when they serue vs best not to assent so much for their sakes , of which we haue vse only as men , as for our faiths sake alone which properly belongeth to vs as christians . There are ( ●aith S. Augustin ) in the beginning of his book of the faith of invisible things , wh● think Christian religion rather to be scorxed , than to be held , because in it nothing is demonstrated which may be seene , but the faith of thinges which are not seene is commanded : but for vs , we know that we ought to beleeue many temporall things , which wee see not , that hereafter we may be counted worthy to be admitted to the sight of eternall things which wee nowe beleeue : whence it is that men vtterly void of the sense of seeing , bring with them mindes for the most part better prepar'd to religious exercises , then the common sort , remember more , and practise it better .

CAP. 27. That the eie of the sense failing , that of the vnderstanding & spirit waxe more cleare .

SO ordained it is , in a manner by God , and nature ; that as when one eie is deprived of sight , the other sees better then it did before ; or as Iohn Baptist decreasing Christ increased ; and as the house of David waxed stronger & stronger , the house of Saule waxed weaker & weaker ; so when the eie of the outward sense , growes dull , & dim , the intellectuall eie of reason , and the spirituall eie of faith , grow more fresh , and cleare ; betweene which three I finde the like proportion , as between the life of man in his mothers womb , the world , and the kingdome of heaven . Thus wee see Paules blindnes in the eies of his sense , and the opening of the eies of his vnderstanding , to haue happened in a manner at the same instant : and in the Ecclesiastical story , R●ff . lib. 1. Cap. 17. Paphnutius conforts Maximus his friend with this speech , that the mortal light of their bodyly eie beein extinguished , they had gaine● a fuller● fruition of heavenly and immortall brightnes . And in the gospell we read not of any on whome our Saviour wrought so many miracles , as vpon the blinde , in restoring their sight , which must needes argue in them an extraordinary strength of faith , the vertue and effect of his working being ever proportioned to the beleefe of those on whom hee wrought . To which we may from thence be the more casilie induced to grant assent , for that amonge all those blinde men which the scripture names and commends to our consideration we finde none of them branded with any notorious vice : but on the contrarie , many of them of excellent vertue , renowned in their ages , and commended to posterity : as Eli and Sampson both types of Christ ; Abiiah though blind yet counted worthy to be one of Gods seers ; Isaac and Iacob both chiefe patri arches and pillars of Gods chosen people ; of whom the one though he knew not his sonnes when hee blessed them , yet in the manner of blessing hee deserved to knowe them ; by his blindnesse beeing occasioned , the effecting of Gods purpose , in the preferring of Iacob , before Esau ; and the other , Gen. 27. having laid his hands athwart , Gen. 48. vpon his two Nephews Manasses & Ephraim would not remoue them according to the advise and desire of their Father Ioseph ; but fixed them according to the guidaunce of that light which directed him from within , and when he could hardly see with the eies of his body his sons which stoode before him , yet with the eies of his minde did hee foresee and foretel what should become of each of them and their issue for many generations ensuing .

To these may be added out of the new Testament the blind Bartim●●us , Mat. 10. 46 who lefte his cloake behinde him on the earth , and with it his earthly affections , to follow our Saviour : and out of the Apocrypha Tobias , of whom S. Augustin speaks on this wise , Othe light which T●bias saw , when his caruall eies being shut , he set his sonne , Conf. 10. 34. notwithstanding into the right way of life , & trod out a direct path before him ( as a guid ) with the never-erring foot of charity .

CAP. 28. Treating of the drvers priviledges of blind men .

OVr Saviour himselfe giues testimony of him that was borne blind , that neither his , nor his parents sin was the cause of it , but that the workes of God might be made manifest , Iob. 9. 30 which testimony I find not given to any other infirmity of the sense or disease of the body . But yet more observable seemeth the last verse of the same chapter , where our Saviour not only excuseth blindnesse , as not proceeding from sinne , but maketh it in a manner the cause of not sinning ( if you had beene blind ( saith he ) you had not sinned ) both which passages I confesse to be subiect to interpretation , and for their ful clearing to need many distinctions ; yet for my purpose is the letter alone sufficient , in which no doubt but vnder the very rinde of it ( as in the whole scripture beside ) the speaker being the engraven forme of the godhead , and the eternal wisdome of his father , intended some special thing , besides the general drift , & scope of the place . His meaning in these words may somewhat the better appeare , if wee compare them with them in the gospell , where speaking by way of parable of the great supper provided in the kingdome of heaven , Luk. 14. 21 when the bidden guests refused to come , he expresly by name commaunded the blinde to bee brought in , and placed at the table ; and in a verse or two immediately going before , to make knowne his care and respect even towarde those who are indeed bodily blind , he exhorteth his disciples and followers , that when they make a feast , one of their chiefe cares should bee to invite the blinde , as their principall guests ; besides reason and law exempteth them from personall serving in the wars . And in the Levitical law of the Iews we finde an heavy curse , to be laid on such as should lay a stumbling blocke before the feete of the blind , Lev. 19. 14 or turn him out of his right way : and the ancient Romanes imposed on some of their chiefe families the surnames of blind & lame to this end ( saith Plutarch ) that the people should not skorne at those imperfections , In vita Coriol . and by that meanes condemne or neglect those excellent gifts of the minde which many times reside in such bodies . Hence Iob when he would make his innocency cleare to the world , knew not how to expres it more effectually , or in better tearmes ; than by professing himselfe to haue beene an eie to the blind . And Lewes the 8. of that name who was the only Saint , or at least one of the two in the whole three races of the fren●h kings ; how beit he wonne many glorious conquests against the infidels , & erected many goodly buildings for religious persons , yet was hee thought worthy that honour for nothing more , then for instituting the colledge of the 300. blind men , vpon occasion of so many of his souldiers , who were taken in his wa●s against the Moores , and sent home with their eies put out : the colledge is yet standing in Paris , & at this day devote to the same vse ▪ how beit not replenished indeed , as it hath beene .

CAP. 29. That blind men need not complain of the want of pleasures , especially the sense of their grief bei●g by blindnes much lessened ; which is proued by the strong impression of those obiects which are presented by the eie .

NOW besides this respect which God & man seeme to beare toward his infirmitie , mee thinkes it need not much complaine of the want of delight●s even in this world . Besids those proper to the night , the mantel of defects & imperfections , and by consequent the mother of vnion and loue ; the repose and closing vp of the daies labours , as the morning is againe , a fresh entrance & overturne to therenewing of travaile : our daiely cares in this case being likened to the marygold or dazy which openeth with the rising of the sun , and shuts with the setting . And where as the Poet witneseth of the Carthaginian Queene that her care had alwaies recourse towards the evening ; I suppose it not so much to bee meant of a sober & setled , as of a distracted , and distempered minde ; such as he supposes hers to haue beene ; if then the night bring not tediousnesse with it , why should a day which is like a night be thought to bring it ? Though I denie not but to the pleasures of the night may also be added those which we vse as commonly in the day ; in hearing of bookes read , in playing vpon musical instruments , in discoursing with friends , in exercising many pastimes , which require not the vse of seeing . Nay in those very sports which seeme necessarily to require it , as bouling , shooting , coiting , shoufgrating , & the like ; how many haue we seen beyond expectation excellent ? in which kind I hard reported by those , to whom I giue credit ; that one Mouns. Guimins a gentleman of good note in the province of Britanny , when any of his acquaintance or other strangers come to visit him , hee takes a singular delight in describing to them his mappes , & pictures , as they hang in order in his galler●e , & in conmmending vnto them such or such a peece or proportion , for rare workmanship : and surely in my vnderstanding those delights which blinde men conceaue to themselues must needes affect them much , as being freed from that loathsomenesse , shame , te●rours , griefe , antipathies , & fearfull d●eames which by the glassy gate are often convaid in and presented to the minde ; whose obiects as they are in number more , and in action quicker , so are they for certainty more vndoubted ; & for impression decper than those of any other sense this facultie needing lesse helps in working and apprehending her obiects in a farther distance and presenting them to the common sense , and from thence to the imagination with greater life & assurance ; insomuch that the best Poets and Orators lead by art , and common people by nature , when they would make knowne a deepe passion they haue conceaued , are wont to expresse it by these or the like tearms , I my selfe was an eye witnesse , or I saw it with these eiet which Mark Antony wel vnder standing in his funerall oration vpon the death of Iuliu● , Casar that he might ( throughly incense and inflame the people against the murderers ; opned the hearse where the corps lay and shewed them the fresh bleeding wounds which Casar had receaued in the Senate , as the Lacedemonian women were wont often to present to their sonnes the bloody shirts of their Fathe●s slaine in the wars , therby to make them more sensible of the iniurie and mindefull of revenge . Since then the operation of the sight vpon the imagination bee thus forcible , t is no marvel that Pigmolius a graue Roman prelat liuing not long after the ●primitiue church , being fallen blind ; was wont solemly to thank God , that by that meanes hee was freed from seeing the enimies of his church , & especially Iulian the Apostate . And Petrarch a man renowned a like for varietie of reading , Dial. 9● . dexteritie of wit , and soundnes of iudgment in his dialogue of blindnes , conforts the affected and afflicted in that kind with this meditation ; indeed ( quoth he ) thou canst not inioy the pleasure of seeing the corny vallies , the airy mountains , the shadowy groues , the ●lowry bankes , the cleer sountains , the cristall rivers , the greene meddows . & ( which is held most delightfull to look vpon ) the face of man ; but consider withall that thou canst not see filthy dunghils heaps of durt , & excrements , ugly mishapen monsters , raw , & rotten carions , & the like : the very sigbt of which is many times as offensiue to the stomack , as loath some to the eie . And if there were none other commodity in blindnesse , yet for this alone , were it even to be wished for ; that since there is no hope of flying from the beholding of base and shameful spectacles which at every turning present themselues ( the raigne of vice , & banishment of vertue , being every where alike ) the losse of the sight , may serue for a kinde of flight & avoidance of them : & by consequent to a minde vertuously disposed , of comfort & contentment ; 2. King . 12 v. 20 . & therefore God when he would pronounce a blessing vpon Iosiah by the mouth of Huldath the prophetesse delivered it in these tearms behold therfore I will gather thee to thy fathers & thou shalt be put in thy graue in peace , & thy eies shal not see al the evil which I wil bring vpon this place : now as these kind of obiects are offensiue to the vertuous , so on the other side good divines are of opinion that , in the consummation of the world , it shal be one of the greatest terrours to the vnconverted Gentils , Mal. 24. 30 Revil , 1. 5. to behold our Saviour comming in the clouds with power and great glory , & to the vnbeleeuing Iewes to see the son of man , & to looke vpon him whom they haue pearced through , and to both to see Abraham I saac & Iacob , Luk. 13. and all the Prophets in the kingdome of heauen & themselues shut out . And some thinke that Dives his seeing of Lazarus in Abrahams bo●ome was no lesse torment , Luk. 16. 23 then his sensible feeling of hell fire and that that Zedechias seeing his sons to bee slaine grieved him more then the putting out his own eies , ● . Kin. 25. 7. &c that the Samaritane Capta●ne was more punished in beholding the abundance of Corne after the great dearth then in being pressed to death before he could ●ast of it . Thou shalt see it with ●hine eies but shal● not eate thereof . Rev. 7. 19. ● . 7. And lastly that the mother of the Machabees was more worthy of prais● for looking on the martyrdome of her seaven sonnes with a constant and patient eie , then for suffering it in her owne bodie once of this am I sure that it , had beene far better for Attili●● Regulus if hee had bin born● blind & never seene the sunne then to haue indured that punishment by seeing it which the Carthaginians laid on him by cutting of his eie-lids and binding to a post with his face opposite to the sun beames , annd I doubt not but the same might as iustly bee affirmed of Ham , Gen. 9. v. 23. 19. 26. Noaths sonne and Lots wife , of which the one had his fathers curse for looking forward when he should haue gone backward with his brethren , & the other Gods curse for looking backewarde when shee shoulde haue gone forward with her husband and if I might presume so farre vpon the readers patience , I would here set downe the story of ● dissembling knaue discovered by Duke Humphry for whom no doubt it had beene better to haue bin indeed blind then to haue pretended the recovery of his sight by such a no torious cousenage ; the storie is recorded word forword , by Fox as followeth . In the yong daies of Henry the 6. being yet vnder the governance of Duke Humphry his Protectour , there came to S. Albones a certaine Beggar with his Wife , Act and Mon p. ●705 Col. 1. Edit. 1583. & there was wal king about the Town , begging 5. or 6. daies before the Kings comming thither , saying that he was borne blind & never saw in his life , and was warned in his dreame , that hee shoulde come out of Barwike , where hee said he had ever dwelled to seeke S. Albon , and that he had beene at his Shrine , & had not been holpen , & therefore he would go & seeke him at some other place : for he had heard some say , since he came , that S. Albones Bodie should be at Colen , & indeed such a contention hath there beene . But of truth as I am surely in formed , hee lieth at S. Albenes , saving some Reliks of him , which they there shew shreyned . But to tell you forth , when the King was commen , & the towne full , suddainly this blind man at S. Albones shryne had his sight again & a Miracle solemnly rong , & Te Deum song , so that nothing was talked of in all the towne , but the miracle . So hapened it then , that Duke Humfry of Glocester , a man no lesse wise , then also well learned , hauing great ioy to see such a Miracle , called the poore man vnto him ; & first shewing himselfe ioyous of Gods glory , so shewed in the getting of his sight , and exhorting him to meek●esse ; & to no ascribing of any part of the worship to himselfe , nor to be proud of the peoples praise , which would call him a good & go●ly man thereby , at last hee looked wel vpon his eyne , & asked whether he could see nothing at all , in all his life before . And when as well his Wife as himselfe affirmed fastly no , them he looked advisedly vpon his eyne againe & said : I beleeue you very well , for me thinketh ye cannot see well yet . Yes sir , quoth hee , I thanke God and his holy Martyr , I can see now as well as any man . Yes can ? ( quoth the Duke ) what colour is my Gowne ? Then anon the Beggar told him . What colour ( quoth hee ) is this mans Gowne ? He told him also , & so forth without any sticking , hee told him the names of all the colours that could be shewed him . And when the Duke saw that , he bad him ▪ walke * * M , Fox indeed saith Traitour , but the word in Sr T. Moore out of whom he hath the story is Fay tour . S. Th Moore dialogue of the venerat and worsh : of images . l. ● . c. 14 It is in his works in English . p. ●34 . Edit. ●557 . Traitour , & made him to be set openly in the stockes : for though hee could haue seen suddainly by miracle the the difference betweene divers colours , yet could hee no● by the sight so suddainly tel th● names of all these colours , except he had known them before no more then the Names of all the men that he should sodainely see .

CAP. 30. That blind men need not complaine of disability in serving the common wealth , which is proved by some reasons , but especially by examples .

OThers ▪ there are who having lost the vse of their eies , complaine not so much of the losse of pleasures with it ; as of their indisposition , by that meanes to steede their friendes , or to serue the common wealth as they desire . To whom I reply that what is necessary , is also of necessity pardonable , and when wee cannot doe as wee woulde , God and good men accept the wil as the deed ; and what is wanting in actual performance , may bee supplyed with teares , and praiers for the publike good , 2. to some end no doubt it is , that both the Poets , painters , & comedians of al ages , haue consented to represent the 4 great monarchs of humane affaires , the God of riches , the God of loue , iustice , and fortune all blindfold . 3. I find partly by credible reporte and partly by written historie , that many famous men haue lived ( besides such as are before vpon occasion named ) of all estates , and of all ages , who having lost the light of their eies , haue notwithstanding remained as lamps and torches in the world , to some by their good example , and to others by their counsel & good advise . For Emperors I sacius , & Constantine the 6. of that name , surnamed the Imagebreaker , both Emperors of the East . For kings , Alphonsus the 4 king of Spain , & Iohn king of Bohemia , Petrarch . D● al. 96. who siding himselfe with the French in a set battaile against the English , and vnderstanding that our men were in greate hope to haue woone the glorie of the daie , commaundes himselfe to bee led into that part of the fight , where the king of England was , whither being brought , spu●ring his horse into the thickest ranckes of the enemies , by his example , drewe his followers after him , and so purchased the victory to the French , though by his owne death . For a Prophet , Tiresia● , the light of whose eies being taken away , it was replanted with vsury in his breast ; wher●ore the Poet never brings him in complaining of his misfortune in the losse of his sight , but Polyphemus that vnresonable monster hee describes , making a dialogue with a Ram , and commending his estate , in that he could go & come whether and when he listed , Tus● 5. but in that ( saith Tully ) he was surelie little wiser then the ramme , to which he spake . For an Archbishop , Robert Wau●op ▪ a Scot by birth , Carion . a●● . 1551. who notwithstanding he were borne blinde , profited so wel in the study of the Divinity ; that he deserved and obtained the degree of a Doctour in that faculty ; in the Vniversity of Paru ; and not long after going to Rome , was by P●ule th● 3. consecrated Priest , & within a while Archbishop of Armach in Ireland , and at length Legatus a latere , by Iulius the 3. his monument is to bee seene ●in ▪ the monastery of the minorits at Paris . For a Bishop Richard Foxe founder of Corpus Christ● Colledge here in Oxford ; whose foundation hath yeelded oile to mani● rare lights for learning and religion , among which were , Cardinals , Poole , Ludovicus Vives , I●●ll , Hooker , Wotten , and that rare President of industrie and pieti● Iohn Raynolds ; Behind the rest in deede in time , but inferiour to none of them in variety of reading or strictnesse of life . For professed divines venerable Bede , & Ierome Zanchy an Italian , the principal reformed schooleman ; who during his blindnesse wrot that excellent tract of the spirituall mariage of Christ and his Church ; And in one of his sights Paphautius ; which was put out by the Arrians for with standing their heresie , whom for that very cause ( as Ru●●in Ru●● . 1. 4. witnesseth in his ecclesiasticall story ) Constantine had in that reverence , and estimation , that hee would often send for him to his court lovingly imbracing him and greedyly kissing the eie , which had lost his owne light , for maintaining that of the catholike doctrine ▪ For a lawgiver Lycurgus : Aeneas Sylvi for renowned generals Timoleon & Ziska that worthy Bohemian , who after that he had fought , and won many pitched fieldes against the enimies of Gods Church , lying on his death bed , willed that after his death , of his skin shuld be made a drum , which his enemies hearing , they might as wel fear him after his death , as they did flie from him aliue . Not inferiour to Ziska●s courage was Belisarius his patience , general of Iustinians army , who having brought the Vandal●s on their knees , triumphed over the Persians , swept the Goths out of Italy , growing by that meanes into reputation with al men , & by consequent in to suspicion & ielousi● with the Emperour , was first dismissed from his offices , & then his eies put out ; insomuch that afterward living in a little base cottage , neere a beaten high way , he was wont to beg in this forme , Passenger giue Belisarius an halfe penny whom vertue raised & envy blinded . To these may be added the example of Tyrrhenus who having lost his eies in a fight with Lygdamus commanded his body to bee set right against the face of the enimy as greate pe●c●s are wont to be mounted that so hee might discharge his darts vpon them & at leastwise in receaving his deadly wound supply the room or spare the turne of a valiant and seeing souldier ▪ Lastly among the ancient Captains ( as Plutarch hath worthily observed ) foure of the greatest warriers , & that haue done the noblest exploits , by wit had but foure ●ies , Philip Hā●ibal Antigonus & Sart●riu● . For a statsman , Appi. Cla●d . surnamed th● blind whose counsaile against Pirr●●● had it not prevailed , the eie of the common wealth had beene extinct . For a Lawyer , Caius Drusius whose house was frequented at the oracle of the city , and by whom those that guided him to the pleading place , were themselues guided to the winning of their pleadings . For Poets Thamyra , 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 . Stesicherus , & Homer who was not only blind , but tooke his name of blindnesse , and yet gaue light to all that writ since in that kinde , having in such sort described every creeke and corner of Greece , the ranging of battles , the manner of fights , the situation of townes , the passions of men , that though himselfe saw nothing , yet hath he caused vs to see all these as in a table or glasse . For a thetorician , Passeratiu● , who not long since in a publike lecture in Paris made a learned & eloquent oration in the commendation of blindnes , Orat●vl● . which is printed and extant in his booke of orations . For Philosophers , Strab● lib ▪ 14. Zenarchus somtime in ward with Augustus & Asclepiades who made none other account of his blindnes , but that being wont to walke alone hee had now a boy ever attending on him , and as the Persian kings vsed other mens ●ares , so did he ●ther mens eies ; to these may be added Nich●laus & Lippus both Florentines , and well known ( as it seemes ) to Iovianus Pontanu● , Lib. 2. c. 7. who reports of them that the one every holyday was wont to recite out of the pulpit some history of the bible , or the annals of their country in Italian verse , with an extraordinary concurse & applause of all the learned , who then liued at Florence ; and the other being but younge dayly frequented the schooles of the Rhetoritians and Philosophers ; marveilous was he in the study of antiquity & perfection of the Latin tongue , and for behaviour in accosting his friends exceeding pleasing ; yet to his blindnes was also added poverty & to both youth , of all ages most impatient of misery , both which notwithstanding he bore with such indifference of minde as he seemed to bee sensible of neither . Cael. lib. 2. For Historiographers , Cap. 13. Aufidius Praetorius and As●onius Paedianus . Tus● . 5. For a Mathematitian , Di●dorus the Stoike , who liued in Tullies owne house , & which seemed strange , would in that case exactly prescribe to his auditors from whence , how far , & in what maner their geometrical lines were to be drawn . And lastly for the worke of the ministry , my selfe haue seene more then once in this Vniversitie a blind man in our solemne meetings , making a godly & profitable sermon to the body of the Vniversity assembled : and sure I am perswaded hee spake by so much the more from the conscience , and by consequent to the conscience , by how much the lesse he trusted his papers or his minde was distracted by the sight of his auditors : tending to which purpose it is a merry iest howbeit seriously related by him who hath written Bedaes life , that his guide perswading him one day as he passed by an heape of stones , that the people ( according to their wonted manner ) were there assembled to heare him preach ; the good old man moved at his speech , was content to giue them a sermon , but there beeing no body present to say , amen , at his conclusion , the very stones cried out amen venerable Priest , by which meanes being then baptized by the name of venerable , he hath retained it ever since . Of better vse & more certainety is that history which S. Ierome in his Epistle to Castrutius ( written vpon like occasion as this present discourse ) ●ecordeth to haue falne out during his infancie , Epist. 33 : which he reports in this manner ; S. Anthony being sent for by S. Athanasius to come to Alexandria for the refuting and beating down of the Arrian heresie then a foot , Didimus an excellent divine but blind in both his eies , came thither to visit him ; the sharpnesse of whose wit S. Antony admiring demaunds of him whether hee conceaued any griefe or no for the want of his sight ; which Didimus seeming by his silence and modesty to confesse , the other replies that hee could not but much marvaile how so wise a man as himselfe could bee mooved with the losse of those eies , which were common to him with mice and flies and gnats , and not rather reioice in the fruition of those which were proper to Saints and Angels .

CAP. 31. Containing a conclusion of the whole discourse by way of private meditation or soliloquie .

THese and the like considerations may in some good measure , serue to qualifie the griefe conceiued for the losse of that sense , which by iust proofe we finde in vse to be more dangerous then necessary ; & withal rouse vp our thoughts to these , or the like heauenly meditations . I haue lost I confesse the fruition of the fight of the heavens ; but by that losse I knowe the worth of that fruition the better ; and now mine eies is ever fixed vpon the soone of righteousnesse , the fra●mer and governour of the heavens . Mine eies were the guides of my body : but now mine advantage is that whereas mine eies at their best could not prevent many casuall mischiefes , now all the eies of my friendes as a continuall sentinell watch more tenderly over mee , the angels pitch their tents about mee , and hee that neither slumbreth nor sleepeth is my keeper . True it is that I cannot read good bookes as I was wont , but my children can supply that with lesse paine to mee , and more profit to them ; well then , I will not bee c●st downe for the losse of my sight which is subiect to so many diseases from within , and casualties from without , but I will rather reioice for the vse of my hearing the sense of wisdome and religion , by which God speakes to me out of his word , and of my tongue by which I speak● to him againe in praier . Good God how many in the world are blinde in faith and religion ? As Atheists , and Pagans , and Turkes , and Iewes , and Heretickes , and Idiots ; how many in iudgement and reason ? As children and fooles ▪ and mad men , and dotards , and drunkards ; what infinite numbers in their affections , with anger , with feare , with loue , with malice , with envy , with pride , who like the Idols of the heathen haue eies and see not ? All which kindes of blindnesse , as they are in extent more vniversall , so are they in their nature more dangerous then that of the bodie , vnto which also , all flesh in time must subiect it selfe , when the keepers of the house shall tremble , and they waxe darke that looke out by the windowes . Why should I then lament as if I were alone or with a few onely vnfortunate ? Wee see when the great eies of the world , the sunne & the moon are eclipsed & darkned , they still shine notwithstanding vpward , & after a while recouer againe their light downeward . Why should I then murmure if the eies of this little world bee ecclipsed , since I knowe that inwardly toward mine owne soule & vpwardly toward God , the light of my minde is inlarged ? And which is more , am sure that my Redeemer liveth & he shall stand the last on the earth , & though after my skin wormes destroy this body , yet shal I see God in my flesh , which I my selfe shall see & mine eies shall behold him & none other for mee . Thou ô Lord wilt lighten my candle the Lorde my God will lighten my darknes , thy word ô Lord is a lanterne vnto my feet , & a light vnto my paths , teach thy servant the way ô Lord , & lead me in a right path , for with thee is the wel of life & in thy light shal we see light , even that light which shined in the darknes , & the darknes comprehended it not , it being the brightnes of the everlasting light , the vndefiled mirrour of the maiesty of God , & the image of his goodnes , more beautiful than the sun aboue the order of the stars & the light of the heaven is not to be compared vnto it for night commeth vpon that , but wickednes cannot overcome this . Thou which opneds the eies of Ionathan after the eating of the hony combe , & of Agar that shee saw a wel of water springing vp for the refreshing of her selfe & her young babe ; & of Elishaes servant that he saw in the mountaine horses & charets & fi●e round about . Sweet Iesu thou which openedst the eies of thine Apostles when after thy resurrection they tooke thee for a spirit , of the two disciples in the waie to Emmaus when they knew thee not but in the breaking of bread ▪ of Mary Magdalen when in seeing thee her Lord & Saviour she supposed shee had seene the garden ( which shewed them all the dulnesse of their carnal eies , in discerning spiritual things . ) Open thou the ●ies of mine vnderstanding that I may see the wonders of thy law , which is my delight , the hony and hony combe are not so sweet . I will lift vp mine eies then vnto the mountaines from whence mine helpe shall come , the Lord shall preserue mee from al evill he shall keepe my soule , he shal preserue my going out and my comming in , he will guid me by his counsel , & after receiue me to glory to the mount Sion , the citty of God , the celestial Ierusalem , to the company of innumerable Angels , & to the congregation of the first borne , whose names are written in heaven , & to God the iudge of all , and to the spirits of iust and perfect men , & to Iesus the mediator of the new testament , and to the bloud of sprinkling , that speaketh better things then that of Abel & to vnspeakable ioies , which neither eie hath seene , nor eare hath hard nor haue at any time entred into the heart of man : now wee see through a glasse darkely , but then shall wee see face to face even as wee are seene . Then shall God wipe away all tears from our eies , and there shall bee no more death nether sorrowe , neither crying , neither shall there bee any neede of the sun or moone to shine in that City , for the glory of God doth light it , and the lambe is the light of it . Now vnto the Father of lights and yet invisible God who dwelleth in light , that no man can attaine vnto , whom never man saw , neither can see one in e●●ence and three in persons , bee all honor and power for ever and ever . Amen .

Rode caper vites , tamen bic cum stabis ad ar●● In tua quod sundiCornua , possit , erit .

FINIS .