pulled down, and overthrown the houses of great men. 32. A backbiting tongue hath cast out virtuous women, and deprived them of their labours. 33. Many have fallen by the edge of the sword, but not so many as have fallen by the tongue. 34. If any man among you seemeth to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. 35. I will take heed to my ways that I sin not with my tongue; I will keep my mouth with a bridle. LET THINE EYE BE USED AS UNDER A CONSTANT GOVERNMENT 1. Dost thou think thine eye cannot sin as well as thy tongue ? 2. Abundance of evil entereth in by these doors: all lieth open if thou guard not these. THE EYE AS AN AVENUE OF EVIL 3. Thou little knowest, when a lustful look or a covetous look beginneth the game, to how sad a period it tendeth. 4. The eye is not satisfied with seeing. 5. It is almost impossible to rule the thoughts without ruling the eye; and then the passions are presently tainted, and the citadel of the heart is taken before thou art aware. 6. Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. 7. Keep away therefore from the bait, or command thine eye to turn away. 8. An ungoverned eye doth show the power of the ungoverned senses. 9. Let a holy, resolved, fixed will keep a continual law upon thine eyes. 10. Leave them not at liberty, as if a look had nothing in it of duty or sin, or as thou mightest look on what thou wouldst. 11. Remember that thine eye is much of thine honour or dishonour, because it is the index of the mind. THE EYE REVEALS THE SOUL 12. We see that which is next the mind itself, or the most immediate beam of the invisible soul, 13. How easily doth a wandering eye, a wanton eye, a proud eye, a luxurious eye, a malicious eye, a passionate eye betray the treasure of sin which is in the heart. LOOKING STRAIGHT 14. Take heed of a gazing, wandering eye, which like a vagrant hath no home, nor work, nor master, but gaddeth about to seek after death, and find out matter for temptation. BEFORE 15. Look not round about thee in the streets of the city, neither wander thou in the solitary places thereof. 16. Why art thou desirous to see that which it is unlawful for thee to have? 17. Our sensual desires draw us to rove abroad; but when the time is past, what carriest thou home with thee but a burdened conscience and distracted heart? 18. A merry going forth bringeth often a mournful return home, and a joyful night maketh oftentimes a sad morning. 19. So all carnal joy enters gently, but in the end it bites and stings to death. 20. The light of the body is the eye; if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. 21. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. KEEP WATCH AGAINST EXCESS IN EATING AND DRINKING 1. O that men should put an enemy in their mouths to steal away their brains! that we should, with joy, pleasance, revel, and applause, transform ourselves into beasts! THE CURSE OF DRUNKEN NESS 2. Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? 3. They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. 4. Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. 5. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. 6. Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink : 7. Which take away the righteousness of the righteous from him. 8. Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust. 9. Take not pleasure in much good cheer. DULLNESS OF THOUGHT 10. Be not insatiable in any dainty thing, nor too greedy upon meats. 11. As smoke driveth away the bees from their hive, so gluttony expelleth all spiritual gifts and excellent endowments of mind. 12. A man that is but a painful, serious student in any noble study whatsoever, doth find a great deal of serenity and aptitude come by temperance, 13. And a great deal of cloudy mistiness on his mind, and dulness on his invention, come by fulness and excess. 14. Gluttony is much increased by use: when the appetite is used to be satisfied, it will be the more importunate and impetuous; 15. Whereas a custom of temperance maketh it easy, and makes excess a matter of no delight. 16. Gluttony is the breeder and feeder of all other lusts. As dunging the ground doth make it fruitful of weeds, so doth gluttony fill the mind with the weeds and vermin of filthy thoughts, and filthy desires and words and deeds. 17. Those are the worst sins that have least repentance: but gluttony is so far from being truly repented of by the luxurious epicure, that he loveth it, and careth and contriveth how to commit it, and buyeth it with the price of much of his estate. 18. It is the greater sin because it is so frequently committed; 19. Men live in it as their daily practice and delight; they live for it, and make it the end of other sins. |