Chapter 56

Wherein he beginneth to declare the second word of the verse, and how we are to consider of the Scriptures; and how we must restrain the sight of our eyes, that we may the better see with those of our soul, which the freer they are from the sight of creatures, the better shall they see God.

IF thou have well considered the words, which already I have spoken, thou wilt have seen how necessary it is, to Hear; that so thou mayst please our Lord God. Now harken to the second word which is, See. It is not enough to be attentive to the external word of God; or yet to the internal inspirations, which are signified by hearing; but it is also necessary to keep the eye clear, that it may see. For the blind, who do not see the light, are no less reprehended by Christ, than the deaf, who do not hear the Truth. But do not think, when he adviseth thee to see, that he inviteth thee to see sports, or entertainments of the world; for that¹ kind of seeing, what is it else, but a kind of blinding, since it blocketh up the sight of the soul. It is enough for the eyes of the body, if they behold the earth into which they must return; and if they cast themselves up to heaven, where the desire of their hart is lodged; according to that of² David, I will behold the heaven, that work of thy hands, the moon, and the stars which thou hast framed. And yet if thou have a mind to look upon other creatures, I have nothing to say against it; upon this condition, that such a sight may pass from them to God; and that it be, not to forget and lose God thereby. For of such sights as that, David³ said to our Lord, O Lord ●uert mine eyes, that they may not look upon vanity and quicken me in thy way.

This wise King, knew well, that inordinate looking, is an impediment to speedy running the Career of God; and useth to make the burning hart of man, grow cool; and therefore it is, that he saith, Quicken me in thy way. For it is plain, to men of experience, that how much more retired these exterior eyes use to be, so much more clearly do men see with their interior eyes. And this sight, is both more cheerful, and more profitable. And it is but reason, that a Christian man should easily believe thing since we read of some Philosophers, who did put out the eyes of their body, that they might have the eyes of their understanding, more recollected to contemplation. Wherein, we are to discard their error, in thrusting out their eyes; & yet we may serve ourselves of their good intention, by recollecting them; and we are, withal care, to keep a guard upon them, lest such miseries happen to us as by dissoluteness of this kind, are wont to rise.

From⁴ whence dost thou think, that the beginning of the perdition of the world proceeded? I assure thee it came from one disordered sight. Eve beheld the forbidden tree, & grew into an appetite of eating the fruit, as seeming to her full of beauty, and gust. She did eat, and she made her husband eat thereof; and that bit was death, both for them and all their posterity. There is no discretion to behold that, which it is not lawful to desire; as is plain, by David the holy King; whose eyes took pleasure in looking upon a woman, as she was bathing in her garden; and he grew to have reason, thereby, to weep days and nights; and to bathe his own bed, & Royal couch with tears in so great abundance, that his eyes, were as if they had been moth-eaten with much weeping. And he that saith, Mine eyes have poured out, even floods of tears, because the wicked have not kept thy law, had done better to have shed them, because himself did not keep it. Good counsel had it been for his eyes, not to have taken gust, in that which cost him afterwards so dear. And so it will also, be good for us sinners, since we are so lose of the fear, as that, where the eyes go before, the hart with speed goeth after. Let⁵ us therefore put a veil between us, and every creature; not fastening our sight wholly upon any of them; lest being there taken up, we lose the sight of our Creator; That is, those devout considerations which we had of him. And do thou believe for certain, that one of the most assured signs of a retired, and recollected hart, is the mortification of the sight, and of a dissolute hart, if the sight be dissolute.

There is no pulse which so assuredly declares the disposition of the body, as the eye expresseth the inclination of the soul, either to good, or evil. And therefore the Spouse doth praise the eyes of his fellow Spouse, by saying, That⁶ her eyes were, as of the Dove; giving us to understand that they were chaste, as they of the Dove are, which use to be black. Let us therefore see well, how we see; unless we have a mind to pay that by lamenting, which we have sinned in by looking. And if this care must be had, in the exterior eyes, how much more must it be had, in those of the mind; wherein chief the seeing well, or ill consisteth; and whereby it is best judged, whether a man have eyes, or no. No man doubts, but that the Pharisees to whom Christ Jesus our Lord, was speaking, had eyes in their heads, wherewith they saw; but because their soul had no eyes, he calleth them blind, and guides of the blind. For, as S. Antony said to a blind man called Dydimus, who was full of wise knowledge of holy Scripture, Thou hast no reason to be troubled for the want of corporal eyes, which cats, and dogs, and other inferior living creatures have, since the eyes of thy soul are clear, wherewith God is seen.

Of this sight therefore, art thou to understand that, whereof thou art admonished, in the second word, see. If thou wilt perform it, thou hast eyes, which are thy understanding; and this was given us, for the sight of God. Do⁷ not fill it with the dust of the earth, and transitory honour; do not stop it up with the gross humours of sensual thoughts; but shaking of such poor things as these, which fill the sight, preserve thy understanding clear, that so it may be employed, upon him that gave it; and who demands it of thee again, that so he may make thee happy by it. Do⁸ not think it to have been in vain, that Christ hath freed thee from worldly business; & was pleased that thou shouldest not enter into the troubles and incommodityes of a married life; the cares whereof, use to trouble their sight, who are subject to them; if our Lord do not impart, a very special grace; in the strength whereof, they may comply with both obligations. But thee our Lord hath freed, to the end that thou mightest be wholly his; and that thine eyes might cast themselves upon him alone, as the chaste Spouse should only look, upon him, whose Spouse she is.

Footnotes

1. A most necessary thing it is, to have the eyes well mortified. ↩

2. Psal. 8. ↩

3. Psal. 118. ↩

4. Note how the immortification of the eyes, was the occasion of the first great sin of Adam, and Eue. ↩

5. Note well this whole discourse. ↩

6. 1. Cant. 5.
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7. Consider, and avoid, those objects which are so hurtful to our sight. ↩

8. This may be good counsel for all Christians according to our several vocations: though chief it be here meant, for such, as are in state of virginity. ↩