The Sinfulness of Evil Thoughts, Treatise · Chapter 22
CHAP. XXII. Of Evil Thoughts towards our Neighbour.
VVEE are now come into another field of Tares (without Wheat) or into another Room of the Chambers of Imagery, where is a new diſcovery of more Abominations yet; Or among another army of enemies, againſt whom we muſt oppoſe our ſelves, as Iſrael when come over Jordan, were to encounter with the Canaanites, nearer home. We are to ſpeak of a ſecond ſort of ill thoughts, which concern our Neighbour; and of theſe are very many kindes; we ſhall point at ſome of the chief of them. Whereof the firſt is, The evil eye, Mar. 7. 22. mentioned in the Inventory of the evil heart. Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, &c. an evil eye. There be many evil eyes in the world; And theſe are as clear indications of the mind in many caſes, as the tongue or hands. Solomon ſaith, the wicked winketh with the eye, Prov. 6. 13.and ſpeaketh with his feet. The eye is the tongue of the ſoul more then the feet; and Ubi amor ibi oculus. So, Ubi odium, ira, &c. ibi oculus.many ſins, as adultery, luſt, pride, envy, diſdaine, revenge, murther, are as legible in the eye, as in the act; Some of which onelyonly hurt the perſon himſelf; as adultery in the eye defiles the beholder, the other not being at all defiled; murder in the eye kills the beholder, the other not being touched; ſo pride, &c. Yet alwaies it intends the evil of his neighbour.
1. The Eye of envy, is a very bad and ſore Eye; the diſeaſe of hell, the firſt ſin of Satan, (ſay ſome Divines) which threw him out of heaven, becauſe envying that man an inferiour creature, ſhould be dignified above his angelical nature in the intended aſſuming of our humane nature, by the Son of God; but certain it was, his firſt ſin after his fall, when he came down full of rage againſt God, and envy at man ſtanding, whom he now wiſhed to be almoſt, and altogether ſuch as himſelf, in his bonds of ſin and miſery. It is a fly alwaies bred in dung, a vice onelyonly found in a baſe, low and malignant ſpirit, which joyes in, and ſeeks the hurt and downfal of others, and grieves at, and hinders the good of others. Thus was Saul Eye-ſick, when he ſaw David honoured by the people in their ſongs and dances. Saul was very wroth and ſaid, they have aſcribed to David ten thouſands, to me but thouſands, what can he have more but the Kingdome? And Saul eyed David (with an obſerving, miſchievous, and envious eye) from that day and forward. Saul was well 1 Sam. 18. 8, 9.content that David ſhould adventure his perſon, when he ſate ſtill, but could not brook it, that he ſhould have any ſhare in the peoples affections, and acclamations; but he thinks his own honour eclipſed. Jonathan he eyed David too, but that was with an Eye of reſpect, his heart was knit to him, he loved him as his own ſoul; as we ſay, he could 1 Sam. 18. 1.not tell whether he might hear him or ſee him, he could never look enough on him; But Saul eyed him, as if he would have run him through with his Eyes, as well as with his Javelins. He looked at him (I will not ſay, as in our Proverb, the devil looked over Lincolne, but) as the devil looked over Paradiſe, while man remained innocent, ſeeking his ruine. Take heed of this foul ſin, Charity envieth not, ſaith the Apoſtle; But 1 Cor. 13.the corrupt ſpirit, that is in all the ſons of men, doth naturally luſt unto this ſin of Envy.
And yet is there a worſe Eye of envy than this, which lookes a ſquint, not onelyonly where men beſtow their favours unequally, (as they think) but when God ſhall beſtow his unequally, as they ſuppoſe, on thoſe who have not deſerved ſo well, done or ſuffered ſo much as themſelves. There were that murmured againſt the good man of the houſe at his diſtributions, to whom the Lord ſaid, May I not do what I will with mine own, Is Mat. 10. 15.thine eye evill becauſe I am good.
And yet a worſe, (whereof a ſpice ſeemed to be in Joſuah) when we emulate the gifts and graces of God beſtowed on others, as if our ſelves were eclipſed by their luſter. To whom a Moſes would ſay, Let them increaſe, let me decreaſe; Oh that all the Num. 11. 15.Lords people did propheſie, and that the Lord would pour out of his ſpirit upon all. Moſes had a ſelf-denying heart, and a bountifull eye; Whatſoever was good in Gods eye, was good in his too.
2. There is an evil Eye of diſdain. There is a generation (ſaith the wiſe man) Oh how lofty are their eyes! and their eye-lids are lifted up. Prov. 30. 13. Thus Haman looked Eſt. 3. 5, 6.Superciliouſly on Mordecai, as if he could have eaten him, when he thought ſcorn to foul his hands with him. Thus ſcornfull Michal, in her heart, diſdained her husband, 1 Chro. 15. 19.when he danced before the Arke, as if ſhe a Kings daughter, had been diſparaged by her husbands ardent zeal and piety. A baſe and wicked diſpoſition this is, and God ever owes ſuch a ſhame. He reſiſteth the proud, and will bring down the proud looks, as well as the proud hearts. Thus the Scripture often deſcribeth Pſal. 18. 27.the wicked by their geſtures; Winking with the eye, Prov. 10. 10. Pſal. 35. 19. Putting out the fingers, Eſay 58. 9. as ſhewing a diſdainfull ſpirit.
Yet is there alſo a good Eye of holy diſdain and contempt in Godly men, Pſal. 15. 4. In whoſe eyes, it is ſaid, a vile and wicked perſon is contemned: Noble Mordecai looked upon Haman as vile and contemptible in midſt of all his high Titles and great offices of advancement. And holy Eliſha looked upon a wicked King, as ſo worthleſſe a perſon, that in his holy contempt, he ſaid, he would not have vouchſafed to make him an anſwer, or lend him a look, were it not for 2 King 3. 14.the preſence of Jehoſhaphat, whom he more honoured for his Grace, than for his Diadem.
3. The evil Eye of ſuſpicion, whereas Charity thinketh no evil, but interprets all in the beſt ſenſe, and will rather chuſe to make the beſt of evil, than the worſt of bad, or bad of good. Deviſe not evil againſt thy neighbour, ſaith the Lord, when he dwells ſecurely Prov. 3. 29, 30.by thee, and intends thee no harm. But ſuſpicion and jealouſie looks upon every good act and office done with an evil eye. David ſends to Hanun to condole the death of his Father, and to congratulate his peaceable 2 Sam. 10. 3.ſucceſſion in the Throne. This is interpreted to be a perfidious act, to fore-run an invaſion by ſending his meſſengers as ſpies, to obſerve the nature, manners, and preparations of his Countrey. This ſuſpion is a botch breaking out in a baſe and foul heart, infected with fraud, falſhood, or other filthy guilt, and is the bane of ſecure confidence, and is to be baniſhed out of Chriſtian breaſts, as the great enemy to humane ſociety, and true friendſhip.
4. The Cenſorious Eye, is another evil eye. It is Totus oculus ad extra, totus tenebrae ad intra, all eye without, all darkneſſe within. He hath a Beam in his own eye, yet ſeeth never the worſe, but the better to eſpy the leaſt mote in his brothers eye: Whereas the ſincere perſon, is totus oculus ad intra, The leaſt mote troubles him makes him weep, wipe, waſh; But his neighbours mote or beam troubles him not.
5. The Covetous and Greedy Eye, is another evil Eye. As there is a Bountifull Eye that ſhall be bleſſed, Prov. 22. 9. He giveth his bread to the poor, when he ſees their want, his eye pitties them. So he that haſteth to be rich, ſaith the ſame Solomon, hath an Prov. 28. 22.evil eye, a covetous and cruel eye, and conſidereth not that poverty ſhall come on him. His eye is never ſatisfied with ſeeing his own wealth, and anothers woe; he thinks much to ſee another live by him, he hath devoured Naboths vineyard already in his eye, Deut. 15. 9.and is ſick with diſcontent, if he cant get him part with it. Their deſires are enlarged as hell, ſaith the Prophet, and they ſeek to add Hab. 2. 15.houſe to houſe, and field to field, till there be no more place, that they may be placed Eſa. 5. 8.alone in the midſt of the earth.
6 The Eye of adultery is another evil eye, wherewith ever the beholders heart is defiled, and often the chaſtity of another is endangered. The harlots eye-lids are very dangerous, Proverbs 6. 25.
7. The malicious and revengefull Eye is a deviliſh evil Eye, ſuch was Cains, who caſt many a ſower and menacing look at his brother Abel, when he gave him never a word. Which malice and miſchief in his thoughts and looks the Lord reproved, when Gen. 4.he ſaid, Cain why art thou wroth with thy brother and why is thy countenance caſt down? This is Eye-murder, or heart-murder; as the former Unchaſt Eye is called heart-adultery, or Eyes full of adultery, 2 Pet. 2. 14.
8. The Unnaturall and Ungracious Eye of children to their parents, or thoſe in neareſt relations is worſt of all, ſometimes the eye of the Husband is evil to the Wife, and the Wife to her Husband, yea the tender mother to her tender babe, but that is not ordinary; but in time of extreameſt famine, and Deut. 28. 54, 55, 56, 57.calamity, and is then the ſoreſt judgement and the height of all miſery. But it is too ordinary to ſee the child look with an evil eye upon his aged and indigent parents, and this is the height of impiety, and the moſt prodigious of ſins and inhumanity. The eye that mocketh his father and deſpiſeth to obey his Prov. 30. 17.mother, the ravens of the valley ſhall pick it out, and the young eagels ſhall eat it. He ordinarily dies a ſhamefull death, and lies unburied, then do the Crowes and Eagles prey upon his carcaſſe as carrion, and begin with the eyes as they uſually do. He that curſeth his father or mother, he ſaith againe in another place, his lamp ſhall be put out in obſcure darkneſſe. Prov. 20. 20.Many ſuch ſad examples we have recorded in all ages, of theſe ſons of Cham, and brothers of Abſalom; whereof the one in mirth and ſport beheld his Fathers nakedneſſe, and prophanely inſulted over his infirmity, him the Father laid his curſe upon by imprecation, and God upon his poſterity by execution. The other ungraciouſly beheld his Fathers honour, and long life, with diſcontent, he thought the old man would never die, he ſeeks to aſperſe his Government, and make him uncapable of the Crown, that himſelf being the eldeſt Son, might have the Crown before his Fathers death. Him indeed the Father pittied, and deſired he might be ſpared, but vengeance ſuffered him not to eſcape. The Crowes were near picking out his eyes, when he was by divine Vengeance hanged between heaven and earth, unworthy to go to the one, or to tread upon the other. Think of this you undutifull and ungracious Children; if to honour Parents be the firſt command, then to diſhonour and diſobey them is the firſt of ſins. If to be without naturall affection, be ſuch a heatheniſh ſin, what is it to have naturall affection Rom. 131.turned into unnaturall diſaffection and diſobedience; To be thornes in the ſides, and pricks in the eyes of their deareſt Parents, and to prove ſuch a curſe, as Elies ſons, thoſe who died, were a great grief dying in their ſins, and cut off by divine Vengeance, but thoſe who lived were a greater eye-ſore, and heart-break. That man of thine, whom I ſhall not cut off, (ſaith the Lord) ſhall be to conſume thine eyes, and to grieve thine heart. Which 1 Sam. 2. 33.hath made unhappy Parents cry out, I have nouriſhed and brought up Children, and they have proved Vipers, riſing up againſt me. How happy the womb that never bare, and the paps which never gave ſuck, and to wiſh with Auguſtus becauſe of the lewdneſſe of his Daughters, would God I had either lived unmarried, or died without Children.
There be many other kinds of evil Thoughts againſt our Brother, whereof we ſhall inſtance in ſome, not ſpeaking much to them, but pointing briefly at them. Only we ſhall lay down this Rule, that he who commandeth us to love God, commandeth us to love 1 John. 4. 21.our brother alſo; And he who commandeth that we ſhould have none but high, holy, honourable, and reverend thoughts of him, and that we ſhould think ſoberly concerning our ſelves, commandeth that we ſhould have none but fair, juſt, favourable, and charitable thoughts of our Neighbour, Zach. 7. 9, 10. Thus ſpeaketh the Lord of hoſts, Execute true judgement, and ſhew mercy and compaſſion every man to his brother, and oppreſſe not the widow, the fatherleſſe, the ſtranger, nor the poor, and let none of you imagine evil againſt his brother in your heart.