(2.) Historical instances. Let me begin with the first transgression. It is said. Gen. iii. 6, 'And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that, it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof,' &c. She was tirst corrupted in her sense ; gazing on the fruit with delight, that was the first sin, before eating. The devil tempted Christ when he sought to corrupt the second Adam : JMat. iv. 8, ' He taketh liim up into an exceeding high mountain, and showeth liini all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them.' He knew the best way to work was by sight, and though he could not prevail against Christ, he took that Avay that was most accommodate'to his purjwse. And afterwards what
392 SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. [Ser. XLIL
an account have we in scripture, how many were wounded by their eyes : The devil knoweth that is the next way to work upon the heart. So Potiphar's wife : Gen. xxxix. 7, ' And it came to pass after these things that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph, and she said, Lie with me.' There the mischief began ; she ])leased herself with looking on the Hebrew servant. So Achan : Josh. vii. 21, ' When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels' weight, then I coveted them and took them,' &c. First saw, then coveted, then took, and then hid ; and then Israel falls before the Philistines, and he is attached by lots and brought to judgment. So Shechem and Dinah : Gen. xxxiv. 2, ' And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her, and lay with her, and de- filed her.' Seeing always cometh beween the sense and the heart. So of Samson : Judges xvi. 1, ' Samson went to Gaza, and saw there an harlot, and went in unto her.' So David was ensnared by looking on Bathsheba : 2 Sam. xi. 2, ' And it came to pass in an evening tide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house ; and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself ; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.' That fired his heart, and brought such mischiefs upon him. Naboth's vineyard was hard by Ahab's palace, 1 Kings xxi. 1. It was ever in his eye, and therefore he is troubled and falls sick for it. So how many may thus complain that their souls have been by their eyes betrayed ! As Jacob's sheep, by looking on the rods, brought forth young ones coloured by the rods, so our actions receive that from the objects we take in by the senses.
Use is to reprove those that are so careless of their senses. When they are left at random they soon prove the ruin of the soul. Solomon giveth us the reason of his folly and warping from God : Eccles. iv. 10, ' Whatsoever mine eye desired I kept not from them.' I kept not mine eyes from any toy. Those men lie under the power of sin that let the boat run with the stream and never use any restraint ; they are wafted down apace into the gulf of destruction. Those open the gates to the enemy, and give them free entertainment. ' A man that is care- less of his senses is like a city without walls,' that lies open to all comers. The heart is a thoroughfare for sin and temptations. But because most men, yea, good men, have and may miscarry this way, whereby great mischiefs may come upon them, let me produce some considera- tions that they may see their folly that let their hearts run at random.
1. Foul sinners^ are awakened which we thought long since laid asleep, when we let the object strike too freely upon the soul. Who would have thought that David's heart should have been fii-ed by a look ? It is dangerous to dally with temptations, and to think no great harm will come of it. Stones running down hill are not easily stopped. So here ; when we yield a little to Satan's temjotations, he carries us away by force ; we cannot stop when we please.
2. Evil thoughts will be begotten in us, and they make us culpable before God, though they break not out into sinful acts. Looking causeth lusting, and that is adultery before God : IMat. v. 28, ' But I say unto you, Whosoever looketh upon a woman to lust after her, hath
1 Qu. 'sins' ?— Ed.
VeR. 37.] SEEMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 393
committed adultery with her already in his heart.' Christ came to restore the law to its spiritual sense. The Pharisees did not think the law hroken hut by outward gross acts and actual defilement ; but Christ showetli that a wanton look is adultery ; an envious look murders ; the heart consenteth to sin though the body acts it not.
3. By leaving the senses without a guard, evil dispositions are im- pressed upon us secretly. Though we are not aware of any sensible disorder for the present, the heart groweth vain and carnal by letting loose the eye to vanity. Job doth not only take notice of his eyes when they did stir up carnal thoughts for the present, Job xxxi. 7, but saith, 'If my eyes have walked after my heart, and if my steps have turned out of the way ; ' he speaks twice of the disorders of his eyes. The heart may be corrupted by the eye, and therefore it concerns you to set a guard upon the senses : Prov. iv. 25, ' Let thine eyelids look on, and thine eye straight before thee.' Let us mind our business, which is to go to heaven ; whereas by gazing and wandering the heart comes to be enchanted with earthly things.