Secondly, the eye must stand rightly in his proper seat, for if it stand awry we cannot see well, how clear soever the eye be, This site and right place of the eye, the old writers call intentio vitae, and that is that which even their own consciences know, and other men often see, they level at in their whole life. The right situation of the eye is this, if we set before us this scope to please God, without any sinister respect: albeit some can look awry and that seldom, and that shortly, and wax not worse and worse, but more zealous. He looks not aright that hath a worldly end, as Balaam would now & then look to Gods commandment, but because his heart and mind was fixed on the wages of iniquity, his eye was ever over his shoulder, and in the end showed he was blind indeed. Thirdly, the outward hinderances are the beams that are in the eye, and they are those sins that are past shame and sorrow, and such as may be felt at midnight. They receive many divisions: they uphold wicked practises; they be such as the Disciples cannot cast out, they are directly opposite to the calling of a Christian. They that work this trade, are workers of iniquity, of whose eye and judgement mark Davids question, the answer whereof is soon made. Are they not all without understanding that work wickedness ▪ And this is the reason why the Fathers having less means of knowledge than we, yet1 saw more concerning heavenly things then we. Albeit Christ saith of this eye, thou seest a mote, yet he speaketh but of his false imagination, for it is hard for him to see a mote, that hath a beam in his own eye▪ he may only think there is a mote where there is none, and therefore no man is to believe him. And yet this man challengeth to ⟨p. 635⟩himself authority not only to dispute, but also to reprove, yet little reason is there of the first, but none of the second. Besides, whereas the end of reprehension is amendment, he is like to make him worse: for seeing how little he accounteth of the beam that is in his own eye, he may gather, if that hurt not him, his mote will hurt him less: nay he is more2 like to pluck out the eye, than the mote out of the eye. It is a general rule, that he that doth willingly reprehend, and feels not a mixed affection of sorrow and fear, is not fit for it. Our own love is the measure of our love to others:
Secondly, the eye must stand rightly in his proper seate, for if it stand awry we cannot see well, how cleere soeuer the eye be, This site and right place of the eye, the old writers call intentio vitae, and that is that which euen their owne consciences knowe, and other men often see, they leuell at in their whole life. The right situation of the eye is this, if we set before vs this scope to please God, without any sinister respect: albeit some can looke awry and that sildome, and that shortly, and waxe not worse and worse, but more zealous. He lookes not aright that hath a worldly end, as Balaam would now & then looke to Gods commandement, but because his heart and minde was fixed on the wages of iniquitie, his eye was euer ouer his shoulder, and in the end shewed hee was blinde indeede. Thirdly, the outward hinderances are the beames that are in the eye, and they are those sinnes that are past shame and sorrow, and such as may be felt at midnight. They receiue many diuisions: they vpholde wicked practises; they bee such as the Disciples cannot cast out, they are directly opposite to the calling of a Christian. They that worke this trad, are workers of iniquitie, of whose eye and iudgement marke Dauids question, the answere whereof is soone made. Are they not all without vnderstanding that worke wickednesse ▪ And this is the reason why the Fathers hauing lesse meanes of knowledge than wee, yet1 saw more concerning heauenly things then we. Albeit Christ saith of this eye, thou seest a mote, yet hee speaketh but of his false imagination, for it is hard for him to see a mote, that hath a beame in his owne eye▪ hee may onely thinke there is a mote where there is none, and therefore no man is to beleeue him. And yet this man challengeth to ⟨p. 635⟩himselfe authoritie not only to dispute, but also to reproue, yet little reason is there of the first, but none of the second. Besides, whereas the end of reprehension is amendment, hee is like to make him worse: for seeing how little hee accounteth of the beame that is in his owne eye, he may gather, if that hurt not him, his mote will hurt him lesse: nay he is more2 like to plucke out the eye, than the mote out of the eye. It is a generall rule, that hee that doth willingly reprehend, and feeles not a mixt affection of sorrow and feare, is not fit for it. Our owne loue is the measure of our loue to others:
- 1Note.
- 2A rule. Deceptus in minoribus nō debet de maioribus judicare. Mensura enim prior mensurato. Potes ne alium melius noscere quam ••?A rule. Deceptus in minoribus nō debet de maioribus iudicare. Mensura enim prior mensurato. Potes ne alium melius noscere quam ••?
