There is a wise eye,1 and there is a foolish eye,2 the wise eye is like the Bee, which gathereth honey of every weed: the foolish eye is like the spider which gathereth poison of every flower. Therefore God licensed Abraham to see the flames of Sodom, which he forbade Lot, because that which teacheth one, tempteth another: it is a true Proverb, the eye is a shrew; although it show light, yet it leadeth many into darkness. If Eve had not seen, she had not lusted, for it is said, Seeing that the tree was pleasant to the eyes, 3she took and eat. 4If Achan had not seen, he had not stolen. For he saith, first I saw, and then I coveted. If David had not seen, he had not lusted, for it is said first, That he did see her, and then he sent for her.5 So when Ham had seen the temptation, he was snared with the sin: therefore it followeth, He told his brethren ⟨p. 603⟩which were without, &c. Thus sin groweth of sin from the eye to the heart, and from the heart to the tongue, a man may go into a labyrinth easily, but when he is in he cannot get out: so Ham did see a temptation easily, but when he had seen it, he could not look from it. Therefore when Esayah speaketh of vanity,6 he named Cart-ropes of vanity, to show how one sin draweth on another, as it were with Cart-ropes,7 and one sinner maketh another,8 as Eve did Adam. When Satan was cast out himself, he sought ever after whom he might devour, so when Ham had strained reverence himself, he laboured to bring his brethren into the same disobedience. All men seek after fellows, and we think it evil to be evil alone, therefore the thieves before they go to steal, call their mates, and say, Come with us, Prou. 1. 10.9 It is enough (saith Peter) that we have spent our former time in lusts: so it was enough that Ham had faulted himself, but when he had seen, he would have his brethren see too: When he was become a scorner, he would have his brethren scorners too: therefore as Andrew called Simon, and Philip called Nathaniel,10 to see the Son of God: so Ham called his brethren to see the nakedness of his father. The sins of men are like a plume of feathers, for itching ears, and an evil disposition ⟨p. 604⟩breedeth an evil suspicion: therefore Ham thinking that his brethren had bin as shameless as himself, thought this a merry may-game to make them sport.
There is a wise eye,1 and there is a foolish eye,2 the wise eye is like the Bee, which gathereth honie of euerie weede: the foolish eye is like the spider which gathereth poyson of euery flower. Therefore God licensed Abraham to see the flames of Sodome, which he forbad Lot, because that which teacheth one, tempteth another: it is a true Prouerbe, the eye is a shrew; although it shewe light, yet it leadeth many into darkenesse. If Eue had not seene, she had not lusted, for it is said, Seeing that the tree was pleasant to the eyes, 3she tooke and eate. 4If Achan had not seene, he had not stolne. For he saith, first I saw, and then I coueted. If Dauid had not seene, hee had not lusted, for it is sayd first, That he did see her, and then hee sent for her.5 So when Cham had seene the temptation, he was snared with the sin: therefore it followeth, He told his brethrē ⟨p. 603⟩which were without, &c. Thus sin groweth of sin from the eye to the heart, and from the heart to the tongue, a man may goe into a labyrinth easilie, but when he is in hee cannot get out: so Cham did see a temptation easily, but when he had seene it, he could not looke from it. Therefore when Esayah speaketh of vanitie,6 he named Cart-ropes of vanitie, to shew how one sinne draweth on another, as it were with Cart-ropes,7 and one sinner maketh another,8 as Eue did Adam. When Sathan was cast out himselfe, hee sought euer after whome hee might deuoure, so when Cham had strained reuerence himselfe, hee laboured to bring his brethren into the same disobedience. All men seeke after fellowes, and we thinke it euill to be euill alone, therefore the theeues before they goe to steale, call their mates, and say, Come with vs, Prou. 1. 10.9
- 1Eccl. 2. 14.
- 2Pro. 17. 24.
- 3Gen. 3. 6.
- 4Josu. 7. 21.Iosu. 7. 21.
- 52. Sam. 11. 2
- 6Esa. 5. 18.
- 7Gen. 3.
- 81. Pet. 5.
- 91. Pet. 4. 3.
- 10John. 1.Iohn. 1.
