Fonseca - Houston-Packer Collection. BX1756.F66 D5713 1629

We mull notiudgeofamans the fourithSutlda+ inLent. Ser.a8. Gnfulncffe byhiàfutretings. Sunday fhipwracke,and are without .prefent reliefe andhelpe,vponcafting away, Ihould more efpecially:ftretch out her acmes , and take them in before they finke. Secondly, Forthat theyattributed thebiindneffe ofCelidonites to the finnes of his parents : for albeit God doth punifhthe finnesof the fathers in the chil- dren,cuen to the fourth generation; yet this punifhment is neuer in the foule, but in the bodie, for the foulesare not by race and defcenr ; neither hath the fouleof the fonne any:kindred oralliance with that of the father, as the bodie bath ; onely thefmne ofc4damhath fomewhat thereof, asbeing the head and root fromwhom weal! come. Thirdfy, They wouldhaue reduced this punilhment tohis ownc proper fins, for that hewas borneblind ; forthough God doth vfeanticipation indoing fa- uours forrome feruices that are to be done, yet doth heneuer punifhfrnnes not yet committed : blat;it isratherthe blazonof his juftice, to punifh with a flow hand ; as it is of hismercie, to pardonfpeedily. Fourthly, toattribute to faultscommitted,isagood iudgement, andanapproouedcenfure,.forour owne finnes , but not for other mens. When our Sauiour Chrift.faid to his Apoftles, oneofyouAtlibetrayme;euery onelookt írft into himfelfe, demandingofhim, Rabbi, Matter; Am I theman or no ? And though he{hewed themafaire euidence , Hec that dips hisbandwitbmee in the difb, 6-e. yet noneof them fixt theireyes vpon Was, nortooke notice of the figne then giuenthem. The Pharifee isnot fomuch condemnedfor his own proper finnes, asforthefcorneand pridewherewith hedefpi fah others, lthanke thee,8 God, that iamnot like othermen. Emifentufaith, That there canbe nogreatermif- fortune, thanto makethofe finnesmyne , which anotherman Both commitfor his plc fare or his profit, bothwhich I make to bemyne , by iudging rafhly of them. Neither bath this manfinned, nor hisparents, but that theworker ofGadfbaald bee made manifefl in him. Some manmayaske me the queftion, WhyGod should makechoiceofthefe his eyes, tomake them to bean inftrument ofmanifeffing his workes, rather than thehands ofthe benummed, the feetof the lame, the tongueof the dumbe, therailing of thedead, or the torment of thofe that are poffeffed with Deuills e I anfwer hereunto, That all thefe miraclesmight ferue verse well for Gods glorie. AndofLazarus his death our Sauiourfaid, That it wasproglorie Dei, for Godsglorie. But inthe Eyes thereisa more efpecialcon-, ucniencie (as S. Chryfeflemehath noted it) than in other theparts of the bodie : For asman is the fumme and Epilogue of all the naturalities ofkhe Worlds forwhich reafon theycall him, t»iìcrocofmos, A littleWorld ; fo the eyes are the fumme andEpilogueofman. Andas "triflorle faith, That theSoule is all things, ina certainekindofmanner, becaufeall things are come under thecompaffe of it's apprehenfionandvnderltanding; fotheeyes in amanner are all things, be- caufe theycomprehend all things in them,the heauens, the planets, the Danes, the elements, birds, fifltes, beats , plants , and (tones ; nor doe they onely fee in the eyes,corporallcreatures,and vifible fubftances,but likewife the inuiftble pallionsofourfoule ; as loue,hate,pride,humilitie, &the like,fo faith (line. And therefore Saint u4a ufline fides theeyes,the heralds of theheart. Saint Peter tells vs, That there areeyes full of adulteries: In aword , The eyes (as Salomon faith) arethe open market place ofour bofome. And in another place, All thetnayesofman are in hiseyes: And Secleftaflictes,exvitacognofcitur tic. Our Sauiour. Chrift did reiforethis man to his fight, andmade his eyes become clëere, 479 Man the Epi- tome of the. World.; the Eye,of Man. The Eye isth Heartsmarket place. s.Pei,:o

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