And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she [was] very fair.
Ver. 14. The Egyptians beheld the woman.] Pleasure is blamed, in Xenophon, for this, that she ever and anon looketh back upon her own shadow, and giveth her eyes leave to rove and range without restraint. An honest man, saith Plautus, should have continent eyes, hands, and tongue. a Nihil enim interest quibus membris cinoedi sitis posterioribus an prioribus, said Archelaus, the philosopher, to a wanton young gentleman. The eye (that light of all the members) is an ornament to the whole body. And yet that lightsome part of the body draweth too oft the whole soul into darkness. This Job knew, and therefore "made a covenant" Job 31:1 to look to his looks; b sith of looking came lusting. Charles V., when the city of Antwerp thought to gratify him in a mask with the sight of certain fair maids brought in before him almost naked, he would not once look at them. c The young Lord Harrington, when he should meet with fair women in the streets, or elsewhere, would usually pull his hat over his eyes, as knowing that of our Saviour, "He that looks upon a woman, to lust after her," &c., whereupon immediately follows, "If thine eye offend thee," &c. d Eckius was sharply rebuked at a feast, by a modest matron, for his uncivil glances and behavior, in these words (as Melancthon relateth), Es tu doctor? Non existimo te in honesta familia, sed in lupanari educatum. Thou a doctor? I do not believe thou wast bred anywhere else but in a brothel house. See Trapp on " Gen 6:2 "
a Decet habere oculos continentes, manus et linguam.
b Joh. Manlii, loc. com., p. 345.
c Saepe clausit fenestra, ne inspiceret formosiores feminas ,& c. - De Carolo V., Pareus Hist., pref. medul., p. 908.
d Joh. Manlii, loc. com., p. 327.