386 Chap 3 t. An Expofition upon the Book! of J o B. Verf,g; more bitter then death, the woman whole heart is fnares and nets, and her hands as bands. Solomon doth not here charge woman- kind or women in Generall, as ifall of them were more bitter then death,or as if the hearts ofall of themwere (Hares and nets; But he faith he badfrond the womanor That woman ( as the ori- t;inaii may be rendred) whole heart is fnares and nets, andwhole hand.( are bands, that is, who by what Thee devifeth in her heart, and uttered-) with her mouth and as with her hand, cloth in- fnare, intice, and captivate man. This woman he found morebit- ter then death ; For death doth only feparate the foule from the body, But thee, byenfnaring and captivating a man to fin, fepa- rates both body and foule fromGod. No corporali deathgives a man fo many bitter draughts as findoth. And therefore it fol- loweth in the fame verle; Who fo pleafeth Clod (ball efcape front her. The Hebrew is, He that isgood before God fall efcape front ber; that is, he that bath a good and an honeft heart, ( which is the thingwhich Godchiefely looks to and mots highly prizeth ) fhahl be delivered from the (flares and nets which her heart bath made,and her hands fpread tocatch & entangle vaine men. Only they who pleafe God, or with whom God is pleafed, and fo be- fcoweth this fpeciail grace and finguiar favour upon them, can efcape her fnares ; and therefore it followes in the dole of the fame verle, But theinner (ball be taken by her. And to be taken by her is neyther better nor worfe, then tobe taken by the ale- vili ; is not then fuch a deceitfull woman more bitter then death ? Now as there are manyvicious, yea flagitiouswomen (che re- proach of their rue) filch as Solomon there defcribes,whoat`live- ly deceare men, that is, who lay fnares and fpread nets toentrap them, whomake it their trade and budinesto ruine the eftates, to deftroy the bodyes and foules of teen ; fo there are others who deceive paflively ; who though theydoe not plot to deceive any, yet many are deceived by them ; They may be innocent, yet men doatingupon, and tufting after their beauty are drawne away and deceived ; thus they deceive palvely , That woman is happy, whobeing beautiful, is neither proudof it berfelfe, nor thereby ()tare to others. And becaufe lob fpeakes it fo emphatically, illy 'heart bath not been deceived by a woman, I will fhew you (even wayes, by which women deceive the hearts ofmen. 'rirft , They deceive by their favour and natural! beauty; Beauty
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=