Chap. 3 I. An Expofition upon the Book of Jo ts. Ver{, 9. 387 Beauty is good, a good gift ofGod, yet it often doth hurt, it hurts many who have ir, and it hurts not a few who behold it. Solorttons mother, who knewwel the heart ofa woman, having painted out avertuous woman inher bef beauty and moil pro- per colours, prefentlyadds ( Pro. 3 r, 30. )- Favour it deceitful!, and beauty u vaine, but a woman thatfearetlo theLord , Jbee ¡ball be praifed. Favour is not here put for goodwill ;as we lày=,I have loch a mans favour, or am in favour with him ; but favour is the externall comelinesand handfornenes ofaperfon.Thus we fpeake in common language ; fuch a one bath a goodfavour, youfavour fuch a one, that is, you are like him, or I l nowyourfavour. It is fayd, as a part of 7ofephs commendation (Gen. 39. 6.) that be was a goodly perfon and :rel. favoured. As hisperfon was highly favou- red by God, as allo by Pharoah, who made him his Favourite, fo he was a welfavoured perfon ; this is intended by Solomcs, when he faith, Favour is deceitful), and beauty is vaine. ?ofephd favour deceaved his wanton Miftreffe, and had almoft undone him ; For thoughwhile her heart was deceaved by him, his heart was not deceived by her, but gracionfly refitted her lolicitations and prefervedhis chaftity, yet he loft his liberty and got aprifori while he kept himfelfe free from that pollution. Favour is de- ceitfull, and beauty is vaine two wayes. Firft , Becaufe it deceives thofe that have it; How Toone doth favour fade, and beauty wither away ? The beauty and favour of the face, is like a flower ofthe field, which quickly declines ; old age will certainly doe it, time wrincles anddeformes the belt bo- dyly favour,and ufually that fooneft which isbelt : yea before old age comes, the beauty of many is gone, fickneffe and forrow, cares and teares will Elaine it. lithe face be but a while flooded with teares, favour and beauty are drowned and defac'd. Many haveufedhigh wafhings to preferve their naturali beauty, or to get them an artificiali one ; but God bath wafht offtheir beau- tywithbrinifh teares, and broken their favour with heart break- ing forrowes. Some flatter themfelves they !hall ever be greene, and frefh, as the fpring, but theyhave felt an autumn, yea a hard providential! winter which bath blowne off yea frozen off all t'aeir natural bravery. Secondly , Favour it isdeceitful) ; becaufe it deceaves thofe that Woke upon it , flirtingup vaine thoughts and lofts, which Dddz while
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