t 30 Beautie fetteredfrom vertue, it tobecontemned. vfe, which isoffo manyaffe&ed and defired;the whichfeare making him fit to entertaine all fufpitions and many fufpiti- ous liming to his jealous mind for an cuident demonflrati. on, domakewayfor rage againfi his wife, the ouerflowing ofloue turning into the gaule offurie, for enuie and hatred againfl his ftippoled rivall, and for torment and vexation to his ovine foule. Againe, this worldly beautie feuered from verme dothoften cxpofe neereff fiends to many dangers, as fometimes to fecret poyfons, and fometimes to open vio- lence, becaafethey (land in the way, and hinder thofe who are intangled with it, from fatisfying their lugs, and enjoy- ing their wanton and lafciuious delires. Forifthis beautie had thefe dangerousand deadly effe&s inSara,who thereby vnwillingly expofed Abraham to thehazardofhislife; & in Bethfabe,whofe beautie was the caufeofher husbands ruine, both which notwithflanding were vertuous women, and fearedGod: howmuch more pernicious is it in thofe who are deflitute ofvertue, modeflie and fobrietie, who arenot onlyoccafions, but allo acceffaries and helpersforwardof there mifchifes, being allured hereunto by their wicked loners? That t 17. excellencie, then beaurofiable,t no worth or nd- wefhoald g p , fixe our ioue on pernicious, both to them that cxcell in it, and to thofe that doaine beautie. are neere veto them : let vs weane our hearts from the loue ofthis vanitie, and learne tocon tetnne anddefpife it both in . our felues and others; and ifwe will needsbe inamored with beautifull obie&s,let vsfixe our hearts vponGod,who isnot onlybeautifull,but beautie it felfe, and fo infinit in this and all otherperfe&ions, that all the beautie ofall the creatures in heauen and earth is but as a final! fparke in comparifongf the gloriousbrightneffe ofthis Sunnc : and therefore let the beautie ofthecreatures (ernebut asa fcale,wherebyour me- ditations may alcend to contemplate the infinit beautieof the Creator: for negle&ofwhich vfe of the creatures excel- lencies, the Author ofthe booke ofWifdome condemneth men :Surely (faith he) allmenare valuebynature, andare ig- norant ofÇod,andcouldeat knowbut that ár,by the god thingr that
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