Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

Beautie fettered¡rom vertue, it to be contemned. 115 he) of excellent beautie? why then let it moue thee to this care, Eximiaforma that the beautie of thy mind may beofanfreerablebrightneffe to eri ?idagat,vt thebeautte of thy bodie. Finally, this beautie is vied aright, antuimipulchri- do,tr when as we do not ref+ in it as being fraile and momentanie, putthtietudinoris i but vfe it as a little fireame to condudi and bring vs to God jpiendore re_ the fountaine of all beautie and goodnelie; and be mooned ondear. zen thereby to this meditation, that ifa fparke ofthis beautie Maximum. in imparted to the creature, worke fuch loue and admiration; then how much more is that infinite flame of beautie in our Creator, from which this is deriued, to be admired and lo- ued ! Ifthis heavenly Sun reflet1 a fhadow fo full ofbright- nefie vpon earth and clay, then how infinitly glorious is he in his owne nature andperfeélions !.Finally, if we efleeme it a part of our earthly happine(fe to haue our felues and neerefi friends adorned with this beautie; then how much more happie (hall wee bee, when being in thole hcauenly ioyes, we (hall not only our felues exceed the Sun in the fir - mament in beautic and brightnes; but alfo fhail haue the vi- lion and fruition of our gracious and glorious God, in cottt- parifon of whole purity the heauens are filthy and vncleane, and in regard ofwhofe infinit beautie and glorie, the Suinte it felfe is grof a darknefl'e, and the moll excelling beautie in heauenorearth but meere deformitie? And thus haue I (hewed that beautie in it owne nature is 4.Sea.3. good, and a gift and bleflìng ofGod to thofe who haue al to aeautieoftbe a right vfe of it : eúen as contrariwife deformity is in it owne bodiew thout nature euill, as being a fruit of fin; and therefore fuch as theheaptieef the mivditof were crooked, lame, orblemifhed,are by God forbidden to no worth. offerhis facrifices. But if we confider it as it is in our natureLeu.zr.19.zo. corruptedwith fin, it is not abfolutely good,but to be num- bred among things indifferent, the which (as all other the benefits ofprofperitie) is more often abufed, then well vied, and fo becommeth vnto vs, through the maliceofour fpiri- tuall enemies an inducement vnto finne, and the ground of many dangerous tentatiôs. And thus this gift of God is abu- fed, when as we refs in it alone, and content our felues with this fhadow.negie&ing the fubfiancc, vertue and true god - line(le, and thinking it enough to haue beautiful( bodies, I z though