Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

Bsactie fevered from true vertue,is to be contemned. r a t of men .7-how art not fairer then the peacockor the fwan;and of- Chry fofl.ad tenttmes bafe boies and girles,harlors and effeminat mc,haue had pop.hom.4o. agreat!harein thisglorie. And is this therefore off iici worth, totm.4. that for it thoulheuldeff be exalted and extolled? Seeing there- fore Gods eftimate, which being grounded on infinit wif- dome and iuftice,crieth downe the value of this vaine beau- tie,which is railed vp by carnall men to fuch high rates, let vsiearne to conforme our iudgements vnto his, flightly ac- counting of this outward forme and colour, to which mans vaine opinion bath given it chicle excellencie, and highly valuing the inward beauties of the mind, the venues and fanétifying graces of Gods fpirit,whichhow vnhandf?m fo- euer we feeme before men in our outward feature,wil make vs to appeare beautiful! in the fight of God; and ofour huf- band Iefus Chrift, whom if wee pleafe, it little skilleth, though we be vnpleafin g in the eies of men. Againe,theworthiefueffe of beautiemay hereby appeare, pea g. in that if it bring anydelight, it is rather to thofe who fee it, Beautie is good then to thole that haue it; or if at all it be pleating to the rather to thole owners, it is in regard of the liking and admiration of the that it,thetil lookers on, hawing nothing in themfelues to tell vpon for jtethat their contcntment,but depending vpon the.iudgeement and cenfure ofothers,either to be extolled by their commenda tions,or to be abafed by their difpraifes; and what worth is in that, which rifeth and falleth at euery ones deuotion? or how cannot that be efteemed vain,which hath it being, and fubfiftence in the vainc breath of the vulgar multitude ?Nei- ther in truth would they at all admire it, or though they fhould,yetwould not their idle breath puffe vs vp with the wind ofpride,ifeither they or we did but confider,. what. loathfome matter lieth hid vnder this faire skinne. For if our ties cannot pearce any deeper then the outfide only, yet lookewhat filthie excrements iffue out of the note, cares, . pores and other paffages, and iudge what the fountaineit felte is,trom which proceed fuch loathfome fireames:confi- der what wee were before our birth, and what afterwards,. then placed inthemiddeftofexcrements,and now made the receptacles of dirt and filth. And therefore when the beau, tie