Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

Beeutie fettered frost true vertue,i.r to be contemned. I /3 little and little brought it unto vs,till attained to the height Flown decori: ofit perfeaion,doth then as flealingly take it away;neither fiagnli carl,nnt is it more pollible to preuent this decay ofbeautie, then to dce.Scntc.in flop_the coude oftime; for cum whilell it is admired and OCtauia. praifed,it fecretly fadeth & declineth. And though (through the flrength ofartand nature conîpiring together) it were pollible to preferue this beautie veto old age; yet then be- hold the utter ruine of this faire building; for when age commeth it ploweth deepe furrowes in the moft beautiful! vifage,it changeth the colour,rotteth the tecth,tainteth the breath,wrinkleth the brow,bleereth and dimmeth the eyes, crookneth the backe,.writhleth the hands, fiifneth and la- meth :the ioynts,deaffeneth the eares,and tnaketh the voyce hoarfe and vnpleafant, which before was fweete and tu- nable. In a word,it worketh filch a change and alteration, thatifafter fome long diflance oftime,aman fhould behold his vifage in a glaffe, he would kettle a firanger to himfelfe, and fcarce acknowledge that he is (fill the owner of the fame bodie wherewith.formerly he was delighted. Or let it bee imagined that.througgh the extraordinarie vigour of nature, there doth.akinde of comely beautie semaine euen in the elder age; yet remember what will become ofit in the next houre that death hath feazed vpon it, and hath thrufl the foule out ofherpof effron,tillhis leafe alto be expired. Call to minds that the moll amiable face and countenance after two or three daies buriall,will bee fo vgly and deformed, that nonewould now more loath it, then chofe who before did moo admire it; and were it not priuiledgod with that only benefit of fenfelefiies,andwant ofvnderflanding,felfe. horrour would make it breake open the prifon ofche graue, and caufe it to flriue by flight to efcape and auoide it owne lob 17.19. companie. And thus hauelfhewed the worthleffevanitie and vn- 4.Seéï.to. profirablenes of worldly beautie ; which ought to moue vs That ctntrm- to defpife and contemne it, as being of no value, hen as it Wing tbit otit- isfettered from true godliineffe. And becaufc naturally weeé mtiea "" are affedled with beautie, let vsturne the tdgeofour loue from this earthly trafh, to fpirituall and heauenly treafure, bed, fie ./tbe letting mirtde.-