Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

Bea ttie f steredfro>n true vertae4 to be oontemaed. t 2 s made wantonly delicate, fo as they could not endure the pines ofcliming the high hill ofvertue, nor oftrauelling in the Wait and affli6led way oftruc godlineffe, but rather de- fire to go downe the eale- declining hill ofvice,and to walk in the plaine and faireway that leadeth to defiruaion: and thole whom it bath not ouercome, it baththoroughly exer- cilid all their flrength in making reGftance;and very valiant- ly haue they behaued themfelues in this confli&t,ifthey haue not had in the way ofvertue many rubs, and rcceiucd many foiles.To this purpofe one fitly faith,that they echo haste beau_ Petrarch.de tie,haue a seater for their eyes, a jnare for theirfeet,and hirdlrme remed.bb.t. for theirwings; f at they cannot eajily difeerne the truth, nor dials. follow vertue,norflre aloft taheauenly meditations: and many bath it made barren in the duties ofpietic, flopped in the courfcofvertue, and turned afide into the by-pathsof vice : in refpe&ofwhich vnfruitfulnefl'e in goodnefle, the beauti_ full perfon is compared to the tall faire oake,which bringeth only acorncsfor hogs; and they who want it, and are indu- cd with the beautie of the mind, are likened to the vine, Chryfollin which.beingdeformed infhape, bringeth grapes and wine Pfal.so.homif fit for kings. The truth whereofwil more clearely appeare in Tome par- 4.Secl:13, ticulars : for if wee take a view of former times and of our srautieaud . owns daies, we !hall find that beautie and chaflitie are often chanitiefet+ at oddes,and do feldome dwell together, not becaufe thofe domernecte .- grtSab: r.. who are beautifull may not be in theirowne nature and in- ra ;!Jade. clination as chat} as others, if(as I Paid before) they doe not concordia f r- mollifieand efleminat their minds with horb and daintines, owe, atq pudsci- and fo grow light and wanton in their defies; but becaufe ria- .tuuenal. they are more x e pofcd P Cunoperacuto ly wicked men, who are let on fire with their brightness and maguo cuftedi- allured to lull with the bait of their beautie. Now that is tut quod muftis moll hardly preferued, which is of fo many loucd and delivP14"1. red,efpecially when it cannot be hidden, but is fubieé} to o- pen view,like vnto a t ich treafure which is carried vncouered Depredari deft - by the high way fide, which offereth a kind of violence-to del at, qai the- their delires that fee it, and caufeth them to offer violence to faurgminb[ice the owners, and to feaze vpon by force, that which had firfi iu via pout, fcazcd Greg";