Sect. V.
BEauty in generall, is a Harmony resulting from severall things, proportionably concurring to constitute a third: In respect of which temperament, and mixture of various Natures, agreeing in the composition of one, every Creature is Fair; and in this sence no simple being is Beautifull, not God himselfe; this Beauty begins after him, arising from contrariety, without which is no com∣position; it being the union of contraries, a friendly enmity, a disagreeing concord; whence Empedocles makes discord and con∣cord the principles of all things; by the first, understanding the varietie of the Natures compounding; by the second, their Uni∣on: adding, that in God only there is no Discord, He not being the Union of severall Natures; but, a pure uncompounded Uni∣ty. In these compositions the Union necessarily predominates over the contrariety, otherwise the Fabrick would be dissolved. Thus in the fictions of Poets, Venus loves Mars: this Beauty can∣not subsist without contrariety; she curbs and moderates him, this temperament allaies the strife betwixt these contraries. And in Astrologie, Venus is plac'd next Mars, to check his destructive influence; as Iupiter next Saturn, to abate his malignancy. If Mars were alwaies subject to Venus (the contrariety of principles to their due temper) nothing would ever be dissolved.