A godly and learned exposition vppon the Prouerbes of Solomon: written in French by Maister Michael Cope, minister of the woorde of God, at Geneua: and translated into English, by M.O.

30 Fauour is deceitful, and beautie is vanitie: but a wo∣man that feareth the Lorde, shee shalbee pray∣sed.

The maidens and wiues of their corrupt nature are curious, & desire to see such things as profite them nothing, but rather do hurt them and bring them to dishonour: as Dina and Thamer. Likewise * 1.1 they desire to be seene, and to please the eyes of worldlings. And to do the same, they colour and paint themselues to seeme faire, and of a beautiful hewe, and pleasant countenance. And this is that which the wise calleth fauour and beautie. And such painting and coun∣tenance doeth wel like the worldlings, whose eyes are ful of adulte∣rie: they praise and commende such women as can disguise and trimme vp themselues: and in their minde and fantasie they shall seeme to bee fine and honest: but they which shal walke faithfully and plainly, shalbe counted foule and vncomely. Wherein they are deceiued, as the wise doth shewe, when hee calleth fauour deceit∣ful, and beautie vanitie: declaring that those which colour them∣selues with such fauour and beautie, are deceiued. And heerein hee saith nothing which hath not alwaies bene proued by experience, e∣uen from the beginning of the world. Adam found and sawe fauour in his wife when he yelded to take the forbidden fruite of her hand. The sonnes of God, sawe great beautie in the daughters of men. Si∣chem * 1.2 sawe that Dina was faire. But they were aldeceiued, & found not that which they looked for: and in steede to finde happines, they fel into greate troubles, as the ende hath shewed. And in folowing the same ende it is written, many haue beene deceiued by the beau∣tie of women: for by it is loue kindled as it were a fire. Wherein we may see that the wise yelding and applying himselfe vnto our kinde * 1.3 of speeche, vseth heere this worde fauour vnproperly. For properly to speake, fauour is the good wil that wee beare to another, with∣out his deseruing. And such women as woulde bee founde faire, do not seeke to shewe or to beare fauour, but most often do sel them∣selues

to them, that wil giue most. Notwithstanding, for al that, they wil labour to persuade their whoremongers, that they shewe them much fauour in yelding themselues ouer vnto them: though they take giftes and presentes of them: and the poore fooles (so muche are they deceiued) wil againe thanke them greatly for it: as though they had receiued some great benefite, and that they were much beholding vnto them. And in this maner they prayse and e∣steeme that which is nothing, but vanitie and deceit, yea very hurt∣ful and pernicious vnto them, which linger after such fauour and beautie. For they which colour themselues, and desire to seeme faire and of comely fauour, and they which delight therein, are both ca∣ried and led of the Deuil, who is a lyer and a deceiuer, and the fa∣ther of lying and deceit. The women therfore which labor to make thēselues to seeme faire, are not to be praised nor commended, but * 1.4 they whose vertuous heart being hidden, is without corruption, & of a milde and quiet spirit. For although the voluptuous worldlings doe nothing esteeme such vertuous women, yet forasmuch as they are highly esteemed with God, wee must therefore greatly esteeme them also: as wee are heere thereof admonished, when it is saide, but a woman that feareth, &c. For when the wise man saieth, shee shalbe praised: the same is asmuch as if hee saide, that she ought to bee praised, and had in good reputation, honour and to be blessed & saued so much as possibly may be from dishonor. For it is good rea∣son that wee shoulde praise and esteeme that which our God prai∣seth and loueth. Nowe that he praiseth the vertuous woman, the wise man sheweth, when hee attributeth vnto her, the feare of the Lorde: for al they which feare him are welcome vnto him, he doeth assist them and keepe them: as hath beene handled alreadie in diuers places. Therefore if women wil obtaine true praises, they must haue then the feare of the Lorde: the which is shewed foorth by honest and holy conuersation, and when they apply themselues to that which God commandeth in his lawe.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Gen. 34. & 38. 13.
• * 1.2

  Gen. 3. & 6. & 34.
• * 1.3

  Eccle. 9. 10.
• * 1.4

  1. Pet. 3. 4.