!Chap. I about apparel. Our Appartl then is a badge of our fin, and ought to humbleus; and who is proud of a plaifter that covers a filthy fore. Thirdly, its a moll unfeemly thingfor Chriftians to put excellency in Apparel, and tobe fo careful about thefe outward toyes. It becomes the world well e. hough that knowno better clothing, neither looking for grace'here, nor glory hereafter : but.Chrifiians fhould think themfelves moll beautiful, when they are moil model#ly attired, when they are arrayed with grace. We profeffe our felves CO bt Pilgrims here, and therefore ihquld not fafhion our felves to the world, &c. Rom.I2.z. IPJt.Li: Fourthly , its abfurd to place excellency in filch a thing as Apparel, for we borrow it of poor creatures that are far inferiotir to our felves. The bell filk is the ekcrements of a crawlingworme, and the firma cloth is but the fleece of a fillyfheep. And when all is done, we arenot fo fine as the lilie of the field, Mar.6.28,z9. Fifthly, when theóutfide is moll decked, commonly the infide is moll ne- gle&ed, whereas the body is but thecafe of the foul, and apparel the cafe of the body, and we ufe not to make the care of a thing fo ;. oed, as that we put there- in. Such are like a poor Jade with a velvet Saddle, and guilued trap- pings. . Sixthly, whereas futh as are fo careful to get brave apparel, do it toget ho- nour andefteem, God notably crolfes them ; fome laugh at the nand flout them for ir, others elivie them, and others are antry at them for it : So that whe: e.ts they thought to pleafe all, they pleafe none, neither (god nor man. Sevenrhly,it makes none betterthat wear ir, whether they are beautiful or de- fbrmed, vertuous or vicious. Ifbeautiful, what needs fuch a deal of flir,which yet doth but hinder theirnative beauty 5 If deformed it ufually makes it but more knownand taken notice of. If they be verrúoas its not their gay cloaths, but their yeaue that adorns them: If vicious, every one will fay, that its cot, ill bellowed, and it will but encreafe their vices. Fi.hthly, they that aff :& corny apparel fin, I. Aäainfl Godby abufing hiscreatures to pride, andnegle&in, his Worlhip publick or private, or by coming unprepared thereto, whilefl they fpend fo,much time in adorning themfelves, dreffing themfelves by the houre, and praying by the minute. a A ainll themfelvesbynegleeliftg the inward clothing of their foules, and procuring much envie , and ill fpeech , and many cenfures from o- thers. ;. Agaînfl their neighbours by provoking them tó imitate their bad example : Fór whenfome be;,in, otherswill follow, and Pridefpreads quickly, efpecially where Religiónkeeps it net down. Ninthly, its not only a fin, but the caufe andencreafer ofmuch fin.It comes from pride, andis a great encreafer of pride. It hinders the ferviceofGod, and the goodof our own foules. Itbreaks the neckof Hofpitality,, deflroysCharity, caufeth raking of rents in the Countrey, and falfhood and deceit amon;fl Tradefmen tomaintain it. It caufeth lull in the wearers, and provokes ilia others. Ob. But though we wearefuch s4'pparel, we arenotproudofit, but as humble as others? Anfw. I-loW (hall we judge of that which is within, butby the outward ruits. Our lieht fhould Thine outwardly that others may behold it, Mat. 5. 16. we Ihould keepa confcicnce voidofoffence both towards'GodAndman, Acls 24. t rí. Ob. We do it to' pleafe our husbands, they will h&tie it fo?. tnfw. Manypretend this, when indeed they do it to pleafe their oivn'vain 2 minds. I 3 IV. VI. VIII. IX. 44
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=