Clarke - BV4500_C46_1659_v1

Quefßions,and Cofes ofCónfciencè Chap i 3 mindes. But if any have fuch phantaflical husbands , they muff yet take heed of going too farre lell they difpleafeGod. Let them rather pleafe their husbands by their humblefubjeaion, and modeff and fober carriage. Ob. we do but what moil do ? Anfa. We mutt not follow a multitude to do evil; Exodus 23. 2. Ob. 6'I/e could be content to by it afide, ifothers would dofa? Anf :v. We ought not to tarry for others, but rather to begin andgive them a good example. Mr. 'Rogers on Peter. . Tenthly, coil and curiof ty is againíl thefirff Inflitution of Apparel : God clothed our fit It Parents inbeafis skins, and weare not better then they. He attired them in an habit becoming forrow, and the (late of banifhed per- fons. Eleventhly; Our bodies are but houles of clay, and therefore we fhould not be too folicitous toadorn them. Twelfthly, because of the abfence of the Bridegroom Chrifl. A chaffe 'Spode is not much taken up in adorningher felfe, when her husband is from home. Thirteenthly, fuch as were moil curious herein, are branded in Scripture tobe moil notoriouflywicked perfons, as Thamar, fez,abel the whore, Rev. 17. 3. IR. 3. 16, Crc. Dives, Luke 16. 19. Mr. Byfield on Peter. uefi. If there be any deformity in the body, may we not labour to co- ver it? Anfw. Yes : but we may not fet a new forme on the face : Diffembling is condemned as well indeed as inword, every one fhould be content with their ownnatural favour, and complexion that Godhath given them, andaccount of it as a precious thing, be it better or worf . For the outward forme and favour that a man bath, is the work of God himfelf proportioned, and fittedto him by his fpecial Providence. Being therefore the Lords own work, andhis Will thus to frame it rather then otherwife, there is great reafon that we fhould reff contented with the fame. They therefore that devife, and ufe artificial formes, and favours to fet upon their bodies and faces by painting, and colouring, that theymay Teem fuch as indeed they arenot, are condemned by the light of na- ture, and much more by the light of Gods Word, whereinwe have but one only example thereof, and that is ofwicked fez.a6.1, z Kings 9. 3o. who by this mark is noted for a notorious firumpet, in that fhe painted her face. For what is this but to finde fault with Gods own Workmanfhip ? and to Peek tocor.. tea the fame by a counterfeit work of our own deviling, which cannot but be highly derogatory to his wifdome , and difpleafing to his Ma- jclly. Qiefl. What Arguments may be brought againft xiomenspatnting their facts ? Anfw. It is not only evilin regardof the abufe, but utterlyunlawful and a- bominable in its own nature, and nn the general pra&ice of it, as offendingnot only againfi the Lawof God, but the very light of nature, fuch as haveno fpark ofgrace branding it with anote of reproachwherefoever they difcoverit: Yea, even thofe that praetife it do condemn it in their own cenfciences, andare a- fhamed to be takenwith thefa& : But that all Chriffians may abhorre it, Let them confider, 1. That God is not the Authorof thisbeauty, but the devil himfelf,who brings the works of God intodifgrace, not only by counterfeiting them, but by labour- ing to excel them: Saint Cypr,an thinks, that when wicked Angels, ,profefling

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