3E4 Ofthevanitieofcotly awl drasteapparell. God,indoing that which he forbiddeth before his face,and euen in that very time when byhis wordhe doth condemne it: as ifthey fhould plainely fay, I will not forfake the fafhi- on oftheworld, though it be neuer fomuch or oft forbid- den. Whichas it is a great offence among our(clues, fodoth it fcandalize pagans, infidels and woridlings much more, and as a Rumblingblocke in the way hinders themfrom the profeflionofourreligion, when as they heare our do&rine, and feeour praólife; obf rue that the Scriptures which wee profeffe cobeleeue,and propound as the rule, according to whichwe frame our liues,condemne and forbid this vanity, andwee euenwhen wee heare them read, vfe that exceffiue brauerie,which the heathens themfelues would neuer tole- rate. 4.Stli.g. Secondly,ifwewould calmmind the firR original! ofap- The original!ofparell,wefhould haue little caufe to affect braucrie, or to apparel Jheuld waxproud ofgay clothing ; for had our firfl parents conti- preferuevs nued in the Rate ofinnocencie, they fhould haue remained from taking pride ia it. glorious in themfelues, and not haue needed any apparell; but hauing tranfgreffed Gods commandement they faw their nakedneffe, and being afhamed of their deformities, they fought to hide thetnfelues,and to couertheir fhame by the helpe ofgarments. In which refpeél what is our apparell but adailymonitour,tocall our fins and fhame tomemorie? What is it but a Lazers cloth,cafotter our filthy (ores offin, that we maynotbecome lothfome through our deformities toour feluesand others? and confequently what doe they which vaunt themfelues in this vanity, but like the thiefe, who being adiudged to weare an hallar in perpetuall re- membranceofhis foule crimes, dothmake himone of lu ke, or gold twia,andfceing it to make aglittering Phew, doth wax proudofthat which fhould rather humblehim,asbeing acontinuallteftimonieofhis firne and fhame? fo they wax proudofthat which is the enfigneoftheir Crone and miferie, and conuert the habits which were giuenvs to hideour fins, into finne it felfe. Againe, ifwe confider the vfe of apparell in the &a inflitution, which wasnot oncly(as I haue faid)to ceuer our nakedneffe and hide our filchincíhe; but alfo to preferue
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