Of the vanity ofcoflly andbrave apparel!. 385 preferueourbodies from the injuries of the weather, wee {hall find littlecaufe which may mouevs to af£e61or delight our (Clues in this fuperfluous brauerie. For this emnitie be- tweene vs and the creatureswhich makesvsneede thefe ar- moursofdefence, putsvs inmindofthecaufe thereof,which wasour emnicie withGodby reafonofour finne: thefeco- uers to hide vs, argue to ourfilmic, that there is fomethiug vnder them which needes covering ; and thefe plaifters, though theybe offilke or veluet, Phew that vnder them are fome loathfotne fores, which being feene would difgrace and fhamevs. In all which refpeas the moll glorious gar- mentsbring with them caufeofbluíhing ratherthen ofboa- fling ;forbefore man finned hee was glorious in his naturali beautie; and agarment to him would haue becne butas a cloud CO the fnnne, which doth not grace it but hide his brightneffe.Neither would thefe ornaments haue more a- dorned him thena filken cafe fweete role; but whenhis beatific wasby finne blemifhed, then,like the withered rote referued in abagof fluke, hee was driuen tofeeke for orna- ments,andtofupplienaturalldefeóts with the helpeofart. So that he who is proud ofthefe poore fupplies, is likevnto him whobeing blindglorieth in filuer eyes; orvnto a lame man,whohaving loft his legge,boafleth andbraggeth ofa gilded flumpe, which was not giuen him for gloryand o- ilentation,buras a poore fupport to hold him vp, andas a forrie helpe to relietic his miferie. And this the Lord plaine- ly intimatedin thofe fiatgarments which he gaue our great progenitours; forhovefoeuer hee could as eafilie haue pro_ uided appareil of fluke, or veluet, curioufly imbroydercd with gold and filuer,as ofany meaner fluffes ; yethe clothed themwith bcalls skins, which were onely fit for thole vies of hiding their nakedncf e, and defending them from the weather, and fettledrather to humble then to puffe them vp with pride,not only by putting thëinmind oftheir brutifh condition, but alto oftheir frailcty and mortality, feeing the creatures for their fakes were already fubieéi to death andvanity. Thirdly,let vs confider, that howfoeuer it may befceme g.SeaIa.. C c worldlinasThat eauQwe
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