Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

Of Apparrell. 375 (mall part of theirhappineffe,thinking themfelues bet} when they are brauet}, and mot} etleemed when they haue got on the richet}fuite. And this makerh them ro fet their hearts fo vpon it, that they thinke no time too much, no cot} too great,which is fpent in adorning of themfelues; yea they are ready to fell religion,confcience, and credit,to purchafe this exceffiue braucrie; and to commit all manner of wrongs and iniuries,opprefiìon,and violence,to maintaine their gay and gorgeous apparrell.Which folly,that we allo may not fal in- to, let vs learn bafely to efleemc this, which the world fo much admireth, and to contemne it as a trifling vanitie; which is not onely void ofall worth and excellencie,but alto through common abufe, Cubic& to much corruption and finite. And yet left for the abufe we fhould rcie6t thelaw- full vfe, and cynically refute that chriflian libertie, which God herein hath liberally allowed veto vs; let vs in the firfl place confider , that there is a good and lawfull vfe of thefe rich attires, and cot}ly appareil; namely, when as they are well fitted and forted vnto the calling of thofe that weare them. For as the Lord hath made diners et}ates and degrees ofinen; fo would he haue euery one to apparrell themfelues according to their degree & calling, that fo thefe diners or- ders and conditions ofinen may the better be diflinguifhed the one from the other:kings with royall apparell,nobles ac- cording to their nobility,with that which is rich and coflly; genticmen,as hefitteth their gentrie;and the meaner fort ac- cording to their qualifie and condition. The which diffe.. rence may lawfully appeare both in the matter, and alto the forme of their garments. For in the former refpeó, it is law - full for thofe who are in high eflate,to weare flukes and vel- uets, gold and fluer, jewels and precious (tones; neither were thefe creatures caufelefly created, but for the vie of men, and that not heathens, worldlings and infidels; but chiefly and principallie for Gods own childrenand feruants, who onely haue iufl title and interell vnto them. The like differencethere may allo be in the forme or fafhion of ap- pareil; for the king and the weane fubieCì, the courtier and the countric man, the gentleman and yeoman, the old and Bb 4 the