Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

376 OfAppdrell. the yongerfort,asthey are not to haue the fame matter of their appareil; but one more coflly,another more meane and cheape according to their qualifie; fo isitfit that they fhould allo differ and be dilringuifhed in their feuerall fafhions, as bell befitteth euery ones degree and calling. And thus in ZacM.t3.4. the time ofthe law the priefis hada peculiar kind of apparel allotted unto them.The Prophets had theirrough garments, Pfal.44, whereby theywere knowne : kings and queenes had their royallornaments; the man one kind of apparel], and the Deur.zz.q, woman another, which was vnlawfull for them to inter - 3 enel z4.z2. change. Thus Rebeccah had her golden abilements & brace- lets; and the Ifraelites their earerings and other iewels, and Exod.;.zz. I that by the appointment of God. himfelfe. And our Sauiour Chrift the wifedome of his father, feemeth to allow veto courts and kings houles, foft raiment and gorgeous appa- rel!, asbefeemingthofe who in the world are aduanced to Luk.7.zq, there high places. Yea but the Apoflles Pais! and `Peter doe forbid this brauerie and gorgeous garments as vnbefeeming xTim.z 9. chriflians. I anfwere,thattheir fayings are not to bee vnder- food as general( and abfolute prohibitions ; but onely as admonitions, whereby they withdrew them from letting their.heartsvpon pride, vanity and brauery, as though they were things greatlyto be efleerned and defired,to the end I.Pct 3.3 4, they might fix them vpon the fpirituall ornaments of the foule,Gods fanélifying and fauing graces, as being much more excellent; which alto appearethby the antithefis there vied. Againe, this gorgeous apparell might be interdiéled thole chriflians vnto whom the Apofile wrote, as being r.Cor.r.2.5.24_in thole dales for the moil part of meane quality and con- dition, as the Apofileelfewhere affirmeth ; and therefore howfoeuer it were lawfiill in it (elfe, yet it was altogether vnbefeeming theireflate :befides that,the Church was then vnder grimes perfecutions, in which refpeel there coftly ornaments were unfit, asbeing a time ofhumiliation;andal- fobecaufe ofthe greatwants ofmany the Poore; members of Chrifl,which the richer fort were to relieue, not only out of their fuperfluities, but euen out offuch neceflaries, as might otherwife hauewell befeemed their placeand calling, LL'il So