Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

Of the vanity ofcoflly and brave apparel!. 385 preferueourbodies from the injuries of the weather, wee {hall find little caufe which may moue vs to af£e61 or delight our (Clues in this fuperfluous brauerie. For this emnitie be- tweene vs and the creatureswhich makes vs neede thefe ar- mours of defence, puts vs in mind ofthe caufe thereof,which was our emnicie with God by reafon ofour finne: thefeco- uers to hide vs, argue to our filmic, that there is fomethiug vnder them which needes covering ; and thefe plaifters, though they be of filke or veluet, Phew that vnder them are fome loathfotne fores, which being feene would difgrace and fhame vs. In all which refpeas the moll glorious gar- mentsbring with them caufe ofbluíhing rather then of boa- fling ;for before man finned hee was glorious in his naturali beautie; and a garment to him would haue becne but as 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 abag of fluke, hee was driuen to feeke for orna- ments ,andtofupplienaturalldefeóts with the helpe ofart. So that he who is proud of thefe poore fupplies, is like vnto him whobeing blind glorieth in filuer eyes; orvnto a lame man,who having loft his legge,boafleth and braggeth ofa gilded flumpe, which was not giuen him for glory and o- ilentation,bur as a poore fupport to hold him vp, and as a forrie helpe to relietic his miferie. And this the Lord plaine- ly intimated in thofe fiat garments 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 of any 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 fettled rather to humble then to puffe them vp with pride,not only by putting thëin mind of their brutifh condition, but alto of their frailcty and mortality, feeing the creatures for their fakes were already fubieéi to death and vanity. Thirdly, let vs confider, that howfoeuer it may befceme g.SeaI a.. C c worldlinas That eauQwe