Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

O f the vanitie ofcofify and brace apparel!. 397 them on to imitate their brauerie; for fuch is the pride of ¡PPeell,Tesd mans heart, that he is impatient to bee any way inferiour to again their thole whom he efleemeth but his equals; and therfore when ,ttrbretbgerelf,, enra bygi- knee Teeth his neighbour in cooly clothing, fearing left hee fhould be preferred before him, he inwardlydifdaineth,en- uieth, and vieth with him who !hall excell in brauerie;. whereofit commeth,to paffe, that this vanity of gay appa- rell,hauing infe&ed any corner,doth in fhort timelike a running canker,fpread it felfe ouer a whole country.Againe, they are fcandalous to thole who are without,as they hinder and difcourage themby theirpride and exceffe from the im- bracing and profelliing of their religion, when as in this they can perceiue nediffcrence between a profeffour ofreligion, and a profeffed vaine perfon the children of God, and the children ofthe diuell ; tholewho profeffe mortification, and they who are worldly and prophane. Whereascontrariwifè, if they were according to their profeffion, humble, model+, graue and lober, in their habit and outward cariage, they Tit.a.3. might moue them to a liking of their religion for their ver -. cues fake, who profeffe it, and intime draw them on to the profeffion and pra&ife ofit. Finally, if in fincerity of heart wee profeffe and pra&ife chriffianity, and yet bee ouertaken with this vanity, as-we doe thereby wrong our felues by im- pairing our good name; fo by feeming that we are not, wee giue occafion to wicked worldlings of falling into finne, whilefi for this infirmitie they are ready to blafpheme Gods truth -,which we profcffe, and cenfure and condemne vs for hypocritsand wicked perfons,who are as proud,wantou and' lafciuious as any other. Which fufpitionswee ought to (hun by auoiding there outward apparances of euill; for if my heart be cleane and vpright in it (elle, why ( hould I give oc- cafion to haue it fpotted and blemifhed in anothers conceit andeflimarion ? Why ( hould wantons and lafciuious per- Tertul.de Ions haue any hope offinding that in nee which I abhorre? cultu fceminá. Why Both not my habit proclaime the affe &ion ofmy hart, Lb. left impudencie fhould be incouraged to taint it, by infuíng the poyfon oflull and wantonnes by my cares? Why (hould Lnot profeffing charity feeke rather to edifie then deffroy my neighbour;