Circumspect Walking, Chapter 27
CHAP. XXVII.
Concerning ornament in apparell: wherein three questions are resolued.
THE third and last ciuill vse of Garments is ornament:3. Ornament. where consider two or three questions.
Quest. 1. Whether be ornaments lawfull to be vsed, seeing the Apostle commands women, that their apparell be not outward, with broydered haire, and gold, nor pearles; nor costly apparell, which hee opposeth to comely apparell? 1 Peter 3. 3. 1 Tim. 2. 9. Answ. They are: for the Apostle simply condemneth not the things themselues, which are the good creatures of God; nor all vse of them in ornament, which Rebecca and Ioseph being aduanced, and all the Israelitish women, ware in earerings and bracelets,Deut. 32. which was not their sinne. But he condemnes in them, 1. The ouer-common and vnseasonable vse: for ornaments are not sit for all persons and times, but must be vsed sparingly, not commonly, hauing respect to times and solemnity. They bee for great, not for common men, neither for those eueryevery day: the rich man in the Gospell is condemned, for going in fine purple eueryevery day. 2. He condemnes the affected and excessiue vse of them; for they more affected the adorning of the body, than of the mind, to which the Apostle in both places calleth them: whereas a Christian must chiefly prouide for the adorning of the minde inwardly. 3. He condemnes their offensiue vse of them, who did not vse them as the sober and graue matrons of their yeares and age; but being newly conuerted from the heathens, still retained the heathenish ornaments, and would not, being Christians, bee put down by the heathens, but retained the former manner of adorning themselues. 4. Hee condemnes their end in wearing these things, which was to set forth their bodies, and pride vp themselues with their ornaments; whereas all ornaments must be vsed to Gods glory, while wee adorne his Temple, and not to draw mens eyes vponupon vsus.
Quest. 2. May not a man weare long haire for ornament.
Answ. Against looks and long haire in men.The ornament of a mans head is short haire: long haire is an effeminate ornament. 1 Cor. 11. 14. Doth not nature it selfe teach, that if a man hauehave long haire, it is a shame for him? but if a woman hauehave long haire, it is a praise to her. Obiect. We may vse other things for ornament, and why not our haire? Answ. In ornament we must looke we be without offence, and that is when wee frame our selues to the example of the graue and sober, who amongst vsus count the fashion of flaring lockes, effeminate and ruffian-like. Againe, in ornament, as in eueryevery thing else, wee must expresse godlinesse, modesty, and sobriety: whereas this fashion of men is receiued as a badge of a light mind, and an intemperate person. Obiect. The Nazarits did nourish their haire. Answ. That was by the speciall law of their profession which profession, and law, and all, is now ceased. If thou wilt be a Nazarite, thou must drinke no wine, nor strong beere; a hard law to many of our locksters. That of Absolom doth not necessarily conclude against it, that his haire became his halter: yet it is not to be passed lightly: Compare his pride with his fall, and wee may obserue that God doth ordinarily punish vsus in that wherein we sinne.
Quest. 3. May not a woman paint her face,Against painting of faces and complexions. and mend her complexion? Answ. No, eueryevery one ought to bee content with their owne feature and complexion: and to deuise artificiall formes and fauors to set vponupon their bodies or faces, is a most abominable practice. For, 1. They are not content with their forme which God hath giuen in them, either because they are proud and would not be inferiour to others in beauty; or because they are vnchaste, and would by art allure louers, when nature hath failed them. 2. The forme of it is a lye; it is no beauty, but a picture of it, no sincerity, no truth in it. They dissemble themselues to bee other than God made them. What truth may wee expect within, when a man may reade in their faces, lying and dissimulation? How is this to abstaine from the appearance of euill? 3. What a dishonour is it to God, that a wretched worme should goe about to correct and mend his workmanship? How would a meane workeman take it, that a bungler should offer to correct or alter his worke? 4. What an indignity is it to take the face of that which they say is a member of Christ, and make it the face of an harlot? We reade but of one in the Scripture that painted her face, and that was Iezabel, 2 King. 9. 30.an arrant strumpet, and called the mother of fornications. How much more vnseemely was it in that Vicar of Christ Pope Paul the second, as Platina writes? 5. Our Sauior plainly tels vsus, Mat. 5. that wee cannot make one haire white or blacke, that is, wee hauehave not power of our haire to make it, no not to colour it: and yet these will make as many white and blacke as they list. 6. If thou be ashamed of that face which God hath made thee, hee will one day bee ashamed of that face thou hast made thy selfe. And dare a Christian carry a face in his life time, which neither God made at first, nor he dares appeare withall in the resurrection? Obiect. But I must please my husband, and hold his heart to mee. Answ. Will it not please him to behold the face that God made? or canst thou please him in bringing a strange beauty to couzen him withal, that he knowes is not thine owne? or if he take thee for beautiful when thou art deformed, wouldest thou bee thus deceiued in a husband, for a faire man to marry a painted husband.
Obiect. But I may couer a deformity in my body. Answ. Yes, but not by setting a new forme vponupon thy face, nor by dissembling.
Obiect. Doth not the Apostle say, 1 Cor. 12. Wee put couers vponupon the members that are least honest? Answ. 1. The Apostle speakes of not contemning the poorest Christian, vnderunder that similitude. 2. We couer vncomely parts, but with what? with cloathes to hide them, not with painting, stibium, white lead, purpurisse, or check varnish. 3. If thy externall forme be not so beautifull, beautifie it with grace, humility, the feare of God, and other Christian vertues. The Churches beauty is within, which God and his Angels, and good men respect in the person that is most deformed and contemptible.