Two Treatises, Part 3 – Part 4
III.
Such muſt know, that as the kingdome of God ſtandeth not in any of theſe outward things,1 Cor. 8.8. ſo they muſt not be ſuffered to hinder the kingdome of God in our ſelues or others: And though they being things ſo indifferent in themſelues, as they commend vsus not to God; yet in the vſe of them all, wee muſt exerciſe certaine vertues in which we muſt bee acceptable to God; and auoid ſuch vices in the abuſing of them, as will elſe diſcommend vsus before him. For ſuppoſe they be things in their nature neither good nor euill, neither commanded nor forbidden; as, Whether. I ſhould weare cloth or lether, whether a plaine band or a ruffe, whether ſingle or double, whether white or yellow; yet in the vſe of any of theſe outward and indifferent things, my action is either good or euill, according to my exerciſe of vertue or vice in it. Neither can any thing be ſo indifferent in it ſelfe,How indifferent things become euill to vsus. but it may become euill and ſinne in me many wayes: as,
1. By my election and choiſe of it without aſſurance of my libertie in Chriſt, or with doubting whether I doe well in vſing it, or no.
2. By my intention, which may be corrupt and vicious in my ſelfe, and preiudiciall to others.
3. By many accidentary euents: as, if others be by my vſe of lawfull and outward liberties occaſioned to ſinne, or thruſt forward in carnall licentiouſneſſe. All which I rather propound to be wiſely conſidered for the remouing of that common obiection & conceit, That the things are not great, and God cares not ſo much for the dreſſing of the body, ſo I keepe my heart to him, and giuegive him content in my ſoule. As if theſe perſons conceiued, that the body is not the Lords as well as the ſoule, or that that ſoule can bee Gods, when the deuill hath the dreſſing of the bodie.
IV.
We muſt know, that although the word of God afford not particular directions for eueryevery particular habit and attire, yet we may not thinke it a defectiue rule, or ſhort and wanting to guide vsus euen in the leaſt or loweſt action of our liues: becauſe it ſupplieth vsus with many generall rules, to all which we muſt reduce eueryevery particular action of common life, for the allowance or refuſall of it. And therefore for the helpe of ſuch as are teachable, I thought it might bee profitable to apply vntounto thoſe generals, and bring to their triall, this particular of habits, and attires; vntounto which while they are ſquared, none hauehave ſo much right to vſe them as women fearing God: but if they depart from thoſe rules, they are not ſo vnſeemely in any, as in them.
The generall Rules are theſe, reduced to foure heads.
1. Some concerne God.
2. Some our ſelues.
3. Some our brethren.
4. Some the ornament it ſelfe.
For vntounto all theſe we muſt hauehave reſpect euen in our attires and ornaments.
I. In reſpect of God, we muſt attend three rules.
1. The firſt concerneth our warrant, and is this: No ornament muſt be vſed, but by warrant and leaue from God. Our warrant is from the word; our leaue is by praier: the rule for both is expreſſe, 1 Tim. 4.5. EueryEvery creature of God is good, ſanctified by the word of God, and praier. Whence it followeth, that whatſoeuer ornament, attire, or faſhion, is not warranted to the heart by ſome part of the word, the ground of faith, or for which it cannot ſend vp a praier of faith for Gods bleſſing vponupon it: that cannot be warrantable to a godly heart. Which of our Gallants in their ſtrange faſhions ponder that of the Apoſtle,Col…ſſ. 3.17. Whatſoeuer ye doe in word or deed, doe all in the name of Chriſt? that is,
1. By the warrant of his word.
2. With inuocation of God in the name of Chriſt.
2. The ſecond rule concerning God muſt looke to the right end, namely,
No ornament or attire of any faſhion or colour may be vſed till the heart be aſſured that this be the proper end, that in adorning the body it honour God. 1 Cor. 10.31. Whether yee eat or drinke, or whatſoeuer yee doe, doe all to the glory of God. The word whatſoeuer, being a word of vniuerſalitie, fetcheth in the ſmalleſt action of life, in which we are bound chiefly and principally to intend, and ſet vp the glory of God, for which end hee created not our ſelues onelyonly, but all his works, firſt for himſelfe, and then for vsus. Whence it followeth, that whatſoeuer faſhion, attire, or ornament doth ſpot or ſtaine the glory of God, the Goſpell of God, or our holy profeſſion, that is vnwarrantable and vnlawfull.
3. The third rule concerning God, is, That
No ornament may bee vſed to correct Gods workmanſhip, which euen a skilfull Artificer would take ill at any mans hands. It is true, a woman may nouriſh her haire, for it is her glory; and may ſeemely adorne her ſelfe with her own,Cant. 4 3.for ſo was the Church in Chriſts eyes; yea and in want of their owne, if for ſeemelineſſe they borrow of others, it may be excuſed (ſo modeſtie be not exceeded:) but of very wantonneſſe or pride to diſlike their owne, or to affect ſuch ornament of ſtrange haire as their naturall and proper haire will not reach vntounto, argueth vanitie and diſcontentment with the worke of God, ſaying vntounto God, Why haſt thou made mee thus, or why haſt thou made my haire of this colour, and not of that?
And much more to grow out of liking with Gods workmanſhip on their faces, and by painting to refine them to their owne ſancies, is an immodeſt ſinne condemned in whoriſh Iezabel. 2 King. 9.30.We denie not but it is lawfull to couer a blemiſh, or hide an hurt or deformitie in ſeemely manner: but by defacing Gods workmanſhip, and by ſtamping pride on their faces by painting and colours, can by no colour be warranted. Say not, It is cuſtome; for all cuſtome muſt bee ruled by the word of Chriſt, who ſaid, I am Truth; and not, I am Cuſtome. Nor ſay, I muſt be handſome and comely, and therefore I may; for this is but to couer pride vnderunder this pretence. Neither ſay, I am young and may take libertie; for young men and women muſt be ſober as well as other.Titus 2.4.6. Nor ſay, I muſt pleaſe my huſband. True; but it muſt bee in the Lord, and in things honeſt and lawfull. Or can it pleaſe any husband, to come before him in a viſard, a borrowed and adulterate face and faſhion?
II. The ſecond ſort of rules reſpecting our ſelues, are fiue.
1. No ornament or attire may bee worne, till the heart be reſolued that it will be fitting and pleaſing to the holy Ghoſt, whoſe Temple the body of eueryevery beleeuer is. 1 Cor. 6.19. Know yee not that your bodies are the temples of the holy Ghoſt? Now becauſe this holy Spirit cannot take pleaſure in any ornament but ſuch as becommeth holineſſe, neither indeed can any other beſeeme his temple; therefore all good Chriſtians will make conſcience of what they offer to adorne this temple withall, and bee ſure it be no light, ſtrange, odde, or ſwaggering faſhion or attire, taken from light and wanton perſons, that they preſent the bleſſed Spirit of God with, for the beautifying of his temple.
And beſides, ſeeing eueryevery beleeuer hath put on Chriſt as a garment, Rom. 13.14. it will bee the wiſdome of eueryevery Chriſtian to ſee that his ornament be ſutable to his apparell, that neither his ornament ſhame his ſuit, nor his ſuit diſgrace his ornament. EueryEvery thing in a Chriſtian, from a Chriſtian, on a Chriſtian, or about him, ſhould ſauour of Chriſt, and expreſſe him. Be ſure that thy ornament ſuit with the ſame minde that was in Ieſus Chriſt.Phil. 2.5.
2. No ornament may be vſed with affection or affectation. 1 Pet. 3.3. the Apoſtle forbiddeth broydred haire: and 1 Tim. 2.9. he forbiddeth not that onelyonly, but gold, and pearles, and coſtly apparell. Which wee muſt not vnderſtand as if he ſimply and abſolutely did forbid and condemne the wearing of gold, or chaines, rings, bracelets, billiments, ſpangles, and the like: but the thing forbidden is the affecting and ſtudie of theſe things.
When women (for to thoſe hee writeth in both places, as being more impotently carried away with this vanitie than the other ſex) not onelyonly take pleaſure in outward ornament, but ſtudie brauerie, and ſtriue to be as braue or beyond others, at leaſt not behinde them in vaine and new-come faſhions, which is a ſigne of a ſluggiſh and delicare minde, giuen vp to the delights of the fleſh, and farre from mortification.
Our Lord in Matth. 6.28. allowes not Chriſtians to beſtow their thoughts on apparell which is more needfull than ornament. And his Apoſtle commands vsus to vſe the moſt neceſſary things as not vſing them, 1 Corinth. 7.31. Then muſt wee reſtraine our ſelues euen in lawfull liberties, when wee finde our ſelues prone to bee brought vnderunder the power of any of them, as 1 Cor. 6.12.
3. No ornament or habit may bee worne or vſed againſt ſhamefaſtneſſe and modeſtie. 1 Tim. 2.9. The women must array themſelues in comely apparell, with ſhamefaſtneſſe and modeſtie. We know, that ſince the fall, nakedneſſe is a ſhamefull thing, and ſinne hath caſt ſhame on eueryevery part, and calleth for a couer ouer all but for neceſſitie; and garments were ordained to hide nakedneſſe, no… to diſplay or diſcouer it. And mee thinkes it cannot ſtand either with religion, or modeſtie, or with the ſhamefaſtneſſe of that ſex, ſo to attire themſelues, as to diſplay their naked breaſts, and ſome ſomewhat lower; or bare their armes beyond that which is fit for eueryevery one to behold. I cannot enter into the heart to iudge any: but I muſt feare whether they are, or hauehave euer beene deiected with a deepe ſenſe of their ſoules nakedneſſe, and therewith aſhamed and confounded before God, that are not aſhamed to vncouer their bodily nakedneſſe (beyond that which is comely) before men.
4. No ornament or attire may be vſed to the impeachment of our good name, which is better than the most pretious ointment or ornament:Eccleſ. 7.3.as if it carry a brand of pride, wantonneſſe, lightneſſe, or inconſtancie, or a note to bee an inuenter or follower of new and ſtrange faſhions: whereas the Apoſtle would hauehave the outward habit and attire expreſſe the feare of God which they profeſſe, 1 Tim. 2.10. and would hauehave women to bewray the hidden man of the heart in all their outward artires, 1 Pet 3. that is, the new creature, and diuine nature, which is hid and ſeated within, but ſhewed forth in vertuous behauiour, and ſober carriage. But alas, how doe they prouide for their reputation, that (as Chryſoſtome complaineth of ſome women in his time) ſo lightly and wantonly tire themſelues, that when they come into the Church or Oratorie, they ſeeme rather to come in to dance than to pray. And the euill is greater, that the hurt falleth not only on their owne names, but on the name of God alſo.
5. No ornament or attire may be vſed to the waſting of our outward eſtate, or the abuſe of Gods bleſſings in riot or prodigalitie, or the diſabling vsus from being helpfull to others. The reaſon is, becauſe we ſit not in our owne, but are ſtewards of theſe things, and muſt be countable how wee expend them. The godly heart muſt bee ſure therefore to lay out nothing for attires, or faſhions, but that which it may comfortably bring in accounts vntounto God.
Beſides, the word of God laieth neceſſarie iniunctions vponupon vsus to doe good, and diſtribute to the neceſſities of the Saints; to be rich in good works, thereby both to teſtifie the truth of our faith, as alſo to be furthering our owne reckoning. Now what an vnanſwerable ouerſight were it, by exceſſe and ſuperfluitie in things (comparatiuely) vnneceſſary, to diſable our ſelues for ſo neceſſary duties, and preuent our ſelues of ſo large and comfortable retribution.
III. Now follow the rules concerning our brethren.
1. No ornament or faſhion may be vſed to offend our Chriſtian brother. Rom. 14.21. It is not good to doe any thing (ſuppoſe it more neceſſary than attires) with offending the weake brother. If the heart ſuſpect or diſcerne, that this or that attire may or doe offend any Chriſtian; if the iuſt cauſe of the offence riſe not out of the thing which may be allowable enough, but out of his weakneſſe that takes the offence, the precept of the Apoſtle bindeth it, to tender the weakneſſe of his brother, and now to forbeare his or her lawfull libertie; and vponupon very good and grounded reaſon. 1. Becauſe charitie is better than outward ornament. 2. The nouriſhing of our brothers faith, is farre more precious than the nouriſhing of our owne fleſh. 3. The edification of our brother is to bee preferred before our owne pleaſure. So as a conſcience well informed will bee very tender to offend a weake brother by vndue and vntimely vſe of his libertie, although himſelfe be perſwaded well of it.
2. No ornament, attire, habit, or faſhion, may bee vſed to the ſtrengthning of any vaine minds in their new-fangled & ſtrange guiſes. Rom. 12.2. And faſhion not your ſelues to this world. A godly minde may not like, or be like vaine-minded perſons in their faſhions, forme, and courſes; no not ſo much as enter into their way, Prou. 4.17. nor be companions with them in any of their works of darkneſſe, Eph. 5.7. Now as it will be a ſorry plea for thy ſelfe in thine account to ſay, I thought I might doe this or that, becauſe I ſaw ſome before me whom I thought well of; ſo will it iuſtly increaſe thy iudgement, that thou haſt by thy practiſe ſtrengthned the hands of ſinners, and hardned them in their ſinne, whom by thy ſober and ſeemely carriage thou ſhouldeſt hauehave actually and really reproued. Yea and in that rule of the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 14.26. Let all things be done to edification, thou art caſt as guiltie, who haſt deſtroyed him by thy example, whom thou ſhouldeſt hauehave edified.
3. No ornament or attire may bee vſed, which may become either a ſnare to our ſelues or others. There are ſome habits framed to draw eyes, to get louers, and to occaſion vnlawfull deſires. The daughters of Sarah deteſt ſuch whoriſh habits, and are carefull that by nothing about them any eye or heart may bee entangled. Their endeuour is not to auoid onelyonly apparant euils,1 Theſſ. 5. but appearances of euill. To diſcouer by our habits ſome naked parts, as many doe, is a danger of temptation to many beholders. And as in the Law, bee that digged a pit and left it vncouered, muſt anſwer for the oxe or aſſe, or beaſt that fell into it: ſo here; although they are beaſts that fall into the pit of luſt vponupon ſuch ſpectacles, yet are they not free, that couered not the pit. Neither will it excuſe, to ſay, But I intend no ſuch thing by my habit; for if thou knoweſt it may bee an occaſion of mouing euill luſts, and doeſt not preuent the occaſion, thou art blame-worthy, as the firſt in that ſinne.Veneni poculum porrexit aſpicientibus, etſi nullus ſit inuenius qui biberet. Chryſoſt. in Matth.Thou haſt filled a cup of poiſon to the beholder, although there bee none to drinke it, ſaith Chryſoſtome.
IV. Now followes the laſt ranke of rules, concerning the ornaments or attires themſelues.
1. No outward ornament or habit may be vſed vponupon the bodie, which is ſeuered from the inward ornaments of grace vponupon the ſoule. The Apoſtles no where mention this argument, but they commend this to the chiefe care of Chriſtian women, to bee more ſollicitous and curious in adorning the ſoule with grace, than the body with gay clothing: and plainly teach that the true ornament of a Chriſtian woman is her ſanctification,1 Pet. 3.3.which beautifieth the hidden man before God. This is the ornament for her head,Prou. 1.9.and chaines for her necke. This is the borders of gold and ſtuds of ſiluer, which make her comely in the eye of Chriſt, Cant. 1.10, 11. Yea this is her grace among men, Prouerb. 31.25. Verſ. 30 And when fauour ſhall proue deceitfull, and beautie to bee vanitie, then ſhall a woman fearing the Lord bee praiſed. All ornaments of nature, all artificiall colours and couers are but filthineſſe, where this is wanting. See Prouerb. 11.22. A iewell of gold in a ſwines ſnout, is a beautifull woman without inward comelineſſe. Seuer this from outward ornament; and though ſhe may pleaſe her ſelfe a time in her conceit of brauerie; I ſhall aſſure her, ſhe ſhall hauehave no reioycing in heart, no hope in death, no ioy in God, no boldneſſe in iudgement. Take the counſell of Chriſt in time, Reuelat. 3.18. I counſell thee to buy of mee white garments, &c.
2. No ornament or attire muſt be worne againſt the iudgement and example of the modeſt, frugall, and graue perſons of our owne ranke. Philipp. 4.9. We muſt thinke and doe whatſoeuer things pertaine to good report, and whatſoeuer things hauehave any vertue or praiſe in them. Now to imitate the moſt modeſt, ſober, and vertuous of our ranke, is vertuous, and praiſe-worthy, and of good report: whereas to bee inuentors of euill faſhions, or imitators of light, wanton, gariſh, or proud perſons, in their proud or fantaſticall faſhions, brings a iuſt blot vponupon the perſon, and a gaſh into the name and reputation, which will not eaſily be healed. And how iuſt is it, that ſuch as will pride themſelues, and glory in themſelues, againſt the glory of Ieſus Chriſt, and the Goſpell of Chriſt which they profeſſe, ſhould meet with ſhame and contempt amongſt men of ſound iudgement, and be ſent away with a little contemptuous flatterie only of ſuch wantons as themſelues?
3. No ornament muſt be vſed which is not as well expedient as lawfull. 1 Cor. 10.23. All things (meaning things indifferent) are lawfull for mee, but all things are not expedient. Euen ſuch things as are lawfull, may be inexpedient for a meane eſtate and condition, whether it be in degree, or in abilitie.
What an inconuenient exceſſe is it, to weare gold for ornament, when they want ſiluer for neceſſaries: now to weare iewels for pride, and then pawne them for need: to ruffle it in ſilkes, when they can ſcarce pay for cloth: to make an idle ſhew and oſtentation of abundance, when indeede they are in great wants? Is it fit for ſuch to follow faſhions? No, but as wee muſt eat according to that with which the Lord hath bleſſed vsus; ſo muſt we alſo in our attire and habits. The Lord hath called ſuch perſons to frugalitie and thriftineſſe, and to ſuit their cloathes and ornaments to their preſent eſtate. Euen a ciuill wiſe man will fit his minde to his eſtate, if his eſtate bee not fitted to his minde.
Beſides, coſtly ornaments fit not eueryevery degree that are able. As it was a diforder for Nabal to keepe a feaſt like a Kings (although hee was able) ſo in attires and ornaments,1 Sam. 25.for meane perſons to ſuit themſelues with great perſonages, breeds a great deformitie, and lets in a confuſion in degrees, and a neglect of diſtinction of perſons, offices, and dignities, which the God of order hath ſet amongſt men.
Adde hereunto, that ſuch things as are lawfull, may be inconuenient at ſome times. It was noted riotous in the glutton, that he went in purple, and fared deliciouſly eueryevery day. Luk. 16.There be wedding garments for times of ioy and feaſting; but ſome times are mournfull, and call for mourning garments, Ion. 3. and Daniel 9.3. It is more than inconuenient to bee in pompe, exceſſe, and delicacie, when there ſhould bee weeping, humilitie, faſting, and renting of hearts and garments. I truſt godly women will be content by looking vponupon the afflicted eſtate of the Church of God eueryevery where at this day, to reſtraine themſelues in their exceſſes in their lawfull liberties, and follow the Lord calling them to conſider the afflictions of Ioſeph.
FINIS.
End of the text · Thomas Taylor, Two Treatises (1625)