The Loathsomeness of Long Hair, Part 4
Arguments against naked Backs and Breasts, &c.
FOr naked Backs, Breasts, Armes &c. the very naming of this is confutation sufficient to modest persons: yet since we are rational creatures, and must have our judgements convinced before the affections will yeild: I shall therefore produce some reasons against this immodest fashion, too common in all places.
1. This laying out of naked Breasts, &c. is a temptation to sinne, both in the Sunt ignes juvenum, fomenta libidinum, impud…ae men… iudicia. Hieron.Actor, and the vaine Spectator, and so is the breach of the seventh Commandement; where (under that great sinne) all lesser sinnes, and all provocations to lust, are forbidden: now naked breasts are temptations and known provocations to uncleannesse: Hence the Lord complaines of Adulteries between the Breasts. Hosea 2. 2. Let her put away her whoredomes Propheta ad cultum meretricium alludit, quia meretrices ut alliciant homines sumptuosiùs se colunt, & majore cur â fucant faciem suam, deinde ornant mammillas suas. Calvin. How many professe openly their inward uncleannesse by laying open to the common view, their naked Breasts, as though it were a bill affixed to the dooreposts, to signifie to the passers by, that within that place dwells an uncleane heart, and that whosoever will, may there buy Honesty and Chastity at an easie rate. Downam on Hos. 2. 2.out of her sight, and her Adulteries from btweene her Breasts. Alluding in this phrase (say the late learned Annotators) to unchast Women and Adultere…les, who set out their Breasts to allure Lovers. Whores use to discover their filthinesse much in their Breasts, eith…r in the nakednesse of their Breasts, or in those Ornaments that they hung about their Breasts, as they were wont to doe in those Countries, for the inticing of their Lovers: nor hath this Adultery of the Breasts, in the nakednesse of them, been condemned only by the people of God, but even by *V. Tertul. de Veland. Virgin c. 17. Adulteria uberum vocari potest, vel ipsa uberum in verccundae nuditas, vel alia ornamenta quae suspensa ad ubera, ille ebrae sunt libidinis. Sanchius.Heathens, who did not onelyonly cover their heads, but their faces also, that their nakedness might not appear; and shall Christians fall short of Heathens? That which is the Bedlams madness, and the Beggars misery, viz. nakednesse, that is the Whores pride, and the Strumpets glory: It is an ill signe, when people are more curious Magna corporis cura, magna animae incuria. Sen. Sic Ca…o Cens. ap Ammian. … hist lib. 16.and carefull to adorne their bodyes, than their soules. To be excessively carefull about the haire and the skinne, and those parts that draw the eyes; this is crimen prostitutionis, the sinne of a prostitured whore (if we may believe *De habitu mul…ebri Hones…ae matronae ubera gerunt occulta, vel amata pretiosa inter ubera recondunt. Paraeus.Tertullian) Pious Matrons are modest: it is onelyonly light ones, and such as are for sale, that thus invite customers, by setting open their shop windowes. God hath given us clothes wherewith to cover our bodyes in a decent, modest, frugall manner, Hos. 2. 19. I gave them Wool and Flax to cover their nakednesse: Sinne hath made nakednesse shamefull, so that now it needs a cover. Hence nakenesse is reckoned as a curse, Deut. 28. 48. but affected nakednesse is a curse with a witnesse, even monstrous pride; and therefore great is the folly of those, who have their garments made on such a fashion, that their necks and breasts are in great part left naked; a sinfull and abominable practise! For sinne hath so horribly stained and d…siled our whole bodies, and covered them with shame, that if it were possible, and necessity would permit it, the whole body, both face and hands, should all be covered: hence God hath made garments to cover our naked bodies (Gen. 3. 10. 27.) which must be wholly covered, leaving onelyonly our hands and faces open and bare for necessity sake. It is true, nakednesse, before the Fall, was an ornament and glory to our first Parents, they were free from sinne, and so from shame; Genes. 2. 25. they were both naked and were not ashamed; such purity, simplicity, and perfection was in body and soule, that they found no unwholsomenesse or uncomelinesse in this condition. But now, since the Fall, nakednesse is become a curse, and a reproach: Hence Adam (after the Fall) seeing himselfe naked fled from the presence of God, and hid himselfe for very shame (Gen. 3. 78. getting fig-leaves to cover his nakednesse. Great then is the immodesty and impudency of those who glory in their Ranters say they have attained to that perfection in Christ, which they lost in Adam; and therefore they may go naked as he did, living above sin and shame.shame, and lay open many parts of their bodies more than need requires. But above all, fie on those filthy Adamites, & impudent fly blown kind of Anabaptists, who think cloths are a curse, and are given to man for a punishment of sinne, and are badges of his sinne: But now by Christ they are restored to that originall purity and perfection, Adamitae cujus imitantur in Paraediso nuditatē, ante peccatum. Nudi mares foeminaeque conveniunt, nudi audiunt, orant, celebrant Sacramenta. August. de Haeresib. cap. 31.which Adam had in the state of Innocency, and therefore they will go naked as he then did: Hence it is, that the men and women pray naked together, heare the Word and celebrate the Sacrament naked. This is an old Heresie, broached before S. Austins time, in the yeare 132. above 1500 yeares agoe, yet now it begins to spring up amongst us under the name of New-light, and some, both men and women (given up to a reprobate sense) in many parts of the land, are come to that heighth of Atheisticall impudency, and desperate Rantisme, that they are are not ashamed to appeare in the Publique (naked.) But if some speedy and speciall course be not taken, to punish such abominations; God (who will by no meanes acquit the wicked) will certainly punish us, and strip us naked, as in the day when we were born (Hos. 2. 3.) and will make us as notorious for his judgements, as ever we have been for blessed for covering their Fathers nakednesse, (Gen. 9. 23. 26.) then they must expect a curse, who uncover their owne.
But to discover the folly of these men, or rather * beasts, I will put what they Belluini bomines, Americani, Cannibales, qui honestum & curpe nihilo magis curant quam bestiae, nuditate non erubescunt. Paraeus.say into a Syllogisme, thus:
Those who are as pure as Adam in the The heathenish Brittains went naked, and painted their bodies blew.state of Innocency, need no cloathin…g This is granted.
But the Adamits of our time are as pure as Adam in the state of Innocency: That is denyed; for it can never be made good: yea, the *Foedis hoimnibus perplacent foedi mores. Vide Aug. de Civit. Dei. l. 14. c 17. c. 20.swearing, lying, whoring, and open prophanenesse of this sect, declares their Impiety, and not their Innocency to the world. It is true indeed, that in one sense they are like Adam, and may fitly be called Adamits, viz. for their sin, rebellion, and Apostatizing from God as Adam did, like sons of Adam they transgress the covenant, and hide their sins as he did &c. but for any goodness, it is far from them.
2. For fuller satisfaction, we must consider man in a three-fold estate.Quia tune induti erant…magine Dei, seu veste innoeenti… & sanctitatis. Ravenel.
I. In the state of Integrity before the Fall, and so he was without sinne or shame, and had no need of cloathing.
II. Consider him in his lapsed and fallen condition, and so he is full of sinne and shame, and hath great need of cloathing.
1. For necessity, to preserve our bodies in life and health, to save from the pinching cold and parching heat.
2. For Honesty, to hide and cover the deformity of our naked bodyes; therefore so soone as ever Adam and Eve had fallen, God gave them cloathing: Gen. 3. 21. and in this respect, Christ himselfe, though he were truly righteous, and had no sinne, yet went he not naked, but shewed his respect to modesty and common honesty. And if the Apostle would not suffer a woman to come with a naked uncovered head into the Assembly 1 (Corinth. 11. 15.) much lesse would he suffer her to come stark naked among them: Yea, though we be regenerate, & have our inward man cloathed with Christ's righteousnesse, yet since our regeneration (as all our other graces) is but in part; and we still carry about us a body of sin and so are obnoxious unto shame; therefore we have, and still shall have, neede of cloathing in this world, both for necessity and common honesty.
III. Consider man in the state of Glorification, Ubi nullus est pudor, nulla concupiscentia, nullum frigus, null â opus est veste aut luce. à Lap.as free from sinne and misery, and so they shall have no need of cloathing, but shall be like the Angels, and shall shine as the Sun in the Kingdome of their Father.
Yet since these men are not mad without some shew of Scripture and Reason, I shall briefly answer their Cavils.
Obj. 1. Isaiah (say they) prophesied three years naked, Isa. 20. 2, 3, 4. 2. Saul coming amongst the Prophets, prophesied naked. 3. So Micah 1. 8. 4. Peter. John 21. 7.
Answ. Divers Answers are given.
1. Some conceive that this was not Triennium hoc in visione, uno momento comprehendit, sicut in somno solet breve tempus multum apparere. Occolam.really done by the Prophet, 'twas onelyonly a propheticall Vision, as Hosea 1. 2, 3. which might be represented in a moment, like Ezekiel his lying on each side so many dayes, and eating dung: Ezek. 44. 6. 15. for it is not probable (say they) that the Lord would command the The litterall sence is to be left, when it is contrary to Modesty, Piety, or good Manners. Weems. 1 Vol. p. 232.Prophet to doe such an immodest thing, as to go up and downe and preach publiquely three years stark naked: Besides, how could he endure the Extremities of heat and cold? &c.
2. Others conceive, and that upon better grounds, that this was really done, How else could he be a signe and wonder to them? ver. 3. Not that the Prophet went stark naked, the Text doth not say so; it onelyonly saith (ver. 2.) Goe loose the sackoloath from off thy loynes, and thy shooe from thy foot, and he did Nudus i. e. exutus tog â non indusio, hoc enim pugnâsset cum honestate. Pisc.so. God bids him onelyonly put off his propheticall Robe, or Mantle; he must put off his upper garment, which was Sackcloth, or some other rough garment which the Prophets used to weare in those dayes. 2 Kings 1. 8. Zech. 13. 4. Mathew 3. 4. But it cannot be proved, that he put off that garment which was next his skinne. He was indeed to goe stript as a Prisoner, or Captive, who were not wont to be led stark naked, but Nudus catacbresti…s fig. male vestitum ut Deut 28. 45. 1 Cor. 4. 1 Job 22. 6. V. Ravanel. in Vorbo Nudus. Saul dicitur nudus i. e. deposito amiotu regio …ecinisse. à Lapill cloathed, in single and sorry suits: And thus the word naked is commonly used in Scripture, viz. when a man goeth in his inner rayment onelyonly, without his upper garment. Thus Saul prophesying, is said to put off his cloathes, that is, his upper garments: 1 Sam. 19. 24. for it cannot be imagined, that he prophesied stark naked, it being so unseemly a thing, and against the law and light of Nature, since the Fall.
2. A more genuine answer is given, viz. that Saul, before the spirit of prophesie came upon him, had on him his warlike attire, where with he went out to pursue David; but when the spirit came upon him, then he put off his military habit, and went in the attire of a Prophet, and so prophesied. Thus (Mic. 1. 8.) the Prophet, to expresse his deepe Exutus veste exteriore. Pisc.humiliation, went stript and naked, that is, he was stript of his Prophets weede, and upper garments, as they used to goe in times of great sorrow, Isa. 32. 11. the women must strip themselves, i. e. they must put off their bravery and best apparell, and gird on sackcloth. So Peter (John 21. 7.) girt his fishers *foreign, amiculum, foreign (i. e.) à superinduendo. V Leigh. Crit.coat to him, for he was naked; he was not wholly naked before, but he put upon him an upper coat (for he was clad after the manner of Fishers, with some close inner garment onelyonly) and having girt it to him, out of an earnest desire to come to Christ, he cast himselfe into the Sea.
3. I answer, by way of Concession; Should we grant that Isaiah prophesied three yeares stark naked; yet will it not follow, that therefore our Libertines may take the like liberty (unlesse they meane to starve themselves) for what the Prophet did here, he did by speciall command from God, and for a speciall end, as appeares ver. 2, 3. God Ne… considerandum est quid quispiam interdum faciat, sed quid foreign (i. e.) saepè ac majori ex parte fieri consueverit. Ut loq. Causidici.bids him go loose the sackcloth from off thy loynes, &c. He hath a command and commission for what he did: when any can shew the like speciall command they may doe the like. 2. He did it but once; now one swallow doth not make a spring, nor doth one action denominate.