Exposition Upon 1 Peter, Biblical exegesis · Chapter 3 · Verse 3
Verse 3. Whose adorning, let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or putting on of apparel. Verse 4. But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
INasmuch as those that be given to pride and excess in apparel be none of the most dutiful wives, but rather are so puft up with a conceit of themselves, as they often fail in the duty of subjection, and are none of the chastest;A preservative of subjection and chastity. therefore as a preservative of subjection and chastity, our Apostle forbids excess and pride in apparel, commanding (for so much is included) modesty and sobriety in attire. They must not set their mindes on plaiting the hair, wearing of gold, &c. so setting out themselves as it were to sale to the eyes and view of others, but endeavor to have their souls garnished with grace, adorned with a meek and quiet Spirit.
Whose adorning, What apparelling it is that the Apostle forbids.let it not be that outward adorning, &c.] What? doth the Apostle forbid apparelling themselves, or decent cloathing themselves, and would he have them go carelesly and sluttishly, no matter how?2 Tim. 2 9. No: he allows decency and moderation in attiring; it must be comely and decent, how plain soever, but withal, forbids to set their mindes too much thereon, or to be too curious and quaint, or too costly therein.
Of plaiting the hair,] For curled hair, laying out the hair, setting it up aloft, going naked in it onelyonly, and using others hair, not ones own, I leave the same to be handled and discussed by others, who do daily view the same: In Countrey Parishes these are unusual, and rare.
And of wearing gold, Quest.&c.] Why? is it not lawful to wear costly apparel?
Ans. No doubt its lawful to wear costly apparel,Ans. Gold, Silver, Pearl, Silk, Velvet, &c. these be the good creatures of God, not made in vain,Gen. 24. 23, 30 but to be used and worn. Abraham sent Rebekah an abilement, and bracelets of gold, and she ware them: The Israelites had jewels and golden ear-rings.Exod. 3. 22. and wore them by Gods appointment, which they afterward pulled off, and made a golden Calf thereof, for which they were condemned:Psal. 45. 9. The Queen is brought in a vesture of gold of Ophir; Mat. 6. 29. and 11. 8.and our Savior doth not blame, but approve of the Royalty of Solomon, as also of costly garments in them that be in Kings houses; for as God hath ordained divers Degrees and Callings, Kings, Nobles, Judges, &c. so that their apparel should be answerable.
Neither doth the Apostle Paul in the forementioned place,How far costly apparel is forbid, and to whom, and when. or our Apostle here, simply forbid costly apparel, but the setting of their mindes so much thereon, as that it causeth a neglect of decking the soul, as may appear by the opposition which the Apostle here useth; they set more by outward apparel, then inward grace, and for this were condemned. Again, they wrote to Christians which were for the most part but of mean estate in the world,1 Cor. 1. 25. and therefore in them it was ryot to wear costly apparel. Besides, these were times of persecution, when costly apparel did no ways fit; for then their humiliation was to be declared, as in other things, so even in their attire, and they were not superfluously to spend what might profitably be bestowed on the poor members of Christ, whereof there they were great store.
But doth not the Prophet Isaiah in his third Chapter condemn the same?Obj.
The Prophet reckoning up their knacks,Sol. doth not simply condemn them all (whereof as there were some meer toys and vanities, so there were others both good and lawful) but cryeth down the abuse of them, their curiosity therein, together with their excessive setting their mindes thereon, where he particularly mentioneth their pride, haughtiness, stretched out necks, &c. So that costly apparel of it self is not a sin;Note. nay, if some should not wear such, according to their ability and degree, they should sin; as some miserable Misers that go basely, out of covetousness not affording themselves good clothes: So they that out of Superstition affect to go raggedly and slovenly, as the Cynicks of old, and the Fryars of later times, who notwithstanding were no less proud then others; as Socrates said to Antistenes, I see pride through the holes of thy Cloke. Excess then in apparel is that which is here forbid; which that we may finde out, and what it is, let us lay down some general Rules about apparel, and that will direct us, and be a ground for that we shall say against excess.
1. We must wear our apparel for necessity,Rules about wearing of apparel. in respect of the weather.
2. For honesty and comeliness, to hide our nakedness.
3. For honor of the body.1 Cor. 12. 24. Our apparel also must be
1. According to our Sex;Deut. 22. 5. a man must not wear a womans, nor a woman a mans apparel.
2. According to our ability; we must cut our coat according to our cloth, so as we may have whereby to maintain our Families, and relieve the poor.
3. According to our Office and Calling, both to distinguish us from others, and grace our Calling.
4. Such as may express the vertues of our mindes, especially our modesty,1 Tim. 2. 9. frugality, and shamefac'dness.
5. Framed not after the lighter and vainer sort, but after the example of the gravest and most sober of our order,Phil. 4. 9. calling and degree; briefly thus,The matter thereof considered. it must be for costliness, according to our ability, and as may stand with discharging all other duties: But even they that may wear rich apparel, yet ought not to do it dayly, because it savoureth of too much pride and vanity, and disableth the more to do good; it was the Gluttons fault,Luke 16. 19. That he went gorgeously every day. The maner hath bin, to use some more costly apparel at special times of solemnity or publique rejoycing (hence was the wedding garment) yet therein men must rather keep under then above their degree.Mat. 22. 11.
For the maner and fashion of our apparel,The maner. it must be sober and comely; Womens must not be too near the fashion of Mens apparel, nor whorish, nor garish: we must not affect this or that country fashion, whether Italian, Spanish or French, &c. God thereatens to visit all such as are cloathed with strange apparel;Zeph. 1. 8. they that will not cover their naked brests, but lay them open to the view of all, seem thereby to publish and make known the unchastity of their hearts.
This condemneth the monstrous excess of these times,Use. wherein all in a maner have forgot themselves, Gentlemen going like Noblemen, Yeomen like Gentlemen, Farmers like Yeomen, Cottagers like Farmers, the Maid like her Mistress, Subjects like Princes: All are out of order, as if pride had dazled every ones eyes, whereby mistaking their own, they put on other folks apparel: This is not the sin of the prophane onelyonly, but even of professors, (who with their wives and children are tainted herewith) not of Harlots onelyonly, but even of honest women, who attire themselves like strumpets, so that you can hardly discern the one from the other: How many spend all they have on costly attire? yea, numbers pinch their belly to go gay clothed; and now in a maner, the meanest do in attire exceed the wealthiest in former ages.
And for the fashion (though it be scare lawful at all to take up another Countrey fashion, except it be upon some special Reason, and that not too suddenly, and then to hold it so constantly, as to make it our own by continuance) what new-fangledness is there? now the French is in request, within one quarter the Italian, not long after the Spanish, Dutch, Polonian, &c. so that one were as good make a garment for the Moon, as for our Countrey women: How garish also and gawdy are most in their attire, thereby declaring the vanity of their mindes? How immodest are some, going so mannishly, that they can scarce be discerned from men? as others by their naked necks and breasts, do as it were set their own honesty to sale. And whereas costly apparel should be used but seldom, with most its made their every days wearing:Isa. 2. 11, 12. and 3. 24. And thus hath our plenty and peace bred a great deal of pride and wantonness, and that is the recompence which the Lord hath at our hands,Ezek. 16. 49. which may justly make us fear some heavy hand of God against us (this being one of the sins of Sodom) as every one that thus sinneth in particular may fear Beggery, Deformity,See Christ. Warfare, part. 2. c. 15. p. 375. or some grievous sickness: Let us therefore repent of that is past, and labor to reform our selves herein, and for those that be as yet free, let them so keep themselves.
For 1. God hath forbidden garishness and excess in apparel,Reasons against excess in apparel. and therefore except we will shew our selves not to regard his word, we must take heed of it: A grievous thing it is, that people can come into the very house of God, and there sit and hear what is said against it, and yet are not moved, but still continue in this vice, which is as if they should say, We will do it whatsoever is said against it: They come to be reformed, but will admit no Reformation.
2. If we consider the coming in of apparel, we shall have little cause to be proud of it, for we had none in the state of innocency, nor none needed; neither hear nor cold could annoy us, but now by reason of sin both do:Gen. 2. 25. Besides, we were naked, and not ashamed, when apparel would have been to mans body as a cloud to the Sun, not to deck, but to darken it (for the beauty of Gods workmanship had been better then the Taylors workmanship) but when we by sin had wounded our selves, God was fain to cover it with a plaister; our apparel then is a badge of our sin, and ought to humble us in the remembrance of sin:Simile. Its as a plaister, that shews there's a sore underneath; now who is proud of a plaister, but rather humbled upon the sight of it? A grievous thing it is to turn that into sin, that is given us to put us in minde and humble us for sin.Simil. If any were adjudged to wear a halter all the days of his life, would he be proud of it, thought it were of silk; or boast, if he were to wear a silver or gold shackle? Apparel is a badge of sin, small cause have we to wax proud thereof how gorgeous soever: They that thus do, are proud in their own shame.
3. Its a most unseemly thing for Christians to put excellency in apparel, and to be so careful in these outward toys: It becomes the the world well enough, that know no better clothing, neither looking for grace here, nor glory hereafter; but for Christians thus to do, its base: The other have their portion here, and know no better thing, therefore no marvel though they be very careful about this, and as the Gentiles,Mat. 6. 32. seek after the same, and the like; but Christians should think themselves best when they are modestly and lowly attired, attired with grace. We professing our selves Pilgrims here, ought to live as Pilgrims, and not follow the fashion of this or that Countrey in every fangle or garish apparel, and so live as Citizens or Courtiers of this world: We professing our selves to be travelling to Heaven,Maa. 7. 13. must be humble, and stoop low, for the gate is straight, we must not load our bodies and mindes with these things, for they will hinder us in our journey.
4. Its absurd to place excellency in such a thing as apparel, for we borrow it of poor creatures which be far inferior to our selves: The best silk is the excrement of crawling Worms, the finest cloath but of the fleece of the silly Sheep; so we borrow the skin of one, the bones of another, the hair or fleece of another. Will any Nobleman borrow apparel of a mean Yeoman,Simile. or if he were put to such a shift, would he be proud of it, or not rather be ashamed? seeing we be put to borrow of the creatures (so far our inferiors) for our clothing, having nothing of our own but nakedness, we should not be proud of it: Besides, when we have done all we can, there be sundry Heathens have better then we, and many Players, Dancers and Strumpets have as good and better;Mat. 6. 28. yea, there's put upon Horses, velvet, gold, &c. and when all is done we are not so fine as the lilly of the field.
5. When the outside is so much decked, commonly the inside is neglected, lightly both are not well lookt to; but the soul the inside should be best cloathed, the body is but the case of the soul, and the apparel but the case of the body, we never make the case of a thing so good as that we put up therein.Simile. Presents of good worth are often lapt up in papers, and so sent: They that give themselves most to gay clothes, have no leisure nor care to deck themselves inwardly, therefore are like painted vessels, having a fair outside, but an empty and mean inside;Simil. like a Jade with a velvet saddle and gilded trappings: Will any man esteem the Horse because of them? or will he not rather pull these off him, and then try what mettal he is of? In many men and women their outside is fairest; but if an house were neatly painted without, and like an Hogsty within, who would not mislike it?
6. Whereas such as set their minde so much on brave apparel, look to be hereupon highly esteemed, regarded and reverenced: God notably crosseth their pride, so as they miss their aym; some laugh at them, some envy them, some are angry at them, some speak against them, O there's a notable proud woman; yea, those that crouch to them, yet in heart mislike them, and the poor say, Since gay clothing came up, they could get but little relieve: So, whereas hereby they thought to please all, they please none, neither God nor man.
7. It betters not them that wear it, whether they be beautiful in body, or deformed, vertuous in minde, or vicious; If beautiful, what needs such a deal of stir, which doth indeed hinder their natural beauty? If deformed, hereby their deformity is not hid, but rather made more known, then else it would; If vertuous, its not gay cloaths, but their vertues that sets them out, no more then a candle light, gives light at noon day to the light of the Sun, neither shall you lightly finde any truly vertuous, and industrous in their Calling, that give their mindes to costly apparel; If vicious, its cost ill bestowed, and so will all say, and this will not make them the less, but the more vicious, for it will make them more proud, ambitious, lustful, covetous, &c.
8. They that give themselves to constliness in apparel, Sin 1. Against God, abusing his Creatures to Pride, and in neglecting his worship publique and private, or coming unprepared thereto, while they are providing and putting on their knacks, and gew-gawds, dressing themselves by the hour, and praying by the minute. 2. Against themselves, by neglecting the inward cloathing of the soul, which is of most worth, and by procuring a great deal of envy and ill speech, and many censures upon themselves: Many Maids also of small Portion deck themselves beyond their degree, as that no man of wisdom, or that's careful to live, dares meddle with them; and so where they might have been honestly and well bestowed if they had gone decently, their garishness hath made them stay without Husbands, till being ashamed and wearied hereof, they have at last cast away themselves upon some swaggeres. 3. Against their Neighbors, in provoking them to the like by their bad example; for when some begin, others quicklyly follow after, and Pride once begun spreads quickly, especially where Religion keeps it not down: Hereby also themselves become so disabled, that their rich Neighbors are not so often invited as before, nor their poor Neighbors in any good sort relieved.
9. Its a sin, and the cause and encreaser of much sin; It comes from pride, and a high conceit of ones self, and it doth encrease pride greatly & cherish it; It hinders much good, much service to God, much good to our souls; It breaks the neck of hospitality which hath been in former times; for though our Forefathers would for festival times have good apparel, yet they wore it so seldom, as it was still new, and lasted so long, as they were stil able to do good, but now its both costly, and almost every day put on wears out apace; The buying of such slight Stuffs, and changing their fashion so often, is very chargeable; besides that, this hinders one great good that ought to be, and that comes of old apparel, namely, to cloath the poor Saints and Members of Christ: Now most wear such thin slight Stuffs, as that they are quickly in pieces, and not fit to keep a poor body warm; It causeth also much evil, racking of Rents, enhancing of Fines in great persons, oppression in Farmers, in Shop-keepers, falshood, deceit, swearing, and all to hold up bravery, yea, it causeth also lust in the wearers, and provokes it in others.
Seeing then that excess in apparel is so dangerous and prejudicial,Use. let all such as are faulty this way, endeavor to see their folly and silliness herein, and accordingly reform themselves; and for those that are modestly attired, let them so continue: Thus shall they bewray more vertue in their mindes, have more time to serve God, and have better ability to do good upon every occasion, with more peace to their consciences.
Here I may adde such defences as some women make.Objectious answered.
1. Say they,The 1. We are not proud, though we delight to set out our selves in apparel as others do, we are as humble as others, and so we would pray you to think of us.
A. I would we had cause to think so, but how shall we judge of that which is within, but by the outward fruits? but say it were so, we must not provide for things honest before God onelyonly,Rom. 12. 17. but before men also;Acts 24. 16. and the Apostle witnesseth, that he endeavored to have a conscience void of offence both towards God and men: Matth. 5. 16.Our light must shine outwardly, that others may behold it.
2. Herein we please our Husbands, they will have it so.
A. If any Wives have such vain and foolish Husbands,The 2. somewhat more is to be yielded to them then to others, but let none make this their excuse, especially doing the same to please their own mindes, neither go too far, lest they displease God, but rather let them please their Husbands by their low and dutiful subjection, their modest and sober carriage.
3. We do,The 3. but what most do.Exod. 23. 2.
A. We may not follow a multitude in evil.
4. We would be content to lay it aside,The 4. if others would so do.
A. We ought not to tarry for others, we must begin, though none would follow, which in likelyhood they will by our example.
To conclude, as we are to cast away this folly of priding our selves in apparel, and learn to be modest herein; so let us take occasion of good by putting on and off our apparel, accordingly making a Spiritual use of the same:A useful meditation upon the putting on of our apparel, and putting off the same. When we put it on, think we of our Spiritual nakedness, and of putting on Christ; and when we put it off, of putting off the old man, and laying away our filthy corruptions.
But let it be the hidden man of the heart,] Having forbid carefulness and curiosity for outward apparel, now he tells them, what they should be careful to cloath, namely, their inward man, the hidden man of the heart. A remedy for excess in apparel.This is a remedy and cure for the former disease; such as set themselves about this, wil spend but a little time for outward bables and toys; Grace will make them see the baseness of these outward things, and excellency of the other; yea, this Exhortation is also profitable for those which through covetousness are not addicted this way, and are ready to cry out against fineness and pride, who in the mean time being tainted with other sins, have no less deformed and naked souls;Inward purity required. the Apostle doth not onelyonly forbid costly apparel, but requires the inward purity of the heart, not onelyonly that we should leave evil, but do good.
His exhortation is, To deck and clothe the hid and inner man with grace, whereof he names one, A meek and quiet spirit: The Reasons, 1. Its incorruptible and lasting: 2. In the sight of God of great price.
The hid man of the heart] Our chief and principal care must be,Our chief and principal care must be to clothe and adorn the soul. for the soul to clothe and adorn the same; the soul is the principal part: To clothe the foot in costly apparel, & the upper parts with rags, were absurd; so to bestow cost in clothing the body, but none on the soul: The soul is immortal,Reasons. must live for ever, either in joy or misery; it was created according to Gods image, which shined most of all in the soul, and now the soul is most deformed and ugly with sin, and so hath need of clothing, especially seeing God who is of pure eyes cannot behold it, but with detestation. The Church is all glorious within, and such as would be indeed members of Christ, and heirs of Heaven, must look for inward Sanctity. Naturally our souls are defiled with sin, neither can any thing cover them from the sight of God, but the white raiment of Christs Righteousness;Rev. 3. 18. if we put on this, then shall not our filthy nakedness appear, then shall we abound in knowledge, wisdom, zeal, humility, patience. This is Royal apparel, this will keep us from the Storms and Tempests of Gods heavy wrath and displeasure, that will break out like a whirlwind against the ungodly, who will be found naked; The more we have of this, we shall appear the more comely and beautiful before God, his Angels, and all good men; This is the most costly apparel that can be, of Gods own making, and which none but his children wear; This is apparel for all Sexes, ages, degrees and callings whatsoever, and which doth well become and fit each of them; neither are great ones to despise it, for that mean ones wear it, for this doth not derogate from its worth, onelyonly they that are Gods people wearing it; This is never out of season, (as serving both for Summer and Winter) never out of fashion: It fits in Youth, in Age, in Life, in Death, and is to be worn as well by night as by day, in sickness as in health, yea, is then in great account, when other apparel is laid aside, and not regarded; yea, this apparel we carry with us out of this world, when we leave our gay Robes behinde us, and this apparel lasts ever, being the better for the wearing.
1. This rebuketh those,Use 1. that though they go plain enough outwardly,The covetous reproved. yet have no care of their soul, their mindes being altogether led away with covetousness; there be moe ways to Hell then one, even these shall no less perish, then those which are wholly addicted to costly apparel:As also This will not serve their turn, Oh, we be not proud, we go plainly; What then? if thou beest covetous, if thou art not careful for the decking of thy soul, what art thou the better?
It rebuketh also those that are very curious and careful for outward attire,The curious. but are altogether careless of this inward. How many wear brave clothes, which have no inward adorning? They savour not of this, they have no leisure for it; its the inside, and so not seen, but God seeth it; men also see it by the outward, and it will be seen and found naked, when God shall come to Judgement; such, though outwardly brave, be inwardly base; their souls are not onelyonly void of good, but filled with all evil and noysom lusts; they are like a dead Corps stuck with flowers,Simil. and like painted Sepulchres; yea, like the Heathen Temples, especially the Egyptians, whose Proches were curiously carved, painted and engraven with gold, and all the bravery that might by, but within nothing but the base Picture of a Cat, Crocadile, or some ugly Serpent: How gorgeous soever they are outwardly, they have not inwardly in their souls the image of God shining in Spiritual graces, but rather Crocadiles and ugly Serpents, even noysom and beastly lusts, and so are like a dunghil covered over with Snow: They wanting the inward beauty of grace to commend them, set out themselves as gorgeously as they can in apparel; as the Painters servant,Simil. who being set to make the Picture of a very beautiful woman, and wanting skil to make the face beautiful, dawbed on a great deal of gold on her clothes. Those, howsoever they please themselves herewith in their prosperity, yet in sickness their deep Ruffs must be laid aside, and all their costly toys, and then what shall comfort them? O their misery at death, but especially on the day of Judgement! Then shall they for ever be clothed with shame and confusion, as not being here clothed with grace.
2. Let all therefore be wise,Use 2. and moderate themselves for outward apparel; if it be comely, and according to our degree, its well. Herein lets be careful, even to advance and enrich the soul: This becomes us well, and will assuredly afford comfort in sickness, in trouble, in death, and on the day of Judgement.
In that which is not corruptible,] Grace is of an incorruptible nature.Grace is of an incorruptible nature, and abides for ever, and is not taken away from any that is possessed thereof; it abides in sickness, tarries with us at death, and we shall carry it with us into Heaven, and wear it there for ever and ever. This he lays down by way of opposition to outward apparel, that is vain, transitory, subject to Moths, to be stollen, lost, burnt, worn out, worn by them that are corruptible, who know not whether shall last longer, themselves or their clothes, so vain a thing is man.
Such as prefer Grace,Use. take hold of the substance; as they that prefer costly attire thereunto, embrace the shadow, take hold of vanity.
The ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit.] A meek and quiet Spirit the proper ornament of a good wife.This is a particular vertue most fit for wives: The very proper ornament of a good wife, is a meek and quiet Spirit; This is the mean to comfort any husband, and to draw on those that be backward, to a love both of their persons and profession.
Oh! what a comely thing is it in a wife, not onelyonly not to provoke her husband, but not to be easily provoked by him, winking at small unkindenesses, and bearing with their natural infirmities; passing by some occasions of grief with silence, as others with a soft answer? O how pleasing is it for an husband to have such a wise? how comely is it also for them to be quiet with their neighbors? no meddlers, no talebearers, or talehearers, void of contention, gentle & peaceable? so with their family and servants, not to be always chiding and complaining to their husbands, but governing them in as milde and peaceable a maner as may be, and especially to be peaceable and quiet with them in their husbands hearing: They that are thus by grace (for some are of a soft and still disposition by nature) and so slow to wrath, are of great wisdom: They are endued with that wisdom which is from above,Iames 3. 17. and their meekness is out of the fruits of the Spirit; Then this, nothing becomes them better,Gal. 5. 23. if they were clothed with beaten gold and pearls, it were nothing to this.
This reproveth those that be curst,Use. cruel and vexatious to their husbands, through their continual unquietness: Such are fit to keep Bridewel, or be Dames of some house of correction, there were fit objects for their chiding and fighting: Some there are who having no children or servants to bait at, work their teen upon their husbands, and weary them not onelyonly out of their houses, but out of their lives: Wives were appointed helpers, but these help their husbands no way, except to their grave: These certainly have no goodness in them, not refraining their tongue, Iames 1. 26.their Religion is vain: They are right fools, for anger resteth in the bosom of fools: Eccles 7. 9.Let them therefore fight against this vice, mourn under it, and endeavor to be of a meak and quiet spirit.
Which is in the sight of God of great price.] Here's the main Reason of the Exhortation:1 Pet. …. 4. A meek and quiet spirit is of greater value then all the gold of Ophir; its precious in the sight of God, and therefore must women endeavor for it:The worth of grace. None makes or gives it, but God onelyonly; no Preacher, Prophet nor Angel can give grace, can bestow a meek Spirit, it comes from above, whence all other graces come; its bestowed on none but the Elect people of God. Gold and Pearls are bestowed on Heathens and prophane people, enemies of God, but grace on none but Kings sons and daughters, and such as shall be heirs of Heaven: As for other (outward) apparel, its of no worth, trash, dung to this; such is of no account in the countrey we go to, no such base stuff enters in at Heavens gate.
But with whom is it of great price?Its of great price in the sight of God. even with God, and before him in his account, who can rightly value things: Costly apparel indeed is of value with men (vain and carnal men) but grace is in account with God, Angels, and all good and wise men: God seeth not as man seeth; God beholds all our actions, we must therefore so carry our selves in our places, as that what we do, may be pleasing in Gods sight, and accepted of him.