The whole treatise of the cases of conscience distinguished into three bookes: the first whereof is revised and corrected in sundrie places, and the other two annexed. Taught and deliuered by M. W. Perkins in his holy-day lectures, carefully examined by his owne briefes, and now published together for the common good, by T. Pickering Bachelour of Diuinitie. Whereunto is adioyned a twofold table: one of the heads and number of the questions propounded and resolued; another of the principall texts of Scripture vvhich are either explaned, or vindicated from corrupt interpretation.

§ect. 1. In the right Preparation of our apparell, two Rules are propounded in Scrip∣ture, * 1.1 for our direction.

I. Rule. Our care for apparell, and the ornaments of our bodies, must be very mo∣derate. This our Sauiour Christ teacheth at large, Math. 6. from the 28 to the 31 v. Where, commanding men to take no thought for appa∣rell, he forbids not all care, but the curious and immoderate care. The reason is added, because they which walke in their callings, and doe the duties thereof with diligence, shall haue, by Gods blessing, all things need∣full prouided and prepared for them. He that dwells in a borrowed house, will not fall a trimming of it, and suffer his owne hard by, to become ruinous. In like manner, our bo∣die is the house of our soule borrowed of God, and by him lent vnto vs for a time; and we are but his Tenants at-will: for we must depart out of it at his commandement. And therefore our greatest care must be emploi∣ed vpon our soules; and the other which concerneth the adorning of our bodie, must be but moderate. Againe, God in his proui∣dence, clotheth the very hearbs of the field, therefore much more is he carefull for man. And Paul saith, If we haue foode and rament, we must therewith be content, 1. Tim. 6. 8. that is, if we haue foode, and rayment necessarie for vs and ours, we ought to quiet our hearts, and haue no further care for our apparell.

It will be saide, How shall we know what is Necessarie?

Answ. A thing is Necessarie two waies: first, in respect of nature, for the preseruation of life and health: secondly, in respect of place, calling, and condition, for the vphol∣ding and maintenance thereof. Now we call that Necessarie rayment, which is necessarie both these waies. For example: That apparell is necessarie for the Scholer, the Tradesman, the Countrey-man, the Gentleman; which serueth not onely to defend their bodies frō cold, but which belongs also to the plāce, degree, calling, and condition of them all.

If it be asked, who shall determine and iudge, what is necessarie to these persons and purposes? I answere. Vaine and curious persons are not to be competent iudges hereof; but in these things, we must regard the iudgement and exāple of modest, graue, and frugall persons in euery order and estate; who vpon experience and knowledge, are best able to determine, what is necessarie, and what is not. Againe, though we must not seeke for more then necessarie apparell; yet if God of his goodnes, giue vs abilitie to haue and maintaine more, we must thanke∣fully receiue it, and become good stewards of the same, for the good of men.

But some will say; It seemes, that we ought not to keepe abundance, when God giues it, because we may not haue aboue one

coate. For Iohn giues this rule, Luk. 3. 11. Let him that hath two coates, giue to him that hath none. Ans. Iohns meaning must needes be this; He that hath not onely necessarie rayments, but more then necessarie, he must giue of his abundance to them that want. For otherwise, his rule should not agree with Christs own practise, who had himselfe two coates, an inner and an vpper garment, which he kept and wore. Nor with S. Pauls, who had both a cloke and a coate.

This Rule, discouers the common sinne∣full practise of many men in the world. The greater sort of men are exceedingly carefull, by all meanes and waies, to follow the fashi∣on, and to take vp euery new fangled attire, whensoeuer it comes abroad. A course flat contrarie to Christs doctrine, which com∣mandeth an honest care onely for necessarie ornaments, and condemneth the contrarie, and that vpon speciall reason; because this inordinate and affected care, is commonly a great picke-purse. It fills mens heades and hearts with vaine and foolish thoughts: it makes them wastfully to abuse the bles∣sings of God giuen vnto them, whereby they are disabled, from helping others that are in neede. Whereas, the first and principall care, ought to be for the adorning of the soule with grace, and putting on the Lord Iesus; and this is it, which will yeeld more comfort to the minde and conscience, then

any externall formalitie to the outward state of man.

II. Rule. All apparell must be fitted to the bodie, in a comely and decent manner; such as becommeth holinesse. Tit. 2. 3.

If it be here demanded, How we should thus frame and fashion our attire? The an∣swer is, by obseruing the Rules of decencie and comelinesse, which are in number sea∣uen.

First, that it be according to the sexe: for men must prepare apparell for men, weomen for weomen. This rule is not Ceremoniall, but grounded vpon the Law of nature, and common honestie. Deut. 22. 5. The woman shall not weare that which pertaineth vnto the man, neither shall a man put on womans raiment: for all that doe so, are abomination to the Lord thy God.

Secondly, our apparell must be made ac∣cording to our office; that is, such as may be fit and conuenient for vs, in respect of our calling: that it may not hinder or disable vs, in the performance of the duties thereof. Whereupon comes iustly to be condemned the kinde of apparell, (specially of women) that is vsed in this age. For it makes them like to an image in a frame, set bolt vpright; whereby it comes to passe, that they can not goe well, and with ease or conueniencie, a∣bout any good busines, but must of necessitie either sit, or stand still.

Thirdly, our attire must be according to our abilitie, and maintenance, either in lands or in goods and substance. We must (as the common prouerbe is) shape our coate ac∣cording to our cloath, that so we may not be in want, but haue sufficient wherewith to maintaine our families, and to releeue the poore. Which also serueth to condemne the sinne of many persons, who lay vpon their backes, whatsoeuer they can scrape and ga∣ther together; in the meane while, negle∣cting the honest maintenance of their own e∣states for time to come, and the necessarie releefe of them, that are in distresse and want.

Fourthly, it must be answerable to our e∣state and dignitie, for distinction of order and degree in the societies of men. This vse of attire, stands by the very ordinance of God; who, as he hath not sorted all men to al places, so he will haue men to fitte themselues and their attire, to the qualitie of their pro∣per places, to put a difference between them∣selues and others. Thus we read, that Ioseph being by Phaaroh set ouer all the land of Egypt, was arayed with garments of sine linnen, and had a golden chaine put vpon his necke, to put a difference betweene him and the inferiour princes of Pharaoh. Gen. 41. 42. Thus in aun∣cient times, the captaines and cheife of the armies, did weare fine garments of diuers co∣lours of needle worke, to distinguish them

from others. Iud. 5. 30. Thus in Kings courts, they went in soft rayment, and the poorer people in baser and rougher attire. Matt. 11. 8. By which it appeares, that many in these daies do greatly offend. For men keepe not themselues within their owne order: but the Artificer commonly goes clad like the Yeo∣man: the Yeoman like the Gentleman: the Gentleman as the Nobleman: the Noble∣man as the Prince: which bringeth great con∣fusion, and vtterly ouerturneth the order, which God hath set in the states and condi∣ons of men.

Fiftly, mens attire is to be framed and pre∣pared, according to the ancient and receiued custome of the countrey, wherein they are brought vp and dwell.

Touching this Rule, it is demanded, whe∣ther, if a man see a fashion vsed in other coū∣tries, he may not take it vp here, and vse it?

Ans. He may not. For God hath threatned to visite all such, as are cloathed with strange apparell. Zeph. 1. 9. And Paul taxeth it as a great disorder in the Church of Corinth, and euen against nature, that men went in long haire, and women went vncouered. 1. Cor. 11. 13. 14. And if this be so, then what a disorder is that, when men of one country, frame themselues to the fashions and attires, both of men and women of other nations. This one sinne is so common among vs, that it hath branded our English people with the

blacke marke of the vainest and most new∣fangled people vnder heauen. If a stranger comes into our land, he keepes his ancient & customeable attire, without varying or alte∣ration. We on the contrary, cā see no fashion vsed either by the French, Italian, or Spanish, but we take it vp, and vse it as our owne.

Sixtly, the garments that we make to co∣uer our bodies, must be such as may expresse the vertues of our mindes; specially the ver∣tues of Modestie, Frugalitie, Shamefastnes. They should be as a booke written with text letters, wherein, at the first, any man may read the graces that be in the hart. Thus Paul exhorteth weomen, that they aray themselues with comely apparell, in shamefastnesse and mode∣sty, not with broidered haire, &c. but as becom∣meth weomen, that professe the feare of God, with good workes. 1. Tim. 2. 9. 10. And our Sauiour commandeth, that the light of our conuer∣sation, euen in outward things, should so shine vnto mē, that they seeing our good works, may glorifie the father which is in heauen. Mat. 5. 16.

Seuenthly, it must be framed to the exam∣ple, not of the lighter and vainer sort, but of the grauest, and the most sober of our order and place, both of men & weomen. We haue no expresse rule in Scripture, touching the measure and manner of our apparell: and therefore, the wise and graue presidents of good and godly men, that are of the same, or

like degree with our selues, ought to stand for a rule of direction in this behalfe. To which purpose Paul exhorteth, Whatsoeuer things are pure, honest, of good report, if there be a∣ny vertue, &c. thinke of these things which ye haue both learned and receiued and heard and seene in me, those things doe, Phil. 4. 9. Examples hereof, we haue many in the word of God. Of Iohn the Baptist, who had his garments of Camels haire, Mat. 3. 4. Of Elias, who is said to be a hairie man in respect of his attire, and to be girded (as Iohn was) with a girdle of lea∣ther about his loines. 2. King. 1. 8. For these rough garments, were the principal raiments of Prophets in those times and places, as we read, Zach. 13. 4. And it was the ordinarie fa∣shion of the Iewish nation, to vse goats-hair, not onely for making of their apparel, but e∣uen of the curtaines, that were made for the vse of the sancturie, Exod. 36. 14. If this Rule were practised, it would serue to cut off ma∣ny scandalous behauiours, in the conuersati∣ons of men. For now a daies, men doe striue, who shal goe before another, in the brauest and costliest attire; hauing little or no respect at all, to the examples of godly and sober persons of their degrees and places. And this their excessiue pride and vanitie, is ordi∣narily maintained, by vniust dealing, in lying and deceipt, by couetousnes, and vnmerci∣fulnesse to the poore: sinnes which are so greatly dishonourable vnto God, that the

very earth wherupon men doe liue, can hard∣ly endure the same. Wherfore those that fear God, and haue a care to serue him in holi∣nesse and righteousnesse, ought to hate and detest these courses, renouncing the curious vanity of the world, and testifying the graces and vertues of their minds vnto men, even by their graue and sober gestures and habits of their bodies.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Preparation of apparell.