CHAP. XXVII.

THE third and last ci∣uill vse of Garments is ornament:* where con∣sider two or three que∣stions.

Quest. 1. Whether be or∣naments lawfull to be vsed, seeing the Apostle com∣mands women, that their apparell be not outward, with broydered haire, and gold, nor pearles; nor cost∣ly apparell, which hee op∣poseth to comely apparell? 1 Peter 3. 3. 1 Tim. 2. 9. Answ. They are: for the A∣postle simply condemneth Page  218 not the things themselues, which are the good crea∣tures of God; nor all vse of them in ornament, which Rebecca and Ioseph being ad∣uanced, and all the Israeli∣tish women, ware in eare∣rings and bracelets,* which was not their sinne. But he condemnes in them, 1. The ouer-common and vnsea∣sonable vse: for ornaments are not sit for all persons and times, but must be v∣sed sparingly, not com∣monly, hauing respect to times and solemnity. They bee for great, not for com∣mon men, neither for those euery day: the rich man in the Gospell is condemned, for going in fine purple e∣uery day. 2. He condemnes Page  219 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 a∣dorning of the minde in∣wardly. 3. He condemnes their offensiue vse of them, who did not vse them as the sober and graue ma∣trons of their yeares and age; but being newly con∣uerted from the heathens, still retained the heathe∣nish ornaments, and would not, being Christians, bee put down by the heathens, but retained the former manner of adorning them∣selues. 4. Hee condemnes Page  220 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 vp∣on vs.

Quest. 2. May not a man weare long haire for orna∣ment.

Answ.* 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 haue long haire, it is a shame for him? but if a woman haue long haire, it is a praise to her. Obiect. We may vse other things for Page  221 ornament, and why not our haire? Answ. In orna∣ment 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 vs count the fa∣shion of flaring lockes, ef∣feminate and ruffian-like. Againe, in ornament, as in euery thing else, wee must expresse godlinesse, mode∣sty, and sobriety: whereas this fashion of men is re∣ceiued as a badge of a light mind, and an intemperate person. Obiect. The Naza∣rits did nourish their haire. Answ. That was by the spe∣ciall law of their professi∣on which profession, and law, and all, is now ceased. Page  222 If thou wilt be a Nazarite, thou must drinke no wine, nor strong beere; a hard law to many of our lock∣sters. That of Absolom doth not necessarily conclude a∣gainst it, that his haire be∣came his halter: yet it is not to be passed lightly: Compare his pride with his fall, and wee may ob∣serue that God doth ordi∣narily punish vs in that wherein we sinne.

Quest. 3. May not a wo∣man paint her face,* and mend her complexion? Answ. No, euery one ought to bee content with their owne feature and com∣plexion: and to deuise ar∣tificiall formes and fauors to set vpon their bodies or Page  223 faces, is a most abominable practice. For, 1. They are [ 1] not content with their forme which God hath gi∣uen 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 na∣ture hath failed them. 2. The forme of it is a lye; [ 2] it is no beauty, but a pi∣cture of it, no sincerity, no truth in it. They dissemble themselues to bee other than God made them. What truth may wee ex∣pect within, when a man may reade in their faces, lying and dissimulation? How is this to abstaine from the appearance of euill?Page  224 [ 3] 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 [ 4] worke? 4. What an indig∣nity is it to take the face of that which they say is a member of Christ, and make it the face of an har∣lot? We reade but of one in the Scripture that pain∣ted her face, and that was Iezabel,* an arrant strumpet, and called the mother of for∣nications. How much more vnseemely was it in that Vicar of Christ Pope Paul the second, as Platina [ 5] writes? 5. Our Sauior plain∣ly Page  225 tels vs, Mat. 5. that wee cannot make one haire white or blacke, that is, wee haue 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 a∣shamed 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 Chri∣stian carry a face in his life time, which neither God made at first, nor he dares appeare withall in the re∣surrection? 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 Page  226 thou please him in bring∣ing a strange beauty to couzen him withal, that he knowes is not thine owne? or if he take thee for beau∣tiful when thou art defor∣med, wouldest thou bee thus deceiued in a hus∣band, for a faire man to marry a painted husband.

Obiect. But I may couer a deformity in my body. Answ. Yes, but not by set∣ting a new forme vpon thy face, nor by dissembling.

Obiect. Doth not the A∣postle say, 1 Cor. 12. Wee put couers vpon the members that are least honest? Answ. 1. The Apostle speakes of not contemning the poo∣rest Christian, vnder that similitude. 2. We couer vn∣comely Page  227 parts, but with what? with cloathes to hide them, not with pain∣ting, stibium, white lead, purpurisse, or check var∣nish. 3. If thy externall forme be not so beautifull, beautifie it with grace, hu∣mility, the feare of God, and other Christian ver∣tues. The Churches beau∣ty is within, which God and his Angels, and good men respect in the person that is most deformed and contemptible.