The arraignment of pride, or, Pride set forth, with the causes, kinds, and several branches of it: the odiousness and greatness of the sin of pride: the prognosticks of it, together with the cure of it: as also a large description of the excellency and usefulness of the grace of humility: divided into chapters and sections. / By W. Gearing minister of the word at Lymington in Hantshire.

SECT. 3. Of wearing habits above our degree.

3. HEre also doth Pride appear, when per∣sons wear habits above their rank and degree. The pride of the rich man is set down, Luke 16. in that being neither hono∣rably descended, nor deservedly advanced, * 1.1 but only having scraped an huge estate together, he would (being but a Peasant, or at best, but a private man) be apparelled above his place: For our Saviour tells us, There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linnen, &c. This some gather, because he is not called Vir, but Homo in Latine, nor 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in Greek, and those that are skilled in the three Learned Tongues, know, * 1.2 that A∣dam in Hebrew, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in Greek, and Homo in Latine, signifie mean men of no esteem, whereas Ish, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and Vir, signifie some desert and re∣nown purchased by Arts or Arms: Now his pride is set forth, * 1.3 in that he was clothed in purple and fine linnen. Purple was anciently a garment on∣ly for Kings and Noble Senators to wear, granted by license among the Jews to their High Priests to wear.

And fine linen] This same Byssus, translated

fine linnen, was linum Indicum & Aegyptia∣cum, * 1.4 so precious, as anciently it was exchanged for gold, weight for weight, as the learned note. * 1.5 We read that Joseph, by the appoint∣ment of Pharaoh, was so apparalled, when he was made Viceroy of all Egypt; and our Saviour Christ tells us, * 1.6 that they that wear soft rayment, are in Kings houses. This man then being at the best, but some Citizen or rich Tradesman, forgate himself, and took too much state upon him, to strout it like a Peer of the Land. * 1.7 Soft garments do shew the softness and effeminateness of the minde, when men do much affect them. Every man is to consider his place and ability, and see that he exceed not in sumptuousness for the matter of his garments; for it is not fit he should wear silk, that is scarce a∣ble to pay for cloth; and commonly, to wear garments above our calling, is but an allure∣ment to evil. It is written of the Emperour Severus, that in his time he never beheld any man in Rome apparelled in silk and purple: but now there is a great confusion of degrees; for Gill cannot be known from a Gentlewoman.

The use of apparel is divers:

1. For necessity, to warm us, and preserve us from injury by wind and weather.

2. For honesty, ornament and comeliness.

3. For distinction of one Sex from another, and for distinction of qualities of men and wo∣men:

For great persons may and ought to wear rich apparel, so it be sober, seemly, and civil. Curiosity of garments is a demonstra∣tion of the deformity of the minde and manners; * 1.8 and that is an orna∣ment which doth adorn the body, saith Seneca. John Baptist was not apparelled in soft raiment, viz. in silks and velvet, and such effeminate∣ness, that suited the Court, and not the wilder∣ness; his apparel was neither costly, for the matter and stuff whereof it was made, nor yet curious, for the fashion and manner of making, but decent and comely for his per∣son and profession. He had his garment of Camels hair, and a leathern girdle about his paps, and his meat was locusts and wilde honey. * 1.9 Thus as Valerius Maximus writeth of Diogenes the Philoso∣pher, that he would rather content himself with a thredbare gown or cloak, and live upon herbs, then go to the Court and flatter the Emperour: So John Baptist would wear a mean habit, and live in a mean estate, ra∣ther then frame himself to wink at vice, and flatter Herod; therefore he chose rather to wear a homely weed, best beseeming the plain and naked truth, * 1.10 then gorgeous and gaudy apparel, better suiting a Parasite then a Preacher. Some think it is lawful for Countrys

to wear what they list, and to follow every day a new mode. Howsoever (questionless) the God of Order alloweth a difference and distinctions of persons; yea, even approveth that they should be known from the vulgar by their apparel, answerable to their estate, Luke 7.25. And a man may see by natu∣ral reason, that silks, and better stuffs too, were to no purpose, if none might wear them: yet excess is reproved even in Princes, Amos 6. But against meaner persons espe∣cially, that seldom use any other book then a Looking-glass, and are vain in their ha∣bits, there is a notable threatning, Isa. 3.16, 17. Doubtless it is a fault even in the greatest, when bravery in the Court, causeth beggery in the Countrey. It was not the costly apparel of Solomons Servants, but the good order that they kept, that the Queen of Sheba so much admired. * 1.11 De vestitu lex est, ut eo tantum utamur, qui cujusque aetati, ex aequalium bonorum, modestissimorumque ex∣emplo prorsus sit 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Tit. 2.3.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Luke 16.19, 20. Auferimur cultu; gem∣mis auroque togun∣tur Omnia; pars mini∣ma est ipsa puella sui. Ovid. lib. 2. de Re∣med.
• * 1.2

  Solis nobilibus ••cu∣it bysso indui. Philo∣stratus.
• * 1.3

  Purpura olim vestis regia & senatoria, 1 Macchab. 14.43.
• * 1.4

  Chemnit in Luc. 16.
• * 1.5

  Genes. 4 1.42.
• * 1.6

  Mat. 11.8.
• * 1.7

  Mollia indumenta ani∣mi molliciem indicant. Bernard. Quid de ha∣bitu dicam? in quo jam non calor sed color requiritur, magisque cultui vestium quam virtutum insistitur? Bernar. Serm. super pass.
• * 1.8

  Ornamentum est quod ornat. Seneca. Vestium curiositas, deformita∣tis mentis, & morum judicium est. Bern.
• * 1.9

  Matth. 3.4. Serica, purpura, & tincturarum fucus de∣corem habent, sed non praebent. Bernar. ad Sophiam Virgin.
• * 1.10

  Quae au∣tem contra mores ho∣minum sunt flagitia, pro morum diversitate vitanda sunt, &c. turpis enim omnis pars est suo universo non congruens. August. confess. lib. 3. cap. 8.
• * 1.11

  1 King. 10. Dudley Fenner.