VeB. 12.] SERMONS UPON TITUS II. 11-14. 135
garment with a greater pride, Calco Platonis fastum. Envy shows we value these things. Now, to moderate this secret envy, take a consid- eration or two —
[1.] If we have food, and raiment to cover our nakedness, why should we trouble ourselves about more ? 1 Tim. vi. 8, ' And having food and raiment, let us be therewith content.' When God first made Adam and Eve apparel, he made them coats of skins, plain and homely ware ; and they were greater persons than we are. And it is said of the children of God, those of whom the world was not worthy, Heb. xi. 37, ' They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins.' Our condi- tion is much better ; therefore let us not envy others when they shine and excel in pomp of the world ; it is enough God hath given us any- thing for warmth and use,
[2.] Consider how holy men have behaved themselves upon a like occasion. It is recorded in the life of Bernard, if he saw a poor man in coarse habit, he would say, It may be this poor man may be glorious within, and have a better soul than thou hast ; but if he saw a man with a fine garment, he would say, It may be he . excels thee as much within as without. So Pambus, when he saw one very curious in dress- ing herself, he wept, saying, Have I been as careful to please Christ, to deck my soul with grace in the sight of God, as she is to please a wanton lover ? Thus should we make a spiritual use of such a spec- tacle, and strive to be as fine in God's sight as they are in bravery without.
2. The work of sobriety is not only to moderate the affection, but to moderate the use of apparel and outward ornament, that we may not be pompous and excessive. That there is such a sin as excess in apparel appears by the frequent dissuasives of the word. The scripture takes notice of it chiefly in women, but men have their share. The ' Holy Ghost by the prophet Isaiah is pleased to give us an account of the fashions of those days, and to make an inventory of their wardrobe : chap. iii. 18-24, ' In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of their tinkling ornaments about their feet, and their cauls, and their round tires like the moon, the chains and the bracelets, and the mufflers, the bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs, and the head- bands, and the tablets, and the earrings, the rings, and nose jewels, the changeable suits of apparel, and the mantles and the wimples, and the crisping pins, the glasses, and the fine linen, and the hoods, and the veils ; ' and therefore threateneth a heavy judgment, ver. 24, 25, * And it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet smell there shall be stink ; and instead of a girdle a rent ; and instead of well-set hair baldness ; and instead of a stomacher a girding with sackcloth ; and burning instead of beauty. Thy men shall fall by the sword, and thy mighty in the war.' Mark the judgment; a scab, which meeteth with their aim, which was to set off their beauty ; and the violence, incivili- ties and rudeness of the soldiers to meet with the matter of their sin, Avho shall strip them of their garments, that they should not have rags to cover their nakedness. So 1 Peter iii. 3, the Spirit of God takes notice of ' the outward adorning, of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, and of putting on of apparel.' By which he reproves, not a decent dressing, but a laying of it forth in curls and locks and
136 SERMONS UPON TITUS II. 11-14. [SeR. VIII.
wanton plaits. So Luke xvi. 19, there it is taken notice of as a luxury in the rich man that ' he was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day.' Curious clothing is made to be one of his crimes, as well as gluttony and neglect of the poor ; usually they go together. And the experience of all ages showeth that there is such a sin, and in these times more abundantly, when all distinctions of ranks and place and superiors and inferiors are taken away.
But how shall we do to find out the sin, cases being so different, and the custom of ages and nations so various ? I answer in the general — Such a modesty as is without exception doth best become the saints and christians indeed, who are chiefly to regard the inward ornament, to adorn themselves in the sight of God rather than in the sight of men : 1 Peter iii. 4, ' Whose adorning 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.' And again, they are to stand at a distance from a snare, and to avoid all appearance of evil : 1 Thes. v. 22, ' Abstain from all appearance of evil.' And again, they are to 'give no offence, neither to Jew nor gentile, nor to the church of God,' 1 Cor. x. 32 ; neither to their fellow- members within, nor to observers without. Therefore, if we had to do with a gracious heart, the case would be soon decided ; they do not love to walk upon the brink, nor to come near a sin. An inoffensive modest habit is free from all exceptions ; and if men and women were wise, they would soon see that it would neither lessen their esteem with God or men, but increase it rather. But more particularly, persons guilty are clamorous, and say, Why do we abridge them of their liberty, and take upon us to condemn their garb? I confess it is a sin to con- demn what God hath not condemned. There are two sorts of super- stition— positive, when we count that holy tliat God never made holy, and negative, when we condemn that for sinful which God never made sinful. Therefore what rules can be given to trace and find out the sin ? The abuse will be best discovered by considering the use. What are the ends of apparel ? They are diverse, either for necessity to defend the body against the injuries of the weather; therefore they that dis- cover their nakedness sin against that ; or else for honesty or modesty, to cover that deformity of the body which was the fruit of sin ; or else for profit, such apparel as suits with our callings and course of life; or for frugality, according to the proportion of our estate, that we may not waste the good gifts of God, that should be kept either for family uses or for other good uses ; or for distinction of persons, of age, sex, and rank : Deut. xxii. 5, ' The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment ; for all that do so are abomination to the Lord thy God.' By these ends the abuse may be conceived,