Part 705

_Quest._ III. Is it not lawful for a person that is deformed, to hide their deformity by their clothing? And for any persons to make themselves (by clothing, or spots, or painting) to seem to others as comely and beautiful as they can? _Answ._ The person, and the matter, and the end and reasons, the principle and the probable consequents, must all be considered for the right answering of this question. It is lawful to some persons, by some means, for some good ends and reasons, when a greater evil is not like to follow it, to hide their deformities, and to adorn themselves so as to seem more comely than they are: but for other persons, by evil means, for evil ends and reasons, or when it tendeth to evil consequents, it is unlawful. 1. A person that is naturally very deformed, may do more to hide it by their ornaments, than one that hath no such deformity may do to seem more comely; because one aspireth no higher than to seem somewhat like other persons; but the other aspireth to seem excellent above others. And a person that is under government may do more in obedience to their governors, than another may do that is at their own choice. 2. If the matter of their ornament be but modest, decent clothing, and not immodest, insolent, luxurious, vain, or against nature, or the law of God or man, it is in that respect allowable. But so is no cover of deformity by unlawful means. 3. It may be lawful, if also it be to a lawful end, as to obey a governor, or only to cover a deformity, so as not unnecessarily to reveal it; but it is always sinful, when the end is sinful. As, (1.) If it be to seem extraordinary beautiful or comely, when you are not so; or if it be to be observed and admired by beholders. (2.) If it be to tempt the beholders' minds to lustful or undue affections. (3.) If it be to deceive the mind of some one that you desire in marriage: for in that case, to seem by such dissembling to be what you are not, is the most injurious kind of cheat, much worse than to sell a horse that is blind or lame, for a sound one. (4.) If it be to follow the fashions of proud gallants, that you may not be scorned by them as not neat enough; all these are unlawful ends and reasons. 4. So also the principle or mind that it cometh from, may make it sinful: as, (1.) If it come from a lustful, wanton mind. (2.) Or if it come from an over-great regard of the opinion of spectators; which is the proper complexion of pride.[610] A person that doth it not in pride, is not very solicitous about it: nor makes no great matter of it whether men take him to be comely or uncomely; and therefore he is at no great cost or care to seem comely to them. If such persons be deformed, they know it is God's work, and not their sin; and it is sin that is the true cause of shame: and all God's works are good, and for our good if we are his children. They know that God doth it to keep them humble, and prevent that pride, and lust, and wantonness which is the undoing of many; and therefore they will rather be careful to improve it, and get the benefit, than to hide it, and seem comelier than they are. 5. Also the consequents concur much to make the action good or bad: though that be not your end, yet if you may foresee, that greater hurt than good will follow, or is like to follow, it will be your sin. As, (1.) If it tend to the insnaring of the minds of the beholders in procacious, lustful, wanton passions, though you say, you intend it not, it is your sin, that you do that which probably will procure it, yea, that you did not your best to avoid it. And though it be their sin and vanity that is the cause, it is nevertheless your sin to be the unnecessary occasion: for you must consider that you live among diseased souls! And you must not lay a stumblingblock in their way, nor blow up the fire of their lust, nor make your ornaments their snares; but you must walk among sinful persons, as you would do with a candle among straw or gunpowder; or else you may see the flame which you would not foresee, when it is too late to quench it. But a proud and procacious, lustful mind is so very willing to be loved, and thought highly of, and admired and desired, that no fear of God, or of the sin and misery of themselves or others, will satisfy them, or take them off. (2.) Also it is sinful to adorn yourselves in such fashions, as probably will encourage pride or vanity in others, or seem to approve of it. When any fashion is the common badge of the proud and vain sort of persons of that time and place, it is sinful unnecessarily to conform yourselves to them; because you will harden them in their sin, and you join yourselves to them, as one of them by a kind of profession. As when spotted faces (a name that former ages understood not) or naked breasts, or such other fashions, are used ordinarily by the vain, and brain-sick, and heart-sick, proud and wanton party, it is a sin unnecessarily to use them. For, (1.) You will hinder their repentance. (2.) And you will hinder the great benefit which the world may get by their vain attire: for (though it be no thanks to them that intend it not) yet it is a very great commodity that cometh to mankind by these people's sin: that fools should go about in fools'-coats, and that empty brains, and proud and wanton hearts, should be so openly detected in the streets and churches; that sober people may avoid them; and that wise, and chaste, and civil people may not be deceived by such in marriage to their undoing. As the different clothing of the different sexes is necessary to chastity and order; so it is a matter of great convenience in a commonwealth, that sots, and swaggerers, and phrenetics, and idiots, and proud, and wanton, lustful persons should be openly distinguished from others; as in a plague-time the doors of infected houses are marked with a "Lord, have mercy on us." And the wisest magistrate knew not how to have accomplished this himself by a law, as the wretches themselves do by their voluntary choice; for if it were not voluntary, it would be no distinguishing badge of their profession. Now for any honest, civil people to join with them, and take up their livery, and the habit of their order, is to profess themselves such as they, and so to encourage and approve them, or else to confound the proud and humble, the vain and sober, the wanton and the chaste, and destroy the benefit of distinction.