_Direct._ X. Remember what a body it is that you so carefully and curiously adorn: well is it called by the apostle a "vile body," Phil. iii. 21. What a silly, loathsome lump of dirt is it! What a thing would the pox, or leprosy, or almost any sickness make it appear to be! What loathsome excrements within, are covered by all that bravery without! Think what it is made of, and what is within it, and what it will turn to! How long it must lie rotting in a darksome grave, more loathsome than the common dirt; and then must turn to common earth. And is purple and silk, Luke xix. 19, and a curious dress, beseeming that body that must shortly have but a winding-sheet, and must lie thus in the grave, and it is to be feared the soul for this pride lie in hell? Luke xvi. 23, 25. Is all this cost and curiosity comely for one that knoweth that he is returning to the dust?
_Direct._ XI. Remember that you have sinful souls that have continual cause of humiliation, and that have need of more care and adorning than your bodies. And therefore your apparel should express your humiliation; and show that you take more care for the soul. How vile should that sinner be in his own eyes, who knoweth what he hath done against God! what mercy he hath sinned against! what a God he hath offended! what a Saviour he hath slighted! what a Spirit of grace he hath resisted! and what a glory he hath undervalued and neglected! He that knoweth what he is, and what he hath done, and what he hath deserved, and in what a dangerous case his soul yet standeth, must needs have his soul habituated to a humble frame. Every penitent soul is vile in its own eyes, and doth loathe itself for its inward corruptions and actual sins; and he that loatheth himself as vile, will not be very desirous to have his sinful, corruptible body seem fine, nor by curious ornaments to attract the eyes of vain spectators. How oft have I seen proud, vain gallants suddenly cast off their bravery and gaudy, gay attire, and clothe themselves in plainness and sobriety, as soon as God hath but opened their eyes, and humbled their souls for sin, and made them better know themselves, and brought them home by true repentance! so that the next week they have not seemed the same persons: and this was done by mere humiliation without any arguments against their fashions or proud attire.[612] As old Mr. Dod said, when one desired him to preach against long hair: "Preach them once to Christ and true repentance, and they will cut their hair without our preaching against it." As pride would be seen in proud apparel; so humility will appear in a dress like itself, though it desire not to be seen. Mark 1 Pet. iii. 3-5, "Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; (that is, curious dressing or adorning the body beyond plain simplicity of attire;) but 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 in the sight of God is of great price. For after this manner (that is, with inward holiness and outward plainness) in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection to their own husbands." Oh that God would print those words upon your hearts! 1 Pet. v. 5, "Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble." Plainness among christians is a greater honour than fine clothing, James ii. 2-5. 1 Tim. ii. 9, 10, "In like manner also that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety, not with broidered hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; but (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works." I entreat those that are addicted to bravery or curiosity, to read Isa. iii. from verse 16 to the end.
_Direct._ XII. Make not too great a matter of your clothing, but use it with such indifferency as a thing so indifferent should be used. Set not your hearts upon it. For that is a worse sign than the excess in itself. "Take no thought wherewith ye shall be clothed: but remember how God clothes the lilies of the field," Matt. vi. 28. If you have "food and raiment, be therewith content," though it be never so plain, 1 Tim. vi. 8.