To the Court.

THE design of this Treatise is not a­gainst in the least to Affront the Court; for it seemeth to me, that our Saviour hath granted some kind of dispensation to Princes, and their Retinue, (for the Honour of Kingdoms, and Governments) to appear as Glorious­ly as themselves please, or can. And though St. Matthew Epithets their Gar­ments [ [...],] soft, tender, and smooth, yet St. Luke has lin'd them all with Tissue and Gold. They that are in Kings Courts [ [...], &c.] are Gloriously and Gorgeously Apparrel­led, [Page 2] as becometh their place. 'Tis not for a poor preacher in the Wilderness, who himself must be an Example of the greatest Austerity and Temperance of Life, (that so he may recommend it to others, and wean them from the Pomps and Vanities of this Evil World, 'tis not for such a one) to flant it out in Pur­ple and Silkes (as Courteours use); No, a piece of course Chamlet will serve his turn well enough, to preach Repentance and Mortification in. He whose busi­ness it is to declaim against the dangers of Luxury, and Pride, must not hang out the flags of it upon his own Body, let Courteours do what they please, he must not; thus our Saviour. And who is ig­norant that the Royal Robe is button­ed on the shoulders of Kings, by the Di­vine hand, and the Richest Jewels hang by Authority, in the Ears of his Royal Consort. And therefore I think the Em­periour Severus, answered his Name too farr, who when once two Ʋnions of ex­ceeding Greatness and Value, were pre­sented to his Empress by an Embassador, he would not suffer her to wear them, but hung them up at the ears of the I­mage of Venus, (as Lampridus tells us) least any ill Example should proceed from [Page 3] Her, and have too great an influence on the Ladies of the Court, and he thought them more proper for the Levity of so worthy a Goddess as Venus, than the grave Majesty of the Wife of Severus. Howe­ver, our Queen Elizabeth, would never have done as that Emperour, Whose ve­ry Picture every where shews us, how great an admirer She was of Jewels. 'Tis fit indeed the Representative of him, who is Cloathed with Light, as with a Garment, and who are God's upon Earth, should (at least in their solemn Appear­ances) dart out some Rays of Majesty, and Lustre; like him they personate. King Herod was not smitten from Heaven, for having on his back that Glorious Robe, against which the Sun-Beams striking, caus'd it to reflect so Divine a Splen­dour, (as Josephus tells us) which occa­sion'd that Blasphemous Acclamation, from the Astonisht People; but because He too greedily swallowed down those vain Adulations, and was inebriated with the conceit of being voted a Deity. Princes have their Garments, as well as their Ministers of State, which are the appropriate and peculiar Treasure of Kings; and may the eye of that Subject wax sore, that looks a squint on them, were they [Page 4] as gorgeous, as ever were worne by the Lydian Cresus, who once vainly demand­ed of the wise Solon, (a grave Philoso­pher) Whether ever he had seen a more Glorious sight than himself, (being won­derful richly set out, and sitting in State on his Throne)? yea Sir, quoth Solon, I have seen Woodcocks, Phesants and Peacocks, and these were graced with a natural beauty, whereas yours is but a borrow­ed Glory, which must vail to time, and shake hands ere it be long with Mortali­ty.) He that thinks the Wardrobe too fine, must traiterously fear the Exchecquer too full. But never was discourse of this Nature, more unseasonably applicable to our English-Court, when God has blessed us with a Prince, who has given the greatest Example of Moderation and Gra­vity in Attire, of any that ever yet sway­ed our Brittish Scepter, when the richest Pearls cannot make Him, but themselves proud in being Honoured to be worn by the Soveraign of the Seas; but who per­haps might necessarily enough be addres­sed, in the words of Seneca, to Neroes La­dy, Indue te delicate, non propter te, sed prop­ter honorem Imperii. (And indeed the glo­ry of Empyre needs the Emission of some Lusture to keep up its Majesty and [Page 5] Dread.) William Rufus was of another Temper, who when his Chamberlain brought him a pair of Hose of three shil­ings, (which then, might be equal to ten now) very passionately threw them a­way, and would have a pair of a Mark I marry, those were Hose sit for a Prince. So also there are Robes of Di­stinction which are clasped on Subordi­nate Magistrates, both innocent and Lau­dable in themselves, and are expressive of the Dignity and Office of such as weare them. Thus we read that Severus al­lowed his Judges Gownes to sit in pub­lick Judgment, and others to wear at home in their private houses. Our very Quakers were never so impudent to affront the Scarlet of the Judge or Prae­tor. And these indeed (Lampred in Alex. Sever. chap. 42.) are rather hung upon them, than girt to them, and are as loose as the Golden Key that playes on the breast of a Lord Chamberlain, or the Seal that is carried in the hand of a Lord Chancel­lour, that is so far from making its im­pression on his heart, that he knows it may be commanded away to another, and is perfectly at the pleasure of his Prince. And 'tis observable how our Saviour phrases that expression but now mentio­ned, [Page 6] [ [...]] They that that bear soft clothing, others wear it, fast girt, and stiff lac'd (as our Ladies stayes that penn her up as in a torturing prison, to make her look slender and pretty); but these bear it, (as loose Cloaks which are easily off and on: So the Fa­mous Burleigh when at night coming wea­ [...]y home from the Croud, and business [...]f Court, and pulling off his Gown, was [...]sually heard to say to it, Lye there Lord Treasurer: and indeed when we remem­ber what Cares the Robe of State are [...]ed with, we shall have little Reason to [...]uspect those of much Pride, that bear them.

The same dispensation doubtless ex­tends to each Order and Decree of the Royal Household. It being not so Ho­nourable for Princes (like him of the Ayr) to be attended on by a Black Guard). When the Queen of the South took her tedious journey, to hear the Wisdom of Solomon, 'tis expresly said, The at­tendance of his Ministers, and their Ap­parrel, was so glorious, that it ravish't away her Spirit, (passa est Ecstasin saith Ju­nius) there was no more spirit in her. She fell into a trance to view so a glittering a Court, where the great King, [Page 7] as the Sun; the chief Ministers, as the Planets of the first magnitude, and each inferiour Officer, as the minor Stars (the very least had his shine) but altogether were (as our Saviour expresseth it) Solo­mon in all his Glory. Surrounded with all his Nobles and Councellors, and Atten­dants, each one in his Sphere contribu­ting to the glory of so great a Con­stellation. Indeed God dress'd up Solom [...] in the brightest Robes of Royalty with ful [...] design to make him the most illustrious Prince, that he might undress him again and make him the most experienc'd Pr [...] cher that all Princes to the worlds en [...] might have the Word of a King to a­sure them how much vanity attends the Courts of the most Magnificent Potentates, and how little satisfaction, or Soul-Ac­quiescence himself had found in all the Gran­dieurs of State.

How charitably therefore may we judg of Those, whom rather Reason and Ne­cessity of State, than any natural Inclinati­on or Promise to the folly, does exact from them a more gay and splendid Ap­pearance and Dress. Courteours being not alwayes Proud, though sometimes Poor (the more is the Pitty) and more igno­rantly envied, than cheerfully trusted by [Page 8] the jealous Citizen, who yet can love it well enough, when himself has the pro­fit, and they come to Buy; But infinitely more, where he hath it indeed, and they come to pay.

These therefore I shall leave to be as fine as they can, and do heartily wish, that of any part of their Suits, the Pockets may be the most richly faced; lest the Taylor trust them so long, that they are put to the trouble of begging a Knighthood for him, in satisfaction of a full discharge. Only I begg leave to be their Remem­brancer of some excellent Advice, which once a great Prelate of the Church deli­vored to the Houshold of King James in the Chappel of Theobalds, and sure they cannot take it ill from one, who died an Archbishop, though I confess no very good Subject.

As it is fitting you should be adorned for the Attendance of your Earthly, so there are some Ornaments to be thought upon for the Service of your Heavenly Master. Oh hap­py We, of all other Creatures, if we were near so mindful of the one, as we are too solicitous of the other. But hearken ye that forget God, this is no proportion at all to al­low half a day for the tricking of the Body, and grudge the poor half hour for the prepar­ing [Page 9] of the Soul. Those that glitter in soft Clothing, may be respected in Kings Houses; but without Faith, Repentance and true De­votion, they are of no reckning in Gods House: And such Correspondence there is between God & the King, that I could never yet read of any, who neglected the Service of their Master in Heaven, did ever true service to their Master on Earth; these two Worships therefore con­joyned in the Tables of the Law, let them not be disjoyned in the Tables of our hearts: And so shall God who has made us now Attendants on Princes here below, make us hereafter Fel­lows and Companions with the Angels above. Dr. Williams. To which I Heartily add my Amen. And do beseech the Present Gentlemen at Court to meditate on so good an Instruction.

To the Nobility and Gentry.

VVIth no less Observance and Respect do these Papers address them­selves to you (the Truly Honourable and Vertuous Nobles, and to you the Worship­ful Gentry of the Kingdom. Whose high Birth and Blood, whose Large Demesnes and Revenues do justly give you as a Pre­cedency [Page 10] by the Ordinance of Heaven above others in Degrees of Honour and Wor­ship, so certainly a Prerogative, and Pri­viledge of expressing them (by all the law­ful, modest, and allowable Demonstrations) to the World. The very Laws of Ho­nour obliging you to a strict observance, not of the Rules only, but very Complements of your Order, which can never be per­formed (like those of the Church) with­out some external Ceremonies to set off the Grace and Decency of them. The Gloryes of Birth and State (like those of the Sun) being shrowded within the cloud of popular Ignorance, or more private Cognizance, till the several Beames of their Light and Vertue, baffle the Shadow, and triumphantly break out into universal Joy and Observation; but then, do never fail to attract on themselves the most prostrtae Adoration and Reverence.

See this in Religion. The very Lustre of the Divine Image in the Soul, is Grace in the Womb, only, very solitary and in­discernable by any prying eye, while dwel­ing in the dark Cell of the heart, [is Faith to self only, and before God, as Rom. 14. 22.] but the Darting out of those beams from that Covert, the piercings of the Divine Nature through the dark Lanthorn of [Page 11] Flesh, and emitting its Shine into the Life, by great and excellent Actions, this makes it Grace unto others, and brings a Glory to God. Nor is it enongh for a Christian to light his Candle and keep it under a Bushel, but his Light must [so] shine, that all in the House may see it, and the great Author of it not lose his praise. Mat. 5. 15, 16. And what are Good works but the Garments of Holiness, which the true Chri­stian clothes himself with every day (ac­cording to his Ability) and which makes him beautiful to God and man? Yet (like the Lustre on Moses face) though they render him Lovely and Amiable in the eyes of others, still they keep him humble in his own, and he is a Mirrour to all but himself.

Since Nature hath lost her eyes, and differs in Judgment from her Maker (for He seeth not as man seeth (1 Sam. 16. 7.) Nor yet has attained the light of a rectifi­ed Reason or Knowledge to pry into the value of interiour Objects and Worth. It will ever be gazing after what it can reach to without, and doting on the Sur­face of superficial Vanity and Lyes (Prov. 30. 8.) Thus Pride of Life, as the first-born Leah, hath gotten the advantage of the Beauty of Holiness (the incomparable [Page 12] Rachel) and starts before her into Jacobs Bed, while the Kings Daughter (whose Glory is within) is thrust out to an enfor­ced patience, and made to wait for Ad­mirers, who as hardly are perswaded to fall in Love with what they cannot per­ceive so Adorable and Precious; and (like Joseph) tho they will not expose her to dishonour, yet resolve to shift her off with a Complement, till an Angel from Hea­ven clear up her excellency, and very hap­pyly make up the Match. Thus may you you find the Brutish herd Crying up a gliste­ring peece of dust to be God, while they vote the True One, in a plain Coat, to the Cross.

It is your Visible Glory (Oh ye Great and Honourable of the Earth) that the Idolatrous World (with the Persians) so superstitiously Worship and Adore; Take heed therefore while ye paint out your bodies, as so many Idols, these purblind votaries mistake you for Deities, who ne­ver saw any, more Illustrious and Gaudy than your selves; And

(Alas,) 'Tis too low and Hystriorick a Design for Persons of your high Station and Character to trick up your selves to the Acting so mean a Comedy, (Like Nero fooling in the Theatre) while none but [Page 13] sorry and mechanick eyes are fed with the prospect of so great a Degeneracy from the more Noble Idea's of Vertue and Glory.

This is a Game for base and Plebejan Spirits to pursue, whose only project is for to cover some horrid Defects, like Caligula's wearing a Needlework Cloak, embroidered with every Colour, and all bestudded with Precious Stones, to divert his Spectators from being affrighted with his crabbed and hideous Face.

Coaches, they say, were first invented by a Prince of gouty Leggs, and ill shapen Feet, from which the upper parts appear in all the Decorum of Majesty and Per­fection without the least Jealousy of any Natural failure below; but for those who are born to tread on the Mountaines of State, (As you) 'Tis fit your Paces should be all so Honorable, and Exemplary, that you scorn to fear the Discovery of a wry step to the watchful eyes that trace you.

And though the Spouses Feet are de­scribed to be Beautiful with Shoes, Cant. 7. 1. Yet that still, does but express the Majestick Gate of those holy Pilgrims who are directly passing to an higher Glory, to which those Feet alone have strength and Grace to climb and convey them. And [Page 14] py were it for your Honourable Ladies, if their Embroidered Shoes would mind them of a better Preparation to which they are exhorted to be Shod, ere their delicate Feet stumble on the dark Mountanis.

And why should I doubt it? Since, sure, 'tis below the stately Cedars to pride themselves in their own shaddows, whose kind branches spreading themselves by so ravishing a dilatation, are ambiti­ous to yield their charitable shelter to suc­cour the distressed, that fly for refuge to them, and not to be only unprofitably gaz'd on.

The Vine (in the Parable) scorn'd the Promotion to an Empyre over the Trees. Since 'twas honour enough for it to yield its lushious Clusters to cheer the hearts of men; and what are the thorny burthens of a Crown, to those that overflow (like God himself) in all the streams of Univer­sal good from their Fulness and Great­ness?

And the Simile is no Derogation to your Honours; Since God himself has Dubed the Vine into Honour, and given it the Appellation of Noble (Jer. 2. 21.) which I find no other Tree of the Forrest so hap­py to enjoy; and the blessed Jesus, calls himself one, by a Metaphor. (Joh. 15. 1.) [Page 15] Yet of all other, has the Vine the least Wood, and the most ragged Rind, (will a man make a pin of it to hang any Ves­sel on, Ezek. 15. 3.) while all its Vertue lyes within; and that which makes the least shew affords the most good, is most Juicy and productive, to acquaint us, That the most Liberal, and distributive Spirits care not to bear so great a Port in the World, while they gratify themselves in pouring out all the Communications of their Treasure and Bounty to others. And even God himself appears only in the rich Effluxes of his Goodness. O ye Vertu­ous Nobles, give no occasion to your Great Lord to take up that sad Complaint! How art thou turned into the degenerate Plant of a Strange Vine unto me!

Nor may this Jealousy sink, you into any Dishonourable Meaness of Appearance in Rind or Attire, since it would be as ridiculous for a wealthy Noble man to draw on Course Cloath, as for the poorest of his Tenants to swagger up and down in Scarlet; or for his Countess to be lap­ped up in Flannel (while Alive) as for one of her Milkmaides to flant in about in Cloath of Gold. And surely the God of Decency and Order, who hath required all men to discharge the Political Debt [Page 16] of Honour to whom Honour belongs, hath as equally obliged those Honuorable Perso­nages to all immaginable care, and caution in the furnishing all the Rooms of State, and rayling in the Bed of Honour; Toguard and fence their Native Immunityes from all the insolen tinvasions of too incroaching Usurpations, which the affronting hand of impudence does (but too commonly) thrust in to make upon them. God is so tender of the great Prerogative of his Worship, that he professes, by no means will he part with that Glory to Another, nor his Praise to Graven Images. And no Phantasmes of the highest Consideration whatsoever, should tempt a truly Generous Spirit, to yeild up the Sword of his Knighthood, which himself is sworn so superstituously to maintain, That he were happier to feel it bathed in the blood of his heart, than ignominously to surrender it with the least tainture of Cowardise. As the Christian profession is Commanded to abstain from all appearance of Evil, So will our wise and wary Lord, very providently foresee, that no cloud of Envy interpose it self to procure an Eclips of his Glo­ry, nor that dignity wherein the provi­dence of Heaven hath so happily fix'd him. Nothing that may perhaps▪ sug­gest [Page 17] to the observing eye, the least sha­dow of the ignoble guilt of a Law and degenerous Spirit, under the profuse lar­gesses of the Divine bounty. History tells us of one Ardelio, who himself being of an huge, great, and Bulky Body, delight­ed in every thing like himself that was great, would live in a great House, lye in a great Bed, eat in great Platters, drink in great Bowles, ride upon a great Horse, entertain none but great Servants, &c. however the story be true or false, surely 'tis the most perfect beauty, when great Persons act symmetrically to them­selves, when greatness of fortune and ge­nerosity of soul are happily concerned to­gether; and add yet a perfection of fe­licity, to those that are the lucky heirs of it. But that Gentleman, who from the little Devil of a narrow and Avari­cious soul, shall be tempted to shrink him­self into the despicable contempt of eve­ry bordering Clown, is ten times worse than that Roman Prince, whose name and memory will ever strangely savour of the very pisse of the People.

But, I fancy, this to be a needless and unseasonable surmise, since we find so few, under the guilt of (an unfashi­onable) frugality. The Ambition of our [Page 18] Ladyes being so very high and towring, as speaks them resolv'd to consecrate this Age into a perfect Jubilee, and make e­very Eve to usher in an Holy-day of plea­sure and gayness; and I'm sure I wrong not some of them, if I say they never knew a Working-day these twenty years, and have forgotten the old Reverend Cus­tome of their Grand-Mothers, whose Wed­ding Gowns, and Kirchiefs, never saw Light, but on the solemn anniversaries of Christmas or Easter, while those celebrate an Everlasting Christmas, and dress on Saturdayes for the Stage with nicer pre­parations than the next morning, for the Church, and begin the week with the same zeal to their vanity, as they end­ed it. And were this the grief of great ones only, perhaps it might be less fa­tal and mischievous. But as Memucan, once (aggravating the crime of the Persi­an Queen) said, This deed of Vasthi's will come abroad (for ill Example) among all the Women, and every Lady of Media and Per­sia will dispise their Husbands. His. 1. 17, 18. So from the ill Practise of those that are able, (who can go to the charge of being I­dle) Is this ruinating custome gone a­broad even among others, that undo their Husbands by following the Pattern. [Page 19] Why should not they do as Vastis? But Matthew Paris, in the life of King John, tells us a Story of one Hubert, then Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, who, when the King had given his Courteours Rich Li­veries; he to imitate his Soveraign, would needs give his Servants the like, which gave no small offence, to his Majesty. Sure 'tis too great an arrogance to Ape the Lyon, and the Cestern may not think to make so broad a stream, as the Foun­tain. 'Twere happy for these minor La­dies, if their hearts were Lower, and their Fortunes Higher: But happiest of all, if they would employ what they have to the ends God has given it, and respect more the miseries of the poor, and those below then to imitate the extravagancies of the Mighty and the Rich, that are so far above them.

There are, who believe that superflu­ity is a necessary evil in a State, the floa­ting of Fashions affording a standing Main­tenance to thousands, which otherwise would be at a loss for a Livelihood, and that men maintain more by their Pride then by their charity. And surely if Armenta be not turned into Ornamenta, whole Herds and Flocks sold off to furnish Head and Locks, and the very pastures in which they graze follow not to pay [Page 20] for one Jewel. If the Ancient Man­nours of the Family, have not exchanged their Lords, nor are Commanded to do Homage to a Mechannick Master. If the Accounts of the Steward in the City, do but keep even pace with the receipts of him in the Country, and Terra firma be not boyl'd away into Luxurious Gellies, and whole Acres be not swopped down for a mornings draught: If the Courts below can but answer Eccho to those a­bove, I know no reason why ruder Pens should so loudly exclaim against the Pro­digalities of the Great Ones, when we little know or consider what others of the same Spheare have Acted in Ages before us.

And (sure I am) those have greatly exceeded them, in that one engulphing profuseness of Jewels. Turtullian tells us, in his time, of twenty three thousand Crowns disbursed for one Rope of Pearl. Saltus & Insulas tenera cervix fert. One tender Neck of a Lady bears the burden of whole Woods and Islands. Sir Thomas Moor to a Gentlewoman (complaining of exceeding heat in her weighty dress) What wonder (saith he) for thou carryest upon thee Meadows, Vineyards, Mills, Mansions, and Islands in the value of Jewels. But prodi­gious was the Luxury of the Roman Pau­lina, [Page 21] (Caligula's widdow) who ruin'd her Father with setting her out in so pompous excess, That she moved about with no fewer Jewels then what cost him a Million of Gold, as Plinie and others have given us her story. 'Tis very observable, that the first Jewels we read of in Scripture, should be found in the Closet of the best Lady in the World, (not but that sure they were common before that time,) but we read of none till Sarahs Cabinet is pre­sented to Rebeccah, and envy it self will never repine at those Armes wearing Brace­lets, that kneaded Cakes for Angels. The Wife of so great a Lord (as was Abraham) and the Lord of so good a Wife (as was Sarah) the one might warrantably wear what the other had cheerfully purchased for her. And Oh that our Ladies had but Sarahs Humility and good Houswifery with her Jewells, whose Fingers are I fear, too fine to deal in Dough, and the very An­gels shall fast rather than they will Kneel to the Kneading-troughs! So great a Dif­ference between Sarah, and her Daugh­ters. Who are so (saith Peter) so long as they do well, but no longer.

Yet still I plead for Persons of Honour to keep up the the glory of their Station, and sure I am they might best do it by cu­rious [Page 22] weaving of Works of Mercy with those of State. Nay, somtimes for No­ble Persons to gratify their Fancies by un­necessary Enterprizes, and seeming Acts of Prodigallity and Vanity, is no great loss to the publick. There goes a Proverb, if Rich men were not fools, poor men might starve. I will not expound it so grossly, but rather would call it an Honourable Be­nificence to poor Labourers, should our No­ble Lord distaste the form of his House (as too Antique and unfashionable) and re­solve to pull it down, as well to imploy poor Artificers, as to please his own fancy in building it new. So for a good Lady (that has money enough) to take occasion to pick a quarrel with her Wardrobe, as too thredbare and Immodish, not from any design of Pride, but a pious Principle of supplying her self and the Mercer together, who might else sit a cold and shiver in his shop for want of Custome, Cursing more her Covetousness, than others her Pride. Will you call this a vain Excess to idle needless superfluity? No alass, it is a ve­ry perfect Charity. And such a good La­dy (with holy Job) does but put on Righte­ousness as a Robe, and clothes her self with Compassion, as with a Diadem. Nay, each Lace, and inch of Ribband about her (like [Page 23] the spouses Thred of Scarlet) does but fa­sten her Grace the closer to her Heart. And her entire Dress is nothing else but the Herauld (in his Gaudy Coat) that Proclaimes her Goodness aud Chari­ty.

Nor would I wish a greater punishment on those, whose Malice and Envy cuts so large slashes in the Vestments of the Rich, than to pay the shot of those many Families, who sit down, and give God thanks for there honest Gain, accruing to them from the Accoutrements of but one Honourable Lady, when but Attir'd in a sutable Garb to her Honour. 'Tis easily apparent, that above twenty honest Salesmen make their dinners every day from the allowable advantages of her Dress, should you pass from the Silkman and Exchange, from the Millener and the Goldsmith, to the inferiour Furnitures of her body; and instance but in the most contemptible and basest of all; may the Reader consider, that the least Pin about her, passes throw two or three hands ere it is quallified for the Honour to have a place in her Head, and I wish it stuck in the fingers of such who bethink the sorry Maintenance of those poor Wret­ches that point; those others that head; [Page 24] and again, those others that fit them up in due ranks and numbers for sale.

It was (Possibly) from such considerati­ons as these that great St. Austin in one of his Epistles to Possidius, gives him this necessery charge, Tom. 2. Epist 37. ad Pos­sid. Nolo ut de Ornamentis Auri vel vestis preproperam habeas in prohibendo sententiam. Be not rash in passing too hasty a Judg­ment against the Ornaments of the Rich; And some perhaps will but smile at the De­cree of an ancient Councel of the Church assembled at Gangra. That anathemati­zes those, who shall be so rude and au­dacious to censure or control the Appar­rel of great and superiovr Persons. (Qui cum Reverentia Birrhis usi fuerint) and the ground of that Curse (saith Balsamon) was this. Because such are cloathed, not prop­ter molliciem, sed propter professionem, not from any Luxury, but distinction.

Be not jealous (Reader) that I have for­gotten my design, or am become Prides Advocate. 'Tis, every where seen that Platoe's rich Gown covers a more humble mind, than the Cynicks Frieze. Pride is a disease that breads in course and bran­ney Spirits (the very Scrapings of dame Natures trough) and blisters ever from the corruptest blood. 'Tis Humility is the [Page 25] Glory of the Great and the Noble, their only unalterable Dress, that is ever in fashion amongst them. The very Rubies they wear would wax pale at the draught of that Venom, and Pearls themselves would blush for shame at the imputation of such a Foppery. What need such to swell, that are so Great already, or to aspire to a sublime Height when they are born on the Hills of Excellency, and break into life, like, that Emperour Diadumenus with a Diademe of Honour on their forheads, and whom the first light salutes into the World as happy, as Great.

Thus while (Right Honourable) I apo­logize for you, and pay but the Tribute your Vertue and State calls for, from e­very humble Pen. I have plotted all a­long to merit from you the Innocent Li­berty of Insinuating (in the most prostrate and submissive posture of Address) the following considerations for good Noble minds to contemplate.

First, That as you are fixed by the Ge­nerous and only distinguishing bounty of God (your great Maker & ours) in the highest Orbe, and to a more abstructed De­gree of Happiness and State in the World, than were others; Licenced to bear a grea­ter Sway and Port; and to appear with [Page 26] all your pompous Traines, drawing, that eyes of the Universe after you by your Gallantry and splendour of Life. So that your Honours would ever Remember to give all this but its right Name, and the same, which the Holy Ghost gives it [Acts 25. 23.] Where an whole Bench of Great Ones (and one of them a King) with all their Attendants and Glory ap­pear'd to dazle the eyes of a poor Priso­ner at the Bar (who yet by the Spirit and Power of the God that spake by him, made the best of them tremble as he sate) calls all that Lustre, But a meer Phantacy ( [...],) A very Gleam and Vain Shew that appeared and vanished to­gether, and not so much as the Shaddow of the truer Glory, which has weight in­deed and is massie, exceedingly so, and eternal too. And this the Royal Pro­phet, well experienced, when he left be­hind him that very proper Lesson for Persons of your Noble Order to meditate on. Man in his best estate is altogether Vanity.

Nor is it unworthy your profoundest thoughts to consider, what little Court­ship the God of Glory has used towards some, very eminent Personages of the Earth, by the contemptible characters he [Page 27] has stamped upon them in the sacred Re­cords. The Great Antiochus who for his Magnificence was stiled Epiphanes, or the Illustrious, passes off the stage with the Ignominious impress of a Vile Person. Dan. 11. 21. (such it seems, in Hea­vens Accounts notwithstanding his world­ly Greatness) Herod, gains no more from our Saviour than the sutable Title of a Fox (who so greedily sucked the Blood of the Innocent Baptist): Those who push the Innocent with the hornes of oppression, are (very congenially) term­ed the Bulls of Bashan, Jehoiakim, Jer. 22. 28. an ill Prince, is shav'd into the de­spicable cut of Coniah, as one unworthy to fill up the leaves of his sacred Book with the full sylables of his Name. But above all, how remarkable is the crowd­ing of at least forty Dukes of the pro­geny of Esau (whom God hated) into one short Chapter, justling them toge­ther, three or four into one line, seven or eight of them into two. Duke Te­man, Duke Omar, Duke Zepho, Duke Kenaz, &c. their whole story lost in the ayre of an empty Title, their persons and hopes entred together in the dark vault of eternal Oblivion, While yet above a dozen chapters are proved in the deci­phering [Page 28] out the Excellencies of but one younger Son of a Plain man that dwelt in Tents, and give us the exact memo­ries of his whole life and actions to the Grave, Gen. chap. 37. to 50.

And the Almighty God make your Ho­nours as Pious and Good, as that famous Joseph, and your Noble Consorts infinite­ly more Virtuous than his impure and unkind mistriss. Who, as if his unnatu­ral Brethren had not shewn cruelty e­nough to him, by stripping him of one Coat, and sending him into Exile, She must conspire too, and tear from him a­nother, dismissing him all cold into Pri­son, (clad onely in the vest of divine Fa­vour, and his, own innocency) yet anon breaking out into a resplendency, outshining the Nobles of the whole Court when we find him wrapt in the Royal Ornaments and the finest Linnen of Egypt. Nor had I mentioned this, Had it not been the perfect Mirror of your Honours own re­al story. Who must (as certainly) be de­vested from all your rich and gay co­loured coats (that creates so great an En­vy in the eyes of the world) though the particular Cognizances of your great Fa­thers kindness) and your desolate Bodies sent Captives into the dungeon of death. [Page 29] If therefore now ye shall carefully buc­kle on the secure Coat-Armour of faith, and purity, to fence your glorious souls from the repeated attempts, this Egyp­tian strumpet, the World, shall make up­on your Chastities. Then shall ye un­doubtedly most triumphantly appear at the Resurrection of the Just. Cloathed with the bright rayes of your Saviours Righ­teousness, and Shining as the Sun, for ever and ever.

But if (which God forbid) you shall suffer your Noble and more Sublima­ted Spirits to melt away in the Riots and Luxury of a meritorious bewitch­ing World, and this Circe to charm you into the killing slumbers of security and death, should you pass into an ungrate­ful and slighting neglect of him whose goodness hath so deeply oblig'd you, by the many rich demonstrations of his boun­ty and kindness, then, though you should here exalt your selves as the Eagle, and Build your Nests among the Stars; yet thence will God surely cast you down into Con­tempt, and lay your Honour in the dust. Though the whole Creation▪ here be ri­fled for the furniture of your Tables, though the Indian Rocks resign up their sparkling Diamonds, to grace your Bo­somes, [Page 30] though you celebrate an uninter­rupted Holy Day of Joy and Pleasure, though the whole series of Life, yet will a sawcy Disease very impudently intrude upon you, and unpin the very foundati­ons of all these Ravishing glories, and tumble you into rottenness and the grave. The insolent Captain within, will torture your unwilling ears with the dismal ty­dings of an approaching dissolution, and Death it self will hardly be brib'd to the civility of giving Respite, while you chaunt out Adrians dying Notes. O Ani­mula, blandula, vagula, quo nunc abibis! O my miserable darling soul, into what shades art thou now passing? This (Right Honourable) is the unavoidable Decree of Heaven, and all the powers of Crea­ted strength and policy, will never pre­vail to revoke it.

Yet (while you live) it cannot but be some Regret to your Honours to see all the Badges of your Honourable Or­der so impudently invaded by the per­sons of the basest and most contempti­ble circumstances and condition. Each Ranter and Ruffian painting up himself into the most perfect hypocrisie of your Sate, and hardly any thing wanting, (save the Blew Ribbon and the George) to di­stinguish [Page 31] them from being Knights of the most Honourable Garter, you'ld take them all to be Lords, (as the Roman Senator appeared once to the Embassaduor to be no less than an Assembly of Kings) but that they have lost their Mannours and Manners together; Envy would suggest, as if the sparks of this Vanity had all proceeded from your palaces, but alas; every hand hath set the fire to his own Thatch, that has scattered into this U­niversal conflagration. Pitty a distracted Nation that has borrowed your plumes to dress it self up to the Acting it's own Tragedy. The whole frantick Herd run­ing about with Gilded Horns, and plat­ted Manes, presenting themselves to the Angry Deity for Sacrifice. 'Tis high time for you (ye Nobles) to put on your Sa­bles, while this mad Mummery is thus e­very where practised, The whole King­dome in masquerade▪ the distracted Mim­mix of your Grandieur. Each pittiful fellow check-by-joleing it with your Lord­ships, and every Mechanicks wife Apeing your high-born Ladies, their heaps of Counterfeits not sweating for fear, or shame to vie with the Richest Carcanets. Anciently Pearles were called Ʋshers, be­cause they made way for such as wore [Page 32] them; now every Exchange-Wench is ush­er'd in by them into her stalls, and while she calls to others to know what they Lack, while her self lacks nothing to make her as fine as a Countess, and stands there, but to upbraid others wants. 'Tis a custome they say, at the Creation of Knights of the Bath, for the Kings Master-Cook to come forth, and present his great Knife to the New-made Knights, admonishing them to be Faithful and Vali­ant, otherwise he threatens them, that ve­ry Knife is prepar'd to cut off their Spurs. But here are such a multitude of Knights, and Ladies of their own Creation, be­having themselves so unworthy of that Dignity, that the under Scullions of the Kitching, would be tyred sufficiently with cutting off the combs of their Honour. And sure some sharp-edged Instrument or other, must be whetted to do the Execu­tion, some severe Laws to crop off the Monsters head in time. Or 'tis to be feard, God himself will take it into his own hands, and make but bloody work among them.

Thus having ended these necessary Ca­veats to take off any prejudice which might arise in great and innocent minds, I shall now betake my self to those whom the [Page 33] guilt and danger does more immediate­ly concern.

To both City and Countrey.

GOd who at sundry times, and in divers manners, hath spoken in times past to all Nations, Kingsdoms, and People, as well by the Still Small Ʋoice, of his Mercies, as by the direfull thunder of his Judgments, hath in this present Age, spoken to this sinfull Land, in such terrible and asto­nishing accents as might well have pre­vail'd to startle and awaken the most drousie and secure People in the World that were not wholly expir'd in a mor­tal Lethargy, and given over to the for­midable judgment of an utter insencibi­lity. 'Tis sign we are perfectly dead flesh, that can suffer the many stroaks of Di­vine vengeance to be repeated on us so often without the least sense of reluctan­cy or groan, the many stabbs from the Sword of Justice into our very bowels, while we (like the late protestant-Mar­tyrs Body) are so Stark and Stiff, that no Tears or Blood bedew the Wea­pon that pierces us, nothing alas issues from the wounds that are made into us. Whence is it, and from what provoca­tion [Page 34] (O ye unhappy Countrey-men) have we contracted this so perfect an obdura­tion, (the most infallible presage of our Ruine)? have you not seen the Visions of the Prophet, That incorrigible People (Once so dear and near unto God, the very Apple of his Eye, and dearly Beloved of his Soul) but a moment before their National Vis [...]tation and Ruine, laugh in the Face of an afflicting God, and bear­ing up themselves bravely under all the wounds of his Wrath, and too cunning­ly baffling all the various Methods of his (unforcedly cruel) dispensations against them? O Lord thou hast smitten them, but they have not grieved, thou hast consu­med them, but they have refused to receive correction, they have made their faces har­der than a Rock, they have refused to re­turn? Let all mens Consciences witness, whether ever the frame of Englands Spi­rit could have been pourtraied out to grea­ter Life by another Pencil.

One would prudently suppose, it should be too late for Sin and Hell to play o­ver again their old Games, (now in this Rubbish Age of the World) while we see all the Earth almost to have been deso­lated into rubbish by their cruelty and fallacies. All the Nations and Kingdoms [Page 35] that were once Glorious, to be thrown down into Destruction and Ruinous Heaps. The four great Monarchies of the Earth gobbled up by the Lyons that support the Throne of God's Justice. The fierce­ness of his Indignation burning up the Sanctuary of his Holiness, and seizing on the Habitation of his Glory and Delight, and his very People made an Hissing and a Reproach to the World. God for these five thousand years hath been scattering abroad the Arrows of his Rage, hunting out after the Proud to humble them, and treading down the wicked in their place, Where they all lye his Prisoners in the dust together, with their faces bound for de­struction. And yet we wormes take no warning. Why, open thine Eyes Rea­der, and consider, how many millions hath Sin and Judgment sent into the dun­geons of darkness, and thou art dancing on the very brink of the same precepice, yet wilt not see it. No, not though God has brought the Tragedies of Antiquity, and Acted them over again at thine own door. Thou hast sent the Flames of So­dom, burning up thine own House, and the Pestilence of Egypt, raging in thine own Streets. The silent murmurs of an Hundred Thousand Souls seeming to mut­ter [Page 36] out the frustrated end of their being lock'd up in darkness, while there is so little profit in their Blood to the Living, and the happiness is only to themselves, in being delivered from plagues more infectious than those that destroyed them: And to this day the Sword of God reaching to the very soul. The Flames of his Wrath burning in the spirits of men, ready to devour each other, and enkindle the whole Kingdom into Flame, while every one strives under the pre­tences of Religion, which (in truth) is almost abandoned by all, the Marrow and Fatness of it quite suck'd away, while we are passionately quarrelling for the bone. And while those that profess, say, Here is Christ; and others say, Nay, but He is there. The miserable prophane con­clude, he is no where. The very Life is lost in the contentions for the Form, and the Substance is so farr from being embraced, that the very Shadows are ha­ted and persecuted by most. So little care taken for making up our Divisions, that new Methods are dayly contrived to widen them. And while we are weakning one another, the Enemy fortifyes him­self against us all. Oh beloved Coun­trey-men! What shall we do to be saved? [Page 37] Is there no Balm in Gilead? Nor means to retrieve us? shall we not at least go hand in hand, and reconcile to prayers and tears? shall we not weep together for deliverance, without upbraiding each others drops, as Hypocriticall? Is not the Blessing, a Common Salvation, which we all so passionately long for? do we hate each other to that Degree, that some are contented to be miserable still, that others may not be happy? Is this the spirit of Love? This the temper of the Gospel-Charity? This the way to a­tone an incensed God? who because our Spirits are burning in hatred, is still en­kindling the Flames of his Vengeance, whose ashes, because we will not lay them on our Heads, God (ere they are quen­ched) lays them on our Habitations a­gain, and blows them up into fresh Fires, and upon our breasts too to encrease the Coals there. Nay, so far are we from thinking on Sackcloaths, or treaties with God for forbearance, so far from bend­ing the stiffknee, and lifting up the hum­ble hand: That there is a danger in the very motion to it, the very Exhortati­on to Repentance is maliciously constru­ed into Sedition, as a piece of Non-Con­formity, to the happiness and prosperity [Page 38] of the Age. As if Conversion to God were not the ready way to Establish­ment of peace. Come Reader, before we breath in the Ayre, and after we shall have ceas'd breathing here, Will that maxime hold unanswerable in our Bibles, There is no peace saith my God to the wick­ed. God saith so, and he will make us all to know so! Hath He said it, and will He not bring it to pass? Let us lay down our pride, our insolence, our con­tempts of Judgments, our abuse of names, our cursed animosities, our dreadful heart-burnings, and bring our selves in­to a posture, fit for Humiliation, and re­turn to God, then may there be some hope indeed; but without this, God hath said it, There is no peace. And a Mer­cy of Mercies it is, that at such a time as this, the Tongues of our Prophets do not cleave to the roof of their Mouths, nor are Dumb. And He assure you, some of them have cried aloud, (Ezech.) and spared not, yea have lift up their voice like a Trum­pet, and have not fear'd very roundly to shew the provocations of the Age: And the words that They have spoken shall Judg us at the last day. Instead of many, I will instance but in two (and those in­deed instar omnium) the very worthy and [Page 39] undaunted witnesses of God, against all the cursed debaucheries, that with such bra­zen fac'd impudence, do spread and reign every where in the midst of us. And first, Arise (thou Chariots of Israel, & the Horse­men thereof) the Valiant and Magnani­mous Bishop of Hereford, (who in thy discourse to the Lords assembled in Par­liament, February 4. (7 3/4) from that a­bove mentioned Text, There is no peace to the Wicked) hast uttered these Words.

Now judg Reader, whether God hath left himself without witnesses, shall not these words Pass as good Evidence to the con­fusion of such as go on still in their tres­passes? But because every Truth is esta­blished in the mouth of two or three, let us adjoyn another to him as Nobly Valiant for the Truth, and zealous for the Glory of his God as himself. The Right [Page 44] Reverend Bishop of Salisbury, who in this Apostatizing Age, wherein we have made so Universal a revolt from God's Cove­nant, and all Goodness, hath thus Vali­antly born his Testimony against the Vil­lanies of the Kingdomes, in that Noble Sermon of his, from [2 Kings 6. ult.] This Evil is of the Lord, wherefore should I wait for the Lord any Longer? &c. (preached also before the Lords in the same place, and but a month before the former). — Page 10. he raises this observation (viz) The most wicked and most Distemper'd Sinners are forced sometimes to acknowledg the hand of God in the dispensation of his Judgments. Tho

Go your wayes and Dye, lay down your Sacred heads with peace and com­fort, (Oh ye faithful and excellent Bishops!) in that ye have so fully discharged your Consciences in standing up for God and his holy Religion, and done what you could towards the setting some bounds, & giving check to the deluge of prophanness that is broken in upon us. I will not dis­honour [Page 49] these incomparable Persons, by ad­ding any more to strengthen the Testimony they have given against that General Wickedness, my business calling me rather this time to Arraign a particular Vice, that is the very Mother and Nurse of all the rest, and that is Pride; yet will I adventure here to subjoyne one short observation of a Bishop too, Whose words will evidence for him the Integrity of his heart towards God in the late Age where­in he lived. The Learned Bishop Downe­ham in a Sermon at the Spittle (called Abrahams Tryal,) Thus complains.

When Luther began to preach against the Popes pardons, a friend of his coun­selled him thus; As good hold your tongue, the Custom is so strong, you will do no good: Get you into your Study and Pray, Domine Miserere Mei, and get you no anger. So methinks while I undertake a discourse a­gainst Pride, and the fooleries of wo­men especially, that are rivited into their Nature, and have gotten sure hold in their hearts (besides the plea of possession out of mind) I were as good hold my peace, for all will be to no purpose. But Jacta est Alea. Let the Die run as it will, 'tis good to let them see their folly how­ever.

I have often wondred why the Lear­ned Fathers, (Tertullian, St. Cyprian, St. Jerome, St. Austin, These Especially, and some other) have bent their Pens so ve­hemently against the Pride and Vanity of womens Attyre, writing whole Tracts and long discourses about them, when now 'tis so perfectly out of fashion to deal upon these subjects, and our Pulpits so gene­rally [Page 51] silent, as scarce a Reproof can be heard in a year: Is it because this Sin is reform'd, and our Ladyes now a dayes grown more Modest and Christian, and so not properly taxable of the Vice? Ah no! I trow, our Enquire will find them ten times more guilty than ever were those in the Fathers dayes; Or what? have we not so great a Kindness and Zeal to the Women as they? and do we abate in care to their Souls? I pray God we have not too great a Kindness to them, for which they will Curse us another day. But when I hear St. Jerome so earnestly protesting to Demetrias, that no Rayment, Ornament, or Habit whatsoever would be accepta­ble to Christ, but what she made with her own hands, either for her own use, or to give unto her Grand-Mother, or Mo­ther; Exhorting her therefore that to es­chew Idleness (having performed her de­votion) she shall take in hand her Flax and Spindle, (as Dorcas) the better to pass the day away, and dress up her self in the Cloth of her own Spinning (and yet this Demetrias, a Lady of Fortune and Quality) I cannot but reflect on the i­dleness of our women, who would huff St. Jerome (were he now alive) for the ad­vice that should engage them to so tire­some [Page 52] a work; the good Father must ex­cuse them, these have somthing else to do than to Spend those tedious hours in so dull an Employ. Yet I remember a Note of Bishop Babington [upon Gen. 24. 13.] Where the Great Rebeccah came out with her Pitcher upon her shoulder to draw water—See (saith he) the simplicity and Plaineness of those dayes in the Education of their daughters; I beseech you, where were those Golden, Silken, Pearled, Idle Dames that our dayes yield, when Water-Pots, and Sheep-Hookes, were thought no hurter of wo­mens hands, by the very Parents themselves: Nay, Eliezer who was there arrived to fetch her away to be Wife to the best Heir then in the World, was so farr from liking her the worse, that it was the one­ly thing that recommended her to his Choice, and the Woman that could be so courteous and humble to draw water for himself and his Camels, would infal­lably make the best house wife for Isaack: When now, poor Girles surprised in an unperfect dress, or a foul pair of Gloves, are ready to sink down with fear and shame as if that were enough to brake off the match, not considering how far they impose on the folly & indiscretion of such Addres­sers, who should respect more the outward [Page 53] Niceties, than the inward Virtues, and Court rather the Cloaths than the Woman; when yet there is not the least pin stuck into head or heart towards a preparati­on for a better Husband who has told them beforehand that he will come when they little think on't, and commanded them therefore to be alwayes Ready, lest they be surprized by Him too, and found in such a pickle as will make him abhor them for ever. Indeed Tertullian hath ad­vized them to more wit, when he tells them, that if they would dress them in the Silk of Sincerity, the Sattin of Sanctity, and the Purple of Modesty, God himself would not fail to be a Suitor to them. Sir Thomas Moore once seeing a young Lady tricked up in the most excessive Curiosity of Attire, (and I was surpriz'd when I found that Cornelius a Lapide in his Com­ment on Timothy, has gotten the story by the end) Mistress, saith he, vnless God give you Hell for all this Pains and Labour of Dress; Verily He will do you great Inju­ry. But what said Old Plautus, A Wo­man and a Ship are never sufficiently rigg'd up: therefore, said he, if any Man want work or business for his mony, Let him get him a Ship or a Wife. Yet Plutarch tells us, that Phocian (the Athenian General) was Sin­gularly [Page 54] happy in this, who when a great Lady of Jonia came to Athens to pass a visit on her, and shew'd her all the Rich Jewels, and Precious stones of her Cabi­net; But saith this Lady, All my Riches, and Jewels, is my Husband Phocion. In­deed those Athenians were a politick Peo­ple, and car'd very little that their wo­men should bare away the spoiles of their Estate, who therefore had Officers on purpose who were to order the Appar­rel for women, and to take care that no one might wear any thing unbecoming her Place or Degree, and these were called Gyneconomi. A Committee that sate on the Female affayrs, to keep them in due Mo­deration and Order. Very much wanted in England. The like Power had the Ephori to correct the Spartan Extravagancies, and I confess the Laws of Licurgus (for youth especially) were so choice and remarkable, that the very reading of them would make us reflect on our own impudencies, when (as my Author tells me) the very young men of the City were reduced to so high a degree of Civility and Mode­sty, that passing through the Streets on their Lawful Occasions, they would wrap themselves up in their Cloaks, not stand prating to every one they met, nor Gaze [Page 55] up and down, but kept their very eyes fixt upon the ground; by which means, in a while, the masculine Sex excelled in all bashfulness and gravity, the very choi­cest perfections of the Feminine. Their Voices were no more heard, than if they had been Statues of Stone, neither were the young Damosels more chast in their Cham­bers, than were those young men as they walked in the Streets. And does not this make thee blush, Reader, to consider, the Rudeness, the Incivility, the Insolence, the the Wild and Immodest Gestures, and Deportment not of the Males only in our City, but the Loosness, the Staring and Ga­ping, the Idle and Dissolute Carriage of the very Virgins and Young Ladies who set themselves out on purpose to be pick't up, and Gaz'd on, and turn their back upon every passenger, as it were to tell him they are freely at his service. Not to speak now of the swarmes of these ex­ecrable prostitutes (the Plagues of the Town) that have every Night their seve­ral walks and appartments to ply in; you may find them as Solomon sayes, not in the Corner of the Streets onely, but thick in the very midst of them, and turning the whole City into a Stews. It were well if the like dispatch of some Ship-Loads [Page 56] of them were made to the Forraign Plan­tations, as in the time of the Usurper there was. And these too, glittering as so many Stars all over in the sparkles of St. Martins, the proper Lawful Dress of their Trade by the Lacedemonian-Law, who allowed none of these Gayities to a­ny but VVhores.

Nor can I but mention another most profitable Law of Licurgus, who ordain'd, that the young men of Sparta should have frequent meetings in some publick place, where they should Eat and Drink toge­ther for a mutual increase of acquain­tance and love; but when assembled, their chiefest discourses were ordain'd to be for the better contrivance and carrying on the prosperity and wellfare of the Ci­ty, on purpose (saith my Author) to avoid any idle or impertinent prattle; and when all finish'd, in due Order and Civility to depart each one to his proper home, and betimes too, without the Least Debauche­ry, by VVine, lest any notice should be taken of any disorder, in their passage home through the Streets (for Night was to be no mantle to vice, no more than the day had been) so as they were un­der an Excellent Government, they should take care to honour it by as honest a [Page 57] Carriage. What, Reader, does the Wil­derness bring forth better fruit than the Garden! We are every one striving for the Honour of the Church and the King­domes. Let us at least take Example by these Heathen, who surely were wiser in their Generation than we. Is debauchery and sottishness become the true methods of Honour to so incomparable a Govern­ment we lye under? and the roarings of our Taverns at midnight quite drown­ing the Anthems of our Church? Alas, when shall we begin with a faithful so­briety (with these Spartanes) to bring glo­ry to the Crown and the Miter, whose Honour we so passionately contend for, yet suffer its Jewels to swim away in our Spew, and then only to dispute for a Deci­pline, when we have lost our sences in the draughts of intemperance, and are not able to speak a plain word.

And further, they were so farr from Pomp of Apparrel, that no gain or en­crease of Estate could tempt them to so vain a Superfluity; they consulted the well-Ordering and Governing their Bo­dies, more than any Exteriour magnificent Clothing; and loved better to have Mo­ny in their Purses, than to lay it all out on their Backs. When thou knowest Rea­der, [Page 58] what a World of Byas'es, appear like Princes among us, yet carry all they have in the World about them, as He. Long-Coats and a Drivelling-Cloth, is the pro­per Demonstrative Garbe of a Natural, and is not unbecoming for him, who dres­ses himself up in his whole Estate, and has left not a peny to dine on, but is more ridiculous than Jack-Pudding, who dis­guises himself to get some. There was once a Gallant in a Velvet-Coat, and a Scarlet-Cloak over it, walking in Paul's, where finding himself very hungry, and over-hearing some others discourse of a Feast the Ironmongers held that day in their Hall, was glad of that News, and resolving to intrude amongst them: No sooner appear'd, then was courteously re­ceived and promoted by the Stewards to the best Seat at the Table, (as one they thought, who might formerly be of the Society▪ or at least descended from a Fa­ther that was, and now had done them the Honour to Grace them with His Worshipful Company) when Dinner was over, and he had lay'd well about him, and brisk'd up his Spirits with Wine: The chiefest of the Company (with whom he Convers'd) were at length so bold to desire him to discover himself, and what [Page 59] Relation he had to their Society: To whom he very merrily replyed. O a very near affinity to your Trade, for I my self am a Monger too. They pray him to explain what he meant. By my troth Gentlemen, since you must know, I am a Whore-Monger, and have wasted my Estate in my Voca­tion, so that wanting a Dinner, I suppo­sed the contiguity of our Callings might well entitle me to the Good Repast I I have found among you, and so I bid you adieu. I am afraid it will endan­ger most of the Societies in the City to provide for the mnltitudes of his Trade and Finery, (that stand in as great need of a Dinner as he) who are Breathing Vivifications of that notorious Truth. By means of an Whorish Woman, a Man is brought to a piece of Bread.

Among the Heresies, (August. de Heres.) that arose very early in the Church, there started out a Sect, called [the Paterni­ani] possibly the Spawn of the filthy Gno­sticks; whose opinion was, that the upper Parts of a mans Body were made indeed by God, but the lower Parts from the Girdle, they held was made by the De­vil; and very fond they grew of their fan­cy, which they thought gave them a Li­berty to do with the Devils part what [Page 60] they pleas'd, so long as they reserv'd the rest unto God. Who must excuse them if they imploy that (wherein he had no title) unto the service of the Devil and lust. 'Tis to be fear'd, this Heresie insensibly has crept in among us, and gotten too gene­rall an hold; and it were well, if it had not improv'd, and encroach'd beyond it's first limits; but, sure it seemes to battle here in it's own Ordure, and sport it self as in it's own Element. While it pre­sumes to invade the poor remains it has left unto God, and hardly left him an Eye or a Lip for his service. The Tongue (the Trumpet of his Honour) is now (as St. James said) set on fire of Hell, and and belching out the Infernal Vapours, with Aetna, as furiously as the Tayle is reaking with the smoak and steames of impurity and filth. And (which is most pitteous to behold) our very Ladies (so far, obeying the Apostle) yield the more abundant Honour to the less Honourable parts (which these Hereticks say, were made by the Devil, while they are grown so Universally careless of Gods, that (like a solitary Mansion) they desert it all Naked and Unfurnish'd, and leave it all Bare to shift for it's self as it can, and declare to all mankind how ready they [Page 61] are to surrender possession to the Devil. 'Tis pitty: Ladies should be Hereticks too, out their Naked Necks and Shoul­ders are undeniable Evidences of their A­postacy and Guilt: And acquaint us how little they fear'd that dreadful Judgment denounc'd against the wanton Dames of Syon (for the pride of their stretched-out Necks, and tinckling Feet) that they hold it a Judgment, if that Judgment be not frequently repeated upon them, while they are half underess'd already to it, and defie the worst that God or man can do against them.

Of Naked Necks and Shoulders.

AN Impudenee abominated by the ve­ry Light of Nature. No sooner (sayes Tertullian) did our first Parents per­ceive themselves Naked, but they sought out for some Covering, though a poor one: And the very Arabian Women (saith he) will rise up in Judgment against this Generati­on [Quod non caput modo, sed faciem quoque ita totam tegunt, ut uno oculo liberato, corte­atas sunt dimidia frui Luce, quam totam faciem prostituere] Who rather than they [Page 62] will prostitute the honour of their Coun­tenances to publick danger (much less their Necks and Shoulders) do furle them in their Mantles all over, and allow but a peeping-hole for one Eye to guide them in the way. The Roman Sulpicius was so far affronted to meet his wife in publick without her Vail, that he devorced her for that Impudence; so impossible did he think such a looseness could consist with Vertue, and she that departed from the Grace of her Modesty, must take leave of the Honour of his Bed too.

How have the the Primitive Fathers Thundred against this insufferable shame­lesness of bare Bodies, as if wholly irre­concileable to the reverence and severi­ty of the Christian Religion? Where is the Dispensation we have gotten for it in these days? Can our Ladies shew any? Lay down thy Pen, Tertullian, and pre­scribe no more Rules for Womens beha­viour and bashfulness. Here are a sort of things, called Christians of a new Form, that scorn thy Arguments to the (unfashi­onable) practice and exercise of Vertue, tho thou hast told them plain enough, That the nakedness of their Breasts is Adul­tery, and that it's possible such as go so, may be honest, but very few that see them believe [Page 63] it. And thou Father Jerome, who once most justly didst upbraid the loose Jovinian, for entertaining an Army of these new fashioned Amazons. [Habet in castro Ama­zonas viros ad Labadinem provocates, Mam­ma exerta & brachio Rado] Who with their naked Breasts strutting out, and Armes tuck'd up to the very shoulders, did in that posture, seem rather to challenge Combatants into the Fields of Ʋenus, than make any shew of fighting vnder the Banner of a Crucified Sa­viour. Let that passion cease now (holy Father) for he has gotten all the World into his Camp; Who will make thee know, Christianity can connive at those Libertinisms, indulge against those Severi­ties thy froward Spirit did ever abound with. And why hast thou rail'd against bare Necks, As the flames that comsumed Youth, the Incentives of Lust, and the never failing Ensignes of an Impudent Mind? What a storm wilt thou raise over thy sacred Head, and provoke thy excellent Volumes to be doom'd to the fire, their holy Leaves to be sacrificed to the humour of Womens Pride? And what was thy Project (incomparable Chrysostome) to enter those Lists with the Ladies of thine Antioch, Who dared to sit down under the droppings of thy slowing Lips, and [Page 64] the showres of thine Eloquence, with their naked Bodies, as if they design'd to debauch the Purity of thy holy Affecti­ons and Soul! Oh what a Storm did thy fiery Zeal raise to set them in a trem­bling! What, do ye come hither into the House of God as to a Play? Do you come into the Sanctuary of your Maker to make your Conquests here? And here to satisfy your Sensuality? Do you approach hither to attaque even God too? What, does all this People, this soft and wanton delicacy, this affected nakedness become the estate and con­dition of such who could have mercy for their Sins? Are these the Dispensations and Postures of Mourners and Penitents?—Surely the bloud of their Hearts started up into their Face and Necks, and all purpled their very shoulders, when the astonishing Thunder fell upon them! But yet, why (Golden Father) wast thou so un-Courtly and down-right to tell those Naked Dames, that the very Devil sate up­on their very Shoulders, and Pearch'd him­self upon the little Mounts of their ex­posed Breasts, hopping as a Bird from one to tother, and greatly pleasing himself with the Rayes they had set out for him. Sure thine ayme was to affright them out of their sins. But alas, all this will not [Page 65] do, tho they might well be scar'd out of their Wits, with the very thought of ha­ving a Devil in their Bosomes. It were endless Reader, to gather up the Testi­monies of Writers both Ancient and Mo­dern, whose Ardency and Zeal for the happiness of those, (who, God knows, are all dead and cold to their own) seems alas, now very perfectly quench'd by the inundation of the Sin and Impu­dence, They so passionatly Damned, that the whole Church through all the World seems totally to despair of redress, or any tolerable Reformation, and betakes it self (with Jeremy) to weep in secret for the Pride of those Franticks, leaving God (if he will) to work Miracles upon their mi­serable Souls, since themselves can effect no Good in the well and modest ordering their Bodies and Habits.

Yet to these Primitive Fathers, I shall add the sence of two or three of our Mo­dern Divines, and shew my Reader how fully they accord with the former. How many (says Reverend Downeham) do openly profess their inward uncleanness, by laying open to the common view, their naked Breasts, as tho it were a Bill affixed to the dore posts, to signify to the passers by, that within that place dwells an unclean Heart, and that whosoever [Page 66] will, may there buy Honesty and Chastity at an easy rate. [On Hosea 2. 2.] And ano­ther on the same Text. Whores use to dis­cover their filthiness much in their Breasts, either in the Nakedness of their Breasts, or in those Ornaments they hang about them. Reverend Mr. Perkins hath powred out a flood of Zeal, were it possible to drown this madness. ‘The end of Attire is to hide the shameful Nakedness of the bo­dy from the sight of men; why then are Garments made of such a fashion as that the Neck and Breasts may be left for a great part uncovered? But such Per­sons as these do hereby express the Va­nity and lightness of their Minds: What do they else but even display and manifest unto Men and Angells their own shame and ignominy? Nay, what do they else, but glory in that, which is by the just judgment of God reproachful unto them? Let all those that fear God and are humbled in consideration of their Sins, be otherwise affected’ —Reader, scorn not the Testimony of this holy Man from the plainess of his words. The name of Mr. Perkins is contemptible to none but such as want his humble Spirit.

Come Ladies, what is your opinion of these Holy Fathers? Sure you cannot re­proach [Page 67] them as Sectaries or Phanaticks, who conspire to bring all the world under their Girdle, as you think. You hear how bold­ly they have declared against the very Sin you practise and plead for: Whose words believe you, will stand the Test ano­ther day, theirs or yours? the Vice is the same now, as it was in the Ages they lived in, and the danger from it the same. What ever prejudice you may idlely entertain (from the sad distraction of a divided Church) against the present Wit­nesses and Ministers of God. Sure I am, you can righteously harbour none against these Eminent Persons (the very Glory and Flowers of Christianity) whose Piety and Memory all the Churches upon Earth meritoriously Celebrate. Who dare to re­trieve you from the sentence they have passed against your folly? Consult any worthy Divine of your acquaintance in the present Age, and see whether he do differ in Judgment from these: If I have pro­duc'd these few, He will offer you ten times as many to corroborate the strength of the Evidence. Do but put the question home with earnest and hearty desire to be resolv'd—whether such a Guise or Fashion becomes the Gravity of a Christian woman, that really hopes to be saved, and would glorify God in her life to that end? [Page 68] I have so much confidence in the fideli­ty of any true servant of Jesus, that in this he will faithfully discharge his duty to his Master, and your Souls, and deliberately tell you, that not this cursed custom on­ly, but a great many more that abound in your sex, are perfectly inconsistent with the very temper and Holiness of those Laws and Religion from which they de­rive the means and hopes of a future Happiness. The truth is, their appears so Universal a Degeneracy (in this Age) from the ancient foundation of piety and practise that Adorned and Gilded the Generations of old: That if mighty Al­lowances from the first Austerity, be not granted to our present weakness, there may be but cold hopes for the best of Profes­sors. And how far one may prudently venture an Eternal Soul on the presump­tion that God will allow of those Licen­ces we give our selves (which himself has no where revealed his pleasure to Tole­rate, and his best Servants declare that he never will), I must tell you, may make you tremble to think on what ever other profession you make, which the greater it is, the more honour should you give it by an evangelical humility and self-denying Spirit, Adorning the Doctrine of God your Saviour in all things. And I [Page 69] direct this especially to the most retire and solemn reflections of your rational Soul to consider of and apply: sure I am, we are so far from the complexion of the primitive Christians, that neither our Faces, nor our Breasts, nor our Hearts, nor our Habits, nor our Practises are the same. If the Gospel call to the profes­sing women, to Apparrel themselves in conformity, to the modesty and simplicity of those that trusted in God in time of old: if those under the Law send out their Cryes to you under the Gospel to be Civil and Holy, to be Meek and Chast; and you can Eccho back again to them that you are so, and professors under both are found clad but in the same Livory, this will be your Glory indeed, and a Blessed Uniformity. But should you make the Gospel to Vary in its Fashions, and to be as inconstant in its precepts, as you are in your fidelity to them; this will look but very ill, and the God who for­merly would not abide his Spouse to be clad in a Linsey-Woolsey-Coat, (Levit. 19. 19.) will very hardly be prevail'd on to ap­prove an Obedience of more Natures and Colours than that. To speak plain, the Modern Apostacies may not expect the reward of the first Faithfulness. Nor can [Page 70] the Attire and Spirit of an Harlot look to pass with the same approbation as that of a Chast and Pure Virgin. Remember, 'tis the Wedding-Garment of Fidelity & Love can alone secure you from being expuls'd with shame and confusion from the Deli­cacies of the Marriage Supper: the Har­ [...]otry Dresse will have no Acceptation there. Do you know this, Ladies, and will you adventure your Immortal Spi­ [...]its under so formidable hazards; as (if duely consider'd) would make your very Souls shake with far greater trembling, then do your quivering Shoulders under the persecution of the blustering Winds? When the unfortunate Thamar so freely [...]ass'd to the Bed of Amnon, shee had let­ [...]e Jealousy that her steps posted her to the violent Gripes of a Ravisher, who was sick and uneasy untill he had per­fectly ruin'd her; and when he had done it, had little ease too, nor Glory from the Spoiles of her Honour: And are not these cursed Vanities as so many Ravish­ers, that fall foul on, and violate your Virgin affections from God, while some of you ignorantly believe there is little [...]anger in those fatal haggs; and others of you consent heartily to them, and wipe off from Amnon the guilt and dishonour [Page 71] of the Rape, till at last having marr'd you from ever partaking of the felicities of the Celestial Nuptials, he first bolt you out from his own embraces, and the shame confine you to a desolate Estate, with the mournful Thamar, sitting sad and solitary, in some melancholly corner of her Bro­ther Absoloms House?

But happy were you, if in a provi­dent foresight of so Tyrannous Cruelty, you would presently do, what she did too late: Rend your Gawdy Coats, and put ashes on your heads, and cry for revenge to Heaven against Pride, the Deflowrer of your Souls: your undressing from va­nity would be so profitable a Nakedness, that were you to walk up and down in the Raggs your Repentance had rent into Tatters, the shame would be infinite Glo­ry, if weigh'd with the confusion that will one day surprise you for the guilt of your insufferable Impudence and Folly.

When the Israelitish Dames gave Aa­ron their Jewels to make them a God with, Holy writ (descanting on that Act) saith, that thereby he had made them Naked to their Shame. But was this Nakedness from the want of an Neck-Lace or an Eare-Ring? Alas no, they had put off a God to put on a Beast, and turned their Glory [Page 72] into the Similitude of a Calf that eateth hay. And those who shall undress from their Strength above, and strip off the Spirit of Glory, that would rest upon them, to prank themselves up in the beauties of Created Lustre, and shine, shall find their Shoulders as Naked as yours, bare on purpose to receive the lashes of Vengeance, which the Executioner, Justice, will lay on with severity, and mercilesly multiply up­on them.

But, Ladies, why is Mary Magdalen set out in the Gospel (the most notorious Example of sin and Grace) but to let you know, that her new Lover (who had set into Joynt her broken Soul, and cag'd up her wandring affections in his own Bosome) is as ready to Act miracles for you too, and discover to you the Charms of a Saviour, which a Legion of other Pre­tenders can never pretend to Court you with. And though your Innocency suggest that you stand in less need of his favour than She, yet if Scriptures convince you there are Adulteries of the Breast, which you repeat every day, and others of the Eye and Heart which you tempt your Admirers, to as frequent guilt of, I fear you will want little less weight of Sope to wash away your Crimes with; and while they [Page 73] wear the Crimson Dye, will require the very Heart Blood of a God to whiten you into Snow.

And so far as you rest unconvinc'd of their Danger, so long are you still unhumbled for their Guilt, and by the same distance kept from the means of a Recovery; so that while the grose­ness of her Lewdness, the festring of her Sores, spur'd her on to hasten after re­medy and ease, your Dead Flesh (for want of Anguish) insencibly betray's you to hugg your disease, that (as some drilling consumptions) still flatters you on into hopes of life; when (God knows) the staring out of your Shoulder-bones, tell all the World how near the poor Skelleton hastens into Dust, and the Spirit within it unto Judgment.

Yet (ere you go) Contemplate on Her who so pittied her self, that Seven Devils could not keep her from addressing a Saviour, (and if you would cover your Necks, you might be welcome too, for ought I know); but should you appear in His presence in the lascivious garb you commonly present your selves abroad in, His Glorious Purer Eyes (that cannot endure to behold Iniquity, and are as a flame of Fire) would doubtless flash out wrath and [Page 74] death into your shameless hearts, whose Vanity promps you to so profligate a dress, as would infinitely incense even the meek­est Spirit of Jesus, who yet was condis­cending enough to the meanest of your sex in the decorums of decency, and due prostration, of humility, and a mortified sence of their wants. And though the poor Syrephaenician was a little roughly handled at first, yet the Dog was not sent away with Crums only, but carried home with her the whole Loaf of Mercy.

History tells us of Pope Benedict the E­leventh, the Son of a Peasant (and a Ca­tholick is my Author) his Mother being brought unto him, in a Rich and Sump­tuous Habit, with hopes of being more gratefully received, by the splendid ap­pearance she made before him; he turn­ing away his Eyes, said, He could not ac­knowledg that Woman for his Mother: but afterwards returning in her Rustick Attire, he then acknowledged her, and yeilded her all the Rights of a good Son. And surely He, who rejecting all the glittering Ladies of the Earth, Re­spected the low Estate of a poor Hand-maid, Consecrating her Virgin Womb, (the dressing-House wherein he Swath'd him­self up into Humanity) first into a San­ctuary [Page 75] for His Honour, for Nine whole Months together, and afterwards Bles­sed Her Breasts that gave him Suck, hath thereby proclaim'd to all the World how far his Sacred Heart prefers the Humble Cells of a pure and Virtuous Mind, before all the Tapsteries of State, and the painted Breasts of the Flaunting Gallants, who, (as Father Chrysostome says) are rather the Lodges of Devils, than a Saviour.

Alas Ladies, His Holy Eyes have been feasted with the Glorious Prospects of Triumphing Virgins, Courting the ve­ry Torturing Flames, to uncloath them into Spirit and Immortallity, wherein they might enjoy their Dearest Lord, while himself has kindly descended into the Fiery Chariot to them, to drive with greater ease these welcome Guests into their Eternal Palaces. While alas you are so far from the Ambition of being Clothed upon with that House which is from Hea­ven, that you will not cloath your Earth­ly Tabernacle into that Decency and Ho­ly Form as might invite him to mark it up for an Habitation of his Spirit.

And if you will not Sacrifice a Lust to the Glory of his Cross, how would you Sacrifice your Flesh to it? And if [Page 76] you will not throw off a vain and con­demned Custome by all the Holy Saints in the world, how would you put on the Pitch'd-Coat of Martyrdome, which Ne­ro clapt on the backs of the more faithful Adorers of the Blessed Jesus, to make them burn the better in; That was [Tu­nica molesta] the Troublesome Coat in­deed unto them. When you cry out for the liberty of your shoulders, because it makes for your ease, They were con­tented to double their Torments, and va­lued not to be scalded as well by the pitch, as the Flames?

With trembling and horrour may you remember the Great Redeemer hanging Naked upon the Cross, That very Na­kedness rendering his Death doubly sor­rowful and shameful to him, while the rude Souldiers were unconcernedly sport­ing themselves in dividing his Garments among them, and throwing Dice for his seamless Vesture. And must you Ladies, needs Crucifie him afresh, and put him to a second shame? make him blush to see your Nakedness, and seem as little con­cern'd for his as your own; his shame and your own sin, but alike affecting your insencible hearts. And if one end of his being Crucified Naked, was to Re­deem [Page 77] you to the Blessing of a decent Dress, from which the first Adam had strip­ped you, why will you frustrate that part of the Redemption, and leave your selves Naked in so great a part, since himself has purchased Vestures for you, when his own was inhumanely rent from his Shoul­ders?

The pittiful plea of Custome for it, will drop as Adams Figg-leaves did, when his great Maker Summon'd him to give Account wherefore he had made himself Naked and Miserable, since he had Cre­ated him so perfect and happy. And (sure I am) those who prefer a Naked­ness, (the shameful fruit of sin) before the blessing of a modest clothing, (the purchase of a Saviours blood) will short­ly tremble as Adam, as well for the shame they chuse to themselves, as the despite they do to the Saviour.

And had you that Scarfe of Innocence, which graced the Breasts of your first Mo­ther, the Fathers might have spared their Zeal, and rather have envied your Glo­ry: but because she has bared your shoul­ders by her folly, and brought in the curse of Nakedness upon you, 'twould be madness in you to hugg the curse, by con­tinuing that Nakedness still, when you [Page 80] know how contented she was, to hide her, though but with a Beasts-Skin.

But Ladies, shall I send you to the Royal-Exchange, where a greater than an Angel, has kept open shop for these Six­teen Hundered years and more, and has incomparably the best choice of every thing you can ask for. And because he sells the best peny-worths, Himself con­descends to call, What do yee lack, what do yee buy; and advises you to buy of him. Lord, Hast thou any Mantoes for Ladies, made after thine own Fashion, which shall cover all their Naked Shoulders, & Breasts, and Necks, and adorn them all over? Where are they? Revel. 3. 18. Brings them forth. There they are, Ladies, and cheap too, at your own Price, and will wear for ever; with this good property, That they thoroughly prevent the Shame of your Nakedness from appearing: And if you stoutly pass away, and take them not with you (if there be a God in Heaven) you'l pass Naked into Hell to all Eternity.

Of Painting and Black Patches:

THough the Face of the Creati­on hath its variations of Pros­pect and Beauty, by the alter­nate intermixtures of Land and Waters, of Woods and Fields, Meadows and Pastures, God here mounting an Hill, and there sinking a Vale, and yonder le­velling a pleasant Plain; Designedly to render the whole more delectable, ravish­ing and acceptable to the eyes of men; (could they see his Wonders in the Land of the Living) that he might reap the more free & generous Tributes of Thanks­giving, and Cheerful Celebration of his Goodness in the Works of Wonder. Yet hath he no where given us more admirable expressions of his Infinite Power and Wis­dom than in the little Fabrick of mans Bo­dy, wherein he hath contrived to Sum up all the Perfections of the Greater, that lye here and there scattered about. Nor is it possible for the heart of man with all its considerative Powers to adore e­nough the Transcendencies of his Divine Hand, in the Perfections that he bears a­bout him. But amongst them all, omit­ting the curious contexture of the whole [Page 82] Frame, raising it up into a stately structure to survey onely the Glories of the Face, and the admirable Graces that God has lodged in each Feature of it, and then to remember how many Millions of them have passed through his hands already, flourished out with a perfect diversity of Appearance, every one discernably vary­ing from all the rest in different Feature and Meene, and yet every one excellently agreeing with all in the same Identity of Aspect. All this variegated Work mira­culously performed within the compass of a Span, to let us see what a God can do when (as the wise Potter) he turneth his Wheel, and molds Nature into Infinite Ideas and Formes. And though now and then grimness and crabedness find residence in some Faces, (Providence foreseeing the necessity of Martial Countenances as well as Spirits; Which History tells us the Romans ever did usually wear, or put on; That the slash of their eyes as Light­ning, might accompany the Thunder of their Arms, & both together strike despair and death into their Enemies hearts. And one of their Emperours was of so very frightful a Visage, that Speed a Countrey­man of our own tells us, it was as bad as High-Treason to stand staring on him, [Page 83] which was ever an affront to the terrour of his Face) yet are these Rough and impolished pieces but rare, and perhaps necessary too, to set off the Beauties of all the rest. (The soiles of Nature have theirs Place and Office, (like a Fair Lady keep­ing her Black) The Bantum courser Skins and Features, have not I fear, Rea­der, raised in thee so praise-ful a Soul for the more Liberal Graces of their Creator to the Nations of thy Climate, and thy self. Who might have cast us all into the same Mold with them; If our eyes gazed on their deformity with astonishment, why do not our hearts reflect on our own Frame with admiration of the Makers Goodness, and our own unthankfulness. Some Historians would fain have us owe the Blessings of the Gospel to that Provi­dence which brought some English Children into the Markets of Rome to be sold. Be­ing carried before the then Pope, who (examining them of their Countrey) was told they were Angels. Yea Angels rather, quoth the good Father, and it were a pity such should go to Hell. And those that were so happy to be born at Deira, must be delivered (de ira Dei) from Gods wrath. And forthwith (say they) he dispatched the Messengers of Salvation to [Page 84] us. Indeed we are happy in good faces, but very miserable in ill hearts. Now if God has stuck this loveliness on the Male Cheek, what has he done on Female? What Glories? What Transcendences of them? What adorable Perfections of Art hath he shown, in the drawing those Line­aments which are the stupifaction of An­gels and Men. Beauty, when attended on by Vertue, Create Women very Angels on Earth; when corrupted by Vice, degene­rates them into Devils of Hell. Which hath not triumphed in the Infinite Spoiles of mean and vulgar Affections onely (that is their every dayes Tyranny & Sport) un­spirited almost the whole Creation; But such as have dragged after them very Crowns and Scepters into absolute vassa­lage and Chains. The proudest Jewels of the Diadem have humbly vaild to stick themselves in the more Imperial Bosom of a Woman, the Sparkles of her eye have out dazled all their shine. Solomon in all his glory thought himself happy in being Knight of the most Honourable Order of the Gar­ter, & spun out the very Bowels of his Luxu­riant Wit into golden Threds to make Ca­nopies for his Queens to sit under. Nay so strong the Charmes of these Syrens, that a Veil must shroud them up in the Sanctu­ary, [Page 85] least (as some have thought) the very Angels (who hover there) should be surprized by their Eyes, and they chance make their victories over then too. And yet Reader, after all the Royalties which the Bountiful Heart and Hand of a Creator hath exceeded in, towards them; After all the Largesses, in so profuse a Treasure, of his choicest Graces; All the Perfections of those rare Draughts of his own Divine Hand upon them▪ These unhappy Daugh­ters of Eve (who, as St. Isidore thinks, was Cloathed with Lustre, as with a Gar­ment, before she fell) must dream of yet higher Perfections then what their wise Creator hath stamped upon them: The proud Ambition of these unsatisfied Crea­tures is not terminated in the issues of his Wise and excellent Work; They must be making their Essays too, and impudent­ly correcting the Lines of their Maker. Thus you shall have them consulting the Mirror, and making a narrow scrutiny in­to every point of their Faces, to hunt after Imperfections, where none are apparent, and have a mind to pick quarrels with the Complexion that God himself sees very Good. Here is not enough of the Lilly, there not of the Rose, but here and there too much of either. And every where is [Page 86] needed a new dash of their own Hand. Should an eminent Limner (sayes a Fa­ther) who had done his utmost to shew his skill in the drawing a Figure with his most deliberate and exquisite hand, and brought it to the Perfection himself desi­red, find some pitiful Ignorant besoyling his Work, and mixing in his dawbing Co­lours with his own (Pictor sacre excundes­ceret, (thinks the Father)▪

Into what Choler and Passion would such an affront throw the brave Artist! And is God less skilful than the Limner▪ The first we find at this Work was? Ma­dam Jezebel (not but that it had been an old practice (very early) among those Daughters of Men, Gen. 6. 2.) But she bears away the honour of the first Publication of this unsufferable Insolence, and is Chroni­cled the great Marrer of her Makers Work.

She was a Lady well fitted with an Hus­band, to her Humour, That as Ahab, there was none so bad. And he a Prince as e­qually suited with a Wife, for then Jeza­bel, there could none be worse. What a Condition, Reader, was the poor Church in that Reign, whose Priests were shrunk all into one Elijah, and whose people so scared into Corners, that one Prophet knew not where to find any, and was af­fraid, [Page 87] that himself surviv'd the onely Faithful One to God in all Israel, and his life sought after too, by the most narrow inquisition? O Praise God for the Liber­ties thou enjoyest from the Tyrannies of Idolatry. And pray for the Prince that shelters thee from them.) For in those days all Israel went Whoring with Jeze­bel, and painted their Countenances (with her) into the Hypocritical Mum­meries of Baalisme, till that one Pro­phet washed off the Paint from their faces, with the very Blood of her 450 Chaplains, and a little restored them to their right hew and Complexion again. Such an in­fluence had a painting Queen to sophisti­cate the very face and Profession of the true Religion, and dress it up all into black patches with her self. Nay the ve­ry Scantling of God, the poor 7000 that were a little more couragious then the whole cringing Multitude, and who had no Knees for Baal, were fain to daub too, and made little appearance for God, they mufled their Faith in the dark Clouds of obscurity, and passed their visits to Heaven with Nicodemus by night; While they bore a fair shew to Jezebel all the day.

What was this but Painting too? And [Page 88] though Ahab was fleet enough to run him­self out of Breath into ruine. Yet does his Wife put a Spur on his Heele, and passes him, through the back door of Nabths Vineyard, a shorter cut into Hell. While her self shortly after fol­lows him thither, and gets her passage quickned as fast as ever the Horses Heels could do it, whose Feet tramp­led out her miserable Guts, and scorned any further Execution, but left the Car­case to the Dogs. And it is observa­ble, that those were somewhat sque­mish too, for her Hands wherewith she used to daub on her Paint, so dread­fully stunck on't, that the very Dogs loaths them and left them untouch'd— This is that Jezebel.

Of whose wicked Trade & practice of Painting, The Fathers have not been backward to inform us. Its first Paren­tage and Rise, others besides St. Cyprian have derived from the very Devils in hell, Apostate-Angels; Docuerunt occulos circum­ducto nigrore Fucare; genas mendacio rubo­ris inficere, &c. The very Devils (saith he) first taught the use of Colouring the Eye-brows, and clapping on a false and lying Blush on the Cheeks, so also to change the very natu­ral Colour of the Hair, and to adulterate [Page 89] the true and Naked Complexion of the whole Head and Face, with those cursed Impo­stures; (and again) God hath said, Come let us make man after our own Image. And does any one dare to alter or correct what he hath made? They do but lay violent hands upon God, while they strive to mend or reform what he hath so well finished already. Do they not know that the Natural is Gods, but the Ar­tificial is the Devils? Dost not thou tremble; (saith he in another place) to Consider, That at the Resurrection thy Ma­ker will not acknowledge thee as his own Crea­ture? He will then say, This Creature is none of my Framing. Where is my Image? No, no, Here is a new Complexion clapped on the Skin. She hath adulterated her very Hair too, and [...]er whole Face; The very figure of it is Corrupted [Vultus alienus est] It is quite another Countenance. Canst thou be so Impudent to look on God with those Eyes which are so different from those himself made, and are now so marred by the Devil? Get thee hence, thou wast but a follower of the De­vil, thou hast the very Red and Glozing eies of the Serpent in thine head; as thou hast been thus Corrupted by the Devil, so now get there into Hell-Fire with him. Thus that excellent Father,

St. Jerome seconds him, Quod facit in [Page 90] faciae Christianae Purpurissum Cerussa, &c. What makes the White or Red Varnish, and Paint in the Face of a Christian? Whereof one sets a false dye and lying Tincture on her Cheeks and Lips, the other an Hypocrital Fairness on her Neck and Breasts, and all this onely to inflame young and wanton Affections, to blow up the Sparks of Lust, and to shew what an whorish and impudent Heart dwells within those daubed Walls? How can such an one weep for her Sins, when the very tears would wash away the Colours, and discover the Cheat? The very falling down of them would make long Furrows on her Face? The Painting the Face is the deforming of Gods I­mage and Workmanship, and is most damna­ble, saith another. But let those that are ugly and deformed, rather endeavour to fix a Grace on their Persons, by the lovely exer­cises of vertue, then think to repair themselves by the stinking Collusions of Paint: (saith a­nother) If we are Commanded to endeavour not our own onely, but Neighbours Salvation [quomodo fucis licebit uti, qui sunt Gladii, Venena, & ignes Juvenum aspectantium] with what conscience can men use Painting and false Dye, which are as so many Swords, Poisons, and Flames to burn up the Beholders, Saith Peter Martyr. The French have a good Lituny, De trois choses Dieu nous garde, [Page 91] &c. From Beef without Mustard, a Servant which overvalues himself, and from a Woman which Painteth, Good Lord deliver us▪

To what purpose are those Garments so Pompous, Those Stuffs so Costly, Those Gui­zes so sought after, Those Colours so Fanta­stick, so shameless, Those Curles so extrava­gant, those Patches so abominable, unless it be to Cut the Throat of Chastity, says ano­ther.

Lewis the Eleventh, King of France in his Melancholly Humour, strongly fancied, That every thing stunk about him, all the odoriferous Perfumes, or fragrant Savours his officers could get for him, did by no means drive away the conceit, but still he smelt a filthy stink. And surely all the Per­fumes of Arabia, (the united Sweets of the whole Creation) Reader, were they gathered into Bags, and hung under their Armholes, will never take away the rank­ness and fulsomness of those unsavoury Creatures, who stink alive, as they move about, infecting the very Air, and bring­ing Plagues upon us, Nauseous Fumes into the very Nostrils of God, and his Holy Angels. I could collect an Ʋniversity of Writers that have all damn'd this impu­dent and graceless practice to the Pit of Hell, but I hasten from the scent of them. [Page 92] For I begin already to feel the power of Lewis his Imagination arising from my very Pen, and am affraid I have mistaken the Complexion-pot for my Standish.

But hold! to what purpose is all this daubing and smearing the Face, that is so pretty already? What do the Ladies mean by it? What is their end? Why, to ap­pear desirable, and to win the repute of a Celebrated Beauty. A glorious Conquest! (yet not half so fine, as the aiery Lady Carnation that bears the Name, which God himself has Painted in the Garden.) But is this all the Plot? Can those Ruby Cheeks be satisfied with the Aiery▪ Bloomes of Re­port, and Reputation? Wind is but a poor repast for an Hungry Stomack, sure there is something more at the bottom. Yes, to win a Gallant; very well, and what then? Will one content her? Will she leave daubing then? No, then she daubs to keep him. But this is uncharitable, can­not an honest Lady Paint? Ask God him­self, Ezech. 29. 40. Thou washest thy self, and paintest thine eye, and deckest thy self with ornaments, to what end? And sitteth upon a Bed (In a readiness against the Lo­ver come in) Will she now commit Whore­dom, Verse 43. That is, without doubt▪ They went in unto her, Verse 44. And there is the [Page 93] depth of the Plot, and what a matter have you ferretted out? True indeed! no such matter of wonder now adays, if we consult my Lord of Hereford, who plainly tells us, they are so far from hiding the Plot, that these painted Jezebels enter into the very Houses of the (Married) Gallants, Where their poor Wives are forced to lock them­selves up, and cry to God against them with bitter tears. So while the whole Congregation were mourning before the Lord (on a very humiliation day) pouring out their brinish tears for the Whoredoms they had committed with the Cursed Danghters of Moab, even then comes an Insolent Prince of Israel, Zim­ri, with his Painted Whore in his hand, flanting it impudently, into the Seat of her Gallant, in the very Sight of all the People, she not affected with the least shame, nor he with the least sence of the Plague that (in that very moment) was raging iu the Camp. Which Insolence was so insufferable, that God stirred up the spirit of Phineas by a sudden inspirati­on to act execution upon them both, and under the very guilt to dispatch away their filthy Souls unto Judgment. And for these Zimries and Cozbe, Great and Imperious Prostitntes, to be thus shameless [Page 95] in a time, when the Plagues of God are multiplied so thick upon us, that we can­not tell, whether the next blow may not be the sealing up of our utter destruction, and the whole Nation so sick as it seems near to an expiration, fetchi [...]g its sad and long broken and fainty Breaths, At such a time, for these Moabitish Wenches sent in on very purpose to ruine us with their bewitching eyes and Painted Cheeks, and Gallanting it so shamelesly in our streets, this I confess, England, looks like the kind­ly effects of the Execrable Councel of the Sorcerer, who knows no other way to confound us, but by Whores.

VVhose Black-Patches, are but our Blew ones, and the very Tokens of Death upon us; Toll the Bell, Sexton, and get the Graves ready, for the doleful crie of the Fatal Carter, calling to us; Bring out your Dead, Bring out your Dead, is sounding in our streets. VVhile these Infectious Pestilences, vvith the very Spots of con­tagion upon them are suffered to rove up and dovvn (as you knovv it is the very Nature of the Disease so enviously to breath out its killing blasts, upon every face it meets vvith) and not an Officer zea­lous enough to confine 'em to their Lodg­ings (for prevention of further mis­chief) [Page 96] and to charge them to prepare for their Graves.

And methinks the Mourning Coach aud Horses (all in black) and plying in their Foreheads, stands ready harness'd to whirl them to Acheron, though I pity poor Cha­ron for the darkness of the Night; since the Moon on the Cheek is all in Ecclipse, and the poor Stars on the Temples are clouded in Sables. And no Comfort left him but the Lozenges on the Chin, which if he please he may pick off for his Cold; But will find as little comfort in them, as they that wore them, and lesser in the whole voyage, when opening their mouths, he shall find no Silver there for his Fare, and will disco­ver them (as we) but Patches still.

But what! am I playing with the Pen­dants of their Herse, and profanely spor­ting, while the miserably Dead are hawling into Hell! Let me bleed my heart out ra­ther for them. While the very Cosins of the proud Daughters of Jerusalem swim in the River of my Saviours Tears, because his Sighs were too weak to blow off their Spots.

Tertullian, in a prospect of these and o­ther their infinite Vaneties cryed out, (Turtul de Habit Mulier) O Mortuae & Dam­natae Mulieris Impedimenta quasi ad pompam [Page 96] Funeris, constituta. What are all these but the Baggage of a Dead Creature, and alrea­dy Damned prepared for the Pomp of her Fu­neral into Torments.

For how desperate must the condition of those be, who have wip'd away the Gra­ces of the Regenerating Laver that once beautified their Faces with the vertues of that Holy Water which issued from the Crucified Saviours Wounds, to Baptise themselves with the unsavoury Ʋnctions of the Devils preferring and devoting their persons preserving them the more unaltera­bly to his service. Whose Cursed Interests they are so superstitiously bigotted to, that (like the late Plotters) they receive the Sacrament every day, and Crucifie the Church not by their Apostacies onely, but Heresy too.

And because the Holy offerings of God by special Command were to be without Spot their politick Master, to ensure their Reprobation, has bespotted them all over, and marked them up for his own Work­manship (as well knovving the Priest of Heaven at a distant discovery of those prohibited Blemishes, would rather sacri­fice those to the wrath of his God, that should dare present these Leopards to the Altar. VVho wearing on them the badges [Page 97] of Hell, are yet so far from the shame of that horrid Relation, that they are first secured from the Grace of blessing, and so well seasoned to the Sodomitical Impu­dence, that while the Show of their Counte­nance does witness against them, they are proud to declare their Sin and Master.

VVhat Magical Rods have charmed our unfortunate Isle into the woful product of such speckled and spotted Cattel, as these? Sure I am, they are not the natural issue of our fair and beautiful Clymate. Stow tells us in his Chronicle, That from one Spa­nish Ewe brought over and placed among other Sheep, there followed so strange a Murrain that most of the Flocks of En­gland dyed. And is there no danger in these Ring-streaks? Jude informs us what a plague the coming in of some black Sheep (that were all Spots) proved to the poor Flock of Christ that fed among them; and are not these the very bane of Religion professed by us, the very open enemies to the Purity and Peace of the Gospel?

The Immaculate Lamb, who bled him­self to death, to scour away filth with the Drops of his heart, that he might make a present to himself of a Glorious Church, with­out wrinkle or Spot, or any such thing, but ho­ly and without Blemish, and offered himself [Page 98] without Spot unto God, to that end, and who does dotes on the Beauty of her that is all Fair, and has no Spot in her, hath Com­manded us to be found without Spot and Blemish. And though these Creatures fan­cy the Scripture-spots to be of a deeper stain than theirs, yet even theirs are not the Spots of Gods Children, but such as (the Fathers assure them) were first invented by the Devil, who hath stuck them faster to their hearts than their Foreheads, (in their love and delight in them) That they will stab once more, even Jesus him­self, with the Speer of this madness, and throw the very Spittle, (that sticks on these Pa [...]ches) into the face of God again, ra­ther than be prevailed with, to cast them away, no, not for the sake of his Blood: And if that powerful charm hath no Effi­cacy to unseal their (I fear judiciously) obdurated hearts, (yet they can melt into Luxury fast enough) What effect can I look for from my weak and contemptible Ink? Let them know though, (even All) w [...]ose painted and spotted faces bear an Eye (yet) able to light them to the rea­ding of this very Paragraph, That One of their Sex, (whose Repentance I fear, they will not imitate, whose Felicity therefore they can never hope to attain to) will [Page 99] certainly, confront them in the day of the great Judgment (whose exemplary Peni­tence cannot operate them to the same bleeding remorse, (no not the shadow of it, that so passionately afflicted her graci­ous Soul) The great Lady Paula, who un­der the lighter guilt of a rare and infre­quent practice of these Fooleries in the days of her ignorance, with Floods of bit­ter Tears and heart breaking Sobs and Groans, so continually bewayled her Sin to her Maker, that St. Jerome her Confessor, who himself tells us the Story [a nobis ad­monitur, ut panceret oculis] in a tender compassion to her very eyes, was forced to use arguments to begg her to spare them. No, no, (saith she) That Face that so often hath been Painted contrary to the Command of God, does justly deserve to be all befould with tears. That Body must be chastened a while on which I have spent so much time in in tricking it up. I have been merry long e­nough, 'tis high time to betake me to weeping: Now my fine Linnen, and Silks and Orna­ments, are very fit to be changed into Haircloth. I that have made it my business to please my Husband, and follow the Fashions of the World, now should endeavour e [...] approve my self to my Saviour.

And never while the works of the Ho­ly [Page 100] Saint Ambrose survive in the World, will the account of the unparalel'd vertue of the famous Spurina, be lost in oblivion, who in her Gentile and Pagan Estate, was so great an Admirer of Purity, That be­ing a Virgin of incomparable Beauty, and blessed with all the advantages of a desira­ble face, was therefore sought for and courted by many wanton Lovers, and wo­ed to make a Sacrifice of all her Glories to the Lusts of her Admirers; Did therefore to allay and extinguish those unlawful fires, all hackle and cut her excellent Cheeks, making Wounds and Scars in them on purpose to be free from the Soli­citations of those who were even distract­ed for her. And I will insert the Applica­tion of the Story, which cannot be mend­ed by a better Pen, then his that wrote it— O thou Christian Woman, who dost paint thy self with an ill intention, seek­ing to gain that by imposture, which thou canst not attain by truth, and not satisfying thy self with adulterating thy Beauty, sparest not to discover among company, a scandalous nakedness, to shew in thy Breast the impu­dence of thy Fore-Head. Consider a little what thou wilt answer to this Paynim with all thy Curiosity, when her Blood, her Wounds, her Scars, her Beauty disfigured, which served [Page 101] as a Sacrifice to her Chastity, shall accuse thee before the Inevitable Tribunal.

Saint Jerome in his Directions to Laeta for the right ordering and vertuous Edu­cation of young women, hath these very words, (not unworthy to be taken notice of by all Christian Parents, on whom, the like charge and care is incumbent) Ac­custome her not (saith he) to wear Pendants in her Ears, nor to Paint, nor to load her Neck and Head with Pearles; Neither let her change the Colour of her Hair, nor Curle or Crisp it up with Irons, least it prove a prediction of Infernal Flames. Beware she go not forth with Dinah to see the Fashions of the Maids of the Countrey. Let her not be a Dancer, nor gawdy in Apparel. Let her read good Books, and never go abroad without the knowledge of her Mother. Let not a young Pretender whisper things into her ears, but cause them to speak aloud, that the rest may hear.

The advices of this Father are so perfect­ly out of Fashion, & immodish in these days of ours, that its become even ridiculous and impudency to press them; and my design of inserting them, is rather for La­mentation of the ruins of the Primitive Piety, then from any great hopes of a care­ful Imitation, or practice of them. While [Page 102] the shameless immodesty of too many of our Ladies, makes me more to venerate the memory of the Lady Margaret, Sole Daughter and Heiress of the great Duke of Burgundy, who by a fall from her horse having broken her Thigh, chose rather to dye then to expose her self to the inspecti­on of the Chirurgeons; yet what that La­dy did from an innate Principle of bashful­ness, and perfect respect to the honour of Feminine Modesty, the same are ours acting too from another of desperate ob­stinacy; for though they have long since fallen from all the Ideas of Vertue and Goodness, (yea from the very pretences to it) and by that slip have crack'd their Honours, wounded their reputations, dislo­cated their peace, disjoynted their Con­sciences, and endangered their Salvations, yet are they so far from thoughts of set­ting again their broken Bones, searching into the bottom of their Wounds, apply­ing Lenitives to asswage the Tumours of their bruised Consciences, or Corrasives to eat out the dead Flesh that is about them, That they desperately take up resolutions of dying too; even these will be modest forsooth, and keep their Gangrenes to themselves, bravely bear the burning of their festring sores, running up and down [Page 103] bleeding inwardly, even to death; but so they can set a good face on the matter plaister over the Orifice of the Wound, and daub it with the Mortar of a gawdy Swathe, and a few fine Clouts; this an­swers all their projects: Their Ambition is no higher than the Hypocrisy of those who flaunted up and down with a paint­ed Profession of a superficial Goodness, and appeared like Sepulchres, which when open'd yield (of all other) the most nau­seous stench. And for Painted Ladies to yield nothing else but Mummye and Bones, is very Melancholy to consider.

But this is not all, for amongst some of them, the fury of the distemper hath seized on the very Brain, and utterly deprived them of their Sences. You may hear them raging as Madly as ever did frantick in Bedlam, and grown into a perfect in­sensibleness of any pain or distraction upon them, as God knoweth they feel no more Ach, and fear no more danger, than those that have reached the impeceable Estate: Nay will swear they be the best Saints in World, and have done nothing but what they dare answer to their Maker; they rail against others more modest than them­selves, and Fanatacize the whole Church, that in pity and kindness to their lanugish­ing [Page 104] Souls do but offer the benefit of the Holy Offices to them, and would apply the most probable remedies, whose vertue might prevail to restore them to their Wits. The good David once was put to it to counterfeit a Madness for the saving of his life; but these, a cruel one for the damning their Souls. Therefore as Achish said, Lo you see the man is mad; so me­thinks I hear God say, Shall these mad people come into my house? And what have I to do with them any longer?

Of Perukes and Hair.

WHat a Bussle have we had about Plots of late, and cries against Popery coming in? When any that had but half an eye might have seen Pope Joan in the Chair, and sitting as Head of the Church at least twenty full years already. Don't you perceive many thousands that have rounded themselves into Priest hood, and wearing the Mark of the Beast very confidently in their Foreheads? Nay the devout Ladies so obsequious as to travel [Page 105] up and down with her Bulls. But the poor­er women (in a Flame for her Govern­ment) by whole swarms do thwack up the Nunneries, and have offered up their Hair very humbly to the Abbess (accor­ding to Order) in full resolution to take up the Veyle. So the Streets are full of the Monks with their Hoods on. And the Fry­ars every where Peep out of their Coules. Not a young Fellow that takes pet against his Noddle for catching the least Cough or Cold, but strait in revenge, off goes his Locks, and himself is shaved into Orders. Leaving the Kingdom as naked of good Subjects to their Prince, as poor Spain, (whose Souldiers the Pope has garison'd up in his Monasteries) That should occasion come for an Army to be raised, a third part must consist of Holy Fathers. The Rents of her Holiness far exceeds all that ever her Predecessors received from this Kingdom, and upon strict account taken of her yearly Revenues, (as heretofore) will be found I fear to vie weight with the Kings. Her Collecters pass boldly up and down through every Corner of the Land to gather up the Materials of her Worship, and have Authority to break o­pen all the Dove-houses and Meal-Tubs to dig for Salt-peter to make Powder with; [Page 106] which is an absolute Right to her Honour derived from the very first Founder of the Papacy. Nay the poor Countrey Girls cannot keep their Coifes on, for these Offi­cers that have Commission to dig into the very Mould of their Souls after Oare of all Colours, whether Or, or Argent, or Azure, it all serves to make Shrines to the Glory of the Goddess, and tis much the Goats escape the Inquisition; and the poor Shocks will I fear be brought in for their Peter-pence towards the Maintenance of the Friz­zes: Thus with the Egyptians we are building goodly Temples to the Honour of a Deity. But when the Votaries come to pay their Devotions there, they find nothing else but the stately Pusse in Her Majesty, who because she changed her Coat so often, has at least a Thousand Taylors and their Journey-men, very hard stitch­ing up the Pontificals of her Dress, which hang up for publick view and Sale, (as Diana's Shrines) for very Strangers to buy up, and bear away as the Medals of her Glory into every Countrey of the World, whose Traders are grown to so prodigi­ous an height, that one of them passing off the Stage (in the Pride of his Business) left yet behind him an Inventory of some Thousands, which far surmounts the [Page 107] hopes of Ten poor Heretical Priests, to at­tain to, in all the long series of their sweat. So Deliciously do these Idolaters fare at Jezebels Table, when the poor Prophets of Heaven are put to it, to bite a piece of brown Cake at a Widows. And to speak plainly, forty or threescore pound a year for Perriwiggs, and ten to a poor Chaplin to say Grace to him that Adores Hair, is sufficient Demonstration of the weakness of the Brains they keep warm. And let me take the boldness to manifest a few of the ill Consequences of this Idolatry.

First with the Womans Hair we have put on her Art (not of Cookery and the Kitchin only, and become Hen-Housewifes as my Lord Hereford tells us, but) of the Chamber and the dressing Room. Trick­ing up our selves into as delicate starch'd-up a posture as she. Some of us have got­ten the Boddice on, to make us look slen­der and pretty; And the Epicene Sleeves do very well fit both the Hee and the She, The Sleeve strings are tyed with the same Curiosity and the Val de Chambre that can­not knit the knot Allamode, is kick'd a­way as a bungler in his Trade and Profes­sion. The Ladies Point, drawn together serves well for a Crevat, with a Grace while the poor Collars (to make way for a [Page 108] naked Neck too) that was used when we were Boys, to chuckle us under the Chinn, and bid us look up to Heaven, like Severus his Tutor, is put to Death, for breeding us up too Civil. The Ribbon at the Hilt of our Sword, is Security against his being drawn, while we fix it there, (as Cupids Knights) with no other design but to help to wound the Hearts of the Ladies.

2. And who sees not the happy Victory, that we have gotten their very-Hearts in our Bosoms; as close as their Hair on our Heads: Not their Effeminacy only, but Weakness too, and have perfectly shav'd away all our Virility and Prowess (which formerly made Earthquakes in the world, and the now-formidable France hath trembled at) our Swords lye dangling on our Thighs, with the same Luxury, as as our Wiggs (of the same length,) sport themselves on our Breasts. And if we pass on at this rate, we may wear the Ba­bylonian Character, Jer. 51. 30. The migh­ty men have forborn to Fight, their Might hath failed, they became as Women. What, car'd the great Alexander for six hundred Thousand such Persian Women, who with another Army of Singers, Dancers, Perfu­mers, Cooks, Butlers and Tart-bakers, came to oppose him? Will those Eyes [Page 109] Dart fire in the face of an Enemy, that are dazl'd in the Glitters of the Theater? Will men hope to prevail while they push with the brissles of a Woman instead of a Pike? well may those Lances shiver into their own eyes, and muffle up their sight, but never will they pierce Terrour or Wounds into the Heart of an Adversary. Had the Black Prince and the brave Talbot gone thus accountred into France, the Flower-de-Luces had never perfumed the Royal Arms of England. Philip de Cominis tells us, that after the Skirmish which Charls the Eighth of France had with the Venetian forces at Fornove, the Ground was all strawed with the Gilded Bourde­nasses of the Vanquished, which the French picked up in abundance; but what sport would it make after a Battel here to carry away an Army of Periwiggs? If his Majesty was once justly incens'd against that VVigg that whiffled into the Eyes of a Schollar, and disturbed his Preaching, how much more would he be, and with what Zeal would he Rattle off the Idler Hu­mour from the Shoulders of his Souldiers, which would hinder them from fighting, since the Glory of his Nation depends on their Valour?

[Page 110] 3. And thirdly with the womans Hair, (we may leave out the R. and find) we have gotten her Heat, and God who hath given us over to shave away our own, to put on her Glory, hath justly hardened us to glory in the spoiles of the whole Bo­dy, as in those of her Head, while she with reason and vaunt enough triumphs in the Ruines of our Strength. Is it a wonder to find our selves bald and weak, while we are slumbering in the lap of Dalilah? Alass when her Curles are twisted about our ve­ry heart, and twind themselves there to insnare us, can we marvel if our Locks are sheer'd off in our sleep, to make way for the hanging of hers, when our folly puts the Scissars in her hand, and we cannot wear hers and our own. And I wish, that Trea­chery may abate our Heat, when the Mercinary Hands are still at work, that re­ceive the price of our Bloods, to strip off our honour and strength, and send us poor Slaves to the Mill. Since we have found the women so kind to sell us the Hair from their Heads, we have encroached on the freeness of their Natures, and think they may as well, make a prize of all the rest. And God knows the Age hath not found them overshie of trading. History tells us, that in the time of Septimus Severus his [Page 111] time at Rome, there were threethousand In­dicted of Adultery, but were all impeach'd that are guilty here, the Clerk of the Sessi­ons need not care to change place with the Judge.

4. And 'tis no less observable, that since we have worn these Coronets on our heads, we have forgotten our Obedience to our Prince, and thought our selves his very Peers. You cannot imagine what fancies it creates in our Nodles by its heat. At Grand Cairo they hatch all their Chickens in Ovens; on purpose heat to the degree of production; but who sees not since our Brains have been fired by these Furzes what Serpents the Cockatrices Eggs have produ­ced. While our Gallants flant along not a step without the graceful Attendants of the tall Yeoman with their Halberts, guarding each side of their Shoulders. What can they think themselves less then Kings? The Grand Seigniour with all his golden Pei­chi's gliding mutely along by his side, can never ravish himself in the lofty conceipts of his Glory to that Degree, that an Em­pty skull'd Squire does now in the dancing of his Aubrey Tresses about, while he looks out here & there to feast his eyes on the fancied Subjects that admire him. Ma­homets Pigeon inspir'd a Rebellion which [Page 112] hath envasselled two parts of the World under it: And what know we, what Malig­nant Influence the dangerous whispers of these whiffling Flatterers into the addle Brains of so many Hot-spurs, may have upon our peace? Can you distinguish a Barber from a Justice of Peace, who stalkes with a Port as stately as he? and talks as politickly too, as if he had spruc'd him­self into the Counc [...]l. It is certain till Law oblige us to wear our own Wool on our Backs, and our own Hair on our own Heads, we shall never Coole into that sence of our due distance from the Gran­deurs of Majesty as we ought. No sooner had Israel trim'd themselves up into Gal­lantry and Long Locks, but they shook off their obedience to Heaven it self; We are Lords—we will come no more unto thee, Jer. 2. 31, 33. Nor is Absaloms Story any news to us.

And who considers the vast contributi­ons that are collected for this Usurper through the Kingdom! When Princes and Nobles have dispatched away their Groans over the Alpes, to implore a Cessa­tion of those loads that have almost crippl'd them from Rome, we can suffer these to lie constantly on our Shoulders without the least sence of their Burden. [Page 113] Though Christ paid Peters Tax for him by a Miracle, from the mouth of a Fish, yet would it be a greater, (should his Successor come to gather here again) if he abate a farthing for the charges we are at for our Poles.

Our Ancestors were wiser than we, who kept this Tax in their Pockets, which helpt to maintain their Tables, and would hardly have eaten a Crumm, had they found but an Hair in their Dish, while we are Curling and Powdring up ten thou­sand, that fly into our mouths all dinner, and cannot make a Meal in peace for 'um.

To better purpose would this Hair be employed, should we be put to the shifts that once the poor Citizens of Bizantium were, when under the extremities of a three years Seige by the Romans, and al­most ready to perish, having occasion to patch up a Fleet, under the want of Cor­dage, were fain to make use of the Wo­mens Hair; Which they poor Wretches very cheerfuly cut off, and gave them to inch out their Tackle, and though the whole Navy miscarried by a Storm, yet was not their zeal the less laudable, who did it for the saving of the City or them­selves, when ours do it for no good at all.

[Page 114] 'Tis some comfort yet, (though our City Esquires continues their Heathenish Length, which God hath so damn'd in his Word) That our wiser Gentry of the Countrey, have of late religiously sub­mitted to Circumcision. And though they have done it with Sechem in politick de­sign of fair Game, Yet would they hunt the brave Doe still the better, would they quite lay down her artificial Nets, to try how Nature would weave one.

And they need not fear Absaloms Fate, so long as they hunt not a Father. 'Twas the short Cut of that poor Princes obedi­ence, that made his very Hair turn Rebel, and hung him up under an Oak, to receive the reward of his King-hunting.

But though Absalom was graced with a Natural Perriwigg, that was both his Pride and his Plague, yet a good head of Hair is so vulgar a Blessing, that we find it as common to the Beggar as the Prince, and he that dares not for his Ears boast the glory of his Blood, may yet compare with the best in the finess of his Locks.

The truth is, if the House be well fur­nished within, in every Room as it ought, the Brain will find wit enough to excuse the unhappy want of a Bush without, which seldom prove so fatal to any, as poor Aes­chilus, [Page 115] whose Bald Pate, when mistaken by an Eagle for a Stone, she let fall a Crab upon the poor Poet and killed him, who had ingeniously written the tragedies of o­thers, but foresaw not that of his Skull; This Age would have taught him to have prevented that strange Accident by cove­ring it over with Moss. And though Eli­sha underwent the reproach of his want of Hair, from the Children that more wanted Grace, yet had he Shaggie Creatures e­nough at his Call, to punish their insolence with death.

'Tis strange what Plinie Records of the Romans, that they never knew the use of Barber till four hundred fifty four years after the building of their City, when in the time of Scipio Affricanus, they were first brought in out of Sicily. Antea Inton­si fuerunt. Before that it seems they hackled off their Locks with their Kniyes. But however Rough and Uncomb'd they were then, Sure I am they grew Curious and Spruce enough afterwards; for Plu­tarch tells us of the two Boundless He­roes that admitted no Superiour nor E­qual; The Great Pompey was so nice and effeminate, in the formality of his Hair and Sleek Locks, that he was noted, for scratch­ing his Head with one Finger, & once suffered [Page 116] a publick Scoff from the impudent Clau­dus for it, in the midst of the Rout of Plebeians who joyned with him, to second that Reproach. And Suetonius witnesseth of the other, that he was so over curious of his Head and Beard, Ʋt non solum con­deretur diligenter, ac raderetur, sed vellere­tur etiam; He would not onely be shaven very precisely, but his extravagant Hairs even pluck'd.

But what shall we think of his Successor Augustus, who when he felt the Assaults of Death, invading him, called for his Looking-glass, and commanded his Hair and Beard to be Combed [Et Malas La­bentes corrigi] his Rivell'd Cheeks to be smoothed up, then asking his Friends, if he had acted his Part well upon the Stage of the World, who told him he had; Well saith he, Vos omnes Plaudite. Sure he went off very trimly.

Homers lofty quill very often sticks in the Long Hair of the Grecians, whom he almost everywhere Epithites [...]

Nor are our Neighbours of France (from whom I suppose we have derived it) with­out the known Note of Distinction for this vanity [Cometa Gallia] and are fam'd to be the Bushy Lock'd French. But what the modesty of England hath been in [Page 117] former Ages (however vain enough in other Fooleries, yet) sure the Galleries and Dining-Rooms of our Nobility and Gentry of the Kingdom will abundantly testify from the brave images of their An­cestors, whose open ears never valued the coldness of the Winds, but which would glow to have heard the monstrousness of their Childrens Ell-Wiggs. To look no further back than K. Henries days, (vvho had face enough for tvvo Kings, and Wives enough for three, and yet Hair little e­nough too) vve may easily collect vvhat vvas the general Cut, from an act of the Lord Cromwell, vvho meeting a fellovv in Cheap-side vvith his Locks somevvhat too long, commanded him avvay to the Bar­bers forthvvith for the execution of his Scissars. Who also threatned to lay him by the Heels, and humble his Feet, vvho pri­ded himself so much in his Head. And Wise King James vvho knevv vvell enough vvhat belonged to his Health, had an open Ear to the brave Cry of his Hounds, as vvell as the complaints of his people, & refrain­ed not one hunting-Match vvhich gave him hopes of Sport, out of dread that he should pay dearly for it the next day by a Cold.

The Noble Prince Henry (vvho had he lived, had played the Barber) as some­time [Page 118] Commodus the Emperour vvas vvont) & not have shaven the Crovvn of Popery one­ly, but even have cut off the very Ears and Noses of the Priests from ever having hopes of smelling out the old Monasteries again; (and surely Chelsey Colledge vvas pretended to be the Shop for that execution) this brave Prince, follovved his great Father, and gave his Ears to his Councel and Cut toge­ther. And 'tis impossible but the great influence of so Illustrious Presidents should prevail vvith the vvhole people to follovv the Royal Example of so great a King, and so good a Prince, in that Age.

And doubtless the same had continued till this day, had not a violation happened to that excellent custom, if I mistake not, from this occasion. The Puritans in the Reign of the Royal Martyr, to distinguish themselves from their Neighbours, took on them an extraordinary short Cut, and their Neighbours in opposition to them espou­sed a long one, because they would not be reputed Round-heads; and in nothing out­wardly were the two Parties so much dif­ferenc'd as in their Hair, and happy had it been that the quarrel had ended in the Barbers Scissars, which we all know brake out afterwards into the long Sword, and instead of plucking each other by the ears [Page 119] a little, they fell to stabbing one another in the Guts. So that the mischiefs which the Barber might have prevented at first, had he kept an even hand on both parties, and sheered them both to an equal Cut, all the wit of man could not prevent from running into Commodus his bloody shaving, and cutting off ears and Noses together with their Hair.

But as once Vespasian upon the appari­tion of a Blazing-Star which was thought to portend his death, would needs clap the signification of it on the Persian King, for he (saith he) hath Bushy Locks, but I am Bald, jeering both him and himself toge­ther, though afterwards it fell on himself. So I pray God both Parties may take warning by what is past, and take heed of mocking each other, least falling out about even Goats-Hair, and the smallest matters at first, we break not forth into Flames which are not so easily quenched.

I cannot pass away from this discourse of Hair, without minding the Ladies of the best use that ever was made of Hair in the World, And that by her too, who had made the worst use of it; The never to be forgotten Magdalen, whose Golden Locks had been the Fetters that had Im­prisoned so many hearts to her unlawful [Page 120] Love, are afterwards weaved into a Towel to wipe her Saviours Feet, whom she had first bedewed with her Tears; Not that they had need of cleansing by any tears that she poor Creature could shed, but that both water and Towel might receive a cleaness from them. And Mary by that Act did but weep her self into Puri­ty —Let the Ladies that have Curled and Powdred their Tresses into Nets to catch poor Lovers in, learn (with her) to un­loosen them again unto the same service, by washing the Feet of his indigent members on Earth, and wiping away their sorrows by the gentle stroakings of their Charity.

And for others of them that build Tow­ers of Arrogance and Pride against God, where rather a Valley of Humility and Meekness should be flatted, I wish they would remember, how the great Nimrod was bafled in the same design, whom God smote into so perfect an astonishment and confusion that he had not one intelligible word to say in excuse for his Folly. And I fear these will be Speechless too, when the King of Heaven shall come to take a View of the Dress of his Guests; and let them not forget the Brains of those that were dashed out, upon whom the Tower of Siloam [...] securing their weak heads from such [Page 121] Hazards by the politick course that the Holy David took, in making God himself his High Tower, and not raising others a­gainst him.

Should he send out his Angels (as once he did, and yet every day continues to do) to mark those in the Forehead for safety, that sigh for their own and others Sins in the City, the very Frizzes would hinder the good Angel from setting on Gods, when he shall find already the mark of the Beast upon them, set on by themselves; the poor Creatures, while they little think on't, sea­ling their Foreheads to destruction. But I have been too long about the Ladies head and Necks, and had not I learned this te­diousness from themselves, should have dispatched them long ago. Dum comantur dum maliuntur Annus est.

Of Apparel.

THere are two things I shall shortly dispatch about Habit and Apparel.

1. The Veneration and Respect that o­ther Countries have for their National Dress.

[Page 122] 2. The reasons of it, arising especially from some apprehensions of Fatality accru­ing to such as too lightly have assumed the Fashions of others.

3. How England hath been too justly Taxed in all Ages of this Levity.

To the first I need say but very little, it being generally known how most Nati­ons in Christendom (the French onely ex­cepted) have been and still are devout and superstitious Adorers of their Coun­trey Habit. So tender are they of their Reputations, that they will not suffer under the Aspersion of being accounted giddy and unconstant by their Neighbour Nati­ons. The very Turks as well as the Spani­ards, giving us an example of an unaltera­ble devotion herein. And very Remarkable is an old Decree of the Russians to this purpose, That [tam in Cultu Numinis, quam in Apparatu Corporis, Moribus Legi­busque uti presentibus, etiamsi Deteriores sint] They were resolved as well in the matter of their Religion, as in the man­ner of their Dress and Apparel, to stick to the Laws and Customs then in force, yea notwithstanding perhaps there might be found some defects in both. So loath were they it seems to introduce any new Fashion or Invention that men of mutable and new-Fangled [Page 123] Spirits should present unto them Yet by the Favour of this Russian Edict, it cannot be denyed, that After-Ages have found out those absurdities both in that Religion and Dress of Antiquity, as have well enough justified their modest endea­vours in the Regulations of both. Till Popery give us a better Testimony of its suitableness and proportion with the grand Pattern received from the Mount, then of late it hath, we cannot so easily be brought to repent of our Departure from the strange and ridiculous extravagancies of it. And it were enough should I hang out to view one of the Suits that was general­ly worn heretofore in England, where you had a Dublet all jagg'd and prickt, the Wastband coming down but a little below the Armholes, guarded with eight long Skirts; to this Dublet was clasped a pair of Breeches close made to the Body, and whose length must make up the defect of the shortness of the Dublet, The large and ample Cod piss supplied the want of Pock­e [...]s, which came up with two wings fast­ned to either side with two points, which unknit made way to the Linnen Bags, tyed to the inside between the Shirt and Cod­piss, these Bags held every thing they car­ried about them, except the Gloves, which [Page 124] ever hung very reverently at the Girdle. Where hung a Pouch made fast with a Ring or Lock of Iron, weighing at least two or three Pound, whether there was a­ny money in it or no. The like I could give of the womens Gowns, and shew the mad­ness of the Fardingale, and other whim­sies —But the Galleries and Parlours of most old Families are set out with such disguising Postures, as better will evidence them to the view of the Reader, then I care my Pen should do at this time. What different Cuts have we our selves known from this discribed? What huge Breeches, like Petticoats? What Slash'd Dublets? What guarded Breeches with such huge sets of Points round the Knees, that were invented to hide the French-pox, by force­ing men to straddle above a yard wide. These and many others are in fresh memo­ry; but putting them all aside, how more exceedingly decent and graceful is the pre­sent Cut of our Gentlemen, answering all the parts and members of the Body to a more Civil and proportionable end. Al­ways however be excepted the incompara­ble Tunick and Vest, so very comely in it self, so very advantageous to the Dra­pers of the Kingdom, perhaps the most grave and manlike Dress that ever En­gland [Page 125] saw, which had the unhappiness to be brought in too late, and the hard Fate to be sent out again too soon. And would have answered all the expectations of publick Commodity pretended by the Woolen Act, so that had our Gentlemen pleas'd to have danc'd in them any longer, the Farmers would very cheerfully have paid the Fidlers. But we can never hold when it is well, such an influence hath the French Pipe to make us ca [...]per after them, in all their Follies, to our own dishonour and Ruine.

I mind therefore in the next place to re­present to the Reader the dangers of so great a Levity. Neither is Scripture silent in its menaces against so prodigious a Fol­ly: We know who hath threatned such as Cloath themselves in strange Apparel. But because examples are more prevalent to work upon us, I have endeavoured to look into History, which hath furnished me with three or four not unworthy of the Readers most serious perusal and ap­plication.

Don Sebastian, then King of Portu­gal, what time this humour infected his Subjects of attiring themselves after the Castillian Fashion, all the Noble Persons and Gentlemen practising nothing more than [Page 126] to speak the Castilian Language (which it seems is very elegant and expressive) with the same ambition as we do the French, between whom and them there was no ve­ry natural kindness neither, but a very bitter Antipathy, hating the persons whose Language they lov'd. It pleas'd God that Sebastian dying without issue, and the Crown lying at Stake as the Golden Ball for every Pretender to venture at, who but King Philip of Castile, run fairest for it, and with an easy stretch got it set on his head, to the general sorrow, but lit­tle redress of the discontented subjects. To whom afterwards he proved no very Favourable Prince.

In the year of Christ four hundred and twenty, the Grecians whose habitations bordered upon the Turks, took fancy to cloath themselves after the Turkish man­ner; they which before were wont to wear Long Beards, which so very well became them (quoth my Author) Cut off all, and left the Mustachioes onely, and practic'd to follow them in all their actions, till anon comes an Army of Mustachioes and sub­dued them to a perfect Slavery to this day.

Although we know their Ruine was both Prophesied and certainly determined [Page 127] as the dreadful punishment for Crucifying the Lord of Life; Yet I find too, that the Jews (for about thirty years before the final destruction of their City and Temple by Titus Vespasian) had gotten a custom to impose no other names upon their Chil­dren but such as were Roman, nor would wear any Garments but after the Roman Guise; their very Arms for War, and Souldiers Cassocks, were in all respect like theirs, striving to imitate their Fashion and Garb very intirely, whom so suddenly after they so dearly suffered under.

Caesar in his Commentaries hath an Ob­servation to this very purpose, That Di­visions and Animosities rising up among the Gaules, they began to hate each other to that degree, That one Party among them separated from the other, by the visible distinction of their Dress, betaking them­selves, some to the Roman Fashion, some to the Almaine, and left the use of their own short habits and close Breeches. Which was but as it were, a prediction of the Calamity that soon after fell upon them from the Arms of those Romans whom they had so apishly followed.

But remarkable is the Story of the Great Darius, whom several Authors affirm to us, to have changed the very Fashion of [Page 128] his Sword from the Ancient Persian into the Macedenian Fashion, but the very year before Alexander invaded and ruined him; Which his Diviners interpreted tru­ly, into what afterwards came to pass, That those should come to be Lords of Persia, into whose Fashion Darius had altered his Sword. What application shall I make of all these Stories to poor England? If not onely our mens Swords, and Cassocks, and Perriwiggs, and Boots, and Breeches; But our very Ladies Mantoes, Petticoats, Points, Shoes, Hoods and Laces, be not of the French Fashion onely, but the very Productions of the Countrey; if no pro­per handsome young men can be picked from the Sons of our Yeomen and Inferi­our Gentry, to make Val de Chambres to our Gallants; if no hand but a French one can serve to Trim and shave our Beards? No Cut but a French Taylors to shape our Cloaths; No Languge but the French to serve our Tongues; no Religion but the French to content our Souls; I pray you what will be the end hereof? There is a disease among us called of that Name too, I pray God it be not too Epidemical; if it be not gotten into our Bodies, sure I am 'tis gotten into our Heads, while we set our selve to study and contrive nothing more [Page 129] than to please our Fancies with the Levities of the French. And how little did he merit the happiness of our good Cloth and Beef, of our good Laws and Religion, of our Native Immunities and happy Li­berties, who declared he had rather be serv'd by a French Dog than by an English-man.

What care and prudence hath been used formerly by other Nations for the prevention of publick de­triment from the extravagancies, and vain excess of Apparel, I have already instanc'd from the Athe­nians and others, from the City of Venice &c. To which I will onely here adjoyn a Memoire▪ of the Law Sumptuaria which Numa Pompilius establish­ed, and which prov'd so exceedingly advantageous to the prosperity of the then Roman State, Ʋt in exequiis Epulisque, &c. It was provided by that Law, that all their profuse expence in Funerals, and all excessive use of fine Cloths at their publick meet­ing and Shows should be utterly laid aside; by due obedience and execution of which they quickly came to find the present Commodity and benefit by extirpating those two voracious Gulphes that swallow up the prosperity of any Kingdom that is in the World, delicacy of fare and sumptuousness of Attire. And to shew you what inconveniences this especially of sumptuousness of Apparel, hath at all times brought to poor England, I shall go back to Queen Elizabeths days, and give you a remar­kable Survey of it, drawn by a Gentleman of good Quality and Understanding. Representing it to King James in his Book dedicated to him, (savou­ring of the Language of that Age) wherein he thus passionately deplored it to the King.

Our English-men more then any Nation of the World hath been shamefully branded among For­reigners [Page 130] for their disguised Fashions, and sumptuous Habiliments beyond the bounds of Prudence, Mo­deration and Hability. Some women after a prepo­sterous Fashion attired like men in Dublets, and some men like women in Petticoats, this excess hath so exceedingly dispersed it self in our Nation, that by their exteriour new-fangled Robes the wisest of our Adversaries in Forreign Parts have past their Judg­ments of our giddy minds, and unconstant behavi­ours, inwardly saying, That in wearing Dutch Hats, with French Feathers, French Dublets, with Collers after the custom of Spain, Turkish Coats, Spanish Hose, Italian Cloaks, and Valentian Rapers, with such like; we had likewise stollen the vices and excesses of those Countries which we did imi­tate Natural. Besides what a shame was it for us to be noted for this exorbitant excess, that base Tailors, and others which work as Hirelings, as­piring to that abominable and indecent singularity, should equal themselves in the cost and Fashion of their attire with some of the greatest Barons of this Land. A Fault not to be imputed to the Laws, (for those are precise and strict in such comely considerations, but in the dissolute and in­temperate affections of people, which instead of a little Liberty, make a Licence at large, Tyrannizing upon the Princes gentle disposition and Lenity. Hence it was that the Nobility to distinguish themselves by this outward aport of their Degrees and Riches from the Rascal Rabble and base Ruffians, were driven to most extream charge, that they might make a difference of themselves from them, equivo­lent in proportion. Which course if the Queen her self had kept, answerable to her State above some Ladies and others in the like analogy, she might [Page 131] with ease have consumed an unspeakable Mass of Treasure (Yet Reader, 'tis known that Queen Eliza­beth did not spare for Cost in her Clothes) By this means the Estates and Substance of Taylors, Craftsmen, and other Mechanicks, was daily more encreased, and the Fortunes of our Gentry ut­terly exhausted. VVhich Leprosy did in a little so spread it self in this Nation, that divers Livings of very ancient Demesne and Inheritance, which had continued in succession from many Grand Fathers of one Race did hang up in Taylors Shops, and were piled up in the Merchants Coffers. This Emulation of excess having further prevailed, grew to such outrage, that when proper maintenance fayled in some to support such Riot, they violently or se­cretly took from others, turning open Robbers, or secret Pilpherers to supply the same. VVhich hath been the demolition and confusion of many Noble Families, And persons, lately great in world­ly Reputation, and others in private want, purcha­sed by their own intollerable profuseness, have pe­rished in their pestilent practises, tending to the common ruine, for satisfaction of their unsatiable Appetites.

This being the Testimony of a Gentleman, no o­therwise concern'd it seems then from the Inconve­niences arising to the Commonwealth, by this pro­fuseness, and Lamenting the ill Consequences of it on that account, without any respect to the Sinfullness of it, as a Provocation bringing Judgment upon a People where it should thus exceed. I shall there­fore to him add a Divine living in that very Age, that you shall hear breaking out into this Com­plaint.

Is there any Nation this day upon the face of the [Page 132] Earth comparable to us in this Abominable Sin of Pride? (Mr. Teins Leprosy of Pride.) Our Excess in Apparrel, will say no, wherein both Men and Wo­men of all Estates, and degrees from the highest to the lowest, from the Courtier to the Carter do mon­strously Offend. Servants are in their Apparel more costly then their Masters and Dames, Yeomen and Yeomens Sons are herein equal to Gentlemen of good Worship, Poor and mean Gentlemen com­pare with Lords, Lords with Kings, and Ladies with Queens. What will become hereof at the last? What is now become of that Moderation in Apparrel that formerly hath been in this Land? When every▪ one went habited according to their Orders and Degrees, whereas now Gold, Silver, Velvet, Sattin, Fine Cambrick, and such other cost­ly things are worn by very mean Persons, against the Laws of God and man, against all Common­wealth, and contrary to all good Examples of our Fore-Fathers; which things rather belong to Kings and Princes, and to Peers of the Land, then to mean Subjects. As Men and Women exceed in the Sub­stance of Apparrel, so also in the form they daily shew forth their Abominable Pride in their Incon­stancy; for no Colour, Form, nor Fashion long con­tenteth them, One while we Imitate the Spani­ard, another while the French, one while the Italian, another while the Dutch. Every Nation is a several Pattern for us.—Let these proud Peacocks but re­member to what end Apparel was appointed by God at the first, verily for a covering to hide our shame. Diogenes seeing a proud young fellow strut­ing and priding himself in his fine Clothes, Sir, saith he, remember that the Sheep hath had your Coat on his back before you. What Vanity is it for [Page 133] us to be so curious in our Apparel, to take such Pride herein as we do, we rob and spoil all Creatures almost of the world to cover our backs and to a­dorn our bodies withal; from some we take their wool, from many their Skins, from diverse their Furrs, from sundry their very Excrements, as the silk which is nothing else, but the very Excrement of the worm; not content with this, we come to Fishes, and do beg from them their Pearles to hang about us, we go down into the ground for Gold and Sil­ver, and turn up the very Sands for Precious stones. And having borrowed all this of other Creatures, we jett up and down, provoking men to look upon us, as if all this were now our own, when the stone shineth upon our Finger, we fancy our selves to shine with it, when the Silver and Silks do glister on our very backs, we look big, as if all that beau­ty came from us. It is reported of Athanasius, that when he saw a woman Apparrelling her self in Proud Attire with Gorgeous Array, he fell a weep­ing, and being demanded why, Because, said he, all this Preparation is for her own Destruction. But our nice and Mincing Dames in England whose whole Life is spent for the most part, in Study and Care to Deck, Paint, and Beautify themselves, will hardly be perswaded by that holy Athanasius, that they bestow all this cost upon themselves to their own Destruction.

Because these seem to be more private and ob­scure, I will yet add another, which you must look on as a Singular Witness for God against the Pride and Vanity of that Age. The most famous Edwin Sands, who dyed Archbishop of York, and who was so Faithful to the Interest of Religion, as Mr. Fox tells you.

I do not Condemn all Apparrel that is Rich and [Page 134] Stately, yea such as is Costly and Gorgeous may be fit for some Personages and States, I do not doubt [...]ut Hester and Judeth did wear Gold, and were Gor­geously Deckt, but if Paul and Peter did live in our days, they would not spare the Vanity of our Wo­men, much less of our men. The vain and Monstrous Apparrel of all other Countries and Nations, England hath scraped together, and in a Bravery put it on, the Estimation whereof is little, a light wavering mind matched with a vain proud Heart, desireth a light, vain, strange, proud, and monstrous Appar­rel to cover and clad it, but Sobriety is content with that which is seemly▪

And in his Sermon before the Parliament, re­commending this one evil to their prudent conside­rations as fit to be redress'd, being so dangerous and very grievous—As our principal care must be for the higher matters, Sincerity and Ʋnity in Religion, so may we not pass over other matters, which need redress Gorgeous Apparel; and sumptuous Diet may seem small things, but they are the causes of no small evil. They eat up England, and are there­fore to be repressed by strait Laws— And elsewhere in a Sermon before the Queen, he expresseth him­self pathetically, and it is worth your noting.

Ezechiel teacheth that the Sins of Sodom (that Sink of Sin) were Idleness, fullness of Bread, Pride and unmercifulness to the poor. Are not these the Sins of this Land, of this City, of this Court, at this day? Half England liveth idly or worse occupied, we be fed to the full, and who is not puffed up with Pride? And who relieveth his Neighbours wants? No man is contented with his own Estate, but every one striveth to climb higher and to sit aloft, [Page 135] there is want of the true fear of God in all sorts and Estates and Ages, yet we please our selves and walk on, as if God either saw not our Sin, or else would not punish it! Surely our Sins will not suffer his Plagues to stay long from us. What Plagues, I dare not presume to Prophesie, for God hath kept that secret to himself. But I stand in fear that we are the men to whom Christ saith, The Kingdom of God shall be taken from you. That we are they whose Sins will bring the Scepter of this Kingdom into the hands of an Hypocrite, [Know Reader, that this was when the Papists expected so highly the Return of their Religion at the Death of Queen Eli­zabeth. And that made the heart of this good man so bleed in that consideration; he goeth on] If God in his Justice do this, [...]o worth us most wretched men! The Loss of the Gospel is the Loss of our Souls, and the Loss of our Soveraign, the Loss of our Lives. Truly when I fall into consideration of the wickedness of this world, that all sorts of men fall to sinning with greediness, that in all conditions Iniquity doth abound and Charity wax cold, that the Zeal of God is utterly dried up in the Hearts of Men, that God is served for Fashion sake, and not in truth, what should I think but that God hath gathered his Lap full of Plagues, and is ready to pour them down upon us?

And thus you see how God hath stirred up his Faithful Prophets to drop down their testimony a­gainst this poor Sinful Land for the Pride and prophaness thereof in that Age. Let us come down to King James his time, and see whether the mat­ter be any whit amended, and one might justly ex­pect it, because they lay under the obligations of a new mercy, in disappointing the expectations of the [Page 136] Enemies of the Gospel, by the coming in of a Pro­testant Prince, who so zealously by his Learned Pen contended for the Truth. But we shall find this Vanity still triumphing in its full vaunt and Glory; and I shall not disparage so holy a Witness as Bishop Sands, by subjoyning a mean or unwor­thy Person to him, but will call forth the sweet spi­rited and excellent Bishop Hall to give us his Evi­dence against the Pride of that Age wherein he Li­ved, and besides others (which I omit) I will shew to what height the Women were grown at that time, from a Sermon of his Preached at the Spittle.

O God to what a world of Vanity hast thou served us to? I am ashamed to think that the Gospel of Christ should be disguised with such disguised Clients; are they Christians or Anticks in some Carnaval, or Chil­drens Puppets that are thus dressed? Pardon I be­seech you, Men, Brethren and Fathers, this my just and holy impatience. VVho can without indignation look upon the prodegies, which this mis-imagination produces in that other Sex, to the shame of their Husbands and scorn of Religion, and damnation of their own Souls? Imagine one of our Forefathers were alive again, and should see one of those his Gay Daughters walk in Cheap-side before him, what do you think he would think it were? Here is no­thing to be seen but a Vardingale, a yellow Ruff, and a Perriwigg, with perhaps some Feathers wav­ing in the top; three things for which he could not tell how to find a Name: Sure he could not but stand amazed to think what new Creature the times had yeilded since he lived; and then if he should run before her, to see if by the foresight, he might guess what it were, when his eyes should meet with a powdred Frizzle, a painted Hide shadowed [Page 137] with a Fan not more painted, Breasts displayed, and a loose Lock swing wantonly over her Shoulders betwixt a painted Cloth and Skin, how would he more bless himself to think what mixture in Nature could be guilty of such a Monster. Is this the Flesh and Blood (thinks he) is this the hair? Is this the shape of a VVoman? Or hath Nature repented of her work since my days, and begun a new Frame? It is no marvel if their Forefathers could not know them; God himself that made them, will never acknowledg that he never made, the Hair that he never made theirs, the Body that is ashamed of the Maker, the Soul that thus disguises the Bo­dy. Let me say therefore to these Dames, as Ben­net said to Totilaes Servant— Lay down that you wear, it is none of your own: All the world knows that no man will rough-cast a Marble VVall, but mud or unpolished Rags; that false art, instead of mending Nature, mars it. But if our perswasions cannot prevail, hear this ye Garish Popingays of our time, if you will not be ashamed to Cloath your selves in this shameless Fashion [see how the Spi­rit of this Meek Moses raiseth into indignation, a­gainst this madness, that all the world knew to be so mild and tender of it self [God shall Cloath you with shame and confusion; hear this ye plaister-fa­ced Jezebels, God will one day wash them off with Fire and Brimstone,

See Reader what a Faithful Witness this holy and excellent man was for God, against the Pride and Folly of that day.

To this famous Witness for God, Let us adjoin another of his own Order, as Zealous and Faithful as himself, the worthy Bishop King, who bears his Testimony for God against the Rage of this folly that Ruffled so proudly.

[Page 138] Throw away your Robes, and costly Cap [...]isons, You Kings and Queens of the Earth, (You that are not so by the Ordinance of God, but by your own Usurpation, that take such honour upon you not being called there to, but bear the Bravery of Prin­ces, the Royalty of Solomon upon your backs, throw away your Robes) Least he give you a rent that gave you a Garment; and Clothe you with worse then Leprosy, that hath hitherto Cloathed you in Honour and Beauty. But why do I spend my time in so impertinent an Exhortation? Fashion brought them in, and Fashion must bear them out. I would to God our Preaching were in Fashion too, for then we should win both men and women, we use all the Fashions therein that our Commission can ex­tend to, we preach in Season and out of Season; we bring forth old and new, and yet without Suc­cess: Fashion brought in Silks and Velvets at one time, and Fashion brought in Russets and Grayes at another; Fashion brought in deep Ruffs, and shallow Ruffs, Thick Ruffs, and Thin Ruffs, Dou­ble Ruffs, and no Ruffs; Fashion brought in the Vardingale, and carried out the Vardingale, and hath again revived the Vardingale from Death, and placed it behind, like a Rudder or Stern to the body, in some so big, that the Vessel is scarce able to bear it. When God shall come to Judge the quick and the dead, he wiil not know those who have so defaced that Fashion which he hath Erected.—What hath undone both Gentlemen and mean Men in our Country, so much as their back and Bel­ly; Pride and Profusion. VVhat means shall we use to crush these Vipers among you? Declaiming will not serve, Denouncing of the Judgments of God are here found unprofitable by over-long Experi­ence; [Page 139] have we not beaten your Ears a thousand times with Faithful and earnest Detection of these Mon­sters Pride and Prodigality, Strangeness of Apparel; and what have we gained, but as if we had preached but Fables? Ninivi repented in Sack Cloth and Ashes, Stuff of the coursest VVool, and VVork­manship of the Simplest fashion their wits could in­vent, but we in our Silks and Velvets of French, Italian, Jewish, Turkish, Barbarian Hellish Devices, for either we repent not at all, or these are the guises and shews we bring in Repentance. These are the weeds we carry, I say not to the Theatres to be stared upon, Nor to the Kings Court where Ray­ment is more Tollerable to be worn, but with these VVeeds we go to the Temple of the Lord, and as boldly present our selves there, as if the favour of God were soonest won, by such Intemperancies, whether we be a People defiled or Corrupted as these in Niniveh were, we are not so shameless to dissemble, and whether Prophets have been among us, as Jonas was in Nineveh, let their wearied Tongues and Sorrowful Soules for their lost Labour witness a­nother day.

Application to the Gallants.