A cloud of faithful witnesses, leading to the heavenly Canaan, or, A commentary upon…A cloud of faithfull witnesses, leading to the heauenly Canaan, or, A commentarie vpon…

Here I deny not the use of gorgeous apparel, to those to whom it belongs: But I say to rich men (who, by their ability) to men in authority, who (by their place and calling) may wear costly apparel: yea, and to Princes, who may lawfully wear silk, silver, gold, and the most excellent ornaments of precious stones, or whatsoever: to all them, I say, God hath granted you the use of these; but withal, be not proud of them, for you once had a glory greater then these, but lost it by sin: & sin brought a shame, which those cannot hide. For, though thy apparel hide it from the world, yet can it not from God: only faith can cover it from God: therefore glory in nothing but thy faith, be ashamed of thy apparel; yea, of thy robes & costly ornaments. And know further, that whereas thy body by sin is become so vile, a meaner cover & baser apparel were fit for it. And therefore know, that whereas God hath given thee use of costly apparel, and precious ornaments; he gives them not to honour thy body, but the place thou art in: and to adorn that part of his own Image, which he hath set in thee by thy calling. And know lastly, that if thou hadst kept that order, wherein God at thy creation (as this text saith) ordained thee: thy natural glory would more have adorned thee and the place thou bearest, then all this accidental and artificial glory can: and therefore glory not so much for the one, as be ashamed for the loss of the other; and let thy apparel teach thee this lesson.

Here I deny not the vse of gorgeous apparell, to those to whom it belongs: But I say to rich men (who, by their abilitie) to men in authoritie, who (by their place and calling) may weare costly apparell: yea, and to Princes, who may lawfully weare silke, siluer, gold, and the most excellent ornaments of pretious stones, or whatsoeuer: to all thē, I say, God hath granted you the vse of these; but withall, be not proud of them, for you once had a glory greater then these, but lost it by sin: & sin brought a shame, which those cannot hide. For, though thy apparel hide it frō the world, yet can it not frō God: only faith can couer it frō God: therfore glory in nothing but thy faith, be ashamed of thy apparell; yea, of thy robes & costly ornamēts. And know further, that wheras thy body by sin is becom so vile, a meaner couer & baser apparel were fit for it. And therfore know, that wheras God hath giuen thee vse of costly apparell, and pretious ornaments; he giues them not to honour thy body, but the place thou art in: and to adorne that part of his owne Image, which he hath set in thee by thy calling. And know lastly, that if thou hadst kept that order, wherein God at thy creation (as this text saith) ordained thee: thy natural glory would more haue adorned thee and the place thou bearest, then all this accidentall and artificiall glory can: and therfore glory not so much for the one, as be ashamed for the losse of the other; and let thy apparell teach thee this lesson.