that is, they which will be strutters, shall not want flatterers, which will praise every thing that they do, and every thing that they speak, & every thing that they wear, and say it becomes them well to wear long hair, that it becomes them well to wear bellied doublets, that it becomes ⟨p. 434⟩them well to jet in their going, that it becomes them well to swear in their talking. Now, when they hear men sooth them in their follies, then think they, we have nothing else to commend us, if men will praise us for our vanities, we will have friends enough: so the humour swelleth and thinks with it self, if they will look upon me when, I do set but a stout face upon it, how would they behold me if I were in apparel? if they do so admire me in silks, how would they cap me and curtsy me, and worship me, if I were in velvets? if I be so brave in plain velvet, what if my velvet were pinct, or cut, or printed? So they study for fashions, as Lawyers do for delays, & count that part naked which is not as gaudy as the rest, till all their body be covered over with pride, as their mind is with folly. Therefore David saith,1 that pride is as a chain unto them, that is, it goeth round about them like a chain, and makes them think that all men love them, and praise them, and admire them, and worship them for their bravery. Therefore as Saul said to Samuel, Honour me before this people: so the proud man saith to his, chain and his ruffs, and his pinks, and his cuts, honour me before this people: all that, he speaketh, or doth, or weareth, is like Nebuchadnezzars palace,2 which he built for his honour. This is their work, so soon as they rise, ⟨p. 435⟩to put a Pedlars shop upon their backs, and colour their faces, and prick their ruffs, and frizzle their hair, and then their days work is done, as though their office were to paint a fair Image every morning, and at night to blot it out again: from that day that pride is borne in the heart of man, as the false Prophets were schooled to speak as the King would have them,3 so their eyes, and feet, and tongues are bound to speak, and look, and walk, as the proud heart doth prompt them. If GOD were in love with fashions, he were never better served than in this age, for our world is like a pageant, where every mans apparel is better then himself.4 Once Christ said, that soft clothing is in Kings courts:
that is, they which will be strowters, shal not want flatterers, which will praise euery thing that they do, and euery thing that they speake, & euery thing that they weare, and say it becomes thē well to weare long haire, that it becomes thē well to weare bellied dublets, that it becomes ⟨p. 434⟩them well to iet in their going, that it becoms thē wel to sweare in their talking. Now, when they heare men sooth them in their follies, then think they, we haue nothing els to commend vs, if men will praise vs for our vanities, we will haue friends enough: so the humour swelleth and thinkes with it selfe, if they will looke vpon mee when, I doe set but a stout face vpon it, how would they behold mee if I were in apparell? if they doe so admire me in silkes, how would they cap me and cursie me, and worship me, if I were in veluets? if I be so braue in plaine veluet, what if my veluet were pinct, or cut, or printed? So they studie for fashions, as Lawyers do for delayes, & count that part naked which is not as gaudie as the rest, till all their bodie be couered ouer with pride, as their mind is with folly. Therefore Dauid saith,1 that pride is as a chaine vnto them, that is, it goeth round about them like a chaine, and makes them thinke that all men loue them, and praise them, and admire them, and worship them for their brauerie. Therefore as Saul sayd to Samuel, Honour me before this people: so the proude man saith to his, chaine and his ruffes, and his pinckes, and his cuts, honour me before this people: all that, he speaketh, or doth, or weareth, is like Nabuchadnezzars pallace,2 which he built for his honor. This is their work, so soone as they rise, ⟨p. 435⟩to put a Pedlars shop vpon theyr backes, and colour their faces, and pricke their ruffes, and frisle theyr hayre, and then their daies worke is done, as though their office were to paint a fayre Image euery morning, and at night to blot it out agayn: from that day that pride is borne in the heart of man, as the false Prophets were schooled to speake as the King would haue them,3 so their eyes, and feete, and tongues are bound to speake, and looke, and walke, as the proud heart doth prompt them. If GOD were in loue with fashions, hee were neuer better serued than in this age, for our world is like a pageant, where euery mans apparell is better then himself.4
- 1Psal. 37. 6.
- 2Dan. 4.
- 32. Kin. 21. 8.
- 4Mat. 11. 6.
