It is plain out of Hierome himself, that [Candida vestis] was no garment belonging to the Minister a•one in divine service, but an honest, decent▪ and cleanly vesture, opposed to a foul, sluttish, and ragged habit. For the Pelagians condemned glorious garments, as he there saith, Whence you add, the show of garments, and ornaments is contrary to God. In confutation whereof he demandeth, But wherein is that against God, if I have a cleaner garment? And then presently after the words you cite▪ Look to it O Clerks, take heed O Monks, Widows, and Virgins: you are in danger, unless the people see you in foul apparel. I say nothing of Secular, against whom war is proclaimed, and enmity against God, if they use fine ⟨p. 507⟩apparel. By which it is evident, he defended comely, honest a•tire, such as was common to Monks, Widows, Virgins, [& homines saeculi] not proper to any office of the Minister. So in Eccl. 9.8. expounding what [Candida vestimenta] be, he saith,1 Beware thou put not on at any time polluted garments, because sinners have mourned in obscure garments, but put thou on the light, and not cursing. If [Candida vestimenta] should be only Ministers apparel, then Solomons exhortation is only to Ministers, and they are the men he willeth to be merry, and always to have on their Surplices, not only in their Ministerial duty. In his precepts to Nepotian he adviseth,2 Avoid sad garments as well as white, Ornaments, as well as Spots, one savoureth of delights, the other of too much glory. Would he have willed him to avoid white garments in common life, (for make it a Ministerial garment, and then you have Hieroms counsel against it) had they not been usual? In divine service therefore, the Ministers used the white garment of the people, but in ordinary life, Hierome thought a meaner clothing fitting, and so some devouter, as Nepotian, and such like practised, though others differed nothing in their attire from the Laity. 3. There was no set Ministering garment in Hieromes time, and therefore [Candida vestis] was no such. For Coelestinus, who was not Bishop till after Hieroms death, writeth thus to the French Bishops concerning apparel in divine service, among whom this superstition began to spring,3 We are to be distinguished from the common sort by doctrine and not by garment, by conversation, and not habit;
It is plaine out of Hierome himselfe, that [Candida vestis] was no garment belonging to the Minister a•one in divine service, but an honest, decent▪ and cleanly vesture, opposed to a foule, sluttish, and ragged habit. For the Pelagians condemned glorious garments, as he there saith, Whence you adde, the shew of garments, and ornaments is contrary to God. In confutation whereof he demandeth, But wherein is that against God, if I have a cleaner garment? And then presently after the words you cite▪ Looke to it O Clarks, take heede O Monkes, Widowes, and Virgines: you are in danger, unlesse the people see you in foule apparrell. I say nothing of Secular, against whom warre is proclaimed, and enmity against God, if they use fine ⟨p. 507⟩apparrell. By which it is evident, he defended comely, honest a•tire, such as was common to Monkes, Widowes, Virgins, [& homines saeculi] not proper to any office of the Minister. So in Eccl. 9.8. expounding what [Candida vestimenta] be, he saith,1 Beware thou put not on at any time polluted garments, because sinners have mourned in obscure garments, but put thou on the light, and not cursing. If [Candida vestimenta] should be onely Ministers apparrell, then Solomons exhortation is onely to Ministers, and they are the men he willeth to be merry, and alwayes to have on their Surplices, not onely in their Ministereall duty. In his precepts to Nepotian he adviseth,2 Avoid sad garments as well as white, Ornaments, as well as Spots, one savoureth of delights, the other of too much glory. Would he have willed him to avoid white garments in common life, (for make it a Ministeriall garment, and then you have Hieroms counsell against it) had they not beene usuall? In divine service therefore, the Ministers used the white garment of the people, but in ordinary life, Hierome thought a meaner clothing fitting, and so some devoter, as Nepotian, and such like practised, though others differed nothing in their attire from the Laity. 3. There was no set Ministring garment in Hieromes time, and therefore [Candida vestis] was no such. For Coelestinus, who was not Bishop till after Hieroms death, writeth thus to the French Bishops concerning apparrell in divine service, among whom this superstition began to spring,3
- 1Cave ne quando pollutu vestibus induatis, populus quippe peccator in vestibus suscis luxisse describitur, Tu autem induere lucem, & non maledictionem, &c.
- 2Vests pullat aque devita ut candidas: Ornatus, ut sordes pari modo fugiendae sunt: quia alterum delicias, alterum gloriam redolet.Vestes pullat aque devita ut candidas: Ornatus, ut sordes pari modo fugiendae sunt: quia alterum delicias, alterum gloriam redolet.
- 3Discernendi • plebe vel cateris sumus doctrina, non veste, conversatione, non habitu, mentis puritate non cultu. Nam si studere incipi amus novitati, traditum nobis à Patribus ordinem calcabimus, ut lo•um supervacuis superstitionibus faciamus. Ru•es ergo Fidelium mentes ad talia non debemus inducere Decendi enim potius sunt quam illudendi. N•c imponandum est corum oculu, s•d mentibus insundendo praecepta sunt.
