An answer to some cases of conscience respecting the country. By Solomon Stoddard, A.M.…

SIR, IN compliance with your desire, I now send you my Thoughts concerning Periwigs. I cannot see sufficient Reason to condemn them Universally. GOD does allow Man, by Art to supply the defects of Nature. Hair artificially prepared may supply as fully & innocently, the want of Hair, as any other matter artificially prepared. But yet I judge that there is abundance of Sin, in this Country, in wearing Periwigs. Particularly, in these two things; First, When Men do wear them needlessly, in compliance with the Fashion. Their own Hair […] sufficient for all those Ends that GOD has given Hair for. One Man's Hair is comelier than another's. And so it is with their Faces, and Bodies. Some cut off their Own because of the Colour; it is Red or Grey; Some, because it is Straight; Some, because it is Frizzled; and some, only, because it is their Own. Secondly, When those that may have just occasion to wear them, do wear them in such a Ruffianly way, as it would be utterly unlawful to wear their own Hair in. Some of them are of an un••asonable Length; and generally, they are extravagant as to their Bus•yness. We have no certain way to pass a Judgment upon this Practice, but by comparing it with such general Moral Rules, as we are bound to Observe. It renders it somewhat Suspicious, that the Practice did at first take it's rise from very Corrupt Men; and that it was long, before it did obtain among those that were godly. But if it disagree with Moral Rules; it is altogether to be Condemned. The Practice seems, to me, to have these four Evils in it: 1. It is an Uncontentedness with that Provision that GOD has made for Men. GOD has generally given Men such Hair as is co•ly; and a sufficiency of it. And when it is so, Men have cause to be well satisfied. When GOD has given to Men such Hair as is suitable to answer the Ends of Hair; It seems to be a Despising of the Goodness of GOD, to cut it off, in compliance with a Vain Fashion. If GOD lay Affliction upon them; they may use lawful Methods, to moderate the Affliction: But these Men, th• GOD be Bountiful to them, are not Contented to be at His Finding. 2. It is Wastefulness. Abundance of Money is needlessly spent in maintaining this Practice. Some of the Men that use it, have need enough of the Money other ways;

SIR, IN compliance with your desire, I now send you my Thoughts concerning Periwigs. I cannot see sufficient Reason to condemn them Universally. GOD does allow Man, by Art to supply the defects of Nature. Hair artificially prepared may supply as fully & innocently, the want of Hair, as any other matter artificially prepared. But yet I judge that there is abundance of Sin, in this Country, in wearing Perwigs. Particularly, in these two things; First, When Men do wear them needlessly, in compliance with the Fashion. Their own Hair sufficient for all those Ends that GOD has given Hair for. One Man's Hair is comlier than another's. And so it is with their Faces, and Bodies. Some cut off their Own because of the Colour; it is Red or Grey; Some, because it is Streight; Some, because it is Frizel'd; and some, only, because it is their Own. Secondly, When those that may have just occasion to wear them, doe wear them in such a Ruffianly way, as it would be utterly unlawfull to wear their own Hair in. Some of them are of an unasonable Length; and generally, they are extravagant as to their Busyness. We have no certain way to pass a Judgment upon this Practice, but by comparing it with such general Moral Rules, as we are bound to Observe. It renders it somewhat Suspicious, that the Practice did at first take it's rise from very Corrupt Men; and that it was long, before it did obtain among those that were godly. But if it disagree with Moral Rules; it is altogether to be Condemned. The Practice seems, to me, to have these four Evils in it: 1. It is an Uncontentedness with that Provision that GOD has made for Men. GOD has generally given Men such Hair as is coly; and a sufficiency of it. And when it is so, Men have cause to be well satisfyed. When GOD has given to Men such Hair as is sutable to answer the Ends of Hair; It seems to be a Despising of the Goodness of GOD, to cut it off, in compliance with a Vain Fashion. If GOD lay Affliction upon them; they may use lawfull Methods, to moderate the Affliction: But these Men, th GOD be Bountifull to them, are not Contented to be at His Finding. 2. It is Wastifullness. Abundance of Money is needlessly spent in maintaining this Practice. Some of the Men that use it, have need enough of the Money other ways;