A Glass for Gentlewomen to Dress Themselves By
What follows is a treatise by Thomas Taylor: “A glass for gentlewomen to dress themselves by” that Berith Press has lightly cleaned up for syntax, grammar, and spelling. My wife is keen for these godly principles to be presented in our day to this generation of women - truths which have been challenging and convicting for her. We hope and pray that you are blessed by this godly treatise. - Joseph Weissman
I have a great desire to help guide women back to what true biblical womanhood is (by God’s grace and with my husband’s wise guidance and under his authority) and not what the modern day portrays how a woman should be. It is my hope that this short treatise will greatly convict, edify, and help guide my sisters in Christ in their walk, that they may further glorify our Lord and Saviour, for every part of our lives ought to be governed by the Word of God and not what we think or feel is right, as women are so prone to do. -Jami Weissman
Because I know that sundry women fearing God fail in the matter of their attire and ornament, because they want [lack] direction which might lead their consciences instead of the common error of riotous times, and because it is requisite that all that profess the name of God should be more careful of adorning their profession than their persons, I have here set down a few brief directions in general for the help of those who are willing to be ruled by God and His Word; and are more desirous to approve themselves unto Him, than to please themselves, or others, with His high displeasure.
I.
First then, such must know that the practice of godliness deprives no person of the good creatures of God, neither for the necessary, nor delightful fruition of them (for it only gives right, and liberty in them), but it orders the use of them, and the users of them; and sets them in the due place of their goodness, wherein only they are beautiful and lawful. Rebecca - a woman fearing God - wore ornaments. So Joseph and Mordecai (Esther 8:2 and Daniel 5:29).
II.
Know that we are not at our own hand in the use of outward ornaments, but under rule and appointment. God prescribes women how to dress their heads (1 Peter 3:3), and takes order for the habit of the body, and finds fault with the dressings of the daughters of Zion (Isaiah 3). And threatening the princes and king’s children clothed with strange apparel (Zephaniah 1:8) speaks to our gallants who build towers upon their heads, or erect them as with large horns, or in any way take up an unlimited liberty in their dresses, with some special vanity, and offense. For such dressing of the hair, the Lord threatens the dainty women with baldness and shame (Isaiah 3).
III.
Such must know that as the kingdom of God stands not in any of these outward things, so they must not be suffered to hinder the kingdom of God in ourselves or others. And though they are things so indifferent in themselves, as they commend us not to God; yet in the use of them all, we must exercise certain virtues in which we must be acceptable to God; and avoid such vices in the abusing of them, as will otherwise dis-commend us before him. For suppose they are things in their nature neither good nor evil, neither commanded nor forbidden, such as, whether I should wear cloth or leather, whether a plain band or a ruff, whether single or double, whether white or yellow; yet in the use of any of these outward and indifferent things, my action is either good or evil, according to my exercise of virtue or vice in it. Neither can anything be so indifferent in itself, but it may become evil and sin in me many ways, such as:
(1) By my election and choice of it without assurance of my liberty in Christ, or with doubting whether I do well in using it, or no.
(2) By my intention, which may be corrupt and vicious in myself, and prejudicial to others.
(3) By many accidentary events, such as, if others are - by my use of lawful and outward liberties - occasioned to sin, or thrust forward in carnal licentiousness. All this, I rather propound to be wisely considered for the removing of that common objection and conceit: that the things are not great [matters], and that God does not care so much for the dressing of the body, so [long as] I keep my heart to him and give him content in my soul. As if these persons conceived that the body is not the Lord's as well as the soul, or that that soul can be God's when the devil has the dressing of the body.
IV.
We must know, that, although the Word of God does not afford [provide] particular directions for every particular habit and attire, yet we may not think it a defective rule, or short and wanting [lacking] to guide us even in the least or lowest action of our lives, because it supplies us with many general rules, to all of which we must reduce every particular action of common life, for the allowance or refusal of it. And therefore, for the help of such as are teachable, I thought it might be profitable to apply unto those generals, and bring to their trial, this particular of habits, and attires; unto which, while they are squared, none have so much right to use them as women fearing God. But if they depart from those rules, they are not so unseemly in any, as in them.
The general rules are these, reduced to four heads:
(1) Some concern God, (2) some our selves, (3) some our brethren, (4) some the ornament itself. For unto all these we must have respect even in our attires and ornaments.
(1) In respect of God, we must attend three rules:
[1] The first concerns our warrant, and is this: No ornament must be used, but by warrant and leave from God.
Our warrant is from the Word; our leave is by prayer; the rule for both is express (1 Timothy 4:5): Every creature of God is good, sanctified by the word of God and prayer. Whence it follows that whatsoever ornament, attire, or fashion, is not warranted to the heart by some part of the Word, the ground of faith, or for which it cannot send up a prayer of faith for God’s blessing upon it - that cannot be warrantable to a godly heart. Which of our gallants, in their strange fashions, ponder that of the apostle: Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of Christ? That is:
{1} By the warrant of his Word.
{2} With invocation of God in the name of Christ.
[2] The second rule concerning God must look to the right end, namely,
No ornament or attire of any fashion or color may be used till the heart be assured that this be the proper end, that in adorning the body, it honors God (1 Corinthians 10:31): Whether ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
The word {whatsoever}, being a word of universality, fetches in the smallest action of life, in which we are bound chiefly and principally to intend, and set up the glory of God, for which end he created not our selves only, but all his works, first to himself, and then for us. Whence it follows that whatsoever fashion, attire, or ornament doth spot or stain the glory of God, the gospel of God, or our holy profession, that is unwarrantable and unlawful.
[3] The third rule concerning God, is that:
No ornament may be used to correct God's workmanship, which even a skillful artificer would take ill at any man's hands.
It is true that a woman may nourish her hair, for it is her glory; and may seemly adorn herself with her own, for so was the church in Christ’s eyes; yea, and in want of their own, if for seemeliness they borrow from others, it may be excused (so modesty be not exceeded), but of very wantonness or pride to dislike their own, or to affect such ornament of strange hair as their natural and proper hair will not reach unto, argues vanity and discontentment with the work of God, saying unto God, “Why hast thou made me thus?” or “Why hast thou made my hair of this color, and not of that?”
And much more to grow out of liking with God's workmanship on their faces, and by painting to refine them to their own fancies, is an immodest sin condemned in whoreish Jezebel. We do not deny but it is lawful to cover a blemish, or hide an hurt or deformity in seemly manner, but by defacing God’s workmanship, and by stamping pride on their faces by painting and colors, can by no color be warranted. Say not “It is Custom,” for all custom must be ruled by the word of Christ, who said, “I am Truth;” and not, “I am Custom.” Nor say “I must be handsome and comely, and therefore I may;” for this is but to cover pride under this pretence. Neither say: “I am young, and may take liberty,” for young men and women must be sober as well as others. Nor say, “I must please my husband.” True; but it must be in the Lord, and in things honest and lawful. Or can it please any husband, to come before him in a vizard [mask]: a borrowed and adulterate face and fashion?
(2) The second sort of rules respecting our selves, are five.
[1] No ornament or attire may be worn, till the heart be resolved that it will be fitting and pleasing to the Holy Spirit, whose Temple the body of every believer is (1 Corinthians 6:19): Know ye not that your bodies are the Temples of the Holy Ghost?
Now because this Holy Spirit cannot take pleasure in any ornament but such as becomes [is according to] holiness, neither indeed can any other beseem this temple; therefore all good Christians will make conscience of what they offer to adorn this temple withal [also], and be sure that it is no light, strange, odd, or swaggering fashion or attire, taken from light and wanton persons, that they present the blessed Spirit of God with, for the beautifying of his temple.
And besides, seeing every believer has put on Christ as a garment (Romans 13:14), it will be the wisdom of every Christian to see that his ornament be suitable to his apparel, that neither his ornament shame his suit, nor his suit disgrace his ornament. Everything in a Christian, from a Christian, on a Christian, or about him, should savor of Christ, and express him. Be sure that thy ornament suit with the same mind that was in Jesus Christ.
[2] No ornament may be used with affection or affectation. In 1 Peter 3:3, the apostle forbids broidered hair, and in 1 Timothy 2:9, he forbids not that only, but gold, and pearls, and costly apparel. This we must not understand as if he simply and absolutely did forbid and condemn the wearing of gold, or chains, rings, bracelets, biliments, spangles, and the like; but the thing forbidden is the affecting and study of these things.
When women (for to those he writes in both places, as being more impotently carried away with this vanity than the other sex) not only take pleasure in outward ornament, but study bravery, and strive to be as brave, or beyond others, at least not behind them in vain and new-come fashions, this is a sign of a sluggish and delicate mind, given up to the delights of the flesh, and far from mortification.
Our Lord in Matthew 6:28 does not allow Christians to bestow their thoughts on apparel which is more needful than ornament. And his apostle commands us to use the most necessary things as not using them (1 Corinthians 7:31). Then we must restrain ourselves even in lawful liberties, when we find ourselves prone to be brought under the power of any of them, as 1 Corinthians 6:12.
[3] No ornament or habit may be worn against shamefastnestnesse and modesty (1 Timothy 2:9). The women must array themselves in comely apparel, with shamefastness and modesty. We know that since the fall, nakedness is a shameful thing, and sin has cast shame on every part, and calls for a cover over all but for necessity; and garments were ordained to hide nakedness, not to display or discover it. And methinks it cannot stand either with religion or modesty, or with the shamefastness of that sex, so to attire themselves as to display their naked breasts, and some somewhat lower; or bare their arms beyond that which is fit for everyone to behold. I cannot enter into the heart to judge any, but I much fear whether they are, or have ever been dejected with a deep sense of their soul’s nakedness, and therewith ashamed and confounded before God, who are not ashamed to uncover their bodily nakedness (beyond that which is comely) before men.
[4] No ornament or attire may be used to the impeachment of our good name, which is better than the most precious ointment, or ornament, as if it carries a brand of pride, wantonness, lightness, or inconstancy, or a note to be an inventor or follower of new and strange fashions; whereas the apostle would have the outward habit and attire express the fear of God which they profess (1 Timothy 2:10), and would have women to bewray the hidden man of the heart in all their outward attires (1 Peter 3), that is, the new creature, and divine nature, which is hidden and seated within, but shown forth in virtuous behavior, and sober carriage. But alas, how do they provide for their reputation, that (as Chrysostom complains of some women in his time) so lightly and wantonly tire themselves, that when they come into the church or oratory, they seem rather to come into dance than to pray. And the evil is greater, that the hurt falls not only on their own names, but on the name of God also.
[5] No ornament or attire may be used to the wasting of our outward estate, or the abuse of God’s blessing in riot or prodigality, or the disabling us from being helpful to others. The reason is because we do not sit on our own, but are stewards of these things, and must be countable how we expend them. The godly heart must be sure therefore to lay out nothing for attires, or fashions, but that which it may comfortably bring in accounts unto God.
Besides, the Word of God lays necessary injunctions upon us to do good, and distribute to the necessities of the saints; to be rich in good works, thereby both to testify the truth of our faith, as also to be furthering our own reckoning. Now what an unanswerable oversight were it, by excess and superfluity in things (comparatively) unnecessary, to disable ourselves for so necessary duties, and prevent ourselves of so large and comfortable retribution.
(3) Now follow the rules concerning our brethren:
[1] No ornament or fashion may be used to offend our Christian brother (Romans 14:21). It is not good to do anything (suppose it more necessary than attires) with offending the weak brother. If the heart suspect or discern, that this or that attire may or do offend any Christian; if the just cause of the offense rise not out of the thing which may be allowable enough, but out of his weakness that takes the offense, the precept of the apostle binds it, to tender the weakness of his brother, and now to forbear his or her lawful liberty; and upon very good and grounded reason. {1} Because charity is better than outward ornament. {2} The nourishing of our brother’s faith is far more precious than the nourishing of out own flesh. {3} The edification of our brother is to be preferred before our own pleasure. So a conscience well-informed will be very tender to offend a weak brother by undue and untimely use of his liberty, although he himself is persuaded well of it.
[2] No ornament, attire, habit, or fashion, may be used to the strengthening of any vain minds in their new-fangled and strange guises (Romans 12:2): And fashion not yourselves to this world. A godly mind may not like, or be like vain-minded persons in their fashions, form, and courses; no not so much as enter into their way (Proverbs 4:17), nor be companions with them in any of their works of darkness (Ephesians 5:7). Now as it will be a sorry plea for you if in your account, you say, “I thought I might do this or that, because I saw some before me whom I thought well of;” so will it justly increase your judgment, that you have by your practice strengthened the hand of sinners, and hardened them in their sin, whom by your sober and seemly carriage, you shoulde have actually and really reproved. Yea, and in that rule of the apostle (1 Corinthians 14:26): Let all things be done to edification, you are cast as guilty, who have destroyed him by your example, whom you shouldest have edified.
[3] No ornament or attire may be used, which may become either a snare to our selves or others. There are some habits framed to draw - yes, to get - lovers, and to occasion unlawful desires. The daughters of Sarah detest such whoreish habits, and are careful that by nothing about them any eye or heart may be entangled. Their endeavor is not to avoid only apparent evils, but appearances of evil. To discover by our habits some naked parts, as many do, is a danger of temptation to many beholders. And as in the law, he that digged a pit and left it uncovered must answer for the ox or ass or beast that fell into it, so here; although they are beasts that fall into the pit of lust upon such spectacles, yet are they not free, that did not cover the pit. Neither will it excuse, to say, “But I intend no such thing by my habit;” for if you know it may be an occasion of moving evil lusts, and you do not prevent the occasion, you art blameworthy as the first in that sin. “You have filled a cup of poison to the beholder, although there are none to drink it,” says Chrysostom.
(4) Now follows the last rank of rules, concerning the ornaments or attires themselves.
[1] No outward ornament or habit may be used upon the body, which is severed from the inward ornament of grace upon the soul. The apostles nowhere mention this argument, but they commend this to the chief care of Christian women, to be more solicitous and curious in adorning the soul with grace, than the body with gay clothing, and plainly teach that the true ornament of a Christian woman, is her sanctification, which beautifies the hidden man before God. This is the ornament for her head, and chains for her neck. This is the borders of gold, and studs of silver, which make her comely in the eye of Christ (Song of Solomon 1:10-11). Yea, this is her grace among men (Proverbs 31:25). And when savor shall prove deceitful, and beauty to be vanity, then shall a woman fearing the Lord be praised. All ornaments of nature, all artificial colors and covers are but filthiness, where this is wanting. See Proverbs 11:12: A jewel of gold in a swine's snout, is a beautiful woman without inward comeliness. Sever this from outward ornament, and though she may please herself a time in her conceit of bravery, I shall assure her that she shall have no rejoicing in heart, no hope in death, no joy in God, and no boldness in judgment. Take the counsel of Christ in time (Revelation 3:18): I counsel thee to buy of me white garments, etc.
[2] No ornament or attire must be worn against the judgment and example of the modest, frugal, and grave persons of our own rank. Philippians 4:9 [instructs us that] we must think and do whatsoever things pertain to good report, and whatsoever things have any virtue or praise in them. Now to imitate the most modest, sober, and virtuous of our rank, is virtuous, and praise-worthy, and of good report; whereas to inventors of evil fashions, or imitators of light, wanton, gareish, or proud persons, in their proud or fantastical fashions, brings a just blot upon the person, and a gash into the name and reputation, which will not easily be healed. And how just is it, that such as will pride themselves, and glory in themselves, against the glory of Jesus Christ, and the gospel of Christ which they profess, should meet with shame and contempt amongst men of sound judgment, and be sent away with a little contemptuous flattery only of such wantons as themselves?
[3] No ornament must be used which is not as well expedient as lawful (1 Corinthians 10:23): All things (meaning things indifferent) are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient. Even such things as are lawful, may be inexpedient for a mean estate and condition, whether it be in degree, or in ability.
What an inconvenient excess is it to wear gold for ornament, when they want silver for necessaries! Now to wear jewels for pride, and then pawn them for need; to rufflle it in silks, when they can scarce pay for cloth; to make an idle show and ostentation of abundance, when indeed they are in great wants - is it fit for such to follow fashions? No. But as we must eat according to that with which the Lord has blessed us; so must we also in our attire and habits. The Lord has called such persons to frugality and thriftiness, and to suit their clothes and ornaments to their present estate. Even a civil wise man will fit his mind to his estate, if his estate be not fitted to his mind.
Besides, costly ornaments fit not every degree that are able. As it was a disorder for Nabal to keep a feast like a king (although he was able), so in attires and ornaments, for mean persons to suit themselves with great personages, breeds a great deformity, and lets in a confusion in degrees, and a neglect of distinction of persons, offices, and dignities, which the God of order hath set amongst men.
Add hereunto that such things as are lawful, may be inconvenient at sometimes. It was noted riotous in the glutton, that he went in purple, and fared deliciously every day. There are wedding garments for times of joy and feasting; but sometimes are mournful, and call for mourning garments (John 3 and Daniel 9:3). It is more than inconvenient to be in pomp, excess, and delicacy, when there should be weeping, humility, fasting, and renting of hearts and garments. I trust that godly women will be content by looking upon the afflicted estate of the church of God everywhere at this day, to restrain themselves in their excesses in their lawful liberties, and follow the Lord calling them to consider the afflictions of Joseph.
