HOMILY AGAINST EXCESS OF APPAREL

Short-Title Catalogue 13675. Renaissance Electronic Texts 1.1.
copyright 1994 Ian Lancashire (ed.) University of Toronto

Edited to 2003 American English* by Curtis I. Caldwell on 12 May 2003

 

AN HOMILY AGAINST
excess of Apparel.

 Against Excess of Apparel.
[Title from the 1979 Book of Common Prayer, Episcopal Church USA,
Articles of Religion Article XXXV, Of the Homilies]


Where you have heretofore been excited and stirred to use temperance of meats and drinks, and to avoid the excess thereof, many ways hurtful to the state of the commonwealth, and so odious before Almighty God, being the author and giver of such creatures, to comfort and establish our frail nature with thanks unto him, and not by abusing of them to provoke his liberality to severe punishing of that disorder. In like manner it is convenient, that you be admonished of another soul and chargeable excess: I mean, of apparel, at these days so gorgeous, that neither Almighty God by his word can stay our proud curiosity in the same, neither your godly and necessary laws, made of our princes, and oft repeated with the penalties, can bridle this detestable abuse, whereby both God is openly contemned, and the princes laws manifestly disobeyed, to the great peril of the nation. Wherefore, that sobriety also in this excess may be espied among us, I shall declare unto you, both the moderate use of apparel, approved by God in his holy word, and also the abuses there of, which he forbids and disallows, as it may appear by the inconveniences which daily increase, by the just judgment of God, where that measure is not kept, which he himself has appointed. If we consider the end and purpose whereunto Almighty God has ordained his creatures, we shall easily perceive that he allows us apparel, not only for necessity's sake, but also for an honest attractiveness. Even as in herbs, trees, and sundry fruits, we have not only diverse necessary uses, but also the pleasant sight and sweet smell, to delight us besides, wherein we may behold the singular love of God towards mankind, in that he has provided both to relieve our necessities, and also to refresh our senses with an honest and moderate recreation. Therefore David in the hundred and fourth Psalm, confessing God's careful providence, shows that God not only provides things necessary for men, as herbs and other meats, but also such things as may rejoice and comfort, as wine to make glad the heart, oils and ointments to make the face to shine (Psalms 104:14-15). So that they are altogether past the limits of humanity, who yielding only to necessity, forbid the lawful fruition of God's benefits. With whose traditions we may not be led, if we give ear to St. Paul, writing to the Colossians, willing them not to hearken unto such men as shall say, "Touch not, Taste not, Handle not", superstitiously bereaving them of the fruition of God's creatures (Colossians 2:21). And no less truly ought we to beware, lest under pretence of Christian liberty, we take license to do what we list, advancing our selves in sumptuous apparel, and despising other, preparing ourselves in fine bravery, to sensual, lewd, and unchaste behavior.

4 Lessons. To the avoiding whereof, it behooves us to be mindful of four lessons, taught in Holy Scripture, whereby we shall learn to temper ourselves, and to restrain our immoderate affections, to that measure which God has appointed (Romans 13:14). The first is, that we make not provision for the flesh, to accomplish the lusts thereof, with costly apparel, as that harlot did, of whom Solomon speaks, Proverbs the seventh, which perfumed her bed, and decked it with costly ornaments of Egypt, to the fulfilling of her lewd lust: but rather ought we by moderate temperance to cut off all occasions, whereby the flesh might get the victory (Proverbs 7:16-17). The second is written by Saint Paul, in the 7th chapter of his First Epistle to the Corinthians, where he teaches us to use this world, as though we used it not. Whereby he cuts away not only all ambition, pride, and vain pomp in apparel: but also all inordinate care and affection, which withdraws us from the contemplation of heavenly things, and consideration of our duty towards God. They that are much occupied in caring for things pertaining to the body, are most commonly negligent and careless in matters concerning the soul (1 Corinthians 7:31-33). Therefore our Savior Christ wills us not to take thought what we shall eat, or what we shall drink, or wherewith we shall be clothed, but rather to seek the Kingdom of God, and the righteousness thereof (Matthew 6:31, 33). Whereby we may learn to beware, lest we use those things to our hindrance, which God has ordained for our comfort and furtherance, towards his Kingdom. The third is, that we take in good part our estate and condition, and content ourselves with that which God sends, whether it be much or little. He that is ashamed of base and simple attire, will be proud of gorgeous apparel, if he may get it. We must learn therefore of the Apostle St. Paul both to use plenty, and also to suffer extreme poverty (Philippians 4:12), remembering that we must yield accounts, of those things which we have received unto him who abhors all excess, pride, ostentation, and vanity, who also utterly condemns and disallows whatever draws us from our duty toward God, or diminishes our charity towards our neighbors and children, whom we ought to love as ourselves. The fourth and last rule is, that every man behold and consider his own vocation, in as much as God has appointed every man his degree and office, within the limits whereof it behooves him to keep himself. Therefore all may not look to wear like apparel, but every one according to his degree, as God has placed him. Which, if it were observed, many one doubtless should be compelled to wear a ruffled coat, which now ruffles in silks and velvets, spending more by the year in sumptuous apparel, than their fathers received for the whole revenue of their lands. But alas now a days how many may we behold occupied wholly in pampering the flesh, taking no care at all, but only how to deck themselves, setting their affection altogether on worldly bravery, abusing God's goodness, when he sends plenty, to satisfy their wonton lusts, having no regard to the degree wherein God has placed them. The Israelites were contented with such apparel as God gave them, although it were base and simple: And God so blessed them, that their shoes and clothes lasted them forty years (Deuteronomy 29:5), yea, and those clothes which their fathers had worn, their children were contented to use afterward. But we are never contented, and therefore we prosper not, so that most commonly he that ruffles in his sables [*1], in his fine furred gown, corked slippers, trim buskins [*2], and warm mittens, is more ready to chill for cold, than the poor laboring man, which can abide in the field all the day long, when the North wind blows, with a few beggars about him. We are loath to wear such as our fathers have left us, we think not that sufficient or good enough for us. We must have one gown for the day, another for the night, one long, another short, one for winter, another for summer, one through furred, another but faced, one for the working day, another for the holy day, one of this color, another of that color, one of cloth, another of silk or damask [*3]. We must have change of apparel, one before dinner, and another after, one of the Spanish fashion, another Turkey: and to be brief, never content with sufficient. Our Savior Christ told his disciples they should not have two coats: but most men, far unlike his teachers, have their clothes closets so full of apparel, that many know not how many sorts they have (Matthew 10:10). Which thing caused Saint James to pronounce this terrible curse against such wealthy worldly people, "Go to you rich men, weep and howl on your wretchedness that shall come upon you, your riches are corrupt, and your garments are moth eaten, you have lived in pleasure on the earth, and in wantonness, you have nourished your hearts, as in the day of slaughter" (James 5:1-2, 5). Mark I beseech you, Saint James calls them miserable, notwithstanding their riches and and plenty of apparel, forasmuch as they pamper their bodies, to their own destruction. What was the rich glutton the better for his fine fare and costly apparel? Did not he nourish himself to be tormented in hell fire (Luke 16:19-25)? Let us learn therefore to content our selves, having food and clothing, as Saint Paul teaches, least desiring to be enriched with abundance, we fall into temptations, snares, and many annoying lusts, which drown men in perdition and destruction (1 Timothy 6:9). Certainly, such as delight in gorgeous apparel, are commonly puffed up with pride, and filled with diverse vanities. So were the daughters of Zion and people of Jerusalem whom Isaiah the Prophet threatened, because they walked with stretched out necks and wandering eyes, mincing as they went, and nicely treading with their feet, that Almighty God would make their heads bald, and discover their secret shame. In that day, said he, shall the Lord take away the ornament of the slippers, and the netting of wigs [*4], and the round attires, and the sweet balls, and the bracelets, and the attires of the head, [*5] and the headbands, and the tablets, and the earrings, the rings, and the mufflers, the costly apparel, and the veils, [*6] and the curling pin, and the glasses, and the fine linen, and the hoods [*7] (Isaiah 3.16-23). So that Almighty God would not suffer his benefits to be vainly and wantonly abused, no not of that people whom he most tenderly loved, and had chosen to himself before all other. No less truly is the vanity that is used among us in these days. For the proud and haughty stomachs of the daughters of England, are so maintained with diverse disguised sorts of costly apparel, that as Tertullian an ancient father said, "there is left no difference in apparel between an honest matron and a common prostitute" (Tertullian, `Apolog. Con. Gentes,' chap. 6). Yea many men are become so effeminate, that they care not what they spend in disguising themselves, ever desiring new toys, and inventing new fashions. Therefore a certain man that would picture every countryman in his accustomed apparel, when he had painted other nations, he pictured the English man all naked, and gave him cloth under his arm, and told him make it himself as he thought best, for he changed his fashion so often, that he knew not how to make it. Thus with our fantastical devises, we make our selves laughing stocks to other nations, while one spends his patrimony upon pounces and cuts, another bestows more on a dancing shirt, than might suffice to buy him honest and pleasant apparel for his whole body. Some hang their revenues about their necks, [*8] and many a one jeopardized his best joint, to maintain himself in sumptuous clothing. And every man, nothing considering his estate and condition, seeks to excel others in costly attire. Whereby it comes to pass, that in abundance and plenty of all things, we yet complain of want and lack of money, while one man spends that which might serve a multitude, and no man distributes of the abundance which he has received, and all men excessively waste that which should serve to supply the necessities of other. There has been very good provision made against such abuses, by diverse good and wholesome laws, which if they were practiced as they ought to be of all true citizens, they might in some part serve to diminish this raging and riotous excess in apparel. But alas, there appears amongst us little fear and obedience either of God, or man. Therefore must we look for God's fearful vengeance from heaven, to overthrow our presumption and pride, as he overthrew Herod, who in his royal apparel, forgetting God, was smitten of an angel, and eaten up of worms (Acts 12:21-23). By which terrible example, God has taught us that we are but worm's meat, although we pamper our selves never so much in gorgeous apparel.

Here we may learn that which Jesus the son of Sirach teaches, not to be proud of clothing and clothing, neither to exalt our selves in the day of honor, because the works of the Lord are wonderful, and glorious, secret, and unknown (Apocrypha Ecclesiastes 11:4), teaching us with humbleness of mind, every one to be mindful of the vocation whereunto God has called him. Let Christians therefore endeavor themselves to quench the care of pleasing the flesh, let us use the benefits of God in this world, in such wise, that we be not too much occupied in providing for the body. Let us content our selves quietly with that which God sends, be it never so little. And if it please him to send plenty, let us not become proud thereof, but let us use it moderately, as well to our own comfort, as to the relief of such as stand in necessity. He that in abundance and plenty of apparel hides his face from him that is naked, despises his own flesh, as Isaiah the Prophet said (Isaiah 58:7). Let us learn to know ourselves, and not to despise other, let us remember that we stand all before the majesty of Almighty God, who shall judge us by his holy word, where in he forbids excess, not only to men, but also to women. So that none can excuse themselves, of what estate or condition so ever they be. Let us therefore present our selves before his throne, as Tertullian exhorts, with the ornaments which the apostle speaks of, Ephesians the sixth chapter, having our loins girded about with the truth, having the breast-plate of righteousness, and shod with shoes prepared by the Gospel of peace (Ephesians 6:14-15). Let us take unto us simplicity, chastity, and attractiveness, submitting our necks to the sweet yoke of Christ (Matthew 11:30). Let women be subject to their husbands, and they are sufficiently attired, said Tertullian. The wife of one Philo a heathen philosopher, being demanded why she wore no gold: she answered, that she thought her husband's virtues sufficient ornaments. How much more ought Christian women, instructed by the word of God, to content themselves in their husbands? yea, how much more ought every Christian to content himself in our Savior Christ, thinking himself sufficiently garnished with his heavenly virtues. But it will be here objected and said of some nice and vain women, that all which we do in painting our faces, in dying our hair, in embalming our bodies, in decking us with vivacious apparel, is to please our husbands, to delight his eyes, and to retain his love towards us. O vain excuse, and most shameful answer, to the reproach of your husband. What could you more say to set out his foolishness, than to charge him to be pleased and delighted with the Devil's tire? Who can paint her face and curl her hair, and change it into an unnatural color, but therein works reproof to her maker, who made her? As though she could make her self more pleasant appearing then God has appointed the measure of her beauty. What do these women, but go about to reform that which God has made? not knowing that all things natural are the work of God, and things disguised and unnatural be the works of the Devil. And as though a wise and Christian husband should delight to see his wife in such painted and flourished visages, which common harlots most do use, to train therewith their lover's to naughtiness, or as though an honest woman could delight to be like an harlot for pleasing of her husband. Nay, nay, these be but vain excuses of such as go about to please rather others than their husbands. And such attires be but to provoke her to show her self abroad, to entice others: a worthy matter. She must keep debate with her husband to maintain such apparel, whereby she is the worse housewife, seldom at home to see to her charge, and so neglect his thrift, by giving great provocation to her household to waste and wantonness, while she must wander abroad to show her own vanity, and her husband's foolishness. By which her pride, she stirs up much envy of others which be as vainly delighted as she is. She does but deserve mocks and scorns, to set out all her commendation in Jewish and ethnic apparel, and your brag of her Christianity. She does but waste superfluously her husband's stock by such sumptuousness, and sometimes she is the cause of much bribery, extortion, and deceit, in her husband's dealings, that she may be the more gorgeously set out to the sight of the vain world, to please the Devil's eyes, and not God's, who gives to every creature sufficient and moderate attractiveness, wherewith we should be contented if we were of God. What other thing do you by those means, but provoke others to tempt you, to deceive your soul, by the bait of your pomp and pride? What else do you, but set out your pride, and make of the indecent apparel of your body, the devil's net, to catch the souls of them which behold you? O you woman, not a Christian, but worse, than an infidel [*9], you minister of the devil: Why pamper you that carrion flesh so high, which sometime does stink and rot on the earth as you go? However you perfume your self, you cannot your beastliness be hidden or overcome with your smells and savors, which do rather deform and misshape you, than beautify you. What meant Solomon to say, of such trimming of vain women, when he said, "A fair woman without good manners and conditions is like a sow which has a ring of gold upon her snout" (Proverbs 11:22)? but that the more you garnish your self with these outward splashings, the less you care for the inward garnishing of your mind, and so do but deform your self by such array, and not beautify your self? Hear, hear, what Christ's holy apostles do write, "Let not the outward apparel of women (said Saint Peter) be decked with the braiding of hair, with wrapping on of gold, or goodly clothing: but let the mind, and the conscience, which is not seen with the eyes, be pure and clean, that is, said he, an acceptable and an excellent thing before God. For so the old ancient holy women attired themselves, and were obedient to their husbands" (1 Peter 3:3-5). And Saint Paul said, "that women should apparel themselves with shamefastness and soberness, and not with braids of their hair, or gold, or pearl, or precious clothes, but as women should do which will express godliness by their good outward works" (1 Timothy 2:9-10). If you will not keep the apostle's precepts, at the least let us hear what pagans, which were ignorant of Christ, have said in this matter. Democrates said, "The ornament of a woman, stands in scarcity of speech and apparel." Sophocles said of such apparel thus, "It is not an ornament, O you fool, but a shame and a manifest show of your folly." Socrates said, that that is a garnishing to a woman, which declares out her honesty. The Greeks use it in a proverb: It is not gold or pearl which is a beauty to a woman, but good conditions.

And Aristotle says that a woman should use less apparel than the law permits. For it is not the goodliness of apparel, nor the excellency of beauty, nor the abundance of gold, that makes a woman to be esteemed, but modesty, and diligence to live honestly in all things. This outrageous vanity is now grown so far, that there is no shame taken of it. We read in histories, that when king Dionysius sent to the women of Lacedaemonian [*10] rich robes, they answered and said, that they shall do us more shame than honor: and therefore refused them. The women in Rome in old time abhorred that gay apparel which King Pyrrhus sent to them, and none were so greedy and vain to accept them. And a law was openly made of the Senate, and a long time observed, that no woman should wear over half an ounce of gold, nor should wear clothes of diverse colors. But perchance some dainty dame will say and answer me, that they must do some thing to show their birth and blood, to show their husbands' riches: as though nobility were chiefly seen by these things, which be common to those which be most vile, as though your husbands' riches were not better bestowed than in such superfluities, as though when you were christened, you did not renounce the pride of this world, and the pomp of the flesh. I speak not against convenient apparel for every state agreeable: but against the superfluity, against the vain delight to covet such vanities, to devise new fashions to feed your pride with, to spend so much upon your carcass, that you and your husband are compelled to rob the poor, to maintain your costliness. Hear how that noble holy woman Queen Ester, set out these goodly ornaments (as they be called) when (in respect of saving God's people) she was compelled to put on such glorious apparel, knowing that it was a fit stable to blind the eyes of carnal fools. Thus she prayed, "You know, O Lord, the necessity, which I am driven to, to put on this apparel, and that I abhor this sign of pride, and of this glory which I bear on my head, and that I defy it as a filthy cloth, and that I wear it not when I am alone." Again, by what means was Holofernes deceived, by the glittering show of apparel, which that holy woman Judith did put on her, not as delighting in them, nor seeking vain voluptuous pleasure by them: but she wore it of pure necessity by God's dispensation, using this vanity to overcome the vain eyes of God's enemy. Such desire was in those noble women, being very loath and unwilling otherwise to wear such sumptuous apparel, by which others should be caused to forget themselves. These are commended in Scripture for abhorring such vanities, which by constraint and great necessity, against their hearts desire, they were compelled to wear them for a time. And shall such women be worthy commendations, which neither are comparable with these women aforesaid in nobility, nor comparable to them in their good zeal to God and his people, whose daily delight and seeking is to flourish in such gay shifts and changes, never satisfied, nor regarding who smarts for their apparel, so they may come by it? O vain men, which be citizens to their wits in these inordinate affections. O vain women, to procure so much hurt to themselves, by the which they come sooner to misery in this world and in the mean time be abhorred of God, hated and scorned by wise men, and in the end, like to be joined with such, who in hell, too late repenting themselves, shall openly complain with these words: "What has our pride profited us? or what profit has the pomp of riches brought us? All these things are passed away like a shadow. As for virtue, we did never show any sign thereof: And thus we are consumed in our wickedness." If you say that the custom is to be followed, and the use of the world does compel you to such curiosity, then I ask of you, whose custom should be followed? wise folks manners, or fools? If you say the wise: then I say, follow them: For fools' customs, who should follow but fools? Consider that the consent of wise men, ought to be alleged for a custom. Now if any lewd custom be used, be you the first to break it, labor to diminish it and lay it down: and more laud before God, and more commendation shall you win by it, then by all the glory of such superfluity.

Thus you have heard declared unto you, what God requires by his word concerning the moderate use of his creatures. Let us learn to use them moderately as he has appointed. Almighty God has taught us, to what end and purpose we should use our apparel. Let us therefore learn so to behave our selves in the use thereof, as becomes Christians, always showing our selves thankful to our heavenly Father for his great and merciful benefits, who gives unto us our daily bread, that is to say, all things necessary for this our needy life, unto whom we shall render accounts for all his benefits, at the glorious appearing of our Savior Christ, to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost, be all honor, praise, and glory for ever and ever. Amen.


*Editing goals: Clear the text from obsolete words and phrases and from references local to England, its constitution, and laws.

*1. sable: A highly valued northern European fur animal.

*2. buskin: A strong protecting covering for the foot, coming some distance up the leg. Webster's New International Dictionary, Second Edition, Unabridged. (1953). p. 363.

*3 damask: A reversible figured fabric of linen, silk, wool, or other material, one side having a satin pattern on a background of plain weave, the other side a pattern in plain weave on a satin ground. Webster's New International Dictionary, Second Edition, Unabridged. (1953). p. 665.

*4. caul: netting of a wig. Webster's New International Dictionary, Second Edition, Unabridged. (1953). p. 426.

*5. "and the sloppes," deleted. I did not know an appropriate translation. An adequate fitting word was not available from Webster (1953) or Mayhew and Skeat (1888).

*6. "and wimples, " deleted. A head garment women wear to cover the head and hide the neck. Webster's New International Dictionary, Second Edition, Unabridged. (1953). p. 2929. Some nuns wear this.

*7. ", and the launes" deleted. I did not know an appropriate translation for "launes". An adequate fitting word was not available from Webster (1953) or Mayhew and Skeat (1888). Perhaps substituting Isaiah 3:16-23 from a recent translation would be better. It is clear that garments and their names have changed. It appears the homily paraphrased Isaiah, so transliteration of the homily can be done by paraphrasing the homily.

*8. "ruffling in their ruffes," deleted. A "ruff" is a disk of stiff ruffled white cloth men wore around their neck in the late 16th and 17th centuries. Webster's New International Dictionary, Second Edition, Unabridged. (1953). p. 2181.

*9. Panim: A Miltonic spelling of paynim. Chambers English Dictionary, W&R Chambers Ltd. (1988). pg. 1040.
paynim: an infidel, especially a Mohammedan. Webster's New International Dictionary, Second Edition, Unabridged. (1953). p. 1797.

*10. Lacedaemon. Sparta, the chief city of Laconia. Webster's New International Dictionary, Second Edition, Unabridged. (1953). p. 1380.

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