and brought into a fpiritual difcerning of the nature and ground of the world's fashions, they appear to be fruits of pride and flattery; and we dare not continue in fuch vain compliances to earthly minds, left we offend God, and burden our confciences. But having been fincerely affected with the reproofs of instruction, and our hearts being brought into a watchful' fubjection to the righteous law of JESUS, fo as to bring our deeds to the light, to fee in whom they are wrought, if in God or not; we cannot, we dare not conform ourselves to the fashions of the world that pass away; knowing affuredly, that for every idle word that men fpeak, they fhall give an account in the day of judgment.

. XI. Wherefore, reader, whether thou art a night-walking Nicodemus, or a fcoffing fcribe; one that would vifit the bleffed Meffiah, but in the dark customs of the world, that thou mighteft pafs as undifcerned, for fear of bearing his reproachful crofs; or else a favourer of Haman's pride, and countest these teftimonies but a foolish fingularity; I must fay, Divine Love enjoins me to be a meffenger of truth to thee, and a faithful witness against the - evil of this degenerate world, as in other, fo in these things; in which the fpirit of vanity and luft hath got so great a head, and lived fo long uncontrouled, that it hath impudence enough to term its darknefs light, and to call its evil offspring by the names due to a better nature, the more eafily to deceive people into*John ii. 19, 20, 21. * Mat. xii. 36.

the practice of them. And truly, fo very blind and infenfible are moft, of what fpirit they are, and ignorant of the meek and felf-denying life of holy JESUS, whofe name they profefs; that to call each other Rabbi, that is, master; to bow to men, which I call worship; and to greet with flattering titles, and to do their fellowcreatures homage; to fcorn that language to themselves that they give to God, and to spend their time and estate to gratify their wanton minds, the customs of the Gentiles, that knew not God; pafs with them for civility, goodbreeding, decency, recreation, accomplishments, &c. O that man would confider, fince there are but two spirits, one good, the other evil, which of them it is that inclines the world to these things! and whether it be Nicodemus or Mordecai in thee, that doth be-friend these defpifed Chriftians, which makes thee ashamed to difown that openly in converfation with the world, which the true light hath made vanity and fin to thee in fecret? Or if thou art a defpifer, tell me, I pray thee, which doft thou think, thy mockery, anger, or contempt, do most resemble, proud Haman, or good Mordecai? My friend, know, that no man hath more delighted in, or been prodigal of, thofe vanities called civilities than myfelf; and could I have covered my confcience, under the fashions of the world, truly, I had found a fhelter from fhowers of reproach that have fallen very often and thick upon me; but had I, with Jofeph, conformed to Egypt's cuftoms, I had finned against my God, and loft my peace. But I

would not have thee think it is a mere thou or title, fimply or nakedly in themselves, we boggle at; or that we would beget, or fet up, any form inconfiftent with fincerity or true civility: there is but too much of that: but the esteem and value the vain minds of men do put upon them, that ought to be croffed and ftripped of their delights, conftrains us to teftify fo fteadily against them. And this

know, from the fenfe God's Holy Spirit hath begotten in us, that that which requires these customs, and begets fear to leave them, and pleads for them, and is difpleased, if not ufed and paid, is the fpirit of pride and flattery in the ground; though frequency, use, or generofity, may have abated its ftrength in fome and this being discovered by the light that now fhines from heaven, in the hearts of the despised Chriftians I have communion with, neceffitates them to this teftimony; and myfelf, as one of them, and for them, in a re proof of the unfaithful, who would walk undifcerned, though convinced to the contrary; and for an allay to the proud despisers, who fcorn us as a people guilty of affectation and fingularity. For the eternal God, who is great amongst us, and on his way in the earth to make his power known, will root up every plant that his right hand hath not planted. Wherefore let me befeech thee, reader, to confider the foregoing reafons, which were mostly given me from the Lord, in that time, when my condefcenfion to these fashions would bave been purchased at almost any rate; but

the certain fenfe I had of their contrariety to the meek and self-denying life of Holy JESUS, required of me my difufe of them, and faithful teftimony against them. I fpeak the truth in Chrift; I lie not: I would not have brought myself under cenfure and difdain for them, could I, with peace of confcience, have kept my belief under a worldly behaviour. It was extremely irksome to me, to decline and expofe myself; but having an affured and repeated fense of the original of these vain customs, that they rife from pride, felf-love, and flattery, I dared not gratify that mind in myself or others. And for this reason it is, that I am earnest with my readers to be cautious, how they reprove us on this occafion; and do once more intreat them, that they would seriously weigh in themfelves, whether it be the fpirit of the world, or of the Father, that is fo angry with our honest, plain, and harmless thou and thee: that fo every plant, that God, our heavenly Father, hath not planted in the fons and daughters of men, may be rooted up.

CHAP. XI.

§. 1. Pride leads people to an excessive value of their perfons. §. 2. It is plain, from the racket that is made about blood and families: alfo in the cafe of fhape and beauty. §. 3. Blood no nobility, but virtue. §. 4. Virtue no upstart: antiquity, no nobility without it

elfe age and blood would bar virtue in the prefent age. §. 5. God teaches the true fenfe of nobility, who made of one blood all nations: there is the original of all blood. §. 6. Thefe men of blood, out of their feathers, look like other men. §. 7. This is not faid to reject, but humble the gentleman: the advantages of that condition above others. An exhortation to recover their loft economy in families, out of intereft and credit. §. 8. But the author has an higher motive; the gospel, and the excellencies of it, which they profefs. §. 9. The pride of perfons, respecting shape and beauty: the washes, patches, paintings, dreffes, &c. This excefs would keep the poor: the mischiefs that attend it. §. 10. But pride in the old and homely, yet more hateful: That it is ufual. The madness of it. Counsel to the beautiful, to get their fouls like their bodies; and to the homely to Supply want of that, in the adornment of their lasting part, their fouls, with holiness. Nothing homely with God but fin. The bleffedness of those that wear Chrift's yoke and cross, and are crucified to the world.

§. I. BUT pride ftops not here; fhe excites people to an exceffive value and care of their perfons: they must have great and punctual attendance, ftately furniture, rich and exact apparel. All which help to make. up that pride of life, that John tells us, is not of the Father, but of the world. A fin God charged I John ii. 16.