thing the long hair of Women Womans natural covering with which saith the Apostle indeed a man ought not to cover his head because 't is Womans glory but Mans shame they dishonour God so it is folly and shame to them because Man is the Image and glory of God but the Woman is the glory of the Man long hair being Womans glory for a sign thereof is therefore a shame to Mans nature to wear and more especially a shame to the Ministers of the Gospel that should as 't is written approve themselves among other things to be the Ministers of Christ by pureness for are they not in the trial 2 Cor. 6. 6 of them when to be judged fit for the Ministry to be blameless Surely Men cannot be blameless when they do that 1 Tim. 3. 2. thing that is by the Doctrine of the New Testament a shame to Mans Nature yea how do such Men abstain from all appearance of evil that are charged to walk in the shame to Nature For surely had not long hair worn by Men been a 1 Thes 5. 22. sin the Apostle would not have blamed the Church of God for suffering such an evil practice among them Yea ' how can such Minister that give the People so evil example in wearing the long hair of Women on their heads be accounted worthy of any honour or esteem from the People because of 2 Tim. 5. 17. their evil practice herein Or how are such Ministers worthy of the honour as to have care taken for them in providing maintenance to keep them and their Families whenas in this thing in wearing long hair it may be justly complained of them as of old The leader of the people cause them to err and Isai 9 16. Lam. 2. 14. they that are led by them are destroyed And again Thy Prophets or Teachers have seen vain and foolish things for thee they have not discovered their Iniquity to turn away thy Captivity but have seen for their false Burdens and causes of Banishments For these things Judgment must begin at the House 1 Pet. 4. 17. of God if sins be suffered there therefore it was and still is commanded all the Lords Ministers to cry aloud Spare not set Isai 58. 1. the Trumpet to thy mouth shew the Lords people their sin and transgression But when the Watch-men do not discharge their Duty herein then the Lord discovered what a wretched condition they were in whenas they thought themselves in a good condition pampering their Bodies as 't is written Come Isai 56. 10 11 12. ye say they I will fetch wine and we will fill our selves with strong drink and to morrow shall be as this day and much more abundant But let us hear the Lords Message sent to these Belly Gods Whose God is their belly whose glory is their shame because they seek or love earthly things more than the Souls good of their Flocks as 't is written His watch-men are all blind they are Isai 26. 10 11. all ignorant they are all dumb dogs they cannot bark sleeping lying down loving to slumber Yea they are greedy dogs which can never have enough they are shepherds that cannot understand they look to their to own way every one for his gain from his quarter Now if this look too like the day we are fallen into then that we may not judge amiss Every tres is known by its fruit but Mat. 3. surely that is not good fruit which is a shame to Mans nature to bring forth or bear but the long hair of Women is a shame to Mans nature therefore not good fruit for the Trees of Righteousness to bear what then is another the cause the Isai 61. 3. Minister do not reprove this sin that is an open shame Is it because the Rich in the Congregation are generally most guilty Jam. 2. 2 3 4. Isai 56. 11. and they are not willing to displease them lest they lose their gain from their quarterly payments they receive from them and it is because they should lessen their Congregation for 't is to be feared many glory more in their number than in taking care to see their Flock walk as becometh the Gospel 1 Cor. 1. 31. as the Apostle hath said He that glorieth let him glory in the Lord to know as he is holy so his People The Flock of Holiness are commanded to be holy in all manner of Coversation so ought every true Pastor to be diligent to know the Prov. 27. 23. state of his or rather Christs Flock For to what end are Men chosen to be Ministers but as eyes to see good things for the Peoples Souls as they are to provide food and cloathing for their Bodies and their Families See what the Lord saith of old If the people of the Land take a man of their Coast and set him Ezek. 33. 2. 4. for their watch-man if the watch-man see the Sword come and blow not the Trumpet and the people be not warned is the Sword come and take away any person from among them he is taken away in his iniquity but his bloud will I require at the watchmans hands To this it seemeth the Apostle may have reference with respect to his charge he had over all the Churches as Apostolical Watch-man Whereas this care and duty is branched forth to particular Pastors or Watch-men in their particular charge not as Apostles but Watch-men over the particular Flock they are set Overseers to as the Elders of Ephesus had particular charge to that Church only to whom he advertiseth as they had taken charge of them they should take the Apostle for their example who had a care of all the Churches so that this was his comfort as 't is written in his words To the Elders of the Church of God at Ephesus Act. 20. 16 17. I take you to record this day that I am pure from the bloud of all men His reason is For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the Counsel of God take heed therefore to your v. 18. selves to wit that you fulfil your Ministers as others are commanded Col. 4. 17. that you have received in the Lord that you fulfil it faithfully in declaring the whole Counsel of God so that ye likewise 1 Tim. 4. 2. may be free from the bloud of all men you have taken care and charge to feed to reprove to rebuke to see that every one do Col. 2. 5. 1 Cor. 14. 40. their work and duty and that order be joyn'd unto faith so that all things be done decently and in order If then it is every true Ministers duty to declare as there is time and opportunity in season and out of season the whole Counsel of God a part of which is to reprove that sinful shame of Mens wearing of long hair yea also the long hair of Women because it is sin for what one sin lived
man. Secondly Neither was the man created for the woman but the woman for the man For this cause ought the Woman to have power on her head that is a covering in sign that she is under the power of her Husband and from another reason because of the Angels who being an innumerable company s Heb. 12. 22. round about the Throne of Christ in his Church are Witnesses t Heb. 1. 14. 1 Tim. 5. 21. with the Lord of all the charges laid on the Saints to keep when they joyn themselves to the Lord as well his Order in Nature as in things Spiritual so are we a spectacle to those * Psa 104. 4. Mark 4. 6. Psal 91. 11. 1 Cor. 11. 10. glorious Flames who have a charge to keep us in all our ways so are they ministring Spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be Heirs of Salvation For this cause the Apostle seemeth to require of Women modest and submissive Attire not only because of Men but because of the Angels Moreover if there had been no certain Rule to judge or measure or try when Mens hair is long by the golden Reed u Revel 21. 15. of Gods Word it had been a vain thing for the Apostles to reprove the Men in the Church of God for wearing long hair in these words w 1 Cor. 11. 14. Doth not even nature it self teach you if a man have long hair it is a shame to him Now the Rule in Nature to judge by is from the Order of God in Nature why Womens hair is called long and so a glory to her but the reason in Nature why Womens hair is called long because 1 Cor. 11. 15. it was given her for a covering namely to cover her eyes because by this sign in Nature Woman is taught subjection to Man her Husband the covering of her x Gen. 20. 16. Eyes so then it is clear from the Order of God in Nature that that Man which weareth his hair so long that it can by drawing it forward be made to serve to perform the end in the sign that God gave Woman long hair for to wit for a covering to cover the Eyes is the long hair even Nature it self teacheth Man is a shame to his Nature to wear So then as Sin is the cause of shame y Gen. 3. 7. 10. Exod. 32. 25. and Sin pollutes and makes the persons unclean and no unclean z Epl. 5. 5. Rev. 21. 27. person shall enter into the City of God therefore we are taught that the Lord hath given a Command to measure not only the Temple of God and the Altar but also the a Rev. 11. 1. Worshippers therein Now the Worshippers are the Members therefore they must be hew'd off from their corrupt natural b Rom. 11. 24. stock by the Axe c Mat. 3. 10. of Gods word and cleansed by the washing of d Ephes 5. 16. Water by the Word from all filthiness e 2 Cor. 7. 1 2. of the Flesh and Spirit before they can be laid as living f 1 Pet. 2. 5. Stones joyn'd together in the Lords spiritual Building For if in the figurative Building no common or vile thing was used therein but every Stone had its glory and every Stone had its burden all hew'd and squared fit so then now we are to believe as long hair is a shame and not a glory to Man that this shameful thing was cut off by the word shorn or polled from every Man before he was accepted as fit Stones to be set in the Lords spiritual Building in his Gospel Churches Now when the Stones were fitly squared and laid then all things were to watch g 1 Cor. 16. 23. one over another But when the watch care that Members should have one over another was neglected in the Churches of God in not discharging their duty If any one be overtaken h Gal. 6. 1. in a fault he was to be restored in the Spirit of Meekness This being not done in the Church at Corinth when Men suffer'd their locks to grow long no Man reprov'd his Brother so it is in this day which was the reason the Apostle writ to them and reprov'd them and all the Churches now in them and all Members that suffer like disorder in the Churches of God. Now then if long hair in Men were not such a spot of sin in the Church of God as some would suppose what need the Apostle to have us'd means to cleanse them in the Church of God at Corinth from it by the washing of Water by the word Eph. 5. 26. I reproved them saying Doth not even Nature it self teach you That if a Man have long hair it is a shame to him For as the Psal 119 9. Psalmist saith Wherewith shall a young Man cleanse his Way by taking heed thereunto according to thy Word But who is it in this day taketh heed to his way in wearing long hair the shame to Nature Or what Congregation taketh any heed hereunto according to Gods Word to see this disorin Nature reformed among them If the breach of Gods order had not been a Sin in Men's wearing long hair the Church at Corinth had not been reproved But forasmuch as it was then so 't is now become a Church Sin Therefore we are taught if the Congregation commit a Sin they must bring their Offering as 't is written If the whole Congregation of Lev. 4. 19. Israel sin through Ignorance and the thing be hid from the Eyes of the Assembly and they have done somewhat against any of the Commandments of the Lord concerning things which should not be done and are guilty when the Sin which they have sinn'd against it is known then the Congregation must bring their Sin-Offering Even so when the Lord by his Servant John reproved Rev. 2 3. the five Churches in Asia each of them for a Church-sin in suffering sinful Practices among them The Lord called them to repent to confess and forsake their Sins by an unfeigned Repentance else the Lord would fight against them and remove their Candlestick and kill her Children with Death Now then 't is clear This Sin of Mens wearing long hair and Women cutting their hair shorn or polled is become a Ver. 23. Church-sin who then that feareth the Lord among them seeing the Fear of the Lord is to hate and depart from Evil can Prov. 8. 13. Prov. 13. 13 14. Josh 7. have Communion with that Church that liveth but in the breach of some One Commandment of the Lord unless they repent and forsake the Evil For was not the whole Congregation punish'd for Achans Sin when the Congregation was ignorant thereof But what Wrath may be expected on that Congregation that knowingly liveth in the breach not of one but of three Commands of God that forbiddeth Man in this particular thing that Men and Women should not
either to prison or to banishment or to death so cruel and inhumane are the Laws of this Nation against Psal 107. 29. Rev. 8. 1. Acts 9. 31. her as in an Abstract of the Penel Laws lately published doth shew but blessed be God who hath given so great a Calm after so great a Storm to enjoy as the Lord Jesus hath proclaimed in his Gospel That the Tares the Unbelievers and the Wheat the godly shall live together in the field which himself hath expounded to be the World freely without Mat. 13. 30. molestation to enjoy all their Rights and Priviledges notwithstanding the different Perswasions in matters of their Faith and Religion as the Perizzites Hittites and others did Judg. 3. 3 4. Mat. 8. 28. in Canaan when Israel had the Land in their possession seeing every one shall give an account for himself at the great day of Iudgment and therefore this general Rule is given to all Christians Love the Brotherhood fear God honour the King 2 Cor. 5. 10. Eccl. 11. 14. 1 Pet. 2. 17. 1 Tim. 2. 2. with supplications prayers and intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men for Kings and for all that are in authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour So that seeing the cause of the Plea for wearing of Perriwigs is removed what is the reason both the ministers and others do wear Perriwigs and also many of them that wore no Perriwigs in the heat of Persecution do wear the long hair of Women since For this another pretended Plea is made You know that many of the Ministers are Aged and others are tender and weak so that they having wore Perriwigs so long if they should leave them off and wear their hair according to the Word of God polled or shorn it might endanger their health if not their lives and all Ans The most Wise God when he made Man gave him the whole Plenty of the Earth for his Food and comfort and Gen. 2. 17. 17. God was pleased but to reserve one Tree commanding him he should not eat of the Fruit thereof yet Man was not satisfied but he must desire to eat of the Fruit forbidden him whatsoever he suffered by so doing Even so the most Wise God hath given Man the whole plenty of the Earth fit for Cloathing or Covering to keep him warm and hath forbidden him but one thing he shall not wear to keep him warm namely Womans long hair or his own locks long yet Man is so unsatisfied a Creature that the one thing forbidden him he veteth to wear and will wear it notwithstanding God hath Deut. 22. 5. 1 Cor. 11. 7. Psal 19. 13. Rom. 14. 22. Jer. 13. 23. commanded he shall not so that the Teachers in special cannot be igorant of it let them beware they be not charged with the sin of Presumption condemning themselves in the thing they allow and so the saying of the Lord be not justly charged on them Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may ye also do good that are accustomed to do evil So then there is no plea against Gods plain Law to excuse the Breakers thereof for if it might then Vzza might have hoped God would have spared his life when out of a good intent he put forth his hand to stay the Ark from falling or 1 Chro. 23. 10. King Saul might have hoped the Lord would not have rejected him from being King when he in the breach of Gods Command spared the fat Cattel of Amaleck to offer in Sacrifices to the Lord but he was told Hath the Lord so great delight 1 Sam. 15. 19 20 21 22 23. Rev. 5. 10. 1 Pet. 2. 9. Deut. 6. 4 5 6 7. Deut. 29. 29. Acts 2. 39. Psal 128. 3. Exod. 12. 26. Deut. 6. 20. Eph. 6. 4. Deut. 31. 12 13 Isai 44. 5. Exod. 15. 2. in Burnt-Offerings as in obeying the voice of the Lord Even so let all Christians beware the Lord doth not reject them from being Kings and Priests unto God out of the Kingdom of Christ in disobeying the Command of the Lord and also in training up their Children in that evil practice whenas they are commanded to train them up in the Commands of God seeing Revealed things belong to us and to our Children so the promise of life in Christ is to us and to our Children for as they are Olive-plants born in the Lords Covenant which is the Kingdom of God so are they of the Kingdom of Grace and therefore are we commanded to take them with us to the place of Gods Worship so when they ask what meaneth by this Service or Ordinance we may teach them bringing them up in the Admonition of the Lord teaching them what God hath done for them and what he requireth as they grow in years of them that so in time they may come forth in the face of the Congregation and confess I am the Lords and he is become my Salvation he is my Fathers God and I will exalt him But how is this Work advanced in Children when they are taught to walk in the shame to Nature the Female Children going with their hair shorn like Boys and the Male Children with Girls hair on their heads O what a kind of Christians are these that have changed both in themselves and their Children the natural use into that which is against Nature Yet a word to the Female Sex only who come into the Assembly with their hair the most part uncovered short oâ—shorn to the shame of their Natures as afore-shew'd as they may read that that Woman that had her hair uncovered before the Numb 5. 18. Lord in the Assembly or Worship of God were only such Women that their Husbands accused them for being dishonest so were tried by the Law for Jealousie Mr. Ains in his Annotations on the words Vncover the Womans head noteth what the manner was as the Hebrews write that the Priest uncover'd the Womans hair and untied the locks of her head to make her unseemly hence saith the Apostle Is it comely for a woman to 1 Cor. 11. 13. Prov. 7. 10 pray unto unto God with her head to wit her hair uncovered and Solomon said he saw a Woman with the Attire of an Harlot what can this be but the Womans laying out her hair for adorning which the Apostle saith is an act of shamelesness and immodesty Now the place where this Attire of an Harlot is set forth is on the forehead and this is proved by a borrowed speech the Prophet taketh from the practice of common Harlots when he charged Judah with her imperious spiritual Whoredoms as it is written She had a Whores forhead as one not Jer. 3. 3. ashamed Now shall Christian Women do that act or thing that shall represent them immodest in