the eyes as aforesaid So then we see as long hair is a sign in Nature of Womans subjection to Man which the Apostrate Christians were not only polluted withal but also from the end in the sign as by a borrowed speech they were charged to be the subject of the Man of Sin Apollion their head having Rev. 9. 7 8. faces of men and hair as the hair of women And will not the Christian Churches in this day consider these things that long hair in Men is a sign of subjection to the Man of Sin and therefore is so insufferable a thing to be worn by Men in the Churches of God And where doth the fault chiefly lie that this disorder is suffered that Christ is therein dishonoured in the Churches in this day even at the Ministers door because they shun to declare all the Act. 20. 27. Rom. 15. 4. 1 Cor. 10. 11. Counsel of God to warn the People concerning this Sin. For to what end did the Lord give the Law to Israel when they came out of Egypt and still 't is written for our Learning and Admonition on whom the ends of the World is come That Deut. 22. 4. a Woman shall not wear that which pertaineth to Men one thing especially is short hair and neither shall a Man put on a Womans garment or natural covering one thing in special is Womans long hair Womans natural covering And to what end did the Lord give the Law when his People came out of Babylon buf to teach us as them that Men should not Ezek. 44. 20. shave their heads nor suffer their locks to grow long but only poll their heads And is it not a perpetual Rule to warn Men they shall not break Gods Order in this thing in Nature and to take off all excuse that some have made when told of wearing long hair by the words of the Apostle Doth not even Nature it self teach you if a man have long hair 't is a shame to him Yea but say some how long must Mans hair be when 1 Cor. 11. 14. Nature it self teacheth 't is a shame to Man to wear We see the Objection is answered by the Lord himself They shall only poll their heads and not suffer the locks to grow long Now as aforesaid seeing Womans hair is called long when it will cover her eyes because it will then perform the end in the sign God gave Woman long hair for to teach her subjection to Man her Husband the covering of her eyes therefore for Man to wear that length of hair that will perform the Female sign to wit that will cover the eyes is against Mans Nature to wear being the sign of the Wifes subjection to Man her head And thus even Nature it self teacheth it is a shame for Man to have long hair so then the word shorn or polled is to cut out the womanish length of hair a covering to her eyes and then it will not bear the name Long hair And thus all the suffering Christians both Ministers and other by their practice understood the word Poll or Shorn to cut their hair short that it could not be made by drawing it forward to cover their eyes is evident If this be not the true sence and meaning of the words let the courteous-minded speak and prove by Scripture what other Rule there is then according to the word polled or shorn for Men to cut their hair by and so to wear it If then the sin lieth at the Ministers door because they do not teach the People their Duty in this thing as the Minister in the Ages past did by example of the Prophets and Apostles What then is the reason they do not teach against Mens wearing of long hair or the wearing the long hair of Women because they themselves are chief Trespassers in this evil thing for if they should teach against it they should openly condemn themselves although their Consciences beareth witness in them that they do evil unless the Conscience be so fear'd as were some of the Jews who taught others the Duty of the Moral Law and had not taught themselves therefore the Apostle reproved those Teachers by the very Heathen as 't is written For when the Gentiles which Rom. 2. 14 15 16 17 18 21. have not the Law do by nature the things contained in the Law these having not the Law are a Law unto themselves which shew the works of the Law written in their hearts their Conscience also bearing witness and their thoughts the mean while accusing or excusing one another Behold thou art called a Jew or behold thou art called a Christian and restest in the Law and makest thy boast of God and knowest his will and approvest the things that Rom. 2. 29. Rev. 2. 9. Rom. 2. 17. 18 19 20 21. are more excellent being instructed out of the Law and art confident that thou thy self art a guide to the blind a light of them that are in darkness an instructer of the foolish a teacher of babes which hast the form of knowledge and truth in the Law Thou therefore which teachcst another teachest thou not thy self Thou that preachest a man shall not steal dost thou steal Thou that makest thy boast of the Law through breaking the Law dishonourest thou God. Now then whatsoever Man or Woman doth against Nature Jam. 2. 1 Cor. 11. 14. is a breach of the Moral Law but for a Man to wear his own locks long is against Mans Nature therefore a breach of the tenth Commandment which saith Thou shalt not covet to wit the forbidden thing but Womans long hair is Womans covering therefore is forbidden Man to wear therefore for a 1 Cor. 11. 13. Deut. 22. 4 Jam. 2. 10. Man to covet that God hath forbidden Man is sin as 't is written A man shall not put on a womans garment or natural covering Now hear what the Apostle James saith Whosoever shall keep the whole Law and yet offend in one point he is guilty of all What need had every Christian especially every Gospel-Minister â—â— see-that they walk circumspectly because they must not teach the People in words only but in purity in all their actions as 't is written Be thou an example to the believers in word in conversation in charity or love in 1 Tim. 4. 12. spirit in faith in purity for as dead flyes cause the ointment of the Apothecary to send forth a stinking savour so doth a little Eccl. 10. 1. folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour For are Tit. 1. 9. not Men by the Churches of God chosen into Office because they excell others in the Word of God and when they Rule well they are worthy of double honour not only to be esteem'd of for the Works sake but care to be taken to maintain 1 Tim. 5. 17. them But when they give an evil example to the People in wearing on their heads the forbidden
Tim. 21. the sin of presumption to live knowingly in the breach of Gods Order in Nature How can such have any grounds to believe they can accepted of the Lord in his service seeing the Lord will be sanctified in all that draw near unto him in keeping his holy Order in Nature as his Order in his Worship and that the person must first be accepted of God before his Offering or Service can be as Vessels sanctified prepared fit for the Master the Lord Jesus Christs use in his service To add hereunto that which Mr. Henry Ainsworth hath noted out of the Hebrew Writers on these Words A Woman shall not wear that which pertaineth to man among other things they say A Woman may not put on a Mans Ornament or to poll her head like a Man and a Man that putteth on a Womens Attire and a Woman that putteth oâ— a Mans is to be beaten by the Magistrate To which he also gveth his understanding of this Precept saying it concerneth natural honesty and seemliness which hath perpetual Equity his proof is 1 Cor. 11. 4 5 6 14 c. It was given to prevent many evils that may arise so that the Attire of the Body signifieth the Ornament of the Mind Psal 132. 9 16. Rev. 3. 18. So Men should not change their Natures to become effeminate as the Egyptians and Babylonians threatned to be like Women Isai 19. 16. Jer. 50. 32. 5. 30. Secondly Again when the Lord after seventy years Captivity called his People out of Babylon to build his Temple before the Lord would accept of them into Covenant with himself and to eat of the Passover they with all other that Ezra 6. 21. Neh. 9. 1 2 3. came with them must separate themselves from all filthiness of the Heathen of the Land And among the many filthinesses of the Heathen which the Priest as well as others were defiled was long hair Now because the Priests work was to teach the Lords People the difference between the Holy and Prophane and cause them to discern between the Unclean Ezek. 44. 23. and the Clean and this they could not do until themselves were cleansed from the same namely from long hair the shame to Mans Nature and therefore the Command came first to them namely to the Priest as 't is written Neither shall they Ezek. 44. 20. shave their heads nor suffer their locks to grow long they shall only poll their heads Now why the Priest might not shave their head because Num. 6. 9. Levit. 14 8 9. Acts 21. 24. 1 Cor. 11. 15. Judg. 13. 5. 1 Sam. 1. 11. Deut. 17. 6. that was commanded to the Nazarite and Lipers only in their Cleansings as a Ceremonial Rite now ended by Christ nor might they suffer their locks to grow long because that was an effeminate badge a shame to Mans Nature to wear and also in such Men as were born Nazarites a sign or figure for the time of their lives only so that they must only poll their heads and this is natural agreeable to Gods Order in Nature and agreeable in sence with the word Shorn Thus in the mouth of two Witnesses every Truth is establish'd So then having proved both by the Apostle and Prophets that the manner Man was created in respect of his hair and that the Sons of Adam in all Ages were to wear their hair so is according to the word of the Lord polled or shorn as is manifest by the written word of God when the Lord called his People out of Egypt and out of Babylon and now since the coming of Christ in the Flesh all that were called to become Members of the true Church of God were to reform their hair according to the word polled or shorn that so in this thing they might be cleansed from the filthiness of 1 Cor. 6. 11. the Flesh according to the Moral Law. Now if there be any other Rule revealed for Christians to cut and wear their hair in these last days of the Gospel let it be made manifest by such as do deny that their hair is not to be reformed by the Word of the Lord polled or shorn But that it is so to be reformed is clear else the Apostle would not have set Mans short hair by the word Shorn in opposition to Womans long hair in these words If the woman be not covered let her 1 Cor. 11. 6. also be shorn For who doth the Apostle mean by the word Also be shorn but that as Man is to wear his hair shorn so that he useth the word Shorn by way of reproof to Woman for wearing her hair uncover'd and therefore saith the Apostle If the woman be not covered let her also be shorn as Man was created or shaven as were the Nazaritâ—s but if it be a shame for a woman to be shaâ—en or shorn let her he covered vers 5. For if the woman be not covered it is all one as if she were shaven Forasmuch then as all Sin is the breach of Gods Order either in things Spiritual or Natural and hereupon is that Royal Law divided into two Tables that maketh Sin appear to be Sin The first to make manifest when in Worship any thing be done contrary to the first Table of Gods Law it is sin in matter or form or any act or thing he done in Nature contrary to the second Table of Gods Law it is sin so then as concerning things Natural whatsoever Man or Woman is forbidden to wear to wit that which God hath given to woman as her natural covering Man is forbid to covet or desire even so by the same Law whatsoever Woman is forbidden to wear that pertains to Man that â—he ought not to desire or covet But Woman is forbidden to wear short hair because it pertaineth to Man therefore that Woman that coveteth or desireth to wear her hair polled or shorn like unto Man liveth in the breach of the Tenth Commandment Thou shall not covet is Exod. 20. 17. guilty of the sin of Covetousness in desiring that thing that even Nature it self teacheth is a shame to her Nature to wear so that it is not only a sin against God but a dishonour to her Head namely her Husband even so that Man who desireth 1 Cor. 11. 5. or coveteth to wear his locks long contrary to the Word of the Lord polled or shorn breaketh Gods Order in Nature and is guilty of the breach of the Tenth Commandment in covering his head with the natural sign of his Wifes subjection to him 1 Cor. 11. 4. which is a sin against God in dishonouring Christ his head in despising the Image of God in which he is created head of the Woman and saith also that he is not the glory of God because he by wearing long hair the sign of Womans subjection to Man saith he is no more in subjection to God than the Woman is and that the Woman is not in
lightly esteemed Now is not Christ despised by Men that breaketh his Order in Nature and is not this a horrible thing when such Men as are Ministers of the Gospel who represents Christs Person in Office in his Church who are required before they may officiate in the Office of a Pastor that they be blameless Now is this to be blameless in the service of God to come in 1 Tim. 3. 2. the presence of God with the forbidden thing on his head whenas all things that are forbidden Men are unclean to them and maketh Man unclean Now if Men are told In vain do Mat. 15. 8 9. they worship God teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of Men surely in vain doth they worship God that live in the breach of Gods Order in Nature From whence then cometh long hair to be worn by Men seeing 't is not of God We have seen it sprang among the Heathens as in Egypt there Israel learnt it as also to serve their Idols but when they came out thence they were cleansed Levit. 18. 2 3. from both and ever after charged as 't is written No more to do after the manner of Egypt wherein they dwelt nor to do after the manner of Canaan whither they were going either in Worship or in Nature contrary to the Table of Gods Law which was added to the Covenant of Grace when they came out of Egypt because of transgression to make sin to appear to be sin either in Worship or in Nature as these two Scriptures shew Levit. 18. 2 3. Dout. 22. 4. So likewise we have seen that the Lords People being seventy years captive in old Babylon learnt their ways in wearing long hair therefore they were corrupted as well Priest as other though not all which when they came out they were cleansed from as all that came with them to enquire the way to Sion with their faces thitherward saying Come let us joyn our selves to the Lord in a perpetual Covenant Jer. 50. 5. Heb. 13. 20. to wit of Faith in Christ that shall not be forgotten so were they as 't is written And the Children of Israel which were come again out of the Captivity and all such as had separated Ezra 6. 21. themselves unto them from the filthiness of the Heathen of the Land to seek the Lord God of Israel did eat to wit of the Passover Then Israel was cleansed and their Vessels sanctified and made fit in holiness for the Lords use in his service as 't is written Israel was holiness to the Lord and they Jer. 2. 2. were command so to be as it is written not only to them then but to the Gospel-Churches now by the same word Be ye holy for I am holy and therefore they must be separated and 1 Pet. 1. 16. to touch no unclean thing neither in Worship or in Nature and then saith the Lord I will receive you and be a Father unto you and ye shall be my Sons and Daughters saith the Lord Almighty Having these Promises saith the Apostle to the 2 Cor. 6. 16 17 18. 2 Cor. 11. 2. Jer. 2. 2 3 Ezek. 16. 9. Exod. 19. 5. Isai 65. 23. 1 Cor. 7. 14. Corinthians whom he reproved for being degenerated in that they did among other things walk in the shame to Nature puts them in mind of their first state when espoused to Christ as Israel was of old as it is written to Israel I remember thee the kindness of thy youth the love of thy Espousal when thou wentest after me in the wilderness Israel was holiness to the Lord a holy Nation a holy Seed the blessed of the Lord and their buds with them Even so by the same Gospel Covenant the Corinthians and other Churches were put in mind how they were espoused to their Husband Christ so were the Saints by calling a holy Nation a holy Seed and hereupon 1 Pet. 2. 9. 1. Cor. 1. 2. saith the Apostle to them when they were defiled in any thing Let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit 2 Cor. 7. 1. Psal 93. 5. perfecting holiness in the fear of God. Seeing then Holiness becometh the Lords dwelling-place for where but two or three are gathered together in his Name he dwelleth Mat. 18. 20. there so 't is clear that long hair the shame to Nature must not as it had not its original from God abide in the City or true Church of God who dwelleth there no more now than of old but as wickedness it must as by the Wings of a Stork Zach. 5. 8. 9 10 11. by the censure of Gods word be bore up between the Heaven and the Earth in the face of the Congregation and be sent from whence it took its original into Babylon the Land of Shinar into its own place And as of old with which the spiritual Babylonians were spotted withal so long hair was not the spots of the Lords People of old no more now but Deut. 32. 5. the spots of the Man of Sin the bagde of spiritual Egypt and Babylon which is the next thing in order to prove We read in the Apostacy after the Apostles decease how Rev. 6. 13. 1. 20. Jer. 17. 13. many Stars or Ministers of the Churches together with many Churches fell away from the heavenly Profession they once made of Christ to an earthly Whose God was their belly whose Phil. 3. 19. glory was their shame for they minded earthly things Now among the many Stars there was one who strove for preheminence 3 John. v. 9. and God suffered it so to be as a plague to the World that refused his Son for their Saviour unto whom was Luke 11. 52. Rev. 9. 1. 2 Thes 2. 11. given a Key not of true saving Knowledge but of strong Delusion by which he opened a bottomless pit out of which pit arose a great smoak as the smoak of a Furnace so powerful were his Errour and Heresie which he managed according to fleshly Wisdom which is said to come from beneath so Jam. 3. 15. not of God from above therefore it is earthly sensual and devilish By reason hereof the Sun and Air to wit the Sun-light of the Gospel was so darkened from the true light as it shined according to the teaching of Christ and his Apostles and also the Moral Law was corrupted from the true sence and meaning thereof as it had been opened and explained by Christ and his Apostles which may likened to the Air or lesser light in Nature as the effects doth prove for as touching true Faith the Followers the Worshippers of the Beast were destitute of so were they likened to cruel and 2 Thes 3. 2. Mat. 3. 7. Rev. 9. 5. unreasonable Creatures a Generation of Vipers and Scorpions for cruelty as the Apostle hath taught The Lord deliver me from unreasonable men for all men have not faith Even so the light in Nature was
my brâ—thren though a man say he hath faith and have not works can his faith save him Now to respect persons in the way of Faith is a breach of the Moral Law how much more for a Man to do that act that is not only a shame to Mans Nature but a great dishonour to the Lord our Creator afore shewed in Mens wearing long hair Moreover how many Commendations Râ—v 2. 2 3 4 5. had the Church of God at Ephesus and yet wanting the root Faith that worketh by Love for which the Lord threatned to remove her Candlestick except she repented and did her first Work. Now as Faith is to Believe so Love is to Obey and hereupon Christ hath taught If a man love me he will keep my words but he that lovâ—th me not keepeth John 14. 23. v. 24. not my sayings This was the great sin in the Church of the Ephesians the keeping of the Commands of Christ was neglected so was she charged to have forsaken her first Love the Love of her Espousal in the day they by Covenant were Espoused or Married to Christ their head the Agreement Eph. 5. 32. Deut. 26. 16 17 18. 2 Cor. 11. 2. Rev. 19. 7 8 9. Jer. 50. 5. was as it is written of old Thou hast avouched the Lord to be thy God and to walk in his way and to keep his Statutes and Commandments and to bearken unto his voice and the Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar People as he hath promised thee and that thou shouldst keep all his Commandments The breach of this Covenant made in Christ was the reason the Church of Ephesus Candlestick was threatned to be removed as it is written to Israel ro wit Judah of old Their root shall be rottenness and their blossom shall go up as the dust because they have cast away the Law of the Lord and despised the Word of the holy one of Israel Isai 5. 24. Now then if as the Apostle hath taught Whosoever shall â—eep the whole Law and yet offend in one point he is guilty of all Jam. 2. 10. And is not one point of the Law of God that Men shall not suffer their locks to grow long Hear what the Scripture saith when Gods People of old were told of their evil doings and would not hear then they that were yesterday Gods Mica 2. 8. People are said to be rissen as an Enemy when they refused to obey him Now what saith Christ the Lord to such Bring those mine enemies that would not that I should Luke 19. 7 14. Matth. 21. 43. John 15. 14. reign over them and slay them before me yea the Kingdom shall be taken from them and given to a people bringing forth the fruit thereof for ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you Now then what was the vain boasting of the Jews in their half keeping the Commands of God as it is written Hos 12. 8. Ephraim said I am become rich I have found me out substance for in all my labours they shall find no iniquity in me when at that time they were charged to be without the true God without teaching Priest and without Law even so the Church of the Leodiceans boasted I am rich and increased with 2 Chron. 15. 3. goods and have need of nothing At which time he was wretched miserable poor blind and naked when she had only Rev. 3. 17. Zac. 11. 5. Prov. 13. 1. the outward gifts left as Preaching and Praying which God giveth to very Hypocrites But love to God in keeping his Commandments was not by her regarded Hear what the Apostle saith to such a Church-state Though I speak with the tongue of Men and Angels and have not love I am become a 1 Cor. 13. 1 2 3. sounding brass and tinkling symbal though I have the gift of prophecy and of under standing all mysteries and all knowledge and though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains and have not love I am nothing and though I give all my goods to feed the poor and my body to be burned and have not love it profiteth me nothing So then it is not every one that saith Lord Mat. 7. 21. Lord shall enter into the King dom of Heaven but he that doth the will of my Father that is in Heaven Now I 'll appeal to the Conscience of the Ministers in this day whether it be not the Will of God that Men shall wear their hair polled or shorn and whether it he not against the Will of God that Men should wear either their own locks long or the locks of Women Now this having been proved so great a sin what have the Faithful to do that mourn to see this abomination so overspread in the Churches of God. to call upon their Ministers to justifie the practise of Mens weariag the long hair of Women in Periwigs as to bear their Testimony by preaching against it and that all that will not be reformed todeal with them according to Gods holy Order as it is written If thy brother sin tell him of his fault if Mat. 18. 15 16 17. Gal. 6. 1 2. Jame 5. 16. Lev. 19. 17. Rev. 22. 14. he hear thee thou hast gained thy brother if he refuse to take one or two and admonish him if he hear not them to tell it to the Church that so the Church may admonish him if he refuse to hear the Church to cast him out forasmuch as none have right to the Tree of Life but those that keep the Commandments of God See and read the Scriptures in the Margin But if the Minister with the greatest part do stand to justifie this or any other evil practise then the sealed ones marked of God to be saved from the destruction when the multitude will persist Ezek. 9. 4. Hos 2. 1 2. Isai 66. 5. John 9. 34. Mal. 3. 16. in evil must plead with their Mother plead that she no longer remaineth the Wise of Christ than she is obedient to all his Commands though they are cast out as it is written Your brethren that hated you that cast you out for my name sake then these that feared the Lord spake often one to another and the Lord hearkned and heard it and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and thought upon his Name and they shall be mine ye they shall walk with mâ— in white for they are worthy Rev. 2. 4. Again one might be astonished with Daniel for an hour to Dan. 4. 19. consider that ever Christians after sixteen hundred years practise of all the suffering Christians and five hundred years of that time of this whole Nations wearing their hair according to the Word of the Lord polled or shorn as the ancient Effigies of the Nobility and Gentry and others do shew that ever Men should be so bereaved of the sence of Nature