SECTION XII.

WHEN YOU ARE BEHOLDING YOUR FACES IN A GLASS, AND DRESSING YOURSELVES BY IT.

CONSIDER, that the first use of glasses was, that thereby men and women might the better know themselves; that the most amiable persons might learn to shun all infamous things, and not defile the dignity of their persons with the deformity of their manners. But our glasses now have lost their primary institution, and make many persons to forget themselves, and, like Narcissus, to dote upon their faces, thinking that every one that sees them should admire them.

Consider also, that there are divers glasses that we may look in, to observe and see what manner of persons we are, or ought to be: the glass of nature; the glass of example; the glass of conscience; the glass of God's word.

1. The glass of nature. That is a glass which the heavens, the earth, and every creature, hold up unto us. There is no creature that we can look upon, but we may behold in it either the face of God's glory, of his wisdom, of his eternal power and Godhead, or may see the image of that obedience and duty which we owe to God.

2. There is the glass of example. For what are the examples of those saints that we see before us in sacred Scripture, and in the acts and monuments of the church, but so many looking-glasses, by which we may learn to fashion and compose our lives according to the holy patterns which they give us? How many lively examples, and clouds of witnesses are set before us, in whom, as in so many

glasses, we may behold the admirable graces and ready obedience of the saints, in those things whereat flesh and nature stagger and draw back; yea, obedience in those things which might seem ridiculous unto men, and in such things as seemed contrary to natural affection, contrary to their profit, and in such things as made against their safety! The sight of those holy examples should make us cry out, O Lord our God, how wonderful are thy works which thou dost by the hands of thy servants! How wonderful are thy graces which thou causest to shine in their lives!

3. There is the glass of conscience. Though we wanted other directions, yet if we would but daily look into this glass, if we would but reflect upon ourselves, and turn our eyes inward to view our own consciences, then should we find a glass representing to us good and evil in their right forms and colours. If a man look frequently into this glass, he may cry out with the psalmist, "Who can understand his errors ?" Psa. xix. 12. Who can count and number up the blemishes of his soul, and the errors of his life ?

4. There is the glass of the word of God. That which of all others is the clearest and most perfect mirror, both to show us what indeed we are, and what we should be; to discover our spots and blemishes to us, that we may see them, and be directed how we may amend them.

The glass of nature has a power of conviction; whoever looks not into it, and therein observes not God's power and wisdom, is an atheist. of example has the power of direction; not into it, is negligent and perverse. conscience has the power of accusation ; whoso

The glass whoso looks The glass of

looks not into it, so as to discover and bewail his sins, is an hypocrite. The glass of God's word has the power of conversion; whoso looks not into it, to learn the will of God, and to reform himself by it, is an infidel.

In a glass we behold the lineaments of our natural faces, and the outward form of our bodily structure: so in the glass of God's word we may behold the spiritual form of our hearts and lives, and whatever inward corruption casts any stain upon us, we may thereby discern it and judge of it. "By the law is the knowledge of sin,' says the apostle, Rom. iii. 20; namely, 1. Generally, because it makes us to know what sin is. 2. Particularly, because it makes us to know how far we are guilty of sin. But when the eye of our judgment, or the eye of our affection, is blinded or dimmed, though we stare at our spots and blemishes, yet we do not regard them; therefore we must earnestly beg of God, that the veil that lies upon our minds may be taken away, that when we come to look into this glass, we may clearly see what it will show us, and represent unto us. Whoever looks into this glass, it will represent unto him his true image, and not delude his eye with any false shadow. We must not only labour to see our corruptions by the glass of the word, but when we see them, to reform them.

In Exodus xxxviii. 8, we read of a laver that Moses made of the looking-glasses that the Israelitish women brought unto him, to be set in the tabernacle. Devout and religious women were content to bestow those mirrors by which they were wont to dress their bodies, toward the making of an instrument whereby, through faith, they might sanctify their souls. This laver served the priests both to look in and to wash

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in it was clear, that they might see themselves in it; and, if they had any impurity about them, they might also wash themselves with the water that ran out of it. Such a vessel is God's word; it is a looking-glass, wherein we may see ourselves, and our own corruptions in it; but a laver too, to wash ourselves in it. "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?" The answer is, “By taking heed thereunto according to thy word," Psa. cxix. 9.

If you are persons of quality, you may employ some one about you to read a chapter in the Bible whilst you are dressing; or the time may be employed by you in some profitable meditation, or godly conference with those about you, as far as your necessary occasions permit. And when you deck yourselves with jewels and rich ornaments, take heed of being proud of them, or setting your hearts upon them; beware of vain affectation in wearing them, and of wasting your estates upon them; for no persons are to bring poverty upon themselves and their children to make themselves fine. All your ornaments are but as marks of your sin and misery; and as a footman, who wears a gaudy livery, makes but his servitude more visible, so those that trim themselves finest, make but their shame more public.

Let men and women use what argument they can to excuse their vanity, they cannot deny but that their most gaudy apparel are the spoils of beasts, and that their ornaments are sought for in the bottom of the sea, or in the bowels of the earth. What is the matter whereof so many different silks are made, but the spinning of worms, and the sepulchre which those little animals make unto themselves before they die? What are pearls but the excrescence of

certain shell-fish? What are diamonds and rubies but stones of a particular kind? And what is gold, which men disguise into so many shapes, which is sought for with so much labour, gotten many times so unjustly, and kept with so much care, but the refuse of the most barren soil, to which the fire gives lustre, and human error valuation? And what is the finest linen, wherewith multitudes of people are so much covered, and wherein the greatest part of their vanity consists, but a kind of herb and grass, which grows up and flourishes in the fields, withers and dies in a short time, which is turned with the spindle, stretched upon the loom, wrought with the shuttle, whitened in the dew, and at last cut into several shreds, wherewith the bodies of men and women are adorned? Must not those men or women have lost their judgment to be proud of such trifles? I deny not but it is lawful for some persons to wear ornaments, for we may not only wear that which serves for a covering to the body, but also that which may adorn it. But their adorning must not be so much that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, and of putting on of apparel, as the hidden man of the heart, 1 Pet. iii. 3, 4; yet, in times of great calamity and afflictions, even the great must lay aside their ornaments, when the wrath and displeasure of God are broken out against a land or people. So the Lord said unto the people of Israel, "Put off now your ornaments, that I may know what to do unto you," Exod. xxxiii. 5. At such times we should rather appear in rags than in silks; with dust upon our heads, and sackcloth about our loins, than with ornaments upon our bodies, and chains of pearl about our necks.