be awakened Christ will come as a Thief Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his Garment and not be found in as miserable condition as the Church of Laodicea when she boasted she was rich Rev. 3. 17. and wanted nothing then was she wretched miserable poor blind and naked The Lord help all therefore to 1 Cor. 13. 5. examine the state they are in and to make their calling and election sure that so they may be ready when Christ cometh to enter in with Christ into the Joy of their Lord 2 Pet. 1. 10. which is and shall be the Prayer of him who is thine in all Christian Duty Tho. Wall. A Loving and Christian Tender humbly offered to the Pious and Serious Consideration of the Ministers of the Gospel and to all others it may concern FOrasmuch as we are taught a Eccl. 3. 1 7. to every thing there is a season and a time to every purpose under the Heaven so that I humbly conceive as there is a time to keep silence and there is a time to speak It is now in these last days of Apostacy when the Ministers of that glorious Name or Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who are taught by the Apostle to be Examples to the Believers b 1 Tim. 4. 12. in Word in Conversation in Charity or Love in Spirit in Faith in Purity so that among other Proofs of their Ministry that the Ministry be not blam'd they may approve themselves to be the Ministers of Christ by pureness do c 2 Cor. 6. 3 6. on the contrary opposite to Purity or Pureness give an evil Example to the Believers in walking in the shame to their Nature either in suffering their Locks to grow long and othersome in wearing the Locks of Women in Perriwigs contrary to the express d Ezek. 44. 20. Word of God and light e 1 Cor. 11. 14. of Nature whereby they have chang'd the natural use into that which is against Nature which is a great dishonour to God our Creator and shameful reproach and disgrace to the Christian Religion as shall by the help of God be made to appear and that this evil being winkt at by the Ministers is the inlet to many other evils in the Churches of God. And although I do acknowledge my self the unfittest of any to undertake a work of this nature yet seeing the Ministers whose work it is to set the f Isa 58. 1. Trump of Gods Word to their mouths as the Priests lips of old was to preserve Knowledge yet when the Priests omitted their Duty as it is written g Jer. 2. 8. Mal. 2. 7. The Priest said not Where is the Lord they that handled the Law knew me not the Pastors transgressed against me So that God called Amos h Amos 7. 14 16. a Herdsman a gatherer of Sycamore Fruit to drop the Word of the Lord against the House of Isaac even so when the Priest and Teacher of the Law in the days of Christ neglected to teach the weighty matters of the Law i Matth. 23. 23. Mercy Judgment and Faith the Lord called poor k Matth. 4. 19. Fishermen to preach the Kingdom of God therefore let none be offended because God hath chosen the l 1 Cor. 1. 27 28 29. foolish and base things of the World the things that are despised even Babes in Christ that no flesh should glory in his presence whenas the Learned in this day are altogether silent some peradventure through slavish fear do not reprove this sin the shame to Nature in Mens wearing of long Hair lest they should offend the Rich among them others being themselves guilty of this sin in wearing long Hair the shame to Nature do not reprove those that do wear long Hair so that the work of God in this thing is wholly neglected as in some other things not here to mention therefore for the honour of God and the love I bear to all Gods elected Children that are fallen m Mat. 24. 24. into this sin have I made bold to shew my Opinion as one that hath obtained mercy knowing assuredly that all that shall read these lines that have like spirit with David will not be offended but rather with like gracious heart will say with him n Psal 141. 5. Let the Righteous smite me and it shall be a kindness and let him reprove me and it shall be an excellent Oyl that shall not break my head because to such who have the seed of Gods o Luk. 8. 15. 1 Joh. 3. 9. Job 19. 28. Word in their hearts p Prov. 27. 5 6 9. Open rebuke is better to them than secret love and faithful are the wounds of a friend whenas the kisses of an enemy are deceitful Therefore saith Solomon him that justifieth the wicked the people shall curse but to them that rebuketh shall be pleasantness and upon him shall come q Prov. 24. 24 29. the blessing So then to the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because * Isa 8. 20. there is no light in them Now because the matter here to be treated of is concerning the breach of Gods order in Nature for the better understanding thereof it is good we take some observation concerning the holy Order God created Man and Woman in as they were purely natural forasmuch as that was not first which is spiritual but that which * 1 Cor. 15. 46. is natural Therefore we read God who created all things for his pleasure s Rev. 4. 11. made every thing perfectly good t Gen. 1. 31. set in most perfect and happy order Man the Lord created after his own Image in the Image of God created he him Male and Female created he u Gen. 1 27. them so that Man among other Endowments in Nature bore Gods Image in w vers 26. Soveraignty being Lord of the Earth x Psal 8. 6 7 8. and Sea chief Ruler under God over all the plenty therein so that Man of all earthly Creatures was made in subjection to God only and hereupon Man is called the Glory y 1 Cor. 11. 7. of God. The Woman God made for Man of his own kind given to Man by God in a Marriage-state z Gen. 22. 22 23. for comfort and procreation of his own kind She also was made in subjection to Man her earthly Lord and Husband and hereupon is Woman called the a 1 Cor. 11. 7. Glory of a Man. This being that holy Order God created Man and Woman in the Man the Womans b 1 Cor. 11. 2. head the Woman in subjection to Man the Man the Glory c vers 7. of God the Woman the Glory of the Man it was therefore the pleasure of God to give unto Woman a sign in nature differing from Man to teach her subjection to Man whose Glory she is namely long hair and
so darkened in that they had so hermaphrodited themselves into a monstrous shape that they saw it 's no shame to wear a womanish length of hair the shame to Mans Nature as it is written And their faces were as the faces of men and they had hair as the hair of women Rev. 9. 7. 8. By this we see how the old Egypt and old Babylon were Types in all manner of wickedness of the spiritual Egypt and Babylon so that long hair had its original out of the bottomless pit even from Hell it self so that in a double respect it was charged upon them to be abominable first as long hair in Women is a sign of their subjection to their Head or Husband so long hair in the Subjects of Antichrist proved them the Subjects of the Man of Sin. 2. As the Man of Sin together with all his Members make one Body so the Member of the Beasts as the Member of a Man they were so deformed by and in all disorder in Nature as also in Worship that they were like to Men-monsters having faces as the faces of Men and hair as the hair of Women and that the Nation were over spread with this unnatural guise until the time of King Henry the First of this Nation as shall anon appear Moreover the Lord never left himself without Witnesses in the worst of times namely his sealed ones who had â—he Rev. 7. 2. Seal of their Election to wit in departing from all iniquity as it is written The foundation of God standeth sure Having 2 Tim. 2. 19. this Seal the Lord knoweth them that are his Let every one that nameth the name of Jesus depart from iniquity These are the called chosen and faithful ones which received the love Rev. 17. 14. of the Truth who in that heavenly Book of the Revelation are likened to a Woman a wonder to the World having the Sun for her cloathing the Moon for her footstool and on Rev. 12. 1 2. her head a Crown of twelve Stars while she by Faith and Holiness had put on Christ as she had learned him of his Apostles so was she advanced to heavenly Dignity her Conversation being in Heaven so loved she no more this World Rom. 13. 14. 2 Tim. 3. 14. Phil. 3. 20. Rev. 12. 17. of whom herself is not therefore the World hateth her and persecuteth her and why as it is written The Dragon was wrath with the Woman and went to make war with the remnant of her seed which kept the Commandments and have the Testimony of Jesus And again Here is the patience of the Saints here are they that keep the Commandments of God and the faith of Jesus These are they which were not defiled with Women for they are Virgins abiding faithful from the day even as when they joyn'd themselves to the Lord by entring into Covenant with the Lord Jesus then were they said to he as a chaste Virgin espoused to Christ their Husband and therefore Jer. 2. 2. 2 Cor. 11. 1 2. Rev. 14. 4 5. 't is said of them again They are Virgins these are they that follow the Lamb whithersover he goeth and in their mouth was found no guile for they were without fault before the Throne of God to wit in the true Church of God in the Kingdom of Christs Mediatorship where the Lord Jesus King of Saints fitteth on his Throne their King and Priest to order it and Rev. 15. 3. Zac. 6. 13. Isai 9. 7. to establish it with Judgment and Justice from henceforth and for evermore And thus we see where Order is joyned unto Faith here are they that keep the Commandments of God and have the Faith of Jesus These things duly weighed we may clearly see how that the suffering Christians in all Ages since the Ascension of Christ for the space of these sixteen hundred years who are spoken of in that Book of Revelation are justified by the Spirit of Rev. 14. 5. God to be without fault before the Throne of God so that if they had been guilty either of errour in Faith or the breach of Gods Order in Worship or in Nature they would not have been proclaimed Just for the Spirit of God the 2 Cor. 1. 18. faithful and true Witness that cannot lye is not Yea and Nay but Yea and Amen For when the Church or Churches of God joyned Order unto Faith then they have this praise I joy and rejoyce to behold your Order and stedfastness Col. 2. 5. of your Faith in Christ but when Order is broken we see the Church at Corinth and others was reproved therefore the suffering Christians were not taxed with the breach of 1 Cor. 11. any one of the Commandments of God but are commended Well done good and faithful Servant as aforesaid Here are Rev. 14. 12. Mat. 25. 23. 1 Ehes 1. 3. they that keep the Commandment of God and have the Faith of Jesus Thus Order was by them joyned unto Faith for to believe is the work of Faith and to keep the Commandments of God is the labour of love keeping Gods holy Order in Grace and Nature Another Seal of our Election as the Apostle hath taught saying Making mention of you in our prayer remembring without ceasing your work of faith and labour v. 4. 21. of love and patience I hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the fight of God our Father knowing Brethren beloved your election of God. By all which we see that not so much as the Order of God in this one point in Nature was broken by the suffering Christians for these sixteen hundred years past no not in Mens wearing of long hair the shame to Mans Nature And for further confirmation hereof we have the Testimony of Men who have as is judged faithfully collected the Truth in what they believed and maintained to their Deaths but also have drawn the form of the suffering Christians as they wear their hair when they suffered death Now then let the impartial eye see the form or effigies of the suffering Christians in the Book of Martyrs and elsewhere and then judge whether they do believe when the Christians were living any could have made their hair to serve for a covering of their eyes by drawing it forward much less the face and all So that long hair is not the spots of the Lords People in the Ages past but the spots of the Apostate Christians as 't is shewed before Neither is it the spots of the Lords People now if they keep themselves in their garments or covering on their head unspotted from the flesh then could it not of them be said that they have faces of men and hair as the hair of women that is so long hair that by drawing it forward it could be made to serve to perform the end in the sign for which God in Creation and so in Nature gave Woman long hair for namely for a covering to cover
Spiritual Armour To Defend the HEAD FROM THE SUPERFLUITY of NAUGHTINNESS Being a Loving and Christian TENDER Humbly offered to the Pious and Serious Consideration of the Ministers of the Gospel and to all others it may Concern WHEREIN IS PROVED That it is Unlawful for Women to cut their Hair polled or shorn and Men to wear the same to cover their Heads Together how Men and Women ought according to the Written Law of GOD and Nature to wear their Hair. Thus saith the Lord Stand ye in the Way and see and ask for the old Path where is the good Way Jer. 6. 16. The Woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a Man neither shall a Man put on a Womans Garment for all that do so are abomination to the Lord Deut. 22. 5. Neither shall they shave their Heads nor suffer their Locks to grow long they shall only poll their heads Ezek. 44. 20. Doth not even Nature it self teach you If a Man have long Hair it is a shame to him 1 Cor. 11. 14. LONDON Printed for the Author and Sold by William Marshal at the Sign of the Bible in Newgate-street 1688. TO THE READER Christian Reader THE drift and intent of these Lines is not to shew the many manners and ways the Pagans or most part of the World have or do wear their hair but the main end is to shew in what order God created Man in respect of his hair and that the Lord in all Ages hath by his Servants called upon his redeemed ones to keep his Order in Nature yea in respect of wearing their hair as well as in other things that so his Order in Nature be not broken in any thing And as it is oft-times the pleasure of God to imploy on the Lords Message to his People the weak and despised ones according to the Prayer of the Lord Jesus to his Father I thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth Mat. 11. 25 26. because thou hast hid these things from the Wise and Prudent and hast revealed them unto Babes even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight So that they oft-times seeing their own insufficiency for so great a Work have pleaded with the Lord to be excused but because the Lord will send by whom he will send he commanded them not to be afraid of the faces of the Persons although they were great Persons and powerful in the World but to rest upon Gods Promise For I am with thee to deliver thee therefore gird up thy loins and Jer. 1. 6 7 8 17. arise and speak unto them all that I command thee lest I confound thee before them or break thee in pieces And although all extraordinary Messengers as Prophets and Apostles are ceased yet God hath his ordinary Servants whom he sendeth with his Message to his People Isai 8. 20. 1 Joh. 4. 1 2. according to his written Word by which all Spirits or Doctrines must be tried in all that Men write or speak to inform the Lords People as the mind of God And as of old God had ordained Priests and Levites to teach the Deut. 33. 8 11. Mal. 2. 7. People from the written Word of the Lord Jacob Gods Judgment and Israel his Law whom the Prophets reproved for neglect of this duty so he hath ordained Pastors and Teachers now to teach to be instant in season and out of Eph. 4. Rom. 12. 1 Tim. 4. 1 2 3 4. season to reprove rebuke exhort with all long-suffering and Doctrine But when the Priests as well as the Levites neglected their Duty to have compassion on the Man that fell among Thieves wounded stripped of his Raiment and Luk. 10. 31 32 33. left half dead in Sins and Trespasses then by the example of the Samaritan other Christians Duty it is to have compassion on every poor Soul fallen into sin Now because the Pastors and Teachers in this Day whose Duty in this Treatise shall be shewed ought to have compassion on such of their Brethren as are fallen into sin as this sinful shame for Men to wear the long Hair of Women in Perriwigs but do not then it is the Duty of others whom the Lord Jesus biddeth go and do as the Samaritan did though he be no Pastor Priest nor Levite Luk. 10. 37. Levit. 19. 17. in Office and those that so do are the only Neighbours to those fallen into sin wounded in Conscience that do pour the Oyl or Name or Gospel of Christ which being Cant. 1. 3. applied to the wounded in sin is as Ointment poured forth whereby the hanging-down hands is lifted up and Heb. 12. 12 13. feeble knees is strengthned This being the very end of this Work in a day of so great necessity when sin not only this the shame to Nature is suffered but many other Evils in the Churches in this day for which Judgment ere long will begin at 1 Pet. 4. 17. the House of God as it did on the Primitive Churches as Mr. Fuller in his History of the Holy Wars hath shewed See Mr. Fullers History of the holy Wars p. 6. c. 6. in these words The Sins of the Eastern Countries chiefly their damnable Heresies hastned Gods Judgments on them and in the Western parts Heresies as an Angle caught single persons when in Asia like a Draw-Net it took whole Provinces the staid Wits of Europe were not so easily removed out of the old road and track of Religion whilst the active and nimble Heads of the East were more desirous of Novelties more desirous and cunning to invent distinctions to cozen themselves more fluent in Language to express their Conceits as always Errour groweth fastest in hottest Brains Hence it was the Melkites Maronites Nestorians Euticheans Jacobites overspread those parts then it was just with God to suffer them that would not be convinced by Christian Counsel to be subdued by the Pagans Sword. And again It may seem admirable that that senceless Religion should gain so much ground on Christianism especially having neither real substance in Doctrine nor winning Behaviour in Ceremony to alure Professors being but the scum of Judaism and Paganism sod together and here and there strowed over with a spice of Christianity If this be not a word in season to consider how like this Rev. 16. 1 17. is to the day we live in when the last Vial of Gods wrath is poured into an earthen Air as Air is likened to Wind or Doctrine how is it that Men see not how all Doctrine Eph. 4. 14. is corrupted not only of Faith but the Doctrine of the Moral Law fitting all for Judgment the great sign of Luk. 18. 8. the latter Day approaching near as the days of Noe then Mat. 24. 37. 1 Pet. 3. 20. Rev. 16. 15. Mat. 24. 43. scarce Faith found in eight Souls Now the Kingdom of Heaven is likened to ten Virgins half naught and will not the Church
in deserveth not death temporal and eternal So then if the Minister do not declare the whole Counsel of God according to his written Word and the People live in sin If any are taken away in his sin his Bloud God will require at the Watch mans hand By this we see why Christ said to Peter Ezek. 33. 6. John 20. so often Lovest thou me feed my sheep feed my sheep feed my sheep this is the Pastors duty and love to Christ the neglect is both a hating of Christ and the Souls he hath taken charge of as 't is written Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flock and look well to thy hards Thou shalt not hate thy Prov. 27. 23. Brother in thine heart thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy Neighbour and not susser sin upon him lest thou bear sin for him And not only concerning a Brother is this care to be taken but if Lev. 19. 17. Mat. 18. the whole Church do sin in doing any thing against any of the Commandments of the Lord concerning things which should not be done and are guilty the whole Church must repent thereof unto the Lord and to that end are the Faithful to Hos 2. 1 2. Rev. 3. 4. plead with their Mother as the few Names in Sardis did having the Faithful in Israel for their example Now consider whether the sinful shame to Mans Nature to wit Men in wearing long hair yea the long hair of Women and Women wearing their hair shorn or polled be not an abomination to the Lord whenas God created Man polled or shorn in respect of his hair and commanded him so to keep and wear it And Woman was created with long hair and is charged she shall not cut or wear her hair like to Man But on the clean contrary Men wear Womans long hair and Women wear short hair and this is suffered in almost every Congregation that say they are the Churches of God. Now what is this but such a sin yea of a high nature reckoned among the most grievous sins but because 't is such a sin wherein Men and Women have changed the natural use into that which is against Nature A sin of that nature never heard of to be suffered in any true Church of God and that this sin is so generally spread that it is as a Leprosse which if not speedily reformed and removed out of the Church the Lord will now as of old Abhor the excellency of Jacob and hate his Amos 6. 9. Exek 9. 4. Palaces for the wickedness of their inventions as it is written I will cast them out of my house I will love them no more And to them that mourn in the Churches to see these as like aabominations and have used means to have it redressed and it is not reformed they are commanded to come out from among them and touch not the unclean thing and the Lord will receive them and be a Father to them and they shall be 2 Cor. 6. 16 17. his Sons and Daughters These shall find more comfort with a dinner of herbs where love is to God and their Neighbour than a stalled Oxe and hatred therewith for of such 't is written Prov. 15. 17. Mal. 9. 3. Mat. 18. Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another and a Book of remembrance was written for them that thought on his name For where if but two or three are gathered together in his Name he will be in the midst of them to bless them that whosoever toucheth them toucheth the Apple of his Exod. 20. 2. Psal 50. 16. Rev. 3. 4. Exod. 23. 2. Psal 26. 5. Eye To all other the Lord saith What hast thou to do to take my Word into thy mouth that hatest to be reformed So then it is the few Names that walk with Christ in white for they are worthy that obey the voice of the Lord as 't is written Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil and with David do hate the Congregation of evil dores and will not sit with the wicked for though hand joyn in hand the wicked shall not be unpunished By all which it appeareth that as in the Apostacy after the Apostles decease the sin was chiefly in the Stars or Ministers that fell from their heavenly profession to an earthly whereby all disorder was countenanced so that the godly which departed from the evil make themselves a prey yet the trial of their Faith was more precious than gold for we have seen how the suffering Christians were as Lights in the Rev. 12. 1. Prov. 4. 18. Dan. 12. 3. Phil. 2. 15. prov 5. 22. World who rather shined more unto the perfect day when other that wandred after the Beast were in the Kingdom of Darkness holden with the cords of their own sin so that the Sun and Air was darkened in them that they saw it no shame as in the Apostacy in this day no Men see it no shame for to have faces as the faces of men and hair as the hair of women However it pleased God by means of the godly aforementioned to wit the suffering Christians whose paths shineth as aforesaid more and more unto the perfect day that when the Nations were overspread in Mens wearing long hair the shame to Nature Theophilus the Emperour See Mr. Prinn uncomliness of long locks p. 11. Mr. Speed History of Great Britain l. 9. c. 4. numb 54. p. 44. 2. as Writers say enacted a Law that all Men should cut their hair short and that no Roman should suffer it to grow below his neck The like did King Henry the First of this Nation who commanded that Men should cut their hair short in this Nation and no doubt the King himself gave his Subjects a good example together with the Chief Magistrates and likewise the Teachers of the People in that day so that there was a general Reformation in Mens cutting and wearing their hair polled or shorn according to the Command of the King of Kings as afore-shewed and this Reformation continued in this Nation for near five hundred years until Ezek. 44. 20. 1 Cor. 11. 6 14. the latter end of the Reign of King James the First so that some yet alive can remember if a Malefactor was brought before a Judge at Assize or Justices at Sessions if he had long hair they commanded it to be cut off so careful were all Magistrates and Fathers and Masters in Families to see both old and young Men even to the Children that they had their hair cut short So likewise all the Reformed Ministers and Churches were so careful that they would not admit a Member to be joyned to them is his hair was not according to Gods Order polled or shorn So that if the Churches look not to see the Moral Law kept as well as the Law of Faith rightly believed the Apostle James tells us What doth it profit Jam. 2. 14.
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