Wesley Corpus

6. “But we cannot carry on our own trade without dressing like other people.” If you mean only conforming to those customs of your country that are neither gay nor costly, why should you not dress like other people? I really think you should. Let an Englishman dress like other Englishmen, not like a Turk or a Tartar. Let an English woman dress like other English women, not like a French woman, or a German. But if you mean conformity to them in what God has forbidden, the answer is ready at hand : If you cannot carry on your trade without breaking God's com mand, you must not carry it on. But I doubt the fact; I know no trade which may not be carried on by one who uses plain and modest apparel. I fear, therefore, this too is but a copy of your countenance; you love these things, and therefore think them necessary. Your heart carries away your judg ment; if you were not fond of them, you would never dream of their necessity.- 7. In one single case these things may be necessary, that is, unavoidable; namely, that of women who are under the yoke of self-willed, unreasonable husbands or parcnts. Such may be constrained to do, in some degree, what otherwise they would not. And they are blameless herein, if, (1.) They use all possible means, arguments, entreaties, to be excused from it; and, when they cannot prevail, (2.) Do it just so far as they are constrained, and no farther. VI. 1. And now, brethren, what remains, but that I beseech you who are not under the yoke, who arc under God the directors of your own actions, to set prejudice, obstinacy, fashion aside, and to yield to Scripture, to reason, to truth. Suppose, as some affirm, you acted on no higher motive than to please me herein, I know not that you would have need to be ashamed; even this you might avow in the face of the sun. You owe something to me; perhaps it is not my fault if you owe not your own souls also. If then you did an indifferent thing only on this principlc, not to give me any uneasiness, but to oblige, to comfort me in my labour, would you do much amiss?