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Our apostle's next advice, here given to wives, is concerning their attire; this is laid down, first, negatively, what it should not be, not an outward adorning, attended with great curiousity and exactness in dressing the body with plaited hair, gold chains, gay and gaudy apparel, and such like.
Where note, That plaited hair, gold chains, and costly attire, were then the attire of lewd women; whores only or chiefly were so decked and adorned, and therefore were absolutely forbidden to the Christian women by our apostles: but when such attire ceases to be a mark of such distinction, it may be worn by Christian women, provided it be done without pride, and without too great expense both of time and treasure: always remembering that gravity in apparel, and wearing such a dress as is soon put on, is most honourable and best becoming Christian women. "I had rather, says one, go like the wild Indians, than have those thousands of hours to answer for, which some have spent between the glass and the comb."
Observe here, That this text doth not absolutely forbid the wearing of ornaments or costly apparel by such persons whose quality will answer it, but only forbids pride and vanity, affectation and ostentation, in the wearing of them; it is not only lawful to cover the body, but to adorn the body; Abraham had never sent ear-rings and bracelets to Rebekah, had they been sinful in their use: to wear such things beyond our purse and place, and to make ourselves or others poor by making ourselves fine, is very sinful, but otherwise, lawful.
Observe next, Our apostle's affirmative precept for the woman's adorning, with the reasons of it, 1Pe_3:4. But let it be the hidden man of the heart, &c.
Where note, 1. What must be apparelled and adorned, the hidden man of the heart; that is, the soul, which wants both covering and adorning as well as the body, sin having made both naked to their shame.
Note, 2. With what the hidden man of the heart must be apparelled; not with fine clothes, they will not cover a naked soul, but with the sanctifying graces of the Spirit of God, with humility and meekness, with piety and prudence, which ornaments will never wax old, nor grow out of fashion, as others do, and are also of precious esteem with God himself, they are in the sight of God of great price; these virtues are in themselves, and render the possessors of them truly valuable in the sight and esteem of God.
Upon the whole, then, it evidently appears, that the negation here is not absolute, but comparative; as if the apostle had said, "God will have the hidden man of your heart adorned with grace, and delights more to see that, than your bodies adorned with precious jewels and costly apparel; and accordingly, if women affect finery, and would appear beautiful, let them choose the best ornaments, those of the mind and heart, which will attract the eye of God towards them, rather than those external ones, which serve only to draw man's eye to an admiration of them."