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CHAP. XVIII.

SECT. 1. But if these customs, &c. were but indifferent, yet being abused, they deserve to be rejected. 2. The abuse is acknowledged by those that use them, therefore should leave them. 3. Such as pretend to seriousness, should exemplarily withdraw from such latitudes: a wise parent weans his child of what it doats too much upon; and we should watch over ourselves and neighbours. 4. God, in the case of the brazen serpent, &c. gives us an example to put away the use of abused things. 5. If these things were sometimes convenient, yet when their use is prejudicial in example, they should be disused. 6. Such as yet proceed to love their unlawful pleasures more than Christ and his cross, the mischief they have brought to persons and estates, bodies and souls. 7. Ingenuous people know this to be true: an appeal to God's Witness in the guilty: their state that of Babylon. 8. But temperance in food, and plainness in apparel, and sober conversation, conduce most to good: so the apostle teaches in his epistles. 9. Temperance enriches a land: it is a political good, as well as a religious one in all governments. 10. When people have done their duty to God, it will be time enough to think of pleasing themselves. 11. An address to the magistrates, and all people, how to convert their time and money to better purposes.

SECT. 1. BUT should these things be as indifferent, as they are proved perniciously unlawful, for I never heard any advance their plea beyond the bounds of mere indifferency, yet so great is their abuse, so universal the sad effects thereof, like to an infection, that they therefore ought to be rejected of all, especially those, whose sobriety hath preserved them on this side of that

excess, or whose judgments, though themselves be guilty, suggest the folly of such intemperance. For what is an indifferent thing, but that which may be done, or left undone? Granting, I say this were the case, yet doth both reason and religion teach, that when they are used with such an excess of appetite, as to leave them, would be a cross to their desires, they have exceeded the bounds of mere indifferency, and are thereby rendered no less than necessary. Which being a violation of the very nature of the things themselves, a perfect abuse enters; and consequently they are no longer to be considered in the rank of things simply indifferent, but unlawful.

Sect. 2. Now that the whole exchange of things against which I have so earnestly contended, are generally abused by the excess of almost all ages, sexes, and qualities of people, will be confessed by many, who yet decline not to conform themselves to them; and to whom, as I have understood, it only seems lawful, because, say they, the abuse of others should be no argument why we should not use them. But to such I answer, that they have quite forgot, or will not remember, they have acknowledged these things to be but of an indifferent nature: if so, and vanity never urged more, I say, there can be nothing more clear, than since they acknowledged their great abuse, that they are wholly to be forsaken: for since they may as well be let alone as done at any time, surely they should then of duty be let alone, when the use of them is an abetting the general excess, and a mere exciting others to continue in their abuse, because they find persons reputed sober to imitate them, or otherwise give them an example: a precepts are not half so forcible as examples.

Sect. 3. Every one that pretends to seriousness ought to inspect himself, as having been too forward to help on the excess, and can never make too much haste out of

a Phil. iii. 17.

b

those inconveniences, that by his former example he encouraged any to; that by a new one he may put a seasonable check upon the intemperance of others. A wise parent ever withdraws those objects, however innocent in themselves, which are too prevalent upon the weak senses of his children, on purpose that they might be weaned. And it is as frequent with men to bend a crooked stick as much the contrary way, that they might make it straight at last. Those that have more sobriety than others should not forget their stewardships, but exercise that gift of God to the security of their neighbours. It was murdering Cain that rudely asked the Lord, "Was he his brother's keeper?"" for every man is necessarily obliged thereto; and therefore should be so wise, as to deny himself the use of such indifferent enjoyments, as cannot be used by him without too manifest an encouragement to his neighbour's folly.

Sect. 4. God hath sufficiently excited men to what is said; for in the case of the brazen serpent, which was an heavenly institution and type of Christ, he with great displeasure enjoined it should be broke to pieces, because they were too fond and doating upon it. Yes, the very groves themselves, however pleasant for situation, beautiful for their walks and trees, must be cut down ; and why? only because they had been abused to idolatrous uses. And what is an idol, but that which the mind puts an over-estimate or value upon? None can benefit themselves so much by an indifferent thing, as others by not using that abused liberty.

Sect. 5. If those things were convenient in themselves, which is a step nearer necessity than mere indifferency, yet when by circumstances they become prejudicial, such conveniency itself ought to be given up; much more what is but indifferent should be denied. People ought not to weigh their private satisfactions more than a public good; nor please themselves in too free an

Rom. xiv. to the end.

© Gen. iv. 9.

Ff

4 Kings xviii. 3, 4.

use of indifferent things, at the cost of being so really prejudicial to the public, as they certainly are, whose use of them, if no worse, becomes exemplary to others, and begets an impatiency in their minds to have the like. Wherefore it is both reasonable and incumbent on all, to make only such things necessary, as tend to life and godliness, and to employ their freedom with most advantage to their neighbours. So that here is a two-fold obligation; the one, not to be exemplary in the use of such things; which, though they may use them, yet not without giving too much countenance to the abuse and excessive vanity of their neighbours. The other obligation is, that they ought so far to condescend to such religious people who are offended at these fashions, and that kind of conversation, as to reject them."

Sect. 6 Now those, who notwithstanding what I have urged will yet proceed; what is it, but that they have so involved themselves and their affections in them, that it is hardly possible to reform them; and that, for all their many protestations against their fondness to such fopperies, they really love them more than Christ and his cross? Such cannot seek the good of others, who do so little respect their own. For, after a serious consideration, what vanity, pride, idleness, expense of time and estates, have been, and yet are ? how many persons debauched from their first sobriety, and women from their natural sweetness and innocency, to loose, airy, wanton, and many times more enormous practices? how many plentiful estates have been over-run by numerous debts, chastity ensnared by accursed lustful intrigues? youthful health overtaken by the hasty seizure of unnatural distempers, and the remaining days of such spent upon a rack of their vices procuring, and so made slaves to the unmerciful but necessary effects of their own inordinate pleasures? in which agony they vow the greatest temperance: but are no sooner out of it, than in their vice again.h

• Psal. x. 3, 4.

f 2 Pet. i. 3. Eph. v. 7.

Rom. xiv. 1. to the end,

h Lam. iv. 5. Prov. xxi. 17. Job xxi. 13, 14. Psal. Iv. 23. Psal. xxxvii. 10. Eccl. viii. 12. Psal. xxxvii. 1, 2. Prov. ii. 22.

Sect. 7. That these things are the case, and almost innumerable more, I am persuaded no ingenuous person of any experience will deny; how then, upon a serious reflection, any that pretend conscience, or the fear of God Almighty, can longer continue in the garb, livery, and conversation of those whose whole life tends to little else than what I have repeated, much less join with them in their abominable excess,, I leave to the Just Principle in themselves to judge. No surely! this is not to obey the voice of God, who in all ages did loudly cry to all," Come out, of what? of the ways, fashions, converse and spirit of Babylon?" What is that? the great city of all these vain, foolish, wanton, superfluous, and wicked practices, against which the scriptures denounce most dreadful judgments; ascribing all the intemperance of men and women to the cup of wickedness she hath given them to drink; whose are the things indifferent, if they must be so.' And for witness, hear what the revelations say in her description: "How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her. And the kings of the earth, who have lived deliciously with her, shall bewail and lament her; and the merchants of the earth shall weep over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: the merchandise of gold and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all manner of vessels of ivory, and all manner of vessels of most precious wood; and cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and beasts, and slaves, and souls of men." Behold the character and judgment of luxury; and though I know it hath a farther signification than what is literal, yet there is enough to show the pomp, plenty, fulness, idleness, ease, wantonness, vanity, lust and excess of luxury that reign in her. But at the terrible day who will go to her exchange any more? who to her plays? who will follow her fashions then? and who shall traffic in her delicate inventions?

Jer. xvi. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.

Isa. iii. 13 to 16. Jer. 1. 8. ch. xv. 6, 7. Amos vi. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.
Rev. xviii. 7, 8, 12, 13.

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