words, as they teach parrots; for if they were of those, whose hearts are fet on things above, and whofe treasure is in heaven, there would their minds inhabit, and their greatest pleasure conftantly be and fuch who call that a burden, and feek to be refreshed by fuch pastimes as a play, a morrice-dance, a punchinello, a ball, a mafque, cards, dice, or the like, I am bold to affirm, they not only never knew the divine excellency of God, and his truth, but thereby declare themselves most unfit for them in another world. For how is it poffible, that they can be delighted to eternity with that fatisfaction, which is fo tedious and irksome for thirty or forty years, that, for a fupply of recreation to their minds, the little toys and fopperies of this perifhing world must be brought into practice and requeft? Surely, thofe who are to reckon for every idle word, muft not use sports to pass away that time which they are commanded fo diligently to redeem, confidering no less work is to be done, than making their calling and election fure: much lefs ftudy to invent recreations for their vain minds, and spend the greatest part of their days, and months, and years therein, not allowing a quarter of that time toward the great concernment of their lives and fouls, for which that time was given them. §. VII. There is but little need to drive away that, by foolish divertisements, which flies away fo fwiftly of itself; and when once gone, is never to be recalled. Plays, parks, balls, treats, romances, mufic, love-fonnets, and the like, will be a very invalid plea, for any other purpose than their condemnation who are taken and delighted with them, at the revelation of the righteous judgment of God. O my friends! these were never invented, but by that mind which had firft loft the joy and ravishing delights of God's holy prefence. So that we conclude, firft, that of thofe many excellent employments already mentioned, as worthy to poffefs fuch minds as are inclined to thefe vanities, there is ftore enough of time, not only to take up their fpare hours, but double fo much, and that with great delight, diverfion, and profit, both to themfelves and others; were they but once weaned from vain and fruitless fopperies, and did they but confider, how great the fatisfaction, and how certain the rewards are, which attend this, and the other life, for fuch univerfal benefits and virtuous examples. The fecond conclufion is, that what is alledged by me, can be difpleafing and ungrateful, to none, but fuch as know not what it is to walk with God, to prepare for an eternal manfion, to have the mind exercised on heavenly and good things, to follow the examples of the holy men and women of former happy ages: fuch as know not Chrift's doctrine, life, death, and refurrection, but only have their minds fastened to the flesh, and by the objects of it are allured, deceived, and miferably ruined: and laftly, a that despise heaven, and the joys that are not feen, though eternal, for a few perifhing trifles that they do fee, though they are decreed to pass away. How these are baptized with Chrift, into his holy life, cruel fufferings, shameful death, and raised with him to immortal defires, heavenly meditations, a divine new life, growing into the knowledge of heavenly mysteries, and all holiness, even unto the meafure of the ftature of Jefus Chrift, the great example of all how, I fay, thefe resemble most neceffary Christian qualifications, and what fhare they have therein, let their confciences tell them upon a ferious inquiry in the cool of the day. §. VIII. But in the next place, fuch attire and paftimes do not only fhew the exceeding worldlinefs of people's inclinations, and their very great ignorance of the divine joys; but by imitating these fashions, and frequenting. thefe places and diverfions, not only much good is omitted, but a certain door is opened to much evil to be committed: as first, precious time, that were worth a world on a dying bed, is loft; money, that might be employed for fome general good, vainly expended, pleasure is taken in mere fhame; lufts are gratified, the minds of people alienated from heavenly things, and exercifed about mere folly; pride taken in clothes, firft given to cover nakedness, whereby the creature is neglected, and the noble creation of God difregarded, and * Rom. vi. 3 to 8.′′ 1 Cor. xii. 13. Gal. iii. 27. Col. ii. 17, 13. Eph. iv. 13. L men become acceptable by their trims and the alamodeness of their drefs and apparel; from whence refpect to perfons doth fo naturally.. arife, that for any to deny it, is to affirm the fun fhines not at noon-day: nothing being. more notorious than the cringing, fcraping; firring, and madaming of perfons, according to the gaudinefs of their attire; which is deteftable to God, and fo abfolutely forbidden in the fcriptures, that to do it, is to break the whole law, and confequently to incur the punishment thereof. Next, what great holes. do the like practices make in men's eftates? How are their vocations neglected, young women deluded, the marriage-bed invaded, contentions and family animofities begotten, partings of man and wife, difinheriting of children, difmiffing of fervants? On the other hand, fervants made flaves, children difregarded, wives defpifed and fhamefully abufed, through, the intemperance of their husbands; which either puts them upon the fame extravagance, or laying fuch cruel injuftice to heart, they pine away their days in grief and mifery. But of all thefe wretched inventions, the playhouses, like fo many hellish feminaries, do most perniciously conduce to thefe fad and miferable ends; where little befides frothy, wanton, if not directly obfcene and profane humours, are reprefented, which are of notorious ill confequence upon the minds of moft; efpecially the youth that frequent them. And thus it is, that idle and debauched ftages are encouraged and main b James ii. 1 to 9. tained; than which fcarcely a greater abomi-. nation can be thought on of that rank of impieties, as will anon particularly be fhewn; and truly, nothing but the exceffive pleasure people take therein, could blind their eyes from feeing it. f. IX. But laftly, the grand indifpofition of mind in people to folid, ferious, and heavenly meditations, by the almoft continual, as well as pleasant rumination in their minds, of thofe various adventures they have been entertained with, which in the more youthful, can never mifs to inflame and animate their boiling and airy constitutions. And in the reft of the common recreations of balls, mafques, treats, cards, dice, &c. there are the like opportunities to promote the like evils. And yet farther; how many quarrels, animofities, nay, murders too, as well as expence of eftate and precious time, have been the immediate confequences of the like practices? In fhort, thefe were the ways of the Gentiles that knew not God, but never the practice of them that feared him :" nay, the more noble among the heathens themfelves, namely, Anaxagoras, Socrates, Plato, Antifthenes, Heraclitus, Zeno, Ariftides, Cato, Tully, Epictetus, Seneca, &c. have left their difguft to these things upon record, as odious and deftructive, not only of the honour of the immortal God, but of all good order and government; as leading into loofeness, idleness, ignorance and effeminacy, the great cankers and bane of all ftates and empires. But fuch * Job xxxv. 13. |