O that there fhould be fo much noife, clutter, invention, traffic, curiofity, diligence, pains, and vast expence of time and eftate, to please and gratify poor vain mortality! And that the foul, the very image of divinity itself, fhould have fo little of their confideration! What, O what more pregnant inftances and evident tokens can be given, that it is the body, the fenfes, the cafe, a little flefh and bone covered with skin, the toys, fopperies, and very vanities of this mortal life and perithing world, that please, that take, that gain them; on which they dote; and think they never have too much time, love, or money, to bestow upon them. §. IV. Thus are their minds employed, and fo vain are they in their imaginations, and dark in their understandings, that they not only believe them innocent, but perfuade themselves they are good Chriftians all this while; and to rebuke them is worse than herefy." Thus are , they ftrangers to the hidden life; and by thefe things are they diverted from all ferious examination of themselves; and a little by-rote rabble, with a forced zeal of half-an-hour's talk in other men's words, which they have nothing to do with, is made fufficient; being no more their ftates, or at leaft their intention, as their works fhew, than it was the young. man's in the gofpel, that faid, and did not. But alas! why? other guefts! What are they? Prov. i. 30. he would go, O, there are Pharamond, x. 17. xii. r. XV. 14. h Luke viii: 14. Cleopatra, Caffandra, Clelia; a play, a ball, a fpring-garden; the park, the gallant, the exchange, in a word, the world. Thefe ftay, thefe call, these are importunate, and these they attend, and these are their most familiar affociates. Thus are their hearts captivated from the divine exercife; nay, from fuch external affairs, as immediately concern fome benefit to themfelves, or needy neighbours; pleafing themselves with the received ideas of thofe toys and fopperies into their loose and airy minds and if in all things they cannot practise them, because they want the means of it, yet as much as may be, at least to dote upon them, be taken with them, and willingly fuffer their thoughts to be hurried after them. All which greatly indifpofes the minds, and diftracts the fouls of people from the divine life and principle of the holy Jefus; but, as it hath been often faid, more especially the minds of the younger fort: to whom the like diver tifements, (where their inclinations being prefented with what is very fuitable to them, they become excited to more vanity, than ever they thought upon before), are incomparably dearer than all that can be faid of God's fear, a retired life, eternal rewards, and joys unfpeakable and full of glory: fo vain, fo blind, and fo very infenfible are men and women, of what truly makes a difciple of Chrift.* O! that they would ponder on these things, and watch againft, and come out of all thefe vanities, for the coming of the Lord, left being unprepared, * Rom. xiii. II. 12. Mat. xv. 7 to 14. Jer. ii. 5. and taken up with other guests, they enter not into his everlasting rest. §. V. That which further manifests the unlawfulness of these numerous fashions and recreations is, that they are either the inventions of vain, idle, and wanton minds, to gratify their own fenfualities, and raife the like wicked curiofity in others, to imitate the fame; by which nothing but luft and folly are promoted: or the contrivances of indigent and impoverished wits, who make it the next way for their maintenance in both which refpects, and upon both which confiderations, they ought to be detefted. For the first licenfes exprefs impiety, and the latter countenances a wretched way of livelihood, and confequently diverts from more lawful, more ferviceable, and more neceffary employments. That fuch perfons are both the inventors and actors of all thefe follies, cannot be difficult to demonftrate: for were it poffible, that any one could bring us father Adam's girdle, and mother Eve's apron, what laughing, what fleering, what mocking of their homely fashions would there be! Surely their taylor would find but little cuftom, although we read, it was God himself that made them coats of fkins. The like may be afked of all the other vanities, concerning the holy men and women through all the generations of holy writ. How many pieces of ribband, and what feathers, lace-bands, and, the like, did Adam and Eve wear in Paradife, or out of it? What rich embroideries, filks, points, &c. had Abel, 1 1 Gen. iii. 21. Enoch, Noah, and good old Abraham? Did Eve, Sarah, Sufannah, Elizabeth, and the Virgin Mary, ufe to curl, powder, patch, paint, wear falfe locks, or ftrange colours, rich points, trimmings, laced gowns, embroidered petticoats, fhoes with flip-flaps, laced with filver or filver lace, and ruffled like pigeons feet, with several yards, if not pieces of ribbands? How many plays did Jefus Chrift and his apoftles recreate themselves at? What poets, romances, comedies, and the like, did the apostles and faints make, or ufe to pafs away their time withal? I know, they bid all redeem their · time, to avoid foolish talking, vain jefting, profane babblings, and fabulous ftories; as what tend to ungodliness: and rather to watch, to work out their falvation with fear and trembling, to flee foolish and youthful lufts, and to follow righteoufnefs, peace, goodnefs, love, charity; and to mind the things that are above, as they would have honour, glory, immortality, and eternal life. m §. VI. But if I were afked, Whence came they then? I could quickly anfwer, From the Gentiles, that knew not God; for fome amongst them detested them, as will be fhewn; they were the pleafures of an effeminate Sardanapalus, a fantastic Miracles, a comical Ariftophanes, a prodigal Charaxus, a luxurious Ariftippus; and the practices of fuch women, as the infamous Clytemneftra, the painted Jezebel, the lafcivious Campafpe, the immodeft 買 Eph. v. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 15, 16. 2 Tim. ii. 16, 22. Mat. XXV. 13. Phil. ii. 12, 13. Col iii. 1, 2, 5. Rom. ii. 6, 7. Pofthumia, the coftly Corinthian Lais, the most impudent Flora, the wanton Egyptian Cleopatra, and most infatiable Meffalina: perfons whose memories have funk through all ages, and that carry with them a perpetual rot: these, and not the holy felf-denying men' and women in ancient times, were devoted to the like recreations and vain delights. Nay, the more fober of the very Heathens them-felves, and that upon a principle of great virtue, as is by all confeffed, detefted the like folly and wanton practices. There is none of them to be found in Plato, or in Seneca's works: Pythagoras, Socrates, Phocion, Zeno, &c. did' not accustom themselves to thefe entertainments. The virtuous Penelope, the chafte Lucretia, and the grave Cornelia, with many others, could find themfelves employment enough among their children, fervants, and neighbours; they, though nobles, next to their devotion, delighted most in fpinning, weaving, garden. ing, needle-work, and fuch like good housewifry, and commendable entertainment: who, though called Heathens, expreffed much more Christianity in all their actions, than do the wanton, foolish people of this age, who not withstanding will be called Chriftians. But above all, you play-mongers, whence think! you, came your fo paffionately beloved come: dies; than which, as there is not any one diverfion that is more pernicious, fo not one more in efteem, and fondly frequented? Why, I will tell you; their great-grandfather was an Heathen, and that not of the best fort: his 1 |