only wicked, loofe and vain, who both invent and act these things; but by your great delight in fuch vain inventions, you encourage them therein, and hinder them from more honeft and and more ferviceable employments. For what is the reafon that most commodities are held at fuch exceffive rates, but because labour is fo very dear? And why is it fo, but because so many hands are otherwise bestowed, even about the very vanity of all vanities? Nay, how common is it with thefe mercenary procurers to people's folly, that when their purfes begin to grow low, they fhall present them with a new, and pretendedly more convenient fashion; and that perhaps before the former coftly habits fhall have done half their fervice; which either must be given away, or new vamped in the cut most alamode. O prodigal, yet frequent folly!

Obj. 3. §. X. I know I am coming to encounter the most plausible objection they are used to urge, when driven to a pinch, viz. But how fhall thofe many families fubfift, whose livelihood depends upon fuch fashions and recreations as you fo earneftly decry? I anfwer; It is a bad argument to plead for the commiffion of the leaft evil, that never fo great a good may come of it: if you and they have made wickednefs your pleasure and your profit, be ye content that it fhould be your grief and punishment, till the one can learn to be without fuch vanity, and the others have found out more honest employments. It is the vanity of the great ones, that makes fo much toil for the

few

many fmall; and the great excess of the one, occafions the great labour of the other. Would men learn to be contented with few things, fuch as are neceffary and convenient (the ancient Chriftian life) all things might be at a cheaper rate, and men might live for little. If the landlords had lefs lufts to fatisfy, the tenants might have lefs rent to pay, and turn from poor to rich, whereby they might be able to find more honeft and domeftic employments for their children, than becoming fharpers, and living by their wits, which is but a better word for their fins. And if the report of the more intelligent in husbandry be credible, lands are generally improvable ten in twenty: and were there more hands about more lawful and ferviceable manufactures, they would be cheaper, and greater vent might be made of them, by which a benefit would redound to the world in general: nay, the burden lies the heavier upon the laborious country, that fo many hands and fhoulders, as have the luftcaterers of the cities, fhould be wanting to the plough and useful husbandry. If men never think themselves rich enough, they may never mifs of trouble and employment; but thofe who can take the primitive ftate and God's creation for their model, may learn with a little to be contented; as knowing that defires after wealth, do not only prevent or deftroy true faith, but when got, increase fnares and trouble. It is no evil to repent of evil; but that cannot be, whilft men maintain what they fhould rent of: it is a bad argument to avoid tempe

rance, or juftify the contrary, because otherwife the actors and inventors of excefs would want a livelihood; fince to feed them that way, is to nurse the caufe, inftead of ftarving it. Let fuch of those vanity hucksters as have got fufficient, be contented to retreat, and spend it more honeftly than they got it; and fuch as really are poor, be rather helped by charity to better callings: this were more prudent, nay Christian, than to confume money upon fuch foolish toys and fopperies.. and fopperies. Public workhoufes would be effectual remedies to all thefe lazy and luftful diftempers, with more profit, and a better confcience. Therefore it is, that we cannot, we dare not fquare our converfation by the world's: no, but by our plainnefs and moderation to testify against such extravagant vanities; and by our grave and steady life to manifeft our diflike, on God's behalf, to fuch intemperate and wanton curiosity: yea, to deny ourselves, what otherwife perhaps we lawfully could ufe with a juft indifferency, if not fatisfaction; because of that abufe that is amongst the generality.

Obj. 4. §. XI. I know, that fome are ready further to object; Hath God given us thefe enjoyments on purpose to damn us, if we ufe them? Anfw. But to fuch miferable, poor, filly fouls, who. would rather charge the most high and holy God, with the invention or creation of their dirty vanities, than want a plea to justify their own practice, not knowing how, for fhame, or fear, or love, to throw them off; I answer, that what God made for man's

ufe, was good, and what the bleffed Lord Jefus Chrift allowed or enjoined, or gave us in his moft heavenly example, is to be observed, believed, and practifed." But in the whole catalogue the fcriptures give of both, I never found the attires, recreations, and way of living, fo much in request with the generality of the Christians of thefe times: no certainly, God created man an holy, wife, fober, grave, and reasonable creature, fit to govern himself and the world; but divinity was then the great object of his reafon and pleafure; all external enjoyments of God's giving being for neceflity, convenience, and lawful delight, with this provifo too, that the Almighty was to be feen, and fenfibly enjoyed and reverenced in every one of them. But how very wide the Chriftians of thefe times are from this primitive inftitution, is not difficult to determine, although they make fuch loud pretenfions to that most holy Jefus, who not only gave the world a certain evidence of an happy restora tion, by his own coming, but promised his affiftance to all that would follow him in the felf-denial and way of his holy cross; and therefore hath fo feverely enjoined no lefs on all, as they would be everlastingly faved. But whether the minds of men and women are not as profoundly involved in all excefs and vanity, as those who know him not any farther than by hearfay; and whether being thus banished the prefence of the Lord, by

Luke viii. 14. Ch. xii. 28 to 31. •John viii, 12.

Ch. xv. 7. 8. Ch, xvii. 20.

their greedy seeking the things that are below,. and thereby having loft the taste of divine pleasure, they have not feigned to themselves an imaginary pleasure, to quiet or fmother confcience, and pass their time without that anguifh and trouble, which are the confequences of fin, that fo they might be at eafe and fecurity while in the world, let their own confciences declare." Adam's temptation is represented by the fruit of a tree, thereby intimating the great influence external objects, as they exceed in beauty, carry with them upon our fenfes: fo that unless the mind keep upon its conftant watch, fo prevalent are visible things, that hard it is for one to escape being enfnared in them;' and he fhall need to be only fometimes entrapped, to caft so thick a veil of darkness over the mind, that not only it fhall with pleasure continue in its fetters to luft and vanity, but proudly cenfure fuch as refufe to wear them, ftrongly pleading for them, as ferviceable and convenient that ftrange paffion do perifhing objects raise in thofe minds where way is made, and enterrainment given to them. But Chrift Jefus is manifefted in us, and hath given unto us a tafte and understanding of him that is true; and to all, fuch a proportion of his good spirit, as is fufficient, would they obey it, to redeem their minds from that captivity they have been in to luft and vanity, and entirely ranfom them: from the dominion of all vifible objects, and