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heavier upon the laborious country, that so many hands and shoulders, as have the lust-caterers of the cities, should be wanting to the plough and useful husbandry. If men never think themselves rich enough, they may never miss of trouble and employment; but those who can take the primitive state and God's creation for their model, may learn with a little to be contented; as knowing that desires after wealth do not only prevent or destroy true faith, but when got, increase snares and trouble. It is no evil to repent of evil; but that cannot be, whilst men maintain what they should repent of: it is a bad argument to avoid temperance, or justify the contrary, because otherwise the actors and inventors of excess would want a livelihood; since to feed them that way is to nurse the cause, instead of starving it. Let such of those vanity-hucksters as have got sufficient be contented to retreat, and spend it more honestly than they have got it; and such as really are poor, be rather helped by charity to better callings: this were more prudent, nay, Christian, than to consume money upon such foolish toys and fopperies. Public workhouses would be effectual remedies to all these lazy and lustful distempers, with more profit, and a better conscience. Therefore it is that we cannot, we dare not square our conversation by the world's: no, but by our plainness and moderation to testify against such extravagant vanities; and by our grave and steady life to manifest our dislike, on God's behalf, to such intemperate and wanton curiosity; yea, to deny ourselves what otherwise perhaps we lawfully could use with a just indifferency, if not satisfaction, because of that abuse that is amongst the generality.

Sect. 11. I know, that some are ready farther to object; "Hath God given us these enjoyments on purpose to damn us if we use them?" Answer. But to such miserable, poor, silly souls, 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 shame, or fear, or love, to throw them off; I answer, that what God made for man's use was good; and what the blessed Lord Jesus Christ allowed, or enjoined, or gave us in his most heavenly example, is to be observed, believed, and practised. But in the whole catalogue the scriptures give of both, I never found the attires, recreations and way of living, so much in request with the generality of the Christians of these times: no certainly. God created man an holy, wise, sober, grave, and reasonable creature, fit to govern himself and the world; but Divinity was then the great object of his reason and pleasure; all external enjoyments of God's giving being for necessity, convenience, and lawful delight, with this proviso too, that the Almighty was to be seen, and sensibly enjoyed and reverenced, in every one of them. But how very wide the Christians of these times are from this primitive institution is not difficult to determine, although they make such loud pretensions to that most holy Jesus, who not only gave the world a certain evidence of an happy restoration, by his own coming, but promised his assistance to all that would follow him in the self-denial and way of his holy cross; and therefore hath so severely enjoined no less on all, as they would be everlastingly saved. But whether the minds of men and women are not as profoundly involved in all excess and vanity, as those who know him not any farther than by hear-say; and whether being thus banished the presence of the Lord, by their greedy seeking the things that are below, and thereby having lost the taste of divine pleasure, they have not feigned to themselves an imaginary pleasure, to quiet or smother conscience, and pass their time without that anguish and trouble, which are the consequences of sin, that so they might be at ease and security while in the world; let their own consciences 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 senses: so that unless the mind keep upon its constant watch, so prevalent are visible things, that hard it is for one to escape being ensnared in them; and he shall need to be only sometimes entrapped, to cast so thick a veil of darkness over the mind, that not only it shall with pleasure continue in its fetters to lust and vanity, but proudly censure such as refuse to wear them, strongly pleading for them, as serviceable and convenient. That strange passion do perishing objects raise in those minds, where way is made, and entertainment given to them. But Christ Jesus is manifested in us, and hath given unto us a taste and understanding of him that is true; and to all, such a proportion of his good Spirit, as is sufficient, would they obey it, to redeem their minds from that captivity they have been in to lust and vanity, and entirely ransom them from the dominion of all visible objects, and whatsoever may gratify the desires of the eye, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life, that they might be regenerated in their minds, changed in their affections, and have their whole hearts set on things that are above, where moth nor rust can never pass, or enter to harm or destroy.

■ Luke viii. 14.

ch. xii. 28, 29 to 31.

• John viii. 12.

ch. xv. 6, 7, 8. ch. xvii. 20.

Sect. 12. But it is a manifest sign, of what mould and make those persons are, who practise and plead for such Egyptian shameful rags, as pleasures. It is to be hoped that they never knew, or to be feared they have forgot, the humble, plain, meek, holy, self-denying, and exemplary life, which the Eternal Spirit sanctifies all obedient hearts into; yea, it is indubitable, that either such always have been ignorant, or else that they have lost sight, of that good land, that heavenly country and blessed inheritance, they once had some glimmering prospect of. O that they would but withdraw a while, sit down, weigh and consider with themselves, where they are, and whose work and will they are doing! that they would once believe, the devil hath not a stratagem more

Rom. ii. 8. Gen. iii. 6. Mark xiii. 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 1 John v. 20. 1 Thess. v. 23.

* Gal. v. 22, 23, 24, 25. Eph. v. 8, 9, 10, 11, 15, 16.

pernicious to their immortal souls, than this of exercising their minds in the foolish fashions and wanton recreations of the times! Great and gross impieties beget a detestation in the opinion of sober education and reputation; and therefore since the devil rightly sees such things have no success with many, it is his next and fatalest design to find some other entertainments, that carry less of infection in their looks, though more of security, because less of scandal and more of pleasure in their enjoyment, on purpose to busy and arrest people from a diligent search and inquiry after those matters which necessarily concern their eternal peace: that being ignorant of the heavenly life, they may not be induced to press after it; but, being only formally religious, according to the traditions and precepts of others, proceed to their common pleasures, and find no check therefrom, their religion and conversation for the most part agreeing well together, whereby an improvement in the knowledge of God, a going on from grace to grace, a growing to the measure of the stature of Jesus Christ himself is not known: but as it was in the beginning at seven, so it is at seventy; nay, not so innocent, unless by reason of the old saying, Old men are twice children. Oh! the mystery of godliness, the heavenly life, the true Christian, are another thing!* Wherefore we conclude, that as the design of the devil, where he cannot involve and draw into gross sin, is to busy, delight, and allure the minds of men and women by more seeming innocent entertainments, on purpose that he may more easily secure them from minding their duty and progress and obedience to the only true God, which is eternal life; and thereby take up their minds from heavenly and eternal things: so those who would be delivered from these snares should mind the holy, just, grave, and self-denying teachings of God's Grace and Spirit in themselves, that they may reject and for ever abandon the like vanity and evil; and, by a reformed conversation, condemn the world of its intemperance:

Eph. vi. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18. Eph. i. 16 to 23. ch. iv. 12, 13.

so will the true discipleship be obtained; for otherwise many enormous consequences, and pernicious effects will follow. It is to encourage such impious persons to continue and proceed in the like trades of feeding the people's lusts, and thereby such make themselves partakers of their plagues, who, by continual fresh desires to the like curiosities, and that way of spending time and estate, induce them to spend more time in studying how to "abuse time; "" lest, through their pinching and small allowance, those prodigals should call their Father's house to mind: for, whatsoever any think, more pleasant baits, alluring objects, grateful entertainments, cunning emissaries, acceptable sermons, insinuating lectures, taking orators, the crafty devil has not ever had, by which to entice and ensnare the minds of people, and totally to divert them from heavenly reflections, and divine meditations, than the attire, sports, plays, and pastimes of this godless age, the school and shop of Satan, hitherto so reasonably condemned.

• John xvii. 3. Rom. i. 11. Tit. ii. 11, 12, 13, 14.

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