1. The judgments of God denounced upon the Jews for their
luxury; all ranks included.--2. Christ charges his disciples
to have a care of the guilt of it: a supplication to the
inhabitants of England.--3. Temperance pressed upon the churches
by the apostles.--4. An exhortation to England to measure
herself by that rule.--5. What Christian recreations are.--6.
Who need other sports to pass away their time are unfit for
heaven and eternity.--7. Man has but a few days: they may be
better bestowed: this doctrine is ungrateful to none that
would be truly blessed.--8. Not only good is omitted by this
luxurious life, but evil committed, as breach of marriage and
love, loss of health and estate, &c. Playhouses and stages
most instrumental to this mischief.--9. How youth are by them
inflamed to vanity: what mischief comes of revels, gamings, &c.
Below the life of noble heathens.--10. The true disciples of
Jesus are mortified in these things: the pleasure and reward of
a good employment of time.
I. But such excess in apparel and pleasure was not only forbidden
in Scripture, but it was the ground of that lamentable message by
the prophet Isaiah to the people of Israel: "Moreover the Lord
saith, Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walked with
stretched-forth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they
go, and making a tinkling with their feet; therefore the Lord will
smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion,
and the Lord will discover their secret parts; in that day the Lord
will take away the bravery of their tinkling ornaments, and their
cauls, (or net-works in the Hebrew,) and their round tires like the
moon; the chains and the bracelets, and the mufflers; the bonnets,
and the ornaments of the legs, and the head-bands, and the tablets,
and ear-rings, the rings and nose-jewels; the changeable suits of
apparel, and the mantles, and the wimples, and the crisping-pins;
the glasses, and the fine linen, and the hoods and the veils; and
it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet smell, there shall be
a stink; and instead of a girdle, a rent; and instead of well-set
hair, baldness; and instead of a stomacher, a girding of sackcloth,
and burning instead of beauty: thy men shall fall by the sword,
and thy mighty in the war; and her gates shall lament and mourn,
and she being desolate, shall sit upon the ground."[4] (Isa. iii.
16-26.) Behold, O vain and foolish inhabitants of England and
Europe, your folly and your doom! Yet read the prophet Ezekiel's
vision of miserable Tyre, what punishment her pride and pleasure
brought upon her; and amongst many other circumstances these are
some: "These were thy merchants in all sorts of things; in blue
clothes and broidered work, and in chests of rich apparel, emeralds,
purple, fine linen, coral and agate, spices, with all precious
stones, and gold, horses, chariots," &c.; for which hear part of
her doom: "Thy riches, and thy fairs, thy merchandize, and all thy
company, which is in the midst, of thee, shall fall into the midst
of the sea in the day of thy ruin; and the inhabitant of the isles
shall be astonished at thee; and their merchants hiss at thee; thou
shalt be a terror, and shalt be no more." (Ezek. xxvii.) Thus hath
God declared his displeasure against the luxury of this wanton
world. Yet further the prophet Zephaniah goes, for thus he speaks:
"And it shall come to pass in the day of the Lord's sacrifice,
that I will punish the princes, and the king's children, and all
such as are clothed with strange apparel." (Zeph. i. 8.) Of how
evil consequence was it in those times, for the greatest men to
give themselves the liberty of following the vain customs of other
nations; or of changing the usual end of clothes, or apparel, to
gratify foolish curiosity!
[4] The very practice, and garb, and vanity of this age being as
liable to the wrath of God, which hangs over England and Europe, and
is ready to be executed on their rebellious inhabitants.
II. This did the Lord Jesus Christ expressly charge his disciples
not to be careful about: insinuating that such as were could not be
his disciples: for, says he, "Take no thought, saying, What shall
we eat? or What shall we drink? or Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
for after all these things do the Gentiles seek: for your heavenly
Father knoweth that you have need of all these things: but seek ye
first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things
shall be added unto you." (Matt. vi. 31-33.) Under which of eating,
and drinking, and apparel, he comprehends all external things
whatsoever; and so much appears, as well because they are opposed
to the kingdom of God and his righteousness, which are invisible
and heavenly things, as those very matters he enjoins them not to
be careful about, are the most necessary, and the most innocent
in themselves. If then, in such cases, the minds of his disciples
were not to be solicitous; much less in foolish, superstitious,
idle inventions, to gratify the carnal appetites and minds of
men: so certain it is that those who live therein are none of his
followers, but the Gentiles; and as He elsewhere says, "The nations
of the world who know not God." (Luke, xii. 22-30.) If now then the
distinguishing mark between the disciples of Jesus and those of the
world is, that one minds the things of heaven, and God's kingdom,
that "stands in righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost;"
(Rom. xiv. 17;) being not careful of external matters, even the most
innocent and necessary: and that the other minds eating, drinking,
apparel, and the affairs of this world, with the lusts, pleasures,
profits, and honours that belong to it; be you intreated for your
souls' sakes, O inhabitants of England, to be serious, to reflect
awhile upon yourselves what care and cost you are at of time and
money, about foolish, nay vicious things: so far are you degenerated
from the primitive Christian life. What buying and selling, what
dealing and chaffering, what writing and posting, what toil and
labour, what noise, hurry, bustle, and confusion, what study, what
little contrivances and overreachings, what eating, drinking, vanity
of apparel, most ridiculous recreations; in short, what rising
early, going to bed late, expense of precious time is there about
things that perish! View the streets, shops, exchanges, plays,
parks, coffee-houses, &c. and is not the world, this fading world,
written upon every face? Say not within yourselves, How otherwise
should men live and the world subsist? The common, though frivolous
objection. There is enough for all. Let some content themselves
with less: a few things, plain and decent, serve a Christian life.
It is lust, pride, avarice, that thrust men upon such folly: were
God's kingdom more the exercise of their minds, these perishing
entertainments would have but little of their time or thoughts.
III. This self-denying doctrine was confirmed and enforced by the
apostles in their example, as we have already shown; and in their
precepts too, as we shall yet evince in those two most remarkable
passages of Paul and Peter; where they do not only tell us what
should be done, but also what should be denied and avoided: "In
like manner I will, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel;
with shamefacedness and sobriety, not with broidered hair, or gold,
or pearls, or costly array (then it seems these are immodest)
but which becometh women professing godliness, with good works."
(1 Tim. ii. 9, 10.) Absolutely implying, that those who attire
themselves with gold, silver, broidered hair, pearls, costly array,
cannot in so doing, be women professing godliness; making those
very things to be contrary to modesty, and consequently that they
are evil, and unbecoming women professing godliness. To which the
apostle Peter joins another precept after the like sort, viz. "Whose
adorning, let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair,
and of wearing of gold, and of putting on of apparel:" what then?
"But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not
corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which
is in the sight of God of great price." (1 Pet. iii. 3-5.) And as
an inducement, he adds: "for after this manner in the old time the
holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves." Which
doth not only intimate that both holy women were so adorned, and
that it behoves such as would be holy, and trust in the holy God,
to be so adorned; but also, that they who used those forbidden
ornaments, were the women and people in all ages, that, for all
their talk, were not holy, nor did trust in God. Such are so far
from trusting in God that the apostle Paul expressly says, that
"she that liveth in pleasure is dead whilst she liveth." (1 Tim. v.
6.) And the same apostle further enjoined, that Christians should
have their conversation in heaven, and their minds fixed on things
above: (Phil. iii. 20; Col. iii. 1-4; Rom. xiii. 13:) "walk honestly
as in the day, not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering
and wantonness, not in envy and strife:" (Eph. v. 3, 4:) "let not
fornication, uncleanness, or covetousness be once named among you:
neither filthiness, nor foolish talking nor jesting, which are not
convenient; but rather giving of thanks:" (Eph. iv. 29:) "let no
corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is
good, to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the
hearers. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision
for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof." (Rom. xiii. 14; Eph.
iv. 30.) And, "Grieve not the Holy Spirit; (intimating such
conversation doth;) but be ye followers of God, as dear children:
walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise; redeeming the time,
because the days are evil." (Eph. v. 1, 15, 16.)
IV. By this, measure yourselves, O inhabitants of this land, who
think yourselves wronged, if not accounted Christians: see what
proportion your life and spirit bear with these most holy and
self-denying precepts and examples. Well, my friends, my soul mourns
for you: I have been with and among you; your life and pastime are
not strangers to my notice; and with compassion, yea, inexpressible
pity, I bewail your folly. O that you would be wise! O that the just
principle in yourselves would be heard! O that eternity had time
to plead a little with you! Why should your beds, your glasses,
your clothes, your tables, your loves, your plays, your parks,
your treats, your recreations, poor perishing joys, have all your
souls, your time, your care, your purse, and consideration? Be
ye admonished, I beseech you, in the name of the living God, by
one that some of you know hath had his share in these things, and
consequently time to know how little the like vanities conduce to
true and solid happiness. No, my Friends, God Almighty knows, and
would to God, you would believe and follow me, they end in shame
and sorrow. Faithful is that most holy One, who hath determined,
that every man and woman shall reap what they sow: and will not
trouble, anguish, and disappointment be a sad and dreadful harvest
for you to reap, for all your misspent time and substance, about
superfluities and vain recreations? Retire then; quench not the Holy
Spirit in yourselves; redeem your precious abused time: frequent
such conversation as may help you against your evil inclinations;
so shall you follow the examples, and keep the precepts of Jesus
Christ, and all his followers; for hitherto we have plainly
demonstrated, that no such way of living, as is in request among
you of the land, ever was, or can be, truly Christian.
V. But the best recreation is to do good: and all Christian customs
tend to temperance, and some good and beneficial end; which more or
less may be in every action. (1 Pet. i. 15; Heb. x. 25; 1 Pet. iv.
9-11; Matt. xxv. 36, 37; Phil. ii. 4; Ibid. iv. 8.) For instance, if
men and women would be diligent to follow their respective callings;
frequent the assemblies of religious people; visit sober neighbours
to be edified, and wicked ones to reform them; be careful in the
tuition of their children, exemplary to their servants; relieve
the necessitous, see the sick, visit the imprisoned; administer
to their infirmities and indispositions, endeavour peace amongst
neighbours: also, study moderately such commendable and profitable
arts, as navigation, arithmetic, geometry, husbandry, gardening,
handicraft, medicine, &c.; and that women spin, sew, knit, weave,
garden, preserve, and the like housewife and honest employments,
the practice of the greatest and noblest matrons, and youth, among
the very heathens; helping others, who for want are unable to keep
servants, to ease them in their necessary affairs; often and private
retirements from all worldly objects, to enjoy the Lord: secret and
steady meditations on the divine life and heavenly inheritance;
which to leave undone and prosecute other things, under the notion
of recreations, is impiety; it is most vain in any to object, that
they cannot do these always, and therefore why may not they use
these common diversions? for I ask, what would such be at? what
would they do? and what would they have? They that have trades
have not time enough to do the half of what hath been recommended.
And as for those who have nothing to do, and indeed do nothing,
which is worse, but sin, which is worst of all, here is variety of
pleasant, of profitable, yea, of very honourable employments and
diversions for them. Such can with great delight sit at a play, a
ball, a masque, at cards, dice, &c. drinking, revelling, feasting,
and the like, an entire day; yea turn night into day, and invert the
very order of the creation, to humour their lusts; (Amos, vi. 3-8;)
and were it not for eating and sleeping, it would be past a doubt,
whether they would ever find time to cease from those vain and
sinful pastimes, till the hasty calls of death should summon their
appearance in another world: yet do they think it intolerable, and
hardly possible, for any to sit so long at a profitable or religious
exercise.
VI. But how do these think to pass their vast eternity away? "For
as the tree falls, so it lies." (Eccl. xi. 3.) Let none deceive
themselves, nor mock their immortal souls with a pleasant, but
most false and pernicious dream, that they shall be changed by a
constraining and irresistible power, just when their souls take
leave of their bodies; no, no, my friends, "what you sow, that shall
you reap:" (Gal. vi. 4-9; Eph. v. 6:) if vanity, folly, visible
delights, fading pleasures; no better shall you ever reap than
corruption, sorrow and the woful anguish of eternal disappointments.
But alas! what is the reason that the cry is so common, Must we
always dote on these things? Why most certainly it is this, they
know not what is the joy and peace of speaking and acting, as in
the presence of the most holy God: (Eph. iv. 18-20:) that passes
such vain understandings, darkened with the glories and pleasures
of the god of this world; (Rom. x. 2;) whose religion is so many
mumbling and ignorantly devout said words, as they teach parrots;
for if they were of those whose hearts are set on things above,
and whose treasure is in heaven, there would their minds inhabit,
and their greatest pleasure constantly be: and such who call that
a burden, and seek to be refreshed by such pastimes as a play, a
morrice-dance, a punchinello, a ball, a masque, 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 possible, that
they can be delighted to eternity with that satisfaction, which is
so tedious and irksome for thirty or forty years, that, for a supply
of recreation to their minds, the little toys and fopperies of this
perishing world must be brought into practice and request? Surely,
those who are to reckon for every idle word, (Matt. xii. 36,) must
not use sports to pass away that time which they are commanded so
diligently to redeem, considering no less work is to be done, than
making their calling and election sure: (Eph. v. 16; Phil. iii. 14;
2 Pet. i. 10; Col. iv. 5:) much less study 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 souls, for which
that time was given them.
VII. There is but little need to drive away that, by foolish
divertisements, which flies away so swiftly of itself; and when
once gone, is never to be recalled. Plays, parks, balls, treats,
romances, music, love-sonnets, 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 first lost the joy and ravishing delights of God's holy
presence. So that we conclude first that of those many excellent
employments already mentioned, as worthy to possess such minds as
are inclined to these vanities, there is store enough of time, not
only to take up their spare hours, but double so much, and that with
great delight, diversion, and profit, both to themselves and others;
were they but once weaned from vain and fruitless fopperies, and
did they but consider, how great the satisfaction, and how certain
the rewards are, which attend this, and the other life, for such
universal benefits and virtuous examples. The second conclusion is,
that what is alleged by me, can be displeasing and ungrateful to
none, but such as know not what it is to walk with God, to prepare
for an eternal mansion, to have the mind exercised on heavenly and
good things, to follow the examples of the holy men and women of
former happy ages: such as know not Christ's doctrine, life, death,
and resurrection, but only have their minds fastened to the flesh,
and by the objects of it are allured, deceived, and miserably
ruined: and lastly, that despise heaven, and the joys that are not
seen, though eternal, for a few perishing trifles that they do see;
though they are decreed to pass away. (Rom. vi. 3-8; 1 Cor. xii. 13;
Gal. iii. 27; Col. ii. 12, 13; Eph. iv. 13.) How these are baptized
with Christ, into his holy life, cruel sufferings, shameful death,
and raised with him to immortal desires, heavenly meditations, a
divine new life, growing into the knowledge of heavenly mysteries,
and all holiness, even unto the measure of the stature of Jesus
Christ, the great example of all: how, I say, these resemble most
necessary Christian qualifications, and what share they have
therein, let their consciences tell them upon a serious inquiry in
the cool of the day.
VIII. But in the next place, such attire and pastimes do not only
show the exceeding worldliness of people's inclinations, and their
very great ignorance of the divine joys; but by imitating these
fashions, and frequenting these places and diversions, not only
much good is omitted, but a certain door is open to much evil to
be committed: as first, precious time, that were worth a world on
a dying bed, is lost: money that might be employed for the general
good, vainly expended, pleasure is taken in mere shame; lusts
are gratified, the minds of the people alienated from heavenly
things, and exercised about mere folly; and men become acceptable
by their trims and the à-la-modeness of their dress and apparel;
from whence respect to persons doth so naturally arise, that to
deny it is to affirm the sun shines not at noon-day; (James, ii.
1-9;) nothing being more notorious than the cringing, scraping,
sirring, and madaming of persons, according to the gaudiness
of their attire: which is detestable to God, and so absolutely
forbidden in the Scriptures, that to do it is to break the whole
law, and consequently to incur the punishment thereof. Next, what
great holes do the like practices make in men's estates! How are
their vocations neglected, young women deluded, the marriage-bed
invaded, contentions and family animosities begotten, partings of
man and wife, disinheriting of children, dismissing of servants! On
the other hand, servants made slaves, children disregarded, wives
despised and shamefully abused, through the intemperance of their
husbands; which either puts them upon the same extravagance, or
laying such cruel injustice to heart, they pine away their days
in grief and misery. But of all these wretched inventions, the
playhouses, like so many hellish seminaries, do most perniciously
conduce to these sad and miserable ends; where little besides
frothy, wanton, if not directly obscene and profane humours are
represented, which are of notoriously ill consequence upon the minds
of most; especially the youth that frequent them. And thus it is
that idle and debauched stages are encouraged and maintained; than
which scarcely a greater abomination can be thought on of that rank
of impieties, as will anon particularly be shown; and truly nothing
but the excessive pleasure people take therein could blind their
eyes from seeing it.
IX. But lastly, the grand indisposition of mind in people to
solid, serious, and heavenly meditations, by the almost continual,
as well as pleasant rumination in their minds, of those various
adventures they have been entertained with, which in the more
youthful can never miss to inflame and animate their boiling and
airy constitutions. (Job, xxxv. 13.) And in the rest of the common
recreations of balls, masques, treats, cards, dice, &c. there are
the like opportunities to promote the like evils. And yet further;
how many quarrels, animosities, nay, murders too, as well as expense
of estate and precious time, have been the immediate consequences of
the like practices! In short, these were the ways of the Gentiles
that knew not God, but never the practice of them that feared Him:
(Eph. iv. 17-25:) nay, the more noble among the heathens themselves,
namely, Anaxagoras, Socrates, Plato, Antisthenes, Heraclitus, Zeno,
Aristides, Cato, Tully, Epictetus, Seneca, &c. have left their
disgust to these things upon record, as odious and destructive, not
only of the honour of the immortal God, but of all good order and
government; as leading into looseness, idleness, ignorance, and
effeminacy, the great cankers and bane of all states and empires.
And the pretended innocency of these things steals away their minds
from that which is better, into the love of them; nay, it gives them
confidence to plead for them, and by no means will they think the
contrary. But why? because it is a liberty that feeds the flesh and
gratifies the lustful eye and palate of poor mortality: wherefore
they think it a laudable condition to be no better than the beast,
that eats and drinks but what his nature doth require; although the
number is very small of such, so very exorbitant are men and women
grown in this present age: for either they do believe their actions
are to be ruled by their own will; or else at best, that not to be
stained with the vilest wickedness is matter of great boasting:
and indeed it is so in a time when nothing is too wicked to be
done. But certainly, it is a sign of universal impiety in a land,
when not to be guilty of the sins the very heathens loathe, is to
be virtuous, yes, and Christian too, and that to no small degree
of reputation: a dismal symptom to a country! But is it not to be
greatly blinded, that those we call infidels should detest those
practices as infamous which people that call themselves Christians,
cannot or will not see to be such, but gild them over with the fair
titles of ornaments, decency, recreation, and the like? Well, my
friends, if there were no God, no heaven, no hell, no holy examples,
no Jesus Christ, in cross, doctrine, and life, to be conformed unto;
yet would charity to the poor, help to the needy, peace amongst
neighbours, visits to the sick, care of the widow and fatherless,
with the rest of those temporal good offices already repeated, be a
nobler employment, and much more worthy of your expense and pains.
Nor indeed is it to be conceived, that the way to glory is smoothed
with such a variety of carnal pleasures; for then conviction, a
wounded spirit, a broken heart, a regenerate mind; (Prov. xviii.
14; Psalm li. 17; Matt. v. 4; Luke, vi. 25; Rom. ii. 7; Psalm
xl. 8; Rom. vii. 22; Heb. xi. 13-16; Rom. i. 25-30;) in a word,
immortality, would prove as mere fictions as some make them, and
others therefore think them: no, these practices are for ever to be
extinguished and expelled all Christian society. For I affirm, that
to one who internally knows God, and hath a sense of his blessed
presence, all such recreations are death; yea, more dangerously
evil, and more apt to steal away the mind from the heavenly
exercise, than grosser impieties. For they are so big they are
plainly seen; so dirty, they are easily detected: which education
and common temperance, as well as constitution in many, teach them
to abhor: and if they should be committed, they carry with them a
proportionable conviction. But these pretended innocents, these
supposed harmless satisfactions, (Job, i. 4,) are more surprising,
more destructive: for as they easily gain an admission by the
senses, so the more they pretend to innocency the more they secure
the minds of people in the common use of their evil consequences,
that with a mighty confidence they can plead for them.
X. But as this is plainly not to deny themselves, (1 John, ii.
15-17,) but on the contrary, to employ the vain inventions of
carnal men and women, to gratify the desire of the eye, the desire
of the flesh, and the pride of life, (all which exercise the mind
below the divine and only true pleasure, or else, tell me what
does,) so be it known to be such, that the heavenly life and
Christian joys are of another kind, as hath already been expressed:
yea, that the true disciples of the Lord Christ must be hereunto
crucified, as to objects and employments that attract downwards,
and that their affections should be raised to a more sublime and
spiritual conversation, as to use this world, even in its most
innocent enjoyments, as if they used it not. But if they take
pleasure in anything below, it should be in such good offices as
before mentioned, whereby a benefit may redound in some respect
to others: in which God is honoured over all visible things, the
nation relieved, the government bettered, themselves rendered
exemplary of good, and thereby justly entitled to present happiness,
a sweet memorial with posterity, as well as to a seat at his right
hand, where there are joys and pleasures for ever: (Job, xxxvi. 7;
Psalm v. 12; Prov. x. 7, 11:) than which there can be nothing more
honourable, nothing more certain, world without end.