they have all that is possible for the most extravagant wits to invent, not only express lies, but utterly impossibilities to very nature, on purpose to excite their minds to those idle passions, and intoxicate their giddy fancies with swelling nothings, but airy fictions; which not' only consume their time, effeminate their natures, debase their reason, and set them on work to reduce these things to practice, and make each adventure theirs by imitation; but if disappointed, as who can otherwise expect from such mere phantasms, the present remedy is latitude to the greatest vice. And yet these are some of their most innocent recreations, which are the very gins of Satan to insnare people; contrived most agreeable to their weakness, and in a more insensible manner mastering their affections, by entertainments most taking to their senses. In such occasions it is that their hearts breed vanity, their eyes turn interpreters to their thoughts, and their looks do whisper the secret inflammations of their intemperate minds; wandering so long abroad, till their lascivious actings bring night home, and load their minds and reputations with lust and infamy.d

Sect. 2. Here is the end of all their fashions and recreations," to gratify the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life :" clothes, that were given to cover shame, now want a covering for their shameful excess; and that which should remember men of lost innocency, they pride and glory in: but the hundredth part of these things cost man the loss of paradise, that now make up the agreeable recreation, ay, the accomplishment of the times. For as it was Adam's fault to seek a satisfaction to himself, other than what God ordained; so it is the exercise, pleasure and perfection of the age, to spend the greatest portion of their time in vanities, which is so far from the end of their creation, namely, a divine life, that they are destructive of it.f

4 Prov. vii. 10 to 21.

e 1 John ii. 15, 16.

f Eccl. xii. 1.

Sect. 3. Were the pleasures of the age true and solid, Adam and Eve had been miserable in their innocency, who knew them not: but as it was once their happiness not to know them in any degree, so it is theirs, that know Christ indeed, to be by his eternal power redeemed and raised to the love of immortality: which is yet a mystery to those who live and have pleasure in their curious trims, rich and changeable apparel, nicety of dress, invention and imitation of fashions, costly attire, mincing gaits, wanton looks, romances, plays, treats, balls, feasts, and the like conversation in request for as these had never been, if man had staid at home with his Creator, and given the entire exercise of his mind to the noble ends of his creation; so certain it is, that the use of these vanities is not only a sign that men and women are yet ignorant of their true rest and pleasure, but it greatly obstructs and hinders the retirement of their minds, and their serious inquiry after those things that are eternal. O, that there should be so much noise, clutter, invention, traffic, curiosity, diligence, pains and vast expense of time and estate, to please and gratify poor vain mortality! and that the soul, the very image of divinity itself, should have so little of their consideration! What, O what more pregnant instances and evident tokens can be given, that it is the body, the senses, the case, a little flesh and bone covered with skin, the toys, fopperies, and very vanities of this mortal life and perishing world, that please, that take, that gain them; on which they doat; and think they never have too much time, love or money to bestow upon them.

Sect. 4. Thus are their minds employed, and so vain are they in their imaginations, and dark in their understandings, that they not only believe them innocent, but persuade themselves they are good Christians all this

8 Eph. ii. 1 to 5. Col. ii. 13. 1 Pet. i. 14, 15, 16, 17, 18. Jam. v. 5. Matt. vii. 17, 18, 19. Rom. viii. 8. Matt. xvi. 26. Job xxxv. 15. Isa. xl. 6. 1 Pet. i. 24.

T. ii. 11, 12, 1 Cor. vi. 15.

D d

while, and to rebuke them is worse than heresy. Thus are they strangers to the hidden life; and by these things are they diverted from all serious examination of themselves; and a little by-rote babble, with a forced zeal of half an hour's talk in other men's words, which they have nothing to do with, is made sufficient; being no more their states, or at least their intention, as their works shew, than was it the young man's in the gospel, that said, he would go, and did not."h But alas! why? Oh, there are other guests! What are they? Pharamond, Cleopatra, Cassandra, Clelia; a play, a ball, a spring-garden; the park, the gallant, the exchange; in a word, the World. These stay, these call, these are importunate, and these they attend, and these are their most familiar associates. Thus are their hearts captivated from the divine exercise; nay, from such external affairs as immediately concern some benefit to themselves, or needy neighbours; pleasing themselves with the received ideas of those 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 doat upon them, be taken with them, and willingly suffer their thoughts to be hurried after them. All which greatly indisposes the minds, and distracts the souls of people from the divine life and principle of the holy Jesus: but, as it hath been often said, more especially the minds of the younger sort, to whom the like divertisements, where their inclinations being presented with what is very suitable to them, they become excited to more vanity, than ever they thought upon before, are incomparably dearer than all that can be said of God's fear, a retired life, eternal rewards, and joys unspeakable and full of glory: so vain, so blind, and so very insensible are men and women of what truly makes a disciple of Christ! O! that they would ponder on these things, and watch against, and out of all these vanities, for the coming of the Lord, lest being

Luke viii. 14. Prov. i. 25, 30. ch. x. 17. ch. xii. 1. ch. xv. 15. Isa. lviii. 1, 2 to 10. Jer. xvi. 19, 20, 21. 2 Tim. iii. 4. Mat. vi. 7. i Isa. lx. 4.

Jer. ii. 5. Eccl. xi. 10.

unprepared, and taken up with other guests, they enter not into his everlasting rest.

Sect. 5. That which farther 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 sensualities, and raise the like wicked curiosity in others to imitate the same; by which nothing but lust and folly are promoted or the contrivances of indigent and impoverished wits, who make it the next way for their maintenance, in both which respects, and upon both which considerations, they ought to be detested. For the first licenses express impiety; and the latter countenances a wretched way of livelihood, and consequently diverts from more lawful, more serviceable, and more necessary employ. ments. That such persons are both the inventors and actors of all these follies, cannot be difficult to demonstrate for were it possible, that any one could bring us father Adam's girdle, and mother Eve's apron, what laughing, what fleering, what mocking of their homely fashion would there be? surely their taylor would find but little custom, although we read, it was God him-self" that made them coats of skins." The like may be asked of all the other vanities, concerning the holy men and women through all the generations of holy writ. How many pieces of riband, and what feathers, lace-bands, and the like, did Adam and Eve wear in paradise, or out of it? What rich embroideries, silks, points, &c. had Abel, Enoch, Noah, and good old Abraham? Did Eve, Sarah, Susannah, Elizabeth, and the Virgin Mary use to curl, powder, patch, paint, wear false locks of strange colours, rich points, trimmings, laced gowns, embroidered petticoats, shoes with slipslaps laced with silk or silver lace, and ruffled like pidgeons feet, with several yards, if not pieces of ribands? How many plays did Jesus Christ and his apostles recreate themselves at ? What poets, romances, comedies, and

* Rom. xiii. 11, 12. Matt. xv. 7 to 14.

! Gen. iii. 21.

the like, did the apostles and saints make, or use to pass away their time withal? I know they bid all "redeem their time, to avoid foolish talking, vain jesting, profane babblings, and fabulous stories; as what tend to ungodliness; and rather to watch, to work out their salvation with fear and trembling, to flee foolish and youthful lusts, and to follow righteousness, peace, goodness, love, charity; and to mind the things that are above, as they would have honour, glory, immortality and eternal life.m

Sect. 6. But if I were asked, Whence came they then? I could quickly answer, From the Gentiles, that knew not God; for some amongst them detested them, as will be shown; they were the pleasures of an effeminate Sardanapalus, a fantastic Miracles, a comical Aristophanes, a prodigal Charaxus, a luxurious Aristippus ; and the practices of such women as the infamous Clytemnestra, the painted Jezebel, the lascivious Campaspe, the immodest Posthumia, the costly Corinthian Lais, the most impudent Flora, the wanton Egyptian Cleopatra, and most insatiable Messalina: persons whose memories have stunk through all ages, and that carry with them a perpetual rot: these, and not the holy selfdenying men and women, in ancient times, were devoted to the like recreations and vain delights. Nay, the more sober of the very Heathens themselves, and that upon a principle of great virtue, as is by all confessed, detested 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 these entertainments. The virtuous Penelope, the chaste Lucretia, the grave Cornelia, and modest Pontia, with many others, could find themselves employment enough amongst their children, servants and neighbours: they, though nobles, next their devotion, delighted most in spinning, weaving,

m

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, 3. Rom. ii. 6, 7.