tears with so much love and light about him might justly enjoyn reformation of the whole man and a transformation of the mind and temper of the Soul and require a conformity to his own Life and insist upon mens becoming patient and humble and charitable and contented and peaceable and watchful over their Thoughts and Words and Actions and heavenly-minded How could this Grace which appeared to all men challenge less than Self-denial and Contempt of the World and living in the thoughts and expectation of a better Life and seeking earnestly for glory and honour and immortality And as he that will be the Judge in that Day is the Lawgiver too so he understands best the meaning of his Laws nor will Tricks and Evasions and false Constructions of those Laws signifie any thing before him who will not depart from the sense his eternal Wisdom put upon them and which by his Prophets and Ministers he once caused to be proclaim'd in the Ears of men The Sinner in that Day will not have to do with Deputies and Lieutenants and Delegates who too often make the Law a Nose of Wax and can turn and interpret it to what sense they please and their Interest dictates are sometimes unskilful and apt to mistake the Law of their Superiors and these Laws not being of their own making are the colder or the more remiss in executing them but here men shall see the Law-giver himself who will not be put off with Pretexts and Pretences as ordinarily Deputies and such Persons are as are employ'd by the Supreme Law-givers in a Commonwealth or Kingdom Even here on Earth where the Law-givers themselves sit Judges the Malefactor must expect severer dealings in this case even Lycurgu's Wife shall not escape that durst break her Husband's Law against riding in a Chariot during the time of Divine Service and Zaleucus his Son must lose his Eye for slighting his Father's Order against Adulterers not to mention the Severities of Manlius Torquatus Epaminondas Tenes c. on their own Children where the Legislators have sat Judges of their Crimes and Errors The Almighty Judge in that Day will justly resent the Affront done to his Laws He hath Reason to resent it greater Reason than any Potentate in the world hath to take it ill that their Laws are set light by Gods Law being holy and perfect and infallible and under an impossibility of Errour and a Mercy it is a wonderful Mercy that he vouchsases to give such a Law to the Children of men and a greater Mercy yet that his Son came into the world to publish it and so many thousand Messengers besides are sent to declare it so that in this affront Mercy and Goodness as well as Justice and Sovereignty and Power are wronged and abused and as all Perfections in God are infinite so whatever injury is offered to any of them it receives a deeper Dye and greater aggravations from the Infinity of those Attributes God who is omniscient sees the virulent nature of this Affront and indeed none is better able to declare the heinousness of such contempt than he and this must necessarily encrease the Terror of that Day And as he is the Law-giver against whose Precepts the Sinner hath offended so he is the Party offended too Sinner This is he whose Body and Blood thou hast so often receiv'd unworthily in the Sacrament this is he to whose Cross thou hast been an Enemy so many years on whose Merits thou hast trampled whom thou hast so often crucified afresh whose Temple thou hast defiled whose House thou hast dishonoured whose Gospel thou hast been ashamed of and therefore wonder not if such thundring Queries come forth from the Throne at last dost not thou remember how oft thou hast broke thro' the Guards and Fences I have set betwixt thee and Sin How couldst thou find in thy heart to afflict and grieve me so often who have endured such Agonies already on the Cross Why wouldst thou forsake me the Fountain of Living Waters How is it that thou wast not afraid to make thy Belly thy Gold thy Harlot and such a great Man thy God Did ever any Person oblige thee more than I Didst thou ever receive such Favours at any mans hand as thou hast received at mine And why could not I have thy Heart and thy Will and Affections Why must a sottish Lust and Passion engross thy Desires and my Law be cast behind thee If ever Law-giver had reason to be offended this Judge in the last Day hath for his Commandments were not grievous his Yoke was easie and his Burthen light all that was required was Love and it 's hard if so small a Tribute for his ineffable and incomprehensible Mercies must not be paid him It s true this Love must extend and branch it self into various Acts of Meekness and Patience and Humility c. But still where Love is the Principle none of all the other things which are required can seem tedious or difficult Nor is this all for the same Judge will be Witness against the Sinner too Indeed no Creature can be so true a Witness against him as the Judge himself There are many Sins no Creature ever saw but he and therefore who so fit a witness against those crimes as he I will come near to you to Judgment and I will be a swift Witness against the Sorcerers and against the Adulterers and against the false Swearers and against those that oppress the Hireling in his wages the Widow and the Fatherless and that turn aside the Stranger from his Right and fear not me saith the Lord of Hosts Mal. 3. 5. This Judge sees all nor will the Sinner be able to elude this Testimony of the invisible God When thou wast under the Fig-tree I saw thee said Christ to Nathanael his Conscience knew he had been there and he believed But this was in love In that Day we speak of such Language as this will be pronounced in wrath and indignation and therefore will cause other Thoughts in the hearts of the Wretch that shall hear it Thou careless Creature couldst thou imagine that any thing was hid from me Did not I see thee at such a time in such a place in such a Garden in such a Chamber playing the Rebel and the Wanton Did not I see thee treating with mine Enemies Did not I see thee conspiring against me Hadst not thou such base thoughts such wicked intentions such impure desires in such Company I opened the Windows of Heaven and looked upon thee when thou wast committing Fornication with such a Woman Wilt not thou believe me who look'd within the Curtains and saw thy abominations Couldst thou think I would look on and not set thy sins in order before theeâ— There will be no contradicting of this Testimony for thy Conscience O man will immediately joyn issue with it and say as Nathan to the guilty King Thou art the Man For besides this grand Witness there
Nobler Garb of the King's Daughter which is all glorious within and how far greater satisfaction it is to be cloathed with the garment of Righteousness and Humility 7. Provided that we do it only to please those whom God hath made our Superiors and Governors whether in the Civil or Oeconomick State 8. Provided that in these Habits we behave our selves with that Modesty Gravity and Gentleness as becomes Christians 9. Provided that we do not go to the extream of every Fashion but keep within the compass of these Modes and imitate the most religious and the most moderate persons 10. Provided that we do deny our selves in the number of them and bestow the superfluous upon those that want them more than we or give something equivalent to such as are in straights and necessities in a word that we do not forget to cloath the naked nor hide our selves from our own Flesh as God speaks Isa. 58. 7. With these Restrictions I doubt not but rich Cloaths may lawfully be wore though still I say that the plainer and more modest our outward Habit is the nearer we approach that Christian Simplicity which God hath the greatest value for But for any delight in splendid Habits or being pleased or tickling our Fancy and Imagination with them that 's a thing which no serious Christian can allow of and the Primitive Believers were so peremptorily against it that they scarce looked upon such persons as Christians To this purpose St. Cyprian doth very pathetically address himself to the Virgins of that Age. Some of you saith he are rich and abound in Wealth and these pretend that they may lawfully make a shew of their Riches in their outward Dress and use those Blessings God hath given them But be it known to you that she is properly rich that is rich toward God and she only wealthy who is wealthy in Christ Jesus these are the true Riches which are Spiritual Divine and Heavenly which ledd us unto God and are like to continue with us in the presence of God for ever But as to other things which are pleasing to the world and remain in the world those ought to be despised as much as the world it self whose Pomp and Glory we then renounced when in our Baptism we gave our selves up to God St. John therefore adjures us Love not the World nor the things that are in the World for if any man love the World the love of the Father is not in him for all that is in the World the Lust of the Flesh and the Lust of the Eye and the Pride of Life is not of the Father but is of the World and the World passes away and the Lust thereof but he that doth the Will of God abideth for ever 1 Joh. 2. 15 16. Therefore Divine and Eternal Objects must be pursued and all things done according to the will of God that we may tread in our great Masters steps Thou saist thou art rich but St. Paul answers the Objection and confines thy Garments and Habit to certain bounds and so doth St. Peter and if they oblige even Wives to the observance of this Rigor and Ecclesiastical Discipline who have somewhat to plead for themselves because they must please their Husbands how much more is a Virgin tied to live up to these holy Rules who hath no excuse for her gaudy Dress Thou saist thou art rich and canst afford it but all that thou canst do is not therefore lawful to do nor must the luxurious desires of the Flesh which rise only from Ambition go beyond the Limits of Virginity since it is written All things are lawful but all are not expedient Thou saist thou art rich and therefore thinkest thou maist use what God hath bestowed upon thee use it in the name of God but then use it to such things as God hath commanded Let the poor find that thou art rich let the needy feel 〈◊〉 it thou dost abound gain the favor of thy God by thy Patrimony feed the hungry Jesus and lay up thy treasure there where Thieves cannot break in and steal get thee Possessions but let them be Celestial such as the Moth cannot corrupt nor Rust eat away nor the Hail destroy nor the Sun dry up nor the Rain melt away Thou sinnest against God if thou thinkest thy Riches are given thee not to make a wholesome use of them God hath given man a Voice must he therefore sing amorous and undecent and obscene Tunes with it God hath made Iron must thou therefore murther men with it And because he hath vouchsafed unto us Frankincense and Wine and Fire must we therefore sacrisice to Idols Or because thy Herds and Flocks are great must thou therefore commit Idolatry with them Riches are great Temptations except they be employed to pious uses In Scripture the Where of Babylon is brought in array'd in Purple and Scarlet Colours and decked with Gold and Precious Stone and Pearl and her Judgment is said to be great and terrible and the Prophet Esaias threatens a fatal humiliation to the Daughters of Sion because of their Bravery when they were exalted thus they fell being trimmed thus they deserved to have their Perfumes turned into a stink being deck'd with Silk and Purple they could not put on Christ being adorned with Bracelets and Jewels they lost the true Ornaments of their Hearts and Consciences Who would not shun that whereby others have perished Who would desire that which hath been a Sword and Arrow to others If a man should drop down dead upon drinking of a Cup we should conclude it was Poyson that killed him and what stupid Ignorance of the Truth must it be what madness to be fond of that which hath always done and still doth hurt and to imagine thou shalt not be undone by that whereby thou knowest others have been ruined Thus far St. Cyprian who lived about the year of our Lord 248. an eminent Bishop and who afterwards died a Martyr in Christ's Cause and in all probability spoke not only his own sense but the judgment of the Universal Church in this Point I will conclude this Subject with a Passage out of Tertullian St. Cyprian's Master who thus reasons the Case with the Women of his Age What means that saying Let your light shine before men Why doth our Lord call us the light of the World Why doth he compare us to a City seated upon a Hill if we shine not in darkness or do not stand up among the drowned part of the World If thou hide thy candle under a Bushel thou must needs being left in the dark be subject to numberless assaults These are the things which make us lights of the World even our good works True goodness is not enamoured with darkness but rejoyces to be seen and is glad to be pointed at A modest and shame-faced Christian doth not think it enough that he is so but he delights to appear so too for such
Friends what shall we say what Apology shall we make when this Judge shall plead for himself in that Day Thou disobedient Wretch I made thee of Clay with mine own hands and breathed the Breath of Life into thee I made thee after my Image I gave thee Reason and Understanding and Power and Dominion over the Beasts of the Field a Mercy which iâ— I had not vouchsafed unto thee those Creatures which are stronger than thou would have master'd and destroy'd thee I placed thee among the Pleasures of Paradise made thee a happy Inhabitant of Eden and when thou wouldest needs hearken to the false and treacherous Suggestions of thy sworn Enemy behold in pity and commiseration to thee I resolved to be born of a Virgin and accordingly took Flesh and became Man for thy sake was born in a Stable lay unregarded in a Manager swadled in Rags and Clouts endured all the Reproaches and Injuries that Childhood is subject to bore thy griefs and assumed thy infirmities and was made like thy self that thou mightest be like me in Felicity at the end of thy Race I suffered men to trample on me to buffet me to spit in my Face to give me Gall and Vinegar to drink to scourge me to crown me with Thorns to wound and nail me to the Cross and all this that I might deliver thee from Eternal Contempt and Torments Behold the Mark of the Nails which were struck into my Flesh. Behold my wounded side I suffered that thou mightest triumph I died that thou mightest live was buried that thou mightest rise and made my self a scorn of the People that thou mightest reign in Heaven and why wouldest thou throw away this Mercy Why wouldest thou refuse this Treasure What evil Spirit did possess thee to make light of these kindnesses Why wouldest thou pollute that Soul which I redeemed with mine own Blood Why wouldest thou make thy Heart a habitation of Devils which I intended for my Throne Why wouldest thou lose that which I purchased at so dear a rate What pleasure couldest thou take in doing that which cost me so many Sighs and Tears and a bloody Sweat Why wouldest thou make a mock of so great a Mercy How couldest thou undervalue a Favour of that importance and consequence Can any Hell be thought too much for such Stubbornness Either thou didst believe that thy God did all this for thee or thou didst not If thou didst not believe it why didst thou make confession of it with thy Mouth If thou didst how couldest thou be so ungrateful How couldest thou abuse a Friendship of that worth and value Thou lovest a Friend a Neighbour a Man a Woman for Kindnesses which are meer Shadows and Bubbles to my Love and hadst not thou reason to love me beyond all earthly Comforts Hadst not thou reason to prefer my Favour before the Smiles of a transitory World How did I deserve such preposterous usages at thy hands Couldest thou have dealt worse with a Slave or with an Enemy than thou hast done with me Did this condescension deserve dost thou think such Affronts and Injuries such Contempt and Disobedience as thou hast returned to me Therefore as for those mine Enemies which would not have this Man to reign over them bring them hither and slay them before me All this appears in the Prospect of a future Judgment and therefore there must be Vertue in it to check that Mirth and Jollity which infatuates Souls and leads them into ruine 4. In the Prospect of this future Judgment there appears the unspeakable anguish and misery of those who have been most jolly and merry in this Life Dives who cloath'd himself in Purple and fine Linnen and fared sumptuously every day appears there quaking and trembling and crying Father Abraham Have mercy on me and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my Tongue his Tables which were overlaid with Silver his richer Beds his Tapestry his Ornaments his Ointments his Balsams his Cordials his delicate Wines his various Dishes his Cooks his Flatterers his Parasites his Retinue his Servants and all the Noise and Pomp that attended him are not only extinct and turned into Ashes and Dust and Dirt but his naked Soul is dragg'd and carried before a tremendous Majesty to endure intolerable torments and before this terrible God â—e appears with his Eyes cast down blushing and ashamed trembling and fearful and all his former Comforts seem to have been but dreams to him See how the Scene is changed he to whom the poor man formerly supplicated for relief now is forced to supplicate to the poor Man to be relieved of him would be glad of Lazarus's Table who once scorned to let Lazarus gather the Crumbs that fell from his when Lazarus was near him he slighted him now he is afar off he adores him and himself now is the poor man while Lazarus swims in Riches such a discovery doth that last Day make who are the Rich and who are the Poor who the Wise and who the Fools In this Judgment Nimrod Senacharib Nebuchadnezzar Belshazzar Tiberius Nero Domitian men who would be thought Gods and denied themselves in no pleasure their Fancies craved stand all ashamed and confounded flames of a guilty Conscience burning in their Breasts and forcing their voices into bitter lamentations there Sardanapalus Croesus Cambyses Herod and all the Mighty men that spared no Woman in their Lust and no Man in their Anger appear all like guilty Malefactors their Hearts failing them for fear and they chaâ—tering like a Crane and mourning like a Dove and bewailing their aiery short and transitory satisfactions and cursing the Hour and the Minute when the first Temptations courted them to those dangerous Embraces there Cleopatra that sailed in a Vessel glistering with Gold a Vessel fitted for Pride and Luxury and Magnificence and tried how far Sensuality might be improved and to what height brutish Pleasure might be advanced there the wretched Woman is seen not so much with Serpents clasping about her Breast as with a Worm within that dies not tormenting her awakened Conscience with shapes of Death and Images of Ruine and all the Beasts that here could not be satisfied with Pleasure there cannot be eased of gnawing Vultures and Agonies for these the just God must at last inflict to make them sensible that his Threatnings were no Fables and to let them see that the Advices of wise Men and Philosophers who exhorted them to the study of Virtue were grounded on rational Foundations These Tortures and Vexations must not expire till the Ancient of Days who was affronted by their sins doth die and that 's never he being the same yesterday to day and for ever Thus their sweet Meat must have sour Sauce and if they will have their Pleasures they must feel the Sting too that 's inseparably affix'd to them The Bait cannot be swallowed without the Hook and as pleasant as the Honey is
talked of and commended is against the general Prohibition of desiring vain Glory Gal. 5. 26. 3. That he do not Feast on those Days on which a Nation Fasts or Humbles it self to deprecate Gods Wrath and Anger for this is expresly forbidden Amos 6. 4 5 6. 4. That he do not study too great Curiousness or Delicacy in his Dishes nor bestow too much Cost upon the Entertainment for this looks like expecting of Applauses and catching the Praises and Admirations of Men which is below a Philosopher and therefore much more a Christian. 5. That he leave every Guest to his Choice and Liberty and press no Person to eat or drink more than satisfies Nature in which particular Ahashuerus his Practice is to be commended Est. 1. 5. 6. That he suggest unto his Guests Opportunities to discourse of Subjects grave and serious either Divinity or History or something useful to the Publick or Philosophy whereby his Friends may receive some Edification and this seems to be the purport of St. Paul's Admonition 1 Cor. 10. 31. 7. That he encourage nothing of Ribald Talk no promiscuous Dancing no Ballads no vain drinking of Healths no Apish Actions of Fools and Jesters and give no occasion by Word or Deed to Contention or unseemly Behaviour in any man for this were to make himself accessory to other mens sins a thing contrary to the Law of Christ 1 Tim. 5. 22. As to the Party that goes to a Feast his delight deviates from the Rule of the Gospel if 1. He goes to it with no higher intent than to please and to fill his Belly with the good Chear he hopes to find there These are base ends differ not from those of Brutes and discover a temper that hath not yet tasted of the Powers of the World to come It is true whoever goes to a Feast goes with an intent to eat there but to a Christian Philosopher this is only a subordinate end in this he places no felicity with this he doth not greatly please himself but a desire to express his respect and affection to his Friend hopes of hearing or doing some good at such times and a design by his own Temperance and Sobriety to teach or invite others to their Duty these are the principal ends which make him go and this is most agreeable not only to the Rules of his Faith but to Reason too 2. His delight grows irregular and sinful if he sits very long at it for hereby much time is lost and God expresly condemns it Es. 5. 11. Time as it is one of the richest Talents God vouchsafes us so care must be taken that much of it be not spent upon carnal Satisfactions which are things too mean to throw away so great a Treasure upon and though that time at Feasts and Entertainments is well spent which is spent in serious and profitable Discourses and Conferences yet since these are altogether out of fashion and People think they are not welcome except they may laugh at every Trifle and speak whatever comes next this makes spending but little time at such Meetings necessary for the longer this unprofitable spending lasts the greater grows our Account and with the Account our Inexcusableness 3. His delight degenerates if at such times he be not a strict observer of the Rules of Temperance Feasts as they require Guests so they require Self-denial in the Guests too and though I cannot much commend the Custom of the Pythagoreans who would come to a Feast and to let men see their victory over their Appetite depart from it without eating any thing yet to eat and drink with great moderation is at such times the more necessary by how much the Temptations are greater and St. Hierom's Rule in this case is so to eat and drink as not to indispose our selves after it for Prayer and Meditation 9. Delight in Fashionable Cloaths and Habits though the great liberty Men and Women take in things of this Nature hath infected Peoples minds with that stupidity that few do think it worth questioning whether it be lawful or no yet notwithstanding all this he that shall impartially examine the various Invectives the Holy Ghost makes against this Delight will think himself concern'd to be more inquisitive in this Point Cloaths as they were given 1. To cover our Nakedness 2. To keep out Cold and other Injuries of the Air. 3. To make a difference betwixt Men and Women 4. To consult the health of our Bodies which being subject to Sweats and Perspirations are hereby refreshed 5. To distinguish Men in Places Offices Dignities from the meaner Sort the Noble from the Ignoble and consequently to keep up Order in a Common wealth or Kingdom as they were designed by the Almighty for such uses so we see that where Persons suffer their Affections to delight in the Fineries and Fashions and Modishness of them their Minds are too often drawn away from more excellent Satisfactions Vanity enters into them and whatever Formality they may keep up in Matters of Religion Spiritual things begin to be dull and insipid to them at least their relish and admiration doth in a great measure decay and vanish I know not how it comes to pass but Experience assures us that Simplicity in Cloaths doth very much cherish Seriousness as Vanity and Excess in such things doth strangely weaken debilitate its Force and Power and though Cloaths seem to be foreign to Religion and small inconsiderable Trifles yet so it is that the smaller and the more trivial some things appear the more insensibly they incroach upon the Spiritual Part the Soul and render it earthly and sensual and therefore deserve our greater cautiousness and circumspection St Austin therefore is very peremptory He that is fond saith he of outward Splendor whether in Cloaths or other things soon betrays himself that he is in love with the Pomp and Glory of the world nor can such a person deceive any serious man with a shew of Holiness As it was part of our Saviour's Province to reduce things to the primitive Institution so if we reflect how God when he cloath'd our first Parents did not study Splendor but Necessity noâ— Gayety but Conveniency and made them Coats of Skins and by so doing warned us against Pride and Extravagance we shall find but little reason to be fond of over-curious and fashionable Habits especially if we cast our Eyes upon the Original of Cloaths for Sin caused Shame and Shame produced Cloathing I do not deny but that it is lawful to make use not only of a plain and homely Suit but of richer Vestments and Habiliments for since God hath allowed us not only Bread and Water for our Sustenance but variety of Food if used with Moderation and Thanksgiving so I doubt not but richer Habits especially if our Places Offices and Stations and Ranks oblige us to it may be allowable but it is one thing to go rich and gaudy meerly because our
be more ready to affront him that is the same yesterday to day and foâ—ever Nor will it follow becausâ— Books that treat of Heathen God may be read that therefore those Deities may be Acted and mentioned oâ— the Stage for there is a great difference between reading a thing anâ— seeing it acted with all the vanitâ— and boldness that usually attends iâ— In reading a mans serious thought are not dispersed or scattered buâ— keep within the compass of modesty and weigh things in the ballance oâ— reason whereas being Acted to thâ— life they naturally strike vanity intâ— the mind affect the sensual part drivâ— away seriousness and leave an unhappy tincture behind them And if it be against the Divine Law familiarly to mention or talk of theâ— fictitious Deities it cannot be very agreeable to the sense of it for Christâ—ans to go and hear that idle talk foâ— as in other concerns the receiver is aâ— bad as the thief so he that with delighâ— hears that which another is forbid tâ— speak makes himself accessory to hâ— sin and draws needless guilt upon his Soul Flatter not your self Sir with a fancy that these Plays are no where forbid in the Bible and that therefore it may be lawful to see them for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Revelling I mentioned before and to which the Apostle threatens exclusion from the Kingdom of Heaven Gal. 5. 21. and from which the word Comedy in all probability is derived though I know others fetch it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a village because in ancient times they did sing Songs about Country Towns I say this word includes all such vain lascivious Ludicrous and Jocular representations not only Dancing and luxurious Feasting but wanton light and amorous Interludes and all that belongs to the pampering and satisfying of the Flesh such as amorous Songs Complementing of Mistresses Love-tricks and immodest parts and speeches which make the vainer sort of the company merry for the word is very comprehensive and being so one would think should fright every serious person from coming within the guilt of that which hath so severe a threatning annex'd to it And is it worth losing Heaven and eternal happiness for the sight of such jocular Shews Are the pleasures arising from hence of that consequence that they will counter-ballance so great a loss Had you rather forfeit Gods favour than these ludicrous transactions Are these momentary satisfactions of that value that you would run the hazard of being for ever deprived of the beatifick vision for them That usual exception that God will not be so cruel as to condemn Men for such harmless sports is of no weight at all for God hath no where declared that he will govern himself by Mens fancies but his eternal wisdom is the rule he 'll go by if men will have their pleasures he hath thought fit to forbid they must thank themselves if they go without his favour and since they were warned of this danger they can have no excuse but are as the Apostle speaks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 condemn'd of themselves Tit. 3. 11. Let 's but consider the Nature scope and drift of our Religion it commands us decency modesty sobriety vigilancy or watchfulness over our thoughts and words and actions simplicity in the inward and outward man redeeming the time employing the hours God hath lent us in profitable discourses and things useful and tending to edification It bids us abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul it condemns all Rioting chambering wantonness and making provision for the Flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof It commands us to walk after the Spirit to be heavenly minded to have the same mind and temper in us which was also in Christ Jesus to grow in grace to advance in goodness to grow strong in the Lord and in the power of his might it bids us stand up for the glory of our God and to be concern'd when his Name or Religion or things Sacred are abubused it bids us avoid Scandal and take heed we do not by our example either draw people into errors oâ— confirm them in their sins it bids us take heed of discouraging our neighbours from goodness and of laying aâ— stumbling-block in the way of weaker Christians it bids us exhort one another daily and beware lest any of us be hardned through the deceitfulness of sin these are some of its principal rules and I need not add what our great Master hath told us ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you Joh. 15. 14. how these rules can be observed by persons that delight in these shews I cannot apprehend is it modesty to be a hearer of that ribaldry and filthy communication which some Plays are stuffed with Or to be a spectator of so many undecent and wanton gestures postures and actions which in some Comedies make up the greatest part of the shew Is this sobriety to stand by and hear men curse and swear and talk of things which should not be so much as named among Christians Is this decency to afford your presence in a place where the most debauched persons assemble themselves for ill ends and purposes Is this your fear of God to go and hear the most solemn ordinances of God railled and undervalued such as marriage and living up to the strict rules of reason and conscience Is this your watchfulness over your thoughts and words and actions to go and expose your selves to temptations to run into the Devils arms and give him an opportunity to incline your heart to sinful delights and being pleased with things which God abhors Is this that Godly simplicity the Gospel presses to pay for your being affected with the vain shews of this sinful World and to take liberty to hear and see what men of little or no Religion shall think fit to represent to you Is this redeeming of your time to throw away so many hours upon fooling and seeing mens ridiculous postures gestures and behaviours Is not this making war against youâ— soul Is not this fighting against youâ— happiness Is this the way to groâ— in grace and to advance in goodness and to abound more and more in the love of God which your Christianity obliges you to Is not this to cloâ— your soul Is not this to throw impediments in her way to felicity Is not this the way to make her inamour'd with the World from which a Christian is to run away as much as he can By your Saviours rule though you are in the World yet you are not to be of the World These shews alienate other mens affections from the best of objects and what security have you that they will not alienate yours Or have you a peculiar exemption from that danger If you have shew us your warrant let 's see your patent if you take the same way that profane persons take to dull their religious desires how can it be otherwise but it will
enough except you add your Neighbours offences to make his wrath the heavier All those persons of your acquaintance that go to a Play because you do are all Scandalized by your example and is not this putting a stumbling-block in your Neighbours way especially if people believe that you have some goodness in you or have a name that you are Religious how bold doth this make other persons to venture on these vanities And how dreadful must this make your account Either you do not think much of another World or if you do you cannot but conclude that these things will lie very heavy upon your conscience one day What if you do not think it to be sin will your thinking so excuse you Willful ignorance is as bad as a known sin and how easily might you know such doings to be sinful But being unwilling to be better informed judge you whether it will not agravate your Condemnation how could the Primitive Christians know these things to be sinful And is it not possible for you to know it They had the Bible so have you They had the same precepts that you have only they did not read the Scripture so superficially as perhaps you do and that was the reason why they came to the knowledge of this sin while you halt betwixt two opinions Their affections did not lean and bend so much to the the World as perhaps yours do and therefore they might easily perceive Christ's and the Apostles meaning while you who dote too much upon these outward things have a cloud or mist before your eyes that you cannot discern the sense of the Holy Ghost Your present divertisements may hide the guilt from your sight but when the Summons of a terrible God to appear at his bar shall rouze your Conscience one day you 'll be of anothermind How Did Christ come down from Heaven and die and spill his blood for you that you might securely indulge your carnal Genius Did he sacrifice himself for you that you might please your self with such fooleries Hath he appeased the Almighties wrath for you that you might spend your time in a Theatre Is this a proper end of the mighty purchase he hath made Did such phantastick actions deserve so great a condescension Is it likely that he would have astonish'd all the Angels of Heaven with his descent into this valley of tears if this security in carnal satisfactions had been his design One would rather think that so deep a humiliation called for the greatest severities and was shewn on purpose to engage poor mortals to the profoundest acknowledgments of his favour One would think that such miracles of charity challenged a most serious behaviour and that after this men should not dare to think of trivial and impertinent things This is more likely to be the end of his Incarnation and Suffering than the other To delight in such vanities is a disparagement to his love a blemish to his charity a disgrace to his condescension and an undervaluing of so great a mercy And do you thus reward him Do you thus requite his kindness Is this the return you make him for his sweat and agonies for his sighs and groans for his pains and all his labours Did he bleed that you might grow strong in sin Did he die that you might cherish the lusts of the Flesh Did he make himself of no reputation that you might please your self with divertisements invented only to affront him and to render his endeavours to convert our souls ineffectual Have not you observed it Have not you taken notice how men and women who have had some zeal for Religion and very pious inclinations how that zeal hath decreas'd upon their frequenting these Houses how their goodness hath decay'd how flat they are grown in Devotion how weak in their Holy Performances how dull in the work of Meditation how slovenly and superficial in Gods service may be they have kept up some outward shews some external formality some earnestness for the fringes of Religion or for the ceremonial part of Christianity But have not you seen how they are become strangers to that life which must adorn it to that contemplation of good things they formerly delighted in to that strictness they once professed Have not you seen how they have remitted in their warmth and how the holy fire that once burn'd in their breasts is gone out And is your Christianity so fierce and violent that it needs a bridle Is it so hot that it must have an extinguisher Is it so flaming that it wants this stolen water to quench it With what face dare you approach the Table of your Lord who have been a spectator of such shews but a little before With what eyes can you appear in the presence of that King of Kings who have but a little before prostituted your Soul to the Devil With what conscience can you promise the Lord Jesus to follow him when you intend to expose your self again to these temptations Do not you blush to think how you serve both God and Mammon Christ and the World contrary to your Redeemers protestation that you cannot serve two Masters If you come to the Lords Table one day and run to a Play-house another do not you destroy all that you built the day before If you come to the Supper of the Lord there to profess your sorrow for loving the World are you in good earnest sorry for it or are you not If not why do you play the hypocrite or do you think to put a cheat upon the Almighty as if he did not see your heart or would be taken with shew and pomp If you are how can you run into the same temptation again or go to a place where you will infallibly be tempted to the love of the World Is not this to shut the gates of mercy against you Is not this to make your self odious to that God whose favour you expect in the last day Is not this to live in contradictions In this Sacrament you profess to imitate your Lord in despising the World and is this imitation to go one day into the house of God and the next into a den of Thieves for so the Stage may justly be called where men are robb'd of their rellish of spiritual objects Whence hath come that Atheism that looseness that indifferency in things Divine that low esteem of the tremendous mysteries of Christianity which of late like a Land-flood hath over run us Have they not deriv'd their boldness from these places Have not the vices represented there in jest been practised by the forward youth at home in good earnest And can a Christian have a good opinion of these houses where so many have lost their vertue Can any man of reason think that after all this mischief they may be safely hugg'd and applauded Those many notorious Fornications and Adulteries we have heard and know of those bare-faced cheats mens boastings of their sins and
sawest a Man whom the Divine Bounty hath crowned with variety of temporal Blessings This Person having a mind to take his Pleasure retires with his Family to his Country-House adorned with Tyrian Silks and Persian Carpets and with all the Eastern Riches and there lives merrily and at his ease one Night being very jovial at Supper a Servant of his base and ill-natured puts some Lethargick or Opiate Potion into his Master's and Fellow-Servants Cup and having rocked them all asleep opens the Doors le ts in Thieves and Robbers who having plunder'd the House at last lay violent hands on the Master and to make sport with him drag him thus intoxicated into the open Field and there leave him In the mean while the Heavens grow black and a hideous Tempest gathers in the Clouds and the Sky begins to lighten and the Voice of Thunder to be heard and a dreadful Rain falls and in the midst of all this Noise and Confusion the besotted Master wakes looks about quakes trembles believes himself in another World is astonish'd to see himself lying on a barren Turf without Servants without Attendants without Friends without Necessaries without Conveniencies among Showers and Storms and Tempests stist with Cold frozen to Death almost and beholding nothing but Misery about him O my Soul thou canst not but look upon such a Person as the very Emblem of Confusion and while thou dread'st this fearful State take heed thou dost not prepare for it or drop into it take heed of carnal Security for that will expose thee to the Rage and Fury of hellish Thieves and make God's Indignation strangely surprizing The Terror that will seize the sleepy Soul when it is summon'd away to the Bar of a righteous God will be beyond Storms of Hail and Tempests of Rain and Flashes of Lightning and Claps of Thunder When Covetousness would entice thee shew it the miserable Gehazi trembling before the Throne of God when Luxury would tempt thee bid it look upon the wretched Belshazzar mourning to eternal Ages for his Intemperance when worldly Mindedness would debauch thee find out Nabal among the damned Spirits and with that Sight fright the foolish Lust away when Envy would enter into thy Soul call out Cain from that unhappy Crew and bid it see its Doom in his Funeral when present Satisfactions would make thee slight the after-hopes of Glory bid the profane Esau stand forth from his fiery Cell to which he is condemned and it will lose its Courage Thou readest of the Syrians how in a Consternation sent upon them from above they fled in the Night leaving all their Provision behind them But what is this to the Consternation the Judgment Seat of Christ will strike into that Man who having slighted his Commands is on a sudden ordered to come and answer the Reason of his Contempt and forced to leave all his vain Excuses and Apologies behind him The Name of some Warriours hath frighted Men Women and Children and then how terrible will the Name of the Lord of Hosts be to them that have fought against his Holy Spirit by their Stubbornness O my Soul Blessed is he that watches and keeps his garments lest he walk naked and they see his shame Rev. 16. 15. 3. Walk circumspectly every Day and use that conscientiousness you would use were you sure you should be summon'd to Judgment at Night To be sure a dayly Conscientiousness can do no harm It may possibly deprive thee of the Pleasure of bad Company but where is the loss when by that means thou preservest thy better Part from being wounded May be thou may'st get the ill Will of some men that hate any man that will not run with them into excess of Riot but their Hatred is better than their Love not that a Man is to be fond of the Hatred of others but since the World does love his own and is fond only of People as loose as themselves it is a Mercy to be hated by such men because it is a sign we are not of their Temper The love of good men is ever to be valued but that of men loose and profane is but a trouble except it can be had without participating of their sins Say not next Year or when I have accomplished such a Business I will trim my Lamp and make it ready against the Bridegroom comes Every Day to live in expectation of the Summons is the act of a Wise and Blessed Servant And he that every Day walks with God walks in a mighty sense of his Omniscience and Omnipresence and in his company business conversation dealings keeps God in his Eye sets his Laws before him walks as one resolved to please God in all things le ts not a Day pass over his Head without doing some good uses the World as if he used it not and if through inadvertency he slips rises again presently and arms himself with fresh resolutions is the Person that lives every Day as if it were his last Day Sinner wert thou sure that this Night thou shouldst be summon'd to the Bar of God wouldst thou swear and lie and dissemble and be Cholerick or backward to good works Live as if thou wert sure of it For suppose thou continuest in the Land of the Living that Night thou losest nothing by this Preparation nay thou art a mighty gainer by it for hereby thy Soul is refresh'd thy Mind preserved in an excellent temper thy Goodness strengthen'd thy Graces renew'd thy Affections enlarg'd thy Understanding enlightned thy Will made more tractable thy Spirits eased thy Calmness maintain'd and thy very Body kept in Health God loves thee the Promises of the Gospel belong to thee Devils cannot hurt thee thou livest like a Christian actest like a Man of Reason preparest for thine own quiet thy Condition is happy thy Estate safe thy Life out of danger thy Conscience clear thy Confidence in God encreases thy Satisfaction swells thy Comforts grow bigger and thou freest thy self from that Mire and Clay in which so many Souls do stick and deliverest thy Soul from that terrible Pit which swallows up so many imprudent Travellers 4. When ever you see or hear of the judicial Process of a Malefactor think and reflect upon this Day To take occasion from things we see or hear to improve our Minds and to Meditate on things useful and great and beneficial is the part of a wise Man and a Christian who is to remember that his Reason is not given him only to teach him how to live easie but chiefly to direct him how to Purifie his outward and inward Man The great Design of the Gospel is to refine our Reason and to make it subservient to the Purposes of a Spiritual Life and he that makes External Objects Instruments of spiritual Thoughts and leads his Consideration from things visible to those which are not seen imitates the Holy Apostles and the best Patterns 2 Cor. 4. 18. The Judicial Process of a
to Gods Vengeance who would in despight of all the Offers of Gods favour prefer their Dirt and Trash before an invisible lasting and solid Felicity And though its true that holy mens Sins are said in Scripture to be covered and God is brought in promising to remember their Sins no more but to drown them all in the depth of the Sea yet can the meaning of such Passages be no other than this that God will not remember them so as to make use of their Errors against them to their ruine and condemnation notwithstanding this he may justly publish them that their Wisdom being compared with their Folly that may appear to go beyond this and themselves from the thoughts of their former Sins may reap the greater comfort as Agathocles being advanced from the Trade of a Potter to a Throne at his Meals would still make use of Earthen Pots not only to remember his Original but from the contemplation of his former poor and miserable Condition to increase his present satisfaction for as in our fall from a high degree of Prosperity to the greatest Poverty and Misery nothing torments the Mind more than the Remembrance that once it was otherwise with us so where Providence is so kind as to bring us out of a horrible Pit and sets our Feet upon a Rock the remembrance of our former Misery signally increases our Joy and Comfort in the present Mercy So then in this great Day all mens Sins will be examined and published though with different effects the Penitents to their absolution and glory the Impenitents to their terror and condemnation for to be presented there with a List of innumerable offences and Affronts of the Divine Majesty which their own Consciences know and must acknowledg which yet they either never seriously thought of or never seriously attempted to forsake or if they repented discovered only a mock-repentance what effects can this be supposed to cause but monstrous confusion and horror of mind Enough to put men into the greatest rage and distraction to think that they should neglect purchasing the Pearl of Price when it was offered to their choice by God and Man Here particular enquiry will be made how we have discharged the Duties of our several Relations it 's not the Purple of Princes nor the Rods and Axes of Magistrates that will make the Almighty afraid of demanding of them whether they have ruled their Subjects in the fear of God shewn them a good Example and punished the obstinate and encouraged the good and made it their business to advance Gods glory and to maintain the true worship of the living God Nor will Subjects be excused here neither must they think to come off without making distinct Answers to these Interrogatories Whether they have obeyed not only for Wrath but for Conscience-sake whether they have behaved themselves peaceably under the Government they have lived under whether they have paid Tribute to whom Tribute was due Honour to whom Honour and whether they have not used their Liberty for a Cloak of Maliciousness In the same manner Parents will be strictly examined Whether they have brought up their Children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord Children Whether they have honoured their Parents as became persons who under God owed their Being to them Servants whether they served their Masters according to the Flesh in singleness of Heart as unto Christ And likewise all other Persons according to the Relations and Offices they stood in for in all these Relations men are Stewards and both Reason and Gods Justice and his Word require that all should give an Account of their Stewardship At this time the Soul being throughly awaken'd from her former Lethargy every Sin will appear more dreadful every Error more red every Fault more bloody every Offence blacker than ordinary for the Fire of that Day doth not only scorch but enlighten and elevate the Soul into a thinking state and none of the former Impediments will now be able to divert her Thoughts which will be fix'd upon an offended God and his Majesty Greatness and Holiness and make at this time more sensible impressions on her while every thing especially what hath been committed against God will appear in more lively Colours and consequently if the Conscience hath not the remembrance of a former sincere Repentance to support her self withal the frights must necessarily be great and the whole Frame sink into inexpressible confusion There are innumerable Sins which neither Prince nor Magistrate can take notice of How many Poor are oppressed How many innocent men wrong'd daily A Socrates is abused and hath no helper but neither this Mans Misery nor the others oppression shall escape the Eyes of that all-seeing Judge who will infallibly publish both the one and the other and make good the Type St. John speaks oâ— Rev. 6. 5. And I beheld a black Horse and he that sate on him had a pair of Ballances in his Hand Ballances to weigh every mans evil works which if they be found to preponderate above the good or to be pure Sins pure Offences without a godly sorrow to take off either the colour or the weight all will be turned into blackness and desolation 3. In the Prospect of this Judgment there appears a very wonderful Scene the same Person that is the Judge is the Lawgiver too the Party offended the witness and his own Advocate He that shall sit on the Tribunal in that Day was the Person that came down from Heaven and blessed the World with the equitable Precepts of the Gospel it 's he that went up into a Mountain and from that Pulpit pronounced Blessed are the Poor in Spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted Blessed are the Meek for they shall inherit the Earth Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after Righteousness for they shall be filled c. Matth. 5. 1 2 3 4 5 6. It 's he that came to undeceive both the Jewish and Heathen World in the false Notions they had imbibed concerning their Duty and cleared the Moral Law of Moses of the false Glosses the Pharisees had put upon it explain'd the will of God set it naked and pure before the People he came to call to Repentance and let them see what were the proper Preparatives for the everlasting Joys of Heaven It 's he who guarded the Law which he promulged with Sanctions sutable to his majesty and greatness and as he made the Rewards eternal so the Punishments he threatned to the stubborn and impenitent were endless too So it became him who appeared in the World to offer infinite Mercy to poor Sinners to reveal to them Gods infinite Love to their Souls and to acquaint them with the infinite condescension of the Son of God who would humble himself to the Death of the Cross to redeem them from the Bondage of the Devil He that came into this Valley of