God is not

in Spain, where in their masquerades all manner of obscenity, folly, yea, and Atheism, is generally practifed in the face of the world, to the great fcandal of the Christian name: but if any man reprove them in these things, and forfake their fuperftitions, and come seriously to ferve God, and worship him in the Spirit, he becomes their prey, and is immediately expofed to cruel fufferings. Doth this bear any relation to Chriftianity? Do these things look any thing like the churches of the primitive Chriftians? Surely not at all. I fhall first cite some few fcripture teftimonies, being very pofitive precepts to Chriftians, and then fee whether fuch as obey them can admit of thefe forementioned things. The apostle commands us, That whether we eat or drink, or whatever we do, we do it all to the glory of God. But I judge none will be fo impudent as to affirm, That in the use of these Sports and games By sports God is glorified: if any fhould fo fay, they would and games declare they neither knew God, nor his glory. glorified: And experience abundantly proves, that in the practice of these things men mind nothing lefs than the glory of God, and nothing more than the fatisfaction of their own carnal lufts, wills, and appetites. The apostle defires us, 1 Cor. vii. 29. 31. Because the time is fhort, that they that buy should be as though they possessed not; and they that use this world, as not abufing it, &c. But how can they be found in the obedience of this precept, that plead for the use of thefe games and Sports, who, it seems, think the time fo long, that they cannot find occafion enough to employ it, neither in taking care for their fouls, nor yet in the neceffary care for their bodies; but invent thefe games and Sports to pafs it away, as if they wanted other work to ferve God in, or be useful to the creation? The apoftle Peter defires us, To pass the time of our fojourning bere in fear, 1 Pet. 1. 17. But will any fay, That fuch as ufe dancing and comedies, carding and Mm 4 dicing,

dicing, do fo much as mind this precept in the ufe of these things? Where there is nothing to be feen but lightness and vanity, wantonness and obscenity, contrived to draw men from the fear of God, and therefore no doubt calculated for the fervice of the devil. There is no duty more frequently commanded, nor more incumbent upon Chriftians, than the fear of the Lord, to ftand in awe before him, to walk as in his prefence; but if fuch as use these games and sports will fpeak from their confciences, they can, I doubt not, experimentally declare, that this fear is forgotten in their gaming and if God by his light fecretly touch them, or mind them of the vanity of their way, they strive to fhut it out, and use their gaming as an engine to put away from them that troublefome gueft; and thus make merry over the Just One, whom they have flain and crucified in themJelves: But further, if Chrift's reasoning be to be heeded, who faith, Mat. xii. 35, 36. That the good man, out of the good treasure of the heart, bringeth forth good things; and an evil man, out of the evil treafure, bringeth forth evil things, and that of every idle word we shall give an account in the day of judgment, it may be eafily gathered from what treafure thefe inventions come; and it may be easily proved, that it is from the evil, and not the good. How many idle words do they neceffarily produce? Comedies a Yea, what are comedies but a ftudied complex of idle ftudied and lying words? Let men that believe their fouls are immortal, and that there will be a day of judgment, in which thefe words of Chrift will be accomplished, answer me, how all thefe will make account in that great and terrible day, of all these idle words that are neceffarily made ufe of about dancing, gaming, carding, and comedies acting? And yet how is it that by Chriftians not condemning thefe things, but allowing of them, many that are accounted Chriftians take up their whole time in

complex of idle lying words.

(

them,

them, yea make it their trade and employment? Such as the dancing-masters and comedians, &c. whose hellish converfations do fufficiently declare what mafter they ferve, and to what end these things contribute. And it cannot be denied, as being obviously manifeft by experience, that fuch as are mafters of thefe occupations, and are most delighted in them, if they be not open Atheists and profligates, are fuch at beft as make religion or the care of their fouls their least business. Now if these things were discountenanced by Chriftians, as inconfiftent with their profeffion, it would remove these things; for thefe wretches would be neceffitated then to betake themfelves to fome honeft livelihood, if they were not fed and upholden by thefe. And as hereby a great fcandal and ftumbling-block would be removed from off the Chriftian name, fo alfo would that in part be taken out of the way which provokes the Lord to with-hold his bleffing, and by occafion of which things the minds of many remain chained in darkness, and drowned in luft, fenfuality, and worldly pleafures, without any fenfe of God's fear, or their own foul's falvation. Many of those called fathers of the church, and other serious perfons, have fignified their regret for thefe things, and their defires they might be remedied; of whom many citations might be alledged, which for brevity's fake I have omitted.

§. IX. But they object, That men's fpirits could Object. not fubfift, if they were always intent upon ferious and fpiritual matters, and that therefore there is need of fome divertifement to recreate the mind a little, whereby it being refreshed, is able with greater vigour to apply itself to these things.

I anfwer; Though all this were granted, it would Anfw. no ways militate against us, neither plead the ufe of these things, which we would have wholly laid afide. For that men fhould be always in the fame

God the

beft recrea

tion in the

world.

intentiveness of mind, we do not plead, knowing how impoffible it is, fo long as we are cloathed with this tabernacle of clay. But this will not allow us at any time fo to recede from the remembrance of God, and of our fouls chief concern, as The fear of not still to retain a certain sense of his fear; which cannot be so much as rationally fuppofed to be in the use of these things which we condemn. Now the neceffary occafions in which all are involved, in order to the care and fuftentation of the outward man, are a relaxation of the mind from the more ferious duties; and those are performed in the bleffing, as the mind is fo leavened with the love of God, and the fenfe of his prefence, that even in doing these things the foul carrieth with it that divine influence and Spiritual habit, whereby though these acts, as of eating, drinking, sleeping, working, be upon the matter one with what the wicked do, yet they are done in another Spirit; and in doing of them we please the Lord, ferve him, and answer our end in the creation, and so feel and are sensible of his bleffing: whereas the wicked and profane, being not come to this place, are in whatsoever they do curfed, and their ploughing as well as praying is fin. Now if any will plead, that for relaxation of mind, there may be a liberty allowed beyond these things, which are of abfolute need to the fuftenance of the outward man, I fhall not much contend against it; provided these things be not such as are wholly fuperfluous, or in their proper nature and tendency lead the mind into luft, vanity, and wantonnefs, as being chiefly contrived and framed for that end, or generally experienced to produce these effects, or being the common engines of fuch as are fo minded to feed one another therein, and to propagate their wickednefs, to the impoisoning of others: feeing there are other innocent divertisements which may fufficiently ferve for relaxation of the mind, fuch as for friends to vifit one another :

to

ments.

to bear or read biftory; to speak foberly of the prefent Lawful dior paft tranfactions; to follow after gardening; to vertifeufe geometrical and mathematical experiments, and fuch other things of this nature. In all which things we are not fo to forget God, in whom we both live, and are moved, Acts xvii. 28. as not to have always fome fecret referve to him, and fenfe of his fear and prefence, which alfo frequently exerts itself in the midst of these things by fome fhort aspiration and breathings. And that this may neither feem ftrange nor troublesome, I fhall clear it by one manifeft inftance, anfwerable to the experience of all men. It will not be denied but that men ought to be more in the love of God than of any other thing; for we ought to love God above all things. Now it is plain, that men that are taken with love, whether it be of women, or of any other thing, if it hath taken a deep place in the heart, and poffefs the mind, it will be hard for the man fo in love to drive out of his mind the perfon or thing fo loved; yea, in his eating, drinking, and fleeping, his mind will always have a tendency that way; and in business or recreations, however intent he be in it, there will but a very fhort time be permitted to pass, but the mind will let fome ejaculation forth towards its beloved. And albeit fuch a one muft The love be converfant in those things that the care of this beloved body and fuch like things call for; yet will he avoid as death itself to do thofe things that may offend the party fo beloved, or crofs his defign in obtaining the thing fo earnestly desired: though there may be fome fmall ufe in them, the great defign, which is chiefly in his eye, will fo balance him, that he will eafily look over and difpenfe with fuch petty neceffities, rather than endanger the lofs of the greater by them. Now that men ought to be thus in love with God, and the life to come, none will deny; and the thing is apparent from thefe fcriptures, Mat. vi. 20. But lay.

up

towards its

thuns its

offence.