this towards the end of his dayes That notwithstanding he had been so laborious gather'd so many curiosities of Learning in Books and Manuscripts comprehending almost all subjects in the world yet could he rest his Soul on none save the Scriptures and above all that passage lay as most remarkable upon his spirit Titus 2. 11 12 13 14 15. For the grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world looking for that blessed hope and glorious Appearing of the great God our Saviour Jesus Christ who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from All iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar People zealous of good works These things speak and exhort and rebuke with all authority 14. Hugo Grotius than whom these latter Ages think they have not had a man of more profound Policy and universal Learning as well in his Commentaries on the Bible as various other Labours left this remarkable saying behind him which should abate the edge of other mens inordinate desires after what they falsely call Learning namely I WOULD GIVE ALL MY LEARNING AND HONOUR FOR THE PLAIN INTEGRITY AND HARMLESS INNOCENCY OF JEAN URICK who was a Religious poor man that spent eight hours of his time in Prayer eight in Labour and but eight in Meals Sleep and other necessary's And to one that admired his great Industry he returned this by way of complaint Ah! I have consumed my life in laboriously doing nothing And to a third that inquired of his Wisdom and Learning what course to take he solemnly answered BE SERIOUS Such was the sense he had how much a serious life out of that vain-glory of the worlds fruitless learning was of force towards a dying hour and answering yea excelling all other Considerations 15. To whom I joyn Salmusius that famous French Protestant Scholler and the others Contemporary who after his many Volumns of Learning by which he had acquired so much esteem as scarcely to be nam'd without venerable Titles confessed so far to have mistaken true Learning and that in which sollid happiness consists that he exclaim'd thus against himself Oh! I have lost a world of TIME TIME that most precious thing in the world whereof had I but one year more it should be spent in David's Psalms and Paul's Epistles Oh Sirs said he to those about him Mind the World less and God more The fear of the Lord that is Wisdom and to depart from evil that is Understanding 16. Cardinal Mazarine the great Statesman of his time whose aim was to obtain the Glory and Greatness of the World and to which end all other considerations he made submit was of another mind a little before his death being awakened by the smart lashes of Conscience which represented his Souls condition in so dismal a manner and caus'd such astonishment of mind that with weeping he cry'd out O MY POOR SOUL WHAT WILL BECOME OF THEE WHITHER WILT THOU GO And spoke one day thus to the Queen-Mother of France Madam YOUR FAVOURS HAVE UNDONE ME WERE I TO LIVE AGAIN I WOULD BE A CAPUCHIN RATHER THAN A COURTIER 17. And to conclude these serious Instances I shall make one more which though in order should have come in before yet because one of the most importent and this Nations more peculiarly fit for consideration I shall place it here and namely The dying words of HENRY Prince of Wales eldest Son to King JAMES of whom others say many generous things hear what account he gives of himself at last A Person whom he more then ordinarily esteem'd and that had been his companion at Tennis asking him How he did was answered thus amongst many other sober expressions AH TOM I IN VAIN WISH FOR THAT TIME I LOST WITH THEE AND OTHERS IN VAIN RECREATION So vain was Recreation and so precious was Time upon a dying bed And why wish'd he with others for more time but that it might be otherwise employ'd Thus hath the just Principle and holy Spirit of God throughout all Generations convinced men of their vanity and folly upon their dying beds who before were too much taken up therewith to mind either a dying bed or vast Eternity but when their dayes were almost numbred when mortality hasten'd on them when the revelation of the righteous Judgement was at the door and that all their worldly Recreations and Enjoyments must be parted with and that Eye for ever shut and Flesh turn'd to worms-meat that took delight therein then O then it was the holy Witness had time to plead with Conscience then nothing but a holy strict and severe life was valuable then All the world for a little time who before had given all their time for a little of a vain world But if so short a representation of the inconsistency of the vanities of the world with the Christian life could make so deep an impression Oh! to what a noble stature and large proportion had they been grown in all Pious and Heavenly knowledge and how much greater had their Rewards been if they contentedly had foregone those perishing Entertainments of the World betimes and given the exercise of their minds to the tuition and guidance of that universal Grace and Holy Spirit of God which had so long shined in darkness uncomprehended of it and was at last but just perceiv'd to give a sight of what they had been doing all their dayes I shall wind up the whole with this short Description of the Christans within the first hundred years after Christ as what may further justifie not only my Reasons but the Dying Expressions of these several Persons viz. That as a severe life is the Christian life so that it is incomparably sweeter than all the vain Inventions Fashions and Pleasures of the World 18. The description was originally given by Philo-Judaeus and cited by Eusebius Pamphilius thus That those Christians renounced their substance and sever'd themselves from all the cares of this life and forsaking the Cities they lived solitarily in Fields and Gardens They accounted their company who followed the Country-life of cares and bussle as unprofitable and hurtful unto them as it was likely who then lived thus to the end that with earnest and fervent desire they might imitate them which lead this prophetical and heavenly life In many places this people liveth for it behoveth as well the Grecians as the Barbarians to be partakers of this absolute goodness But in Egypt in every Province they abound and especially about Alexandria From all parts the better sort withdrew themselves into the soil and place of these Worshippers as they were called as a most commodious place adjoyning to the Lake of Mary in a low Vale very fit both for its security and the temperance of the Air. They are further reported to have Meeting-houses where the most part of the day was employed
you see the vanity the folly the end and misery of these things that is the just Principle and holy Spirit of the Almighty hear him obey him converse with them who are led by him and let the glories of another World be eyed and the recompence of reward kept in sight admit not the thoughts of former follyes to revive but be steady and continually exercised by his Grace to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world for this is the true and heavenly nature of Christianity to be so awakened and guided by the Spirit and Grace of God as to leave the sins and vanities of the world to have the affections regenerated the mind reformed and the whole man so baptized into purity and faithfulness towards God and Man as to act with reverence justice and mercy to care for very few things to be content with what you have to use all as if you us'd them not and to be so disentangled from the lusts pleasures profits and honours of the world as to have the mind raised to things above the heart and affections fixed there that in all things you may glorifie God and be as Lights set on a Hill whose shining Examples may be conducing to the happiness of others who beholding such good works may be converted and glorifie God the Father of Lights in which you all would be eternally blessed But if the Impenitence of any is so great their pursuit of folly as earnest and notwithstanding what has been thus seriously offer'd to reclaim them they are resolved to take their course and not to be at leisure for more divine things I have this farther to leave with them from the Almighty who first injoyn'd me this work That tribulation anguish and sorrow shall make their dying beds indignation and wrath shall wind up their dayes trouble and vexation of mind and spirit shall be the miserable fruits which are eternally to be reaped as the rewards of all their wretched folly and rebellions Be not deceived God will not be mocked It 's so irreversibly decreed Whatever is sown here shall be reaped hereafter And just is the Almighty to make good his determinations upon such who instead of employing the time given them to work out their Salvation with fear and trembling have spent it in the pleasures of the Flesh which perisheth as if their Heaven were here nor can it seem unreasonable since he hath thus long waited with remission of sin and eternal Life in his hand to distribute to them that repent that if they will not to reward so great obstinacy and love of this perishing world with everlasting tribulations which he will as certainly recompence as he is God over all Holy and Just for ever But I am otherwise perswaded of many yes I am assured the everlasting Mercies of God have been so extended to many as this will prove an effectual Call yet further to bring them out of the wayes and customes of this World that passeth away and a means for establishing such who hitherto have been unfaithful to what they have been already convinced of And you my Friends whose minds have received the ALLARUM whose hearts have truly heard the Voice of one crying in the Wilderness where you have been straying from the Lord Repent repent To you in the Name of this Living dreadful God I speak I cry Come away come away Ah! what do you there Why are you yet behind that 's not your Rest its poluted with the Sins and Vanities of a perishing World Gird up your Loyns Eye your Light One in all Christ Jesus the same yesterday to day and for ever who hath enlightned every one follow him he will lead you to the City that 's descended from Heaven to the new Jerusalem God the Judge of all into which nothing that defiles can enter or have admission Mind not the difficulties of your March great and good things were never interpriz'd and accomplished without difficulty and hardship which alwayes render their injoyment but the more pleasant and glorious in the end Let the holy Men and Women of old be your examples Remember good old Abraham the excellency of whose Faith is set out by his obedience to the Voice of God in forsaking his Fathers house Kindred Lands Countrey and Customs of it never to return rgain And Moses that might in probability have been a King by Faith in God leaves Epypts glory and Pharoah's favours and chuses rather to sojourn and pilgrimage with the despised afflicted tormented Israelites in the Wilderness than to enjoy the pleasures of that great Court for a season esteeming Christ's reproaches greater riches than Egipts treasures But above all how great was the reproach how many the sufferings what bitter mockings did Jesus suffer at the hands of his enemies yet with what patience meekness forgiveness and constancy did he in all his actions demean himself towards his bloody Persecutors Despising the shame induring the Cross for the joy that was set before him And hath left us this glorious Example that we should follow his steps which hath in almost every Age been imitated The Apostles sealed their Testimonies with their blood and multitudes after the examples of their constancy esteeming it the greatest honour as it was alwayes attended with the signal'st demonstrations of Divine Love How memorable was that of Origen If my Father were weeping upon his knees before me and my Mother hanging about my neck behind me and all my Brethren Sisters and Kinsfolks lamenting on every side to retain me in the life and practice of the World I would fling my Mother to the ground run over my Father despise all my Kindred and tread them under my feet that I might run to Christ yet is it known how dutiful and tender he was to all Not much unlike to this was that noble and known Instance of latter dayes in Galeacius Caracciolus Marquess of VICO one of large Revenues great Relations and Reputation in the World who voluntarily abandoned his Friends Estate and Countrey nay which was more intollerable to nature all this he did notwithstanding the importunity and tears of an affectionate Wife and manny innocent young Children that seemed to arrest his leggs by their tender and pitiful embraces resolutely saying with Moses That he would rather suffer Afflictions with the first Reformers and Protestants than enjoy the plenty favour and pleasures that attended his former life whilst in the Roman Religion Nor is it possible for any now to quit the World and live a serious godly life without the like suffering and persecution There are among us also who have not been without the exercise of suffering the displeasure of their most dear and intimate Relations and Friends and all those troubles disgraces reproaches which are accustomed to attend such as forgo the honours pleasures ambition and preferments of the World
Clerks and the Beholders are the Parishioners and the Musick are the Bells and the Fiddlers the Ministers of the Devil For as when Hoggs are stray'd if the Hog-herd call one all assemble themselves together so the Devil causeth one Women to sing in the dance or to play on some Instrument and presently gather all the dancers together Again In a dance a man breaks the Ten Commandements of God As first Thou shalt have no other Godds but me c. for in dancing a man serves that Person whom he most desires to serve after whom goes his heart and therefore Jerom saith Every man's Godd is that he serves and loves best and that he loves best which his thoughts wander and gadd most after He sins against the second Commandement when he makes an Idol of that he loves Against the third in that Oaths and frivolously using God's Name are frequently amongst dancers Against the fourth for that by dancing the Sabbath day is prophaned Against the fifth for in the dance Parents are many times dishonour'd since thereby many bargains are made without their counsel Against the sixth A man kills in dancing for every one that sets about to please another he kills the soul as oft as he perswades unto lust Against the seventh For the party that danceth be it male or female committeth adultery with the party they lust after for he that looketh on a Woman to lust after her hath already committed Adultery with her in his heart Against the eighth Commandment A man sins in dancing when he with draweth the heart of another from God Against the ninth when in dancing he speaks falsly against the Truth and for some little honour or secret lascivious end deny's what 's true or affirms what 's false Against the tenth when Women affect the Ornaments of others and Men covet the Wives Daughters and Servants of their Neighbours which undeniably attends all such Playes and Sports Again A man may prove how great an evil dancing is by the multitude of sins that accompany those that dance for they dance without measure or number And therefore saith Augustine The miserable Dancer knows not that as many paces as he makes in dancing so many leaps he makes to Hell They sin in their Ornaments after a Five-fold manner First By being proud thereof Secondly By inflaming the hearts of those that behold them Thirdly When they make those asham'd that have not the like Ornaments giving them occasion to covet the like Fourthly By making Women importunate in demanding the like Ornaments of their Husbands And Fifthly When they cannot obtain them of their Husbands they seek to get them elsewhere by sin They sin by singing and playing on Instruments for their songs bewitch the hearts of those that hear them with temporal delight forgetting God uttering nothing in their songs but lyes and vanities and the very motion of the body which is us'd in dancing gives testimony enough of evil Thus you see that dancing is the Devils Procession and he that enters into a dance enters into the Devil's Procession Of dancing the Devil 's the guide the middle and the end and he that entreth a good and a wise man into the dance if it can be that such a one is either good or wise cometh forth a corrupt and a wicked man SARAH THAT HOLY WOMAN WAS NONE OF THESE Behold the apprehensions of those ancient good old Reformers touching those things that are so much in Practice and Reputation in these times thus far verbatim But I cannot leave off here till I have yet added the Conclusion of their Chatechism and Direction with some passages out of one of their Pastors Letters fit to the present occasion They Conclude in this Direction namely how to rule their bodies and live in this World as becomes the Children of God Not to serve the mortal desires of the flesh To keep their Members that they be not arms of Iniquity and vanity To rule their outward senses To subject the body to the soul To mortifie their members To fly idleness To observe a sobriety and measure in their eating and drinking in their words and cares of this life To do works of mercy To live a moral or just life by Faith To fight against the desires To mortifie the works of the flesh To give themselves to the exercise-of Religion To confer together touching the Will of God To examine diligently the Conscience To purge and amend and pacifie the Spirit To which I shall add the Epistle of one of their Pastors as I find recorded amongst other matters relating to those poor afflicted People An Epistle of Pastor Barthelmew Tertion written to the Waldensian Churches of the Valley of Pragela thus translated JESUS BE WITH YOU TO all our faithful and well-beloved Brethren in Christ Jesus Health and Salvation be with you all Amen These are to put you in remembrance and to admonish you my Brethren hereby acquiting my self of that duty which I owe unto you all in the behalf of God principally touching the care of your Souls Salvation according to that light of the truth which the most High God hath bestowed on us that it would please every one of you to maintain increase and nourish to the uttermost of your power without diminution those good beginnings and examples which have been left unto us by our fore-fathers whereof we are no wayes worthy For it would little profit us to have been renewed by the Fatherly visitation and the light which hath been given us of God if we give our selves to worldly carnal conversations which are diabolical abandoning the Principle which is God and the Salvation of our Souls for this short and temporal life For the Lord saith What doth it profit a man to gain the whole world and to lose his own Soul For it would be better for us never to have known the way of Righteousness than having known it to do the contrary Let me therefore intreat you by the love of God that you decrease not not look back but rather increase the charity fear and obedience which are due unto God and to your selves amongst your selves and stand fast in all those good Principles which you have heard and understood of God by our means and that you would remove from amongst you all vain conversation and evil surmizes troubling the peace the love the concord and whatsoever would indispose or deaden your minds to the service of God your own Salvation and the administration of the Truth if you desire that God should be merciful to you in your goods temporal and spiritual for you can do nothing without him and if you desire to be Heirs of his Glory do that which he commandeth If you would enter into Life keep my Commandements Likewise be careful that there be not nourished amongst you ANY SPORTS Gluttony Whoredom Dancings nor any Lewdness or Riot nor Questions nor Deceipts nor Usury nor Discords neither support
Nations Custom in bowing to the Kings Favourite so hatefull are vicious men and vain customs to the pious and sincere Reason XII It s manifest from the Case of the Centurion in Christ time who made not the honour and respect due to him from his Souldiers to consist in Hats Gestures or vain Ceremonies but in the ready execution of his Commands as when he said to one Go and he goeth and to another Do this and he doth it nor is it practised now amongst Souldiers as being an effeminate Custom unworthy of Masculine Gravity yet are they obedient and truly honour their Officers Reason XIII The very practise of familiar greeting with shew of respect to each others persons was so severely reprehended by the Lord Jesus Christ that he makes it a mark of the Apostacy and wickedness of that Age of so great shew of Profession for he gives it in charge to his Disciples that they should beware of those that love salutations and to be called Rabbi or Master of men a mark of honour in those times c. for he that is greatest among you shall be your Servant says he to his Followers and call no man Master for one is your Master and James as expresly enjoyns the same My Brethren Be not many Masters knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation by which it is apparent that the true Disciples of Christ were not to assume Lordship nor Superiority as was the Custom of the Heathens but that they should know a religious community and live as Servants to each others necessities acknowledging but one God one Lord one Law-giver and but one Master even Jesus Christ who is God over all neither hath it been used among many Nations to give great Titles or call Magistrates by other names then what they ever had as particularly amongst the Romans namely Brutus Valerius Cato Marcellus Scipio Pompius Cicero c. In Scripture Adam though Lord of the whole World Cain Abel Euoch Noah Abraham Lot Moses Christ Jesus Matthew Mark Luke John Paul Peter James c. nor is it common or pertinent in Greek or Latine Authors to mention or quote the Names of any but as already instanced as Irenaens Tertullian Justin Alexander Constantine Justinianus Maximinian Theodosius Jerom Barnard Luther Sarania Calvin Beza Grotius Vossius Amiraldus and the like yet doth not this in the least diminish or detract from their reputation or discover the least dis-respect or incivility in any to mention their names as thus expressed since its the practise of all Writers nor do our English Histories bestrew our Ancestors with those vain and superfluous Titles which are common in these dayes and without which men are reputed rude and ill-bred much contrary to the Example and Precepts of Christ Jesus who elsewhere tells the Jews that the reason why they did not believe in his meek and self-denying Message was because of their receiving honour one of another Reason XIV God is declared to be no Respecter of Persons but as they fear him and work Righteousness and James condemns such who hold the Faith of the Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of Glory with respect of Persons telling them that they must not accept any man for his gay cloathing rich attire or outward appearance neither reject the poor or set the rich above him for that God had chosen the poor of this World rich in Faith and that if any shall fulfil or keep the whole Law and yet fail in this of respecting mens persons he is guilty of all wherefore all such flattering Titles as to call men what they are not and fond Ceremonies of the Hat c. to a mortal person and that for any external consideration we utterly deny and as becomes the Children and Servants of the only true God we shall not we cannot reverence respect or bow to the persons of men nor give flattering Titles least as Elihu says for in so doing our Maker would soon take us away Reason XV. John who would have paid homage to the Angel that had communicated those Mysteries to him was forbidden saying I am thy Fellow-Servant much less should we to mortal men Reason XVI And lastly from what hath been said of the Nature of true Honour and this false Honour and from what Scripture Reason and Example do afford as well as from the Infallible sence we have of the corrupt ground and nature of these vain Respects fond Ceremonies and titular Honours in obedience to the God whom we serve we utterly disclaim those Customs as the off-spring of Pride Vanity Flattery Lust c. which have so universally reigned over the Earth and are the customs of the Natitions in their fallen and degenerate state from which we are redeem'd and therefore live Witnesses against all such practices as knowing it s not for us to be conformable to the fashions of the world which pass away but transform'd in the renewing of our mindes that we may do his will and abide for ever The Testimonies of Ancient and Modern Writers TO which let me add a Testimony or two from the Writings of former times as what through the prejudice that 's received against us in these may be of greater moment and more successfull Marlorat out of Luther and Calvin upon the remarkable passage of the Apostle James gives us the sence those primitive Reformers had of Respect to Persons in these words viz. To respect persons here is to have regard to the outward habit and garb the Apostle signifies that such respecting of persons is so contrary to true Faith that they are altogether inconsistant but if the pomp and other worldly regards prevail and weaken what is of Christ it s a sign of a decaying Faith yea so great is the glory and splendor of Christ in a pious Soul that all the glories of the world have no charms no beauty in comparison of that unto one so religiously inclined the Apostle maketh such respecting of persons to be repugnant to the LIGHT within them insomuch as they who follow those practises are condemned from within themselves so that sanctity ought to be the reason or motive of all outward Respect and that none is to be honoured upon any account but holiness But if so doubtless those Nuseries of fantastick Cringers antick Dancing-Masters and flattering Temporizers will be of very little reputation but I shall add to these the Admonition of a learned Writer called a Father who lived aboue 1100 years since of great esteem both with Protestants and Papists namely Jerome who writing to a noble Matron Celantia directing her how to live in the midst of her prosperity and honors amongst many other Religious Instructions speaks thus Heed-not thy Nobility nor let that be a reason for thee to take place of any esteem not those of a meaner extraction to be thy inferiours for our Religion admits of no respect of persons nor doth
and Princes as Grasiers are over their families and their flocks they were not sollicitous of the vanities so much lived in by the People of this Generation for in all things they pleased God by Faith the first forsock his Fathers house Kindred and Countrey A true Type or Figure of that Self-denial all must know that would have Abraham to their Father They must not think to live in those pleasures fashions and customs they are call'd to leave no but on the contrary part with all in hopes of the recompence of Reward and that better Countrey which is eternal in the Heavens The Prophets were generally poor Mechanicks one a Shepherd another a Herdsman c. they often cryed out upon the full-fed wanton Isruelites to repent to fear and dread the Living God to forsake the sins and vanities they liv'd in but never imitated them John Baptist the Messenger of the Lord who was sanctified in his Mothers womb Preach'd his Embassie to the World in a Coat of Camels hair a rough and homely garment nor can it be conceiv'd that Jesus Christ himself was much better Apparell'd who was a man of poor Friends and of great plainness insomuch that it was usual in a way of derision to say Is not this Jesus the Son of Joseph a Carpenter And this Jesus tells his followers That as for soft Raiment gorgious Apparel and Delicacies they were for Kings Courts implying That He and his followers were not to mind those things but seems plainly thereby to express the great difference that is betwixt the lovers of the fashions and customs of the world and those whom he hath chosen out of it And he not only came in that mean and despicable manner himself thereby to stain the pride of flesh but therein to become exemplary to his followers of what a self-denying life they must lead if they would be true Disciples Nay he further leaves it with them in a Parable that it might make the deeper impression to the end that they might see how inconsistent the pompous worldly-pleasing life is with the Kingdom he came to establish and call men to the possession of And that is the remarkable story of Dives who is represented 1 As a Rich man next a Voluptuous man in his rich Apparel his many Dishes and his Packs of Doggs And lastly An uncharitable man or one who was too much concern'd how to please the lust of the eye the lust of the flesh and the pride of Life and to fare sumptuously every day ever to take compassion of poor Lazarus at his Gate no his Dogs were more pitiful and kind than he But the doom of this Jolly man this great Dives we read to be everlasting torments and that of Lazarus eternal joy with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of God In short Lazarus was a good man the other a great man the one poor and temperate the other rich and voluptuous too many of them are alive 'T were well if his doom might awaken them to Repentance Nor were the Apostles the immediate Messengers of the Lord Jesus Christ other then poor men one a Fisher-man another a Tent-maker and he that was of the greatest though not the honestest employment was a Customer perhaps some Waiter or the like therefore it s very unlikely that any of them were followers of the fashions of the world nay they were so far from it that as became the followers of Christ they liv'd poor afflicted self-denying lives bidding the Churches to walk as they had them for examples and to shut up this particular they give this pathetical account of the Holy Women in former times as an inducement for all to do the same namely That first they did abstain from Gold Silver breaded Hair fine Apparel or such like and next that their Adornment was a week and quiet Spirit and the hidden man of the heart which are of great price with the Lord Affirming That such as live in pleasure are dead whilst they live for that the Cares and Pleasures of this life choak and destroy the seed of the Kingdom and quite hinder all progress in the hidden and divine life So that we find the Holy men and Women of former times were not accustom'd to these pleasures and vain recreations but having their minds set on things above sought another Kingdom which consists in Righteousness peace and joy in the Holy Spirit who having obtained a good report are enter'd into their eternal rest therefore their Works follow and praise them in the Gates Reas 4. Next That both such Apparel and Pleasures are not only with severity reprehended in Scriptures but are contrary to positive Injunctions and Precepts It was the ground of that lamentable Message by the Prophet Isaiah to the People of Israel Moreover the Lord said Because the Daughters of Zion are haughty and walk with stretehed-forth necks and wanton eyes walking and mincing as they go and making a tinckling 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 tinckling Ornaments and their Cauls or Net-works in the Hebrew and their round Tyres like the Moon the Chains and the Bracelets and the spangled Ornaments the Bonnets and the ornaments of the Legs and the Head-bands and the Tablets and the Ear-Rings the Rings and Nose-Jewels the changeable suits of Apparel and the Mantles and the Whimples and the Crisping Pins the Glasses and the fine Linnen and the Hoods and the Vails And it shall come to pass that instead of sweet smells there shall be a stinck and instead of a Girdle a Rent and instead of well-set Hair Baldness and instead of a Stomacher a girding of Sack-cloth 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 Behold O vain and foolish Inhabitants of England your folly and your doom You Exchange-mongers who live by the like vanities is not the like your trade your profit your practice and your pleasure yet read the Prophet Ezekiel's vision of miserable Tyre what punishment her pride and pleasures brought upon her And amongst many other circumstances these are some These were thy Merchants in all sorts of things In blue Cloaths and broydered Work and in Chests of rich Apparel Emeraulds Purple fine Linnen 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 Merchandise and all thy Company which is in the midst of thee shall fall into the midst of the Sea in the day of thy ruine and the Inhabitants of the Isles shall be astonished at thee and their Merchants shall hiss at thee
thou shalt be a terrour and shall be no more Thus hath God declar'd his displeasure against the Curiosity and vain Customs 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 cloath'd with strange Apparel 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 offering to change the usual End of Cloaths or Apparel to gratifie foolish Curiosity who went to place a Satisfaction in that which did not deserve their Care and to make a meer Necessity matter of Pleasure that rather should put in mind of shame This did the Lord Jesus Christ expresly charge his Disciples not to be careful about intimating that such as were could not be his Disciples for sayes he Take no care what you should eat nor what you should drink neither wherewithal shall you 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 yee first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you Under which of Eating and Drinking and Apparel he comprehends all External matters whatsoever and so much appears as well because that they are opposed to the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness which are invisible and Heavenly things as that those very matters he injoyns them not to be careful about are the most necessary and the most innocent if then in such cases the minds of his Disciples are not to be solicitous much less in foolish superfluous idle inventions to gratifie 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 sayes the Nations of the World who know not God If now then the distinguishing meant 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 being not careful of External matters even the most Innocent and Necessary And that the others mind Eating Drinking Apparel and the Affairs of the World with the Lusts Pleasures Profits Honours and the like be you intreated for your Souls sake O Inhabitants of England to be serious to reflect a while upon your selves what care and cost are you 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 toyl and labour what noise hurry bustle and confusion what study what little conspiracys and over-reachings what eating drinking vanity of Apparel most ridiculous Recreations in short what rising early going to bed late expence of precious time is there about things that perish View the Streets Shops Exchanges Playes Parks Taverns Ale-houses c. and is not the World this fading World writ upon every face Say not within your selves How otherwise should men live and the World subsist the common though impertinent objection there is enough for all let some content themselves with less a few things plain and decent serve to a Christian life 'T is Lust Pride Avarice that thrust men upon such folly had God's Kingdom the exercise of their minds these perishing entertainments should have but little of their time or thoughts This Self-denying Doctrine was confirm'd and enforc'd by the Apostles in their Example as we have already shewn and in their Precepts too as we shall yet evince in those two most remarkable passages of Paul and Peter where they not only tell us what should be done but also interpret what should be deny'd and avoided In like manner I will that Women Adorn themselves in modest Apparel what 's that with shamefastness and sobriety not with broidered Hair or Gold or Pearls or costly Array then these are immodest but which becometh Women professing godliness with good works absolutely implying that those who Attire themselves with Gold Silver broidered Hair Pearls costly Array or the like cannot be the Women professing godliness making those very things to be contrary to modesty and what 's good and consequently that they are evil and unbecoming Women professing Godliness To which Peter joyns 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 or of putting on 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 and as an inducement he adds For after this manner in the old time the Holy Women who so 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 They so far are such from trusting in God that the Apostle Paul expresly sayes That they who live in pleasures are dead to God whilst they live And sayes James They that live want only on Earth slay the Just They farther enjoyn'd That Christians should have their Conversation in Heaven and their minds fixed on things above walk honestly as in the day not in Rioting and Drunkenness not in Chambring and Wantonness not in Envy and Strife let not Fornication Uncleanness or Covetousness be once named amongst you neither Filthiness nor foolish talking or jesting which are not convenient but rather giving of thanks And 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 desire thereof 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 dayes are evil Measure your selves hereby O you Inhabitants of the Land who think your selves wrong'd 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 you and among you your Life and Pastime are not strangers to my Observation and with Compassion yea unexpressible pity I bewail your folly O that you would be wise O that the just Principle in your selves were heard O that Eternity had time to
to Glory is enclos'd and smooth'd with such variety of carnal Pleasures no alas Conviction a wounded Spirit a broken Heart a regenerated Mind in a word Immortality would then prove as meer fictions as some make them and others therefore think them if the like practises are not for ever to be extinguish'd and expell'd 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 its Heavenly exercise than grosser Impieties for they are so big they are plainly seen so dirty they are easily detested 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 harmeless Satisfactions are more surprising more fatal more destructive for as they easily gain and admission of their senses so the more they pretend to Innocency the more do they secure the minds of People in the common use of them till they become so insensible of their evil Consequences that with a mighty confidence they can plead for them But as this is plainly not to deny themselves but on the contrary to employ these vain Inventions of carnal Men and Women to gratifie 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 do So Be it known to such That the Heavenly Life and Christian Joyes are of another kind as hath already been express'd nay that the true Disciples of the Lord Christ must be hereunto crucified as to Objects and Enjoyments that attract downwards and that their affections should be so rais'd to a more sublime and spiritual Conversation as to use this World even in its most innocent enjoyments as if they us'd it not but if they take pleasure in any thing below it shall be in some of those good Offices before-mention'd whereby a benefit may redound in some respect in which God is honour'd over all visible things the Nition reliev'd the Government better'd themselves rendred exemplary of good and thereby justly intituled to present Happiness a sweet Memorial with Posterity and to a seat at his Right hand where there are Joyes and Pleasures for ever than which there can be nothing more honourable nothing more certain world without end Reas 7. There should be no vanity of Apparel nor Recreations common amongst those who would be Christians indeed because both that which invented them delights to have them and pleads so strongly for them is inconsistent with the true Spirit of Christianity nor doth the very nature of the Christian Religion admit of these things For therefore was it that Immortality and Eternal Life was thereby brought to light that Mortality and all the pleasures of it in which the world lives might be forgone and relinquished and for that reason it is that nothing less than immense Rewards and eternal Mansions are promised but that Men and Women might therefore be encourag'd willingly to forsake the vanity and fleshly satisfactions of the World and encounter with boldness the shame and sufferings they must expect to receive at the hand of it may be their nearest and otherwise dearest Intimates and Relations For if the Christian Religion had admitted the Possession of this World in any other sense than the simple and naked use of those Creatures really given of God for the necessity and convenience of the whole Creation for instance Did it allow all that Pride Vanity Curiosity Pomp Exchange of Apparel Honours Preferments Fashions and the Customary Recreations with what ever may delight and gratifie their senses Then what need of a daily Cross a self-denying Life working out Salvation with fear and trembling seeking the things that are above having the Treasure and heart in Heaven No idle talking no vain jesting but fearing and meditating all the day long undergoing all reproach scorn hard usage bitter mockings and cruel deaths What need these things and why should they be expected in order to that glorious Immortality and eternal Crown if the Vanity Pride Expence Idleness Concupiscence Envy Malice and whole manner of living among the called Christians were allow'd No certainly but as the Lord Jesus Christ well knew in what foolish trifles and vain pleasures as well as grosser impieties the minds of Men and Women were fixed and how much they were degenerated from the Heavenly principle of Life into a coverous seeking after the enjoyments of this perishing World nay inventing daily new ones to gratifie their Lusts so did he not less foresee the difficulty that all would have to relinquish and forsake them at his call and with what great unwillingness they would take their leave and be weaned from them wherefore as inducements thereunto he did not speak unto them in the Language of the Law as that they should have an Earthly Canaan great Dignities a numerous Issue a long Life and the like no rather the contrary at least to take these things as they should fall but he speaks to them in a higher strain namely That he assures them of a Kingdom and a Crown that are Immortal that neither Time Cruelty Death Grave nor Hell with all its instruments shall ever be able to disappoint or take away from those who should believe and obey him further That they should be taken into that neer Aliance of loving Friends yea the intimate divine Relation of dear Brethren and Co-heirs with him of all Coelestial Happiness and glorious Immortality wherefore if it be recorded That those who heard not Moses were to die much more they who refuse to hear and obey the Precepts of this great and Eternal Rewarder of All that diligently seek and follow him And therefore it was that he was pleased to give us in his own Example a tast of what his Disciples must expect to drink more deeply of namely The Cup of Self-denyal cruel Tryals and most bitter Afflictions He came not to Consecrate a way to the Eternal Rest through Gold and Silver Ribbons Laces Points Perfumes costly Cloaths curious Trim's exact Dresses rich Jewels pleasant Recreations Play 's Parks Treats Balls Masques Revels Romances Love-songs flattering Sonnets and the like Pastime of the World No no alas but by forsaking all such kind of entertainments yea and sometimes more lawful enjoyments too and chearfully undergoing the loss of all on the one hand and the Reproach Ignominy and the most hateful Persecutions from ungodly men on the other alas he needed never to have wanted such variety of worldly Pleasures had they been sutable to the work he came to do for he was tempted as are his followers with no less bait than all the Gloryes of the World however Satan ly'd in saying
they were his to give but he that Commanded his followers to seek another Countrey and to lay up Treasure in the Heavens and therefore charg'd them never to be much inquisitive about what they should Eat Drink or put on because saith he after these things the Gentiles that know not God do seek and Christians that pretend to know him too but having Food and Raiment therewith to be content He I say that enjoyn'd this Doctrine and led that Holy and Heavenly Example even the Lord Jesus Christ bid them that would be his Disciples to take up the same Cross and to follow Him Wherefore who will be true Christians must not think to steer another Course nor to drink of another Cup then hath the Captain of their Salvation done before them no for 't is the very question he asked James and John the Sons of Zebedee of old when they desired to sit at his right and left hand in his Kingdom Can you first drink of the Cup I am to drink of and be baptiz'd with the Baptism I am to be baptiz'd withal otherwise no Disciples no Christians Whoever they are that would come to Christ and be a right Christian must readily abandon every delight that would steal away the affections of the mind and exercise it from the Divine Principle of Life and freely write a Bill of Divorce for every beloved vanity for all under the Sun of Righteousness is so Object 1. But some are ready to object who will not want Scripture for their lusts although it evidently be misapply'd say they The Kingdom of God stands not in Meats nor in Drinks nor in Apparel c. Answ Right therefore it is that we stand out of them But surely you have the least Reason of any to object this to us who make those things so necessary as our not Conforming to them doth render us obnoxious to your Reproach which how Christian or resembling it is the Righteousness Peace and Joy in which the Heavenly Kingdom stands let the just Principle in your own Consciences determine our Conversation stands in Temperance and that stands in Righteousness by which we have obtain'd that Kingdom your latitude and excess have no share nor intrest in If none therefore can be true Disciples but they that come to bear the Daily Cross and that none bear the Cross but those who follow the example of the Lord Jesus Christ through his Baptism of Afflictions Tryals and Temptations and that none are so baptiz'd with him but those whose minds are retired from the vanities in which the generality of the world lives and become obedient to the Holy Light and Divine Grace with which they have been enlightned from on high and thereby are daily exercis'd to the crucifying of every contrary Affection and bringing of Immortality to light If none are true Disciples but such as most undoubtedly they are not then let the People of these dayes a little soberly reflect upon themselves and conclude that none who live and delight in these vain Customs and this un-Christ-like Conversation can be a true Christian or Disciple of Crucify'd Jesus for otherwise how would it be a Cross or the Christian life matter of difficulty and reproach No the offence of the Cross would soon cease which is the Power of God to them that believe for the subduing of every lust and vanity and bringing the Creature into an holy subjection of mind to the heavenly will of it's Creator for therefore has it been said That Jesus Christ was and is manifested that by his Holy Self-denying Life and Doctrine he might put a baffle upon the proud minds of men and by the Immortality he brought and daily brings to light he might stain the Glory of their mortal Rests and Pleasures that having their minds weaned therefrom and being as crucify'd thereunto they might seek another Countrey and obtain an Everlasting Inheritance for the things that are seen are Temporal those they were and all are to be redeem'd from but the things that are not seen are Eternal those they were and all are to be brought to and have their Affections chiefly fixt upon Wherefore a true Disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ is to have his mind so conversant about heavenly things That the things of this World may be us'd as if they were not and that having such things as are necessary and convenient therewith to be content without the superfluity of the World whereby the pleasures that in the time of Ignorance was taken in the Customs and Fashions of the World might more abundantly be supply'd in the hidden and Heavenly Life for unless there be an abiding in Christ it will be impossible to bring forth that much fruit which he requires at the hands of his followers and wherein his Father is glorify'd But as it 's clear such as live in the Vanities Pleasures Recreations and Lusts of the World abide not in him neither know him for they that know him depart from Iniquity so is their abiding and delighting in those bewitching follies the very reason why they are so ignorant and insensible of him that continually stands knocking at the doors of their hearts in whom they ought to abide and whose Divine Power they should know to be the Cross on which every beloved Lust and alluring Vanity should be slain and crucify'd that they might feel the Heavenly Life to spring and themselves quickned thereby to seek the things that are above that when Christ shall appear they might appear with him in glory who is over All God blessed for ever Amen Reas 8. Next Those Customs and Fashions which that great variety of Pleasure which is the common Attire and Conversation of the Times do eminently obstruct the Retirement of Peoples minds to within that they may behold the Glory 's of another kind I mean Immortality and instead of fearing their Creator in the dayes of their youth and seeking the Kingdom of God first expecting the Addition of such other things as may be necessary and convenient according to the Injunctions of God and the Lord Jesus Christ as soon as they can do any thing Pride Vanity and that Conversation which is most delightful to the Flesh becomes their most pleasing Entertainments all which do but exceedingly beget lustful Conceptions and enflame to inordinate Thoughts wanton Discourses lascivious Treats if not at last to wicked Actions fond Absurdities and strange Impossibilities fetch'd from such occasions continually haunting their minds To whom it 's tedious and offensive to speak of Heaven or another Life bid them reflect upon their Actions not grieve the Holy Spirit consider of an Eternal Doom prepare for Judgment and the best Return that 's usual is reproachful Jests profane Reparteés if not direct blows their thoughts are otherwayes employ'd their Mornings are too short for them to smooth to paint to patch to bread to curle to
Christian life all things might be at a cheaper rate and men might live for little If the Landlords had less lust to satisfie the Tennants might have less Rent to pay and turn from poor to rich whereby they might be able to find more honest and domestique employments for their Children than turning shifters and living by their Wits which is but a better word for their sins And if the Report of the more intelligent Husbandry be credible Lands are generally improveable ten in twenty and were there more hands about more lawful and serviceable Manufactures they would be cheaper and greater vent might be made by which a benefit should redound to the World in general nay the burden lyes the heavier upon the laborious Countrey that so many hands and shoulders as the lust Caterers of the Cities should be wanting If men never think themselves rich enough they may never miss of trouble and employment but those who can take the primitive state and God's Creation for their Model may learn with a little to be contented as knowing that desires after Wealth do not only prevent or destroy the true Faith but that when got encrease trouble also It is no evil to repent of evil but that can never be in maintaining what they should repent of It is a bad Argument to avoid temperance or justifie the contrary because otherwise the Actors and Inventers of it would want a Livelihood since to feed them is to nurse the Cause instead of starving it let such of those Vanity-hucksters as have got sufficient be contented to retreat and spend it more honestly than they got it And such as really are poor be rather helpt by charity to better Callings which were more prudent nay Christian than to buy foolish toyes and fopperies Publick Work-houses would be effectual Remedies to all these lazy distempers with more Profit and a better Conscience therefore it is we cannot we dare not square our Conversation by the World's no but by our exceeding plainness to testifie against such extravagant vanity and by our grave and steady Life to manifest our dislike on God's behalf to such intemperance and wanton curiosity yea to deny our selves what otherwise perhaps we lawfully could use with true indifferency because of that great abuse amongst the generality I know that some are ready farther to object Object 4. Hath God given us these Enjoyments on purpose to damn us if we use them Answ But to such miserable poor silly souls who would rather charge the most High and Holy God with the invention and creation of their dirty Vanities then want a Plea to justifie their own practice not knowing how for shame or fear or love to throw them off I Answer That what God made was good and what the blessed Lord Jesus Christ enjoyn'd or gave us in his most Heavenly Example is to be observed believed and indispensably to be obeyed but in the whole Catalogue the Scriptures give of both I never found the Attires Recreations and way of Living so much in request with the called Christians of these times No certainly God created man an holy wise sober grave and reasonable Creature fit to Govern the World and himself to whom only a Divinity an Eternal God-head became the fit object both of his Reason and his Pleasure all External Enjoyments administring no farther satisfaction then as us'd for necessity and meer convenience with this proviso too That the Almighty was to be seen and sensibly enjoy'd and reverenc'd in every one but how very wide the Christians of these times are from this Primitive Institution is not difficult to determine although they make such loud pretentions to that most Holy Jesus who not only gave the World a certain Evidence of a happy Restoration in his own Example but promised assistance to all that would follow him and therefore hath so severely enjoyn'd no less on all as they would be everlastingly saved but whether the minds of men and women are not as profoundly involv'd in all excess and vanity as those who know him not any farther than by hear-say and whether they being thus banished the Presence of the Lord by their greedy seeking the things that are below and thereby having lost the taste of that divine Pleasure they have not feigned to themselves an imaginary pleasure to smother Conscience and pass their time without that anguish and trouble which are the consequences of sin that so they might be at ease and security let the truly sober yea their own Consciences declare Adam's temptation is represented by an Apple thereby intimating the great influence external objects as they exceed in beauty carry with them upon our senses so that unless the mind keep upon its constant watch so prevalent and in a manner inchanting are visible things as sometimes they are represented that hard 't will be for one to escape being ensnar'd and he shall need be only sometimes entrap'd to cast so thick a vail of darkness over the mind that not only it shall with pleasure continue in its fetters to lust and vanity but proudly censure such as refuse Conformity to the same and strongly plead for them as serviceable and convenient that strange passion do perishing objects raise in those minds where way is made and entertainments given to them But Christ Jesus is manifested in us and hath given unto us an understanding of him that is true and unto All such a proportion of his good Spirit as might suffice would they obey it to redeem their minds from that captivity they have been in to lusts and vanities and intirely ransom them from the dominion of all visible objects and whatsoever may gratifie the desire of the Eye the Flesh and the proud Life that they might be regenerated in their minds changed in their affections and have their whole hearts set on things that are above where moth nor rust can never pass nor enter to harm or destroy But 't is a manifest sign of what mould and make those persons are who practise and plead for such Egiptian shameful rags It s more to be feared they either never knew or have forgot the humble plain meek holy Self-denying and exemplary Life which the eternal Spirit sanctifies all obedient hearts unto yea it 's indubitable that either such alwayes have been ignorant or else that they have lost sight of that good Land that heavenly Country and blessed inheritance they once have had some glimmering prospect of O that they would but with-draw a while sit down weigh and consider with themselves where they are and whose work and will they are doing that they would once believe the Devil hath not a stratagem more pernitious to their immortal Souls than this of exercising their minds in the foolish fashions and wanton recreations of the times great and gross Impieties beget a detestation in the opinion of sober education common temperance and reputation and
punished with the most dreadful Plague that ever rag'd amongst them and all Greece with it never prospered in any considerable undertaking but from that time alwayes decay'd Amongst many of his sober and Heavenly Maxims on which he was accustomed to discourse with his disciples these are some He taught every where That an upright man and an happy man were all one They that do Good are employ'd they that spend their time in vain Recreations are idle To do Good is the best course of Life he only is idle who might be better employ'd A Horse is not known by his furniture but qualities so Men are to be esteemed for Virtue not Wealth Being asked Who lived without trouble He answered Those who are conscious to themselves of no evil thing To one who demanded What was Nobility He answered A good temper and disposition of Soul and Body They who know what they ought to do and do it not are not wise and temperate but fools and stupid To one that complained he had not been benefited by his Travels Not without reason sayes Socrates Thou didst travel without thy self Intimating he knew not the eternal Mind or God to direct and inform him Being demanded what Wisdom was said A virtuous composure of the Soul And being asked who were Wise answered Those that sin not Seeing a young man Rich but ignorant of Heavenly things and pursuing Earthly pleasures Behold sayes he a Golden Slave Soft wayes of living in pleasure beget neither good constitution of body nor mind Fine and rich Cloaths are only for Comedians that would sport the People with only making themselves fools Being demanded from what things Men and Women ought to refrain He answered PLEASUR' 's Being asked What Continence and Temperance were said Government of corporal desires and pleasures the wicked live to eat c. but the good eat to live temperate Persons become the most excellent Eat that which neither hurts the body nor mind and which is easie to be gotten One saying It was a great matter to abstain from what one desires But sayes he it is better not to desire at all It is the property of God to need nothing and they that need and are contented with least come neerest God The only and best way to Worship God is to mind obey whatsoever he Commands That the Souls of Men Women partake of the Divine Nature that God is seen of the virtuous mind that by waiting upon him they are united unto him in an inaccessible place of purity and happiness which God he asserted alwayes to be near him Many more are the excellent Sayings of this great man who was not less famous for his Sayings than his Examples with the greatest Nations yet died he a Sacrifice to the sottish fury of the vain world The History of his Life reports That his Father was told He should have the guide of his Life within him which should be more to him than five hundred Masters which proved true Instructing his Schollers herein Charging them not to neglect these divine affairs which properly concern man to mind or enquire after such things as are without in the visible world He taught the use of outward things only as they were necessary to Life and Commerce forbidding superfluities and Curiosities He was executed for his Doctrine after having lived seventy years the most admired followed and visited of all men in his time by Kings and Commonwealths and then whom Antiquity mentions none with more reverence and honour Well were it for poor England if her conceited Christians were true Socrates's whose divine severe just and self-denying life doth not bespeak him more famous than it will Christians infamous at the revelation of the righteous judgment where Heathens Virtue shall aggravate Christians Intemperance and their Humility the others excessive Pride and justly too since a greater than Socrates is come whose Name they profess but they will not obey him Plato that famous Philosopher and Scholler to Socrates was so grave so heavenly devoted nay so discreetly Politick that in his Commonwealth he would not so much as harbour Poetical Fancy's much less open Stagers as being too effeminate and apt to with-draw the minds of youth from more noble more manly as well as more heavenly exercises Plato seeing a young man play at Dice Reproved him sharply the other answered What for so small a matter Custom saith Plato is no small thing let idle hours be spent more usefully Let youth saith he take delight in good things for Pleasures are the baits of evil Observe the momentory sweetness of a delicious life is followed with eternal sorrow the short pain of the contrary with eternal pleasures being commanded to put on a Purple garment by the King of Sicilly he refused saying He was a man and scorn'd such effeminacy's He addicted himself to heavenly Contemplations and is said to have liv'd a virtuous but single Life alwayes eying and obeying the Mind which he sometimes cal'd God the Father of all things affirming Who so lived should become like him and so related as to be joyn'd with or to the Divinity it self This same Plato upon his dying bed sent for his Friends about him and told them the whole World was out of the way in that they understood not nor regarded the Mind that is God assuring them those men died most comfortably that liv'd most conformable to right Reason sought and ador'd the first Cause meaning God Antisthenes an Athenian Philosopher who had taught in the study of Eloquence several years but upon his hearing Socrates treat of the seriousness of Religion of the divine Life eternal Rewards c. bid all his Schollers to seek them a new Master for he had found one for himself wherefore selling his estate he distributed it to the poor and betook himself wholly to the consideration of heavenly things going chearfully six miles every day to hear Socrates But where are the like Preachers and Converts amongst the People called Christians Observe the daily pains of Socrates surely he did not study a week to read a written Sermon we are assured of the contrary for 't was frequent with him to Preach to the People at any time of the day in the very streets as occasion served Neither was he an Hireling or covetous for he did it gratis surely then he had no fat Benefices Tythes Gleabs c. And let the self-denyal and diligence of Antisthenes be considered of a Philosopher and Mister to become a Scholler and that a daily one surely it was then matter of reproach as 't is now shewing both want of Knowledge though call'd a Philosopher and his great desires to obtain it None of these us'd to go to Playes Balls Treats c. they found more serious employments for their minds and were examples of temperance to the world I
or entertain any Persons of a wicked conversation or that give any scandal or ill example amongst you but let charity and fidelity reign amongst you and all good example doing to one another as every one desires should be done unto him for otherwise it is impossible that any should be saved or can have the grace of God or good-men in this world or glory in another And therefore if you hope and desire to possess eternal Life to live in good esteem and credit and to prosper in this world in your goods temporal and spiritual purge your selves from all disorderly wayes to the end that God may be alwayes with you who forsakes not those that trust in him But know this for certain that God heareth not nor dwelleth with sinners nor in the soul that is given unto wickedness nor in the man that is subject to sin And therefore let every one cleanse the wayes of his heart and fly the danger if he would not perish therein I have no other thing to write at this present but that you would put in practice these things and the God of peace be with you all and go along with us and be present among us in our sincere humble and fervent prayers that he will be pleas'd to save all those his faithful that trust in Christ Jesus Intirely yours ready to do you service in all things possible according unto the Will of God Bartholmew Tertian Behold the Life and Doctrine Instruction and Practice of these ancient Waldenses how harmless how plain how laborious how exceeding serious and heavenly were they in their Conversation These are the Men Women and Children who for above these five hundred years have valiantly maintained a cruel War at the expence of their most innocent blood against the unheard of Tyranny's and more than Paganish inhumanities of proud blood-thirsting Popes Princes Cardinals Legats Nuncio's Archbishops and Bishops but above all of the Monkish Inquisitors whose most barborous invented cruelties are the only demonstrations of their wit with whom it s held to be a greater sin to conceal a Heretick than to be perjur'd to obey an heretical Prince than to murder him to marry a lawful Wife than to keep a Whore In short to dissent though never so conscientiously than to murder lye steal and commit all the inormities prohibited both in the first and second Table yea so dark so blind so cruel have most generations been that there could be no so silly a dotage no so ridiculous a superstition no so detestable an idolatry but did or might have found not only an acceptance but the favour of being impos'd on most severe penalties who having lost the sense of the true God became so darkened as to believe whilst they were most zealous in fulfilling the will of Beelzebab they were performing the most acceptable sacrifice to God with whom the filthiest villain and sordidst wretch was more acceptable than the most patient sober heavenly-minded man Nay let him be never so virtuous to say that the flesh blood and bones of Jesus once nail'd upon the Cross were not in a Wafer held by the nasty fist of a fornicating Priest nay God not in that Wafer though nibl'd by a Mouse or the like vermin just before were enough to Rack Hang or Burn without any farther Appeal or Examination 'T was against the like Adversary's these poor Waldenses fought by sufferings throughout the Nations by Prisons Confiscations Banishments Wandrings from Hill to Valley from Den to Cave being mock'd whipt rack'd thrown from Rocks Towers driven on Mountains and in one night hundreds perishing by excessive Frosts Snows and the like colds smother'd in Caves Starv'd Prison'd Rip'd Hang'd Dismember'd Rifl'd Plunder'd Strangl'd Burn'd and whatsoever could be invented to ruin men women and children These you pretend to be your Ancestors from them you say you have your Religion often are you in building their praises by your panigerical discourses but Oh! look back I beseech you how unlike are you to these afflicted Pilgrims what resemblance is there of their life in yours Did they purchase you a Liberty and Religion can you think at the loss of all that was dear to them that you might pass away your dayes and years in pride wantonness and vanity What proportion bears your excess with their temperance your gaudiness with their plainness your luxury and flesh-pleasing conversation with their simplicity and self-denyal but are you not got into that Spirit they condemned into that carnality worldly mindedness they reprov'd in their Persecuters nay into a strain of Persecution too whilst you seem to hide all under a cloak of Reformation What have you besides their good words that 's like them And do you think that words shall fend off the blows of Eternal vengeance That a little by-rote babble though of never so good expressions in themselves shall serve your turn No From God I tell you That whilst you live in the wantonness pride and luxury of the world pleasing and fulfilling the lust of the Eye the lust of the Flesh and the pride of Life God detests you all and laughs you and your worship to scorn Ne're tell me I am too rash it 's the Devil that sayes so he has got two Scriptures at his fingers end in these dayes one That there 's none that doth good to the end he may perswade all it's impossible to overcome which is the reason so many are overcome although glory is promised to none but conquerers The second That we must not judge lest we be judged but away with the Devil and his hypocrisie too I know what I say and from whom I speak once more I tell you all That unless you forsake your pride luxury avarice and whole variety of vanities and mind the eternal Light in your hearts to obey it Wrath shall be your portion for ever whether you hear or forbear Trust not your Souls on misapply'd Scriptures He that is a Child of God must be holy for God is holy and none are his Sons and Daughters but those who are adopted by the Eternal Spirit and led thereby 'T was a holy plain humble divine Life these poor suffering Christians both profess'd and practic'd refusing to converse with any that liv'd in the superfluities and excess of the world for which if you will believe their very Adversaries they were persecuted For sayes Rainerius They use to teach first what the Disciples of Christ ought to be and that none are his Disciples but they that imitate his Life And that the Popes Cardinals c. because they live in luxury pride avarice c. are not the Successors of Christ but themselves only in that they walk up to his commandments thus sayes he they win upon the People But if so that none are Christians but those who imitate Christ what will become of those who call themselves Christians and yet live at ease
EVIL 2. Ignatius who lived within the first hundred years after Christ left this amongst other things behind him who was torn in pieces of wild Beasts at Rome for his true Faith in Jesus There is nothing better than the peace of a good Conscience Intimating there might be a peace to wicked Consciences that is past feeling any thing to be evil but swallowed up of the pleasures of the World And in his Epistle to the Churches at Ephesus Magnesia Trallis and Rome upon his Martyrdom saith Now do I begin to be a Disciple I weigh neither visible nor invisible things so that I gain Christ 3. Iraenius called a Father saith Such who make large Confessions and speak virtuous words and yet are not conformable to them in their life and conversation are nothing worth 4. Justin Martyr a Christian Philosopher plainly tells us in his relation of his conversion to the Christian Faith That the power of Godliness in a plain simple Christ had that influence and operation on his soul that he could not but betake himself to a serious and strict life and yet before a Cynick And this gave him joy at his Martyrdom having spent his dayes as a serious Teacher and a good Example And Eusebius relates that though he was a follower of Plato's doctrine yet when he saw the Christians piety and courage he concluded no people so temperate less voluptuous and more set on divine things which first induced him to be a Christian 5. Chrysostom another Father so call'd said To sacrifice the whole soul and body to the Lord is the highest service we can pay unto him God promiseth mercy to penitent sinners but he doth not promise them they shall have so much time as to morrow for their repentance 6. Charles the 5th Emperour of Germany King of Spain and Lord of the Nether-lands After twenty three Pitch'dfields six Triumphs four Kingdoms conquer'd and eight Principalities added to his Dominions a greater Instance than whom can scarce be given after all this Pomp Resigned all up to other hands betook himself to his retirement leaving this Testimony behind concerning the life spent in the honours and pleasures of the world and in that little time of his retreat from them all That the sincere study profession and practice of the Christian Religion had in it such joys and sweetness as COURTS were strangers to 7. Sir Philip Sidney a person whose parts courage and virtue were of such reputation aswel beyond the Seas as here at home that had Queen Elizabeth agreed upon the earnest sollicitation of the Polanders he had 't was said been ellected King of that vast Dominion of more than 2600 miles in circumference when he say upon his Death-bed and just departing the world he bad his friends behold in him the end of this worlds desires and enjoyments Reputing what was so much pursued by the Great Ones as poor abject and unworthy of their immortal souls and amongst other things his Arcadia than which though there have been many Newer Romances there is not one more modest and ingenious yet as an effect of his youthful Melancholy Amours that could be profitable unto none but rather impress the like fancies upon others and raise that which with all industry should timely be allay'd and totally extinguished in them he earnestly requested his great friend the Lord Brooks that it might be cast into the flames and never prove so injurious to his Memory which he desired to have continued and preserved on more serious subjects nor those who should spend their precious time in reading of it as to be published to the world although it is translated into most usual languages Such were the serious apprehensions of this dying man and his advice to them he left behind him who certainly then best knew the benefit or dis-service that would redound from the like conversation neither have I observed any Person left upon Record in all our English stories whom all Persons as well as the Historians agreed to merit so great an esteem but more especially for his great Modesty Yet after all we hear his Recantation of the many unnecessary things and his Recommendation of but the one thing necessary to his Friends as what would most rejoyce at last 8. Secretary Walsingham in Queen Elizabeth's time towards the conclusion of his dayes in a Letter to his once fellow Secretary then Chancellor of England called Lord Burliegh writes thus We have lived enough to our Countrey our Fortunes our Soveraign it is high time we begin to live to our selves and to our God Which giving occasion for some Court-humourist to visit and divert him Ah! said he while we laugh all things are serious round about us God is serious when he preserveth us and hath patience towards us Christ is setious when he dieth for us the Holy Ghost is serious when he striveth with us the whole Creation is serious in serving God and us they are serious in Hell and Heaven and shall a man that hath one foot in his grave jest and laugh None can be serious too soon because none can be good too soon away then with all foolish talking and jesting and mind more profitable things 9. One they call Sir John Mason who had been Privy Counsellor to four Princes and spent much time in the preferments and pleasures of the world retired with these regretful sayings After so many years experience Seriousness is the greatest wisdom Temperance the best Physick a good Conscience is the best estate and were I to live again I would change the COURT for a Cloyster my Privy Counsellors bussles for an Hermits retirement and the whole life I lived in the Palace for one hours enjoyment of God in the Chappel ALL THINGS ELSE FORSAKE ME BESIDES MY GOD MY DUTY AND MY PRAYERS 10. One call'd Sir Henry Wotton thought it to be the greatest happiness in this life to be at leisure to be to do good As in his latter end he was wont to say when he reflected on past times though a man esteem'd sober and learned HOW MUCH TIME HAVE I TO REPENT OF AND HOW LITTLE TO DO IT IN 11. The Lord Bacon sometime before his death confessed That to be Religious was to live strictly and severely for if the opinion of another World be false yet the sweetest life in this World is Piety Virtue and Honesty if it be true there be none so wretched and miserable as loose carnal and prophane Persons 12. One Dr. Donne and a great Poet taking his farewel of his Friends on his dying bed left this saying behind him for them to measure their fancies and their actions by I repent of All my life but that part of it I spent in communion with God and doing good 13. Selden the greatest Scholler and Antiquary of these Kingdoms one who had taken a diligent survey of what knowledge was considerable amongst the Jews Heathens and those call'd Christians at last professeth
in worshipping God that they were great Allegorizers of the Scriptures making them all figurative That the external shew of words or the letter resembleth the superficies of the body and the hidden sense or understanding of the words seem in place of the soul which they contemplate by their beholding names as it were in a Glass meaning that their Religion consisted not in reading the letter disputing about it or accepting things in litteral constructions but that they placed their Religion in the thing declared of the Substance it self bringing things nearer to the mind soul and spirit and pressing into a more hidden and heavenly sense making Religion to consist in the temperance and sanctity of the Mind and not in the formal outside Worship so much now a-dayes in repute fitter to please Comedians than Christians Such self-denying conversations was the practice of those times and onely badge of true Christianity but now the case is alter'd People will be Christians and have their worldly-mindedness too But though God's Kingdom suffer violence by such yet shall they never enter the Life of Christ and his followers hath in all Ages been another thing And there is but One Way One Guide One Rest all which are pure and holy But if any notwithstanding our many sober Reasons and numerous Testimonies from Scriptures Examples and Experience of spiritual and religious worldly and prophane living and dying-men at home and abroad of the greatest note fame and learning in the whole world shall yet remain lovers and imitaters of the folly and vanity condemned If the cryes and groans and sighs and tears and complaints and mournful wishes of so many reputed Great nay some Good men O that I had more time O that I might live a year longer I would live a severer life O that I were a poor Innocent Jean Urick All is vanity in this world O my poor soul whither wilt thou go O that I had the time spent in vain recreations A serious life is above all and such like And can nothing prevail But if yet they shall proceed to folly remain unsatisfied and follow the world what greater evidence can they give of their heady resolution to go on impiously to despise God to disobey his Precepts to deny Christ to fear not bear his Cross to forsake the Examples of his Servants to give the lie to the dying serious sayings and consent of all Ages to harden themselves against the checks of Conscience to befool and sport away their precious time and poor immortal souls to wo and misery In short 't is plainly to discover you neither have Reason to justifie your selves nor yet enough of Modesty to blush at your own folly but as having lost the sense of one and th' other go on to eat and drink and rise to play In vain therefore is it for you to pretend to fear the God of Heaven whose minds serve the Godd of the pleasures of this world In vain is it to say you believe in Christ who receive not his self-denying Message and to no better purpose will all you do avail If he that had loved God and his Neighbour and kept the Commandments from his youth was excluded from being a Disciple because he sold not all and followed Jesus with what confidence can you call your selves Christians who have neither kept the Commandments nor yet forsaken any thing to be so And if it was a barr betwixt him and the eternal life he sought that notwithstanding all his other vertues love to money and his external possessions could not be parted with what shall be your end who cannot deny your selves many less things but are daily inventing vanities to your fleshly appetites certainly much more impossible is it to forsake the greater Christ try'd his love in bidding him forsake all because he knew for all his brags that his mind was rivetted therein not that if he had enjoy'd his possessions with Christian indifferency much of them might not have been continued and retain'd but what then is their doom whose hearts are so fixed in the vanities of the World that they will rather make them christian than part with them But such a Christian this young man might have been who had more to say for himself than the strictest Pharisee living dare pretend to yet he went away sorrowful from Jesus Should I ask you if Nicodemas did well to come by night and be ashamed of the Great Messiah of the World and if he was not ignorant when Christ spake to him of the new Birth I know you would answer me Yes he did very ill and was very ignorant but stay a while the beam is in your own eyes you are ready doubtless to condemn him and the young man for not doing what you not only refuse to do your selves but laugh at others for doing Nay had such passages not been writ and were it not for the reverence some pretend for the Scriptures they would both be as stupid as Nicodemas in their answers to such Heavenly matters and ready to call it Canting in any to speak so as it is frequent for you when we speak to the same effect though not the same words just with the Jews at the time they called God their Father they dispised his Son and when he spake of sublime and heavenly Mysteries some cry'd He has a Devil others He is mad and most of them These are hard sayings who can bear them And to you all that sport your selves after the manners of the World let me say That you are of those who profess you know God but in Works deny him living in those Pleasures which slay the Just in your selves for though you talk of believing it is no more then taking it for granted that there is a God a Christ Scriptures c. without farther concerning your selves to prove the verity thereof to your selves or others by a strict and holy Conversation which slight way of believing is but a light and careless way of ridding your selves of farther examination and rather throwing them off with an inconsiderable granting of them to be so than giving your selves the trouble of making better enquiry leaving that to your Priests oft-times more ignorant and not less vain and idle than your selves which is so far from a Gospel-Faith that 't is the least respect you can shew God Scriptures c. and next to which kind of believing is nothing under a doubt and a denyal of all But if you have hitherto laid aside all Temperance Reason and Shame at least be intreated to resume them now in a matter of this importance and whereon no less concernment rests than your temporal and eternal happiness Oh! Retire retire observe the reproofs of Instruction in your own minds that which begets melancholy in the middst of mirth which cannot solace it self nor be contented below immortality which calls often to an account at nights mornings and at other seasons which lets