"all." The prophet Ezekiel has it in these words, fpeaking to Jerufalem," Behold, this was the iniquity of thy fifter Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, " and abundance of idlenefs, was in her and her "daughters: neither did fhe ftrengthen the hand of "the poor and needy; and they were haughty, and "committed fornication before me; therefore I took "them away, as I faw good." And it is very remarkable, that the voluptuousness of the Ifraelites was joined with their idolatry. It is faid, that when Mofes was in the mount, the people, impatient of his ftay," "Sat down to eat and drink, and rofe up to play." They had got a calf of gold, and were dancing about it; but it was a difmal ball, and they paid dear for their junket, for feveral thousands were flain; and it is faid, that "God plagued the peo"ple." Job's children had as ill fuccefs in their feftivals; "They went from house to house, eating " and drinking; and a tempeft rofe, and fmote the "four corners of the house, and it fell and killed "them." But most express is that complaint of God, by the mouth of the prophet Amos, against the voluptuous Jews: "Ye that put fo far away the evil day, "and cause the feat of violence to come near; that "lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon "their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and << calves out of the midst of the stall: that chant to "the found of the viol, and invent to themselves in• ftruments of mufick, like David :' that drink bowls "of wine, and anoint themselves with the chief oint"ments; but they are not grieved for the affliction of "Jofeph. Therefore now fhall they go captive with "the first that go captive, and the banquet of them that ftretched themselves fhall be removed. And I << will turn your feafts into mourning, and all your "fongs into lamentation; and I will make the end "thereof a bitter day." Ezek. xvi: 49. 56. w Exod. xxxii. 28. I fhall And I fhall fum up these exceffes, and conclude the instances, with the ftory of Dives, more commonly known, than reverently believed, at least confidered: it is delivered to us, by the great Lord of truth, in these words. "There was a certain rich man, which "was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared fumptuously every day. And there was a certain beggar, named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of fores, and defiring to be fed with the "crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: << moreover the dogs came and licked his fores. "it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was car"ried by the angels into Abraham's bofom. The "rich man also died, and was buried: and in hell he "lift up his eyes, being in torments, and feeth Abra" ham afar off, and Lazarus in his bofom. And he «< cried, and faid, father Abraham, have mercy upon "me, and fend Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of "his finger in water, and cool my tongue, for I am " tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, "remember that thou in thy life-time receivedst thy "good things, and likewife Lazarus evil things; but "now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And " befides all this, between us and you there is a great "gulph fixed, fo that they which would pafs from " hence to you, cannot; neither can they pass to us, "that would come from thence." This great paffage comprehends the state of men in both worlds: it fhews to us what that life is in this world, which leads to misery in the next, and what to happiness. No fenfual man, no voluptuous perfon, not those that deck themselves with delicate apparel, and fare fumptuously every day, that love their back and their belly more than God and the poor, fhall be received into Abraham's bofom, or dwell in bleffednefs for ever. Let none deceive themselves, the jealous God will not be mocked. "If you fow to the Luke xvi. 19. 26. a * Gal. vi. 8. « flesh, "flesh, ye fhall reap corruption; but if you fow to "the fpirit, ye fhall reap life everlasting." They that live in pleasures, "Kill the juft;"" they crucify the just witness in themselves: fuch treasure up wrath against the day of wrath. “ "Wo, anguish and "tribulation to every foul that doth evil, whether "Jew or Gentile, profeffor or profane, Chriftian or "infidel:" for the Dives's under all these names must be turned into hell: but fuch as, through patience and well doing, wait for immortality, as poor Lazarus did, after all their poverty, neglect, and hunger, fhall receive "Glory, honour, and eternal life." And truly it is fome comfort to the miserable in this world, that they fhall not live always in it, and that they have to do with a God, who is "no refpecter of perfons." This judge is impartial; the poor are upon even term's with the rich; and it will not be quality, but integrity; not riches, but righteousness, which will recommend us to him. No wonder then, if the prophet Jeremiah, in the name of God, charged the ancient Jews not to go into "the house of feafting; ❞ é and that Ecclefiaftes hath faid, "It is better to go to the " house of mourning, than to the house of feafting," fince fo many evils follow it. But there is one fealt, that even Chrift himself allows us; though I have little reafon to believe it will be imitated, when I confider the natural averfenefs that is, even among profeffed Chriftians, to his felf-denying precepts and example. "Thou," faid Jefus, "When thou ma«kest a dinner or a fupper, call not thy friends or thy brethren, neither thy kinfmen nor thy rich neighbours, left they alfo bid thee again, and a "recompenfe be made thee." (This would beget feafting, the thing to be avoided; no fuch matter.) "But when thou makeft a feaft, call the poor, the "maimed, the lame, the blind, and thou fhalt be "bleffed; for they cannot recompenfe thee; but thou f 2. Rom. ii. 8, 9. • Ecclef. vii. "fhalt "fhalt be recompenfed at the refurrection of the juft." There are few that ftrive to obey this counsel; there is fo little of fashion, or of intereft in it. What! perfons of quality feaft the poor, carve for the maimed, and feed the blind? It is too mean, too ignominious! If they have the bones, the fcraps, the crumbs, it is well. No, no; this doctrine is too like him that taught it, to be practifed by them that are fo unlike him. They that follow him in these things, must "take up the crofs, "defpife the fhame, and fow in hope:" but because there is an everlasting recompence for thofe that do, I fervently defire of God, that it would please him to put it into the minds of both magiftrates and people to "love mercy, do juftice, walk humbly with the Lord," and meekly "and charitably towards all men. I beseech you, in the tender bowels of a Chriftian man, to confider of the present conjuncture: is this a time for feasts and revels, plays and paftimes, when the very wrath of God feems to hang by a flender thread over our heads? O let your moderation be known unto all men, now the Lord is fo near at hand, so very near indeed. And I do humbly pray the fupreme authority of this land, to put a speedy check to these exorbitances, to discountenance thefe exceffes, by the revival of the good old laws of the land, and in making of fuch new ones, as may be thought convenient to prevent fuch pride and prodigality. For I think I may, both with modesty and truth, affirm, if the very unneceffary expences of moft ranks or degrees in this kingdom could be brought into one publick purse, they would arife to three times more money, than either is given, or is requifite, to the maintenance of the poor that are in it: and whether this be a thing practicable or no, it matters not, though I be lieve it is; the very preventing of that excefs which * Mic. vi 5, 6, 7, 8. Col. iii. 14. is is amongst us, would be pleafing to Almighty God, and one way or other beneficial to the whole. I SECT. V. Of the evil of gaming. T may not be improper for me here to follow this head of excefs with the fin of gaming; an invention of much mischief in the world, and therefore inconfiftent both with Chriftianity and civil government. The evils that attend it are neither small nor few. It is, first, a great enemy to business, and that just care that people ought to have for the difcharge of their refpective capacities in their civil affairs. Next, it is one of the greatest thieves to mens eftates: many brave families have been ruined by a gamefter. That which hath been got by the care and prudence of a father, it may be, hath been loft in one night by the extravagant humour of a fon: but that the reward of virtue should be the stake of folly, and the painful acqueft of worthy ancestors expofed to the chance and hazard of the die, is fuch impiety to God's providence, ingratitude to parents, injury to their own families, and difgrace to the government, that I conceive it may very well deferve the care of our fuperiors to prevent that extravagancy for the future, by the execution of the laws in being against it. Thirdly, It is a great confumer of time. They who are addicted to gaming, are generally the most idle and useless people in any government: and give me leave to fay, that men are accountable to the government for their time there ought to be no idleness in the land; for that end Bridewells are provided. Of many other fins people are weary; but of this never, unless to fleep or eat, or for want of money to play. We are commanded to "redeem the time, because the days are evil;" but these people chufe rather to lofe Ephef. v. 16. |