The Law Unsealed, To the reader 1
TO THE CHRISTIAN READER.
THE ſubject matter of this Treatiſe muſt without all controverſie be paſſing excellent, it being not only a portion of Divinely-inspired Scripture, but ſuch portion of it as is the Moral Law; the moſt ſtraight infallible, perfect, an perpetually▪binding rule of life and manners, that ſhort ſummary and abrid gment of all called▪for duties and forbidden ſins (whatever S…inions (with whom Anabaptiſts and Arminian-Remonſtrants on the matter joyn hands (on a woeful deſign to transform the Goſpel into a new Law or Covenant of Works, that thereby in place of the righteouſneſs of Faith, and righteouſneſs of Works may be eſtabliſhed, by their alledged Supplements and Amendments of, and Addi…aments to it, to be made in the New Teſtament; and Papiſts by their vainly boaſted-of Works of Super-e…ogation and Counſels of Perfection, whereby they would have the Law out done by doing more than it requireth, audaciouſly averr to the contrary;) even theſe Ten-words (afterward contracted by the Lord Chriſt into two Words or Commandments) immediatly pronounced by God himſelf, and twice written with his own finger on Tables of ſtone, compriſing a great many various matters and purpoſes; ſo that it may without any the leaſt heſitation or Hyperbole be aſſerted, There was never ſo much matter and marrow, with ſo much admirably-holy, cunning, compended, couched, and conveyed in ſo few words, by the moſt Laconick conciſe, ſententious and ſingularly ſignificant ſpokeſman in the World: And no wonder, ſince it is He that gave men tongues, and taught them to ſpeak, that ſpeaketh here, who hath infinitly beyond the moſt expert of them, (being all but Battologiſts and Bablers, beſide Him) the art of ſpeaking much, marvellouſly much in few words; and would even in this have us according to our meaſure humbly to imitate him: And no doubt it is one of the many moe, and more groſſe evidences of the declenſion of this Generation from the ancient, lovely, and laudable ſimplicity, that many men forgetting that God at firſt appointed words to be the external ſigns of the internal conceptions of their minds, and fooliſhly fancing that becauſe they love and admire to hear themſelves talk, others do or are obliged to do ſo; affect to multiply, words, if not without knowledge, yet without neceſſity, and with vaſt diſproportion to the matter; And whereas a few of their words rightly diſpoſed, might ſufficiently ſerve to bring us to the very outmoſt border and boundary of their conceptions, and alſo to make ſuitable impreſſions of them (all the end of words) yet ere we can come that length, we muſt needs wear away our time, and weary our ſelves in wandring through the waſt Wilderneſs of the unneceſſary and ſuperfluous remainder of them: And this doth uſher in, or rather is uſhered in, by other piece of neighbour-vanity, whereby men wearing of wonted and long worn words, though ſufficiently ſignificant, grow fond upon …ovel, new coyn'd and never before heard of ones, ſtretching their wit (if ſupperfluity of words, though both n…w and neat, be worthy to be placed amongſt the productions of wit; for thereby we are made never a whit the wiſer, nor more knowing) and putting their invention on the Tenters to find out (no new matter but) n…w words, whereby often old, plain and obvious matters are intricated and ob…cured, at leaſt to more ordinary Readers and Hearers, a notable perverſion of the end of words for which the inſtituter of them will call to an account; neither are they ſatiſfied with ſuch curi ſity in coa…ſer and more comm…n matters▪ but this Alien and Fo…raign, yea even Romantick and wanton ſtil… of language is introduced into, and malepartly obtruded upon Theologick… and moſt ſublimely ſpiritual purpoſes, whether diſcourſed by vive voyce, or committed to writing▪ (which ought I grant to be ſpoke as becometh the Oracles of God, with a grave appoſitneſs, of phraſe, keeping ſome proportion with the Majeſty of the matter, that they may not be expoſed to cont…mpt by any unbecoming incongruity or baſeneſs) by which it cometh to paſs to the inspeakable prejudice and obſtruction of Edification, that many in their niceneſs, n…uſeating▪ form of ſimple and ſound words, are ready to …iſs and ho… off the Theater of the Church the moſt precious and profitable points of Truth though abundantly beautiful, Majeſtick and powerful in their own native ſpiritual ſimplicity, …s unfit to act their part, and as being but dull and blunt things, if not altogether unworthy to be owned▪ and received as truths; if they appear not, whether in the Pulpit or Preſs, cloathed with this ſtrange and gaudi… attire, with this Comedians Coat dreſſed up with the Feathers of Arrogant humane Eloquence, and be▪daubed with this Rethorick and affectedly belaboured Elegancy of ſpeech (which our truly, manly, and magnanimous Chriſtian-Author did undervalue: And no great wonder, ſince even the Heathen moral Philoſopher Senec… did look at it as ſcarce worthy of a man; for writing to his Lucil…us, he willeth him in ſtead of being buſied about words to cauſe himſelf have a feeling of the ſubstance thereof in his heart; and to think thoſe whom he ſeeth to have an affected and laboured kind of ſpeech to have their ſpirits occupied about vain things▪ comparing ſuch to diverſe young m…n well trimmed and frizli…, who ſeem as they were newly come out of a box; from which kind of men nothing firm nor generous is to be expected. And further affirmeth that a vertuous man ſpeaketh more remiſ…y, but more ſecurely, and whatever he ſaith …ath more confidence in it than curioſity; that ſpeech being the Image of the mind, if a man diſguiſe and poliſh it too curiouſly, it is a token that the ſpeaker is an Hypocrit and little worth: And that it is no manly Ornament to ſpeak affectedly) nay, this hath of late with other extravagancies riſen to ſuch a prodigious hight amongst the wiſdom of words, or word-wiſdom Monopolizing men of this age, that if the great Apoſtle Paul who ſpoke wiſdom (though not of this ſ…rt, nor of this world) amongſt them that were perfect, and did upon deſign, not from any defect, decline all wiſdom of words, all inticing words of mens wiſdom and excellency of ſpeech, that the croſs of Chriſt might not be made of none …ff…ct, and that the faith of his hearers might not ſtand in the wiſdom of men but in the power of God, and who loved to ſpeak in the Demonſtration of the Spirit and of power, wherein the Kingdom of God conſist…th and not in word… if that great Apoſtle were now Preaching, he would probably be looked at by ſuch words and wi…e heads as but a weak man, and of rude and contemptible ſpeech, (as he was by the big talking Doctors of the Church of Corinth,) if not amere Bable…, as he was by the Philoſophers and Orators at Athens▪ The ſubject matter I ſay of this Treatiſe muſt needs be moſt excellent, being the Spiritual, Holy, Juſt and good Law; the Royal Law, binding u…to the Obedience of God our King; the Law which Jeſus Chriſt came not to deſtroy but to fulfil: whereof he is the end for Righteouſneſs to every on that believeth; which doth as a School moſter lead to Him (by diſcovering the holy nature & will of God, and mens duty to walk conformly to it, by convincing of the moſt ſinful pollution of our nature, heart, and life, of univerſal diſconformity to it, and innumerable tranſgreſſions of it, of the obligation to the wrath and curſe of God becauſe of the ſame, of u…er inability to keep it and to help our ſelves out of this ſinful and wrathful estate; by humbling under the conviction and ſenſe of both, by putting on to the Renunciation of ſelfrighteouſneſs or righteouſneſs according to this Law; And finally by convincing of the abſolute and indi…nſable neceſſity of an other righteouſneſs, and ſo of this imputed righteouſneſ…); the law that is ſo very neceſſary to all men in common, and to every Regenerate and unr…generate man in particular; from which, …re one jote or title can paſs unfulfilled, Heaven and Earth muſt paſs▪ and which the Prince of Paſtors, infinitely skilful to pitch perti…nt ſubjects of Preaching, amongſt many others made choice of, to be a main ſubject of that ſolemn Sermon of his on the Mount; wherein he did not, as many would …ave expect…d▪ ſoar aloſt in abſtruſe contemplations, but graciouſly stooped and condeſcended to our c…ity for catching of us, by a plain familiar and practical expoſition of the Commands (as indeed Religion lyeth not in high flown notions and curious ſpeculations, nor in great ſwellings of words, but in the ſingle and ſedulous practiſe of theſe things that are generally looked on … low and common, as the great art of Preaching lyeth in the powerful preſſing thereof) infin…ting of how much moment the right uuderſtanding of them is, and how much Religion ly… in the ſerious ſtudy of ſuitable obedience thereto, not in order to juſtification, but for glorifying God, who juſtifieth freely by his grate through the Redemption that is in Jeſus▪ without which Obedience or holineſs no man ſhall ſee the Lord. And if the Treatiſe bear but any tolereable proportion to ſuch a Text and Theam, it cannot but have its own excellency; and, that thou ma…ſt be induced to think it doth, I ſhall need only to tell thee that it is (though, alaſs, poſthumous and for any thing I know never by him intended for the Preſs, otherwiſe it had been much more full, for …e is much ſhorter on the commands of the ſecond Table, then on theſe of the firſt, touching only on ſome chief heads, not judging it fit belike at that time and in that exerciſe, to wit, Sabbathday-morning Lectures before Sermon, to dwell long on that ſubject (which a particular proſecution would have neceſſitated him to) eſpecially ſince he was at that ſame time to the ſame auditory Preaching Sabbath afternoons on the third chapter of the Epiſtle to the Coloſſians, a ſubject much of the ſame nature, but what he ſaith is material and excellent) great Mr. Durhams; who had ſome excellency peculiar to himſelf in what he ſpoke or writ▪ as appeareth by his ſingular and ſome way▪S…raphick comment on the Revelation, wherein with Aquiline-ſharp-ſightedneſs from the top of the high mountain of fellowſhip with God, he hath deeply pryed into, and ſtruck up a great light in ſeveral myſterious things much hid even from many wiſe and ſagacious men before; And by his moſt ſweet and ſavoury, yet moſt ſolid expoſition of the Song of Solomon, ſmelling ſtrong of mor… than ordinary acquaintance with, and experience of th…ſe ſeveral influxes of the love of Jeſus Chriſt upon the Soul, and effluxes of its love (the fruit and effect of His (towards Him, wherewith that delightful diſcourſe is richly as it were imbroydered; The greateſt realities (though indeed ſublime ſpiritualities) moſt plainly aſſerted by God, and moſt powerfully experienced by the Godly (whoſe Souls are more livelily affected with them, than their very external ſenſes are by the rareſt and moſt remarkable objects; and no wonder ſince every thing the more ſpiritual it is, hath in it t… greater reality, and worketh the more ſtrongly and efficaciouſly) however of late, by an unparalieledly-bold black▪mouthed blaſphemous Scribler nefariouſly neck named, Fine Romances o… the ſecret Amouts betwixt the Lord Chriſt and the believing Soul, told by the Non-conformiſtspreachers. What? are theſe and the like, Let him kiſs me with the kiſſes of his mouth, for his love is better than Wine; Thy name is as an Oyntment poured forth, therefore the Virgins love thee; We will remember thy love more than Wine, the upright love thee; Behold thou art fair my beloved, yea pleaſant, alſo our bed is green. A bundle of myrrh is my beloved unto me, he ſhall lye all night betwixt my breaſts—I ſat down under his ſhadow with great delight, and his fruit was ſweet to my taſte; He brought me to the Banqueting-houſe, and his Banner …ver me was love▪ Stay me with Flagons, comfort me with Apples, for I am ſick of love; His left hand is under my head, and his right hand doth imbrace me; My beloved is mine, and I am his; I am my beloveds, and his deſire is towards me; I found him whom my Soul loved, I held him and would not let him go; Set me as a ſeal upon thy heart, and as a ſeal on thine arm; Love is ſtrong as death—many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it; I charge you O Daughters of Jeruſalem, if ye find my beloved, that ye tell him, I am ſick of love. Come my beloved, let us go up early to the Vine-yards, let … ſee if the Vines flouriſh—there will I give the my loves; make haſt my beloved & be thou like to a R…e, or to a young Heart on the Mountains of Spices. How fair and how pleaſant art th…, O love for delights! O my Dove—let▪me ſee thy countenance, let me hear thy voice, for ſweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely, thou haſt raviſhed my …eart my Siſter my Spouſe with one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck; turn away thine eyes from me, for they have over come me—He that loveth me ſhall be loved of my Father, and I will love him and manifeſt my ſelf to him. If any man love me he will keep my words, and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him and make our abode with him: As the Father hath loved me, ſo have I loved you, continue ye in my love: If ye keep my Commandements, ye ſhall abide in my love, even as I have kept my Fathers Commandements and abide in his love. The love of Chriſt conſtraineth us: we love him becauſe he first loved … the love of God is ſhed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghoſt given unto us: whom …aving not ſeen ye love, & whom though now ye ſee him not, yet believing ye rejoyce with joy unſpeakable & full of glory▪ That ye may with all Saints be able to comprehend what is the breadth, and length, & depth, & heighth, and to know the love of Chriſt that paſſeth knowledge. Are theſe I ſay, Romances: are th…ſe fancies, factions, and forg…ries? are theſe fables cunningly deviſed and told by the Non conformiſts-Preachers? Did the Apostle thunder the great Anathema Ma…an…h…, againſt men for their not h… ing a meer Romantick end fancied love to the Lord Jeſus? (the execution of which dreadful doom will …e a ſolid proof of its reality, and a ſad reproof for denying it to be ſo.) Dare the moſt proud, petulant, perverſe, and prodigiouſly profane prater, pretending but to the name of a Chriſtian, ſay it? If theſe moſt real love Communications and intercourſes betwixt the Lord Chriſt and the believing Soul, be but Romances, then the whole Bible (whereof theſe make ſo conſiderable and ſo comfortable a part) may be reckoned a Romance (which be like this Romantick Divine will not ſo much demurr making ſmall account therefore, and audaciouſly alleadging the Engliſh Bible to be a Book in ſome places erroneous, in …ome ſcarce ſenſe and of dangerous conſequences; loath would he be to deal ſo by Grand Cyrus, Cleopatra, and his other darling Romance…?) if there be no real but Romantick and fained love betwixt Chriſt and the Chriſtian, then no real Chriſtianity, no real Chriſt (whom this new Doctor dreadfully de…aſeth under the poorly palliated pretext of exalting him, affirming, that his unparalleled civility, and the obliginneſs of his deportment, ſeems to be almoſt as high an evidence of the Truth and Divinity of his Doctrine, as his unparalleled miracles were, otherwiſe he would be a baſe and pro…ig…t Impoſtor; what would this young Divine) for old Divines, and even great Calvin b… name, amongſt the reſt, he deſpiſeth as a company of …lly Syſtematicks) have ſaid and thought of the Divinity of the perſon end Doctrine of bleſſed Jeſus, if when on earth he had more frequently (as he might and probably would have done under the ſame circumstances) ſpoke and deals ſo roughly and roundly as he did when he called Herod a Fox, and ſcourged the buyers and ſellers out of the Temple, and had ſeemed to be as uncivil and of as little obliging a Deportment as his harbinger, John Baptiſt, he would be like have doubted of his Divinity, and deemed him but … ba…e Impoſtore, if not peremptorily pronounced that he had a Divel▪) No real Redemption, no real Redeemer; no real miſery, no real mercy; no real Heaven, no real Hell (but ah! the real acting of its ſtory will eaſily and quickly refute this Romantick conception of it.) And in fine, no real God: All is but one intire fine Romance fable and figment; The Lord againſt whom this mouth is opened thus wickedly▪wide, and is by an other Rabſh…keh railed on at ſuch a rate of rage▪ rebuke the Spirit which, prompteth to the venting this damnable and Diabolick, nay Hyper diabolick Doctrine (for Devils believe that there is one God, and tremble and that Jeſus Chriſt … the Son of God, whom even in his ſtate of humiliation they acknowledged to be ſo, and from the dread of him deprecated his tormenting them before the time; but this Deſperado would on the matter drive us into a disbelief of both & yet droll us out of all dread being tormented on that or any other account either before the time or a… it, (becauſe of which its Teacher,) of late better taught (if … would humble himſelf to receive Inſtruction,) by Famous Doctor Owen▪ by Acute Maſter Marvel, and by the Grave author of The Fulfilling of the Scriptures, in his Second Part) deeply deſerves not only to be caſt out of the Protestant Churches, but to be hiſſed and chaſed out of the Chriſtian World. And as appears finally, by that Divinely Politick and Profoundly Wiſe Treatiſe of Scandal, in General, and of Scandalous Diviſions, in Particular: which both Preachers and Profeſſors of the Gospel, ſhould read, and read again, in theſe ſad Times; wherein (Alaſs!) there is ſo much Offence given, and ſo great a readineſs to take Offence. Of none of which Treatiſes, nor of any other ſo brief a Treatiſe on the Commands, this piece will, I humbly ſuppoſe, be found to fall much, if any thing at all, ſhort▪ wherein the Light of the Glory of the Lord, in the Face of Jeſus Chriſt, that ſhined in upon the heart of his Servant, hath ſo brightly and radiantly darted forth it▪s Beams, that he hath clearly ſhewed us the 7. Abominations of our Hearts▪ and by digging, hath diſcovered Great Abominations, and Greater, and yet, Greater than theſe He that ſearcheth Jeruſslem with Candles, hath by putting the Candle of the True Meaning, of the Law of the Lord into his Hand, made him go down and ſearch into the very Inward Par…s of the Belly, and B…wels of the Corruption of our Nature▪ and to Ranſack the moſt Retired Corners of the Cloſſe Cabinet of the Deep Deceitfulneſs, and Desperate Wickedneſs, that is lodged and locked up in our Hearts▪ He hath given to him as it were, the end of the Clew of Search, whereby he hath …ollowed and ſound us out, in thoſe many Turnings, and Traverſings, Windings and Wandrings, of the Labyrinth of this great Myſtery of Iniquity that worketh in us. He hath therein alſo, marvellouſly helped him with Exquiſite Skill, as it were Anatomically to diffect, even to ſome of the very ſmalleſt C…pillar Veins; a great part of the Vast Body, of the many & various Duties ſuccinctly ſummed up in theſe Ten Words, of this Holy Law: A Tranſumpt and Double whereof, was …s V…vely Written, and deeply ingraven upon the fleſhly tables of the Author's heart, and one the whole of his Viſible Deportment, as readily hath been on many of the Sinful Sons of Adam. Not to detain thee long; Let me for provoking, and perſwading, to conſider what the Bleſt Author, being now dead, yet ſpeaketh in this Choyſe Treatiſe (and more especially to the Inhabitants of Glaſgow, now the Second time) only ſay, that amongst many other diſtempers of this declined and degenered Generation, there is a great itching aſter ſome new and more notional and a loathing of old and more ſolid and ſubſtantial things in Religion; whereof this is a Demonſtration, that though there …e very few ſubjects more neceſſary and uſeful than what is treated of here, yet there is almost none more generally ſlighted▪ as being a very common and ordinary ſubject, and but the Ten Commands fitter to be read and gote by r…t by Children, or at best to be ſtudied by rude and ignorant beginners▪ by Apprentices and Christians of the loweſt form in Chriſ… ▪ School, then by Profeſſors of greater knowledge and longer ſtanding, who ſuppoſe themſelves, and are it may be ſuppoſed by others, to have paſſed their Apprentiſhip, to be grown Deacons in the Trade of Religio…, and to have commenced maſters of Art therein; who ſomeway diſdain and account it below them to ſtay a while and talk with Moſes at the foot of Mount-Sinai, as if they could per ſaltum▪ or by one Falcon-flight come at the top of Mount Sion, and there converſe with and make uſe of Jeſus Chriſt; whence it cometh to paſs that not a few are lamentably ignorant of the very letter of the Law, and many more but little infight in the ſpiritual meaning thereof; which ignorance is waited with many unſpeakable great prejudices (that are to be conſidered with reſpect to the various ſtates of men, as regenerate or unregenerate▪ and the ſeveral degrees of their ignorance) 1. It very much incapacitateth for ſelfe-ſearching and examination, a conſiderable piece, …ea a ſort of … ſpring of the exerciſe of Godlineſs, How I pray, can a perſon to any purpoſe ſearch and try his heart and ways, being altogether, or in a great meaſure ignorant of the rule according to which the ſearch ought to be accompliſhed? 2. It keepeth men much inacqainted with and great ſtrangers to the knowledge of themſelves, of their state, frame and walk, ſo that they can ſeldome or never be in caſe to make a knowing diſtinct and feeling repreſentation of the poſture of their spiritual affairs to God. 3. It is the Mother and Nurſe not of any true Devotion (as Papiſts ignorantly or impiouſly avert) but of much carnal ſecurity and falſe peace; the uninformed or ill informed conſcience of the ſinner being miſconced from and ſadly ſecured againſt the moſt juſt and beſt grounded challenges▪ being often ignorant when fin is committed, and when duty is ommitted or unduly performed; every fin being a tranſgreſſion of this Law, and every duty a peice of conformity to it; How can a man be ignorant altogether or in great part of the juſt extent and ſpiritual meaning thereof, be as he ought, challenged and accuſed by his own conſcience either for the Commiſſion of the one, or for the Omiſſion or miſ-performance of the other? 4. It not ably obſtructeth the exerciſe of humiliation, repentance and ſelf loathing; for how can the breaches of this Law in Omiſſions, and Commiſſions, be distincty and particularly repented of and mourned for, when they are not ſo much as known to be breaches of the Law in general, let be of what particular command thereof? and though they were ſome way confuſedly known to be br…a…es of it in general, if there be not a diſtinct knowledge of the command that is broken, the conviction will not readily be ſo quick, nor the ſorrow ſo pricking; we have need for our humbling to be bound with the convincing and undeniable evidence of our being guilty of the breach of ſuch a Command in particular, that we may not get it ſhifted nor ſhaken off. 5. It manifeſtly ſtandeth in the way of ſerious and effectual indeavours in the ſtrength of grace to amend what is amiſs, and ſpeedily without delay to turn our feet unto his Commandments; there being no gr…d to expect that men will in good earnest think of righting wrongs, whereof they are ignorant▪ or not ſo throughly▪ perſwaded▪ 6. It hath a mighty tendency to the cheriſhing of ſpiritual prid, and that good opinion and conceit of mens own rightcouſneſs, which is as natural to us, as it is for ſparks of fire to flye upwards; And when men know not often when they ſin, nor how much they ſin, they will be the more eaſily induced to think they are not ſo great ſinners, nor haveſo much reaſon as is talked of▪ to be ſo very far and altogether out of conceit with themſelves; and what may here be the death▪ill of a natural unrenewed man, may be the dangerous diſtemper of a child of God 7 (which as the gr & prejudice doth natively and neceſſarily reſult from all the ſix preceeding prejudices thereof, and maketh it appear to be exceedingly and out of meaſure prejudicial) it keepeth much from the through conviction and kindly ſenſe of the abſolute and indiſpenſable neceſſity, great uſefulneſs and ſteadableneſs and matchleſs-worth of precious Jeſus Chriſt the Saviour, and of his imputed righteouſneſs; from having daily recourſe to him, and making uſe of him as made of God unto his people both righteouſneſs and ſanctification; from lying conſtantly a bleaching as it were, at the fountain opened to the houſe of David, and to …he Inhabitants of Jeruſalem for …in and for uncleanneſs▪ from …o…l edifying-refreſhing and ſomeway tranſporting admiration at the abſolute perfection of his righteouſneſs, that can cover and make as if they had never been, ſo very many▪ and various violation▪ of the holy Law of God; from new and freſh convictions on all occaſions of the unſpeakable obligation the people of God lye under, to him who hath perfectly fulfilled this Law, and in their stead taken on him our bl…ſſed ſelf the curſe thereof; from excitements and provocations to thankfulneſs, and from expreſſing the ſame in a greater care and ſollicitude to conform thereto as the rule of Obedie…e; and finally from ſuitable longings and pantings of Soul to be according to his gracious undertaking i… the covenant of Redemption, put in caſe to do his▪ will perfectly in our own perſons and never any more to tranſgreſs this his Law, and to be brought under the full accompliſhment of theſe exceeding great and precious promiſes, he ſhall redeem Iſrael from all his Iniquitie…; and his Servants ſhall ſerve him. O! that we could by what is ſaid perſwade all to a more diligent and accurate ſtudy of the Law of God, and to the reading and ruminating upon this ſolid and Soul-ſearching Tr…ct…te; and prevail with ſeveral perſons (which in reaſon and conſcience might be preſumed would not be ſo very hard a buſineſs to bring to paſs, with men and women profeſſing them ſelves to be Christians, nay to have immortal Souls that are to be eternally▪ and un…licrabl… …ither happy or miſerable) to …ke but as much time to the reading, peruſing and pondering of it and other ſuch pieces, as i… taken to the reading of amorous Book▪ and Romances; To idle viſits, and to vain and empty complements; to over-coſtly, curious, vain, and concea…y dreſſing, and decking of the body, and ſetting of the hair now after one mode, now after another (wherein as in other vainities) many men ſomewhat unmanning themſelves, do now contend with Women, partly by their unnaturally nouriſhed Long Hair, and Horrid Buſhes of Vanity (as Maſter Bolton call… them) and partly by their Variouſly▪ and ſtrangly Metamorphoſing modes and colours of Periwicks) which made Te…tullian in the 7th. Chapter of his Book De cultu mul. to expost…lat with the Women of his time after this manner; What doth this cumberſome dreſſing of the head contribut to your health? why will ye not ſuffer your hair to be at reſt and lye quiet? which is ſomtimes tyed up, ſomtimes relaxed and made to hang down, ſomtimes frizled and curled, ſomtimes ty'd cloſe and pre… down; ſomtimes put under a ſtrict reſtraint (of plaits, knots, and otherways); and ſomtimes ſuffered to eſcape and ſlide out from that reſtraint, and to flitter and fly at random: And ye affix moreover to your heads I know not what enormities of hair ſewed and woven now this way, now that way; i… you be not aſhamed of the enormities, be aſhamed at leaſt of the defilement, leaſt ye be found to adorn and cloath a holy and Chriſtian head with the ſpoil and pillage of the hair of an others head that is a filth… perſon, or it may be of a notorious offender & condemned to Hell. What would he have ſaid of ſome Women among us, who being diſpleaſed not only with their own, but with all colours of hair that God hath made to grow on the heads of reaſonable Creatures abominably affect to affix to their fore heads the hair of Beaſts. (High extravagan…ies of this age almost in all ranks of perſons, and never at a greater hight then ſince God began to contend with us, and to call us to lay aſide our ornaments, that He might know what to do unto us▪ many alaſs take more time in theſe day… to busk and dreſs, and to look in a glaſs for that end in one week than they do in … year, ye… it may be in many years, to look into this glaſs of the Law of the Lord to diſcover the many ſpots and blemiſhes wherewith their Souls are pitifully deformed, or into ſuch Treatiſes as this, whereby the duſt of miſapprehenſions of the meaning of the Law is wiped off, and it made eaſil… and at firſt view to give a juſt repreſentation of what manner of perſons we are); To drinking drunk, and healthing, or drinking and pledging healths, prohibited and much condemned in the Ancient Church particularly by Baſil, and Auguſtine, on this very ground, that they were the invention of the Devil, and the obſervations or reliques of Infidels and Pagans: To tipling and four-hourſing, a conſcience▪waſting and Soul-weakning practiſe, though with too many (and with not a few from whom better things might be expected) but little ſtuck at; To Carding and Dycing, which Dice-playing hath been condemned by many Fathers by ſeveral Councils, by ſome Imperial ſtatutes, by almoſt all Proteſtant and by many Popiſh Divines, yea ſome Councils have appointed diceplayers to be excommunicated; To ſinging and playing of light and wanton Songs and to laſcivious Dancing much alſo cry'd out againſt and condemned by Councils, Fathers and many Divines, and a… great length moſt vehemently by the Waldenſes and Albigenſes▪ who account it no great ſign of a Womans honeſty that ſhe is a skilful and great Dancer: the remark likewiſe that the writer of Magica de ſpectris lib. 1. hiſt 287. pag. 285. hath of this prophane promiſcuous dancing which the wantons of this age ſo much practiſe, praiſe and pride themſelves in, is very remarkable, that there was hardly any meeting betwixt the Devil and Witches, wherein there was no… Dancing; ſuch complacency hath that unclean Spirit in this Exerciſe; And to bring Spectators of prophant Interludes and Stage-Playes, which (as the eminently learned and Pious Doctor Uſher late Archbiſhop of Armagh affirmeth) offend againſt many branches of the 7th. Command together, in the abuſe of Apparel, Tongue, Eyes, Countenance, Geſtures, and almoſt all parts of the Body▪ therefore (ſaith the great man) they that go to ſee ſuch ſights and hea… ſuch words (what would he have ſaid of the Penners or Compoſers of ſuch Playes and of Actors in them? whom the ancient Church appointed to be excommunicated, and on ſeveral of both which remarkable judgments have lighted (whereof one may ſpeak for many, affirmed by Ludovicus vives in his notes on Auguſtine de civ…, de… lib. 12. chap. 25. from perſons of good credit, that a certain man who having in a Stage▪ Play in one of the Cities of Brabant acted the Devils part, and going home dancing to his houſe, and in that Habit accompaning with his Wife, and ſaying he would beget a Devil on her, had a Child brought forth to him that Danced ſo ſoon as ever it was born, being ſhaped as men uſe to paint the Devil,) of builders and doters of houſes for them, called by the Fathers and Doctors of the Church, the Devils Temples, Chappels▪ Shops and Schools; as the Plays are called by them, the Devils Spectacles, Lectures, Sacrifices, Recreations, &c. and the Players, the Devils chiefeſt Factors; of ſuch as have them in their own dwelling-houſes (as ſome now have) which they give away in a manner to be Sy…agogues to the Devil to keep his Conven…icles in; and of ſuch as contribute whither to the Act…rs for their incouragement to follow that leud way of living, or for liberty to l…k on? which Auguſtine▪ Vincentius and others call a hainous ſin and an offering or Sacrificing to the Devil, the firſt inventer of them) ſhew their neglect of Chriſtian duty and careleſneſs in ſinning, whereas they willingly commit themſelves to the ſna…e of the Devil: which hath been often ſadly exemplified, particularly in theſe two Chriſtian women ſpoken of by Tertullian in his Book de ſp…ctacu is cap. 26. to the truth of which, he ſaith God is witneſs.
The one whereof, was at her returning Home from a Stage▪Play, immediately poſſeſſed with a Devil; who being by Exerciſm Expoſtulated with, How he durſt thus aſ…ault, and enter into a Believing Woman? Anſwered bodly, That he had done it moſt juſtly: For, ſaid he, in meo eam inveni, I found here in my own Temple, or in my own Ground, or in my own Dominion, or Juriſdiction; and as if he had ſaid, About my own Work and Buſineſs. The other who the ſame Night, alter hearing a Tragedian, had a Linning-Sheet preſented to her, in her Sleep; The Actor in the Play being alſo named, with a ſharp …braiding of her, for this deed of hers; and lived not above five days after. And in Alipi…s, a dear Friend, and Convert of Auguſtines; who (as that Father Narrats, in the 6. Book of his Confeſſion, cap. ….) being importuned one day by ſome of his Friends, and Fellow-Students, meeting him on the way, to go along with them to ſee a Sword-Play, earneſtly at firſt withſtood them; and being at laſt drawn a long with them, he reſolved to be abſent, while he was preſent, and to ſhut his Eyes all the while he was there: and accordingly did, when he took his place: But when a great Shout was made, occaſioned by ſome Accident in the Play, he opened his Eyes; Yet with a Reſolution to contemn the ſight, whatever it ſhould be: but forth-with he was ſmitten with a grievous Wound in his Soul, and was not now the ſame man, that he came thither: But a true Companion of them, that brought him; he beheld, he ſhouted he grew out-ragious; and brought away Madneſs with him; whereby he was excited to return thither again, drawing others along with him, and even out-ſtripping theſe, by whom he was firſt drawn away: Yet after this length of Profanity, he was mercifully recovered, but not till along time after. (Perſons▪ that are once …miſlead by Stage-Plays▪ though Civil or Religious, being ſeldom ſpeedily reclaimed from them.) This was alſo Examplified, in that late Engliſh Gentle-Woman of good-rank, Who spending much of her precious Time, in Attendance on Stage-Plays; and falling at laſt into a Dangerous Sickneſs, whereof ſhe dyed, Anno 1631. Friends in her Extremity, ſent for a Miniſter to prepare her for Death▪ who beginning to Inſtruct and Exhort her to repent and call on God for Mercy▪ ſhe made him no Reply at all, but cryed out Hieronimo, Hieronimo; O let me ſee Hieronimo Acted! And ſo calling for a Play, inſtead of calling on God for Mercy, cloſed her Dying Eyes, and had a Fearful End, anſwerable to her Miſerable Life. And in theſe ſeveral Perſons, who were diſtracted with the Viſible Apparition of the Devil on the Stage, at the Bell-Savage-Play-Houſe, in Queen Elizabeth's Dayes, while they were there beholding the Hiſtory of Fauſtus, prophanly Acted: To which might be added many other Lamentable Examples and Warnings, of ſuch, who by little and little, have made Defection from the Faith, being allured hereto by the Dangerous cuſtome, of beholding ſuch Plays, wherein (Tertullian ſaith) They Communicate with the Devil. Will any Man or Woman, dare to appear before the Dreadful Tribunal of God, to maintain and make out the warrantableneſs of allowing more time to theſe and ſuch other Practiſes, (ſeveral of which, are excellently diſcourſed by the Author, in the following Tractat; and most of them with their Respective Authorities, by Maſter Prin, in his Hiſtrio▪ Maſtix,) then to reading of this and other ſuch Treatiſes? If any will, they muſt anſwer it: I mind not through Grace, to take part with them, in ſo bold and desperate an Adventure.
Now Chriſtian Reader, without further Prefacing, to bring thee in upon the Treaſure of the Treatiſe it ſelf: If thou wilt read it ſeriouſly, & conſider it ſuitably; I think I may humbly in the Name of the Lord, bid thee a Defyance, to come away from it, without a Boſom-full of Convictions, of much guilt; and without crying out with the Lepper, under the Law, Unclean▪ Unclean. With Job, Behold I am vile: With David, looking ſtedſaſtly on the Glaſſe of this Law, brightly ſhined on, by Gods Light, and reflecting a moſt clear Diſcovery, of Innumerable Tranſgreſſions of it, as ſo many Atoms, in a clear Sun ſhine: Who can underſtand his Errours? Cleanſe thou me from ſecret faults: With the Prophet Iſaiah, We are all as …ne Unclean thing, (as uncleanneſs it ſelf, in the Abſtrast, moſt Unclean,) and all our Righteouſneſses are as Filthy Raggs: With the Apoſtle James, In many things we offend all: And finally with the Apoſtle Paul, We know that the Law is Spiritual, but I am Carnal▪ and ſold under Sin—O Wretched man that I am, who ſhall deliver me from the Body of this Death? That thou mayeſt alſo with the ſame Apostle, be in caſe, to ſay and ſing, to the Commendation of his Grace, I thank God through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord, is the Cordial deſire of.
Thy Servant in the Goſpel for Chriſts ſake.