all difpute, that they are forbidden by the whole tenor of Scripture, and that none but those who content themselves with the fhadow of Christianity instead of the fubftance, will ever be frequenters of them.

The third argument in favour of BALLS yet remains to be answered; namely, that provided we do not make a conftant practice of going to them, there can be no harm in them now and then, by way of relaxation; and that by mixing ourselves fometimes with the diverfions of the world, we return with greater relish to retirement and religious duties.

To this I readily and briefly reply, that the fame reason, why we ought not always to be prefent at them, (viz. because they are finful) holds good why we should never be prefent at them; unless you will roundly maintain that we can ferve God and Mammon (g), and may compound with our bleffed Lord and Saviour; that when we are called to give our hearts to God (b), a part of them is only meant, and that we may fometimes indulge a trifling worldly fpirit; and fometimes be devout

(b) Prov. xxii. 26.

and

(g) Matt. vi. 24. "have their infant ideas formed by a lewd Comedy. Between "the acts, or after the play, I forget which, one of these chil"dren, who feemed to be about feven years old, came forth, "and danced two public minuets upon the ftage with her "mafter ; without doubt to the no fmall Satisfaction of her "good Mama, whofe heart muft needs alfo dance with joy, to

fee her dear child fo much applauded by fo polite an affembly; " and that he had already acquired le corps degagé, and was "totally freed from all mauvaise honte at fo tender an age."

and heavenly-minded; which is not at all lefs abfurd than if you were to fay, we may be fometimes drunk and fometimes fober; fometimes honest and fometimes difhoneft.

Let me farther add, that it is a miserable sign of our being yet dead in fin, that we can look upon fuch things in the light of relaxations; and to be able to take delight in them now and then, argues our nature to be as much unrenewed, as if we were pleased with them every night of our lives. And those who affert, that by mixing our felves fometimes with the diverfions of the world, we return with greater relish to retirement and religious duties; might with as great propriety affirm, that BALLS and PLAYS were means of grace, and highly proper to kindle a spirit of devotion; that a fure way to become truly religious, is to lay our good thoughts afide, to mix ourselves with carnal, unconverted company, and do as they do; in short, to ftifle all the motions of God's Spirit, and drive him from us.

Would you not think any man a proper object for Bedlam, that should seriously give you fuch advice as this, in order to make you a more zealous Chriftian? yet however monftrous and abfurd this may feem, it is not at all more fo, than the before mentioned argument for fometimes indulging ourfelves in the diversions of the world, in order that we may return to the practice of Religion with greater earneftness and fatisfaction.

But farther, what a deplorable ftate must that foul be in, that is obliged to have recourse to such miferable fhifts? How unfit to lanch into eternity, where we are to be happy day and night in fweet

communion

communion with God, and in finging praises to the Lamb for ever and ever; (and that without any BALLS, CARDS, &c. to relax our minds and increase our zeal) how unfit, I fay, must that foul be for fuch a work as this, that had rather spend five or fix hours at a BALL, than in religious Meditation, Prayer, boly Difcourfe, reading the Word of God, or any other good Book? Surely the joys of heaven must be very infipid to fuch an one, and the employment of faints and angels nothing but mere drudgery *.

But it is not fo with the true Chriftian. He looks upon his Master's yoke as light and eafy (i); and his commandments are more defirable to him than fine gold; yea, fweeter than honey and the honey-comb (k). The heart of the true Chriftian is changed, and fixed upon heavenly objects; therefore he is conftant and steady in his obedience. His religion does not influence him only by fits and starts; nor can he lay it afide in order to attend the pleasures of the world, and take it up again when he has no other engagements upon his hands.

If this then be the character of the true Chriftian, what fhall I fay to those who have fcarcely the fhadow of it? Can you poffibly think that you have obtained the new heart, and the new fpirit (1), which God hath promised to his faithful people; and that the fame mind is in you that was also in Chrift

(i) Matt. xi. 30.

(1) Ezek. xxxvi. 26, 27.

(k) Pfal. xix. 10.

Let us learn wisdom from the tender infant, how does he brook the abfence of a kind Parent? Can all the tales that old wives have invented, footh the anxiety he fuffers by fuch a feparation? How then is it poffible that a dear child of God can chufe to be lulled for hours together into a total forgetfulness of the happy relation he bears to the Lord Jehovah, by fuch poor, low, irrational inventions, that many good old wives would have been ashamed to have been the au thors of them?

Chrift Jefus (m); when you are pleased with those very things, with which the most profligate part of the world is pleased? Certainly there can be no greater proof that the fame difpofitions and tempers are in you that are in them, and that you are of those very people whom St Paul ftiles lovers of pleasure, more than lovers of God (n).

SECTION THE SECOND.

TH

HUS much for my answer to the third argument in favour of BALLS. And now I cannot but think that every unprejudiced perfon will allow that what I have already advanced is fufficient to overthrow whatever has been, or can be faid in vindication of them. However, First, It is not my intention to ftop here, but to proceed to fhew yet farther, that the custom of BALLS is totally deftructive of every religious fentiment, infomuch that it ftrikes at the very root of Christianity. Secondly, I fhall lay before you the Reasons why the evil tendency, and actual wickednefs of this kind of diverfion, is nevertheless fo little perceived, that many fouls are hurried away by it, without being fenfible of their error. Lastly, I fhall add a word of exhortation and caution, concerning the great danger of a blind conformity to custom and example.

And First, That the custom of BALLS is destructive of every religious fentiment, can any one

C

deny

(m) Phil. ii. 5.

(2) 2 Tim. iii. 4.

deny who takes an impartial view of the frequenters of them, commonly called, the BEST company? By far the greater part of whom, if they live not in any outward notorious wickednefs, yet feem perfectly indifferent and lukewarm in what concerns their fouls: Their Religion is a thing by the by, a formal lifeless piece of ceremony, which only ferves to their greater delusion.

1

Now if this be the cafe (and would to God it were not) may we not fafely affirm, that there are more people kept from God by BALLS, and fuch like trifling amusements, than by more palpable and grofs fins? For the latter are more apt to gall the finner's confcience, and fend him to Christ for ease; whereas the former, whilft they exclude the grace of God, and refift the strivings of his Spirit, rather keep confcience afleep, and by that means gnaw like a canker-worm, and as it were undermine the foul without our being fenfible of receiving any injury by them.

God forbid that I fhould here be understood as if I thought it neceffary for all perfons to be guilty of notorious fins, in order to make them fenfible of their want of a Saviour's merits; for this is fo far from being my meaning, that I would willingly convince you of the great danger of looking upon any fin as little, and fhew you how highly displeafing every thing muft needs be in the fight of an allpure God that has even the least tendency to evil.

But whether all perfons choose to look upon the diverfion of BALLS as wicked or not; yet we have the authority of an Apoftle to fay, that he that

lives