IF ye believe , that there is a God , that he is Holy , Just and Good , that he Made us , that we Owe our selves to him , & that he is not Careless of us , but the Constant Observer of our Thoughts and Actions ; and that as he is the Rewarder of them that fear , love and obey him , so he is the severe Punisher of all such as transgress his Law , and break his Righteous Commandments : if ( I say ) ye believe these things , and not only , that there is a Final Day of Reckoning , but that God even in this World recompences his Judgments upon the Wicked , and visit Nations with his hot Displeasure because of their Impiety ( which hath been the Experience and Confession of all Ages ) then it belongs to us of these Kingdoms to reflect upon our selves , and to take a true View of our Actions , since Divine Vengeance is at the door . And for the Lords sake , let us have a Care in the doing of it , since God will not be mocked ; and that our miscarriage in such an Inquiry will be as only our own Infelicity , so of infinite Moment to us . I must needs be Plain and Earnest here ; for if we miscarry in the Search , we shall certainly miscarry in the Cure . Sin gives the deadliest of all Wounds to Mankind ; I grieve to say it , but 't is too true ; there is no Wound so slightily healed : we rather seek our Ease , than our Security , like those Fools that love the pleasantest , not the safest Potions . It is ill at all times , to flatter a Man's Self ; but it is most Fatal about Repentance : Something men would keep , something men would hide ; and yet they have to do with that Searcher of Hearts , from whom its impossible they should hide any thing . This Folly increases our Account , endangers our Cure and makes our Condition Desperate , if not Irrecoverable .

O England , my Native Country , Come to Judgment , bring thy deeds to the true Light ; see whether they are wrought in God or no. Put not off thy self with Hay , Straw and Stubble ; for they will burn , and the Fire is at the Door , that will consume them : he is coming , whose Reward is with him , and will give every one according to his Works . Let us therefore Examine our selves , Try our selves , Prove our own selves , whether Christ be in us or not ; if his Spirit , his Nature , his Meekness , his Patience , his great Self-denyal dwell in us ; if not , we are yet Reprobates , yet under the Reproofs of the Almighty ; the Charge and Guilt of Sin ; and his Witness in our own Consciences sends up Evidence to Heaven against us every day : this I justly fear and take to be our Case . Let us therefore strictly look into our Conversations , and with an impartial Eye take a view of those Sins , that most severely Cry to the Great Judge against us . And they appear to me to be of Two Sorts ; the one relating more particularly to the State , the other to the Church ( if I may without Offence use that Distinction ) for my Witness is with God , I intend not Provocation , but Edification .

Those Impieties that relate more particularly to the State to correct , are Drunkenness , Whoredoms and Fornication ; Excess , in Apparel , in Furniture and in Living ; Profuse Gaming ; and finally Oaths , Prophaneness and Blasphemy .

Drunkenness , or Excess in Drinking , is not only a Violation of God's Law , but of our own Natures ; it doth of all other Sins rob us of our Reason , deface the Impressions of Vertue , and extinguish the Remembrance of God's Mercies and our own Duty : It fits men for that , which they would abhor , if Sober . The Incest , Murder , Robberies , Fires and other Villanies , that have been done in Drunken Fits , make Drunkenness a Common Enemy to Humane Society . It renders men unfit for Trust or Business , it tells Secrets , betrays Friendship , disposes men to be Trappanded and Cheated : Finally , it spoils Health , weakens Humane Race , and above all provokes the Just Isa. 28. 1 , 3 , 7. God to Anger , who cried thus of Old ; Wo to the Drunkards of Ephriam ! the Drunkards of Ephriam shall be trodden under feet : they have erred through Wine , and through Strong Drink are out of the Way ; the Priest and the Prophet have erred through Strong Drink , they erred in Vision , they stamble in Judgment . Again , Wo unto them that are Mighty to drink Wine , and men of strength to mingle strong drink . Wo unto them that rise up early in the Morning , that they may follow strong drink ; that continue until night , till Wine inflame them : and the Harp , and the Viol , the Tabret and the Pipe , and Wine are in their Feasts ; but they regard not the Work of the Lord , neither consider the Operations of his hands . Therefore Hell hath enlarged her self and opened her Mouth without measure , and their Glory and their Multitude , and their Pomp , and he that rejoyces , shall descend into it .

Yet you will bear me witness , I do not wrong the present Humor of too many in this Nation , and those not of the lowest Quality , in saying , that it is too often the beginning and top of their Friendship : it is their Common Diversion and Entertainment ; I might safely say , the Poor of England could be maintain'd by their Excess . Oh! hath the God of Heaven given men Plenty for such Ends ? or will this kind of Improvement of their Worldly Talent give them Peace in the Day of Judgment ? But that men should do all this without shame , nay , glory in it too , is greatly to be lamented ; for 't is not only Appetite , but the Vanity of Conquest excites not a few , as if it were matter of Triumph to Drown a Man's Reason , and to Degrade him to the Beast . Let us hear upon the whole matter the Sentence pronounced against Prov. 23. ver. 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33. them by the Wise Man ; Who hath Wo ? who hath Sorrow ? who hath Contentions ? who hath Babling ? who hath Wounds without Cause ? who hath Redness of Eyes ? They that tarry long at the WINE , they that go to seek mixt WINE . Look not thou upon the WINE , when it is Red , when it giveth his Colour in the Cup , when it moveth it self aright ; at the last it biteth like a Serpent , and stingeth like an Adder . Thine Eyes shall behold strange Women , and thine Heart shall utter perverse things .

Here is much of the Mischief of Drunkenness in a little , & of the Excess and Wantonness of the Drunkard ; But did ever any Age come near ours , when the very Tasting of the several sorts of Wine ( that are liberally drunk of at many Tables ) is enough to distemper a Temperate Head ? But that such , Excesses should be , while the Backs of the Poor are almost Naked , and their Bellies miserably pinch'd with Hunger , is almost as great a shame to our pretences to Policy , as those ( I fear ) we Unwarrantably make to Religion . Oh! that we were fit to receive that Heavenly Exhortation of the Apostle , Be not Drunk with Wine , wherein is Excess ; but be filled with the Spirit , ( but God knows , this is mockt at ! He goes on ) speaking to your selves ( not in Lampoons nor Obscene Songs , that excite Lusts , but ) in Psalms , and Hymns and spiritual Songs , singing and making Melody in your Heart to the Lord , giving Thanks always for all things unto God and the Father , in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ .

The Next crying Sin is that of Whoredom and Fornication . From one of the Cleanest People under Heaven ( I fear ) we are become one of the most-Inchaste ( at least in & about London . ) The French have sufficiently revenged themselves upon us by the loose Manners they have brought amongst us , of which this makes a great part : but I must needs say to their Credit , they keep their Wits in their Debaucheries , whilst we by Over doing them in the Imitation of them lose both . What is become of that Antient Education of the Kingdom ? our Integrity , Gravity and Manhood , which gave our Men so great Reputation in the World , is it not turn'd into Swearing and Drinking , Fidling and Dancing , fine Cloaths , a Duel and a Wench ? their Prophaneness is their Wit , and their base Crafts must be called Policy . But where is that Retired Breeding , which made our Women as famous for their Virtue , as they were always held for their Beauty ? alas ! there hath been a sort of Industry used to subdue their Native Modesty , as if it were an Indecent thing to have it , and Arts practised to make them Hardy against their own Blushes , and master their shy and bashful Disposition ( so peculiar to Chastity ) into an Unconcerned Confidence : as if it were their Perfection to be Insensible of any ill , and to be Tame at all things . Strange ! that Sobriety should be turn'd into Levity ! and Lust called Love ! and Wantonness , good Humor ! to introduce which , nothing hath been so Pernitious , as the Use of Plays and Romances amongst us , where the warm and uneven Passions of our Youth , easily transported beyond the Government of their Reason , have been mov'd and excited to try that in Earnest , which they have seen in Jest .

But which way soever this Ungodly Latitude came in , certain it is , that what forty years ago was not fit to be named , is now practised without any Scruple . Marriage , which is Gods Ordinance , & as lovely to Chaste Minds as lawful , is now grown a Dull Thing , Old and Clownish , kept up only for Issue , and that because the Law will have it so ; A sort of Formality not yet thought fit to be abrogated , so that , what was once ordained of God for many other Helps and Comforts , and permitted by the Holy Apostle to prevent Lust ( Better Marry than Burn ) is by the Extravagant Growth of Vice turn'd to quite the Contrary . For some Men & ( which is worse ) some Women too , have said , They could love their Wives and Husbands , if they were not their Wives and Husbands ; ( tho that be the true Reason , why they ought to love them ) It is in short to say : If they were in that Condition , in which they ought not to love them , they could love them ; but being in that Condition , in which they ought to love them , they declare , they cannot love them : Yet Alas ! Christians , & Children of God : what a shame is this , & Scandal to Society ! But for God's sake , let this Impiety be laid to Heart ! let not the Marriage Bed be so horribly defiled ! let not our Virgins be so basely abused ! It destroyes Honour , Fortitude , Health ; it pollutes Houses , and makes the Issue of the Nation Spurious ; It occasions great Unkindnesses , Rents , Confusions and Divisions in Families , between Husband and Wife , Parents and Children , Masters , Mistrisses and Servants : it spots their Name ; but above all , the poor Children are unhappy , that wear an Ignominy they never deserved . In fine , it teaches Young-men to slight Marriage , and Married Men to break their Contracts : If Religion were not interested in it , yet the Breed of the Nation is Visibly injur'd by it ; Good Horse-men are more Nice and Careful in their Studs , the Policy of the Nation is concern'd in preventing the Mischiefs , that follow such Licentious Practices . But if we will consider the share that Religion has , both in Virginity and in Marriage , we shall find many severe Sentences past upon the Violators of them . Thou shalt not commit Adultery , saith God ; The Adulterer shall be put to Death , saith the same God : I will be a Exod. 20. v. 4. Lev. 20 , 10. Mal. 3 , 5. 1 Cor. 6 , 9 , 13 , 15 , 18 , 19 , 20. ch. 3 , 17. swift Witness against the Adulterer , saith the Lord. Know ye not , that the Unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God ? be not deceived ; neither Fornicators , nor Idolaters , nor Adulterers , nor Effeminate persons , nor Abusers of themselves with Mankind . And the Holy Apostle gives the Reason , The Body is not for Fornication , but for the Lord , and the Lord for the Body : Know ye not ( saith he ) that your Bodies are the Members of Christ . ? shall I then take the Members of Christ , and make them the Members of an Harlot ? God forbid ! Flee Fornication : he that committeth Fornication , sinneth against his own Body . what ! ( saith he ) know ye not , your Body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost , which is in you , which ye have of God , and ye are not your own ? for ye are bought with a Price ; therefore glorifie God in your Body and in your Spirit , which are God's . If any Man defile the Temple of God , him shall God destroy . O can men profess to believe these things , and lead that wretched Life they live ! But yet again hear this Man of God : But Fornication and all Uncleanness or Covetousness let it not be once named amongst you , as becometh Saints ; neither Filthiness , nor foolish Talking nor Jesting , which are not Convenient ; but rather giving of Thanks . For this ye know , that no Whoremonger , nor Unclean person , nor Covetous man , who is an Idolater , hath any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and God . Let no man deceive you with vain Words ; for because of these things cometh the Wrath of God upon the Children of Disobedience : be not ye therefore pertakers with them , and have no fellowship with the Unfruitful Works of Darkness ; but rather reprove them : See then , that ye walk Circumspectly , not as Fools , but as Wise , redeeming the Time , because the Dayes are Evil. ( Ephes. 5 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 11 , 12 , 15 , 16. ) I shall Conclude with these two Passages : Marriage is Honorable in all , and the Bed Undefiled ; but Whoremongers and Adulterrers Heb. 13 , 4. Rev. 21 , 8. God will judge ! The other is this : But the Fearful and Unbelieving , and the Abominable and Murtherers , and Whoremongers , and Sorcerens , and Idolaters , and all Lyars shall have their part in the Lake , which burneth with Fire and Brimstone , which is the Second Death ; This alone ought to deter all People , who have any respect for Holy Scripture , and do believe the Mind of God to be declared therein . Let then both Cities , Courts , Houses and Streets be swept of such Iniquity ; let the Law have its course , let not God be provoked to destroy us : and let all such turn to God by unfeigned Repentance ; that Sobriety , Chastity and Vertuous Conversation may return again among us : so shall we escape the Wrath , that for this with other Enormities is ready to break out against us .

The Third Crying Sin of this Land is its Great Excess , and that in several Kinds ; In Apparel , in Furniture , in Feasting . An Excess is the Mis-using of any thing , by not observing a Moderation : that which is lawful in it self , may be Abused in the Use of it . What is more Allowable , yet what is more Abused than Cloths and Victuals ? The End of Apparel is to cover Nakedness , keep People Warm , Distinguish Sexes ; but the End is perverted : 't is used more for Ornament , for Pride , for Lust ; to beget Esteem and to draw Honour to the Person that wears it : A Mean , an Effeminate , a Wretched way to Honour ; yet such was the Folly of the Age , that few things are yet more Reverenced : it opens Doors , gets Access , obtains Dispatches , carries away the Cap and the Knee from most other Pretences . The Truth is , this Vanity abuses the Reason of Just Respect : for True Quality , if plain , is not to be known among Fine Cloths . But it does not only Confound all Reasonable Distinction , and those Civil Degrees that are among People ; but it begets Pride : they think themselves some Body , if they are Fine ; Plain Cloths must give them the Way and the Wall , and keep its Distance too . It introduces Effeminacy , and excites to Wantonness : it provokes to Prodigality , and leads People to Idleness . But there is a sort of Madness in it too : for 't is not so much the Apparel , as the Trimming ; not the Cloths , but the Cut , the Mode , the Figure : and as often as this changes , Cloths grow Useless , that are not half worn out . This is an Iniquity against the Good of the Government , as well as against God ; and there is so strong a Temptation in it , that not a Few turn Naught to be Fine , as well as the Fine turn Naught . In short , there is no Good , Prudence or Conveniency in this Excess ; the Law of God and of the Land is against it : The third Chapter of Isaiah is almost intirely employed Isa. 3. against it , in which God does not only rebuke the Haughty Looks , the Wanton Eyes and Enticing Mean and Behaviour of the Women of those Times ; but declares his Resolution to Take away the Bravery of their Ornaments , Chains , Bracelets , Rings , Jewels and Changeable Suits of Apparel , and that their Perfume should be turned into a Stink , and instead of a Girdle there should be 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 ( said God ) shall fall by the Sword , and thy Mighty in the War : and her Gates shall lament and mourn ; she being desolate , shall sit upon the Ground .

This was also the Sin of Tyrus , as ye may see Ezek. 27. For Pomp and Pride she excelled in those days : she boasted in her Splendor and sumptuous Living ; her Buildings were Lofty , her Furniture Stately , her Apparel Costly : but her End was Terrible , and her Destruction very Great . And God expresly threatens by his Prophet Zephaniah ; I will punish the Princes and the Kings Children , and all that are clothed with strange Apparel . What is this strange Apparel ? is it New Fashions ? then we are guilty with a witness . Or is it the Fashions of strange Countries ? it is still our own Case : We have been more Careful to receive the Law from France for our Clothes , than from Christ for our Conversation ; and so Prevalent is the Humor of that Country with us , and Powerful the Ascendant it hath over us , that we seem to be French-Men , only we live in England . But in this , as also in all other things the Christian Religion excells , and that for the Good of Civil Society : It reproves this Excess , limits the Vain Mind of Man , and teaches that decent Plainness , which becomes the Providence and Gravity of Civil Government . Hear the Language of the holy Apostles , in whose Doctrine we all pretend to believe , I will therefore ( saith St. Paul ) that Women adorn themselves 1 Tim. 2 , 9 , 10. in Modest Apparel , with Shamefacedness and Sobriety , not with Broidered Hair , or Gold , or Pearls , or Costly Array ; but ( which becometh Women professing Godliness ) with Good Works . The same Doctrine is repeated by the Apostle Peter , who 1 Pet. 3 , 3 , 4 , 5. speaking to the Christian Women , to whom he wrote ; Let not your Adorning be in that Outward Adorning of Plating the Hair , and of wearing of Gold , or of putting on of Apparel ; 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 : For after this manner in the Old Time the holy Women also , who trusted in God , adorned themselves . Would to God! I could say for the Women of our Age , that they trusted in God too , and adorned themselves with no other Ornaments , than what agreed with the Modest and Humble Plainness of these Christian Times .

But the Law of the Land as well as the Christian Law reproves this Excess , they only want to be refresht and inforced by the Care of our Superiors ; were they Strictly put in Execution , it would not only prevent much Mischief , and enerease the Wealth of the Kingdom , but make Private Men in a little time thank the Just Severity of the Government . For it will help to keep them within Compas , to preserve ( which is one way to encrease ) their Estate , to enlarge their Trade , provide better for their Children , and open their hands more Liberally to the Poor : And this I am sure , God requires at our Hands .

What I have said against Excess in Apparel , is also applicable to Excess in Furniture : For as Finery is more valued than Clothes , so is the Furniture , than the House . It is a most Inexcusable Superfluity , to bestow an Estate to line Walls , dress Cabinets , embroider Beds , with an Hundred other unprofitable Pieces of State : such as Massy Plate , Rich Chiny , Costly Pictures and Painted Windows of no use in the Earth , only for Show and Sight : the Interest of which Money so ill employed , might probably Maintain the Poor of a Numerous Parish . O Lord God! hast thou given us Plenty , and should we see others Want ? should we clothe our Dead Walls , and let thy Poor go Naked ? Can we feed our Eyes with these Objects , and not feed the Hungry with Bread ? and spend our Money upon Lifeless Pictures , but shut up our Bowels to thy Living Image , the Poor and N edy of the Earth ? Rebuke this Evil Mind , and bring down the Pride of all Flesh , O Lord ! for thy Name 's sake .

The Last Excess is that of Feasting and Voluptuousness , Immoderate Eating and Drinking , with that strain of Mirth and Jollity , which is the Mode and Practice of the Times . Dives is almost got into every Family , especially those of Note and Estate : it is Want of Wealth , and not Will , that the Greatest Part of the Nation is not guilty ; they mostly sin to their Ability : that is sad ! But the Sin of Voluptuousness is swell'd to that Bulk , that there are more Receipts for Eating and Drinking , than there are Precepts of Life in the Old and New Law : the Book of Cookery is grown as big as the Bible , and I fear , read , to be sure , practised oftner . In this Art the Lust of the Flesh is deeply concern'd ; there is not so much Care of the Stomach as of the Palate , of Health as Pleasure : 't is the Taste , the Gust , the Relish , that makes the Victuals go down ; therefore the Sawce is preferred before the Meat . Twelve-penny worth of Flesh with Five Shillings of Cookery may happen to make a Fashionable Dish ; plain Beef , Mutton , or any other thing is become Dull Food : But by that time its Natural Relish is lost in the Crowd of the Cook 's Ingredients , and the Meat sufficiently disguised to the Eaters ; it passes under a French Name for a very Good Dish . But there is one thing in this Impiety more than ordinarily Condemnable ; it destroyes Hospitality and wrongs the Poor : For that Expence , which is now flung away upon a Vicious Palate , upon a French Soup or Sawce , in former Times afforded several Dishes of substantial Victuals ; which did not only feed Strangers or Neighbours , but the Poor , who have now little more than ( what the Dogs had then ) Empty Dishes to lick . This is Abusing the Providence of God , Tyrannizing over the Creatures made for man's Use , and sacrificing their Poor Lives not to our Lives , but to our Lusts : 'T is against such as these , that the Creation groans , and from whose Intemperance it cries to be delivered .