ception has little or no effect upon the present

argument.

Now the great care of every Chriftian is to keep his paffions and affections within due bounds, and to direct them to their proper objects. With refpect to the firft of thefe, the chief influence of theatrical reprefentations upon the spectator, is to ftrengthen the paffions by indulgence, for there they are all exhibited in a lively manner, and such as is moft fit to communicate the impreffion. As to directing them to their proper objects, it will be afterwards fhown, that the ftage has rather the contrary effect; in the mean time, it is fufficient to obferve, that it may be done much more effectually, and much more fafely another way. This tendency of plays to intereft the affections, fhows their impropriety as a recreation on another account. It shows that they must be exceeding liable to abufe by excefs, even fuppofing them in a certain degree to be innocent. It is certain there is no life more unworthy of a man, hardly any more criminal in a Chriftian, than a life of perpetual amufement, a life where no valuable purpose is purfued, but the intelle&ual faculties wholly employed in purchafing and indulging fenfual gratifications. It is alfo certain, that all of us are by nature too much inclined thus to live to ourfelves, and not to God. Therefore, where recreations are neceflary, a watchful Chriftian

Chriftian will particularly beware of those that are enfnaring, and, by being too grateful and delicious, ready to lead to excefs. This difcriminating care and caution, is just as much the duty of a Chriftian, as any that can be named• Tho' it is immediately converfant only about the temptations and incitements to fin, and not the actual commiffion of it, it becomes a duty directly binding, both from the command of God, and the neceffity of the thing itself. "Watch and "pray, that ye enter not into temptation *, fays our Saviour to all his difciples; and elfewhere, "What I fay unto you, I fay unto all, "Watch +." And the apostle Paul to the fame purpose,"See then that ye walk circumfpecly, "not as fools, but as wife, redeeming the time "because the days are evil ‡."

If we confider the light in which the Scripture fets our present fituation, and the account there given of the weaknefs of human refolution, the fame thing will evidently appear to be our duty. It is impoffible that we can refift the flighteft temptation, but by the affiftance of divine grace. Now how can this be expected, if we put our conftancy to unneceffary trials, not only contrary to reason, and a prudent regard to our own fafety, but in the face of an exprefs command of God to be watchful. "Lord, lead us not * Matt. xxvi. 41, † Mark xiii. 37. Eph. v. 15

C 5

into.

"into temptation," is a petition which we are taught to offer up, by him who knew what was in man. But how much do thofe act in oppofition to this, and even in contempt of it, who make temptations to themselves. And are not ftage-plays temptations of the strongest kind, in which the mind is foftened with pleasure, and the affections powerfully excited? How little reason is there to hope that men in the use of them will keep within the bounds of moderation? If any expect, in fuch circumstances, to be preferved by divine power, they are guilty of the fin, which is in Scripture called " tempting God."

It is this very circumftance, a liableness to abufe by excefs, that renders many other amufements alfo ordinarily unlawful to Chriftians, though, perhaps, in their general nature, they cannot be shown to be criminal. Thus it is not easy to refute the reafonings, by which ingenious men endeavour to show that games of hazard are not in themselves finful; but by their enticing, enfnaring nature, and the excefs which almost infeparably accompanies them, there can be no difficulty in pronouncing them highly dangerous, lawful to very few perfons, and in very few cafes. And, if they were as public in their nature as plays, if they required the concurrence of as many operators, and as great a number of perfons to join in them, I could have little fcru

ple

ple in affirming, that, in every poffible cafe, they would be finful.

The preceding confiderations are greatly confirmed by the following, That when plays are chosen as a recreation, for which they are fo exceedingly improper, it is always in oppofition to other methods of recreation, which are perfectly fit for the purpose, and not liable to any of these objections. Where recreations are neceffary, if there were only one fort to be had, fome inconveniencies could not be so strong an argument against the ufe of them. But where there are different kinds, to prefer those which are lefs, to those which are more fit, must needs be finful. Such a tenderness and circumfpection is indeed, in this age, fo rare and unusual, that I am afraid, it will be almost impoffible to fix a fenfe of its importance upon the mind of the reader; or, if it be done in any measure for a time, the example of a corrupt world, who are altogether void of it, will immediately efface the impreffion. But, however few may "have ears to hear it,' the thing is certain, that as the progrefs of his fanctification is the fupreme defire and care of every Christian, fo he is continually liable to be feduced by temptation, and infected by example; and therefore, from a diftruft of his own refolution, will not voluntarily and unneceffarily prefer a dangerous to a fafe amufement. To pre

fer a very difficult and doubtful means of attaining any worldly end, to one fure and eafy; to prefer a clumfy improper inftrument, to one perfectly fit for any piece of work, would be reckoned no fmall evidence of folly in the affairs of civil life. If one in ficknefs fhould chufe a medicine of a very questionable nature, of very dangerous and uncertain operation, when he had equal access to one entirely fafe, of approved reputation and fuperior efficacy, it would be esteemed next to madness. Is there not then a real conformity between the cafes? Is not a like care to be taken of our fouls as of our bodies? Nay, is not the obligation fo much the stronger, by how much the one is of greater value than the other? The different conduct of men, and their different fate in this respect, is well defcribed by the wife man, "Happy is the man that feareth alway, "but he that hardeneth his heart hall fall into "mifchief."

It ought not to be omitted in fhewing the impropriety of the stage as a recreation and amufement for Chriftians, that it is costly and expenfive, and that this coft is altogether unneceflary, fince the end might be obtained, not only as well, but much. better, at a far cheaper rate; perhaps, in moft cafes, at no expence at all. I know this argument will be treated with great contempt by thofe *Prov. xxviii. 14.

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