The law unsealed

5. Add dancing a thing condemned by the people of God as no honest recreation, at least when in companies that are mixed, and (as we call it) promiscuous dancing, such as useth to be at marriages, and the like occasions, both of old (as may be seen in the Canons of several Councils) as also of late by our own and other reformed Churches.

5. Add dancing a thing condemned by the people of God as no honest recreation, at least when in companies that are mixed, and (as we call it) promiscous dancing, such as useth to be at marriages, and the like occasions, both of old (as may be seen in the Canons of several Councels) as also of late by our own and other reformed Churches.

I shall say these things in short of it: First, that ye will not find it mentioned in Scripture in the person of any of the godly, it becoming an Herodias's daughter better then professors of Religion. 2. That it will be readily fou•d to indispose for the exercise of godliness, and so to be inconsistent, or at best, hardly consistent with either a pious and lively, or a sober frame of spirit. 3. That it marreth not only the gravity of persons for the time, putting them in a sort of regular distraction, but lessened the esteem of such persons; this insobriety being like a dead fly that make eth the box of ointment (if any be) to stink. 4, That in Scripture examples we find this sort of dancing only among profane and loose people, and recorded also as a piece of their stain or blot, rendering them some way infamous; and oftentimes it hath also snares waiting upon it, as in the Israelites amongst themselves, Exod. 31. and in the daughters of Moa• with the people of Israel, and in that of Herodias's daughter: Some also suppose those whom Dinah went forth to see, Gen. 34. were thus employed at some feast, or such other solemnity, where she was ensnared and deflowered. 5. Yea, it is often, if not ever the fruit of some former looseness and carnalness being the effect that excessive wantonness usually breaketh out in; and can Gods people warrantably have fellowship with these works of darkness? or can they (if guilty themselves) reproved it in others? Cicero calleth it Postremum vitiorum quia acta sequitur, the last of vices, because usually it followeth former loose carriages. 6. There is no lawful mean of recreation which is useful for the health of the body, but is, and may, & should be sanctified by the Word and Prayer, yet I suppose neither useth this to be so neither would any think it very suitable, or well consistent with a praying frame; e & can that which standeth not with the serious exercise of repentance and a praying disposition, or that which none would think a fit posture to meet death, or the Lords appearing with, be in reason though consistent with a Christian walk? which should always be with the loins girded, and the lamps burning: It is somewhat like this, or less then this, which the Lord condemneth,