Conversation, is fo profane and impious, as SER M. one should tremble to think of it.

These are the Abuses which I have chosen to mention, as being fo apparently finful that there is not a Shadow of an Excuse to be urged for them. Notwithstanding which, the Dangers of running into them are no fmall ones. Our own Inclinations, the Force of Temptation, and the Enticements of Company, are fo prevalent over fome or other of us, that there is scarce any of these Sins but what we have, most of us, at fome Time or other been guilty of. To convince ourselves of this, let us only call to Mind any one Occafion of Mirth, we have had and made Ufe of, which we can particularly remember; and then let us reflect upon our Behaviour at that Time, and examine ourselves whether we have avoided every one of these Abuses, whether we have escaped clear from them all, or whether we have not faid or done fomething which we now condemn ourselves for. And if after fuch Examination, there are but few who can acquit themselves, but few who can declare themselves entirely innocent; then

I hope I may look upon this Second Head of my Discourse as fufficiently made out, viz.

I.

I.

SER M. That notwithstanding Feasting, Mirth, and Society are Things in themselves confiftent with the Practice of Virtue and Religion; yet there is great Danger of offending at such Seasons. And this naturally leads me to the Confideration of the last Thing the Text fuggefts to us, viz.

III. THIRDLY, That therefore after such Seasons, it ought to be the Duty of every Perfon to reflect upon his Behaviour as to what has paffed, and to examine himself and thofe under his Care, in order to atone for what has been done amifs, and to reconcile himself and them to GOD. And this we learn from the Practice of Job, who, when the Days of their Feafting were gone about, fent and fanctified his Sons, and rose up early in the Morning, and offered Burnt Offer ings according to the Number of them all.

The Words indeed relate immediately to that Care which a Father ought to have over his Children at fuch Times: But without ftraining them, we may infer from the fame Words, that it is the Duty of every Perfon to reflect upon his own Conduct upon fuch Occafions: It being certainly as much every Man's Duty to take Care of himself, as it is

to

I.

to watch over others. If therefore Job fent SER M: and fan&tified his Sons, when the Days of their Feafting were gone about; we ought also to fanctify ourselves after the fame Oc cafions.

The Neceffity of this Duty naturally arifes from what has been faid upon the foregoing Head. I have there fhewed that there are several Ways by which this Liberty may be abused, and that the Proneness of our Nature, and the Force of Temptation, make us all too apt to run into thofe Abuses. But how strong foever the Temptations may be, the Abuses are certainly Sins, and as fuch muft be repented of: But we cannot repent of them without knowing the Particulars; nor can we know the Particulars without a strict Examination into our Conduct and Behavi

our after the Time is over. It very feldom happens that at the very Inftant of our Mirth we are fufficiently obfervant of all that paffes. Our Minds will be attentive to fuch Diverfions as are customary upon the Occafions; and therefore it can fcarce be expected that we can always be fo ftrict upon our Guard, as not to let fomething, at least misbecoming, flip from us unawares. If then, notwithftanding our utmost Refolution and Precaution,

SER M. it is very difficult to keep ourselves entirely

I.

innocent at the Inftant of our Mirth; it will
follow of Courfe that we ought to examine
our felves after the time is expired. But the
Reasonableness of this Duty is fo obvious,
that I cannot but think it needless to enlarge
any further
upon it.
And therefore I fhall

only afk your Patience a little longer whilft I
apply what has been faid and fo conclude.

Under the First Head then has been fhewed, that there are fome Occafions on which Feafting and Mirth are lawful and expedient, and in fome measure a part of our Duty. And fuch an Occafion we have now had. We have been commemorating the Birth of Chrift, which is certainly a Mercy of fuch a Magnitude (whether we confider our own Wants, which could be repaired by no other means; or whether we reflect upon the Strangeness of the Way, and the Goodnefs as well as the Wisdom of GOD in defign, ing it;) that it cannot deferve less than an Annual Commemoration. And if any Bleffing be to be commemorated with Joy and Gladnefs, this ought undoubtedly to be fo: The Angel, who brought the first news of it, expreffed it by good Tidings of great Joy, which

Should

I.

Should be to all People, Luke ii. 10: And as SER M. a Precedent of this Joy, the whole Heavenly Hoft joined together in that Divine Song, Glory to GOD in the Higheft, on Earth Peace, Good Will towards Men, Luke ii. 14. And therefore when they are our Copies and Examples, we can do no less than, on the Anniversary Return of that time, endeavour to imitate them, especially fince the Bleffing much more nearly concerns us than them. Nor do I doubt but that all of us have used fuch outward Expreffions of our Joy as we have thought convenient and suitable: Our Tables have been spread with plenty of Provifions, and our Rooms filled with numbers of Guests. The Harp, and the Viol, the Tabret and Pipe, and Wine have been in our Feafts, and nothing I presume has been wanting that could contribute to our Mirth. All therefore that is to be feared is, left we have exceeded the Bounds of a Chriftian Festival, and fuffered our Joy to evaporate into Extravagance. For we have heard under

The Second Head, that the Dangers of offending at fuch Seafons are great, and the Temptations many. And if we be at any time more apt than ordinary to abuse our Liberty; it is at the folemn Festival we are now dif

courfing