I.

lemn Sacrifices than were at other Times ufu- SER M. al, as fome would have us believe; but outward Teftimonies of this Joy were also required, fuch as was their Abftaining from Leavened Bread, their Refting from their Labour, their Rejoicing before the LORD their God, and their making a Feaft unto the LORD. As to those Festivals which were inftituted by the Jews themselves afterwards, we find these Actions more exprefly commanded: In the Feast of Purim, inftituted by Mordecai, Every Generation, every Family, every Province and every City were ordered to make them Days of Feafting and foy, and of fending Prefents one to another, and of Gifts to the Poor, Efth. ix. 21, 22. And again, the Feast of the Dedication, (that Feaft which our Lord Himself honoured with his Prefence, John x. 22.) was to be kept in it's Seafon from Year to Yearwith Mirth and Gladness, 1 Macc. iv. 59. And fo doubtlefs ought our Feafts to be celebrated, if we would duly obferve them: If we imitate the Jews in one refpect, we ought to do it in the other: If we fet apart fet Times and Seafons to commemorate any Bleffings God has vouchsafed us, we ought also at such Times to do as they did, i. e. to do no fervile Work, but to rejoice before the LORD our

&

God,

SERM. God, and to make a Feaft unto the LORD:

I.

To make them Days of Feafting and Foy, and of fending Prefents one to another, and of Gifts to the Poor. And if we fearch the Records of the Church even from the very Infancy of Chriftianity, we fhall find that whatever Times have been fet apart either for the Remembrance of some special Mercies of God, fuch as the Birth and Refurrection of our Saviour, the Defcent of the Holy Ghoft, &c. or in Memory of the great Heroes of our Religion, fuch as were the Bleffed Apostles and other Saints, who were the happy Inftruments of conveying to us the Knowledge of Chrift Jefus, by preaching his Gospel throughout the World, and attesting the Truth of it with their Blood; I fay whatever Days have been obferved upon any of thefe Accounts, have been constantly celebrated with Mirth and Gladnefs. But I need not fure defcend to Particulars: For our Reafon will convince us, that Feafting and Mirth are fo far from being inconfiftent with the Duties required of us on these Occafions; as that they are very fignificant Parts of the Solemnity. Befides, the Strictness of the Union between Soul and Body makes them fo nearly concerned for the Good of each other, that as they make but one Perfon, fo we endeavour

to

I.

to make them join and act as one in all other S ER M. Duties of Religion. When we appoint any Time to meditate and reflect upon our Sins, in order to afflict our Souls; we withdraw, or at least we ought to withdraw from our Bodies also their usual Sustenance, in order to punish and bring them under. When again we present our Souls in Prayer, we humble our Bodies upon their Knees: And fo in the Performance of all other Chriftian Duties the Body is required to bear a Part with the Soul: And therefore when the Soul is engaged in a thankful and joyful Commemoration of some Bleffing received, I cannot but think that the Body is alfo expected to be cheerful and plea

fant.

But I must not take up too much Time upon this Firft Head; Nor yet may I omit to take notice that there may be fome other Occafions, as well as these more folemn ones, of Joy and Feafting. A Family may be bleffed with fome particular Mercy; or a Single Perfon may have a juft and peculiar Reason to rejoice. Laban may very feasonably gather together all the Men of his place, and make a Feaft, Gen. xxix. 22. at the Marriage of his Daughter: And our Bleffed Saviour himself was pleafed not only to be prefent at fuch a

Feast,

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SER M. Feast, but even to begin his Miracles with providing Wine for the Guests, John ii. 1-11. Samfon again, according to the Usage of the young Men of his Time, may make a Feast, Judges xiv. 10. when he brings his Wife home: And if Elizabeth bring forth a Son, her Neighbours and her Coufins may very innocently rejoice with her, Luke i. 58. Abrabam may make a great Feaft the fame Day that I faac is weaned, Gen. xxi. 8. And if a Son for fome Time prove a Prodigal, a Father may kill a fatted Calf, Luke xv. 23-27. at his Return. Pharaoh and Herod may be expect ed to treat their Nobles on their Birth-days, Gen. xl. 20. Mark vi. 21, &c. Abraham and Lot may make Entertainments for the Reception of Strangers, Gen. xviii. 1—12. xix. 3; and thereby they and others have entertained Angels unawares, Heb. xiii. 2. And Jofeph may fend Messes to his Brethren, who without Offence may drink and be merry with bim, Gen. xliii. 34. In a word, at the Conclufion of a kind and plentiful Harvest, Exodus xxiii. 16. at the End of a Sheep-Shearing, 2 Sam. xiii. 23-28. in making Leagues and Covenants, Gen. xxvi. 30. xxxi. 53. and on fuch other like Occafions, Feafting and Mirth are suitable and feasonable, and have, from

the

the

I.

very first Ages of the World (as appears SERM. from the Holy Scriptures) been always used at those Times.

I have now done with the First Head of my Discourse, upon which I have been the more particular, because I know there are fome who cry down all external Feasting and Mirth as carnal and unlawful, allowing of none but a Spiritual Feafting and Joy upon thefe or any other Occafions. But I am not infenfible on the other hand, that they are but the leaft Part of Mankind who entertain any Scruples of this Nature; but few who want to be perfuaded of the Lawfulness of Feasting, or to be informed in the Seasons when it is proper to do it. Moft People, on the contrary, are forward enough to lay hold of such Occafions, and apt to give themselves too much Liberty and Freedom. Left therefore any thing that has been said, fhould be thought to countenance or encourage any Perfon's Loofnefs or Licentioufnefs; I fhall now proceed to fhew,

II. SECONDLY, That, though Feafting and Mirth are Things in themselves confiftent with the Practice of Virtue and Religion;

there