SER M. there is notwithstanding great Danger of ofI. fending at fuch Seafons. Though Job's Sons

had been educated without doubt in the Fear of GOD, and fo probably had as much Guard upon themselves at fuch Times as good Men generally have; yet the Dangers and Temptations which their Father knew they were exposed to, made him fear they might notwithstanding do or fay fomething misbecoming their Religion: It may be, faith he, that my Sons have finned and curfed GOD in their Hearts. What I intend to offer to you by way of Confideration upon this Second Head of my Discourse, fhall be taken up in fhewing you by what Ways we may abufe this Liberty, and what Danger we are all of us in of running into one or other of those Abuses. In order to which it may not be improper to obferve,

First, That Feafting and Mirth are Things fo pleafing and agreeable to Human Nature; that we are often too apt to defire and use them at improper Seafons. And this makes us very frequently indulge ourselves in Joy and Festivity, even at those Times, in which the Church calls us to Humiliation and Repentance. But this is certainly an Abuse of our Liberty; the very Actions of Feafting and

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Mirth, however lawful in themselves, yet ceaf- SER M. ing to be so when used unfeasonably. To every Thing (faith the Wiseman) there is a Seafon, and a Time to every Purpose under the Heaven: A Time to weep, and a Time to laugh, a Time to mourn, and a Time to dance, Ecclef. iii. 1, 4. Mirth and Chearfulness are very unfuitable upon a Day of Mourning, and fo is Eating and Drinking upon an appointed Faft. On fuch Times as these it is our Duty to afflict our Souls with Grief and Sorrow, which it is impoffible for us to do, if at the fame Time we chear and elevate our Bodies. How difpleafing this is to the Divine Will, we may learn from the Severity of that Judgment which GOD denounced against the Jews for fuch untimely Joy. In that Day (faith the Prophet) did the Lord GOD of Hofts call to Weeping and to Mourning, and to Baldness, and to girding with Sackcloth: And behold Joy and Gladnefs, flaying Oxen and killing Sheep, eating Flesh and drinking Wine: Let us eat and drink, for to morrow we die. And it was revealed in mine Ears by the LORD of Hofts. Surely this Iniquity fhall not be purged from you, till ye die, faith the Lord GOD of Hoft, Ifa. xxii. 12, 13, 14. The very Actions therefore of Joy and Feafting ceafe to be lawful, if used VOL. I,

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SER M. on any Day, or during any Seafon which the Wifdom of the Church has thought fit to fet apart for Duties of a contrary Nature. And yet how often are we overfwayed at those Times to frequent Places of Diversion, and even to seek for and appoint Times of Jollity and Merriment? But,

Secondly, Feafting does not only become unlawful at improper Seafons, but also when it is ufed too frequently. It is fet down as an Aggravation of the Rich Man's Sin in the Parable, that he fared sumptuously every Day, Luke xvi. 19. He by that Means deprived himself of the Opportunities he might otherwise have had, of being touched with the Senfe of that Diftrefs and Want, which the Beggar at his Gate as daily laboured under. For I cannot but think it is the Duty of every Christian, of thofe efpecially whom God has bleffed with Plenty in the World, to make themselves a little fenfible of the Hardfhips which others are forced to undergo; and even fometimes to fubmit themselves, as far as their Circumftances will allow them, to a fellow-feeling of their Neceffities. Such a voluntary Refufal now and then of fome of the Comforts of Life would make them have a more thankful Efteem of the Bleffings they enjoy, and incline

them

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them to contribute a little, of what they would SER M. be otherwise too apt to fpend upon Superfluities, to the Relief of the Poor. But they who fare fumptuously every Day, who make their whole Life, as it were, one continued Festival, lofe this Advantage; being perfectly ignorant of the innumerable Hardships the inferior Part of the World undergo, and confequently not knowing how to prize that Plenty, they themfelves every Day partake of, And therefore certainly this is another Abuse of Feafting, fince we thereby make the Bleffings of Life become Inftruments and Occafions of our Unrighteoufnels. But further,

A Third Means by which we offend in our Feafting, is, when we only entertain Perfons of our own or a fuperior Rank and Quality, and neglect them who are most capable of being benefited by our Hofpitality: Forgetting that Injunction and Inftruction of our Lord, in which he teaches us who would be the most proper Guefts at our Feafts: When thou makeft a Dinner or a Supper, faith he, call not thy Friends nor thy Brethren, neither thy Kinsmen, nor thy Rich Neighbours; left they alfo bid thee again, and Recompence be made thee. But when thou makeft a Feaft, call the Poor, the Maimed, the Lame, the Blind; and thou shalt be blefed; C 2

for

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SER M. for they cannot recompenfe thee: for thou shalt be recompenfed at the Refurrection of the Just, Luke xiv. 12, 13, 14. I do not mention this to intimate that the Inviting of our Equals or Superiors to our Feasts is unlawful: Far from it; it is most certainly a very commendable Testimony of our Amity and Friendship: But what I mean is, that the confining our Hofpitality to those only who are able to return it, contradicts the Defign of our Festivals; one End of which is undoubtedly that they who live in Plenty at all Times of the Year, should, at the more folemn Seafons of it, spread their Tables, or at least diftribute fome Provifions to those who have scarce a Sufficiency at other Times. This is a Duty that even Humanity requires of us; and it was the Neglect of this which brought the Rich Man to his Place of Torment: He fared sumptuously every Day, whilft the Beggar lay at his Gate defiring to be fed with the Crumbs which fell from his Table, Luke xvi. 19, &c. The Poor therefore and the Needy are at fuch Times either to be invited to, and fed from, the Tables of the Rich; or elfe are to have their own Tables supplied more comfortably than usual, by their Largefs and Gifts. For Christians furely ought not to come behind the Jews in Acts of Mer

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