that they should be punished; for that was well known and believed upon the Authority of the Law: But then he adds, But I fay unto you; which Words are very emphatical, and denote the Doctrine delivered to be new, and founded upon our Saviour's own Authority, I fay unto you. The fame Form is used in the fifth of St. Matthew, where our Saviour, in virtue of his Commiffion received from God, evidently is explaining and enlarging the old Law: "Ye have heard it hath been "faïd by them of old Time, Thou shalt "not kill: But I fay unto you, Whofoever " is angry with his Brother without a Caufe, shall be in danger of the Judgment. Ye "have heard it was faid by them of old

Time, Thou shalt not commit Adultery: "But I fay unto you, Whofoever looketh on "a Woman to luft after her, hath com"mitted Adultery with her already in his "Heart." The fame is repeated in other Instances; in all which you may observe, that our Saviour enlarges our Duty, and debars us from the leaft Approaches to Vice, and obliges his Disciples to the greatest Purity, to the strictest and severest Virtue.

To the fame Purpofe poffibly does he speak in the Text: "Evil Things, you know, pro

❝ceed

"ceed from an evil Heart; and your Law "teaches you, they shall be rewarded accord

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ingly: But I fay unto you, That not only "these evil Things, but every idle Word shall "be brought into Judgment." The only Difference in this Cafe is, that in the Sermon on the Mount the enacting Words are more full, ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν, in the Text they are only λέγω δὲ ὑμῖν· which, though they muf be rendered alike in English, yet the former, according to the Idiom of the Greek Tongue, is an Expreffion of greater Weight and Authority: But the Difference is not fo great, but that we may suppose our Saviour to use both upon the fame Account, to distinguish the Doctrine delivered upon his own Authority from the old received Doctrines of the Law. Allowing this, it follows, that we have in the Text a Rule implied for the Government of Chriftian Conversation, which is of the greatest Purity, and restrains us not only from all Evil, but from all Appearance of Evil, in our Conversation; from every thing which is inconsistent with the Gravity and serious Demeanour required in a Christian; from fuch Faults as bear no greater Proportion to the evil things before-mentioned, than Anger does to Murder, or a wanton Look to Adultery.

to a Christian; and it is probable, that by idle Words our Saviour meant the Jests which were fo much delighted in, and were under so good a Character. And this gives a Reafon why our Saviour spoke as introducing a new Law, But I say unto you, that every idle Word fhall be brought into Judgment; becaufe the Preachers of Morality had taught the contrary before, and placed the Jefter, the Man of idle Words, among their Heroes, and honoured his Talent of raifing Laughter with the Title of a Virtue.

There are, no doubt, Seafons of Relaxation both from Bufinefs and Religion; and innocent Diversion maintains the Vigour of the Mind, as moderate Exercife does the Strength of the Body: But, as Exercise must answer the Strength and Parts of an human Body, fo muft your Diverfion be anfwerable to the Temper, and Frame, and Character of a Christian: Otherwise Exercise destroys the Man, and Diversion corrupts the Christian..

We are made by Nature, that is, by God, to be fociable Creatures; and therefore in seeking Society, in cultivating Friendships with each other, we follow the Inftinct of Nature; and what Time we spend in Difcourfe and mutual Converfe, if it ferves no

other

other Purpose than to maintain a good Friendship and Acquaintance, yet cannot be faid to be mif-fpent; becaufe in propagating Love and Good-will among ourselves, we ferve one End of Nature, and are doing the Work which our Father hath given us: And when Company meet, he that can talk entertainingly upon common Subjects, and divert their Minds with inoffenfive Wit, has an excellent Talent; and if Men are endowed with an happy Conception, with a Livelinefs of Expreffion to represent their own Ideas to others, their Conversation may be agreeable without exceeding the Limits of Virtue or Innocence.

But a common Jefter, one who is fent for to Company to make Sport, acts a Part much below the Character of a Man, or a Chriftian: For Jefting, though it may be an innocent Diverfion, can never be an honeft Employment; it will not bear being made a Profeffion; and therefore when Men make it their Bufinefs, it must needs be an unlawful Calling; and the Jefter will lie expofed to the Threatening of the Text, to be called into Judgment for every idle Word he fpeaks. And if you again set before the Dignity and Character of a Christian,

you

you

you will easily discern, how fuitably and with what a Grace a Christian acts, when his whole Bufinefs is to make himself laughed at. I faid of Laughter, it is mad, fays the Wife King of Ifrael. This only Difference there is, and let the Jefter have the Benefit of it, the Madman's Folly and Extravagance proceed from Misfortune, the Jefter's from Choice: And this Choice will render him accountable for his Extravagancies; and whether he has not the best Title to apply the Text to himself, you muft judge from what has been faid. His Talent certainly lies in idle Words, and therefore he falls under the Letter of the Text; his Business is poor and fordid; he serves to no other Purpose in the World than, like the Fool in a great House, to make Sport; and whether in this he suftains the Character of Disciple of Chrift, let all who have learnt Chrift judge.

Confider likewise whether he can justify himself against the Apoftolical Rule of converfing as becomes the Gospel of Chrift. If you fay that he means no Harm, I will agree to it; and go yet farther, and add, that he means nothing: But whether this Excufe will come well from the Mouth of one,

whom