fet Impudence and Buffoonry in Triumph over it. But whether this be an Employment that even common Sense and Reafon should fubmit to, let every one, who is not quite loft to Shame, determine. It is a great Argument of the Impurity of Men's Minds, when things of this nature lie uppermost, and are ever at their Tongue's End: And therefore for their own Sakes they should confine fuch Thoughts, unless they take Pleasure in hiding the Man to discover the Brute, and to let the World fee what Pains they have taken to furnish their Minds with a Knowledge, which Nature and common Decency have ever ftrove to conceal.

This impudent Wit is in all Perfons abominable, but never more truly infamous than when it is found in the Company of grey Hairs; when Men feem to be feeding upon the Dregs of the Pollutions of their Youth, and entertaining their Minds with Luft and Senfuality in spite of the Decays of Nature, which call for other Thoughts. I am almost afraid of calling these idle Words, because the Expreffion does not reach to the Heinousness of the Crime: For nothing is more contrary to the Modesty and Purity of our holy Religion, nothing more offenfive to God and

all

all virtuous Minds, nothing more destructive of Morality, or that tends more to introduce Looseness and Brutality, than this lewd Wit, which fets at nought every thing that is chafte and pure, whofe prefent Glory is Shame, and whofe future Reward fhall be Confufion.

If Men have a Knack of cloathing their unchafte Thoughts in cleanly Language, yet it cannot justly be pleaded in Mitigation of their Crime. This poffibly may be to fin more like a Gentleman, but it carries an Aggravation with it that cannot easily be forgiven. To improve upon Vice, and to take off that Mark of Infamy which God has set upon it, is the highest Abuse of your Reason and Senfe. To make Lewdness agreeable, to recommend it by an artful Address and a pleafant Wit, what is it but to convey the Poifon in a precious Mixture, that may tempt and deceive the Palate to admit the Deftruction? Modesty is the Outguard of Virtue, and gives Notice of the first Approach of Vice; and when Lewdness is so dreffed up as to pafs unfufpected, it proves but the more dangerous Enemy within; and therefore we muft expect to give a fevere Account for the Time

and Words we spend in this Diversion; and you may imagine how Filthinefs and Lewdnefs fhall escape, when God fhall fit as Judge, who is all Righteousness and Holiness, and of purer Eyes than to behold Iniquity.

DISCOURSE

F

OURTHLY, By idle Words we may understand ufelefs and infignificant Words; Words which are spent to no great End or Purpose either good or bad.

This Senfe will comprehend a great Part of the Converfation of the World, which aims at nothing but prefent Amusement; and it is worth our while to inquire, what Guilt a Man contracts by these idle Words. All Words that are in any refpect injurious to God or Man, or contrary to Truth or good Manners, are out of this Question, which is ftated upon Words merely impertinent; where VOL. III.

the

the Subject of Difcourfe is mean and trifling, and not capable of yielding any Profit or Improvement to ourselves or others. Now to discover whether ufelefs, though innocent Conversation, comes within the Judgment of the Text, we must confider these following Particulars:

First, The Scope of our Saviour's Argument in this Place.

Secondly, The End and Defign of Speech, which is the Gift of God to Mankind: For, if we use our Speech to serve any Purpose contrary to the End defigned by God in giving us Speech, we manifeftly abuse his Gift, and for fuch Abuse must be anfwerable.

Thirdly, The Nature of Man in general, and the different Degrees of Senfe and Understanding that different Men are endowed with: This Confideration must have place in this Queftion, because the Tongue cannot speak better than the Understanding can conceive; which infers a Proportion between the Abilities of our Mind, and the Soundness of our Speech; the latter must be judged by the former; for a Man cannot be obliged to utter more Wisdom than God has given him.