pardoned, if just indignation against a wickedness so con- SERM. temptible, fo heinous, and fo fenfelefs, and withal fo no- XIII. torious, and fo rife among us, doth extort from me language fomewhat tart and vehement.

If men would then but a little confider things, furely this fcurvy fashion would be foon difcarded, much fitter for the fcum of the people than for the flower of the gentry; yea rather, much below any man endued with a fcrap of reason, not to say with a grain of religion. Could we bethink ourselves, certainly modeft, fober, and pertinent difcourfe would appear far more generous and manly, than fuch wild hectoring God Almighty, such rude infulting over the received laws, fuch ruffianly swaggering against fobriety and goodness. If gentlemen would regard the virtues of their ancestors, (that gallant courage, that folid wifdom, that noble courtefy, which first advanced their families, and severed them from the vulgar,) this degenerate wantonness and dirtiness of speech would return to the dunghill, or rather (which God grant) would be quite banished from the world.

Finally, as to this whole point, about not offending in our speech against piety, we should confider, that as we ourselves, with all our members and powers, were chiefly defigned and framed to ferve and glorify our Maker; (it being withal the greatest perfection of our nature, and the noblest privilege thereof so to do ;) fo especially our tongue and speaking faculty were given us to declare our admiration and reverence of him, to express our love and gratitude toward him, to celebrate his praises, to acknowledge his benefits, to promote his honour and fervice. This confequently is the moft proper and worthy use thereof; from this it becomes in effect what the Pfalmift fo often terms it, our glory, and the best member we pf. xvi. 9. have; as that whereby we far excel all creatures here xxx. 12. below; that whereby we confort with the bleffed angels cviii. 1. above, in diftin&t utterance of praife to our Creator. Wherefore applying it to any impious difcourfe, (tending anywife to the dishonour of God, or disparagement of religion,) is a most unnatural abuse thereof, and a vile in

lvii. 8.

SERM. gratitude toward him that gave it to us. From which, XIII. and from all other offences, God in his mercy preserve us all, through Jefus Christ our Lord, unto whom for ever with heart and tongue let us strive to render all glory and praise. Amen.

SERMON

SERMON XIV.

AGAINST FOOLISH TALKING AND JESTING.

EPHES. V. 4.

-Nor foolish talking, nor jefting, which are not convenient.

MORAL and political aphorifms are seldom couched in SERM. fuch terms, that they should be taken as they found pre- XIV. cisely, or according to the wideft extent of fignification; but do commonly need expofition, and admit exception : otherwise frequently they would not only clash with reafon and experience, but interfere, thwart, and fupplant one another. The best masters of fuch wisdom are wont to interdict things, apt by unfeasonable or exceffive use to be perverted, in general forms of speech, leaving the restrictions, which the cafe may require or bear, to be made by the hearer's or interpreter's difcretion: whence many feemingly formal prohibitions are to be received only as fober cautions. This obfervation may be particularly supposed applicable to this precept of St. Paul, which feemeth universally to forbid a practice commended (in some cafes and degrees) by philofophers as virtuous, not difallowed by reason, commonly affected by men, often used by wife and good perfons; from which confequently if our religion did wholly debar us, it would feem chargeable with somewhat too uncouth aufterity and fourness : from imputations of which kind as in its temper and frame it is really moft free, (it never quenching natural

γελοῖον, τοῖς

SERM. light, or cancelling the dictates of found reafon, but conXIV. firming and improving them;) fo it carefully declineth Oi μr i them, enjoining us, that if there be any things @poo¢ıλñ, πόντες μηδὲν (lovely, or grateful to men,) any things evpnua, (of good A report and repute,) if there be any virtue and any praife, δυσχεραίνον, (any thing in the common apprehenfions of men held xai xango worthy and laudable,) we should mind those things, that Arift. Eth. is, fhould yield them a regard answerable to the efteem they carry among rational and fober perfons.

τες, ἄγριοι

δοκᾶσιν εἶναι.

iv. 8.

. Phil. iv. 8.

Whence it may feem requifite fo to interpret and determine St. Paul's meaning here concerning suτgameλía, (that is, facetious speech or raillery, by our translators rendered jesting,) that he may consist with himself, and be reconciled to Ariftotle, who placeth this practice in the rank of virtues; or that religion and reafon may well accord in the cafe; fuppofing, that if there be any kind of facetioufnefs innocent and reasonable, conformable to good manners, (regulated by common fenfe, and confiftent with the tenor of Chriftian duty, that is, not transgreffing the bounds of piety, charity, and sobriety,) St. Paul did not intend to discountenance or prohibit that kind.

For thus expounding and limiting his intent, we have fome warrant from himself, fome fair intimations in the words here. For firft, what fort of facetious speech he aimeth at, he doth imply by the fellow he coupleth therewith; uwpoλoyía, faith he, evτрañeλía, foolish talking, or facetioufnefs: fuch facetiousness therefore he toucheth as doth include folly, in the matter or manner thereof. Then he farther determineth it, by adjoining a peculiar quality thereof, unprofitableness or impertinency; tà μǹ ávýxovτa, which are not pertinent, or conducible to any good purpose: whence may be collected, that it is a frivolous and idle fort of facetioufnefs which he condemneth.

But however manifeft it is, that fome kind thereof he doth earnestly forbid: whence, in order to the guidance. of our practice, it is needful to distinguish the kinds, fevering that which is allowable from that which is un

lawful; that fo we may be fatisfied in the cafe, and not SERM. on the one hand ignorantly tranfgrefs our duty, nor on XIV. the other trouble ourselves with fcruples, others with cenfures, upon the use of warrantable liberty therein.

And fuch a refolution feemeth indeed efpecially needful in this our age, (this pleasant and jocular age,) which is so infinitely addicted to this fort of speaking, that it fcarce doth affect or prize any thing near fo much; all reputation appearing now to veil and ftoop to that of being a wit: to be learned, to be wife, to be good, are nothing in comparison thereto; even to be noble and rich are inferior things, and afford no fuch glory. Many at leaft, to purchase this glory, to be deemed confiderable in this faculty, and enrolled among the wits, do not only make shipwreck of conscience, abandon virtue, and forfeit all pretences to wisdom; but neglect their eftates, and prostitute their honour: fo to the private damage of many particular persons, and with no fmall prejudice to the public, are our times poffeffed and transported with this humour. To reprefs the excefs and extravagance whereof, nothing in way of discourse can serve better, than a plain declaration when and how such a practice is allowable or tolerable; when it is wicked and vain, unworthy of a man endued with reason, and pretending to honefty or honour.

This I fhall in fome measure endeavour to perform.

:

But first it may be demanded what the thing we speak of is, or what this facetiousness doth import? To which question I might reply as Democritus did to him that asked the definition of a man, It is that which we all fee and know any one better apprehends what it is by acquaintance, than I can inform him by description. It is indeed a thing so versatile and multiform, appearing in fo many fhapes, fo many poftures, fo many garbs, fo variously apprehended by feveral eyes and judgments, that it feemeth no lefs hard to fettle a clear and certain notion thereof, than to make a portrait of Proteus, or to define the figure of the fleeting air. Sometimes it lieth in pat allufion to a known ftory, or in seasonable application of