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SERM. That notwithstanding Feasting, Mirth, and _ Society are Things in themselves consistent with the Practice of Virtue and Religion; yet there is great Danger of offending at such Seafons. And this naturally leads me to the Confideration of the last Thing the Text suggests to us, viz.

III. THIRDLY, That therefore after such Seasons, it ought to be the Duty of every Person to reflect upon his Behaviour as to what has paffed, and to examine himself and those under his Care, in order to atone for what has been done amiss, and to reconcile himself and them to GOD. And this we learn from the Practice of Job, who, when the Days of their Feasting were gone about, fent and fanctified his Sons, and rose up early in the Morning, and offered Burnt Offerings according to the Number of them all.

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The Words indeed relate immediately to that Care which a Father ought to have over his Children at such Times: But without straining them, we may infer from the fame Words, that it is the Duty of every Person to reflect upon his own Conduct upon such Occafions: It being certainly as much every Man's Duty to take Care of himself, as it is

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to watch over others. If therefore Job fent SERM. and fanctified bis Sons, when the Days of their Feasting were gone about; we ought also to sanctify ourselves after the fame Occafions.

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The Neceffity of this Duty naturally arifes from what has been faid upon the foregoing Head. I have there shewed that there are several Ways by which this Liberty may be abused, and that the Proneness of our Nature, and the Force of Temptation, make us all too apt to run into those Abuses. But how ftrong foever the Temptations may be, the Abuses are certainly Sins, and as such must be repented of: But we cannot repent of them without knowing the Particulars; nor can we know the Particulars without a ftrict Examination into our Conduct and Behaviour after the Time is over. It very feldom happens that at the very Inftant of our Mirth we are sufficiently observant of all that paffes. Our Minds will be attentive to such Diverfions as are customary upon the Occafions; and therefore it can scarce be expected that we can always be so strict upon our Guard, as not to let fomething, at least misbecoming, flip from us unawares. If then, notwithstanding our utmost Resolution and Precaution,

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SERM. it is very difficult to keep ourselves entirely innocent at the Instant of our Mirth; it will follow of Course that we ought to examine our selves after the time is expired. But the Reasonableness of this Duty is so obvious, that I cannot but think it needless to enlarge any further upon it. And therefore I shall only ask your Patience a little longer whilst I apply what has been said and so conclude.

Under the First Head then has been shewed, that there are some Occasions on which Feasting and Mirth are lawful and expedient, and in some measure a part of our Duty. And fuch an Occasion we have now had. We have been commemorating the Birth of Christ, which is certainly a Mercy of such a Magnitude (whether we confider our own Wants, which could be repaired by no other means; or whether we reflect upon the Strangeness of the Way, and the Goodness as well as the Wisdom of GOD in designing it;) that it cannot deserve less than an Annual Commemoration. And if any Blessing be to be commemorated with Joy and Gladness, this ought undoubtedly to be so: The Angel, who brought the first news of it, expressed it by good Tidings of great Joy, which Mould

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Should be to all People, Luke ii. 10: And as SERM. a Precedent of this Joy, the whole Heavenly Host joined together in that Divine Song, Glory to GOD in the Highest, on Earth Peace, Good Will towards Men, Luke ii. 14. And therefore when they are our Copies and Examples, we can do no less than, on the Anniversary Return of that time, endeavour to imitate them, especially since the Blessing much more nearly concerns us than them. Nor do I doubt but that all of us have used such outward Expressions of our Joy as we have thought convenient and suitable: Our Tables have been spread with plenty of Provisions, and our Rooms filled with numbers of Guests. The Harp, and the Viol, the Tabret and Pipe, and Wine have been in our Feafts, and nothing I presume has been wanting that could contribute to our Mirth. All therefore that is to be feared is, lest we have exceeded the Bounds of a Christian Festival, and suffered our Joy to evaporate into Extravagance. For we have heard under

The Second Head, that the Dangers of offending at such Seasons are great, and the Temptations many. And if we be at any time more apt than ordinary to abuse our Liberty; it is at the folemn Festival we are now difcourfing

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SERM. courfing of. How it comes to pass I know b not; but so it is, that we are most of us ins fected with a Notion, that this Season not only excuses, but even justifies, our allowing our selves in such Irregularities and Extravagancies of Life, as we ourselves should be ashamed of at any other time. But certainly if we consider of it, this is the most improper Season, if there can be any one more so than another, for Sensuality and Intemperance. The Mystery we now commemorate is the Birth of the Son of GOD, who was made manifest for this purpose, that He might destroy the Works of the Devil. Can any thing then be more absurd, than that we should waste the time of this Holy Season in the practice of those wicked Works which he came to destroy ? That we should fo far forget, or so little confider the Design of his Coming, as to live and act in direct Oppofition to it ?

But it may be, you will think this Advice comes a little too late; and that it is very improper to caution People against abusing a Festival after the time is expired. In answer to which it may be said, that this Advice need not, unless we will make it so, be without its use now. For if we were so prone to exceed the Bounds of Temperance and So

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