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SERMON I.

The Lawfulness of Feasting, with the
Danger of Abusing it.

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Job's Sons went and feasted in their Houses, every one bis Day, and fent and called for their three Sisters to eat and to drink with them.

And it was fo, when the Days of their Feasting were gone about, that Job fent and Sanctified them, and rose up early in the Morning, and offered Burnt Offerings according to the Number of them all: for Job faid, It may be that my Sons have finned and cursed God in their Hearts. Thus did Job continually.

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N these and the foregoing words is con- SERM. tained a short Account of Job's Profperity

and Integrity before his Misfortunes: The first of which is recorded to the end that we may the better judge of the Weight and BitVOL. I. terness

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SER M. terness of his Afflictions, which, we may reasonably suppose, received no small Addition from his being so long and conftantly used to the Height of Happiness: The other to obviate any uncharitable Censure we might probably have entertained, and to caution us against imputing any thing to him, which might have drawn down this Advertity, which was laid upon him as a Trial and Probation of his Patience and Virtue. If we defire any general Character of this good Man, we have it in the first Verse, where we read that he was perfect and upright, and one that feared GOD and eschewed Evil: i. e. One whose Virtue appeared in a most unblameable Life, void of all Hypocrify, both in his Piety towards GOD, and in his Dealings with Men. If we further demand some particular Instance of his Goodness, the Text will supply us, which contains an Account of his religious Care of his Children. They were from their Infancy, as we may reasonably suppose, educated in the Fear of God, and taught to live with one another in Love and Unity. And that this Friendship might continue inviolable, he indulged and encouraged his Sons to meet at fome certain Seafons at each other's House, and to make a Feast every one in his Turn: And he, whose

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Turn it was to entertain the rest, was to in. SERM. vite their three Sisters to eat and to drink with them. It being usual, it seems, then as well as now, to think the Obligation high enough, if the Female Sex graced the Entertainments made by the Men with their Presence, though they were not at the Expence of entertaining again. And this Feasting and Merriment amongst his Children, Job thought doubtless a proper Means to confirm and strengthen them in their Amity and Concord. But because it might poffibly happen, that they might do or speak something that was profane, or misbecoming their Religion at these Times, when their Minds, loosened by Mirth, were less upon their Guard; their good Father never failed, as foon as ever the Time appointed for their Feasting was over, to call upon his Sons to reflect upon what had passed in those Intervals of Mirth, and to prepare themselves for the Sacrifices he intended to offer to avert GOD'S Anger, if by any means they had incurred it during those Seasons: Exhorting them probably at the same time to recal themselves from those Liberties which they had then been indulging themselves in, and to apply themselves seriously to their Callings of Life, and their wonted Duties of Religion. And this we must

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SERM. must observe was Job's constant Practice; for I. ☑ so saith the Text, Job's Sons went and feasted

in their Houses, &c.

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The Words, thus paraphrafed and explained, might be of manifold Use to us, if we would take notice of all the Rules they would afford us for the Regulation of our Lives. As,

First, For Instance, Fathers of a Family may from hence learn, how much it is their Duty, and ought to be their Care, to see that their Children and all others under their Tuition, be diligent Observers of their Duty to GOD.

Secondly, Children may again learn from hence, what an inestimable Blessing their Love and Unity is both to themselves and their Parents. Add to this,

Thirdly, That Children are not exempted from their Obedience to their Parents, nor Parents discharged from their Care of their Children, though their Children may be removed from them, and fettled in Families of their own. Job's Sons were obedient to the Call of their Father, and their Father fanctified and offered Burnt Offerings for them. Again,

Fourthly, All may observe that a bare Suspicion or Surmise that ourselves or any others under our Care have finned, is a fufficient Reafon

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Reason why we should humble ourselves and SERM. seek Reconcilement with God for ourselves and them. Job was not certain that his Sons had transgressed; he only faid, It may be that they have finned. Once more and

Lastly, We may observe that it is not a few good Actions which will recommend us to GOD, but Conftancy and Perfeverance. Job's Care of his Children had not been recorded unless it had been his constant Practice: But thus did Job continually.

These and several other Things might be drawn from the Text well worthy our Observation, which yet it must fuffice to have only mentioned at present; and that because the Words suggest to our Minds three other Confiderations, which will make a more feasonable Subject for my present Discourse. And they are,

I. FIRST, That Feasting, Mirth and Society are not inconsistent with the Practice of Virtue and Religion, Job's Sons (it is to be supposed with the Approbation and Consent of their good Father) went and feasted in their Houses every one bis Day, and fent and called for their three Sisters to eat and to drink with them.