T>ireEiions againjl Jinjtd Mirtk 337 ~· l2· Direct. 5· 'f.J}ze b;cd tb.Jt the ftejb defile unt your mil'tb, by dtr1 fPi.P-g in a;ry ohfcette or ribb.~ld Dircl1. 5· talk._, or fry jlirrin~ up Jltjhly lrtji a;td fin. 'Which it will quickly do, if noc well warchr, and ht.•ly mirrh and checrfulnefs, is vr.ry apt to degeneute on a fudden inro Jii!j'ul minh. . §· I3 · Direct. 6. Confider rrb.rt yottr mirth i1 Ji~e to -prllt'C to otiJtri1~f P.JtU ar to your flhn. I fir be Dircft. 6. like: to ltir up fill in otbcr.I,or to be olfenfive to them,you mliH the more :1voiJ it in their pr<:fe.nce,or numge it with the grcater·caurion: If it be net:dful w chcn up the: drooping minds of thofe you conver1C with, or to remove their prejudice againfi a holy lifC , you rr.ull the more give place to it: for it is t,oo.d or badas ir tendtth unto J!.ood or b.;d. §. I4· DireCt. 7· Never 'l'l<ll'f ottt Reafon N' Godlimfs from aify of your mirtb. Abh,w that mirth Direll, J. tbat maJ!.!tiJ a man a ful'l, er pl11yetb the fool: And tab,; beed of th.Jt nn;,odlinejs which m..Jktlh anum mcrriejt when he isfurtlujl from God, tik_.e the f/orfe or Ox that lcapeth and playtth for gladncji ~vhcnhe is 1m)·oak;d Br looj£d from bis labour. Something 1{ Grd and Htl<!Vflt jhould appear or be dropped into all cHr mirth, to jivcetw a;:d tofantlijie iJ. §• 1 5· Direct. 8. 1Yl<ltcb your tu;tguu in all yr/Ur mirth ; far thry are vtry apt to tak_.e liberty then DircCl. 8. to fin. MirtfJ is ro the tongue as Hvlydayr and Playda)'f to idle fcholars; who are glad of thc:m as a time in '"'hich they' think they have liberty to game and f1ghe and do amifs. , §• 16. D irect. 9• If a word break.. forth f1'om your {elvtt or your companion/ to tfu l.'r'rong of otberJ Dire[/. 9 , in your mirtb, ar of back_bithtg, ·evit-fpe.-kJng, jearing,, fconti['g, defaming ( )'ta tbJugh it be your emnry ) rebuk._e it, and cajf it ottt, af dirt (J1' dung tbat f.~lletb imo your dij/J or cup. 9· 1 7. Dut:Cl. JO· JfPropiJ.Jnefi intrude, and any mak..,e merry rvitb jeajtiltg at Scripture} Relig)o;z Dire[/. 10~ or tlu jla11dcrs '~r fconu of f.odly pcrfonJ, with a tmdcncic ·to mak.,e Religion odioM or comemptible ; if · they are [ucb tlf you mtJy JPeolz ta, reprove them with rcucrcnt feriiJujiujl to their terror : if they ar~ not, thm jh~w your abborrcnce of it by turning ynur b.~ck.J and quittiHg tbe pl::ce and company of fucb deviltijb c1umiu of God. Be not filc:nt or fttmingly-conjiming :vitmffei of fuch odious rninh, againfl: your maker. §· 18. Dirt:&. 1 I, If tbe mirth ofothers in yoHr compmry begin to grow i»fipid, frothy, foolijiJ, rva;t~ Dirtl1. Ir. ton, or impiozH or otherwi{e corrupt, drop in feme INly falt to jCaJim Jl ' and fomethmt. tb.Jt 11 ferioM and didne to awe it and reprefi it. As eo remember them of God1 prefence, or to rec1cc fuch a [eXt as, Ephef. 5• 3, '4· Bzu fornication mtd aU unclcamucji nr covetoufnrfi, let it not .~e once n.J.med amangjf you ar becometb faint! ·: neither ftlthinefi, nor fuolijh talk,jng, nor jtajling ; which are 11ot cottvenimt: but rather giving of tbanbJ, . §. 19• Direct. 11· If mirth grow immoderate and excudi~t met~{ure, ailti.carry yoseawayfromG~,.d L'!ircll. I 2o .znd dmy by the very c/Jrnal pleaJitre of it, bave always at h:md tbcfc followht.g confideratiom to reprejl Lon!i.de~J.oor.s it. I• Remember that God i1 pre[cnt; and h.vity is not comely in his fight. 2· Remember that tofi~pre!~.~.:x; Deatb and judgement arc al hand, n·hen all tbi1 levity wiU'be tunud i'lto jtriou{neji. 3· Remember ce m::mul' that your fault areyet tmder a_sreat deal o/fitt and wailtJ ~ndda11gcr, and you have a great dc:al of ferious work to do. 4· LooJt. on Jcfo5. Chrijf, and remember what an cx.<~mple he gave you ttpon earth: Whether he l1ught, and pla1d, and Jelted, and taught you immoderate or carnal mirth : And whether you live llkc we Di!Ciplcs of a crucified Chrifi. 5· Tbinft 01t the ordinary way to He.;vw, defcribed in Scripture; which is through many tribulatiom·, ajjlittio1u, fajtingJ, temptationJ, bumilia1"Um, fufferings and mortificatioJt: And think whether a wanton,jejting, playful life belikc to this. 6. Think... oftbecour[e of theancient and cxceUmt Chritlians, who went to Heaven through labour, and watchings and fafling, and poverty, and cruel perfecutions~ and not through carnal mirth and Cport. ·7· 1hi~tft of the mmy calamitous objects of forrow that are now abroad in the world! Of the millions of Heathens and Mahometancs and ?ther tlraQ.gers or enemies eo Chrift ! Of the obfiinate Jews; of the dark.., corrupted lamentable flate ot the Greek , Armenian, Ethiopian and Roman Churches; where Religion is fo wofully obfcured and difhonourtd by ignorance, error, fuperfiition, and prophanenefs : Of the Plpal tyranny and ufurpation : and of the divided !late of all the Churches, and the prophaneiS and perfecution and unchaJitablenefs, and contentions, and mutual reproaches and revilings which make: havock for the Devil among the members of Chrift. Tit. 5·
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