On the Nativity. ' ' 2.65 God, inju1:ious to our neighbours, prejudi... cial to ourfelves, and a thing highly unrea– fonable, Firft, It-is diilionourable to God, on whon1 \ye profefs to d.nd, and who, . through our tnorofen-efs; n1ay be miftaken (or a hard and fevere n1aftcr. If you fhould obferv<;....any n1an's fervants to be -always fad and dejected, and could not guefs at · -the reafon of it, you \vould be ready to conClude, that they were ill treated at hon1e, · and ferved an t1nkind, tyrannical perfon. And therefore, if we hlve any regard to the ·honour of our Jnaficr, ·we ought care– fully to avoid any thing, froni. -which thofe that are {l:rangers to him, arc apt to take " occafion to entertain harfh and difadvanta- . geous thoughts of hin1 and his ferviCe.~ A- · gain, It is injurious to our neighbours; '\vhon1 it cloth deprive of the comforts of _ · fociety, and the innocent delights of n1ore chearful converfe; it being better to be confined to folitude, than obliged to live with fhofc who are always fullen. T ·hey arenot like to b-e good company to others, who are fo bad company to themfelves'; nor Y'Jill they eafily endure to fee others ehearful and pleafant, when · they cannot allow then1felves fo n1uch as to fi11ile. Peeviihnefs and anger are the ordinary cOin ... Z panions
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