395 / 514
SERM.
XXIII.
GRAVITY,
DECENCY,
&C.
387
ears,
to
give
a
fit
of
diversion, or to pass
away
a merry
hour. We
generally look
upon
this kind
of
people
as
very worthless things, as
something beneath ourselves,
and
as
sinking
below
their
own species.
We
seldom
converse
with
them
upon the
level,
or
to
attain
any
of
the nobler purposes
of
life.
We
only
borrow
their
wit,
or their
folly,
their
humour, or
their
finery,
for
a
season
of
amusement,
and
justly
despise them when
the
laugh-
ing
hour
is
at an
end.
Reason itself
tells
us,
that
hu-
man
nature
was
made
for something
greater and better,
for
contemplation and action
much
superior
to
what
these trifling
creatures are acquainted
with.
Again,
2.
If
we
consider man
as he
stands
in
distinction from
childhood,
surely
a more
grave
and
solemn
carriage be-
comes
him.
Children are
pleased with
painted toys;
gaudy garments
and sounding
trifles
are their chief
de-
light.
They are entertained
with
little impertinences,
agreeable
to
their ignorance
and the weakness
of their
age: But
it
is
a
shame to
a person
of
well
grown
years
to practise
the
child
for
ever.
He
that
devotes
himself
to
a
life
of
useless idleness,
and treads
round
the circle
of
perpetual
mirth and
amusement,
without profit
to
himself or the
world,
is
but a
child
in
longer garments,
or
an
infant
of
larger size.'
The
third
general head leads
us
to consider,
what
forcible
arguments christianity furnishes
us
with to
prac-
tise this sobriety, gravity,
and
decency
of
behaviour
:
And
I
shall
throw them
all
into
a
few
expostulations.
1.
Do
we
not bear
the name
of
Christ,
a
sacred and
a
venerable
name
?
And shall
we
cast
disgrace
upon
it
by
any thing
that
is
mean and
dishonourable?
Do
we
not
profess to
be
the
followers
of
a
crucified
Jesus,
to
be
disciples
of
the
cross
?
But
wherein
do
we
follow him,
if
we
spend
our
days in
mirth and
trifling
?.
His conduct
was all
holy
and
heavenly,
and
we
can never look
like
his disciples,
if
our
conversation savour
of
earth and
vanity.
What
a
noble simplicity
runs
through
all his
speeches, through
all
the actions
and the behaviour
of our
blessed
Lord
!
And
how
little
do
we
imitate
him,
if
we
fondly
pursue the
gay follies
of
life in
our
dress, in
our
speech,
and
in every
thing
we
do
!
No
glarings
of
af-
fected
wit,
nor
insipid
pertness, can
add
any thing
to
our character
as christians.
2c2