SEFtMÒN XXIII. 321 danger in this age is excess, and luxury, and vanityof mind : We are pretty securenow-a-daysfrom to great a carelessness in this respect. II. Gravity and sobriety in' speech is anotherpart ofthat honourable conduct and character which we ought to maintain, and to which the holy apostle invites us. In the second chapter of Titus, ver. 8, 7, 8. you have this direction of the apostle to Titus the evangelist, how he ought to behave himself, and what he speaks to him chiefly as a minister, may be given as a rule to all christians whom he must instruct in all things, skewing thy- self a patternof good works ; in doctrine, or in discourse, skewing incorruptness, gravity, and sincerity ; soundspeech that cannot be condemned, that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil to say, of you. He gives thechristians at Ephesus the same advice ; Eph. iv. 29. Let no corrupt communvcation proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. Talk of something that may improve one another in knowledge, in virtue, in religion : And let each of us be ashamed to think that wehave been an hour or two in each other's company, and have neither spoke nor heard any thing that is worth remembrance. How often; after a visit amongfriends, must we take up this just and shameful complaint, " Alas, I have said nothing for their im- provement, nor heard any thing for my own!" Li Eph. v. 4, the apostle there secludes some sort of cona versation from the lips of christians, Neitheir filthiness,. nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which arenot convenient, which are ax =voila, not agreeable- to our profession. Foolish talking and. jesting are here forbidden, as well as filthiness. By foolish talking, we may suppose such sort of language to be intended, from which it is impossible any profit or advantage should arise to a wise or a good man. And by jesting the apostle here de- signs such sharp and biting jests that wound the reputation of a person concerning whom they are spoken. Such a turn of wit, as the original word signifies, that at the same time wounds a good name, and gives a bitten reproach. Not that every thing pleasantly spoken is supposed to be unlawful ; or that theapostle any where forbids all manner of mirth and jesting in conversa- tion ; for there are proper times and seasons for such sort of dis- course : And there may be valuable ends in it too, when it is innocently used, on purpose to recreate nature, and refresh the mind. And how far this may be indulged, I shall have occasion to speak toward the end of this sermon. III. Another thing that is included in this word.gravity, is honour and decency in our whole deportment and behaviour. Y 2
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