.. 1a2.MMON XFI17. .329 to the mind and -will of God ; for it is his will, that our whole nature, flesh and spirit, should be kept in the fittest frame for duty. And some natures are so constituted, that they will hardly be kept in a temper fit for duty, without somedivertisements and recreations. Where this therefore is the end, these practices eaunot be calk d idle, that is, impertinent, and to no purpose. Bot whereno reasonable design is proposed, sports and morri- mente are hardly to he defended, for all rational creatures ought to act with a iiiCW to some valuable end. 2. Another regulation which ought to be given to all our diversions, is this ; we should narrowly watch, lest the time of our recreations intrude upon thehours andseasons of business or pfreligion. There is a time to laugh, the wise man tells us, as well as a time to labour or to pray ; but laughter most be con- fined to its proper place and proper time, and not in-trenchupon the season where aflizirs of bigger importance, and matters of grave and serious consequence should be transacted. Conscience has something to do in matters of recreationAs well as in our religious or civil affairs : And as it can never be lawful. to rob God or our families of any of the timethat should be devoted to their service, on purposeto lay it out indiversion, so neither is it by any means proper to let the seasons of diversion come too near the seasons of worship. When a loose is given to all the natural powers in mirth and pleasure, they are not so easily recollected all- at oncefor the sacred service of reli- gion. Nor should werun hastily away from the duties ofworship, and plunge ourselves into the midst even of innocent merriment ; for this would look as though we were weary of devotion, and longed to be at play. Awise christian 'will divide his timesmight, and make all the parts of his conduct to succeed one another in a decent order. Besides, the hours of recreation should not be multiplied by those persons who have least need of them ; such are persons of a chearful and healthy constitution : And they willbe used more sparingly by christians of maturer age, and longer standing in religion. As a childgrows up toward man, he leavesoff the im- pertinences of infancy; and the sports and trifles of childhood; and as a man grows up moreandmore toward aperfect christian, his methods of pleasure will be changed from light and gay, to that which is grave and solid. To conclude this subject, I would mention only one powerful motive to preserve christian gravity, and that is, that hereby the temper of your spirit will be better prepared for every religious duty, whether it be prayer or praise, and better fitted to meet every providence, whether it be prosperous or afflictive : Whereas those who _.perpetually indulge a merry temper of mind, when
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