092 CHRISTIAN MORALITY. Secondly, Luxury and an intemperate love of pleasure, is another enemy to diligence in our callings. It is an odious cha- racter that is given to the inhabitants of Crete by one of their own poets; and the Spirit of God confirms the truthof it ; Titus i. 12. Tite Cretans are evil beasts, slow bellies; so shamefully engaged in gluttony and the luxury of the palate, that they rem: der themselves heavy, stupid, and unfit for business; A lazy generation of men, that have much more inclination to eat and drink, and live like brutes, than to employ themselves in any honest labour, that is worthy of human nature, or becomes a man. Under the same reproof 1 may justly bring an excessive indulgence of sports or recreations, beyondwhat is necessary for the refreshment of nature, and the recruit of our spirits, in order to fulfil duty with more diligence : This was intimates in -a former discourse. It is but a character of ill report, when a man is too often found inthe place of sports and unnecessary di- versions, whilehe ought to be in his shop, or in other proper business.of his life. Prov. xxi. 27. as Ile that loveth pleasure shall be apoor man; and he that loves reine and oil, feastings and entertainments, he shall not be rich. Thirdly, A tattling humour, excessive talking, and an idle inquisitive impertinence, are great enemies alsoto that industry, that is reeommended to us. Solomon assures us, that though there is profit in all labour, yet the talk of the lips, tendeth only to penury ; Prov: xiv. 23. And he redoubles it upon our ears, that aprating fool shall fall: Prov. x. 8 -10. There are some persons that love to talk of any thing, or every thing, besides their own business ; like foolish children that turn everypage of theirbooks, and flutter a little about every part of them, besides where, their lesson is. Every moving feather is ready to seize the fancy of these triflers, this fickle and talkative race of men : They are but taller children. Every little story entertains their idle inclination, and gives them fresh employment to tell it over again. They ;lad rather do any thing than the dutyof the present hour ; they spend their time like the inhabitants of Athens, in little else but hearing or telling sonic new thing. Some of these persons are ready to intermingle themselves with every man's concernments, uncalled and undesired : They search into the secrets of families, in order to gratify a wicked húmour, to spread abroad and publish some private scandal. They creep into houses, to make mischief there, and by tattling and repeating matters of contest, they separate veryfriends and raise angry quarrels in peaceful families ; Prov. xvü. 9. Such persons seem to deserve the public censure of the magistrate, in the opinionof the apostle Peter i 1 Peter iv. 15. But let none
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