Carefully avoid two Extremes, which are apt to make Conversation criminal, Melancholy, and too great Mirth. The first, whether it proceeds from ill Humour, or from any Thing that troubles us, inclines us to Paffion and provoking Words: In this Temper we can bear nothing, nor be pleased with any Thing others do or fay. The other, which proceeds from a gay, facetious Temper, puts us upon too free, light, and immodeft Words and Actions; makes us rally too much, talk too much, and expofes us to many other Imperfections.

Never give Way to Tranfports of Paffion, under any Pretence whatsoever: Offer your Reasons with Strength and Mildnefs: and if they are not relished, never trouble yourself upon that Account, becaufe by an indecent Warmth you get no Ground; fo though you could this Way pufh you Reasons farther, yet you ought not to do it at the Expence of Peace and Charity, which is much preferable to any Thing else. If you are provoked by fly Reflections, or any biting Raillery, let Modefty and Silence ferve inftead of an Anfwer: Do not fear that your Silence should be interpreted to your Difadvantage; for fince it appeared you did not want Words to advance you Reafons, it will never be imagined you could not return the injurious Raillery you receive: And whereas the Dif pute is now no farther Reasoning but Quarrelling

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relling, it much more raises your Character to turn a deaf Ear to any provoking Reflections, than by returning them in their Kind, of which there is no End, and which ferve only to fcandalize your Neighbour, and disturb the Company.

It is not fufficient to be innocent in Converfation, by avoiding fuch Faults to which it is most exposed; but we muft endeavour to make it useful and advantageous to one another. When any Accidents of Life are related, we fhould draw fuch Inferences from them, as may inftruct as well as divert: We should contrive it fo, that Religion may have a Share in our Entertainments, but without Affectation, or bringing it in unfeafonably. It is furprifing that Chriftians, whofe main Bufinefs is the Care of their Souls, fhould be fo ready and eloquent to fpeak upon any Subject that relates to this World, and yet fo cold and indifferent when the Matters of God and Eternity are started. Religious Difcourfe in its Seafon is very profitable, and proves an admirable Incitement to Piety in those that fpeak, and thofe that. hear.

Among the feveral Objects that present themselves to you in Converfation, be fure to have a Guard upon your Senfes; reftrain your Eyes from any immodeft Glances, that they may not be fixed on dangerous Objects. Several complain that their Minds

are diffipated and distracted, and that they are attacked by many Temptations; but, this is not to be wondered at, because they draw thefe Temptations upon themselves, by loose Converfations with Perfons of a different Sex; by unguarded Looks, by libertine Difcourfes, and by dangerous Divertions, which prove the very Temptations they complain of.

In Diverfions we muft confider the End and Defign of them, which is, to refresh our wearied Spirits, to unbend ourfelves from the conftant Application to Bufinefs, and thereby to fit and prepare us the better to discharge our Duties in our feveral Stations. Whatever contradicts this End, must be avoided: for we were not fent into Life only to sport, and please ourselves; and Diverfion ceafes to be fo, when it is made our Business. We must alfo have a Regard to the Nature of them, that they be fuch as tend to promote our Health, and at the fame Time no Ways impair the Vigour of our Minds; that they do not expofe us to any dangerous Temptations; and become the Occafion of offending God: Thofe Pleafures that are unlawful, are not fo much as to be named among Chriftians; and thofe that are lawful, must be used with Moderation, and at feafonable Hours, and fuch chofe as moft comport with the Gravity of our Chriftian Profeffion,

Gaming has been the Source of many and great Mifchiefs, and has ruined many Per-fons in their Bodies and Souls; and in this Age, it deftroys its Thoufands and ten Thoufands; especially when Men apply themselves to it as a Trade, and propofe Gain rather than Diverfion from it. Extravagance ufually attends it, as does Paffion, Swearing, Cheating and Lying; and very often Confcience, Time and Eftate, are facrificed to it altogether. Sober Perfons, that divert themselves this Way, must take Care that it does not confume too much of their precious Time, and that it never intrenches upon the neceffary Duties of the Family and Clofet; that they never hazard more than they can conveniently fpare; and that they never venture to win of others, what fhould fupport them and their Families; that their Minds are not agitated by various Paffions, which endanger their Virtue; and that they avoid all Difputes. or Quarrels, which exafperate People's Minds one against another; and above all, that they do not make a Business of what they should ufe only as a Diversion.

VII. READING. Food is not more néceffary to our Bodies, than Reading the Holy Scriptures and fpiritual Books is for the Nourishment of our Souls. It is unaccountable to see how many Men amuse themselves with Trifles for Hours together, and how few

find Leisure to perufe practical Treatifes of Religion. As bad Books are very pernicious, fo good ones are very ufeful and profitable; they enlighten our Understandings, and teach us the Practice of Piety and Holiness; they ftir up our Wills and inflame our Affections, and make us readily choose and pursue the Service of God; they are Preachers ready at hand, that we may confult with when we have a Mind to do it.

It is better to read a little with Attention, than to read a great deal and be never the better for it. Let not Curiofity, and a Thirst of Knowledge only, be the Motive of your reading; but let your chief Aim be, to become thereby more holy and fanctified. Sometimes in reading, raise up your Mind to God, and beg his Grace to make it profitable to you; dwell a little upon any Paffage that fenfibly affects you, and confider of the best Means whereby you may put in Practice what you have read.

Never fuffer bad Books to be your Entertainment; fuch as undermine the Principles of the Chriftian Religion, or corrupt the Purity of Morality, by putting fair Colours upon the worst of Crimes, by ftirring up our Paffions to forbidden Objects, and by filling our Heads with romantic Notions of Love and Honour. Never pretend, that in fuch Difcourfes you may pick out the good, and leave the bad; the reading of one Side will

infenfibly