renders λeovežiav, stuprum, lust;' and, indeed, it is usual in Scripture, that covetousness-being so universal, so original a crime, such a prolific sin,-be called by all the names of those sins by which it is either punished, or to which it tempts, or whereby it is nourished; and as here it is called uncleanness,' or 'corruption;' so in another place it is called 'idolatry.' But to return; this jesting, which St. Paul reproves, is a direct μwpoXoyía, or the jesting of mimics and players, that of the fool in the play, which, in those times, and long before, and long after, were of that licentiousness, that they would abuse Socrates or Aristides and because the rabble were the laughers, they knew how to make them roar aloud with a slovenly and wanton word, when they understood not the salt and ingenuity of a witty and useful answer or reply; as is to be seen in the intertextures of Aristophanes' comedies. But in pursuance of this of St. Paul, the fathers of the church have been very severe in the censures of this liberty. St. Ambrose forbids all: Non solum profusos, sed etiam omnes jocos declinandos arbitror; “Not only the looser jestings, but even all are to be avoided ;"* nay, licet interdum joca honesta et suavia sint, tamen ab ecclesiæ horrent regula, "the church allows them not, though they be otherwise honest and pleasant; for how can we use those things we find not in Holy Scriptures?" St. Basil gives reason for this severity: Jocus facit animam remissam et erga præcepta Dei negligentem; and, indeed, that cannot be denied; those persons whose souls are dispersed and ungathered by reason of a wanton humor to intemperate jesting, are apt to be trifling in their religion. St. Jerome is of the same opinion, and adds a commandment of a full authority, if at least the record was right; for he quotes a saying of our blessed Saviour out of the gospel of the Nazarenes; Nunquam læti sitis, nisi cum fratrem vestrum in charitate videritis; "Never be merry, but when you see your brother in charity :"+ and when you are merry, St. James hath appointed a proper expression of it, and a fair entertainment to the passion; If any man be merry, let him sing psalms.' But St. Bernard, who is also strict in this parti cular, yet he adds the temper. Though jestings be not fit for * Lib. de Offic. + In Ep. ad Ephes. a Christian, interdum tamen si incidant, ferendæ fortassis, referendæ nunquam: magis interveniendum caute et prudenter nugacitati: "If they seldom happen, they are to be borne, but never to be returned and made a business of; but we must rather interpose warily and prudently to hinder the growth and progress of the trifle." But concerning this case of conscience, we are to remember, these holy persons found jesting to be a trade;* such were the ridicularii among the Romans, and the yeλwrootoi among the Greeks; and this trade, besides its own unworthiness, was mingled with infinite impieties; and in the institution, and in all the circumstances of its practice, was not only against all prudent severity, but against, modesty and chastity, and was a license in disparagement of virtue; and the most excellent things and persons were by it undervalued: so that in this throng of evil circumstances finding a humor placed, which, without infinite wariness, could never pretend to innocence, it is no wonder they forbade all; and so also did St. Paul on the same account. And in the same state of reproof to this day are all that do as they did: such as are professed jesters, people that play the fool for money, whose employment and study is to unclothe themselves of the covers of reason or modesty, that they may be laughed at. And let it be considered, how miserable every sinner is, if he does not deeply and truly repent; and when the man is wet with tears, and covered with sorrow, crying out mightily against his sins, how ugly will it look when this is remembered, the next day, that he plays the fool, and raises his laughter louder than his prayers and yesterday's groans, for no interest but that he may eat! A penitent and a jester is like a Grecian piece of money, on which were stamped a Helena on one side, and a Hecuba on the other, a rose and a deadly aconite, a Paris and an Æsop,-nothing was more contrary; and on this account this folly was reproved by St. Jerome; Verum et hæc a sanctis viris penitus propellenda, quibus magis convenit flere atque lugere, "Weeping, and penitential sorrow, and the sweet troubles of pity and compassion, become a holy person"t much better than a scurri * Vide S. Chrysost. Homil. 6. in Matth, + Ubi supra. lous tongue. But the whole state of this question is briefly this. 1. If jesting be unseasonable, it is also intolerable; Téλws ἄκαιρος ἐν βροτοῖς δεινὸν κακόν.* 2. If it be immoderate, it is criminal, and a little thing here makes the excess; it is so in the confines of folly, that, as soon as it is out of doors, it is in the regions of sin. 3. If it be in an ordinary person, it is dangerous; but if in an eminent, a consecrated, a wise, and extraordinary person, it is scandalous. Inter sæculares nugæ sunt, in ore sacerdotis blasphemiæ, so St. Bernard. 4. If the matter be not of an indifferent nature, it becomes sinful by giving countenance to a vice, or making virtue to become ridiculous. 5. If it be not watched that it complies with all that hear, it becomes offensive and injurious. 6. If it be not intended to fair and lawful purposes, it is sour in the using. 7. If it be frequent, it combines and clusters into a formal sin. 8. If it mingles with any sin, it puts on the nature of that new unworthiness, beside the proper ugliness of the thing itself; and, after all these, when can it be lawful or apt for Christian entertainment? The Ecclesiastical History reports, that many jests passed between St. Anthony, the father of the hermits, and his scholar, St. Paul; and St. Hilarion is reported to have been very pleasant, and of facete, sweet, and more lively conversation; and, indeed, plaisance, and joy, and a lively spirit, and a pleasant conversation, and the innocent caresses of a charitable humanity, is not forbidden; Plenum tamen suavitatis et gratiæ sermonem non esse indecorum, St. Ambrose affirmed; and here in my text our conversation is commanded to be such, "va dý xápiv, ' that it may minister grace,' that is, favor, complaisance, cheerfulness; and be acceptable and pleasant to the hearer and so must be our conversation; it must be as far from sullenness as it ought to be from lightness, and a cheerful spirit is the best * Wint. Min. P. yvŵu. y. B. convoy for religion; and though sadness does in some cases become a Christian, as being an index of a pious mind, of compassion, and a wise, proper resentment of things, yet it serves but one end, being useful in the only instance of repentance; and hath done its greatest works, not when it weeps and sighs, but when it hates and grows careful against sin. But cheerfulness and a festival spirit fill the soul full of harmony, it composes music for churches and hearts, it makes and publishes glorifications of God, it produces thankfulness, and serves the end of charity and when the oil of gladness runs over, it makes bright and tall emissions of light and holy fires, reaching up to a cloud, and making joy round about: and therefore, since it is so innocent, and may be so pious and full of holy advantage, whatsoever can innocently minister to this holy joy, does set forward the work of religion and charity. And, indeed, charity itself, which is the vertical top of all religion, is nothing else but a union of joys, concentred in the heart, and reflected from all the angles of our life and intercourse. It is a rejoicing in God, a gladness in our neighbor's good, a pleasure in doing good, a rejoicing with him; and without love we cannot have any joy at all. It is this that makes children to be a pleasure, and friendship to be so noble and divine a thing; and on this account it is certain, that all that which can innocently make a man cheerful, does also make him charitable; for grief, and age, and sickness, and weariness, these are peevish and troublesome but mirth and cheerfulness are content, and civil, and compliant, and communicative, and love to do good, and swell up to felicity only on the wings of charity. On this account, here is pleasure enough for a Christian at present; and if a facete discourse, and an amicable friendly mirth, can refresh the spirit, and take it off from the vile temptation of peevish, despairing, uncomplying melancholy, it must needs be innocent and commendable. And we may as well be refreshed by a clean and a brisk discourse, as by the air of Campanian wines; and our faces and our heads may as well be anointed and look pleasant with wit and friendly intercourse, as with the fat of the balsam tree; and such a conversation no wise man ever did or ought to reprove. But when the jest hath teeth and nails, biting or scratching our brother, when it is loose and wanton, —when it is unseasonable,—and much, or many,—when it serves ill purposes, or spends better time; then it is the drunkenness of the soul, and makes the spirit fly away, seeking for a temple where the mirth and the music are solemn and religious. But, above all the abuses which ever dishonored the tongues of men, nothing more deserves the whip of an exterminating angel, or the stings of scorpions, than profane jesting: which is a bringing of the Spirit of God to partake of the follies of a man; as if it were not enough for a man to be a fool, but the wisdom of God must be brought into those horrible scenes: he that makes a jest of the words of Scripture, or of holy things, plays with thunder, and kisses the mouth of a cannon just as it belches fire and death; he stakes heaven at spurn-point, and trips cross and pile whether ever he shall see the face of God or no; he laughs at damnation, while he had rather lose God than lose his jest; nay (which is the horror of all), he makes a jest of God himself, and the Spirit of the Father and the Son to become ridiculous. Some men use to read Scripture on their knees, and many with their heads uncovered, and all good men with fear and trembling, with reverence and grave attention. Search the Scriptures, for therein ye hope to have life eternal;' and, All Scripture is written by inspiration of God, and is fit for instruction, for reproof, for exhortation, for doctrine,' not for jesting; but he that makes that use of it, had better part with his eyes in jest, and give his heart to make a tennis-ball; and, that I may speak the worst thing in the world of it, it is as like the material part of the sin against the Holy Ghost, as jeering of a man is to abusing him; and no man can use it but he that wants wit and manners, as well as he wants religion. 3. The third instance of vain, trifling conversation and immoderate talking, is, revealing secrets; which is a dismantling and rending of the robe from the privacies of human intercourse; and it is worse than denying to restore that which was intrusted to our charge; for this not only injures his neighbor's right, but throws it away, and exposes it to his enemy; it is a denying to give a man his own arms, and delivering them to another; by whom he shall suffer mischief. He that intrusts a secret to his friend, goes thither as to a sanctuary, and to violate the rites of |