more rightly fuppofed to intend, either rotten, and fo to be Part of the Allegory, that is, carried on by the Term edifying, which in its firft Senfe fignifies building; and corrupt Communication may therefore defign any Sort of Difcourfe which is contrary to Spiritual Edification, as rotten Materials are very improperly employed in litteral Buildings; or else it may mean unfavory, in oppofition to what the Apostle calls in another Place Speech feafoned with Salt; i. e. fuch Speech as is both wholesome and grateful, whereby Instruction or Edification is convey'd, and convey'd in an agreeable Manner.

But that which is good for the Ufe of Edifying. Edification is a Spiritual Term, and generally fignifies Improvement in Christian Virtue; but here it is exprefs'd, as tho' it intended, principally indeed Improvement in a Spiritual Senfe; but at the fame time it may include any other Sort likewife of unprofitable and useful Improvement.

That it may minifter Grace unto the Hearers. The Term Grace may be interpreted in a larger Senfe than it ufually VOL. I. M

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is, and be fuppofed to fignify Chriftian Chearfulness as well as Chriftian Purity; fo the fame Apoftle ufes it in another Place, let your Speech be with Grace, feafoned with Salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every Man; where it is plain we are commanded to accommodate ourselves to all Men in our Speech, and how accommodate ourselves to them otherwife than by the engaging and agreeable Manner of our Speech?

THE Precept therefore will stand thus; Let no corrupt, no rotten, no unedifying, no unfavory Communication proceed out of your Mouth; but let your Discourse be calculated for Improvement, and calculated in fuch a Manner, that it may minifter both Profit and Pleasure to those you converfe with.

FROM which Words thus explain'd, we may take Occafion to confider, how common Conversation ought to be regulated, fo as to take a profitable and improveable Turn: A Topick this, far from being below the Regard of the Pulpit, fince Converfation is what all Mankind run into, as the moft agreeable

Circum

Circumftance of Life; and as Dangers always attend what is agreeable, Converfation abounds with them : The Prophane, the Diffolute, the Uncharitable, do all make their Difcourfe favour ftrongly of their particular Difpofitions; and thro' that natural Pronenefs which Men bear to Sin, through the Influences of bad Example, and the familiar and entertaining Lights wherein Men love to place their favourite Vices, we find that Sin infinuates wonderfully by common Difcourfe, and Men are much more talk'd into Wickedness, than betray'd into it any other Way; and Dangers in this respect are more particularly dangerous, because Mischiefs, like Bleffings, by being common, become difregarded: Men fall into Converfation, as into an obvious engaging Office, and it is an Affair fo much of course, that they never attend either to its Nature or its Confequences.

Now the Whole of this Subject seems included in the Matter of our Converfation, and the Manner of it; the Matter of it ought to be calculated chiefly for Ufe, the Manner of it for a more engaging

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gaging Conveyance of that useful Part. As to the Manner of converfing, it is fo entirely prudential, it depends fo very much upon Custom and Fashion, upon the Variety of Tempers, and the Difference of Circumstances, that it is impoffible to confider it minutely within any Compass; it may only be remark'd in general, that the best Rule for converfing is to ftudy the Turn of our own Nature; and to make that as univerfally agreeable as we can, to fall in with other Perfons Tempers and Inclinations, as far as we can with Innocence and Difcretion, and to give all our Difcourfe fuch a Tincture of Sincerity and Chearfulness as may procure for us both the good Opinion and the good Affections of those we converfe with. It is the Matter therefore of Converfation, which will be at present confider'd; and that for Method's fake, may be brought under the Three following Heads, that which does more immediately relate to God, our Neighbour, and Ourselves; more immediately, because all Converfation muft concern ourselves, as Actors in it; yet for Diftinction's fake,

that which more immediately relates to God may be call'd Religious; that which more immediately relates to our Neighbour, may be call'd charitable Difcourfe; and all other Discourse whatever may be faid more immediately to relate to Ourfelves.

Ift, THEN, of Religious Difcourfe: Religion certainly is the most excellent Topick for Conversation, but withal the least regarded, and might juftly challenge to have very much faid of it here, because fo very little is faid of it out in the World; there cannot be a greater Mark of an univerfal Decay of Piety than the Neglect of fuch Difcourse in common Converfation: We find enough of Religion in Men's Heads to minifter Strife and Difpute, but not enough of it in their Hearts to engage them to think of it affectionately, and to speak of it with Zeal and Reverence: The Charge of Hypocrify and Stiffness runs fo high against Religious Talkers, that give but a Man that Character, and you will go near to ruin his Credit in Life; he will be thought unfit for Society, either becaufe

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