Doctr. 1. It is better (or a more desirable good thing) to go to an house of mourning for the dead, then to an house of feasting for the solace of the living. Of feasts there be three sorts. 1. Civil feasts where a fourfold solace: First, Eating the fat and drinking the sweet; Secondly, Loving and neighbourly company: Thirdly, Pleasant discourse and sometimes Music: Fourthly, Increase of mutual neighbourly love. 2. Profane or riotous, where the former comforts are abused, and perverted. First, by Excess in eating and drinking to gluttony and drunkenness: Secondly, The Company, swaggering and debauched Ruffians, Swearing and roaring Boys: Thirdly, Instead of pleasant discourses Ribaldry, wanton songs and dances, abusing of the name of God or man. Fourthly, fallings out and quarrellings: or else linking in conspiracy to do some mischief. 3. Holy feasts; where, First, Gods institution or special mercies invite to thankfulness: and meat and drink as before God, Exod. 18.12. Secondly, Christian company: Thirdly, Holy conference, Luke 14.1, to 8. and so to the end: Fourthly, Increase of childlike love to God, and brotherly love one to another. Of this last sort of feasts, the comparison is not put: for Gods ordinances are more edifying then his providences. Nor it it to civil, especially to godly men put of the second sort of feasts, Riotous. For to honest and good men. It is an house of mourning to be in such an house of feasting, Psal. 120.5. But here he speaketh of such an house of feasting as is contrary to the house of mourning.
Doctr. 1. It is better (or a more desireable good thing) to go to an house of mourning for the dead, then to an house of feasting for the solace of the living. Of feasts there be three sorts. 1. Civil feasts where a fourfold solace: First, Eating the fat and drinking the sweet; Secondly, Loving and neighbourly company: Thirdly, Pleasant discourse and sometimes Musick: Fourthly, Increase of mutual neighbourly love. 2. Prophane or riotous, where the former comforts are abused, and perverted. First, by Excesse in eating and drinking to gluttony and drunkennesse: Secondly, The Company, swaggering and debaucht Ruffians, Swearing and roaring Boyes: Thirdly, Instead of pleasant discourses Ribaldry, wanton songs and dances, abusing of the name of God or man. Fourthly, fallings out and quarrellings: or else linking in conspiracy to doe some mischiefe. 3. Holy feasts; where, First, Gods institution or special mercies invite to thankfulnesse: and meat and drink as before God, Exod. 18.12. Secondly, Christian company: Thirdly, Holy conference, Luke 14.1, to 8. and so to the end: Fourthly, Increase of childlike love to God, and brotherly love one to another. Of this last sort of feasts, the comparison is not put: for Gods ordinances are more edifying then his providences. Nor it it to civil, especially to godly men put of the second sort of feasts, Riotous. For to honest and good men. It is an house of mourning to be in such an house of feasting, Psal. 120.5. But here he speaketh of such an house of feasting as is contrary to the house of mourning.
