V. Now, I am not saying that it is not
needful to remember God at all times;…I must not be
misunderstood, or I shall be having these nimble and quick people down
upon me again. For we ought to think of God even more often than
we draw our breath; and if the expression is permissible, we ought to
do nothing else. Yea, I am one of those who entirely approve that
Word which bids us meditate day and night, Ps. i. 2.
and tell at eventide and morning and noon day, Ps. lv. 17.
and praise the Lord at every time; Ps. xxxiv. 1. or, to use
Moses’ words, whether a man lie down, or rise up, or walk by the
way, or whatever else he be doing Deut. vi. 7.—and by
this recollection we are to be moulded to purity. So that it is
not the continual remembrance of God that I would hinder, but only the
talking about God; nor even that as in itself wrong, but only when
unseasonable; nor all teaching, but only want of moderation. As
of even honey repletion and satiety, though it be of honey, produce
vomiting; Prov. xxv. 16. and, as Solomon
says and I think, there is a time for every thing, Eccles. iii. 1. and that which is good ceases to be good if
it be not done in a good way; just as a flower is quite out of season
in winter, and just as a man’s dress does not become a woman, nor
a woman’s a man; and as geometry is out of place in mourning, or
tears at a carousal; shall we in this instance alone disregard the
proper time, in a matter in which most of all due season should be
respected? Surely not, my friends and brethren (for I will still
call you Brethren, though you do not behave like brothers). Let
us not think so nor yet, like hot tempered and hard mouthed horses,
throwing off our rider Reason, and casting away Reverence, that keeps
us within due limits, run far away from the turning point, The course of the
chariot races in the Greek Games was round the Hippodrome a certain
number of times. To facilitate this arrangement, a party wall was
built down the middle, and at either end of it certain posts were set
up called νύσσαι, or in Latin
Metæ, round which the cars were to turn. The object
of the charioteers was to turn round these as close as possible, to
save distance; and to do this well it was necessary to have the horses
under perfect control, as well as perfectly trained, to make the
semicircle at full gallop almost on the axis of the car. The
horses that got out of hand and galloped wildly round a large circle
would almost certainly lose distance enough to lose the race, while the
driver would be laughed at for his unskilfulness. but let us philosophize within our proper
bounds, and not be carried away into Egypt, nor be swept down into
Assyria Dan. iii. 12., nor sing the
Lord’s song in a strange land, by which I mean before any kind of
audience, strangers or kindred, hostile or friendly, kindly or the
reverse, who watch what we do with over great care, and would like the
spark of what is wrong in us to become a flame, and secretly kindle and
fan it and raise it to heaven with their breath and make it higher than
the Babylonian flame which burnt up every thing around it. For
since their strength lies not in their own dogmas, they hunt for it in
our weak points. And therefore they apply themselves to
our—shall I say “misfortunes” or
“failings”?—like flies to wounds. But let us at
least be no longer ignorant of ourselves, or pay too little attention
to the due order in these matters. And if it be impossible to put
an end to the existing hostility, let us at least agree upon this, that
we will utter Mysteries under our breath, and holy things in a holy
manner, and we will not cast to ears profane that which may not be
uttered, nor give evidence that we possess less gravity than those who
worship demons, and serve shameful fables and deeds; for they would
sooner give their blood to the uninitiated than certain words.
But let us recognize that as in dress and diet and laughter and
demeanour there is a certain decorum, so there is also in speech and
silence; since among so many titles and powers of God, we pay the
highest honour to The Word. Let even our disputings then be kept
within bounds.