XVII. A man may be said to have some regard for religion, who is _regular_ at places of divine worship; but he cannot be reckoned of a _religious spirit_, till it is his Spirit in every place and on every occasion, till he lives and breathes by it, and thinks, and speaks, and acts according to its motions.
A man may frequent _meetings for mirth_; but yet, if when he is out of them, he gives himself to peevishness, chagrin and dulness, no one will say such a man is of a _chearful spirit_. It is easy to make the application: if we are only attendants at _places_ of religion; if when we are out of those places, we are of another spirit, I don’t say proud or covetous, but vain and foolish: if our actions are silly, and our conversation trifling and impertinent, our tempers vain and worldly, we are no more of a _religious spirit_, than a dull peevish man is of a _chearful spirit_, because he is regular at some set meetings for _mirth_.
XVIII. *Religion is not ours till we live by it; till it is the religion of our thoughts, words and actions; till it goes with us into every place; sits uppermost on every occasion; and forms and governs our hopes and fears, our cares and pleasures. He is the religious man who watches and guards his Spirit, and endeavours to be always in the temper of religion; who worships God in every place: who is as fearful of foolish thoughts, irregular tempers, and vain imaginations at one time as at another; who is as wise and heavenly at _home_, or in the field, as in the _house of_ God. For when once religion has got possession of a man’s heart, and is become as it ought to be, his ruling temper; it is as agreeable to such a one in all places, and at all times, to speak and act according to its directions, as ’tis agreeable to the _ambitious_ man, to act according to the motions of ambition. We must therefore take it for granted, that if we are not religious in our conversation, or common temper, we are not religious in our hearts; we may have a _formality_ of religion at certain _times_ and _places_, but we are not of a _religious spirit_.
XIX. We see every body speaking and conversing according to their _spirit_ and temper: the covetous, the ambitious, the vain and self-conceited, have each of them their proper language suitable to their spirit and temper; they are the _same_ persons in all places, and always talk like themselves. If therefore we could meet with persons of a truly religious spirit, we should find them like men of other tempers, the same persons _in all places_, and always talking and acting like themselves. We should find them living by one temper, and conversing with men with the same spirit that they converse with God; not one thing in one place, and another in another; not formal and grave at a _funeral_, and mad and frantic at a _feast_; not listening to wisdom at _church_, and delighting in folly at _home_; not angry with one foolish thing, and as much pleased at another; but steady and uniform in the same wise and religious temper.
XX. Farther, as we are not of a _religious spirit_, till it orders all our conversation; so it is to be observed, that if our conversation is vain and foolish, it keeps us in a state incapable of religion, by _grieving_ the _Holy Spirit_. And as we can do nothing without the Spirit of God, as he is our _breath_, our _life_, our _light_, and our _strength_; so, if we live in such a way as _grieves_ and _removes_ this Holy Spirit from us, we are as branches that are broke off from the tree, and must perish in the deadness and corruption of our nature. Let this therefore teach us to judge rightly of the sin and danger of _vain, unedifying_ and _corrupt_ communication; it is not the sin of _idleness_ or _negligence_ only; it is not a _pardonable infirmity_; it is not a _little mistake_ in spiritual wisdom; but it is a sin that stands between us and the _tree_ of life; that opposes our whole happiness, as it _grieves_ and _separates_ the Holy Spirit from us. Let this also teach some people the reason why they are so _dead_ and _senseless_ of religion: they are not guilty of gross sins; they have an aversion to _cheating_ and _falseness_; but at the same time have no more feeling or sense of religion than mere _reprobates_. Now the reason of it is this; they live in such an _impertinence_ of conversation; their communication is so constantly upon _silly_ and _vain_ subjects; and they are so fond of those who have the talent of conversing in the same manner, that they render themselves _unfit_ for the residence of the Holy Spirit. We don’t seem to apprehend, either how much _good_ or how much _evil_ there is in conversation; I believe it may be affirmed that the greatest instructions, and the greatest corruptions proceed from it. For mens common conversation and ordinary life teach much more effectually than any thing they say or do at set times or occasions.