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BERM.
VIII.
FALLING
SHORT
or
HEAVEN.
143
dreadful
company.
What
gay
and
swelling figures so-
ever
you
have
made
on
earth,
you
will
make but
a
poor
and
wretched one in
that
world,
if
ye
are
found
distitute
of
the riches
of grace;
and it
will
be a
mournful inscrip-
tion written
on
your
tomb,
"
This rich
man
died-
Land
he lift
up his
eyes in hell
;"
Luke
xvi.
X23.
But,
belov-
ed,
we
hope
better
things
of
you,
though
we
thus speak,
and
things
that
accompany salvation,
lieb.
vi.
9.
Thus
I
have
finished
the
first
general exhortation,
to
those
who
have any valuable qualities
attending
them,
but through the
love
of
this world
are tempted
to
neglect
heaven.
The
second
exhortation
is
addressed
to
those
who
are
weaned, in some
good
degree, from this world,
and have
treasures.
in heaven, but
are
defective
in
those good
qualities which might
render
them amiable upon
earth.
I
confess
I
have no
direct
commission from
my
test
to
address
you
here
:
But
I
am unwilling
and ashamed
that
a rich young man
should
go
to hell
with
some
more lovely
appearances upon
him
than
you have, who
are
in
the
u'ay to heaven.
You
have chosen
God
for your
eternal
portion,
and
your highest hope
;
you
have chosen
his Son
Jesus
for
your
only
Mediator, and
your way to the
Father;
you
have chosen the worship and the
ordinances
of God
as
your
dearest delight;
ye
are the chosen objects
of
the
love
of
God,
and
his
grace
has
inclined
you to
love him
above
all things.
Methinks I
would
not
have any
blot
cast upon
so
many excellencies.
Be ye
advised
there-
fore
to
seek
after
that
agreeable
temper
and
conduct
which may
make you
beloved
of
men too
;
that
the
wisest
and best
of
men may chuse
you for
an
honour
to
their
acquaintance
and company.
This
will
render
your
pro-
fession more
honourable, and
make
religion
itself
look
more
lovely
in
the sight
of
the world.
What
a foul blemish
it
is
to
our
christianity, when
we
shall
hear it
said,
"
Here
is
a
man
who
professes the gos-
,pel
of
grace,
but
he does
not practise the
decencies
that
the light of
nature
would
teach
him
".
He
tells
us
that he'
belongs
to
heaven; but
he
has
so
little of humanity
in
his
deportment,
that
he
is
hardly
fit
company for any
upon
earth."
Shall
it
be said
of
any
of
you,
"
Here
is
a
man
that
pretends
to the love
of God, but
he
is
morose
in his