153 / 514
SEAM.
VI/1.1
FALLING
SHORT
OF
HEAVEN.
145
ful
practices
of
this world, in
order
to
fulfil
the
law
of
love.
But
wheresoever the
customs
of
the
place
where
we
dwell
are
consistent
with
the
strict and
holy
rules
of
Christ,
we
should
practise them
so
far, as to
render
our-
selves
agreeable
to
those with whom
we
converse,
that
we
may
shine in the world as
the honours
of
Christ,
and
that
unbelievers may
be
won
by
our
conversation, to
come
arid
hear our
gospel, to
learn
the same
faith,
and
embrace the same
hope:
Not
only
the
things
that
are
true, and
honest,
and
just,
and pure,
but
the
things
that are
lovely in
the sight
of
men,
and
things
that are
of
good
report,
must
be
the subjects
of
our
meditation,
our learning and
practice;
Phil.
iv.
8.
St.
Paul,
that
great
apostle,
did
not think
these things unworthy
of
his
care;
he
enjoins them
upon
the primitive
christians
from
his own
example,
and promises
them
the presence
of
the
God of
peace.
These are
the things which
I
have
taught
you,
saith
he,
these
ye have
heard and seen in
me; conformyour manners
to
these rules,
and the
God
of
peace shall
be
with you, ver.
9.
Believe
me,
friends, the
natural habit
of
christianity
is
all
decency and
loveliness.:
We
put
the religion
of
our
Saviour into a
disguise,
and make it look unlike
it-
self,
if
our temper
be
sour
and fretful,
if
our carriage
be
coarse and rude, and
our
speech savour
of rough-
ness
and wrath. A
Jew
might make
a
better
apology for
a
harsh and severe
deportment, than
a
christian
can
do;
he might
put
on
a morose air
with
better countenance,
and plead the dispensation
he was
under, the
bondage
of
the
law,
and the
terrors
of
mount
Sinai,
but
we,
un-
der
the
gospel,
are
free-born,
Gal.
iv.
26, 31,
and
our
carriage should
be
ingenuous
in all
respects.
John
the
baptist,
in
his
garment
of
hair, may be
indulged in
a
roughness
of
speech;
he
was
but
a forerunner of
the
gospel,
and can hardly
be
called
a
christian: But the
followers
of
the Lamb should have a
mild
aspect,
a
plea-
sing
manner,
that
every one
who
beholds
us
may love us
too; that
the
Son
of
God,
if
he were
here
upon earth,
might look
upon
us
and
love us in
both
his
natures,
with
a
divine and
human
love.
Thirdly,
The last
address
I
would make to
those
who
are furnished
with
every good
quality, and every
divine
grace,
who
are
beloved
by
God
and
men.
Such
a
one
VOL.
I.
7