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SLRM.

XRIJC.]

A

GOOD

REPORT,

&C.

487

It

is

the advice

of

the

Holy

Spirit, and

St.

Paul

to

the

christian

converts,

Abstain

from

all

appearance

of

ez

il,

1

Thess.

v.

22.

And the apostle

Jude

requires

us

to.

hate

even

the garments

that

are spotted by the

flesh,

.Jude

ver.

23.

Every

thing

that

looks like

guilt should

forbid

our

approach,

we

should chuse to stand

afar

off,,

and

with

-hold

our

desires,

lest

we

defile

our

consciences,

and bring a

blemish

upon our christian character.

What

an honour

is'

it

to any man, when

it

is

said

concerning

him,

"

He

has a

tender

soul,

and a conscience

that

will

not stretch,

to the length

of

the loose customs

and

fashions

of

the times

;

he

dares not

allow

himself

all

the

liberties

that

are innocent and

lawful,

lest he

should

wound

his own spirit,

and

his good name, by

venturing

too

near

to the

borders

of iniquity." Let

such

a

temper

be

our constant guard

and ornament.

VI.

Following the common practices

of

the

saints in

doubtful matters,

is

another

thing

of

good

report, and

ought

to be

so

among those

that

profess the name

of

Christ

:

Whether

it

be in

our trade and

business, in

our

apparel,

or

our

visits,

in

our

forms

of

address

to

our

superiors, or

common methods

of

conversation and ci-

vility,

of

recreation, or entertainment, let the general

customs

of

the saints

of

the

purest

ages,

or the customs

of

the purest

churches, and the

best christians

in

our

own

age, be a

direction

to our

practice.

Ask

for

the good

old way, says

the

prophet

Jeremy, and

if

we

know

not

what

part

to chuse,

let

us go

by

the footsteps

of

the

flock

of

Christ.

Enquire

what the

followers

of our

Lord

have

done

in

past

ages,

and what the

wisest

and

best

of

them

do

in

our

own age,

and this

will give us

a

considerable

assistance to

determine what ought

to be

our practice.

In

1,Cor.

xi.

16.

the apostle

-Paul

sectas to refer to

this

general head,

for our determination

in

doubtful matters.

When

he

had-been proposing the

law

of nature,

or the

order

of

creation,

to

direct the

man

and

the wotnan what

sort of

coverings they ought to wear,.viz.

"that

a

woman

ought

not

to be uncovered,

and

that

a man should

not

wear long hair,"

that

is,

should

net

nourish

,his

hair

to

make

it

grow long,

.as,

women,

nor

wattage

it

ry°ith

a

nice and effeminate curiosity, be concludes

with

this

sen-

tence,

"

If

any man

seem

to be

contentious,

that

is,

if

any man be

not contented

with the

arguments

I

have

2

I

4