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In short, it was their care then continually to keep company with dying thoughts, and to dwell within the prospect of eternity. “They are indeed in the flesh, but do not live after the flesh; they dwell upon earth, but their conversation is in heaven :* as the soul lives in the body, but is not of the body, so they dwell in the world, but are not of the world; an immortal spirit dwells in a mortal tabernacle, and christians, while they sojourn in these corruptible mansions, expect and look for an incorruptible state in heaven.

REFLECTION.

The early christians, being deeply impressed with the truth of the gospel, the dignity of revelation, and the gracious promise of salvation to every true believer, felt themselves compelled, as it were, to live as became the gospel. This is the only mystery why their conduct is superior to our own. We must acknowledge ourselves deficient in these essential points; and, therefore, we have greater difficulty in conversing with God in the purity of our hearts : and yet we have the same God, the same Saviour, the same protecting and prevailing Spirit to direct and sanctify us which they had; but we have not, generally speaking, the same power of faith. It is so mixed up with worldly concerns, so broken into parts by distracting cares or delusive pleasures, that we do not rest upon it as the anchor of our hope. Is it wonderful then that we have not the same fervour

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of devotion, the same warm feeling of the presence of God, the same apprehension of his providential care, the same lively gratitude for his inestimable mercies? We are, doubtless, capable of all these things, and God's grace is sufficient for us. Though many miss the way, I trust many find it;-many experience that sweet tranquillity of soul which consists in the contemplation of heaven, and assimilates the obedience of christians with the earnest expectation of heavenly comforts. To seek heaven and contemn the world are parts of the same system; but they neither imply abstraction from moral duties, or a total disrelish of earthly pursuits, when those pursuits are consistent with a spiritual end. But they certainly imply a rejection of every worldly and base design, an abhorrence of sin under every beguiling shape, and a resolution to follow Christ firmly and consistently through the various and intricate mazes of human life; to love him, to walk with him, and thus, finally, to ascend, by him and with him, to God the Father-the Father Almighty! Give us then, blessed Lord! grace to withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil, and with pure hearts and minds to follow thee the only God, through Jesus Christ our Lord.-Amen.

CHAPTER III.

Of the Sobriety of the primitive Christians, in Respect of their Garb and Apparel.

THE primitive christians being thus eminent for their contempt of the world, it is easy to imagine that they were very temperate and abstemious in the use of all the pleasures and conveniences of human life, particularly in their sobriety in respect of garb and apparel, their temperance in regard of food and diet, and in their continence or chastity.

1. Care about our garb and dress is one of those instances of sobriety, which are to be conducted by the rules of religion and reason, and which indicate a virtuous or a vicious temper. "There are three things, as the son of Sirach well observes, that shew a man what he is, his attire, excessive laughter, and his gait:"* there is not certainly a more open evidence of a vain mind than a vain garb and habit. "The habit that does best beseem a christian," says S. Basil," ought to be such as expresses the meekness and humility of the mind." "It is not enough,” says Tertullian,+ "that a christian be chaste and modest, but he must appear to be so;—a virtue, of which he should have so great a store and treasure, that it should flow from his mind upon his habit, and

* Eccl. xix. 15. + De Cultu Fœmin. lib. ii. c. 13.

break from the retirements of his conscience into the superficies of his life." Basil says, "the habit of a christian ought to be suitable to the two great ends of clothing instituted by God; namely,―honesty and necessity." In Paradise, innocency was man's only robe; sin brought in other clothing. This should induce us to be modest in our apparel, and to remember that our clothes are the monitors of cur apostacy, and that we have little reason to pride ourselves in that which covers our wickedness. Clemens Alexandrinus mentions a third end of clothing, and that is, not only a distinction of sexes, but of ranks and degrces of men, such as are suitable to men's age, persons, shape, and nature, or to their several states and employments; in these respects, they may use different and distinguishing habits.

The ancient christians governed themselves by such rules as these; and avoided, in these respects, both singularity and excess, conforming to the decent and orderly customs and fashions of the times and places where they lived. Justin Martyr* describes them as not differing from other men, either in their country, or their speech, or in the usages of common life. "They dwell," he says, " in their own cities, use the same language with other men, nor have they any singular and extraordinary way of life; they are not in any thing affected or fantastic, but inhabiting partly among Greeks, and partly in barbarous cities, as every one's lotis fallen; they follow the custom

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of their country, and, both in clothes and diet, and in all other affairs of outward life, shew the excellent and admirable constitution of their discipline and conversation."

It had been made a question-Whether, when they turned christians, they left off the toga, the Roman gown, and took up the pallium, or cloak, which was worn by those who entered on a life of more than ordinary strictness? But that there was any such change of habits when men became christians, there is no reason to believe: but in the case of Tertullian, who wrote an apology for himself, he altered his habit, and assumed the cloak, not when he became christian, but when he was made presbyter of the church of Carthage.

From hence it appears, that, although the clergy, and such as entered upon a more strict and ascetic course of life, had a habit peculiar to themselves, yet the generality of christians differed not from the common garb. They were indeed very careful to avoid all costliness and finery in their appearance, but chose such a dress as expressed the greatest lowliness and innocency. "The garments that we should wear," says Clemens Alexandrinus, "ought to be mean and frugal, not curiously wrought with divers colours (the emblem of craftiness and deceit), but white, to denote our embracing and professing simplicity and truth."

The fathers indeed often complained of, and smartly reproved, the vanity and folly, particularly of female dress, which they adopted out of an emu

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