ble with the preservation and prosperity of a state.
He will see according to Lactantius, and others, that "no Christian
can lawfully be a soldier." That according to Justin, "no Christian
can be a magistrate." That according to Chrysostom, "no Christian
ought to be a merchant" And that according to several, "no
Christian ought t study." In fine, joining these maxims together
with those of the New Testament, it will follow, that a Christian,
who as he is commanded, aims at perfection, is a useless member
of the community, useless to his family, and to all around him. He
is an idle dreamer, who thinks of nothing but futurity; who has
nothing in common with the interests of the world, and according
to Tertullian "has no other business but to get out of it as quietly as
possible."

Let us hearken to Esebius of Caesarea, and we shall abundantly
discover the truth of what has been said.

"The manner of life, (says he,) of the Christian church, surpasses
our present nature, and the common life of men. It seeks neither
marriage, nor children, nor riches. In fine, it is entirely a stranger
to human modes of living. It is entirely absorbed in an insatiable
love of heavenly things. Those who follow this course of life, have
only their bodies upon earth, their whole souls are in heaven, and
they already dwell among pure and celestial intelligences, and they
despise the manner of life of other men" Demonstrat. Evang. vol.
ii. p.29.

Indeed a man firmly persuaded of the truth of; Christianity cannot
attach himself to any thing here below. Every thing here is "an
occasion of stumbling, a rock of offence." Every thing here, diverts
him from thinking of his salvation. If Christians in general,
happily, for society, were not inconsistent, and did not neglect the
peculiar precepts of their religion, no large society of them could
exist; and the nations enlightened by the gospel would turn
hermits, and nuns. All business, but fasting and prayer, would be at
an end. There would be nothing but groaning in "this vale" of
tears;" and they would make themselves, and others, as miserable
as possible, from the best of motives, viz; the desire to fulfill what
they mistakenly conceived to be the will of God.

Is this a picture taken from the life, or is it a fanciful representation
of something different from the peculiar morality of the New
Testament? This serious question demands a serious answer. If it
be such as it is represented above a