I Ìì11iON XXIII, 519 1. Wherein this gravity consists. II. Hew the light òf ;ure recommends it. III. How the gospel enforces it. IV. Lay down a direction or two, in order to obtain it ' First, This gravity and venerable decencywhich the apostle recommends in my text; may be supposed to consist in these three things. .1. Amoderation and decency in our apparel. -2. A gravity and sobriety in our speech and conversation. 3. Honour, decency, and dignityin our wholedeportment and behaviour. L Amoderation and decencyinour Apparel, such asbecomes the profession of persons whose chief ornament is religion and godliness. This the apostles, bóth St. Peter and St: Paul, each in their turn, insist upoti, as a necessary qualificationof women who profess Christianity, and as an ornament to the doctrine of the gospel of Christ ; 1 Pet. iii. 2, 3: Let your conversation be with fear ; whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and wearing of gold; 1 Tim: ii. 9, 10. The apostle Paul bids Timothy the young evangelist teach the saine doctrine and practice. In like manner, I will also that women adorn themselves in modest apparel with shamefacednessand sobri- ety; as becometh women professinggodliness.Not that all Chris- tians must utterly abandon those richer and Costly methods of ornament, gold or pearls, which the apostle there makes men- tion- of ; for every one óf us Should wear such raiment as suits our character and our age, our company and business in the world : But let not these be our chief ornaments, Still remem- bering that we arechristianS ? and let our apparel, as well as our conversation, shew that we despise trifles and thus maintain the dignityof our high and holy calling. Here, saith a * learned Commentator, " it is worthy toe be noted by the women that this precept ought not tobe slighted by them, as of little moment, seeing it is so carefully inculcated by the two chief apostles of the Jew and Gentile, St. Peter and St. Paul; and the contrary is represented as a practice opposite to. godliness." Nor while you are dressing, shóúld you forget that you are sinners, and therefore shoald put on shamefacedness ; for all our ornaments and clothing are but a memorial of our first sin and shame. And when we take a pride In our garments, it looks as if we had forgotten the original of them, the loss of our inno- cency: Nor is this sort of advice to be confined to the female world : For, as the same author expresses it, " If it be so unbe- coming a christian woman to be thus concerned in adorning and >k Dr. Wbitby. , VOL t. ÿ
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