2. At all times the meals of Christians were plain and frugal. They did not live to eat, but eat to live. They used only such food and such a measure of it, as was necessary for health and strength. As to the kinds of food, they eat whatever was set before them, except blood and things strangled; from which they carefully abstained, according to the decree of the apostles speaking by the Holy Ghost. Some indeed there were in all ages, who eat only herbs with bread and water: not out of any abhorrence of other food; but believing this to be best for their own weakness. No Christians eat with ♦heretics, or persons excommunicate: but they did sometimes with infidels, that they might not break off all society with them. ♦ “hereticks” replaced with “heretics” for consistency 3. The same air of modesty appeared in all the other parts of their life. They valued only inward greatness; they esteemed no nobility, but nobleness of soul. They made no account of perishable goods, or of any riches but spiritual. They utterly despised all that luxury had introduced; all the idle expence of magnificent buildings; of costly apparel; of sumptuous furniture, and vessels of gold and silver. Behold the furniture which her persecutors found in the chamber of _Domna_, a rich lady of _Nicomedia_: the _Acts_ of the apostles, two matts upon the floor, a wooden box, and an earthen censer. 4. As to their dress, they wore no glaring colours, but mostly white, the emblem of purity. They used no costly stuffs, no rings, jewels, perfumes; nothing fine or delicate; plainness, modesty, gravity and a contempt of ornament, were visible in their whole exterior. They made use of none of the public diversions, but accounted them all abominations; not only as being idolatrous, but as being one great source of the general corruption of manners. And in fact the theatre was no other than a school of immodesty: the amphitheatre where men fought with each other, or with wild beasts, was evidently a school of cruelty. And all these diversions fomented all sorts of passions, which it is the business of Christianity to calm. Therefore it is, that even the races of the _Circus_ which appeared the most innocent, are constantly mentioned, by the fathers, with horror and detestation: not only on account of the idleness they promoted, and the vast expence that attended them; but likewise of the promiscuous converse of men and women, and the factions which reigned there, producing every day quarrels and furious animosities, that often proceeded even to blood.