7. This invincible patience forced at length all the powers of the world to submit to the gospel. The persecutions continued, till in little more than _three hundred_ years, there was a prodigious number of Christians of all ranks and conditions. And hence came the extreme cruelty of the last persecution. But this like all the rest, only extended Christianity farther, and established it so much the more firmly, till the Emperor _Constantine_ declared himself its protector. The _Christians_ then began to live at ease, but at the same time they _began_ to lose the _Christian spirit_. The _world_ mixing with the _church_, effected as a friend what it never could while an open enemy: it transfused its own spirit into the servants of Christ, who became insensibly _lovers of the world_, lovers of themselves, and _lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God_. For with the _love of the world_ entered every _unholy_ desire, every _earthly_, _sensual_, _devilish_ passion: which from that time have abounded more and more, and so shall do, till the time approaches for the restitution of all things.
THE DOCTRINE of SALVATION, FAITH and GOOD WORKS:
Extracted from the _Homilies_ of the _Church_ of _England_.
To the READER.
_HE that desires more perfectly to understand these great doctrines of Christianity, ought deligently to read the holy scriptures, especially St. |Paul|’s epistles to the |Romans| and the |Galatians|. And, “whosoever giveth his mind to holy scriptures, with deligent study and burning desire, it cannot be that he should be left without help. For either God will send him some godly doctor to teach him, or God himself, from above, will give light unto his mind, and teach him those things which are necessary for him: man’s human and worldly wisdom or science is not needful to the understanding of scripture; but the revelation of the Holy Ghost, who inspireth the true meaning into them that which humility and deligence search for it.”¹_
¹ Homily _of reading the_ holy scriptures.
_Of the salvation of mankind._
1. BECAUSE all men are sinners against God, and breakers of his law, therefore can no man by his works be justified and made righteous before God. But every man is constrained to seek for another righteousness, or justification, to be received at God’s own hands. And this justification, or righteousness, which we receive of God’s mercy, and Christ’s merits embraced by faith, is taken, accepted, and allowed of God for our perfect and full justification. For the more clear and full understanding hereof, it is our part ever to remember, how that all the world, being wrapt in sin, God sent his only Son into the world, by shedding his blood, to make satisfaction to his Father for our sins, to asswage his indignation conceived against us.
2. Insomuch that infants being baptized, and dying in their infancy, are by this sacrifice washed from their sins. And they who in act or deed sin after their baptism, when they turn again to God unfeignedly, are likewise washed by this sacrifice from their sins, in such sort that there remaineth not any spot of sin, that shall be imputed to their damnation. This is that justification, which St. _Paul_ speaketh of, (_Galatians ii._) _No man is justified by the works of the law: but by faith in Jesus Christ_. And again, _we are justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified_.
3. The great wisdom of God in this mystery of our redemption, hath tempered his justice and mercy together. His mercy he sheweth, in delivering us from our captivity, without requiring any ransom to be paid, or amends to be made on our parts; which thing by us had been impossible to be done. And whereas it lay not in us to do that, he provided a ransom for us, that was, the precious body and blood of his own Son. And so the justice of God and his mercy together, fulfilled the great mystery of our redemption.
4. Of this justice and mercy of God knit together, speaketh St. _Paul_ in the third chapter to the _Romans_. _All have sinned and come short of the glory of God: but are justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ: whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood._ And in the 10th, _Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth_: And in the 8th chapter, _That which was impossible by the law, inasmuch as it is weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit_.