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Million Book Collection - The Fishers of Men Ministries

Million Book Collection - The Fishers of Men Ministries

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218 THE FIRST AGE OF THE MARTYR CHURCHAnd it may be remarked that while he haswords <strong>of</strong> honour, praise, and affection for the otherfive churches which he addresses, yet in speaking<strong>of</strong> Rome his heart overflows with emotion. Uponthis church he pours out epithet upon epithet, as" the beloved and enlightened in the will <strong>of</strong> Himwho has willed all things which are according tothe charity <strong>of</strong> Jesus Christ our God," whose peopleare " united to every command <strong>of</strong> His in fleshand spirit, filled undividedly with the grace <strong>of</strong> God,and thoroughly cleansed from every spot <strong>of</strong> foreigndoctrine." She is not only the Church "which presidesin the fortress <strong>of</strong> Roman power," but likewise," worthy <strong>of</strong> God, and <strong>of</strong> all honour and blessingand praise, worthy to receive that which she wishes,chaste, bearing the name <strong>of</strong> Christ and the name <strong>of</strong>the Father, and presiding over charity." What isthe meaning <strong>of</strong> this last phrase ? As she presidesin the fortress <strong>of</strong> Roman power, so she presidesover charity. May we thus interpret the mind<strong>of</strong> the martyr ? God in His Triune Being is Charity; the Holy Spirit, the ineffable embrace <strong>of</strong> theFather and His Image, their Love, or Delight, orJoy, or Blessedness, or whatever human name wemay dare to give to what is most divine, is charity:by charity God became man; charity is the individualChristian's state; charity makes men one inthe Body <strong>of</strong> the God-man; charity is the condition<strong>of</strong> angels and men in the great kingdom to come,the God-formed kingdom. Thus charity is the dis-

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