Million Book Collection - The Fishers of Men Ministries

F338 THE THIRD AGE OF THE MARTYR CHURCH.impossible now could be achieved, what was inme of the guilty flesh now confessed that it wasearthy, what was quickened in me by the HolyGhost now had a growth according to God. Thouknowest well, thou canst recollect as well as I,what was then taken from me, / and what was given Oby that death of sin, that quickening power ofholiness. Thou knowestj I name it not; over myown praises it were unwelcome to boast, thoughthat is ground never for boasting but for gratitude,which is not ascribed to man's virtue but isconfessed to be God's bounty; so that to sin nomore has come of faith, as heretofore to sin hadcome of human error. From God, I say, fromGod is all we can be; from Him we live, from Himwe grow, and by that strength which is from Himaccepted and ingathered we learn beforehand, evenin this present state, the foretokens of what is yetto be. Let only fear be a guard upon innocency,that that Lord who by the influence of His heavenlymercy has graciously shone into our hearts,may be detained by righteous obedience in the hostelryof a mind that pleases Him; that the securityimparted to us may not beget slothfulness, nor theformer enemy steal upon us anew." 1CAdd to this that Christians were marked out_ *as " one Body by the Jewish and heathen persecu-tion which tracked them everywhere. But thesects were not persecuted. The various schools of"16 Ep, 1, Oxford translation.