2. And as soon as a stranger shewed, that he was in the communion of the church, he was received with open arms: for which end the Christians who travelled, took letters of their bishop, declaring the condition of the bearer: whether he was a catechumen, a penitent, or one of the faithful: beside which, there were recommendatory letters, to distinguish priests, deacons, confessors, and those who stood in need of any particular assistance.
3. Not that their hospitality was confined to their brethren. It extended to all, Heathens as well as Christians. Of which we have a remarkable instance in the case of St. Pacomius, a young Roman captain, who being upon his march with his men, and taking up his quarters in a city they came to, was amazed to find the inhabitants receive them with as much affection, as if they had been their old friends. He enquired who they were? And was answered, they were a people of a particular religion, called Christians. He desired to be informed, what the grounds of this religion were? And this was the beginning of his conversion.
*4. But their care and tenderness toward the sick, was yet more observable. No difficulty, no danger, no discouragements could prevent their ministring to these. When Alexandria was dreadfully afflicted with the plague, in the time of the Emperor Valerian, they confirmed their love even to their persecutors, by assisting such as were infected, though many of them died with them. And the priests constantly visited the sick Christians, administered the holy eucharist, prayed with them and for them, exhorted, comforted, and commended their souls to God. They did not fear, but desire death, as only the gate of eternity. And even when their relations went before them, they less grieved for their own present loss, than they rejoiced for their happy deliverance, and in a stedfast hope of meeting them again in paradise.
*5. Such were the manners of the ancient Christians: such were the followers of Jesus Christ, both in faith and practice, while Heathenism reigned, and persecution continued. This obliged them to a continual sense of the presence of God and watchfulness over themselves: every one expecting the hour when he should be betrayed by his wife, his child, or his nearest relation. And herein was seen the patience of the saints, then a common name for all Christians. Even in peace they daily looked for the return of war: nor was that peace itself ever entire, for many Christians suffered, even to blood, where there was no open persecution: and many of them were spoiled and pillaged with impunity even at noon-day. Or, if oppression and violence ceased for awhile, contempt and hate never ceased. To speak and write all manner of evil of the Christians, to revile, to mock at them, to turn them into ridicule: this was not only permitted, but approved, applauded, authorized. But this moved them not: neither unjust contempt, nor ill-grounded calumnies drew from them any murmuring or complaint. They continually returned good for evil. They laboured, if it had been possible, to live peaceably with all men. They studied all ways of gaining their affections. They conformed to all their innocent customs. And of so doing, they were never tired, never overcome with evil, even where they could not overcome evil with good.
6. Their patience shone most with regard to princes and magistrates. Nothing could force them, to speak evil of dignities. They honoured them as the ministers of God. They paid them all the obedience, which consisted with their duty to him. Prest as they were by such injustice and unheard-of cruelties, they never thought of taking up arms for their defence. So far from it, that as numerous as the Christian soldiers were in all the Roman armies, they never made use of the arms they had in their hands, but according to the orders of their generals. Nay, we see the entire legion of St. Mauritius, known by the name of the Thebæan legion, suffering themselves to be massacred without resistance, rather than be wanting in their duty to God or Cæsar.
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.