Page:Early Christianity outside the Roman empire.djvu/42

Rh But the foundation of our faith is Jesus Christ, the Rock upon which the whole is built, as said the prophets (§2). First a man believes, then loves, then hopes, then is justified and perfected, and he becomes a Temple for the Messiah to dwell in, as Jeremiah said: The Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord—ye are the Temple of the Lord, if ye will make fair your ways and your works, and as said our Lord Himself Ye are in Me, and I am in you (§3). The man who has Faith will study to make himself worthy of being a dwelling-place of the Spirit of the Messiah. There must be Fasting, Prayer, Love, Alms, Humility, Virginity, Continence, Wisdom, Hospitality, Simplicity, Patience, Gentleness, Sadness, Purity: Faith asks for all these ornaments (§4). Christ is both the foundation and the inhabitant of the House of Faith: Jeremiah says men are the Temples of God and the Apostle said The Spirit of Christ dwelleth in you. This comes to the same thing, for the Lord said: