When the church sought only to overcome by “the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony,” it was owned of Christ; but as it became proud and worldly, and cared more for popular favor than for purity of faith and practice, the true church which the woman symbolized, was represented only by those who continued faithful to their profession. Historians inform us that with the success of Constantine, the visible church became speedily corrupt. As it became popular, unconverted men sought to be enrolled as members. The Pagans, instead of approaching as enemies, came as professed friends. As a profession of Christianity was alone necessary for admission to the church, multitudes sought connection with it. This caused a condition of things, of which Dr. Milner thus speaks:—“In the general appearance of the church, we cannot see much of the spirit of godliness. External piety flourished. But faith, love, heavenly-mindedness appear very rare. The doctrine of real conversion was very much lost, and external baptism placed in its stead: and the true doctrine of justification by faith, and true practical use of a crucified Saviour for troubled consciences were scarcely to be seen at this time. Superstition and self-righteousness were making vigorous shoots; and the real gospel of Christ was hidden from the men that professed it.” To the same effect is the report of Mosheim:—Of the life and morals of the professing Christians of the fourth century, he says: “Good men were, as before, mixed with bad; but the bad were by degrees so multiplied, that men truly holy and devoted to God appeared more rarely; and the pious few were almost oppressed by the vicious multitude.” Of their doctrines he says: “Fictions, of early origin” (about saint veneration and relics, a purifying fire, celibacy, &c., &c.), “now so prevailed as in course of time almost to thrust true religion aside, or at least to exceedingly obscure and tarnish it.” Says Mr Lord:—“Constantine and his successors introduced a flood of false doctrines, superstitions and idolatries, into the church, which were incompatible with a pure worship, and swept all who yielded to their impulse to the gulf of apostasy. Such were the veneration of the cross, and ascription to it of miraculous powers, the homage of relics, the invocation of saints, the conversion of religion into gorgeous ceremonies, the encouragement of celibacy, and the arrogation of the throne and prerogatives of God by civil and ecclesiastical rulers. These falsehoods, follies, and impieties, introduced or adopted by the emperors, encouraged by their example, sanctioned by their laws, and enforced by the penalties of excommunication, imprisonment, the forfeiture of civil rights, banishment, and death, came armed with an overpowering force to all who were not fortified against them by the special aids of the divine spirit, and like a resistless torrent bore away the great mass of the church.”—_Exp. of Apoc._, p. 350.