to render unto God again, for his great mercy and goodness. Our office is, not to pass the time of this present life unfruitfully and idly, after that we are baptized or justified, not caring how few good works we do, to the glory of God, and profit of our neighbours: much less is it our office, after that we be once made Christ's members, to live contrary to the same; making ourselves members of the devil, walking after his enticements, and after the suggestions of the world and the flesh, whereby we know that we do serve the world and the devil, and not God. For that faith which bringeth forth (without repentance) either evil works, or no good works, is not a right, pure, and lively faith, but a dead, devilish, counterfeit, and feigned faith, as St. Paul and St. James call it. For even the devils know and believe that Christ was born of a virgin; that he fasted forty days and forty nights without meat and drink; that he wrought all kind of miracles, declaring himself very God: they believe also, that Christ, for our sakes, suffered a most painful death, to redeem us from everlasting death, and that he rose again from death the third day they believe that he ascended into heaven, and that he sitteth at the right hand of the Father, and at the last end of this world shall come again, and judge both the quick and the dead. These articles of our faith the devils believe, and so they believe all things that be written in the New and Old Testaments to be true; and yet for all this faith they be but devils, remaining still in their damnable estate, lacking the very true christian faith. For the right and true 'christian faith is, not only to believe that holy Scripture, and all the foresaid articles of our faith are true; but also to have a sure trust and confidence in God's merciful promises, to be saved from everlasting damnation by Christ; whereof doth follow a loving heart to obey his commandments. And this loving heart to obey his commandments. And this true Christian faith neither any devil hath, nor yet any man, which in the outward profession of his mouth, and in his outward receiving of the sacraments, in coming to the church, and in all other outward appearances, seemeth to be a Christian man, and yet in his living and deeds sheweth the contrary. For how can a man have this true faith, this sure trust and confidence in God, that by the merits of Christ his sins be forgiven, and he reconciled to the favour of God, and to be partaker of the kingdom of heaven by Christ, when he liveth ungodlily, and denieth Christ in his deeds? Surely no such ungodly man can have this faith and trust in God. For as they know Christ to be the only Saviour of the world; so they know also that wicked men shall not enjoy the kingdom of God. They know that God hateth unrighteousness; that he will destroy all those that speak untruly; that those which have done good works (which cannot be done without a lively faith in Christ) shall come forth into the resurrection of life, and those that have done evil shall come unto the resurrection of judgment. Very well they know also, that to them that be contentious, and to them that will not be obedient unto the truth, but will obey unrighteousness, shall come indignation, wrath, and affliction, &c. Therefore, to conclude, considering the infinite benefits of God, shewed and given unto us mercifully without our deserts, who hath not only created us of nothing, and from a piece of vile clay, of his infinite goodness, hath exalted us, as touching our soul, unto his own similitude and likeness; but also, whereas we were condemned to hell, and death everlasting, hath given his own natural Son, being God eternal, immortal, and equal unto himself in power and glory, to be incarnated, and to take our mortal nature upon him, with the infirmities of the same, and in the same nature, to suffer most shameful and painful death for our offences, to the intent to justify us, and to restore us to life everlasting: so making us also his dear children, brethren unto his only Son our Saviour Christ, and inheritors for ever with him of his eternal kingdom of heaven. These great and merciful benefits of God, if they be well considered, do neither minister unto us occasion to be idle, and to live without doing any good works, neither yet stir us up, by any means, to do evil things; but contrariwise, if we be not desperate persons, and our hearts harder than stones, they move us to render ourselves unto God wholly, with all our will, hearts, might, and power, to serve him in all good deeds, obeying his commandments during our lives, to seek, in all things, his glory and honour, not our sensual pleasures and vain-glory; evermore dreading willingly to offend such a merciful God, and loving Redeemer, in word, thought, or deed. And the said benefits of God, deeply considered, move us, for his sake also, to be ever ready to give ourselves to our neighbours, and as much as lieth in us, to study, with all our endeavour, to do good to every man. These be the fruits of true faith, to do good as much as lieth in us, to every man, and above all things, and in all things, to advance the glory of God, of whom only we have our sanctification, justification, salvation, and redemption: to whom be ever glory, praise, and honour, world without end. Amen. The substance of this part of the Homily, is to shew that even faith doth not justify us as a meritorious virtue, any more than love, hope, or any other operation of the mind; but, as the condition of the Gospel Covenant, it sends us to Christ for remission, and embraces the promises of God's mercy through the Redeemer. A short Declaration of the True, Lively, and THE first coming unto God, good Christian people, is through faith, whereby (as it is declared in the last Sermon) we be justified before God. And lest any man should be deceived, for lack of right understanding thereof, it is diligently to be noted, that faith is taken in the Scripture two manner of ways. There is one faith, which in Scripture is called a dead faith, which bringeth forth no good works; but is idle, barren, and unfruitful. And this faith, by the holy Apostle St. James, is compared to the faith of devils, which believe God to be true and just, and tremble for fear; yet they do nothing well, but all evil. And such a manner of faith have the wicked and naughty Christian people, which confess God, as St. Paul saith, in their mouths, but deny him in their deeds, being abominable, and without the right faith, and to all good works, reproveable. And this faith is a persuasion and belief in man's heart, whereby he knoweth that there is a God, and agreeth unto all truths of God's most holy word, contained in the holy Scripture. So that it consisteth only in believ ing in the word of God, that it is true. And this is not properly called faith. But as he that readeth Cæsar's Commentary, believing the same to be true, hath thereby a knowledge of Cæsar's life and notable acts, because he believeth the history of Cæsar: yet James ii. Titus vi. it is not properly said, that he believeth in Cæsar, of whom he looketh for no help nor benefit. Even so, he that believeth all that is spoken of God in the Bible to be true, and yet live so ungodlily, that he cannot look to enjoy the promises and benefits of God; although it may be said that such a man hath a faith and belief in the words of God; yet it is not properly said that he believeth in God, or hath such a faith and trust in God, whereby he may surely look for grace, mercy, and everlasting life, at God's hand; but rather, for indignation and punishment, according to the merits of his wicked life. For, as it is written in a book, intituled to be of Didymus Alexandrinus, Forasmuch as faith without works is dead, it is not now faith, as a dead man is not a man. This dead faith, therefore, is not that sure and substantial faith which saveth sinners. Another faith there is in Scripture, which is not as the aforesaid faith, idle, unfruitful, and dead, but worketh by charity, (as St. Paul declareth, Gal. v.) which, as the other vain faith is called a dead faith, so may this be called a quick, or lively faith. And this is not only the common belief of the Articles of our faith, but it is also a true trust and confidence of the mercy of God through our Lord Jesus Christ, and a stedfast hope of all good things to be received at God's hand : and, that, although we, through infirmity, or temptation of our ghostly enemy, do fall from him by sin; yet if we return again unto him by true repentance, that he will forgive and forget our offences for his Son's sake, our Saviour Jesus Christ, and will make us inheritors, with him, of his everlasting kingdom; and, that, in the mean time, until that kingdom come, he will be our protector and defender in all perils and dangers, whatsoever do chance: and, that, though sometime he doth send us sharp adversity, yet that evermore he will be a loving father unto us, correcting us for |