A Short Declaration of the True, Lively, and Christian Faith
Our first coming to God, good Christian people, is through faith, by which—as was declared in the last Sermon—we are justified before God. And so that no one may be deceived for want of rightly understanding this, it must be carefully noted that faith is taken in Scripture in two ways.
There is one faith which in Scripture is called a dead faith, which brings forth no good works, but is idle, barren, and unfruitful. This faith the holy Apostle St. James compares to the faith of devils, who believe God to be true and just, and tremble for fear, yet do nothing well, but all evil. Such a kind of faith the wicked and worthless among Christian people have, who confess God, as St. Paul says, with their mouth, but deny him in their deeds—being abominable, without the right faith, and worthy of reproof as to all good works. This faith is a persuasion and belief in a man's heart, by which he knows that there is a God, and agrees to all the truth of God's most holy word contained in holy Scripture; so that it consists only in believing that the word of God is true.
And this is not properly called faith. Just as a man who reads Caesar's Commentaries, believing them to be true, thereby gains a knowledge of Caesar's life and notable acts—because he believes the history of Caesar—and yet it is not properly said that he believes in Caesar, from whom he looks for no help or benefit: even so, one who believes that everything spoken of God in the Bible is true, and yet lives so ungodly that he cannot look to enjoy the promises and benefits of God, may indeed be said to have a faith and belief in the words of God, yet it is not properly said that he believes in God, or has 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 what his wicked life deserves. For, as it is written in a book ascribed to Didymus of Alexandria, "Since faith without works is dead, it is no longer faith, just as a dead man is not a man." This dead faith, therefore, is not that sure and substantial faith which saves sinners.
Another faith there is in Scripture, which is not, like the faith just described, idle, unfruitful, and dead, but works by charity,[1] as St. Paul declares (Galatians 5:6). And as that other empty faith is called a dead faith, so this may be called a quick or lively faith.[2] This is not only the common belief of the articles of our faith, but also a sure trust and confidence in the mercy of God through our Lord Jesus Christ, and a steadfast hope of all good things to be received at God's hand: namely that, although through weakness or the temptation of our spiritual enemy we fall from him by sin, yet if we return again to him by true repentance, 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 meantime, until that kingdom comes, he will be our protector and defender in all perils and dangers, whatever may happen; and that, though he sometimes sends us sharp adversity, yet he will evermore be a loving Father to us, correcting us for our sin, but not finally withdrawing his mercy from us, if we trust in him, and commit ourselves wholly to him, depend only upon him, and call upon him, ready to obey and serve him.
This is the true, lively, and sincere Christian faith, and it is not in the mouth and outward profession only, but lives and stirs inwardly in the heart. This faith is not without hope and trust in God, nor without the love of God and of our neighbours, nor without the fear of God, nor without the desire to hear God's word and to follow it, shunning evil and gladly doing all good works. This faith, as St. Paul describes it, is the sure ground and foundation of the benefits we ought to look for and trust to receive from God—a guarantee and sure expectation of them, although they do not yet visibly appear to us. And afterward he says, "He that comes to God must believe both that he is, and that he is a merciful rewarder of those who do well" (Hebrews 11:6). And nothing commends good men to God so much as this assured faith and trust in him.
Of this faith three things are especially to be noted: first, that this faith does not lie dead in the heart, but is lively and fruitful in bringing forth good works; second, that without it no good works can be done that are acceptable and pleasing to God; third, what kind of good works this faith brings forth.
For the first: as light cannot be hidden, but will show itself in one place or another, so a true faith cannot be kept secret, but, when occasion is offered, will break out and show itself by good works. And, as the living body of a man is always exercising the things that belong to a natural, living body for its nourishment and preservation—as it has need, opportunity, and occasion—even so the soul that has a lively faith in it will always be doing some good work, which will declare that it is alive, and will not be unoccupied.
Therefore, when men hear in the Scriptures such high commendations of faith—that it makes us please God, live with God, and be the children of God—if they then imagine that they are set free from doing all good works, and may live as they please, they trifle with God and deceive themselves. It is a plain sign that they are far from having the true and lively faith, and also far from knowing what true faith means. For the very sure and lively Christian faith is not only to believe all the things of God which are contained in holy Scripture, but also to have an earnest trust and confidence in God: that he regards us, and that he is careful over us, as a father is over the child whom he loves; and that he will be merciful to us for his only Son's sake; and that we have our Saviour Christ as our perpetual Advocate and Priest, in whose merits, oblation, and suffering alone we trust that our offences are continually washed and purged, whenever we, truly repenting, return to him with our whole heart, steadfastly resolving within ourselves, through his grace, to obey and serve him in keeping his commandments, and never to turn back again to sin.
Such is the true faith that the Scripture so much commends, which—when it sees and considers what God has done for us—is also moved, through the continual assistance of the Spirit of God, to serve and please him, to keep his favour, to fear his displeasure, to continue as his obedient children, showing thankfulness in return by observing (or keeping) his commandments; and that freely, chiefly for true love, and not for dread of punishment or love of temporal reward—considering how freely, without our deserving, we have received his mercy and pardon.
This true faith will show itself, and cannot long be idle. For, as it is written, "The just man lives by his faith" (Habakkuk 2:4); he neither sleeps nor is idle when he should be awake and well occupied. And God says by his Prophet Jeremiah that the man who has faith and confidence in God is happy and blessed:
He is like a tree planted by the water's side, that spreads its roots out toward the moisture, and does not fear the heat when it comes; its leaf will be green, and it will not cease to bring forth its fruit. (Jeremiah 17:7-8)
Even so faithful men, putting away all fear of adversity, will show forth the fruit of their good works, as occasion is offered to do them.
Part Two
We have heard in the first part of this Sermon that there are two kinds of faith: a dead and unfruitful faith, and a lively faith that works by charity—the first unprofitable, the second necessary for obtaining our salvation; which faith always has charity joined to it, and is fruitful, bringing forth all good works. Now concerning the same matter, you shall hear what follows.
The Wise Man says, "He that believes in God will heed his commandments" (Sirach 32:24). For if we do not show ourselves faithful in our conversation, the faith we claim to have is but a pretended faith; because the true Christian faith is plainly shown by good living, and not by words only. As St. Augustine says, "Good living cannot be separated from true faith, which works by love." And St. Chrysostom says, "Faith of itself is full of good works: as soon as a man believes, he will be adorned with them."
How plentiful this faith is in good works, and how it makes the work of one man more acceptable to God than another's, St. Paul teaches at large in the eleventh chapter to the Hebrews, saying that faith made Abel's offering better than Cain's. This made Noah build the ark. This made Abraham forsake his country and all his friends, and go to a far country, there to dwell among strangers. So did Isaac and Jacob also, depending (or hanging) only on the help and trust they had in God. And when they came to the country which God promised them, they would build no cities, towns, nor houses, but lived like strangers in tents that might be moved every day. Their trust was so much in God that they set little by any worldly thing, for God had prepared for them better dwelling places in heaven, of his own foundation and building.
This faith made Abraham ready at God's commandment to offer his own son and heir Isaac, whom he loved so well, and by whom he had been promised countless descendants—among whom one should be born in whom all nations should be blessed—trusting so much in God that, though Isaac were slain, yet God was able by his omnipotent power to raise him from death and perform his promise. He did not mistrust the promise of God, although to his reason everything seemed contrary. He truly believed that God would not forsake him in the dearth and famine that was in the country. And in any other dangers he was brought to, he trusted always that God would be his God, his protector and defender, whatever he saw to the contrary.
This faith worked so in the heart of Moses that he refused to be taken for Pharaoh's daughter's son, and to have a great inheritance in Egypt, thinking it better to have affliction and sorrow with the people of God than with haughty men to live pleasantly in sin for a time. By faith he did not fear the threatening of king Pharaoh, for his trust was so in God that he cared nothing for the happiness of this world, but looked for the reward to come in heaven, setting his heart upon the invisible God as if he had seen him ever present before his eyes. By faith the children of Israel passed through the Red Sea. By faith the walls of Jericho fell down without a stroke; and many other wonderful miracles were worked.
In all the good men who have lived before us, faith has brought forth their good works and obtained the promises of God. Faith has stopped the mouths of lions; faith has quenched the force of fire; faith has escaped the edges of the sword; faith has given weak men strength and victory in battle, overthrown the armies of infidels, raised the dead to life. Faith has made good men take adversity in good part: some have been mocked and whipped, bound and cast into prison; some have lost all their goods and lived in great poverty; some have wandered in mountains, hills, and wildernesses; some have been racked, some slain, some stoned, some sawn asunder, some torn in pieces, some beheaded, some burned without mercy—and would not be delivered, because they looked to rise again to a better state.
All these fathers, martyrs, and other holy men, of whom St. Paul spoke, had their faith surely fixed in God when all the world was against them. They did not only know God to be the Lord, Maker, and Governor of all men in the world, but also had a special confidence and trust that he was and would be their God, their comforter, aider, helper, maintainer, and defender. This is the Christian faith which these holy men had, and which we also ought to have. And although they were not called Christian men, yet it was a Christian faith that they had; for they looked for all the benefits of God the Father through the merits of his Son Jesus Christ, as we now do.
This difference is between them and us: they looked for the time when Christ should come, and we are in the time when he has come. Therefore St. Augustine says, "The time is altered and changed, but not the faith. For we have both one faith, in one Christ." The same Holy Spirit also that we have, they had, says St. Paul. For as the Holy Spirit teaches us to trust in God and to call upon him as our Father, so did he teach them to say, as it is written, "You, Lord, are our Father and Redeemer, and your Name is without beginning and everlasting" (Isaiah 63:16). God gave them grace then to be his children, as he does us now. But now, by the coming of our Saviour Christ, we have received the Spirit of God more abundantly in our hearts, whereby we may conceive a greater faith and a surer trust than many of them had. But in effect they and we are all one: we have the same faith they had in God, and they the same that we have.
And St. Paul so highly extols their faith because we should no less—indeed, rather more—give ourselves wholly to Christ, both in profession and in living, now that Christ has come, than the old fathers did before his coming. And by all St. Paul's declaration it is evident that the true, lively, and Christian faith is no dead, empty, or unfruitful thing, but a thing of perfect virtue, of wonderful operation (or working) and strength, bringing forth all good impulses and good works.
All holy Scripture agreeably bears witness that a true, lively faith in Christ brings forth good works; and therefore every man must diligently examine and test himself, to know whether he sincerely has this same true, lively faith in his heart or not—which he shall know by its fruits. Many who professed the faith of Christ were in this error, that they thought they knew God and believed in him, when in their life they declared the contrary. This error St. John, in his first Epistle, writes against in this way: "Hereby we are assured that we know God, if we keep his commandments. He that says he knows God, and keeps not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him" (1 John 2:3-4). And again he says, "Whoever sins does not see God, nor know him. Let no man deceive you, well beloved children" (1 John 3:6-7). And moreover he says, "Hereby we know that we are of the truth, and so we shall assure our hearts before him. For if our own hearts reprove us, God is above our hearts, and knows all things. Well beloved, if our hearts reprove us not, then have we confidence in God, and shall receive from him whatever we ask, because we keep his commandments and do the things that please him" (1 John 3:19-22).
And yet further he says, "Every man that believes that Jesus is Christ is born of God; and we know that whoever is born of God does not sin, but the generation of God purges him,[3] and the devil does not touch him" (1 John 5:1, 18). And finally, showing the reason why he wrote this Epistle, he concludes, "For this cause have I written to you, that you may know that you have everlasting life—you who believe in the Son of God" (1 John 5:13). And in his third Epistle he confirms the whole matter of faith and works in few words, saying, "He that does well is of God, and he that does evil has not known God" (3 John 11).
And as St. John says that the lively knowledge and faith of God brings forth good works, so he says likewise of hope and charity, that they cannot stand with evil living. Of hope he writes thus: "We know that when God shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him even as he is. And whoever has this hope in him purifies himself, just as God is pure" (1 John 3:2-3). And of charity he says these words: "He that keeps God's word or commandment, in him is truly the perfect love of God" (1 John 2:5). And again he says, "This is the love of God, that we should keep his commandments" (1 John 5:3).
And St. John wrote this not as a subtle saying devised of his own imagination, but as a most certain and necessary truth, taught to him by Christ himself, the eternal and infallible Truth, who in many places most clearly affirms that faith, hope, and charity cannot exist (or stand) without good and godly works. Of faith he says, "He that believes in the Son has everlasting life; but he that believes not in the Son shall not see that life, but the wrath of God remains upon him" (John 3:36). And he confirms the same with a double oath, saying, "Truly, truly I say to you, He that believes in me has everlasting life" (John 6:47).
Now, since he that believes in Christ has everlasting life, it must necessarily follow that he who has this faith must also have good works, and be eager to keep God's commandments obediently. For to those who have evil works, and lead their life in disobedience and transgression (or breaking) of God's commandments, without repentance, belongs not everlasting life but everlasting death, as Christ himself says: "They that do well shall go into life eternal, but they that do evil shall go into the everlasting fire" (Matthew 25:46). And again he says:
I am the first letter and the last, the beginning and the ending. To him that is thirsty I will give of the well of the water of life freely. He that has the victory shall have all things, and I will be his God, and he shall be my Son; but those who are fearful, mistrusting God and lacking faith, those who are cursed people, and murderers, and the sexually immoral, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their portion in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. (Revelation 21:6-8)
And as Christ undoubtedly affirms that true faith brings forth good works, so he says likewise of charity: "Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is that loves me" (John 14:21). And afterward he says, "He that loves me will keep my word" (John 14:23); and, "He that loves me not keeps not my words" (John 14:24).
And, as the love of God is tested by good works, so is the fear of God also; as the Wise Man says, "The dread of God drives away sin" (Sirach 1:21). And also he says, "He that fears God will do good works" (Sirach 15:1).
Part Three
You have heard in the second part of this Sermon that no one should think he has that lively faith which Scripture commands when he does not live obediently to God's laws; for all good works spring out of that faith. And it has also been declared to you by examples that faith makes men steadfast, quiet, and patient in all afflictions. Now concerning the same matter, you shall hear what follows.
A man may easily deceive himself, and think in his own imagination that by faith he knows God, loves him, fears him, and belongs to him, when in very deed he does nothing less. For the test of all these things is a truly godly and Christian life. He who feels his heart set to seek God's honour, and studies to know the will and commandments of God and to conform himself to them, and does not lead his life after the desire of his own flesh to serve the devil by sin, but sets his mind to serve God for God's own sake, and for his sake also to love all his neighbours, whether they be friends or enemies, doing good to every man as opportunity serves, and willingly hurting no one—such a man may well rejoice in God, perceiving by the course of his life that he sincerely has the right knowledge of God, a lively faith, a steadfast hope, and a true and sincere love and fear of God. But he who casts off the yoke of God's commandments from his neck, and gives himself to live without true repentance after his own sensual mind and pleasure, not caring to know God's word, and much less to live according to it—such a man clearly deceives himself, and does not see his own heart, if he thinks that he either knows God, loves him, fears him, or trusts in him.
Some perhaps imagine within themselves that they belong to God, although they live in sin; and so they come to church and show themselves as God's dear children. But St. John says plainly, "If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie" (1 John 1:6). Others vainly think that they know and love God, although they care nothing for his commandments. But St. John says clearly, "He that says, I know God, and keeps not his commandments, is a liar" (1 John 2:4). Some falsely persuade themselves that they love God when they hate their neighbours. But St. John says plainly, "If any man says, I love God, and yet hates his brother, he is a liar. He that says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is still in darkness. He that loves his brother dwells in the light, but he that hates his brother is in darkness, and walks in darkness, and knows not where he goes, for darkness has blinded his eyes" (1 John 4:20; 2:9-11). And moreover he says, "Hereby we plainly know the children of God from the children of the devil: he that does not righteously is not the child of God, nor he that hates his brother" (1 John 3:10).
Therefore do not deceive yourselves, thinking that you have faith in God, or that you love God, or trust in him, or fear him, when you live in sin; for then your ungodly and sinful life declares the contrary, whatever you say or think. It belongs to a Christian man to have this true Christian faith, and to test himself whether he has it or not, and to know what belongs to it, and how it works in him. It is not the world that we can trust to: the world, and all that is in it, is but vanity. It is God that must be our defence and protection against all temptation of wickedness and sin, errors, superstition, idolatry, and all evil. If all the world were on our side, and God against us, what could the world avail us? Therefore let us set our whole faith and trust in God, and neither the world, the devil, nor all their power shall prevail against us.
Let us therefore, good Christian people, test and examine our faith, what it is; let us not flatter ourselves, but look upon our works, and so judge of our faith, what it is. Christ himself speaks of this matter and says, "The tree is known by its fruit" (Matthew 12:33). Therefore let us do good works, and thereby declare our faith to be the lively Christian faith. Let us, by such virtues as ought to spring out of faith, show our election to be sure and stable, as St. Peter teaches: "Endeavour to make your calling and election sure by good works" (2 Peter 1:10). And he also says:
Add to your faith virtue; to virtue, knowledge; to knowledge, temperance; to temperance, patience; to patience, godliness; to godliness, brotherly charity; and to brotherly charity, love. (2 Peter 1:5-7)
So shall we show indeed that we have the very lively Christian faith; and may thereby both better assure our conscience that we are in the right faith, and also by these means confirm other men. If these fruits do not follow, we do but mock with God, deceive ourselves, and others as well. We may well bear the name of Christian men, but we lack the true faith that belongs to it. For true faith always brings forth good works; as St. James says, "Show me your faith by your deeds" (James 2:18). Your deeds and works must be an open testimony of your faith; otherwise your faith, being without good works, is but the devils' faith, the faith of the wicked, a fantasy of faith, and not a true Christian faith.
And just as the devils and evil people are nothing the better for their counterfeit faith, but it is to them the greater cause of damnation, so those who are christened, and have received knowledge of God and of Christ's merits, and yet of set purpose live idly, without good works—thinking the name of a bare faith to be sufficient for them—or else, setting their minds upon the vain pleasures of this world, live in sin without repentance, not yielding the fruits that belong to such a high profession: upon such presumptuous persons and willful sinners must needs remain the great vengeance of God, and eternal punishment in hell, prepared for the devil and wicked livers.
Therefore, as you profess the name of Christ, good Christian people, let no such fantasy and imagination of faith at any time beguile you; but be sure of your faith, test it by your living, look upon the fruits that come of it, mark the increase of love and charity by it toward God and your neighbour; and so shall you perceive it to be a true, lively faith. If you feel and perceive such a faith in you, rejoice in it, and be diligent to maintain it and keep it still in you; let it be daily increasing more and more by good working; and so shall you be sure that you shall please God by this faith, and at length, as other faithful men have done before, so shall you, when his will is, come to him and receive the end and final reward of your faith—as St. Peter names it, the salvation of your souls (1 Peter 1:9). Which God grant us, who has promised the same to his faithful; to whom be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen.
The 1859 text reads "charity," retained for its technical sense (Greek agapē).↩︎
"Lively faith" kept as a fixed theological phrase: a living, active, saving faith, as opposed to the "dead faith" the sermon contrasts it with.↩︎
Source reading uncertain here; the 1859 text loosely renders 1 John 5:18 ("he that is begotten of God keepeth himself"), where "the generation of God purges him" stands for that protective new birth.↩︎