A03519:48
Certain Sermons or Homilies (First Book of Homilies)
Certain sermons, or homilies appointed by the kings Majesty, to be declared and read, by all persons, vicars, or curates, every Sunday in their churches, where they have cure. Anno 1547.Certayne sermons, or homelies appoynted by the kynges Maiestie, to be declared and redde, by all persones, vicars, or curates, euery Sondaye in their churches, where they haue cure. Anno 1547.
London: printed by Richard Grafton printer to his most royal Majesty, 1547London: printed by Rychard Grafton printer to his moste royall Maiestie, 1547
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
¶A short declaration of the true lively, and Christian Faith.
¶A short declaration of the true liuely, and Christian Faithe.
THE first entry unto God,1 (good christian people) is through faith: whereby, (as it is declared in the last Sermon) we be justified before God. And least 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 manes of ways. There is one faith,2 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 saint James, is compared to the faith of devils,3 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 thristian people, which confess God (as saint Paul sayeth) in their mouth,4 but deny him in their deeds, being abominable, and without the right faith, and to all good works reprovable. And this faith is a persuasion and belief in mans heart, whereby he knoweth that there is a God, and assenteth unto all trueth of Gods most holy word, contained in holy scripture. So that it consisteth only, in believing of the word of God, that it is true. And this is not properly called faith: But as he, that readeth Caesars Commentaries, believing the same to be true, hath thereby a knowledge of Caesars life, and noble acts, because he ⟨image 23⟩believeth the history of Cesar: yet it is not properly said, that he believeth in Cesar, of whom he looketh for no help, nor benefit: Even so, he that believeth, that all that is spoken of God in the Bible, is true, and yet liveth so ungodly, that he cannot look to enjoy the promises and benefits of God: although it may be said, that such a man hath a faith & belief to the words of God, yet it is not properly said, that he believeth in God, or hath such a faith & trust in God, whereby he may surely look for grace, mercy, & eternal life at Gods hand, but rather for indignation & punishment, according to the merits of his wicked life. For as it is written in a book, entitled to be of Didimus 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.