Phil. S. John in this place forbiddeth no more gentle speech & loving communication,1 than S. Paul in your ⟨image 95⟩other flour did forbid to make provision for you and yours. But his mind is this, they which will crake & boast by outward words, that they love God & their neighbour, & yet show it not in works and trueth, they are liars, & have not in them the christen Charity, which the Scripture commendeth so greatly in every place. Such are like them, of whom S. Paul speaketh on this manner, they say they know God, but with their deeds they deny it plainly,2 seeing they are abominable, disobedient and minded unto no good works.3 He that hath the substance of the world, saith S. John, & seeth his brother have need, & is moved with no compassion towards him, how doth the love of God abide in him? As though he should say, albeit a man cracketh never so much that he loveth God,4 yet if he fulfilleth not that, which God commandeth him, how ⟨image 96⟩dare such one boast that he loveth God? A man loveth so much as he worketh. If he worketh no thing, neither doth he love any thing. For as S. Gregory saith in a certain homely,5 the love of GOD is never idle. For he worketh great things, if it be love, but if it ceaseth to work,6 than is it no love in deed. Love, saith S. Paul is patient & courteous. Love envieth not, love doth not frowardly. Love is not puffed up, dealeth not dishonestly, seeketh not her own. Love is not provoked to anger, thinketh not evil, rejoiceth not of iniquity, but rejoiceth in the trueth, suffereth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, abideth all things. What a point is this of love, to say that I love God,7 & yet run a whorehuntynge after strange Gods?
Again what a point of love is this to say, that I honour the name ⟨image 96⟩of God, and yet blaspheme it with most shameful & abominable oaths? What love is this toward my neighbour to say that I love him and yet will do no thing for him, when I see him in necessity? Is this love? Perish mought such love. Against these wicked Hypocrites & open dissemblers doth S. John in this place thunder,8 wham he saith let us not love in word nor tongue, but in work & trueth.
Phil. S. Iohn in this place forbyddethe no more gentle speache & louynge communicacion,1 thā S. Paule in your ⟨image 95⟩other flour dyd forbyd to make prouision for you and yours. But his mynd is this, they which wyl crake & boste by outwarde wordes, yt they loue God & theyr neyghbour, & yet shew it not in workes and truethe, they are lyers, & haue not in thē the christen Charite, which the Scripture cōmendeth so greatly in euery place. Such are lyke thē, of whome S. Paule speaketh on this māner, they saye they knowe God, but wt theyr dedes they denye it playnely,2 seynge they are obhominable, disobedient and mynded vnto no good workes.3 He that hath the substance of the world, sayth S. Iohn, & seeth his brother haue nede, & is moued with no compassion towardes him, howe doth the loue of God abide in hym? As though he should say, albeit a mā craketh neuer so much yt he loueth God,4 yet yf he fulfylleth not that, which God cōmaundeth him, howe ⟨image 96⟩dare suche one boste that he louethe God? A man loueth so muche as he worketh. If he worketh no thynge, nother doth he loue any thing. For as S. Gregory sayth in a certayne homely,5 the loue of GOD is neuer idle. For he worketh great thinges, yf it be loue, but if it seaseth to worke,6 than is it no loue in dede. Loue, sayth S. Paule is pacient & curtious. Loue enuiethe not, loue dothe not frowardely. Loue is not puffed vp, dealeth not dishonestly, seaketh not her owne. Loue is not prouoked to anger, thynketh not euell, reioysethe not of iniquite, but reioyseth in the trueth, suffereth al thinges, beleuethe all thynges, hopethe all thynges, abydethe all thynges. What a poynt is this of loue, to say that I loue God,7 & yet run a whorehuntynge after straunge Goddes?
Agayne what a poynte of loue is this to saye, that I honour ye name ⟨image 96⟩
- 1Phil. ii.
- 2Titus. i.
- 3i. Joan. iii.i. Ioan. iii.
- 4Mark well.
- 5Gregory.Gregorye.
- 6i. Cor. xiii.
- 7Note this well.Note thys well.
- 8i. Joan. iii.i. Ioan. iii.
