The Parable of the Wicked Mammon

Which thing I also this wise prove. Paul sayeth, how shall or can they believe with out a preacher? Now I pray you when was it heard that God sent any man to preach unto the devils, or that he made them any good promise? He threat neth them oft, but never sent ambassadors to preach any atonement between him and them. Take an ensample that thou mayst understand. Let there be two pore men both destitute of raiment in a¹ winter, the one strong that he feeleth no grief the other grievously, mourning for pain of the cold. I then come by and moved with pity and compassion say unto him that feeleth his disease, come to such a place and I will give the raiment sufficient. He believeth, cometh, and obtaineth that which I have promised. That other seeth all this and knoweth it, but is partaker of naught. For he hath no faith, and it is because there is no ⟨image 66⟩promise made him. So is it of the devils The devils have no faith. For faith is but earnest believing of Gods promises. Now are there no promises made unto the devils, but •ore threatenings. The old Philosophers knew that there was one God but yet had no faith, for they had no power er to seek his will nether to worship him The turks and the Saracens know that have no power to worship God in spirit to seek his pleasure, & to submit them unto his will. They made an Idol of God (as we do for the most part) & worshipped him every man after his own imagination & for a sundry purpose. What we will have done, that must God do, and to do our will worship we him and pray unto him: but what God will have done that will neither turk nor Saracen nor the must part of us do. What so ever we imagine righteous, that must God admit. But God's righteousness, will not our heart admit. Take an other en² sample Let there be to such as I speak of before and I promise both, and the one because he feeleth not his disease cometh not. So is it of God's promises. No man is helped by them but sinners that feel there since, morn and sorrow for³ them and repent with at there heart For John Baptiste went before Christ and preached repentance, that is, he preached ⟨image 67⟩