The fifth sermon of the First Book of Homilies on “Faith and Good Works” is quite iconic.
The sermon starts by demonstrating that without faith it is impossible to please God or do anything good in his sight.
“Faith gives life to the soul. Those who lack faith are dead to God just as those whose bodies lack souls are dead to the world. Without faith, everything we do is dead in God’s eyes, however great and glorious it may seem to other people. In the same way as an engraving or a painting is only a dead representation of a thing itself, and is without life or any sort of movement, so also in God’s eyes are the works of all those who do not have faith. They appear to be lively works, but they are in fact dead and do not lead to everlasting life. They are but shadows and shows of lively and good things, and not good and living things in reality. For true faith gives life to the works, and out of such faith comes good works that are very good works indeed. But without faith, no work is good before God.”
“For good deeds are not measured by the facts themselves, and so distinguished from vices, but by the ends and intents for which they were done. An unbelieving person could clothe the naked, feed the hungry, and do other such works, yet because they do not do them in faith, for the honour and love of God, they are but dead, vain, and fruitless works to him…Where faith in Christ is not the foundation, there is no good work, whatever building we make.”
Thomas Cranmer, who was the author of this sermon, then shows that true good works for the Christian person consists of seeking to obey God’s Word with all its implications for everyday life.
“Therefore, as you have any zeal to rightly and purely honour God, as you have any regard to your own souls, and to the life that is to come which is both without pain and without end—apply yourselves chiefly above all things to read and hear God’s word. Mark diligently in it what his will is, and with all your effort apply yourselves to follow that. First, you must have an assured faith in God, and give yourselves wholly to him. Love him in prosperity and adversity, and dread to offend him evermore. Then for his sake love all people, friends and foes, because they are his creation and image, and redeemed by Christ as you are. Consider in your minds how you may do good to all, as you are able, and hurt no one… Take no-one’s goods, nor covet your neighbour’s goods wrongfully, but content yourselves with that which you obtain lawfully. And also bestow your own goods charitably, as need requires. Flee all idolatry, witchcraft, and perjury. Commit no kind of adultery, fornication, or other impurity, in will nor in deed, with anyone else’s spouse or otherwise. And labouring continually during this life to thus keep the commandments of God…”
The true believer’s faith will be seen in their God-honouring, sin-fleeing, Bible-obeying lifestyle.
The second part of the Christian’s good works, according to the sermon, consist of the avoidance of the bad works of false religion and unhelpful religious traditions.
In Cranmer’s day that meant fleeing the extra-biblical practices and doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church. In our day false religion wears a thousand different disguises, yet Cranmer’s advice is still completely relevant and the subject of the next blog.
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All extracts are taken from: Gatiss, Lee. The First Book of Homilies: The Church of England’s Official Sermons in Modern English. Lost Coin Press for Church Society. Kindle Edition.
Any comments or queries can be sent to andre@christchurchtygerberg.org.za