St. Paul has an expression in the 13th chapter
of the first of the Corinthians, which, according to the outward letter, seems
much to the dispraise of this faith, and to the praise of love; these are his
words, "Now abideth faith, hope and love, even these three; but the
chiefest of these is love." There are some learned men who expound the greatness
of which St. Paul speaketh here as if meant for eternity. For when we come to
God, then we believe no more, but rather see with our eyes face to face how He
is; yet for all that love remains still; so that love may be called the
chiefest, because she endureth forever. And though she is the chiefest, yet we
must not attribute unto her the office which pertains unto faith only. Like as I
cannot say, the Mayor of Stamford must make me a pair of shoes because he is a
greater man than the shoemaker is; for the mayor, though he is a greater man,
yet it is not his office to make shoes; so though love be greater, yet it is
not her office to save. Thus much I thought good to say against those who fight
against the truth.
Now, when we would know who are in Christ's
livery or not, we must learn it of St. Paul, who most evidently described
charity, which is the only livery, saying, "Love is patient, she suffereth
long." Now whosoever fumeth and is angry, he is out of this livery:
therefore let us remember that we do not cast away the livery of Christ our
Master. When we are in sickness, or any manner of adversities, our duty is to
be patient, to suffer willingly, and to call upon Him for aid, help and
comfort; for without Him we are not able to abide any tribulation. Therefore we
must call upon God, He has promised to help: therefore let me not think Him to
be false or untrue to His promises, for we cannot dishonor God more than by not
believing or trusting in Him. Therefore let us beware above all things of dishonoring
God; and so we must be patient, trusting and most certainly believing that He
will deliver us when it seems good to Him, who knows the time better than we
ourselves.
"Charity is gentle, friendly, and loving;
she envieth not." They that envy their neighbor's profit when it goes well
with him, such fellows are out of their liveries, and so out of the service of
God; for to be envious is to be the servant of the devil.
"Love doth not frowardly, she is not a
provoker"; as there are some men who will provoke their neighbor so far
that it is very hard for them to be in charity with them; but we must wrestle
with our affections; we must strive and see that we keep this livery of Christ
our master; for "the devil goeth about as a roaring lion seeking to take
us at a vantage," to bring us out of our liveries, and to take from us the
knot of love and charity.
"Love swelleth not, is not puffed up";
but there are many swellers nowadays, they are so high, so lofty, insomuch that
they despise and contemn all others; all such persons are under the governance
of the devil. God rules not them with His good spirit; the evil spirit has occupied
their hearts and possest them.
"She doth not
dishonestly; she seeketh not her own; she doth all things to the commodity of
her neighbors." A charitable man will not promote himself with the damage
of his neighbor. They that seek only their own advantage, forgetting their
neighbors, they are not of God, they have not His livery. Further,
"Charity is not provoked to anger; she thinketh not evil." We ought
not to think evil of our neighbor, as long as we see not open wickedness; for
it is written, "You shall not judge"; we should not take upon us to
condemn our neighbor. And surely the condemners of other men's works are not in
the livery of Christ. Christ hateth them.
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