The homily on true and lively Christian faith continues with a challenge to those who think that being a Christian is merely a personal, private affair. On the contrary, says the preacher, you can’t keep the spiritual life of a true believer down!

Here’s how the Homily puts it:

“A true faith cannot be kept secret, but when occasion is offered it will break out and show itself by good works. And as the living body of a human being ever exercises such things as belong to a natural and living body (for nourishment and preservation of the same as it has need, opportunity, and occasion) — even so the soul that has a lively faith in it will always be doing some good work which shall declare that it is living, and will not be unoccupied.

Therefore, when men hear in the scriptures such high commendations of faith — that it makes us to please God, to live with God, and to be the children of God — if then they fantasise that they are set at liberty from doing all good works and may live as they please, they trifle with God and deceive themselves.”