September 15

Purifying their hearts by faith.—Acts 15:9.

IT is written, Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. If then we desire to see God, whereby shall our eye be purified? For who would not care for, and diligently seek the means of purifying that eye whereby he may see him after whom he longs with an entire affection? The Divine record has expressly mentioned this when it says, purifying their hearts by faith. The faith of God then purifies the heart, the pure heart sees God.

But because this faith is sometimes so defined by men who deceive themselves, as though it were enough to believe;—for some persons promise themselves the sight of God and the kingdom of heaven, who believe and live evilly;—against these, the apostle James, incensed and indignant as it were with a holy charity, saith in his epistle, Thou believest there is one God. Thou applaudest thyself for thy faith, for thou markest how that many ungodly men think there are gods many, and thou rejoicest in thyself because thou dost believe that there is but one God; Thou doest well: the devils also believe and tremble. Shall they also see God? They shall see him who are pure in heart. But who can say that unclean spirits are pure in heart? And yet they also believe and tremble.

Our faith then must be different from the faith of devils. For our faith purifieth the heart; but their faith makes them guilty. For they do wickedly, and therefore say to the Lord, What have we to do with thee? When thou hearest the devils say this, thinkest thou that they do acknowledge him? We know, they say, who thou art: Thou art the Son of God. This Peter says, and is commended; the devil says it, and is condemned. Whence cometh this, but that though the words be the same, the heart is different? Let us then make a distinction in our faith, and not be content to believe. This is no such faith as purifies the heart. Purifying their hearts by faith, it is said. But by what, and what kind of faith, save that which the apostle defines when he says, Faith which worketh by love? That faith distinguishes us from the faith of devils, and from the infamous and abandoned conduct of men. Faith, he says. What faith? That which worketh by love, and which hopeth for what God doth promise. Nothing is more exact or perfect than this definition. There are in faith these three things. He in whom that faith is which worketh by love, must necessarily hope for that which God doth promise. Hope therefore is the associate of faith. For hope is necessary as long as we see not what we believe, lest perhaps though not seeing, and by despairing to see, we fail. That we see not, doth make us sad; but that we hope we shall see, comforts us. Hope then is here, and she is the associate of faith. And then charity also, by which we long, and strive to attain, and glow with desire, and hunger and thirst. This then is taken in also; and so there will be faith, hope, and charity. For how shall there not be charity there, since charity is nothing else but love? And this faith is itself defined as that which worketh by love. Take away faith, and all thou believest, perisheth; take away charity, and all that thou dost, perisheth. For it is the province of faith to believe, of charity to do. For if thou believest without love, thou dost not apply thyself to good works; or if thou dost, it is as a servant, not as a son, through fear of punishment, not through love of righteousness. Therefore I say, that faith purifieth the heart, which worketh by love. Hence, Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.