Ye hear all this, and in addition all the glorious revelations in which the Lord after this manifested Himself on earth.  Why do ye not come to serve Christ?  Ye do not truly believe, because ye are so full of sin, and despise God’s commandments.  Ye do not deserve the gift of faith.  He who has faith should show it in his deeds, that he may have what he says he has, and may know what he has; namely, the certainty of the divine word, which can not err, the goodness of God, and His guidance into all goodness.  On account of thy sins, thou hast not the true light which would have enabled thee to see all goodness.  Thou art sunk in vice, drunken with greed and luxury, and all the works of this world.  Thou seekest only power and glory.  And wherefore?  If thou hadst faith, thou wouldst not seek such things, for thou wouldst know that faith would give thee a much higher crown.  From these sins have come thy unbelief and thy hardness of heart.  Therefore the words of faith do not touch thy heart:  it is a heart of stone and iron.  Throw off thy load of sin and give thy will to righteousness; then will thy hard-heartedness end, and God will bestow on thee the gift of faith.  What wilt thou?  Why standest thou so uncertain and irresolute?  Why dost thou not hasten to Him, and see how He leaves thy life, how He goes into the heavens, to which He bids thee come up.  Leave at length thy sensual life and enter the pathway of Christ.  Hesitate no longer, begin to-day, put it not off until to-morrow.  If thou hast faith, thou canst not delay longer, and if thy heart is right before God, He will give thee the light of faith which will enable thee to distinguish the false from the true faith, and so when on the right road not to fall into error.  Then wilt thou know for thyself that the Gospel makes good men out of those who truly believe, and thine experience will tell thee that thou hast no occasion to doubt.

A story from the Old Testament might perhaps serve as a parable and make clearer what I mean.  When Balak heard of Israel’s march, he was afraid and sent to call Balaam to curse Israel for him.  Balaam set out on his way with his ass, accompanied by an angel of the Lord, because Balaam was going to Balak with an evil intention.  The beast sought in vain to turn into the field, and finally fell down between two walls, and suffered under blows and curses, until the prophet saw the angel and perceived his sin.  Balak is the devil who would ruin the people of God; by Balaam we can understand the nobles, the prelates, the preachers, the learned, who are held captive by their arrogance.  The two servants are those who follow the proud, serve them, and flatter them, especially the lazy clergy and monks, who so far as outward show goes live a virtuous life, but who live for ceremonies and take care not to speak the truth.  To these belong many citizens who live apparently virtuously and hide their pride.  Because they commit no sins of the flesh which can