But I think the devil has a great many more servants than Christ has; for there are a great many more in his livery than in Christ’s livery; there are but very few who are endued with Christ’s livery; with love and charity, gentleness and meekness of spirit; but there are a great number that bear hatred and malice in their hearts, that are proud, stout, and lofty; therefore the number of the devil’s servants is greater than the number of Christ’s servants.

Now St. Paul shows how needful this love is.  I speak not of carnal love, which is only animal affection; but of this charitable love, which is so necessary that when a man hath it, without all other things it will suffice him.  Again, if a man have all other things and lacketh that love it will not help him, it is all vain and lost.  St. Paul used it so:  “Tho I speak with tongues of men and angels, and yet had no love, I were even as sounding brass, or as a tinkling cymbal.  And tho I could prophesy and understand all secrets and all knowledge; yet if I had faith, so that I could move mountains out of their places, and yet had no love, I were nothing.  And tho I bestowed all my goods to feed the poor, and tho I gave my body even that I were burned, and yet had no love, it profiteth me nothing” (I Cor. xiii).  These are godly gifts, yet St. Paul calls them nothing when a man hath them without charity; which is a great commendation, and shows the great need of love, insomuch that all other virtues are in vain when this love is absent.  And there have been some who taught that St. Paul spake against the dignity of faith; but you must understand that St. Paul speaks here not of the justifying faith, wherewith we receive everlasting life, but he understands by this word faith the gift to do miracles, to remove hills; of such a faith he speaks.  This I say to confirm this proposition.  Faith only justifieth; this proposition is most true and certain.  And St. Paul speaks not here of this lively justifying faith; for this right faith is not without love, for love cometh and floweth out of faith; love is a child of faith; for no man can love except he believe, so that they have two several offices, they themselves being inseparable.

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 tho she is the chiefest, yet we must not attribute unto her the office which pertains unto faith only.  Like as I can not 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, tho he is a greater man, yet it is not his office to make shoes; so tho 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.