Faithful: Well, I see that saying and doing are two
things, and hereafter I shall
better observe this distinction.
Christian: They
are two things indeed, and are as diverse as are the soul and the body; for, as
the body without the soul is but a dead carcass, so saying, if it be
alone, is but a dead carcass also. The soul of religion is the practical part.
“Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the
fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from
the world.” see also This, Talkative is not aware of;
he thinks that hearing and saying will make a good Christian; and thus he
deceiveth his own soul. Hearing is but as the sowing of the seed; talking is
not sufficient to prove that fruit is indeed in the heart and life. And let us
assure ourselves, that at the day of doom men shall be judged according to
their fruits. It will not be said then, Did you
believe? but, Were you doers, or talkers only? and accordingly shall they be
judged. The end of the world is compared to our harvest, and you know men at harvest regard nothing but fruit. Not that any thing can be
accepted that is not of faith; but I speak this to show you how insignificant
the profession of Talkative will be at that day.
Faithful: This
brings to my mind that of Moses, by which he describeth the beast that is
clean. He is such an one that parteth the
hoof, and cheweth the cud; not that parteth the hoof only, or that cheweth the
cud only. The hare cheweth the cud, but yet is unclean, because he parteth not
the hoof. And this truly resembleth Talkative: he cheweth the cud, he seeketh
knowledge; he cheweth upon the word, but he divideth not the hoof. He parteth
not with the way of sinners; but, as the hare, he retaineth the foot of the dog
or bear, and therefore he is unclean.
Christian: You
have spoken, for aught I know, the true gospel sense of these texts. And I will
add another thing: Paul calleth some men, yea, and those great talkers too,
sounding brass, and tinkling cymbals, that is, as he expounds them in
another place, things without life giving sound. Things without life; that is,
without the true faith and grace of the gospel; and consequently, things that
shall never be placed in the kingdom of heaven among those that are the
children of life; though their sound, by their talk, be as if it were the
tongue or voice of an angel.
