are in our midst and who profess to believe in the crucified God and His religion. They live just as we heathens do; they gratify their lusts as we do, who believe in no future state; they are vindictive, as we are; intemperate, avaricious, treacherous, unjust, even worse than we; therefore there is no difference except in name between us and you Christians; our manner of life is the same. Preach then first to your own people who believe in Christ; and then you can preach to us. You try to persuade as that we cannot be happy in the next life if we continue in our present religion; will the Christians, living as we know they do, be happy? If we are to be damned because we lead bad lives, and they are to be damned because they lead bad lives, does not that come to one and the same thing? We gratify our lusts as long as we can, because we do not expect another life after this; but we are not so bad as those who gratify their lusts as we do, and yet believe that, as you describe to us, there is after this life an eternal one of joy in heaven or suffering in hell. Thus the well-meant efforts of St. Francis were frustrated and his preaching rendered fruitless.
For their works are not consistent with such a belief. My dear brethren, might not Jews and infidels make the same objection to some Christians in this country that those heathens made to St. Francis? “Tell me,” said St. John Chrysostom to his hearers, “tell me by what sign I shall know you to be Christians; show me a proof of your faith,” that I may distinguish you from Turks and heathens.[1] Show me that you believe in eternal life. Where is your Christian faith? On your tongue? But no one can find it there. You calumniate and detract, you vilify, and swear, and curse, and blaspheme worse thai? many a Turk. Where is your faith? In your hands? No; manv a Turk is more just in his dealings, more generous in alms-giving than you. Where is your faith? In your mind and imagination? No; there is too much self-conceit there, too much ambition, which cannot harmonize with the humility of Jesus Christ, and is more opposed to it than even the pride of an infidel. Is it in your eyes? No; they are too curious, vain, unchaste, like the eyes of those who have no hope of seeing their Redeemer after death. Is it in your heart? No; that is full of envy, hatred, revenge, impure love, and bad desires; it is as bad as any heathen’s. In your body? No; you gorge it with excess in eating and drinking; you gratify its lusts as much as any infidel does. In
- ↑ Dic mihi in quo te deprehendere potero Christianum, ostende mihi fidem tuam.
