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The second foot of this tottering stool is a false faith. For it is
but a feigned faith for a man to say to God secretly that he
believeth him, trusteth him, and loveth him, and then openly, where
he should to God's honour tell the same tale and thereby prove that
he doth so, there to God's dishonour flatter God's enemies as much
as in him is, and do them pleasure and worship, with the forsaking
of God's faith before the world. And such a one either is faithless
in his heart too, or else knoweth well that he doth God this
despite even before his own face. For unless he lack faith, he
cannot but know that our Lord is everywhere present, and that,
while he so shamefully forsaketh him, he full angrily looketh on.
The third foot of this tottering stool is false flattering hope.
For since the thing that he doth, when he forsaketh his faith for
fear, is forbidden by the mouth of God upon the pain of eternal
death, though the goodness of God forgiveth many folk for the
fault, yet to be bolder in offending for the hope of forgiving is a
very false pestilent hope, with which a man flattereth himself
toward his own destruction.
He who, in a sudden turn for fear or other affection, unadvisedly
falleth, and after, in labouring to rise again, comforteth himself
with hope of God's gracious forgiveness, walketh in the ready way
toward his salvation.
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