On Faith.

threats and promises, and finally all His words, their faith is defective and weak. For the full and powerful faith is that through which they (the believers) have overcome kingdoms, have practiced righteousness, and finally have accomplished things that no man can observe without wonder. For one does not believe powerfully in God who only promises oneself salvation through His unmerited mercy, just as the Joden Jews believed, and still do; but [he believes] who also believes and assents to the works and words of God, not some, but all, as completely as you did when you were still a child (as you said) and believed your father, or as we spoke of the greedy, the lustful, and the ambitious, who have a faith that is not dead and cold, but which is powerful and acting, and does not rest until it has obtained the desired object. Such is the true faith in Cristum Christ that works through love. If someone does not have such faith, they falsely boast of faith; therefore it is also that people lie who commonly attribute faith to themselves, notwithstanding that they live in all sorts of sin, for they do not have a living, but a dead faith, which is as little worthy of the name of faith as a dead man is of the name of man. Christus shows enough that this is not faith when He asks doubtfully if He will find faith on earth at His coming; also with those who say, "Lord, have we not cast out devils in your name, done miracles, etc.?" He shall answer, "I do not know you, go away from me, you evildoers," for He shall only consider the doers of good and the obedient as believers.