ow first to learn faith? is there such a
company of priests, monks, and nuns, and is not faith known? who knoweth
not what he ought to believe? even sinners know that." Being after this
sort animated and stirred up, they think themselves abundantly endued
with faith, and that the rest is now to be finished and made perfect by
works. They make so small and slender account of faith, because they are
ignorant what faith is, and that it alone doth justify. They call it
faith, believing those things which they have heard of Christ; this kind
of faith the devils also have, and yet they are not justified. But this
ought rather to be called an opinion of men. To believe those things to
be true which are preached of Christ is not sufficient to constitute
thee a Christian, but thou must not doubt that thou art of the number of
them unto whom all the benefits of Christ are given and exhibited; which
he that believes must plainly confess, that he is holy, godly,
righteous, the son of God, and certain of salvation; and that by no
merit of his own, but by the mere mercy of God poured forth upon him for
Christ's sake: which he believes to be so rich and plentiful, as indeed
it is, that altho he be as it were drowned in sin, he is notwithstanding
made holy, and become the son of God.

Wherefore, take heed that thou nothing doubt that thou art the son of
God, and therefore made righteous by His grace; let all fear and care be
done away. However, thou must fear and tremble that thou mayest
persevere in this way unto the end; but thou must not do this as tho it
consisted in thy own strength, for righteousness and salvation are of
grace, whereunto only thou must trust. But when thou knowest that it is
of grace alone, and that thy faith also is the gift of God, thou shalt
have cause to fear, lest some temptation violently move thee from this
faith.

Every one by faith is certain of this salvation; but we ought to have
care and fear that we stand and persevere, trusting in the Lord, and not
in our own strength. When those of the race of Cain hear faith treated
of in this manner, they marvel at our madness, as it seems to them. God
turn us from this way, say they, that we should affirm ourselves holy
and godly; far be this arrogance and rashness from us: we are miserable
sinners; we should be mad, if we should arrogate holiness to ourselves.
Thus they mock at true faith, and count such doctrine as this execrable
error; and thus try to exting