s, and
through the same we obtain everlasting life, and not through our own
doings; for, as I said before, if God should enter into judgment with us,
we should be damned.

Therefore take heed and be not proud, and be humble and low, and trust not
too much in yourselves; but put your only trust in Christ our Saviour. And
yet you may not utterly set aside the doing of good works; but especially
look that you have always oil in readiness for your lamps, or else you may
not come to the wedding, but shall be shut out, and thrust into
everlasting darkness. This oil is faith in Christ, which if you lack, then
all things are unsavory before the face of God: but a great many people
are much deceived, for they think themselves to have faith when indeed
they have it not. Some peradventure will say, How shall I know whether I
have faith or not? Truly you shall find this in you, if you have no mind
to leave sin; then sin grieves you not, but you are content to go forward
in the same, and you delight in it, and hate it not, neither do you feel
what sin is: when you are in such a case, then you have no faith, and
therefore are like to perish everlastingly. For that man who is sore sick,
and yet feels not his sickness, he is in great danger, for he has lost all
his senses; so that man who has gone so far in sin, that he feels his sin
no more, is like to be damned, for he is without faith.

Again, that man is in good case, who can be content to fight and strive
with sin, and to withstand the devil, and his temptations, and calls for
the help of God, and believes that God will help him, and make him strong
to fight. That man shall not be overcome by the devil. And whosoever feels
this in his heart, and so wrestles with sin, may be sure that he has
faith, and is in the favour of God.

But if you will have a trial of your faith, then do this--Examine yourself
concerning your enemy; he does you harm, he slanders you, or takes away
your living from you. How shall you conduct yourself towards such a man?
If you can find in your heart to pray for him, to love him with all your
heart, and forgive him with a good-will all that he has sinned against
you--if you can find this readiness in your heart, then you are one of
those who have faith, if you would have him to be saved as well as
yourself. And if you can do this you may argue that your sin is forgiven,
and that you are none of those that shall be cast out, but shall be
received and placed