Church Postil (sermons on the Gospel & Epistle lessons)

the gifts of God, and has not as yet been exposed to temptations and trials. But, after he shall have experienced temptations, and been tried and proveil, he shall be filled not only with the gifts of wisdom and understanding, but also with the giver of these gifts, the Holy Spirit himself, and be rendered wholly perfect.

2s"ot because the Holy Spirit did not previously exist in him; for wliere his gifts are, there is he allSo, most assuredJy: but because the individual, not yet*^ exposed to temptations, has not as yet attained that degree, in which lie perceives and experiences the preset ce of the Holy Spirit, — a position which he vrill not reach until he is tried and proved. Then he who was previously filled with gifts, will be full of the Spirit; so that he will be useful not only to himself, in consequence of these gifts, as he was previous to his having experienced temptations, but will, from that period, render himself useful to others; so that through I him they also may attain the same [grace. Now, he was, previously, luseful in a temporal point of view, in)nsequence of his distribution of fa- 'ors to his neighbors, — (as already stated,) an act, which he was induced to perform, in consequence of his faith ind the gifts which he had received; in this way, however, he v>'as useful, not in a spiritual, but simply in a fmporal x^oint of vievr. So, after experiencing temptations, tiie Spirit enters, and causes him not onhr to be fed with the bread of wisdom and understanding, as was the case before, but to open his mouth, and feed others with the bread of wisdom and understanding, rendering tlk-m spiritual service. Thus, pre-)us to the sufferings of Christ, the)ostles were merel}' guests of the >rd, eating and drinidng of his wisdlni and understanding, and leading pious lives; but they, themselves, alone were affected by this. After his resiuTCCtion, however, they became hosts, feeding others, and rendering them pious, through the spirit of wisdom and understanding, of which, after having experienced temptations, they were fuU.

With a garment of honor shall she clothe him.

That is, she will give him great reputation and a great name, far and wide, as God said, in regard to David, I have made thy name great. In this way he will be so adorned, that all the world will esteem and declare hiii! honorable, on account of his wisdom and knowledge. For honor, wliicii attains distinction and secures a great and glorious name among the people, is glory. This he calls a garment; — for it adorns more than ornament^^ and jewels.

" He siiall find joy and a crrAvii

Hitherto he mentioned the blessings or advantages which he should enjoy in this life. Here he dravrs his conclusion now in regard to the blessings which are held in reserve for liiin in the life which is to come; namely, eternal joy and gladness. This is the treasure whicli she has in reserve foi him, and which has no end.

" Aiicl slie sliall cause him to m- herit an eyerlastlng name."

That is, after his death, and nor merely during his life, will tlie remembrance of his name be perpetuated and held in honor. After this all the self-i:igliteous strive, but in ^-ain. For they neither fear God, nor hang upon the righteousness of faith.

Behold, then, these great fruits and blessings, which are so well calculated to afford us consolation and to admonish us to continue in faith and in the fear of God. I have hastily passed over this matter, treating it in tli(^ briefest manner; otherwise, a special, a long sermon might have l)ee.n drawn from each point, by expatiating upon it, in the Scriptures.

We must not infer, however, from this, that we should fear God or hclieve in him simply for the purpose of securing these blessings. This would be deceptive. It is not written in order to induce us to seek or desire such advantages, but in order that we majknow that such blessings Avill assuredly result to those who fear God: —

and even those alone, who do not seek them, shall find them ', that is, those who fear God, without seeking their own honor, and continue to hang upon the grace of God. To these, such blessings unsought must result. These, the self-righteous, with all their l)retences, can not reach.

This Epistle or Lesson beautifully accords with the Gospel. Here it is said, Eighteousness receives an individual, like a reputable mother, her child, and like a bride, her bridegroom. Thus, too, Christ took John upon his breast, and regarded him as the beloved disciple. In both, faith is commended and present, in regard to its character.

KOW 1 say, That the feclr, as long as he is a child, diSTereth nothing from a servant, though be be lord of all;

But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.

Even go we, wh'Cii.we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:

Eat when the fullness of the time was come, CiOd sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the Saw,

To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons*

And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit off. his Son into your liearts, crying, Abba, Father.

Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of Ciod through Christ*

This Epistle, or lesson, is very characteristic of the Apostle Paul; and hence^ it is not generally understood: not on account of any diflaculty or obscurity in it, but because the doctrine in regard to faith, which it is so necessary to understand, in order to comi)rehend St. Paul, whose mind, with all his zeal and energy, is occui)ied with the subject of faith, in all his Epistles, is almost extinct in the world. For the i^urpose, there* fore, of rendering it clear, a lengthy exi)osition will be required: and, in order that we may have sx)ace to treat it in the clearest manner possible, tre shall let this suffice as a preface an<l ^s an introduction.*

It is necessary to know, that it is one thing to' treat of good works, and another to treat of justification; precisely as the essence or person of an Individual is one thing, and his aoH tions or works are another. Now" justification has reference to the person, and not to his works. For the person, and not the works, is declared just and is saved, or is sentenced and condemned. It is, therefore, also conclusive that no one is justified by works, but must first be justified, without any works, through some otlier means.

Thus, Moses, Gen. 4, 4, 5, says: — ''The Lord had respect unto Abel^ and to his offering." First, he had respect to Abel, the person, and then, to his offering, because he was already pious, just, and acceptable, as to his person; and hence, his offering was also acceptable, on account of the person, and not the i)erson on account of the offering. "But unto Cain, and to his offering, he had not respect." Thus, in the first place, he had not respect unto Cain, the person, and hence, too, he had not respect afterwards to his offering. From this text we may conclude, that it is imi)ossible for any work to be good in the sight of God, unless the person [performing it] first be good and acceptable. On the other hand, it is impossible for any woi-k to be evil in the sight of God, unless the person [performing it] be first evil and unacceptable. ]S'ow, let this be sufficient' ly conclusive for the present, that there are two kinds of good works:— some precede, and others follow after justification. Those which precede, merely seem to be good and effectual; but those which follow are really good.

Behold, this is the contention be» tween God and presumptive saints i

* B. Concerning the Justification of m^.

here [corriiptj nature contends, and rages against tlie Holy Spirit. In regard to this the Scriptures everywhere treat. In them God conchides that all the ^vorks of an individual previous to his justification, are evil and ineffectual; he requires the person first to be just and good. In the second place, he concludes, that all l^ersons, vhilst in a state of nature, according to their natural birth, are UDJust and evil, as it is said, Ps. 116, 11: ^' All men are liars f' and Gen. 6, 5: "EA'ery imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." Hence such an individual can perform no good work, and whatever he may do in that wav, a work like that of Cain, Here Madam Hulda steps in lier scornful nose, nature, and dares to c^ontradict her God, and to charge him with falsehood. She

, introducing heathenish books and human doctrines, and begins to harp upon these, saying, Good works also precede jiistification, and they are not the works of Cain, as God says, but they are so good, that by them a person is j ustified. For, Aristotle taugh t, that whoever does much good, will thereby become good. To" this slie firmly cleaves, j)erverting the ScriptureSj and presuming that God must first have respect to the works and then to the person. Such devilish doctrine reigns at this time in all the high schools, institutions, and clois ters, and such persons are nothing but saints like Cain, whom God does not regard.

In the second place, since she bases her position simply on works, and attaches very little importance to the person and justification, she proceeds still further, and attributes all merit and the highest righteousness to the works which follow justification, saying: *'Faith without works is dead',^ as St, James, James 2, 20, says. iSTow, mice she does not understand this [leclaration, she attaches very little importance to faith, and thus she continues to adhere to works, presumiug to dictate to God to allow the person to be acceptable on account of works. Thus, these two continually strive against each other: God has respect to the person; Cain to the works. — God rewards the works on account of the person; Cain would have the person crowned on account of the work^s- God will not yield his position, so just and righteous, and Cain, the young nobleman, will never allow himself to be convinced of his error. We must not reject his works, slightly regard his reason, or look uijon his free-vvill as impotent, else he will becam.'e angry with God, and slay his brother, Abel, as all history abtmdantly teaclies.

But, if you ask: What then must 1 do? How shall I first become good and acceptable in regard to my person? How shall I secure that justification! The Gospel replies: You must hear Christ and believe in him, wholly despairing of yourself, and resting assured that j'ou will be changed from [the character of] Cain to [that of] Abel, and then you iiVcVy offer your offering. This faith, as it is proclaimed without any of your merit, is also given independent of your works and without any of your merits, through pure grace. Behold, this justifies the individual, and it is even justification itself.

On account ^ God remits and forgives all, as well as the old Adam and Cain, for the sake of Christ, his beloved Son, whose name is in this faith. He grants, moreover, his Holy Spirit, who alters the individual and changes him into a new creature, who then has different reason and a different will, inclined to that whic^ is good. Sucli a person, wherever he may be, performs purely- good works, and Avliatever he does is good, as already stated in the foregoing Epistle.

^N'otliing else, therefore, but to hear Jesus Christ, and to believe in him as the Savior, is necessary to justification. But this is not the work of nature, but of grace; and whoever presumes to attain it by works, throws obstacles in the way of the Gospel, faith, grace, Christ, God, and all good. On the other hancjj nothingv else, but justification, is "necessarv for good works, [for, whoever is justified, and no one else, does good, and all that lie does in a state of justification is good, without any distinction of works,] so that the beginning, the se- <iuel, and order of man's salvation, is, in the first place, to hear the Word of God above all things,* and then to ^ict, and thus to be saved. Whoever changes or perverts this order is certainly not from God.

This order is described by St. Paul, Horn. 10, 13, where he says: ^'Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear vdthout a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent f Therefore, Christ teaches us to pray the Lord of the harvest to send laborers into his harvest; that is, faithful preachers. When they come, they l)reach the true word of God. Vv'hen V'.e hear this, we are enabled to believe; and this faith justifies us and renders us pious; then we call on God, and do all that is good. In this vray we are saved. That is, whoever believes shall be saved; but, whoever works without faith, shall be damned; as Christ, Mark 16, io, says: " He that believeth not shall be damned;" here, works avail nothing.

Xow, observe the common course pursued and the language em^oloyed 03' the people, who are accustomed to say: Aye! I expect to become pious; aye! v\'e must become pious, &c. But if they are asked, what course we must pursue in order to become pious, they begin and say, Aye! we must pray, last, go to church, abstain from sin, &c. One will enter a monastery, and another some other order; one will become a priest, and another will put on a hair-garment; one will punish himself in one way, and another in some other way. These are like Cain, and do the works of Cain. As to their i^ersons, they are like they were before; they are destitute of justification; they assume only an external change and alteration of works, clothing, condition, and habits; they are real ai)es, who assume the habits of saints; still they are unholy; they do not think of faith, but rush along with their good works towards heaven, (as they imagine,) torturing themselves.

Eelative to these, Christ says, in the Gospel, Luke 13, 24: '' Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, an d shall not be able." Aye, why not I Because they do not know which is the strait gate. It is faith. This humbles an individual, yes, brings him down to nothing, so that he must despair of all his good works, and cleave only to the grace of God, forsaking all else, on account of it. But saints like Cain, imagine that good works are the strait gate. Hence, they neither humble themselves, nor despair of their good works; no, they gather them in large bags, and throwing these over themselves, desire to pass through; and they Tviill pass through, like a camel with his great hump on his back passes through the eye of a needle.

In"ow, if any one speaks to them about faith, they scoff and laugh, saying. Are we regarded as Turks or heathens, that it is necessary for lis first to learn what faith is? Can there be so many monks, nuns, and priests, without knowing what faith is? Who does not know what is to be believed, when e^'en open sinners know? Hence, as if they had already accomplished everything in regard to faith, they imagine that they must henceforth be occupied with works, regarding faith as of very little importance, as alread}' said. For they neither understand, nor know, that by it alone, we are justified.

To hold as true, whatever they hear about Christ, they stjde faith. This kind of faith the devils also have, and yet they are not thereby rendered pious. This, however, is not Christian faith; no, it is an illusion, rather than faith. In the preceding postils we have already heard that, in order to be a Christian, it is not enough for an individual simply to believe that all that is said about Christ is true,—;

feiich a faitli Saints like Cain possess, -— biitv, lie must, without any doubt or vacillation, believe that h^^ himself, is one of those to whom such gva^ and mercy are given, and that he has really secured them through Baptism or the Sacrament. Kow, when he believes this, he may freely say in regard to himself; I am holy, pious, just, and a child of God, assured, without the sUghtest doubt, of salvation; not in consequence of anything in me, or in my merits or works, but through the pure mercy of God in Christ, poured out upon me. This he vrill prize so higlily,.a>s it really is so valuable, that he cannot doubt that it renders liim holy, and constitutes him a child of God." But if he doubts this, he disparages, in the highest degree, his Baptism and the Sacrament, and eensui'es, with falsehood, the Word of Ood, and his gTace in the Sacraments.

For here he should entertain neither fear nor doubt, that he is pious and a child of God through grace, but ke should rather -entertain fear and anxiety relative to the mannar^ in which he may remain steadfast xintil tlie end^* here lie all the fear and anxiety. For, here, lie is assuredly in possession of the whole salvation, but there may il^e some doubt and anxiety as to whether he will continue steadfast, and retain it. Here we must walk in fear; for such faith does not liang upon works or itself, but only upon God and his grace. This cannot forsake the individual, as long as this reliance continues. But he knows not how long it will continue. If temptation should force him away from it, so that this reliance ceases, the grace will also cease.*

When these Cabi-itesheav this faith, [docti-ine] they bless themselves, making the sign of the cross with their liajids and their feet, and exclaim: —

* A. This is the view of Solomon, Ecc. 9, i: " The righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them," — so that he knows not whether he i« •aTiorthy.of grace or disjileasare. He does not say it is uncertain in regard to the present, but to the future. Because the person does not know whether he will be able to stand against the assaults of temptation.

Aye! (^M forbid: How could I say that I am holy and pious? How could I be so high-minded and presumptuous? No, no, I am a poor sinner. In this way, you perceive, they render this faith useless to themselves, and all such doctrine must be regarded as heresy. In this way, then, the whole Gospel is exterminated. These are the persons, who deny the Christian faith, and drive it out of the world, and con-cei'mng whom St. Paul prophesied, whesi hie said^ 1 Tim.. 4, 1: '^ In the latter times some shall depart from the faith.'' For this faith is now silenced in all the world; yes, condemned and banished, with all who teach and hold it, as the worst heresv J the Pope, the bishop, the foundation, the cloister, the high-schools, stood unanimously in opposition to it for nearly four hundred years, and did nothing else but drive all the world, with violence, into hell;— this is the re^il, the last persecution of Antichrist.

But, if you say to tliem: Yes, but the prophet, Ps. 86, 2, says,: "Preserve my soul; for I am holy f and St Paiil, Bom, S, 16: " The Spirit ir self beareth witness with our spiiit, that we are the children of God f ' they reply: Yes, the Prophet and the Apostle did not make these declarations to establish a doctrine or an example, but l3ecause they were enlightened, and it was revealed to them that were holy. In this way they construe every passage that speaks concerning this matter, as if it were designed, not as a doctrine, but as a special wonder and prerogative, not intended for every believer. This gloss is a mere fLgment of their owji mind. Por, lje«\use they do not believe, or taste of the Spirit, they imagine that no oue else should thus believe, or taste. By this, as their own fruits, they may be clearly known as thorns and thistles, not as Christians, but as enemies and destroyers of all Christians, and persecutors of the Chiistian faith.

But, on the other hand, their faitli is of such a character as leads them to believe that they are rendered pi " ous and holy through their works^ and that in consequence of these, God i must save them. Behohl, in tlieir opinion, to become pioiis through works, is Christianitj'; but to become pious through the grace of God, is heresy. Their works seem to be of greater imi)ortance and of more value than the grace of God: their faith can hang upon works, but not upon the gi^ace of God. And since^ building upon the sand, they reject the rock, it is but serving them right, that they must fall into their works, and torture themselves to death, to tlie honor of the dfevil, because tB;-ey will not adhere to the grace of God, and render him a reasonable service.

For all who are in possession of such Christian faith^ must consequently be happy and secure in God and his grace. — They will even delight in good works. The prayers and apparelobserved by these Cain-ites, are not good works; hut such works only as are useful and beneficial to our neighbor, are good, as already stated in the Gospel lesson. — Yes, they wili be ready and willing to suffer all things 5 for they doubt not that God is with them, and that they are in liis grace. These are the persons that honor G^od, and are useful to man.

less to God, to the world, tliev are useless burden to the earth, injurious to themselves and to everybody else. For, since they are not in i)ossession of this faith, they neither serve nor honor God» They x>erfc>rm none of those works, from which their neighbor can derive any benett in regard to his Jjoii^ij. property, honor, or soid^ For their wx)rks are of a peculiar character, consisting in gestures, apparel, situations, times, an4 meats.

Tell me, what does it benefit me for you to wear a large bald i>ate, or a gray cowl? Who profits by your fasting on one day, and observing anoth er as a holj^-day j by your abstaining i'roni certain meats, and secluding yourself iih % certain place, reading and muttering ^:v-ery day? In this way you do nothing else but nuirder yourself for tlie devil, and leave a bad,?v p^Qruicious example for every one to follow such life and conduct,^ as if it were good and consistent with the principles of Christianity. 'Fof) you do not believe in a Christian manner, and, hence, you cannot pray in that manner j and, hence, your fasting is not a mortification of the body, im it slioukl be, but it is performed as liv good work; so that such a life is nothing else but the idolatry of Baal and Moloch, formerly i)racticed. among the Jews, who tortured, murdered-,- a-nd. burnt their children in honor to the devlL*

You may, perhaps, &ay, if itistrue^ that we are justified, not by works^ but by hearing and believing Christy as the being who is given tons as our own, of what use or advantage,, theu^ are the commandments I Answer:■. — Here, we now come to the Epistle lesson which teUsus the object for v/hich the commandments wei'c given. The Galatians first learned the Christian faitli from St. Paul, and were afterwards so perverted by certain false Tjreachers, as to turn back again to? their works, and jimagiiie that they must become |)ious throughthe Yvork.s. of the law. Here, St. Paul recalks. them again from these works to faiths and in a multiplicity of terms, point ^v out to them the two kinds, of v.^orks oi^ the law, drawing the conclusion that the works which precede justification or faith, are useless, and merely con-^ stitute us servants j but faith makei< us children or sons of God i and hencereally good w^orks then follow*

But, we must make ourselves acquainted with the language employed by the Apostle, in which he distinguishes between a servant and a chihU The self-righteous he calls a ser^ vant, concerning whom much has^ (^h readj' been said. The believer m Christ he styles a chihl, who is justified hj faith alone, without works. — This distinctioji results from the t\ict tiiat the se^lf-4'ighteous does not ren-. der his services m the sanie spiiit that actu;ites the child and the heir, in Ids services, relative to his own inherit tan.ce, but he renders then^ iu the dis-^ pos;ition of a daydaborer, upoij the possessions of some one else. Ah

though the works i)erformed by both may be i^recisely of the same character, yet the disposition, the conscience, and faith make a distinction. The chikl has a conscience, and expects to continue an heir to the inheritance. — The servant feels that he must ultimately leave, and hence he does not await the inheritance j as Christ, John 8, 35, says: '^The servant abideth not in the house forever: but the son tibideth ever.-'

Thus, these Cain-like saints, be> cause they have not this Christian faith, (as thtj themselves confess.) which would enable them to regartl themselves as the children of God with certainty, — but separate themselves from it, as an enormous, heretical presumption, by making*' the sign of the cross, — continue to hang in doubt. It occurs to them as they believe; they are not, nor will they ever be, the chidren of God, aiul become happy, in that vray; although they may i>erform the deeds of the law, and diligently attend to its pi'actieal exercises. This will constitute them servants J they vdW continue to be servants, and in this way they vriil secure nothing more than a temporal reward, a co.mi)eteney on earth, quietude, honor, and pleasant days. — This we now perceive in the S| iritual orders, in which all the wealth, power, pleasure, honor, and favors in the world, are enjoyed. Tills is their reward J they are servants and not children; and hence, in the hour of death, they ^111 nil be cast out from the eternal inheritance, in which they would never believe, and which, in this life, they would never receive thsrough faith. Thus you wUi perceive that there is scarcely a diitt}rence between the works. The faith, however, and the disposition, make the distinction.

Xow, it is the design of the Apostle to show, a-n^l it is really true, that without this faith^ the law, v\'ith all its works, constitutes us nothing but servants: for this faith alone makes as. children. Neither the la^^-, then, nor its wfiO'ks, nor our own nature can produce this faith in us: but the Gospel alone brings %t with itself,: — when Wi' Ue^r the Gospel, tU? WQrd of grace, accomi^aiiied by the Holy Ghost, wherever it is quietly i^reached. This is clear from the example of Cornelius and his fiimily, Acts 10, 44, who received the Holy Ghost, simply by hearing St. Peter.

Thus, too, the law wa& given for noother imrpose, but to enable man to perceive liow graceless, how destitutes of filial alfection, and how servile lie is, serving God without fiiith and coniidence, as well as without a free, spontaneous spirit. For, these saintsthemselves confess that they are destitute of such c(aiti deuce; and, if they would confess still further, they wotrhl have to admit that they would rather tliere were no law, and tliat they do not submit to it from clioice. Thusv faithless as tliey are, their whole course of conduct is regulated by restraints; and they must acknovdedge tliat, by the law, they can attain no liigher degree of perfection. This tliey should learn from the law, and perceive that they are servants and not children, with, a view to emerge from their state of servitude to the position of a child, regarding their own eiforts asineiiectual; so, througii faith and the grace of God, they may attain the prox)er i^osition in life.

This is a correct Yie\Y and a proper use of the law, since it contemplates nothing else but to convict and vanquish all Avho presume to fuLSll it without faith^ because they are servants, and, hen-v-e,. engage in. its requirements without a free, spontaneous spirit, and without reliance upoiK grace. It designs them to come ii^ conflict with it, to try theuiselves, and to learn how unwilling and destitute of faith they are, and, consequently, to seek help in sonu^. other direction, not ]>resuming by their own strength to fulfill it. For it must be fullilleu trom a free, sx^ontaneous spirit, and by children alone. It is an enemy to the unwilling, and to servants,

ISTow, thej' go on and a(.'knowledg:o that they are destitute of faith; yes, they reject that fait'ii which would constitute them children; they sensibly perceive their unvrillingness, and prefer being from under the lavv'; and yet they presuine by their own >YQrka to render tliemselves pious, desiring to remain servants, and not to become children,— still cleaving to the inheritance, perverting everything. The law, (in conflict with which they should come, and from which they should learn that they are servants without a free, spontaneous spirit, so that they might despair of their own efforts, and cleave to faitli^ which would afford grace, and constitute them children,) they so pervert as to enter upon its demands through their works, presuming in this waj' to fuliili it. Thus, they obstruct the object and end of the law, even striving ogainst faith and grace, to which the lavr directs, impels, and urges them. Thus, they remain a blind, i)er verse, laborious, and servile people, forever.

This is the design and intention of St. Paul, Eom. 3, 20, and 7, 7, where lie fearlessly says: " By the deeds of the law there shall no liesh be justiiled in his sight." Whj^ not! He ansv/ers and says. Because, by the lav,', nothing more is eftected than the knovrledge or perception of sin. Beloved, how is this accomplished? — Place before you an indivklual like Cain, and you will see. In the first place, it is with great toil and labor that he performs his V\'orks, according to the law; and yet he readily confesses that he does not believe that he is holy and a child of God *, yes, he condemns that faith, as an abominable presumption and heresy, as already stated; he continues in doubt, and expects to become a child through his own works.

Behold, here you may clearly perceive that the person is neither good nor righteous, since he is destitute of faith; yes, he is an enemy to faith; — and hence, too, an enemy to righteousness; arid, consequently', his works are not good, no matter how beautifully ihey may appear, according to the law. Thus, you will perceive that St. Paul speaks correctly, when he says: '^ By the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight." For, in the sight of God, the person must be good before his works are g?ood. By works, it is true, he may be justified by men, who judge according to the works, and not according to humility or the heart. Men judge persons according to their works; God judges the works according to the persons.

Kow, the first commandment in tlie law requires and orders us to love and to honor God; that is, to trust in him, to confide in him, and to rely upon him. This is the true faith, which constitutes us the children of God. Thus, you may perceive, and clearly- understand from this law, the sin that dwells in a i)erson like Cain, namely, his unbelief. From it, too, you can feel in yourself whether you believe or not, — a thing which no one could feel or know without such law. This, observe, St. Paul styles knowing sin by the law.

STow, from this unbelief you cannot extricate yourself, nor can the law extricate you. All your works, therefore, by vrhich you intend to fulfill the law, are nothing but works of the law, juid cannot justify you in the sight of God, v\iio regards as just, only those who believe in him and are children; for these, only, fulfill this commandment, and hold him as true God. For, although you may torture yourself to death with works, yet, from that source, your heart cannot secure such a faith as this commandment requires; yes, works neither coniV)rehend nor tolerate that faith, as already said; nor do they know that it is required by the law. An individual entertaining such views must continue, therefore, a martyr of the devil, and a persecutor of faith jfnd the law, even through the works of the law in vrhich he trusts, until he comes to himself, understands himself, and despairs of himself and of his works, giving God the honor, perceiving his nothingness, and sighing after pure grace, to which God has diiven him by the law. Here faith and grace come," and fill the empty and feed the hungry; here, then, really good vrorks follow" These are not works of the law, but works of the spirit of grace, and are styled, in the Scriptures, the works of God, which he i)roduce8 in. us. For, all that God does wot pro^