M.  Is there any faith which is not a true and lively faith?

      S.  There is indeed a certain general faith, as I may so call it, and there is a ^fdead faith.

      M.  Since then it is a matter of no small weight what thou comprehendest under the name of believing and of a Christian faith, that is to say, a true and lively faith, go to and tell me what faith that same is, and how it differeth from the general faith, and also from the dead faith.

      S.  The general faith is that which ^gcrediteth the word of God; that is, which believeth all those things to be true that are contained in the scriptures concerning God, his incomprehensibleness, power, righteousness, wisdom, mercy towards the faithful and godly, and most earnest severity toward the unbelieving and ungodly, and likewise all other things taught in the scriptures.

      M.  Doth not the true faith that thou speakest of believe also in all these same things?

      S.  Yea, forsooth.  But the true faith goeth further, as I shall shew by and by.  ^hFor thus far not only ungodly men, but also the very devils, do believe; and therefore neither are they ⁱindeed faithful, nor are so called.  But the true faith, as it nothing doubteth that all things taught in the word of God are most certainly true, ^kso doth it also embrace the promises made concerning the mercy of God the Father, and the forgiveness of sins to the faithful through Jesus Christ; which promises are properly called ^lthe gospel, which faith whosoever have, they do not only fear ^mGod as the most mighty Lord of all, and the most righteous Judge (which we already said that the most part of the ungodly and the ⁿdevils themselves do), but also they love him as their most bountiful and merciful ^oFather; whom as they travail in all things to please (as becometh obedient children) with godly endeavours and works, which are called the fruits of faith, so have they a good and sure hope of ^pobtaining pardon through Christ, when, as men, they swerve from his will.  For they know that Christ (whom they trust upon), ^qappeasing the wrath of his Father, their sins shall never be imputed any more unto them, than if the same had never been committed.  And though themselves have not satisfied the law, and their duty towards God and men, yet believe they that Christ, with his most full observing of the law, hath abundantly satisfied God for them, and are persuaded that by this his ^rrighteousness and observing of the law of God, themselves are accounted in the number and state of the righteous, and that they are beloved of God even as if themselves had fulfilled the law.  And this is the ^sjustification which they holy scriptures do declare that we obtain by faith.

Margin Notes:  ^fRom. 1:32.  Tit. 2:16.  James 2:26. 
^gMatt. 7:22.  Luke 12:47.  1 Cor. 13:2. 
^hRom. 1:32.  Tit. 1:16.  James 2:19. 
ⁱJohn 1:12.  Gal. 3:25-26. 
^kLuke 24:47.  Rom. 4:16. 
^lIsai. 61:2.  Luke 2:10-11 & 4:18. 
^mDeut. 10:20.  Ps. 111:10. 
ⁿJames 2:19. 
^oDeut. 10:12.  Ps. 1:2-3.  Col. 2:6.  Eph. 5:1-2, 8. 
^pMatt. 1:21.  Rom. 2:24 & 5:1. 
^qEph. 2:15-16.  Col. 2:14.  Heb. 10:17.  1 John 2:1, 2.  
^r1 Cor 1:30.  2 Cor. 5:18.  Eph. 1:6-7.  Phil. 1:9. 
^sRom. 3:21.  Gal. 2:16.