Love, says Solomon, is strong as death; jealously is cruel as the grave; the coals thereof are coals of fire, which have a most vehement flame, many waters cannot quench love, (Cant. 8,) yea, so firm and strong and ardent is love that it surpasses every thing, conquers and consumes what is opposed to Christ and his word, be it world or flesh, tyrant or devil, sin or death, or whatever we may think of or name; and this is all through the power and spirit of Jesus Christ of whom it originates. (Rom. 8.)

Moses preceded with fear, then Christ with love. First the terrific land, and afterwards the consoling gospel; first wrath in the feelings of our consciences, afterwards grace; first uneasiness of pain, then peace; first tribulation, then joy. In short, first the letter which killeth, then the spirit which quickens. (2 Cor. 3.)

Behold, my reader, such a faith as mentioned, is the true. christian faith, which praises, honors, magnifies and extols God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ, through filial fear and fruitful love, for by it we know the Father's good will towards us through Christ; by it, I say, we know that all the promises to the fathers, the waiting of the patriarchs, the whole figurative law, and all the predictions of the prophets, are fulfilled in Christ, with Christ, and through Christ, (Rom. 10.) That, Christ is our king, prince, Lord, Messiah, the promised David, (Jer. 23, 33; Ezek. 34; Gen. 49,) the Lion of the tribe of Judah, (Rev. 5,) the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the prince, of peace, (Isa. 9,) God's almighty, incom prehensible, eternal word and wisdom, (John 1; I Cor. 1,) the first born of every creature, (Col. 1,) the light of the world, (John 8, 8, 12,) the Sun of righteousness, (Wis. 5,) the true vine,(John 15,) the well of life, (John 7; Rev. 22,)the true door and shepherd of the sheep, (John 10,) the true foundation, (1 Cor. 3,) and the precious cornerstone in Zion, (Isa. 28; Rom. 19; 1 Pet. 2,) the right way, the truth and life, (John 14,) the promised prophet, (Deut. 18; Acts 3, 7,) our master and teacher, (John 3, 13,) our Redeemer; (Matt. 10; Col. 1,) Savior; (Luke 2; Tit. 2, 3.) Friend and bridegroom; (Cant. 1, 2, 3, 4; John 3.) In short, our only and eternal mediator, advocate, highpriest, propitiator and intercessor, (1 Tim. 2; 1 John 2; Heb. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13,) yea our head and brother, (Eph. 1; Col. 1; Matt. 12; Heb. 2, &c.) And since we know all this by faith, therefore, I say, we also observe his word rightly, hear

his voice, and implicitly follow his example, counsel, and depart from ungodliness-the heart is changed, the mind is renewed, and with Moses we rely upon the future promises, as though they were in sight, and patiently wait for them with pious Abraham, till he with all the chosen shall in reality inherit them. For faith says Paul, is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen, (Heb. 11.) He says, further: But hope that is seen is not hope, (Rom. 8.) God (says Christ himself) is a spirit, (John 4 ;) his word and grace are spiritual; the promise of the New Testament is spiritual; his kingdom and government are spiritual; and thus we have to believe all things through a pure, sincere and sure faith, with a candid heart and judge and see with spiritual eyes; but we may well say with Paul: For all men have not faith. (2 Thess. 3.)

Therefore, all those who stop their ears to the threatening and slaying law, and will not fear God, and also reject and desire not the gracious gospel of Christ, shut their eyes to the light of righteousness, and will neither see nor walk the true way, harden their hearts, and will not acknowledge the just judgment of God's wrath and displeasure, his mercy and favor and his unbounded grace, they are unbelievers; for they reject Christ Jesus, run haughtily, yea presumptuously, into perverse ways; they choose to themselves a righteousness and means of salvation contrary to the word of God; the wisdom of the Lord they esteem foolishness; his truth as lies; his gospel as delusion; the virtuous, christian life as madness; and the true use of his sacraments, as heresy, open idolatry, commands of men, superstition and abominable lies, are their consola tion and most reasonable service; their belly is their God: they love the world more than heaven; all their delight is in covetousness, avarice, pride and pomp, in gold and silver, in money and possessions;, in buying and selling, they cheat and deal treacherously; their common life is drinking, gambling, cursing, swearing, hatred, strife and fighting, they follow the flesh in its lusts; they defame and seek the calamity of their neighbor, his dishonor, disgrace and shame. In short, they say, with the fool, in their hearts: There is no God. (Ps. 13; Ezra 18.)

Although they boast of God with the mouth, praise his name with their lips, bow their bodily knees, saying, that they are redeemed with Christ's death and blood, it is nevertheless vain

hypocricy; for they do it only from habit, and feignedly, and not inwardly, through faith, in power and truth. They are those of whom it is written: They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him; being abominable and disobedient, and to every good work reprobate. (Tit. 1.) And this, because they do not believe Christ and his word, (their end is death,) as he says: He that believeth not shall be damned, yea, is already condemned. (Mark 16.)

It is true what Paul says: That it is impossible to please God without faith, for he that comes to God, must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Heb. 11.) O for an open heart! For profound understanding! Yea, if we rightly examine these words, we have reason to be astonished at Paul's wisdom and understanding. For if we do rightly reflect upon the matter, we have to confess before the Lord, (who tries our reins and hearts,) that we never believed it with the heart, that God is, and hence, we led a vain ungodly life. For it cannot be otherwise; if any one believes with all his heart, that God is, he will also believe that his word is true, that the wages of sin is death, that all things are open to his eyes, and that there is nothing concealed before him. (Rom. 8; Heb. 4.) That we must give an account of all our thoughts, words and deeds, before his judgment seat in the day of his coming. (Isa..66; Matt. 12; Rom. 2; 2 Cor. 5.) Believing all this, we then begin to be astonished before such an omniscient and righteous Judge, yea to fear and tremble greatly.

In the second place, I say: All who believe with the heart, that God is, they also believe that he is true, and therefore, none can be saved contrary to his word; for he is the God of truth, and in him there are no lies. His uttered word abides, it can neither be bent nor broken; those who thus believe, begin to fear his righteous judgment; they cast behind them all their false patchwork, all false promises, all the bolsters and cushions of the false prophets, and seek the Lord who bought them. They are abased in their own eyes; for the heart is humbled. They sigh and weep, pray and lament, knock and call at the throne of grace, till they are heard and encouraged by the word of his peace, comforted with the promise of his grace, and anointed with the Holy Ghost.

In the third place, I say: All who believe that God is, also believe that he is gracious and merciful, that he bestowed and sent us his Son, and that he taught us the right way, fulfilled

the law for us, reconciled us to the Father, and redeemed us by his blood and bitter death; has conquered hell, the devil, sin and death, and obtained for us grace, favor, mercy, and eternal life, &c. And therefore, the drooping hearts are again revived (which saw through the threatening law, nothing but the wrath of God and eternal death.) They become candid, peaceable, and joyful in the Holy Ghost, are of a joyful disposition, and are thus made to belong to their head and Savior, are united and made one with Him, ingrafted through the spirit of God and pure and unfeigned love, that they are of one heart, one soul and spirit with him; think, speak and live in their weakness as he has taught and commanded them in his word. They renounce and avoid all false doctrine, all unbelief, all false sacraments, all idolatry; put off the spotted garment of sin, which is the evil perverted life, and is of the flesh. They seek the doctrines and sacraments commanded them of Christ; that divine service which is taught in the scriptures, and that pious and unblameable life which is from God. For by faith they are changed in the inner man, converted and renewed, be- . cause they have a sealed, and assured conscience, which bears witness to them that God is, that he is righteous and true, gracious and of abundant mercy. And therefore they desire, to do and act, so that they do nothing but what they know through the word, that Christ taught and left them, through his holy apostles and prophets.

Behold, my brethren, here you have now the true properties and nature of a true christian faith, and what a great mystery, signification, power and spirit are contained summarily in these words: He must believe that God is; (Heb. 11) he that believeth on him has eternal life; (John 3) he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; (Mark 16) whoso ever believeth on him shall not be ashamed, (Rom. 10) and the like passages. For it will always be the case where there is a true, sincere, christian faith, there also will be a dying to sin, a new creature, true repentance, a sincere, regenera ed and unblamable christian. One does no longer live according to the lusts of sin, but according to the will of him who purchased us with his blood, drew us by his spirit and regenerated us by his word, namely, Christ Jesus.

But where there is only nominal faith and no righteousness, change, or new and penitent life, there is nothing but unbelief, hypocricy and lies. No matter how much we may speak, or

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dispute about the scriptures. This rule will abide, and can never be broken: If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die. (Rom. .8.) All, therefore, who live in pomp and wantonness, in ex2 cessive eating and drinking, adultery, fornication, avarice. hatred, envy, lasciviousness, defrauding and such sins;-all who defame the Lord's holy and high name, word and will, and also his community, slander and traduce their neighbor; deprive him of his honor, name, welfare, body and goods; who curse and swear by the Lord's sufferings, wounds, sacraments, cross and death, &c. All who do so are unbelieving heathens, and not believing christians. This is as plain as daylight, for their fruits testify before the whole world, that they are not the true olive tree and vine from which we may pluck or gather the true, ripe fruits; for, that they comfort themselves with the doctrines and commands of men, use a strange baptism, Lord's supper and divine service, which Christ has not taught; seek the remission of sins by foreign means; such as holy waters, masses, auricular confession, pilgrimages, &c.; walk in a perverted, crooked path; believe not Christ and his word, all must confess who have only natural discernment and understanding. But all who confess and acknowledge Christ to be the son of God, and his word as the truth, that his commands are eternal life, seek no other word, sacraments, or means of reconciliation, nor an other way of life than that which Christ, God's only Son, presented and taught them by the word of his truth.

And hence it is evident, where sincere and true faith obtains, which avails before God, which is a gift of God, and comes from hearing the holy word, through the blossoming tree of life, full of all manner of precious fruits of righteousness, such as fear and love of God, mercy, friendship, chastity, temperance, humility, candor, truth, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost, &c. (Rom. 3; Gal. 3; Eph. 2; Rom. 10.) For where there is a sincere, evangelical, pious faith, there also are the sincere, gospel fruits of an evangelical nature.

I say gospel fruit, for the strange fruit, such as infant baptism, masses, matins, vespers, caps, palms, chapels, altars, bells, &c., know not the gospel, for they are neither commanded of God, nor of Jesus Christ, his Son, nor by the holy apostles and prophets, therefore, are they abominations and not believing fruits, even as the golden calves were with Israel, (1 Kings 15) the worship of Baal, the high places, altars and