The True Christian Faith: The Lutheran Belief

The Lutherans teach and believe that we are saved by faith alone, without any regard to works. They hold this doctrine as firmly as though works were not necessary at all; yes, that faith is of such a nature that no work can be suffered or allowed beside it. And therefore the highly important, zealous and earnest epistle of James (because he reproves such a frivolous, vain doctrine and faith) had to be esteemed and considered as straw. O presumption! If the doctrine is straw, then the chosen apostle, the faithful servant and witness of Christ, who wrote and taught it, must also have been a man of straw; this is as clear as the noonday sun. For the doctrine shows the character of the man.

Let everyone take heed how and what he teaches; for with this same doctrine they have led the reckless and ignorant, great and small, citizens and common people, into such a fruitless, wild life, and have so unbridled them, that we would scarcely find among the Turks and Tartars such an ungodly and abominable life as we see among them. Their open deeds bear witness: the excessive eating and drinking, the needless pomp and splendor, the whoring, lying, cheating, cursing, swearing by the wounds, sacraments and sufferings of the Lord, the shedding of blood, fighting, and so on, which exist among many of them and, alas, have neither measure nor bounds. In many carnal things the teachers and the disciples are the same, as may be seen. I know well what I write; what I have heard and seen I testify, and I know that I testify the truth.

If anyone can simply say with them, Ah, what dishonest knaves and villains these desperate priests and monks are! (they wish them venereal disease or some other disease); the ungodly pope with his shorn crew, they say, has deceived us long enough with purgatory, confession and fasting; now we eat when we are hungry, fish or flesh as we please, for every creature of God is good, says Paul, and is not to be rejected. But what follows they do not want to understand or know, namely, to (live as) the believing, who know the truth and enjoy it with thanksgiving. They say further, How shamefully they have deceived us poor people! They have robbed us of the blood of the Lord and directed us to their mummery and their enchanting works. God be praised, we now know that all our works avail nothing, for the blood and death of Christ alone must blot out and pay for our sins. They begin to sing a psalm, Der Strick ist entzwei und wir sind frei, and so on, that is, The cord is cut apart and we are free, while the smell of beer and wine comes from their drunken mouths and noses. Anyone who can but recite this couplet, however carnally he lives, is a good evangelical man and a fine brother. And should someone come who would, in true and sincere love, admonish or reprove them, and direct them to Jesus Christ, to his doctrine, sacraments and blameless example, and show that it does not become a Christian to carouse and drink, to revile and curse, and so on, he must from that hour hear that he is a legalist (Werkheiliger), one who would take heaven by storm, or a factionist, a fanatic or hypocrite, a defamer of the sacrament, or an Anabaptist.

See, so God, the righteous Lord, lets these err and go astray in their hearts, who rest upon the precious death and the most holy flesh and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, together with his saving and reverend word, in their sensual lusts and wantonness, and make it an occasion for their unclean and sinful flesh. It seems to me that this may also truly be called a liberal and free sect.

The English or Zuinglians believe and confess that there are two sons in Christ Jesus: the one is God’s son, without mother, and incapable of suffering; the other is the son of Mary, or the son of man, without father, and capable of suffering. And in this son of Mary, who was capable of suffering, the Son of God, who was incapable of suffering, dwelt; so that the son of Mary, who was crucified and died for us, was not the Son of God. This was acknowledged before me, two or three times, in a large assembly in the year 1554, by one of their principal teachers, called Martin Micron, and also by one Harman Von Ronsen (if I remember his name rightly). [Note 1]

Further, when I questioned the said Micron concerning the aura seminis of the woman, about which we had not a few words, he acknowledged and said, I have to confess that a woman has no seminal functions, but only a flow of menstrual fluid to the uterus. See, before God, it is the truth that I write. He also wrote these words in a book printed in England, touching the coagulating of the fluids in the uterus. If the fluids changed in this way, as the book says, and as he confesses that a woman has only menstrual fluids in the uterus, as said, then it is evident that they believe (if they agree with him) that their Savior is not God’s first and only begotten Son, but the mere product of a corrupted state of the uterine fluids. [Note 2]

John A’Lasco also writes that Christ partook of no other flesh than that which was subject to sin and death, in order that he might be tempted. He states in the same book, “If he is holy, why was he sentenced in the Father’s judgment for the sake of sin?” Before God, I cannot understand this otherwise than that he believes that the man Christ Jesus was a sinful Christ and guilty of death. Read his defense of the Incarnation, written against me; there you will find his ground.

O God, watch over all true hearts, that they may never believe such intolerably great abominations. It makes me shudder, and I am astonished in my heart, yes, I am ashamed in my soul, that I must mention it, for it is too offensive. But they defame and slander us daily before all men, both by word of mouth and in writing, saying what a very detestable foundation and doctrine we have of Christ (since we confess with the Scripture that he was the first and only begotten Son of God, who died for us), and they present these abominable things to the poor, simple people, as said, and so miserably deceive them by it. For this reason I am constrained in my conscience, to the honor of God and the warning of all God-fearing souls, to point this out and present it for reflection to the reader whose mind is held captive by them. For I do not know how we could believe, teach, feel, think or speak more cruelly and abominably of Christ than to say, It was not the Son of God who died for us, but it was the product of a corrupted menstrual fluid; a man of sin and death, and so on.

And though they may contradict and deny this, and say that I wrote it about them without cause, it is true; it happened repeatedly, and before many pious hearts. They may deny it, but in the day of the righteous judgment, before the eyes of the eternal and great Majesty, it will be found true as I have written it. O abominable sect!

We teach and believe, and this by virtue and power of the whole Scriptures, that the whole Christ Jesus, from above and below, inwardly and outwardly, visibly and invisibly, is God’s first and only begotten Son, the incomprehensible, eternal Word, by whom all things are created, the firstborn of every creature; that he became a true man in Mary, the immaculate virgin, through the almighty, eternal Father, eternal Spirit and power, beyond the comprehension and knowledge of men; sent and given to us by the Father out of pure mercy and grace; the express image of the invisible God and the brightness of his glory. We teach and believe that the first and only begotten Son of God, Jesus Christ, is our only and eternal Messiah, prophet, teacher and high priest, who has fulfilled the required and commanded law for all his believers, inasmuch as they could not fulfill it because of the weakness of their flesh; who taught us the good will and pleasure of his Father, went before us as a blameless pattern, and freely offered himself upon the cross for our sins as a sweet-smelling sacrifice to the Father. Through him all of us who sincerely believe this have received the forgiveness of our sins, grace, favor, mercy, liberty, peace, life eternal, a reconciled Father and free access to God in the Spirit; and all this through his merits, righteousness, intercession and blood, and not through our own works. See, this is the true summary of our belief concerning Christ our Savior, the Son of God.

All who can believe this as certain and true are sealed in their spirit through the word of God, are inwardly changed, receive the fear and love of God, and bring forth out of their faith righteousness, fruit, power, a blameless life and a new being; as Paul says, “With the heart man believes unto righteousness.” Through faith, says Peter, God purifies our hearts. And so the fruits of righteousness follow out of an upright, unfeigned, pious, Christian faith. Observe this well.

All those who sincerely believe the righteous judgment of God and his eternal wrath upon all sin and wickedness, and do not doubt in spirit, look at the fallen angels; they look at the first, depraved world, at Sodom and Gomorrah, and at disobedient, rebellious Israel. They take particular notice how God humbled his innocent Son, who knew no sin and in whose mouth no guile was found; how he was humbled and made the most miserable of men for the sake of our sins; yes, that he was so beaten and tortured that, while stretched out on the cross, he piteously cried to his Father, saying, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Matthew 27, verse 45. [Note 3]

All who truly believe this will certainly flee from all unrighteousness as from the fangs of a serpent; they turn away from all sins and dread them more than a burning fire or a piercing sword. For their whole mind and conscience testify to them that if they knowingly and willfully sin against the law and word of God, and do not receive Christ in a pure and good conscience, but live according to the flesh and despise the inviting voice of God, they will fall under the dreadful, eternal sentence and wrath of God.

This the pious and aged Eleazar believed, who was well versed in the law, Second Maccabees 6, verse 18; and the God-fearing, virtuous mother with her seven sons, Second Maccabees 7, verse 1; the three faithful young men in the fiery furnace; the beloved Daniel; and the fair, virtuous Susanna, the honorable pattern of all pious women, Daniel, chapter 13. They would rather endure the wrath and fury of tyrants for a season than sin and so bring upon themselves the eternal anger and wrath of God. The righteous, say the Scriptures, live by faith. For the true evangelical faith, which makes the heart sincere and pious before God, moves, changes, urges and constrains a man, so that he will always hate evil and willingly do the things which are right and just. Just as it is unnecessary to admonish or warn a man of understanding not to cut his own throat, or drink poison, or throw himself from a high tower, or run into deep water, for he knows well that if he did so he could not escape death; so it is also unnecessary to admonish or warn those who sincerely believe that the wages of sin is death, and that drunkards, liars, fornicators, whoremongers, adulterers, the avaricious, idolaters, blasphemers of God, the envious, shedders of blood, perjurers, thieves and similar sinners shall not inherit the kingdom of Christ, that they should not get drunk, nor commit fornication, and so on. The divine fear which comes from such a faith warns, exhorts, reproves, urges and deters them, so that they will never again consent to such carnal, ungodly works, much less do them. For their faith, which is sealed by the Spirit through the word, teaches them that the end of these things is death.

We must believe in this way with the heart, as Paul says; that is, we must so cling to the word, receiving it and impressing it upon our hearts, that we may never turn or be diverted from it, but that faith may be more and more rooted in our hearts, so that through its virtue we may fear God with all our powers and do sincere penance. Sincere, unfeigned fears drive out sin, for it is impossible to be justified without the fear of God.

Observe here what an excellent, pleasing fruit of faith the fear of the Lord is. It is the only power which drives out the sins of believers, buries, slays and destroys sin and brings it to nothing. This is the first part of true repentance, as we are taught and admonished by the baptism of believers. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do his commandments; his praise endures forever,” Psalm 111, verse 10.

Further, all who comprehend with a sincere, unwavering, believing heart the great concern and ardent care of God for us (here I speak of him after the manner of men), and his boundless kindness, mercy and love, as shown to us in a fatherly way through Christ Jesus: that he did not spare his eternal Son, by whom he created the heavens and the earth, the seas and all that fills them, his incomprehensible, eternal Word, power and wisdom, but for our sakes gave him over, humbled him, let him endure hunger and thirst, be derided, taken and mocked, his holy face spat upon, and be scourged, crowned with a crown of thorns, condemned, crucified and slain, so that through his sickness and stripes we might be healed; through his poverty become rich; through his being despised obtain glory; through his cursing obtain blessing; through his punishment receive grace; through his blood the remission of sin; through his offering be reconciled; and through his death obtain eternal life. He also created every living creature for our use and made them subject to us. He serves and provides us with winter and summer, heat and cold, night and day, rain and dearth; to us he sent his holy apostles with his holy word; he endowed us with his Spirit, and enlightens, governs, admonishes, reproves and comforts us; he has given us the shelter and food we need to supply our wants, and in the midst of a perverse, lion-like generation he has kept and preserved us by his grace, and so on. I say again, he who believes this with all his heart, and grasps and lays hold of it, can never be hindered, neither by angel nor devil, neither by life nor death, but must love from his inmost heart this gracious Father, who has shown such great love and mercy toward us grievous sinners; yes, must praise, honor, thank, serve and obey him all the days of his life.

For this is the greatest delight and joy of believers, that in their weakness they may walk and live according to the will and word of the Lord; and where the unfeigned, pure love of God dwells, there without fail must also be the willing, ready service of that love, namely, the keeping of his commands. Solomon says, “Those who put their trust in him shall understand the truth, and such as are faithful in love shall abide with him,” Wisdom of Solomon 3, verse 9. And this is what Paul says, “In Jesus Christ neither circumcision avails anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith which works by love,” Galatians 5, verse 6.

That love is of such an effective power and nature may be very plainly seen in natural love. We need not admonish sensible parents to provide their children with the food and clothing they need, for natural love will admonish them to do so. And so it is with husband and wife who sincerely love each other with married love; they think it no hardship to serve each other willingly and be fellow helpers, as becomes them, being one flesh. And such also is the nature and property of holy, divine love. For all those who by faith are one in love and spirit with the Father and his Son Christ Jesus, through the true and genuine knowledge of the favor spoken of above, need not be admonished to serve the Lord, seek the kingdom of God, use baptism and the Lord’s Supper according to the ordinance of the Scriptures, restrain heart and tongue, reflect upon the law and will of God with all earnestness, hear Christ and follow him; nor that they should not love gold and silver, money and possessions, wife and children, life and death above Christ and his word. For the effectual nature of the ardent love of God, which comes from a pure heart, a good conscience and unfeigned faith, urges and constrains, moves and works so much in their hearts that they stand prepared, with body, soul, possessions and blood, to do what he has commanded them and not to do what he has forbidden; as we may see (God be praised) with great plainness and power, and hear daily of many pious hearts.

And it is evident from this that if we would love God and walk in obedience to his commands, we must believe, have special regard to his favors, and cling closely with the heart to the word of his promise, as said. For the love that is sincere is a very precious fruit; it is a branch and plant of faith, from which flows the other part of true repentance, namely, the blameless new life, represented to us by baptism, as was related above of the fear of the Lord. Without this love, all eloquence, all tongues, all knowledge and understanding, all boasting of faith, learning, miracles, prophesying, alms, persecution, cross and suffering are vain before God; yes, unfruitful and dead.

Everyone who loves is born of God and knows him, for God is love. Such a one does all things according to the nature and word of the Lord; for love is the fulfilling of the law, obedience to his commands, the bond of perfection and peace, and it is prefigured by the splendid girdle of Aaron and his sons.

Love, says Solomon, is as strong as death; jealousy is as cruel as the grave; its coals are coals of fire, which have a most vehement flame; many waters cannot quench love. Yes, so firm and strong and ardent is love that it surpasses everything, and conquers and consumes whatever 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 all this is through the power and Spirit of Jesus Christ, from whom it comes.

Moses went before with fear; then came Christ with love. First the terrifying law, and afterward the consoling gospel; first wrath in the feelings of our consciences, afterward grace; first the unrest of pain, then peace; first tribulation, then joy. In short, first the letter which kills, then the Spirit which quickens.

See, my reader, such a faith as described is the true Christian faith, which praises, honors, magnifies and extols God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ through childlike fear and fruitful love; for by it we know the good will of the Father toward 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: that Christ is our King, Prince, Lord, Messiah, the promised David,* the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the strong Giant, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of peace, God’s almighty, incomprehensible, eternal Word and Wisdom, the firstborn of every creature, the Light of the world, the Sun of righteousness, the true Vine, the Well of life, the true Door and Shepherd of the sheep, the true Foundation and the precious Cornerstone in Zion, the right Way, the Truth and Life, the promised Prophet, our Master and Teacher, our Redeemer, Savior, Friend and Bridegroom. In short, he is our only and eternal Mediator, Advocate, High Priest, Propitiator and Intercessor, our Head and Brother. And since we know all this by faith, therefore, I say, we also observe his word rightly, hear his voice, implicitly follow his example and 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 wait patiently for them with pious Abraham, until he, with all the chosen, shall in reality inherit them. “Now faith,” says Paul, “is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen,” Hebrews 11, verse 1. He says further, But hope that is seen is not hope. God, says Christ himself, is a Spirit; his word, grace and the promise of the New Testament, his kingdom and government, are spiritual; and so we have to believe all things through an upright, pure and sure faith, with a candid heart, and judge and see with spiritual eyes. But we may well say with Paul, “All men do not have faith,” Second Thessalonians 3, verse 2. [*]

Therefore all those who stop their ears to the threatening, punishing and death-dealing law and will not fear God; who reject and do not desire the gracious gospel of Christ; who shut their eyes to the light of righteousness and will neither see nor walk the true way; who harden their hearts and will not acknowledge the just judgment of the wrath and displeasure of God, his mercy and favor and his boundless grace, are unbelievers. For they reject Christ Jesus and run haughtily into perverse ways; they choose for themselves a righteousness and means of salvation contrary to the word of God; they esteem the wisdom of the Lord as 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, commandments of men, superstition and offensively ornamented lies are their greatest consolation and true worship; their belly is their God; they love the world more than heaven; all their delight is in covetousness, avarice, pride, pomp, gold, silver, 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 their neighbor and seek his calamity, dishonor, disgrace and shame. In short, they say with the fool in their hearts, “There is no God,” Psalm 14, verse 1.

Although they boast of God with the mouth, praise his name with their lips, bow their knees outwardly before him, and say that they are redeemed by the death and blood of Christ, it is nevertheless vain hypocrisy; for they do it only from habit and pretense, 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,” Titus 1, verse 16. And because they do not believe Christ and his word, their end is death, as he says, “He who does not believe shall be damned”; yes, he is already condemned.

It is true what Paul says, “Without faith it is impossible to please him (God); for he who comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him,” Hebrews 11, verse 6. O for an open heart! For a deep understanding! Yes, if we rightly examine these words, we have reason to be astonished at the wisdom and understanding of Paul. For if we rightly reflect upon the matter, we must always confess before the Lord, who tries our reins and hearts, that we never believed with the heart that God is, and that this is why we have led a vain, ungodly life. For it cannot be otherwise: if anyone 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 nothing is hidden before him, and that we must give an account of all our thoughts, words and deeds before his judgment seat in the day of his coming. Believing all this, we then begin to stand astonished before such an all-knowing and righteous Judge, yes, to fear and tremble greatly. [Note 4]

Second, all who believe with the heart that God is also believe that he is true, and therefore that no one can be saved contrary to his word; for he is the God of truth, and in him there are no lies. His spoken word abides; it can neither be bent nor broken. Those who believe in this way 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 they seek the Lord who has bought them. They are abased in their own eyes, for the heart is humbled. They sigh, weep, pray, lament, knock and call at the throne of grace, until they are heard and encouraged by the word of his peace, comforted with the promise of his grace, and anointed with the Holy Spirit.

Third, all who believe that God is also believe that he is gracious and merciful; that he has given and sent us his only Son, 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; that he has conquered hell, the devil, sin and death, and obtained for us grace, favor, mercy and eternal life, and so on. And therefore the sorrowful, afflicted hearts, which through the terrible, threatening law saw nothing but the wrath of God and eternal death, are revived again. They become candid, peaceable and joyful in the Holy Spirit; they are of a joyful disposition, and so are made to belong to their Head and Savior, united and made one with him, engrafted through the Spirit of God and pure, unfeigned love, so that they are of one heart, one soul and spirit with him. They think, speak and live in their weakness as he has taught and commanded them in his word. They renounce and avoid all false doctrine, unbelief, false sacraments and all idolatry; they 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 by Christ, that divine service which is taught in the Scriptures, and that pious and blameless life which is from God. For by faith they are changed in the inner man, converted and renewed, because 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, seek and do nothing, either inwardly or outwardly, but what they know through the word that Christ Jesus with his holy apostles has commanded and taught them.

See, my brothers, here you now have the true properties and nature of a true Christian faith, and what a great mystery, meaning, spirit and power are contained in summary in these words, He must believe that God is. “Whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life,” John 3, verse 15; “He who believes and is baptized shall be saved,” Mark 16, verse 16; “Whoever believes on him shall not be ashamed,” Romans, chapter 10, and similar passages. For it will always be so: where there is a true Christian faith, there also will be a dying to sin, a new creature, true repentance, a sincere, regenerated and blameless Christian. Such a one no longer lives 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 a faith in name, and no righteousness or change or new and penitent life, there is nothing but unbelief, hypocrisy and lies. No matter how much we may speak or dispute about the Scriptures, this rule will remain firm and can never be broken: “If you live after the flesh, you shall die,” Romans 8, verse 13. Therefore all who live in pomp and splendor, in excessive 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, and who slander and malign their neighbor and deprive him of his honor, name, welfare, body and goods; and all who curse and swear by the Lord’s sufferings, wounds, sacraments, cross and death, are unbelieving heathens and not believing Christians. This is as clear as the light of day, 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 commandments of men; use a strange baptism, Lord’s Supper and divine worship which Christ has not taught; seek the remission of sins by foreign means, such as holy waters, masses, auricular confessions, pilgrimages and so on; walk in a perverse, crooked path; and do not believe Christ and his word, all who have only natural discernment and understanding must confess. All who acknowledge Christ to be the Son of God and his word to be the truth acknowledge that his commands are eternal life, and they seek no other worship, word, sacraments or means of reconciliation, nor any other way of life than that which Christ, God’s own Son, set before them and taught them by the word of his truth.

Hence it is evident that where sincere and true faith is, which avails before God, which is a gift from him and comes from hearing the holy word, through the blossoming tree of life, full of all manner of precious fruits of righteousness, such as the fear and love of God, mercy, friendship, chastity, temperance, humility, candor, truth, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, and so on, 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, crosses, chapels, altars, bells and so on, does not know the gospel, for none of it is commanded by God, nor by Jesus Christ his Son, nor by the apostles and prophets. Therefore these are abominations and not fruits of faith, even as the golden calf was with Israel, and the worship of Baal, the high places, altars and churches, and the crime of making their children pass through the fire.

The true evangelical faith looks to and has regard for the doctrine, ceremonies, commands, prohibitions and blameless examples of Christ alone, and strives with all its powers to conform to them. Even as fire by its nature can produce nothing but burning and flame, the sun nothing but light and heat, water causes moisture, and a good tree brings good fruit according to its natural properties, so upright, evangelical faith produces true evangelical fruit, and that according to its true, good, evangelical nature. Yes, even as an honest, virtuous bride, by the virtue and nature of natural love, is always ready to hear and obey the voice of her bridegroom, and from the sincere, devoted disposition, favor and love which she has toward him will always so conduct herself before her most faithful friend and beloved husband, whom she respects and loves with all her heart, that for his sake she willingly endures whatever may befall her; so also it is with a sincere, regenerated believer who has been joined to Christ by grace through faith. He has become one with Christ through this ardent love, so that he is always willing and prepared to do his bidding and will, and to endure all things for the sake of the holy name of Jesus, in evil report as well as in good, eager to endure all things that may befall him at any time, be it joy or tribulation, fullness or hunger, refreshment or thirst, honor or dishonor, good or bad report, prison or liberty, exile or home, ease or discomfort, life or death. Such a soul partakes of her bridegroom’s nature and disposition; she is pious in heart and thought, true in words and well seasoned; all her ways are righteousness and devoutness; she is wise as the serpent and harmless as the dove; hers are a genuinely pious disposition, fidelity, zeal, peace, fervent prayer, a blameless conduct, a sincere, pure, brotherly love, and a willing obedience to Christ and his holy word. For the righteous live by faith, as we shall show plainly and beyond dispute, by the grace of God, in the following examples, recorded and testified in the holy Scriptures. Amen.