to be taken from it, but, as
the First Psalm says "He bringeth forth his fruit in his season,"
[Ps. 1:3] that is, as as a matter of course.

[Sidenote: An Analogy]

VI. This we may see in a common human example. When a man and a
woman love and are pleased with each other, and thoroughly
believe in their love, who teaches them how they are to behave,
what they are to do, leave undone, say, not say, think?
Confidence alone teaches them all this, and more. They make no
difference in works: they do the great, the long, the much, as
gladly as the small, the short, the little, and vice versa; and
that too with joyful, peaceful, confident hearts, and each is a
free companion of the other. But where there is a doubt, search
is made for what is best; then a distinction of works is imagined
whereby a man may win favor; and yet he goes about it with a
heavy heart, and great disrelish; he is, as it were, taken
captive, more than half in despair, and often makes a fool of
himself.

[Sidenote: The First Stage of Faith: Works]

So a Christian who lives in this confidence toward God, knows all
things, can do all things, undertakes all things that are to be
done, and does everything cheerfully and freely; not that he may
gather many merits and good works, but because it is a pleasure
for him to please God thereby, and he serves God purely for
nothing, content that his service pleases God. On the other hand,
he who is not at one with God, or doubts, hunts and worries in
what way he may do enough and with many works move God. He runs
to St. James of Compostella,[8] to Rome, to Jerusalem, hither and
yon, prays St. Bridget's prayer[9] and the rest, fasts on this
day and on that, makes confession here, and makes confession
there, questions this man and that, and yet finds no peace. He
does all this with great effort, despair and disrelish of heart,
so that the Scriptures rightly call such works in Hebrew _Aven
amal_ [Ps. 90:10], that is, labor and travail. And even then they
are not good works, and are all lost. Many have been crazed
thereby; their fear has brought them into all manner of misery.
Of these it is written, Wisdom of Solomon v: "We have wearied
ourselves in the wrong way; and have gone through deserts, where
there lay no way; but as for the way of the Lord, we have not
known it, and the sun of righteousness rose not upon us." [Wisd.
5:6 f.]

[Sidenote: The Second Stage of Faith: Sufferings]

VII. In these works faith