as it does when the
work is done in faith and by faith. This perversion is indicated
in the Old Testament, when the Jews left the Temple and
sacrificed at other places, in the green parks and on the
mountains. [Isa. 65:3, 66:17] This is what these men also do:
they are zealous to do all works, but this chief work of faith
they regard not at all.

[Sidenote: The Abundance of Works Included in Faith]

XIII. Where now are they who ask, what works are good; what they
shall do; how they shall be religious? Yes, and where are they
who say that when we preach of faith, we shall neither teach nor
do works? Does not this First Commandment give us more work to do
than any man can do? If a man were a thousand men, or all men, or
all creatures, this Commandment would yet ask enough of him, and
more than enough, since he is commanded to live and walk at all
times in faith and confidence toward God, to place such faith in
no one else, and so to have only one, the true God, and none
other.

Now, since the being and nature of man cannot for an instant be
without doing or not doing something, enduring or running away
from something (for, as we see, life never rests), let him who
will be pious and filled with good works, begin and in all his
life and works at all times exercise himself in this faith; let
him learn to do and to leave undone all things in such continual
faith; then will he find how much work he has to do, and how
completely all things are included in faith; how he dare never
grow idle, because his very idling must be the exercise and work
of faith. In brief, nothing can be in or about us and nothing can
happen to us but that it must be good and meritorious, if we
believe (as we ought) that all things please God. So says St.
Paul: "Dear brethren, all that ye do, whether ye eat or drink, do
all in the Name of Jesus Christ, our Lord." [1 Cor. 10:31] Now it
cannot be done in this Name except it be done in this faith.
Likewise, Romans viii: "We know that all things work together for
good to the saints of God." [Rom. 8:26]

Therefore, when some say that good works are forbidden when we
preach faith alone, it is as if I said to a sick man: "If you had
health, you would have the use of all your limbs; but without
health, the works of all your limbs are nothing"; and he wanted
to infer that I had forbidden the works of all his limbs;
whereas, on the contrary, I meant that he must first have health,
which will work all the