Do we then abrogate the law through faith? Far from it We establish the law [Rom. iii 31].

He says all these things in one series (Rom. iii 27-31). And he also says in the preceding chapter:-

Not the hearers of the law shall be justified by God, but the doers of the law shall be justified Rom. ii 13.

Then:-

That God will render to everyone according to his works Rom ii 6;

and further:-

We must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, that each one may give an account of the things done through the body, whether good or bad 2 Cor. v 10.

Besides more to that point; from which it is plain that Paul rejected faith without good works, equally with James (ii 17-26). [3] Moreover we are confirmed [in the view] that the works of the Mosaic law that were for the Jews were understood by Paul, because all the statutes for the Jews in Moses are termed 'the law', thus 'the works of the law', which we see from these statements:-

This is the law of the meal-offering Lev. vi 14 seq. [H.B. 7 seq.].

This is the law of the sacrifice Lev. vii 1.

This is the law of the sacrifice of the peace-offerings Lev. vii 7, 11 seq.

This is the law for the burnt-offering, for the meal-offering, for the sacrifice of sin and guilt, for completions Lev. vii 37.

This is the law of the beast and the bird Lev. xi 46 seq.

This is the low of her that bringeth forth, for a son or a daughter Lev. xii 7.

This is the law of the leper Lev. xiii 59; xiv 2, 32, 54, 57.

This is the law of him who has an issue Lev. xv 32.

This is the law of jealousy Num. v 29, 30.

This is the law of the Nazirite Num. vi 13, 21.

This is the low of cleansing Num. xix 14.

This is the law concerning a red cow Num. xix 2.

The law for a king Deut. xvii 15-19.

Yes indeed, the whole Book of Moses is called 'the Book of the Law' (Deut. xxxi 9, 11, 12, 26); again also with the Evangelists (Luke ii 22; xxiv 44; John i 45 [Schm. 46]; vii 22, 23; viii 5, and elsewhere). To these things they added also what they had seen in Paul, that the law of the Decalogue is to be lived, and that it is fulfilled by charity, which is love towards the neighbour (Rom. xiii 8-11), thus not by faith alone. They said that they had assembled on account of these things. [4] That I might not disturb them, however, I retired, and then again from afar off they were seen as goats, and sometimes lying down, and sometimes standing up; but they were turning away from the flock of sheep. They appeared lying down when they were deliberating, and standing up when coming to a conclusion. But I kept my sight on their horns, and I marvelled at the fact that the horns in their foreheads appeared at one time to be stretched forwards and upwards, at another to be curved backwards towards the rear, and finally bent back altogether. And then suddenly they were all turning to the flock of sheep, but still they were appearing as goats. Therefore I drew near again, and inquired, 'What now?' They said that they had come to the conclusion that faith alone produces the goods of charity that are called good works, as a tree produces fruits. But then thunder was heard and lightning was seen coming from above, and presently an angel appeared standing between the two flocks, and he called out to the flock of sheep, 'Pay no attention to them, they have not receded from the faith they formerly had, which is, that God the Father is compassionate for the sake of the Son, and this faith is not a faith in the Lord. Nor is faith a tree, but a man is a tree. But do the work of repentance and look to the Lord, and you shall have faith. Faith before that is not a faith in which there is anything living.' Whereupon the goats with the horns bent back wanted to approach the sheep, but the angel standing between them was dividing the sheep into two flocks, and he said to those on the left, 'Join up with the goats, but I say unto you that a wolf is coming, which will carry them off, and you with them.'

[5] But after the two flocks of sheep were separated and those on the left heard the threatening words of the angel, they looked at one another and said, 'Let us consult with our former companions.' And then the flock on the left spoke to that on the right, saying 'Why have you gone away from your pastors? Are not faith and charity one as a tree and its fruit are one? For a tree through the branch is continued into the fruit. Remove anything from the branch that inflows by continuity into the fruit, and is not the fruit going to perish? Ask our priests if this is not so.' Whereupon they asked, and the priests looked around to the rest who were winking their eyelids to intimate that they were speaking well. After this they answered that it is so, 'Faith is maintained by means of the fruit', but they did not want to say that faith is continued into the fruit. [6] But then one of the priests who was among the sheep at the right rose up and said, 'They have answered that it is so to you, but still to their own flock that it is not so, for they think otherwise'. And therefore they asked, 'How do they think then? Do they not think as they teach?' He said, 'No, they think that every good of charity that is called a good work, that is done by a man for the sake of salvation or eternal life, is not good but evil, because the man by the work from himself wants to save his owls self, by claiming to himself the justice and the merit of the One Saviour; and that this is the case with every good work in which a man feels his own will. Therefore among themselves they call good works from a man not blessed but cursed, deserving of hell rather than heaven.' [7] But those of the flock on the left said, 'You speak lies against them. Do they not preach manifestly before us charity and its works, which they call the works of faith?' And he replied, 'You do not understand their preachings. Only a clergyman who is present pays attention and understands. They think only of a moral charity, and the civil and political goods thereof which they call the goods of faith, although they are not so at all. For an atheist is able to perform such works in the same manner and under the same form. Therefore they are unanimous in saying that no one is saved by any works, but by faith alone. But this shall be illustrated by comparisons. An apple-tree produces apples, but if a man does goods for the sake of salvation as that tree produces apples by what is continuous, then those apples are rotten within and full of worms. They also say that a vine brings forth grapes, but if a man were to produce spiritual goods as does a vine grapes, he would produce wild grapes.' [8] But then they asked, 'What therefore is the nature of their goods of charity or works that are the fruits of faith?' He replied that they are unseen, inwardly in a man from the Holy Spirit, of which the man knows nothing. But they said, 'If the man knows nothing of them there must surely be some conjunction, otherwise how can they be called works of faith? Perhaps those goods that are imperceptible to the senses are insinuated into the man voluntary works by some mediating influx, as by some affection, aspiration, inspiration, incitement or excitement of the will? [Perhaps there is] a tacit perception in the thought, and thereby exhortation, contrition, and thus conscience and consequently compulsion, obedience to the Decalogue and the Word as a little child or as a wise man, or by another thing like those?' But he replied that it is not so, and if they say that it is effected by means of such things because by means of faith, still they crowd them with words in their sermons, with the result that it is not derived from faith. There are those who do deduce such things, but as signs of faith and not as its bonds with charity. Some, however, thought of conjunction by means of the Word, and then they said, 'Is there not a conjunction in such a manner that the man voluntarily acts in accordance with the Word?' But he replied, 'They think this is not so, but [that there is a conjunction] by means of hearing the Word only, thus not by the understanding of the Word, lest anything should manifestly enter by the understanding into a man s thought and will; for they claim that every voluntary thing of a man is merit-seeking, and that in spiritual things a man cannot commence, will, think, understand, believe, operate, or co-operate in, anything, any more than a stock; but yet it is another thing with the influx of the Holy Spirit by means of faith into the discourses of preachers, because these are acts of the mouth and not acts of the body, also because by means of faith a man acts with God, but with men by means of charity.' [9] But when one [of them] heard that [the conjunction] was only by the hearing of the Word and not by the understanding of the Word, being indignant he said, 'Is it by means of the understanding of the Word by the Holy Spirit only, while the man in the congregation turns away or sits deaf as a post, or while he is sleeping, or is it the result only of an exhalation out of the volume of the Word? But what is more ludicrous?' After this, out of the flock at the right hand a certain man surpassing the rest in judgment asked to be heard, and in a speech said, 'I heard a certain person say, "I have planted a vineyard, now I shall drink wine until I get drunk." But another asked, "Are you going to drink the wine out of your goblet with your right hand?" And he said, "No! but out of an unseen cup by means of an unseen hand." And the other answered, "Then you certainly won't get drunk!"' Presently the same man [of the flock] said, 'Pray, hear me! I say unto you, Drink the wine derived from the Word understood. Do you not know that the Lord is the Word? Is not the Word derived out of the Lord? Is not He Himself thus in it? If therefore you do good out of the Word, do you not do it out of the Lord, out of His mouth and will, and if you then look to the Lord He will in fact lead you and will do it, and He will do this by means of you, and you will do it as if out of yourselves? Who that does anything by derivation from a king (ex Rege), from his mouth and will, is able to say, "I am doing this by myself (ex me), out of my own mouth or command, out of my own will?" Afterwards turning to the clergy he said, 'You ministers of God, Do not lead the flock astray.' [10] On hearing these things the greater part of the flock on the left went back and joined the flock on the right. Even some of the clergy were saying, 'We have heard what we have not heard before. We are shepherds, we will not leave the sheep.' And they went back along with them, and they were saying, 'That man has spoken the true Word. Who that does anything out of the Word, thus out of the Lord, from His mouth and will, can say, "I am doing this out of myself"? Who that does anything by derivation from a king, from his mouth and will, can say, "I am doing this out of myself"? Now we see the Divine Providence, why a conjunction of faith and works that is acknowledged by the ecclesiastical body has not been found. It could not be found because [such a conjunction] cannot be given, for there is no faith in the Lord Who is the Word, and consequently neither is there a faith derived from the Word.' But the rest of the priests went away, waving their hats and crying out, 'Faith alone, faith alone, it will yet live!'