But they run away from Him to men, now to Egypt, now to Assyria,
perchance also to the devil; and of such idolatry much is written
in the same Prophet and in the Books of the Kings. This is also
the way of all holy hypocrites when they are in trouble: they do
not run to God, but flee from Him, and only think of how they may
get rid of their trouble through their own efforts or through
human help, and yet they consider themselves and let others
consider them pious people.

XI. This is what St. Paul means in many places, where he ascribes
so much to faith, that he says: Justus ex fide sua vivit, "the
righteous man draws his life out of his faith," and faith is that
because of which he is counted righteous before God. If
righteousness consists of faith, it is clear that faith fulfils
all commandments and makes all works righteous, since no one is
justified except he keep all the commands of God. Again, the
works can justify no one before God without faith. So utterly and
roundly does the Apostle reject works and praise faith, that some
have taken offence at his words and say: "Well, then, we will do
no more good works," although he condemns such men as erring and
foolish.

So men still do. When we reject the great, pretentious works of
our time, which are done entirely without faith, they say: Men
are only to believe and not to do anything good. For nowadays
they say that the works of the First Commandment are singing,
reading, organ-playing, reading the mass, saying matins and
vespers and the other hours, the founding and decorating of
churches, altars, and monastic houses, the gathering of bells,
jewels, garments, trinkets and treasures, running to Rome and to