4023. He was told further - because he had said that if the matter were rightly explained, he had the truth, so I replied - that it is true that faith is what saves, but such as the faith is, such is the salvation. If the faith is false, and spurious, it cannot save, but true faith can, which consists of higher knowledge of faith, and consequently of love. 1748, 20 Nov. It was added that the papists also say that faith saves, but what kind of faith but to believe all the things the Pope has said and ordained as pertaining to the true Church, and that they believe whatever their priests tell them, on whom they depend for their faith.
4023. I discoursed still further with him, as he said that if the matter were rightly explained it would be found that he held the truth. I replied that it was indeed true that it was faith that saved, but that as the quality of the faith was, so was the salvation; if the faith was false and spurious, it could not save, but only the faith which is true, which carries with it the knowledges of faith, and consequently love. - 1748, November 20. It was moreover said that the pontificals affirm that faith saves, but what kind of a faith? to wit, that men should believe everything that the Pope has uttered and ordained as being of the true church, as also that they should believe everything which their priests teach them, upon whom they depend for their faith.
4023. Dictum porro ei - quia dixit, si rite explicetur, quod verum habeat, quare responsum - quod verum sit, quod fides sit quae salvat, sed qualis fides est, ita salvatur; si fides falsa, et spuria non potest salvare, sed fides vera, quae est cognitionum fidei, proinde amoris. 1748, 20 Nov. Porro dictum, pontificii etiam dicunt, quod fides salvet, sed qualis fides, nempe ut credant omnia quae Papa dixerat et instituerat, quod sit verae Ecclesiae, tum ut credant quicquid sacerdotes eorum eis dicunt, a quibus dependeant quoad fidem.