Faith is a work of the Holy Spirit, by which we are freed from death and terrified minds are encouraged and brought to life...

Truly it is amazing that the adversaries are in no way moved by so many passages of Scripture, which clearly credit justification to faith.  Indeed, Scripture denies this ability to works.  Do they think that the same point is repeated so often for no purpose?  Do they think that these words fell thoughtlessly from the Holy Spirit?  But they have also come up with sophisticated tricks by which they escape these passages.  They say that these passages of Scripture (that speak of faith) ought to be received as referring to faith that has been formed (fides formata).  This means they do not credit justification to faith in any way, but only to love, because they dream that faith can coexist with mortal sin.  Where does this go?  They again abolish the promise and return to the Law.  If faith receives forgiveness of sins because of love, forgiveness of sins will always be uncertain, because we never love as much as we ought to.  Indeed, we do not love unless our hearts are firmly convinced that forgiveness of sins has been granted to us.  So the adversaries, in forgiveness of sins and justification, require confidence in one's love.  In this way, they completely abolish the Gospel about the free forgiveness of sins; although, at the same time, they do not offer this love or understand it, unless they believe that forgiveness of sins is freely received.

We also say that love ought to follow faith, as Paul says in Galatians 5:6: "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love."

Yet, we must not think that by confidence in this love, or because of this love, we receive forgiveness of sins and reconciliation, just as we do not receive forgiveness of sins because of the works that follow.  But forgiveness of sins is received by faith alone.  Indeed, this is properly called faith because the promise cannot be received except by faith.  Faith, properly called, is what believes this promise.  Scripture speaks of this faith.  Because faith receives forgiveness of sins and reconciles us to God, we are (like Abraham) counted as righteous for Christ's sake before we love and before we do the works of the Law, although love necessarily follows.

Nor, indeed, is this faith an idle knowledge, neither can it coexist with mortal sin.  It is a work of the Holy Spirit, by which we are freed from death and terrified minds are encouraged and brought to life.  Because this faith alone receives forgiveness of sins, makes us acceptable to God, and brings the Holy Spirit, it could be more correctly called "grace making one pleasing to God" (gratia gratum faciens).  It could not be called an effect following faith (i.e., love).
~BOC, AP, IV (II), 107-116

We receive justification by faith in Jesus Christ, through the Word of God and as a Work of the Holy Spirit...

Christ, in the last chapter of Luke, commands "that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name" (24:27).  The Gospel convicts all people that they are under sin, that they are subject to eternal wrath and death.  It offers, for Christ's sake, forgiveness of sin and justification, which is received through faith.  The preaching of repentance (which accuses us) terrifies consciences with true and grave terrors.  In these matters, hearts ought to receive consolation again.  This happens if they believe Christ's promise, that for His sake we have forgiveness of sins.  This faith, encouraging and consoling in these fears, receives forgiveness of sins, justifies, and gives life.  For this consolation is a new birth and spiritual life.  These things are plain and clear and can be understood by the pious.  They also have testimonies of the Church.  The adversaries cannot say how the Holy Spirit is given.  They imagine that the Sacraments give the Holy Spirit by the outward act (ex opere operato), without a good emotion in the one receiving them, as though, indeed, the gift of the Holy Spirit were a useless manner.

We speak of the kind of faith that is not an idle thought, but that liberates from death and produces a new life in hearts.  This is the work of the Holy Spirit.  This does not coexist with mortal sin.  As long as faith is present, it produces good fruits, as we will explain later.  About the conversion of the wicked, or about the way of regeneration, what can be said that is simpler or clearer?  Let the Scholastics, from so great a host of writers, produce a single commentary upon the Sentences that speaks about the way of regeneration.  When they speak of the habit of love, they imagine that people merit it through works.  They do not teach that it is received through the Word.  They teach just like the Anabaptists teach at this time.  But God cannot be interacted with, God cannot be grasped, except through the Word.  So justification happens through the Word, just as Paul says in Romans 1:16. "[The Gospel] is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes."  Likewise, he says in 10:17, "Faith comes from hearing."  Proof can be derived even from this:  faith justifies because, if justification happens only through the Word, and the Word is understood only by faith, it follows that faith justifies.
~BOC, AP, IV (II), 61-68

Faith, not love, justifies...

From these statements we hope that it is clear both what faith is and that we are justified,  reconciled, and regenerated through faith.  We are compelled to hold on to these teachings because we want to teach the righteousness of the Gospel, not the righteousness of the Law.  For those who teach that we are justified by love teach the righteousness of the Law.  They do not teach us in justification to trust in Christ as Mediator.  These things are also clear.  We overcome the terrors of sin and death not through love, but through faith.  For we cannot set up our love and fulfilling of the Law against God's wrath, because Paul says, "Through [Christ] we have also obtained access [to God] by faith" (Romans 5:2).  We often emphasize this sentence so that we are understood. The sentence shows most clearly our whole argument and, when carefully considered, can teach abundantly about the whole matter.  It can console good minds.  So, it is helpful to have it at hand and in sight, that we may be able to set it against the doctrine of our adversaries.  They teach that we come to God not through faith, but through love and merits, without Christ as Mediator.  This sentence also helps us when we fear, so that we may cheer ourselves and exercise faith.  This is also clear.  We cannot keep the Law without Christ's aid.  He Himself says, "Apart from Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5).  So, before we keep the Law, our hearts must be born again through faith.
~BOC, AP, V (III), 192-194