The Fourth Sermon
IN my last sermon I declared unto you, how that the perfect exposition of God’s word doth differ nothing from the rule of true faith and the love of God and our neighbour. For undoubtedly that sense of scripture is corrupted, which doth square! from faith and the two points of charity. 1 have now therefore next to treat of true faith and charity towards God and our neighbour; to the intent, that no man may find lack of any thing herein. And first, therefore, by God’s help, and the good means of your prayers, I will speak of true faith.
This word “faith,” or “belief,” is diversly used in the common talk of men. For it is taken for any kind of religion or honour done to God: as we say, the Christian faith, the Jewish faith, and the Turkish faith. Faith, or belief, also is taken for a conceived opinion of any thing that is told us: as when we hear any thing rehearsed unto us out of the Indian or Ethiopian history, we by and by say that we believe it; and yet notwithstanding we put no confidence in it, nor hope to have any commodity thereby at all. This is that faith wherewith St James saith that the devil believeth and trembleth?. Last of all, faith is commonly put for an assured and undoubted confidence in God and his word. Among the Hebrews faith taketh her name of truth? certainty, and assured constancy. The Latins call that faith, when that is done? which is said. Whereupon one saith, “I demand of thee whether thou believest or no?” Thou answerest: “I believe.” “Do then that which thou sayest, and it is faith.” Therefore, [ cum fide pugnat.] [2 James ii. 19.]
[3 PDN faithfulness, from JON to prop, stay, support, to be firm. ἸῸΝ Jaithfulness, truth. See the Lexicons.] [4 Fides, quod fiat, quod dicitur, Lat. “Credamus, quia fiat quod dictum est, appellatam fidem.”—Cic. de Off. 1. 7.]
BULLINGER.
in this treatise of ours, Faith is an undoubted belief, most firmly grounded in the mind. /”~ This faith which settled and undoubted per or belief leaning upon God and his word, is diversly defined [by the perfecter divines. St Paul saith: Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” The substance, or hypostasis?, is the foundation, or the unmoveable prop, which upholdeth us, and whereon we lean and lie without peril or danger. The things hoped for are things celestial, eternal, and invisible. And therefore Paul saith: Faith is an unmoveable foundation, and a most assured confidence of God’s promises, that is, of life everlasting and all his good benefits. Moreover Paul himself, making an exposition of that which he had spoken, immediately after saith: “Faith is the argument of things not seen.” An argument or proof is an evident demonstration, whereby we manifestly prove that which otherwise should be doubtful, so that in him, whom we undertook to instruct, there may remain no doubt at all.
But now, touching the mysteries of God revealed in God’s word, in themselves, or in their own nature, they cannot be seen with bodily eyes; and therefore are called things not seen. But this faith, by giving light to the mind, doth in heart perceive them, even as they are set forth in the word of God. Faith, therefore, according to the definition of Paul, is in the mind a most evident seeing?, and in the heart a most certain perceiving? of things invisible, that is, of things eternal; of God, I say, and all those things which he in his word setteth forth unto us concerning spiritual things.
To this definition of Pauls they had an eye which de- ὁ. fined faith in this sort: “Faith is a grounded persuasion of heavenly things, in the meditation whereof we ought so to occupy ourselves for the assured truth’s sake of God’s word, τὰ that we may believe, that in mind we do see those things as ᾿ well, as with our eyes we do behold things sensibly perceived
[1 Heb. xi. 1.] [2 ὑπόστασις, proprie, fundamentum, fulcrum, &c. Schleusner Lex.]
[in voc. In this exposition of Heb. xi. 1, Bullinger and Calvin agree, in]
[several parts, word for word. See Calv. Instit. Lib. m1. cap. 2.. 41.] [3 saying, ed. 1587, Lat. evidentissima mentis visio. ] [ Comprechensio, Lat.]]
and easy to be seen” This description doth not greatly differ from this definition of another godly and learned man, who saith: “Faith is a. stedfast persuasion of the mind, whereby we do fully decree with ourselves that God’s truth is so sure, that he can neither will, nor choose, but perfor that which he in his word hath promised to fulfil.” Again: “Faith is g_stedfast assuredness—of conscience, which doth embrace Christ in the same sort wherein he is offered unto us by the gospel”.” Another there is which after the same manner almost defineth faith in this sort: Faith is a gift inspired by God into the mind of man, whereby, without any doubting at all, he doth believe that to be whatsoever God hath either taught or promised in the books of both the testaments.” The very same author of this defirfition, therefore, doth extend faith to three terms of time: to the time past, the time present, and the time to cqme. For he teacheth to believe that the world was made by God, and whatsoever the holy scriptures do declare to have been done in the old world; also that Christ dying for