The third Chapter. Of Faith, and the certeintie thereof; and of the vices of feare and securitie, which are contrarie vnto the same: also of the nature of our adoption, and hope, and vnion with Christ.
NOw it shall be conuenient to declare what faith is. 1 Faith therefore is an assent, 2 and that a firme assent vnto the words of God; obteined, not by reason or naturall demonstration, but by the authoritie of the speaker, and by the power of the holie Ghost. And this definition disagréeth not from that, which Paule taught in th’eleuenth chapter to the Hebrues. By this we may sée, 3 about what things faith is occupied; namelie, about the word of God. And it is euident, what the chéefe and principall ground is, vnto which all things perteining to God are referred: and that is; The Lord hath said. But the authoritie of the speaker cannot be of so much effect with vs, as it ought to be; vnles the persuasion of the holie Ghost be therevnto adioined. In Gréeke it is called ⟨…⟩, which word is deriued of ⟨…⟩; for we are not accustomed to beléeue, vnles it be in that thing whereof we be full persuaded. Basil, as touching faith, when he expoundeth this place of the psalme; 4 I haue loued, and therefore haue I spoken, writeth thus; Doo not contend to sée those things, which are laid vp far off; neither make those things doubtfull, which are hoped for. 5 In which words he sheweth, that two principall things are to be auoided; the one is, that we be not with too much curiositie stirred vp, to séeke out the proofe of things, which we ought to beléeue, which proofe, so long as we liue here cannot be had; the other is, that although they be obscure, yet we should not doubt of the truth of them. And the same writer, intreating of the confession of faith, saith on this wise; 6 It is a manifest falling awaie from faith, and a point of pride, either to refuse anie of those things that be written, or to bring in anie thing that is not written: forsomuch as our Lord Iesus Christ said; My sheepe heare my voice: & before that he said; But a stranger they will not followe, but will flee from him, bicause they haue not knowne his voice.
The apostle also hath by another humane example, straitlie forbidden, either to adde, or to diminish anie thing in the holie scriptures, when he saith; 7 And yet no man dissanulleth the testament of man, when it is confirmed, neither addeth anie thing therevnto. In which place a man may perceiue, how warilie this writer affirmeth, that as touching faith, nothing ought either to be added, or diminished in the holie scriptures. Which thing maketh chéefelie against them, that obtrude inuentions and traditions of men, as of necessitie to be beléeued. Further, the same writer plainelie setteth foorth the certeintie of faith, when he declareth the propertie thereof in his Morals, the eightie Summe, & 22. chapter, where he saith; What is the propertie of faith? He answereth; and vnseparable certeintie of the truth of the words of God, which is not atteined to by anie kind of reasoning, or brought in through anie naturall necessitie; nor being framed to anie pietie, can euer be shaken off. And he addeth, that it is the dutie of one that beléeueth, in such a certeintie, to be affected to the power of the words spoken; and not to presume, either to disanull, or to adde anie thing. 8 For if it be so, that Whatsoeuer is not of faith, is sinne, as the apostle saith; And faith commeth of hearing; and hearing by the word of God: 9 then, whatsoeuer is not of faith, being not conteined in the scripture inspired by the spirit of God, the same is sinne.