Fifty Godly and Learned Sermons (The Decades)

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 & 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 Saint 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 them that which thou sayest, and it is faith. Therefore in this treatise of ours, faith is an undoubted belief most firmly grounded in the mind. This faith, which is a settled ¹and undoubted persuasion or belief leaning upon God and his word, is diversly defined by the perfecter divines. S. 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 lye with out peril or danger. The things hoped for are things celestial, eternal, & invisible. And therefore Paul saith, Faith is an unmoveable foundation, and a most assured confidence of gods promises, that is, of life everlasting & 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. ⟨p. 31⟩But now, touching the mysteries of god revealed in gods word, in themselves or in their own nature they can not 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.

This word Faith or beliefe, is diuersly vsed in the common talke of men: For it is taken for any kinde of religion or honor done to God. As we say, the Christian faith, the Iewish faith, and the Turkish faith. Faith or beliefe also, is taken for a conceiued opinion of any thing that is tolde vs, as whē we heare any thing rehearsed vnto vs out of the Indian or Ethiopian hystorie, we by & by say that we beleue it, and yet notwithstanding we put no confidence in it, nor hope to haue any commoditie therby at all. This is that faith, wherewith Saint Iames sayth that the deuill beleeueth and trembleth. Last of all, faith is commonly put for an assured and vndoubted confidence in God and his word. Among the Hebrues faith taketh her name of truth, certainty and assured constancy. The Latines call that faith, when that is done which is sayd. Wheruppon one sayth, I demaund of thee whether thou beleeuest or no? Thou aunswerest, I beleue, do thē that which thou sayst, and it is faith. Therfore in this treatise of ours, faith is an vndoubted beliefe most firmely grounded in the minde. This faith, which is a setled