Therefore you shall know.] That the Lord might not seem to procure to himself witnesses of things unknown, he adds, you shall know, you shall believe, you shall understand: thus showing by the order of the words,1 that faith precedes, or goes before confession. If this confession then have no deeper foundation then in the tip of the tongue, and is not laid in the heart, it shall be held but vain and frivolous, for the Lord neither allows nor approves of it. And yet there is some difficulty in the order of the words, To know, To believe, and To understand:2 for faith is not always joined with knowledge: for a man will not say that such believe because they know; faith is often absent, where knowledge is present. Besides, it is doubtful in what sense understanding, which is here added after belief, is to be taken, as if it should differ from knowledge. But our Prophet in this place shows that there is a certain preparation unto faith, by which God first gives authority unto his word as oft as he sees a necessary use of that means. I grant, that faith begins at humility, which captives all our reason under Gods lore: but because we embrace not the doctrine that is offered with such an assurance as we ought, therefore God confirms it unto us by sundry testimonies, and by our own experience, the better to settle us firmly in this faith. In this sense the Evangelist S. John shows, that himself and S. Peter believed the Scriptures after they had seen the signs of Christs resurrection in the Sepulchre, John 20.8. In another place also he saith, That the disciples believed in Christ, when that was accomplished which he had spoken with his mouth, John 2.22.
Therefore you shall know.] That the Lord might not seeme to procure to himselfe witnesses of things vnknowne, he addes, you shall know, you shall beleeue, you shall vnderstand: thus shewing by the order of the words,1 that faith precedes, or goes before confession. If this confession then haue no deeper foundation then in the tip of the tongue, and is not laid in the heart, it shall be held but vaine and friuolous, for the Lord neither allowes nor approues of it. And yet there is some difficultie in the order of the words, To know, To beleeue, and To vnderstand:2 for faith is not alwaies ioined with knowledge: for a man will not say that such beleeue because they know; faith is often absent, where knowledge is present. Besides, it is doubtfull in what sense vnderstanding, which is here added after beliefe, is to be taken, as if it should differ from knowledge. But our Prophet in this place shewes that there is a certaine preparation vnto faith, by which God first giues authoritie vnto his word as oft as he sees a necessarie vse of that meanes. I grant, that faith begins at humilitie, which captiues all our reason vnder Gods lore: but because we imbrace not the doctrine that is offred with such an assurance as we ought, therefore God confirmes it vnto vs by sundrie testimonies, and by our owne experience, the better to settle vs firmely in this faith. In this sense the Euangelist S. Iohn shewes, that himselfe and S. Peter beleeued the Scriptures after they had seene the signes of Christes resurrection in the Sepulchre, Iohn 20.8. In another place also he saith, That the disciples beleeued in Christ, when that was accomplished which he had spoken with his mouth, Iohn 2.22.
- 1Faith goes before confession.
- 2Many have knowledge that are destitute of faith.Many haue knowledge that are destitute of faith.
