The Institution of Christian Religion

But when the name of faith is unproperly removed, to signify a false profession, or a lying title of faith, that should seem to be as hard a figurative abuse, as when the fear of God is set for a corrupt and wrongful manner of worshipping, as when it is oftentimes said in the holy History, that the foreign nations which had ben transplanted into Samaria and the places bordering there about, feared the feigned Gods and the God of Israel: which is as much, as to mingle heaven and earth together. But now our question is, What is that faith which maketh the children of God different from the unbelievers, by which we call upon God by the name of our Father, by which we pass from death to life, and by which Christ the eternal salvation and •he ⟨image 194⟩dwelleth in us. The force and nature thereof I think I have shortly and plainly declared.

But when the name of fayth is vnproperly remoued, to signifie a false profession, or a lyeng title of fayth, that shoulde seeme to be as harde a figuratiue abuse, as when the feare of God is set for a corrupte and wrongefull manner of worshyppynge, as when it is oftentymes sayde in the holy Historie, that the forraine nations whiche had ben transplanted into Samaria and the places borderynge there about, feared the fayned Gods and the God of Israell: whiche is as much, as to mingle heauen and earth together. But now our question is, What is that fayth whiche maketh the chyldren of God different from the vnbeleuers, by which we call vpon God by the name of our Father, by whyche we passe from death to life, and by which Christ the eternall saluacion and •he ⟨image 194⟩dwelleth in vs. The force and nature thereof I thinke I haue shortly and plainely declared.

Now let us again go through all the parts of it, even from the beginning, which being diligently examined, (as I think) there shall remain nothing doubtful. When in defining faith we call it a knowledge, we mean not thereby a comprehending, such as men use to have of those things that are subject to mans understanding. For it is so far above it, that mans wit must go beyond & surmount it self to come unto it, yea and when it is come unto it, yet doth it not attain that which it feeleth, but while it is persuaded of that which it conceiveth not, it understandeth more by the very assuredness of persuasion, than if it did with mans own capacity throughly perceive any thing familiar to man.