66 66 quoted by Beza, has very happily expressed the same idea, thus: "Since those things which are the objects "of hope, have as yet no existence, and are not yet present; faith, so to speak, becomes their substance " and essence, because it makes them, in some sense, to "exist and to be present, by believing that they are." 2dly, 'TroσTaσis signifies also a basis or foundation; in which sense, Diodorus Siculus, cited by Gomar, speaks of "the foundation of the sepulchre."* Calvin seems also to favour this signification of the word, when he says, "Faith is the hypostasis, that is, the support "or possession, on which we fix our foot."+ 3dly, It denotes continuance, or that constancy which will in no degree yield to the attack of an enemy. Thus Plutarch says,-" -"None of the enemy keeping the field, but all betaking themselves to flight ;" and Polybius, in his description of Horatius Cocles, "They feared not so "much his strength, as his resolution and constancy," which scorned to give way. And, indeed, there is something in faith, which nobly withstands all the assaults of temptation, and preserves it from being moved away from its assent to the truth which it has once discerned. Now, if we join all these ideas together, we shall assert, that faith is so firm an assent to divine truth, that it sets before us the objects of a far distant futurity, as if they were present; and becomes the support of the soul, upon which it stedfastly fixes its foot, yielding to no assault. XIV. Nor must we omit to mention that the Apos Ὑποστασις τοῦ ταφοῦ. + Fides est hypostasis, id est, fultura vel possessio, in qua pedem figimus. † Ουδενος ὑφισταμενᾶ των ἐναντίων, άλλα φευγοντων. in Demetrio. § Ουχ οὕτω την δυναμιν, ως την υποστασιν αυτό. tle calls faith exos, elenchus, the evidence of things not seen. This word denotes two things: 1st, A certain demonstration. "An elenchus," says Aristotle, "is that which cannot possibly be otherwise, but must "necessarily be as we affirm."* 2dly, Conviction of mind, arising from such a demonstration of the truth; as Aristophanes says, "You cannot convince me of that." Faith, therefore, if it is sexos, an elenchus, implies a firm conviction of mind, founded on a clear and infallible demonstration of the truth. This demonstration of the truth, it must be observed, rests upon the testimony of God, who cannot possibly deceive, from which faith reasons thus; "Whatever "God, who is truth itself, reveals, cannot fail to be "most certain, and worthy of all acceptation; although, perhaps, I can neither see it with my eyes, nor fully comprehend it in my mind." xv. All these illustrations serve to show, that the assent included in faith, has a strength and an assurance, which no certainty of mathematical demonstration can surpass. Those, therefore, who contend that falsehood may be found in a divine faith, express themselves in a manner extremely unguarded; since the proper object of faith is the testimony of God, which is necessarily true, and superior in certainty to all demonstration; and since they can specify no passage of holy writ, in which any thing not true, is proposed to the faith of mankind. XVI. Another difficulty, however, must here be removed. If faith is so firm and unwavering an assent, does it follow that those are destitute of true faith, who • Rhetoricorum ad Alexandrum, Cap. xiv. † Συγ ̓ ἐλεγξαι μ' οὔπω δύναται περι τότε, in Pluto, sometimes stagger even with regard to fundamental truths? I answer, 1st, We are now describing faith, considered theoretically, as a Christian grace to the perfection of which we all ought to aspire, not as it is sometimes found in its subject. 2dly, It is possible that waverings, staggerings, doubtings, and even inclinations towards the opposite errors, may at times arise in the minds of the most excellent believers, especially when they are exposed to some violent temptation; as is manifest from the waverings of Asaph, Jeremiah, and others, respecting the providence of God. But these are so many defects of faith, arising from the weakness of the flesh. 3dly, Faith immediately resists those temptations; it assents not to the suggestions of the devil, or the dictates of the carnal mind; nor doth it ever rest, until, having entered the sanctuary of God, and having received instruction from the Spirit of faith, it is established in the contemplation and acknowledgment of those truths with respect to which it was disposed to waver. There, at last, and no where else, it finds rest to the sole of its foot. XVII. The natural consequence of this assent, is the LOVE of the truth thus known and acknowledged. This is the third act of faith, and of this the Apostle speaks when he says; "They received not the love of the truth that they might be saved." Since the saving truths of the Gospel afford a bright manifestation of the glory of God, as not only his veracity in his testimony, but also his wisdom, holiness, righteousness, goodness, power, and other divine perfections, shine forth in them, the believing soul, contemplating these amiable perfections of the Deity in those truths, cannot fail to burn with an ardent love for them, to exult * 2 Thess. ii. 10. in them, and to glorify God. Hence the believer is said to "give glory to God," and tol5 "love the praise (the glory) of God." Above all, the soul delights in the fundamental truth respecting Christ. This it loves as an inestimable treasure, as a pearl of unparalleled value. This to believers is a price, that is, most precious. We admit that, strictly speaking, love is to be distinguished from faith; yet the workings of these two graces are so interwoven with each other, that we can neither explain nor exercise faith, without some operations of love intermingling, such as that of which we now treat. This remark has been formerly made by some of the greatest Divines; as, not to mention others at present, by Chamier* and Wendelin.† Each of these writers avails himself of the authority of Augustine, and makes the following quotation from him : "What is it to believe in God? It is by believing to love him." See, also, Le Blanc, that celebrated Divine of Sedan, in his learned Theses.§ If any one, however, is disposed, agreeably to the language of the Schools, to denominate this love, an imperate|| act of faith, we shall not contend with him; provided it is understood that the believing soul, while exercising faith, cannot but sincerely love the doctrines of the Gospel, known and acknowledged, as they are in Je *Pansirat. tom. iii. lib. 12. cap. 14. num. 16. + Theol. lib. ii. cap. 24. ad Thes. 8. Quid est credere in Deum? Credendo amare. § De Fidei justificantis natura, &c. Sect. xcv. This scholastic term literally signifies governed, and seems to be employed to denote what is subordinate, or remote. T. b Tun, John xii. 43. 15 See NOTE XV. sus, rejoicing that such things are true, and delighting in the truth; and is thus very differently affected from devils and ungodly men, who disrelish those doctrines which they know to be true, and wish that they were false. XVIII. Hence arises a fourth act of faith, A HUNGER AND THIRST AFTER CHRIST. The believer, while he knows, acknowledges, and loves the truths of salvation, cannot but wish that all those doctrines which are true in Christ, may also be true to him, and that, according to these truths, and by means of them, himself may be sanctified and blessed. It is his earnest desire that, having been alienated from the life of God through sin, he may be freely justified, and thus possess a sure title to the glory of God; and that his justification may be sealed by sanctification. This is the hungering and thirsting after righteousness mentioned Matth. v. 6. How is it possible, that the man who believes and feels that in himself he is extremely miserable,—who is fully persuaded that he can be rescued from his misery by no creature either in heaven or on earth,-who sees at the same time a fulness of salvation in Christ,-who is assured that without union to Christ he cannot be saved, who cordially loves the truth concerning the fulness of salvation in Christ alone and in communion with him;-how is it possible, I say, that such a person should not seriously and ardently desire to have Christ dwelling in him,—that he should not seek and pant after him, and have so vehement a longing as can be satisfied with nothing short of the possession of the object desired; as hunger and thirst are allayed only by meat and drink? XIX. This hunger and thirst is succeeded by A RECEIVING OF CHRIST for justification, sanctification, |