Wendelin's "Christian Theology": Doctrine of Justifying Faith, Part 4

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THESIS XII:  Hitherto the matter of justifying faith.  The form follows, which consists in three parts, namely, knowledge, assent, and trust.

EXPLANATION:  * These three parts or steps of faith are indicated by the threefold expression, to believe that there is a God, to believe God, to believe upon God.  With respect to the first and second, faith is also borne to creatures:  because we are able to believe both that creatures are, and that they are true.  But we ought to believe upon no one but God alone.  Augustine’s words are:  This is to believe upon God, which is certainly more than to believe God.  For belief is also to be afforded to this or that man, although not belief upon him.  The same elsewhere:  I do not connect, that he that believes Him also believes upon Him.  For the demons were also believing Him, but were not believing upon Him.  Again, we are able to say also concerning His Apostles, that we believe Paul, but not that we believe upon Paul.[1]

THESIS XIII:  Knowledge is the first part of faith, whereby, what things Scripture relates concerning the manner of our salvation, or what things are necessarily to be known for salvation, we acknowledge:  ἐπίγνωσις/epignosis/ knowledge, to the Greeks.

EXPLANATION:  I.  The knowledge is begotten in us by divine revelation, which is ordinarily by the written word of God, read or heard.  For, by the word we know that God is the creator of heaven and earth:  we know that Christ, the θεάνθρωπον/Theanthropos/God-man, has suffered and died for us, is risen again, and has ascended in heaven:  we know the Holy Spirit, the Communion of Saints, the Church, the remission of sins, and eternal life.  The Apostolic Symbol, which contains each of these, is a compendium of the Evangelical word.

II.  That true faith is not without knowledge of things pertaining to our salvation, we prove:

(1.)  Because no one believes what he has not heard, or what he is thoroughly ignorant of, Romans 10:14.

(2.)  Because in Scripture to know Christ and believe upon Christ are synonymous, as in John 3:16, whosoever believeth upon Him hath eternal life.  And in John 17:3, This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

(3.)  Because in Scripture faith is set in opposition to blindness and ignorance, John 1:10-12; Acts 17:30.  Therefore, it is not consistent with ignorance.

(4.)  In Scripture faith is also called knowledge, or acquaintance, Isaiah 53:11, by the knowledge of Him shall my righteous servant justify many.

(5.)  If faith is able to be without knowledge, the words would not be necessary ordinarily to beget it.

But the consequent is false:  therefore also the antecedent.

The rationale of the hypothetical:  because the principal scope of the word is to procure knowledge for us.

(6.)  Faith is the evidence of things not seen, Hebrews 11:1.  But evidence of a thing is not able to be ignorance of a thing, or conjoined with ignorance of the thing of which it is evidence.

III.  The Papists affirm, that true faith is able to exist even without knowledge:  which they call implicit faith, whereby one in a general way believes whatever the Church believes, even if he does not know what the Church believes:  which is a ridiculous and false opinion, which they nevertheless attempt to prove:

(1.)  In 1 Corinthians 13:2, Paul distinguishes the knowledge of mysteries from faith, when he says:  if I have all knowledge, and understand all mysteries, and have all faith.

Therefore, justifying faith is not the knowledge of mysteries.

Response:  I deny the consequence.  For Paul does not distinguish all faith, of whatsoever sort it be, from the knowledge of mysteries, but only from the faith of miracles, of which it is spoken in the passage alleged.  For with that all faith he conjoins the effect of miracles, namely, the removal of mountains.  That this faith is able to be separated from the knowledge of saving mysteries, we do not deny.  Then, the knowledge of divine mysteries is also distinguished from saving faith to this extent, that not everyone that has a knowledge of mysteries is furnished with saving faith:  even if every adult furnished with true faith has a knowledge of saving mysteries.

(2.)  The way and step to knowledge or understanding is not knowledge.

But faith is the way or step to knowledge or understanding.

Therefore, it is not knowledge.

The minor is proven:  out of Isaiah 7:9, if ye will not believe, ye shall not understand.

Response:  1.  The major is false:  for often the knowledge of one thing is the way and step to the knowledge of another.  Thus the knowledge of an effect leads us to the knowledge of the cause, and vice versa, the knowledge of a cause to the knowledge of its effect.

2.  The minor is not true in any simple way; it is incorrectly proven from the passage alleged out of Isaiah, in which nothing concerning knowledge or understanding occurs.  The Vulgate version is faulty at this point.  The Hebrew Text was thus to be rendered:  Do ye not believe? that ye are not established.[2]

(3.)  If there is no implicit faith conjoined with ignorance, there shall be no hope of salvation for farmers, old women, and commoners:  But the consequent is false.  Therefore also the antecedent.

The rationale of the hypothetical:  because without faith no one is able to please God:  But farmers, old women, and commoners are not able to have explicit faith, since they are not capable of understanding mysteries.

Response:  I deny the hypothetical.  The rationale, that farmers, old women, etc., are not able to have explicit faith, is altogether false, as is also its proof.  From the revelation and word of God read and heard all are able to attain some knowledge of mysteries, with respect to τὸ ὅτι, that is, the matter, even if τὸ διότι, that is, the cause and manner, not all follow.  Even the most learned at this point confess their ignorance.

IV.  It is to be observed in this place:  that there is to be belief implicit and explicit.  Whatever God has set forth to be believed are to be believed implicitly, that is, to be held as truths, especially if you do not know all things or hold all things ready in memory:  from this principle, that God is not able to lie:  to this pertains that saying of the Apostle, Acts 24:14, I believe all things which are written in the law and in the Prophets.

To be believed explicitly are those things that in particular are necessary to be known for salvation, or the knowledge of which has the necessity of means unto salvation:  in such a way that no one is able to be saved, unless he knows them.  Of this knowledge are three degrees; namely, when they are found to be necessary to know for salvation, (1.)  with respect to the substance of the thing expressed in Scripture; (2.)  with respect to the necessary declaration; and, (3.)  with respect to the difficulties that are wont to be moved concerning them.

For example:  With respect to the substance of the matter we know that we have a mediator, who is both God and man:  who in order to recover eternal life for us, the right to which we lost through sin, suffered and died, to satisfy divine justice for us, etc.  With respect to the declaration we know, that this Mediator is the second person of the Holy Trinity, the Son of God, who into the unity of His person assumed a human nature from the virgin, by the power of the Holy Spirit, in properties distinct from the divine nature, so that He might be able to suffer and die in it, etc.  With respect to difficulties we the mode of that hypostatic union, the communication idiomatum, apotelesmatum, and charismatum, the reasons why the second person of the Holy Trinity received unto Himself the office of Mediator, rather than the first or third, etc.

With this declaration prefaced, we say that explicit faith, that is, explicit in actual knowledge, is necessary for all adults, with respect to the substance of the thing and its necessary declaration:  but not with respect to its difficulties; in the settling of which the Doctors in the Schools are principally occupied:  from whom more is required than from common hearers, Matthew 24:14, 15.  The substance of things explicitly to be believed and understood, and also the necessary declaration, are contained in the five heads of piety[3] and the catechisms.

THESIS XIV:  Assent is the second part of faith, whereby, what we know from Scripture to have been revealed by God, we hold as true:  to the Greeks, συγκατάθεσις/agreement.

EXPLANATION:  Assent is absolutely necessary in faith:  because to have faith in someone speaking and to give one’s assent to the same are synonymous.  Whence one that does not give his assent to someone, is said not to have faith in him.

THESIS XV:  Trust is the third and principal part of justifying faith, whereby we apply the general promises of the Gospel to ourselves, and are fully persuaded that because of the merit of Christ we are regarded as righteous by God, and that we are going to inherit eternal life:  to the Greeks, πληροφορία, full assurance, or πεποίθησις/trust/confidence.

EXPLANATION:  I.  With respect to this trust faith is called saving and justifying.  For God does not justify anyone, except him who places his trust in Christ, and firmly believes that his sins are remitted because of Christ’s merit.  And so for salvation is not sufficient either knowledge of divine mysteries, or even general assent:  but trust is also necessarily required.

But we prove that faith is trust:

(1.)  From the appellations that are attributed to it in Scripture:  for it is called θάρσος, good cheer or confidence, John 16:33;[4] πληροφορία, full and firm persuasion, Hebrews 10:22;[5] παρρησία, fiducial freedom, Hebrews 3:6;[6] πεποίθησις, firm persuasion, Ephesians 3:12; ὑπόστασις τῶν ἐλπιζομένων, the substance of the things hoped for,[7] which causes things hoped for to exist before one’s eyes.  These terms do not at all agree with simple knowledge of mysteries, or with general assent.  For Satan believes with respect to knowledge and assent; yet to him agree not θάρσος, good cheer or confidence, πληροφορία, full and firm persuasion, παρρησία, fiducial freedom, because in believing he trembles.[8]

(2.)  Because those that truly believe in Christ know that they have eternal life.  1 John 5:13, These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life.  But from bare knowledge and general assent no one knows himself to have eternal life:  indeed, with knowledge and assent is able to be conjoined desperation, and is conjoined in many reprobates, and in all devils.

(3.)  Because it apprehends and applies Christ to oneself.  John 1:12, As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.  Where simple knowledge and general assent are certainly not sufficient; otherwise Devils and many reprobates would also obtain this dignity, to become the sons of God:  since they also have knowledge of Christ conjoined with general assent.

(4.)  Because by faith we obtain remission of sins, heavenly blessedness, justification, adoption unto children of God, victory over Satan, and eternal life, according to Scripture.  Which certainly are not the effects of simple knowledge and general assent; otherwise Devils and many that are damned would also obtain these goods.

Also the arguments that were alleged above for the object of faith make for this.

II.  The Papists deny that justifying faith is trust, and thus prove it:

(1.)  Paul, in 1 Corinthians 13:13, distinguishes faith from hope, when he says, and now abideth faith, hope, and love.

Therefore, faith is not trust.

The rationale of the consequence:  because trust is nothing other than hope reinforced.

Response:  I deny the Consequence:  to the proof I respond:  The trust of faith is one thing, but the trust of hope another.  By the trust of faith we embrace present promises concerning present and future goods:  by the trust of hope we await with certainty the future goods.

(2.)  Paul expressly distinguishes faith from trust, as the cause from its effects, Ephesians 3:12, in whom we have trust and access in confidence by the faith of Him.[9]

Therefore, faith is not trust.

Response:  I deny the consequence.  The rationale of the negation:  because one sort of trust is habitual, which is a habit of the mind and will:  another is actual, which is the act preceding from that habit.  Paul, therefore, from faith distinguishes trust, not habitual, which is faith itself; but actual, which is an act of faith.  This passage of Paul eminently confirms our opinion.  For, if faith were separated from habitual trust, by faith we would not have actual trust and access in confidence.

(3.)  The object of justifying faith is all that God has revealed.

Therefore, faith is not able to be trust.

The rationale of the consequence:  because trust only concerns future goods:  but under faith fall also a great many past and present goods:  the truth of which is applied by faith.

Response:  1.  I introduce a distinction into the antecedent:  The object of justifying faith, with respect to assent, are all things that God has revealed:  but not all things with respect to trust, which principally has regard to Christ and His benefits.

2.  I deny the consequence.  For, since among those things that God has revealed are many things that require the trust/confidence of faith, the contrary rather follows, namely, that faith is also trust.

3.  The rationale of the consequence is not true in any simple way.  For trust is also conversant with present things:  as when we trust that our sins are remitted, and when we put trust in the presence of divine help.

Let the remaining arguments of the Papists against the faith of special/ particular mercy be seen under thesis eleven.

III.  What certain authors teach more subtly concerning faith, they briefly summarize as follows.  They say that five things concur for divine faith:

(1.)  Knowledge of the matter as revealed and testified to by God.

(2.)  Pious affection toward God, which cause His testimony to have the greatest weight among us.

(3.)  Assent, which because of this affection toward God is rendered to His testimony of the truth.

(4.)  Acquiescence in God to obtain that which is set forth.

(5.)  Choice or apprehension, which is exhibited to us in the testimony.

The first, which is in the intellect, they deny to constitute faith:  because it is common to believers and unbelievers.

The second, fourth, and fifth, say they, are in the will, and constitute faith, as it is a virtue and act of religion.

The third in the intellect, as it is moved by the will, say they, is not properly the virtue of faith, but its effect.

The perfection of faith they place in the choice and apprehension of the good set forth to us.  Whence faith they define as the acquiescence of the heart in God, as the author of eternal life and salvation, that by Him we might be delivered from all evil, and obtain all good.  This, say they, Scripture indicates, when it says that believers cleave to God, Acts 11:23; 1 Corinthians 6:17; that believers chose the way of truth and stick to God’s testimonies, Psalm 119:30, 31.

Let it suffice to have touched upon these things:  we are pleased to retain and observe the received doctrine.  At the same time, observe that faith is languid or lively.  Languid faith is overwhelmed and hindered by temptations and corruptions, so that it is not able to exercise itself in those fruits that bring to the conscience a sense of peace and joy, Ephesians 4:30; Psalm 51:12.  Lively faith freely exercises its acts with a sense of consummate consolation, 1 Peter 1:8.

[1] Tractatus in Ioannis Evangelium, Tractate 29.

[2] Isaiah 7:9:  “And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is Remaliah's son.  If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established (‎אִ֚ם לֹ֣א תַאֲמִ֔ינוּ כִּ֖י לֹ֥א תֵאָמֵֽנוּ׃).”

[3] Namely, the Apostles’ Creed, the Ten Commandments, the Lord’s Prayer, Baptism, and the Lord’s Supper.

[4] John 16:33:  “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation:  but be of good cheer (θαρσεῖτε); I have overcome the world.”  Acts 28:15:  “And from thence, when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as far as Appii forum, and The three taverns:  whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage (θάρσος).”

[5] Hebrews 10:22:  “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith (ἐν πληροφορίᾳ πίστεως), having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.”

[6] Hebrews 3:6:  “But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence (τὴν παρρησίαν) and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.”

[7] Hebrews 11:1.

[8] James 2:19.

[9] Ephesians 3:12:  “In whom we have boldness (παρρησίαν, fiducial freedom) and access with confidence (πεποιθήσει, firm persuasion) by the faith of him.”