Exercise of faith in matters of this world.

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any wealthy. For to the faithful man belongs the whole Prov.17, 6. Sept. world of riches, in that he thinks lightly of them, and tramples them under foot. For those who in appearance are wealthy, and possess much, yet are poor in soul: for in proportion as they amass, do they pine from longing for what is still wanting. But the faithful man, most wondrously, in poverty is rich; for knowing that we need only to have raiment and food, 1 Tim. and being content with these, he has put riches under foot. 3. Nor is it only among us, who bear the title of Christ, (2.) that the dignity of faith is great: for likewise all that is accomplished in the world, even by those who are aliens from the Church, is accomplished by faith. By faith, marriage laws knit together persons unknown one to another: and one who is strange to us, through the faith placed in marriage compacts, becomes a sharer in strange persons and strange possessions. By faith is husbandry also upheld: for he who does not believe he shall receive a harvest, endures not its toils. By faith, sea-faring men, putting their trust in a very slender plank, exchange that most solid element the earth, for the unsteady motion of the waves; yielding themselves to uncertain hopes, and carrying with them as something surer than any anchor, their faith. By faith then most affairs of men hold together: and this not among us only, but likewise among those who are without, as hath been said; for though they receive not the Scriptures, but bring forward doctrines of their own, yet these also do they receive by faith.

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4. To that faith which is true, the lesson which was read today likewise calls you, setting before you, how you also must please God; for, He saith, without faith it is impossible Heb. 11, to please Him. For when will a man set himself to serve God, unless he believes that He is a rewarder? When will a young woman choose a virgin life, or a young man be sober minded, unless they believe that chastity has a crown unfading? Faith is the eye which enlightens the whole conscience, and creates in it understanding; for the Prophet saith, And if ye believe not, neither shall ye understand. Is. 7, 9. Faith stops the mouths of lions, according to Daniel; for the Sept. Scripture saith concerning him, that Daniel was taken up Dan. 6, out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God. Is there aught more fearful

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LECT. than the devil? But even against him we have no other weapon than faith, an impalpable buckler against an unseen foe. For he discharges manifold darts, and shoots in the darkness those who are not watching; but, since the foe is unseen, we have, as a stout defence, faith, according to the Eph. 6, saying of the Apostle, Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. For when, as oft-times happens, a fiery dart of desire of base indulgence is hurled by the devil, faith, shadowing forth the judgment, cools the soul, and quenches it.

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(3.)

πρὸς τεκ

νογονίαν.

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5. Now we have many things to say concerning faith, and the whole day would not suffice us discoursing of it: for the present be we content with Abraham alone, one of the examples of the Old Testament, seeing that we also are become his sons through faith. He was justified not only by works, but by faith also: and though he did many things well, yet was he never called the friend of God, except when he believed; moreover every deed of his was perfected by faith. By faith he left his parents: by faith he abandoned country, dwelling-place, and home. As then he was justified, so be gos thou also justified. Further, his body was dead: for he was an old man, and his wife Sarah was old also, and no hope of children was left him. God promises offspring to the old Rom. 4, man and Abraham, not being weak in faith, nor considering his own body now dead; thinking not of his body's infirmity, Heb. 11, but of the power of Him who promised, and judging Him faithful who had promised, in a wondrous manner gained a child from bodies as good as dead. And when after he had gained a son, he was ordered to offer him, although he had Gen. 21, heard that, In Isaac shall thy seed be called, he offered his only-begotten son to God, believing that God was able even to raise him from the dead. So having bound his son, and laid him upon the wood, in intent he offered him, but by the goodness of God, who gave him a lamb instead of his child, he received his son alive. Wherefore, he being faithful, was Rom. 4, sealed unto righteousness, and received circumcision, the seal of the righteousness which he had yet being uncircumcised; Gen. 17, having received the promise that he should be the father of many nations.

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6. How then is Abraham the father of many nations? Of

the Jews he is confessedly, by the succession according to the flesh. But if we give heed to that which is according to the flesh, we shall be forced to say that the oracle is false: for according to the flesh he is no longer the father of us all; but a faith, of which his is the type, makes us all sons of Abraham. How and after what sort? It is incredible among men, that one should arise from the dead; it is incredible also, that of the aged, in their bodies dead, a child should be born; yet when Christ is preached, as having been crucified on the tree, dead and risen again, we believe it. By likeness then of faith we come to the sonship of Abraham: and then, upon our faith, like him, we receive the spiritual seal being circumcised by the Holy Ghost through the Sacred Laver, not in the uncircumcision of the body but of the heart, as Jeremias saith, Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, and take Jerem. 4, 4. away the uncircumcision of your heart; and as the Apostle saith, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in Col. 2, baptism; and the rest.

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7. This faith if we keep, we shall be clear of condemnation, (4.) and shall be adorned with virtues of every kind. For so great power hath faith, that it even gives buoyancy to men walking on the sea. Peter was a man like unto us, formed of Mat.14, flesh and blood, and living upon like food: but believing Jesus, when He said, Come, he walked on the waters, having his faith for a support on the waters, surer than any foundation; and his heavy body was kept afloat by the buoyancy of his faith. But though as long as he believed, he had a sure footing on the water; yet as soon as he doubted, he began to sink for as his faith gradually relaxed, his body also was carried along with it. And beholding his evil case, Jesus, the Corrector of the evils of our souls, said to him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? and again, nerved by Him who took hold of his right hand, from the moment he believed again, being led by the hand of the Lord, he regained the same power of walking on the waters. For thus the Gospel hath indirectly recorded, in the words, when Mat. 14, they went up into the ship. For it says not that Peter by swimming went up into the ship; but it gives us to understand, that as far as he had gone to Jesus, such a distance did he retrace, going up again into the ship.

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56 Faith of friends sometimes a substitute for personal faith.

8. Yea, so much power hath faith, that not only the person believing is saved, but one man has been saved by others (5.) believing. The palsied man at Capernaum was not faithful; Mark 2. but they who bore him, and let him down through the tiles, believed; for the soul of the sick man shared in the sickness of his body. Think not that I accuse him groundlessly; for Mat. 9, the Gospel itself hath said, Jesus beholding, not, his faith, but their faith, saith to the sick of the palsy, Arise. The bearers believed, and the sick of the palsy enjoyed the blessing of the

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cure.

9. Wouldest thou see yet more certainly, that some have John 11. been saved by others' faith? Lazarus died: one day passed, and a second and a third: his sinews were decayed and corruption was now preying on his body. How could a man four days dead believe, and call to the deliverer on his own behalf? But what was wanting in the dead, was supplied by his true sisters. For when the Lord came, his sister fell at His feet and when to His question, Where have ye laid him? she answered, Lord, by this time he stinketh, for he hath been dead four days, He saith, If thou wilt believe, thou shalt see the glory of God. As if saying, "Fill thou up what is wanting, for the faith of this dead;" and so availed the sisters' faith, that it recalled the dead from the gates of hell. Have men then, believing one for the other, availed for a resurrection from the dead, and shalt not thou, if thou believe sincerely concerning thyself, much rather be profited? Nay, though thou be faithless, or have but little faith, yet is the Lord merciful; He will condescend to thee when thou repentest: only do thou also say to Him with a honest heart, Mark 9, Lord, I believe, help Thou mine unbelief. And if thou thinkest that thou art indeed faithful, but hast not yet attained the perfection of faith, thou hast need to say with the Apostles, Luke 17, Lord, increase our faith: for part thou hast of thine own self, but the much greater part thou receivest of Him.

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(6.) 10. For Faith, though in name one, is distinguished into rò day; two kinds. For there is one sort of faith, which is of docματικόν. trines, implying the acquiescence of the mind concerning

συγκα τάθεσιν.

b That faith is an assent of the mind to the truth, or a submission or acquiescence of the mind to a divine message,

is maintained by Clement, Alex. Strom. lib. ii. p. 362. Basil in Psalm. cxv. p. 371, 2.

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some certain thing: and this faith profits the soul, as the Lord saith, He that heareth my words, and believeth in Him John 5, that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into 24. condemnation; and again, He that believeth on the Son is not John 3, condemned: but is passed from death into life. O the great John 5, loving-kindness of God! The righteous were many years 24. in pleasing Him; but what they obtained, by their pleasing Him well for many years, this is now bestowed on thee by Jesus in one hour. For if thou shalt believe that Jesus Christ is Lord, and that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved and translated into Paradise, by Him who brought the robber into Paradise. And do not disbelieve the possibility of this; for He who in this holy Golgotha saved the robber in one hour, the same will also save thee when thou shalt believe.

11. But there is a second sort of faith, bestowed as a gift by Christ in the way of grace. For to one is given by the 1 Cor. Spirit the word of wisdom, to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing. Now this faith which is given of grace by the Spirit, is not only a faith in doctrine; but it also worketh things beyond man's power. For he who hath this faith shall say to this mountain, Remove hence to yonder Mat. 17, place, and it shall remove. For when any one shall say this 20. by faith, believing that it shall come to pass, and shall not Mark11, waver in his heart, then he receiveth the grace. And it is of 23. this faith that it is said, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard Mat. 17, seed. For like as a grain of mustard seed is small in bulk, but fiery in operation, and though sown in a narrow space, has a circuit of mighty branches, and being grown up is able even to shelter the fowls; thus faith too accomplishes in the soul, in the briefest moment, the greatest things. Illuminated by faith the soul hath visions of God, yea, and, as far as it may, beholds God: and ranges along the bounds of the universe, and before the end of this world, already gazes upon the judgment, and the giving of rewards that is promised. Cherish then the faith in Him, which is of thyself; that thou (7.) mayest also receive from Him that faith which works things above man's power.

12. But take thou and hold that faith only as a learner and

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