John Marbeck (ca. 1510-ca.1585) on What Faith Is

Marbeck:

FAITH

What Faith is.

Faith is a sure confidence of things which are hoped for [Heb. 11:8.], and a certainty of things which are not seen. ¶ Faith and trust in Christ only, is the life and quietness of the conscience, and not trust in works how holy so ever they be or appear. Works cannot se the heart at rest, because we ever think they be not enough, nor yet good enough, but to few, and so fall we into mistrusting, after which follows despairing and so damnation, if we leave not the confidence in them, and stick to faith, which can receive and believe without mistrust, that Christ’s works no the cross, has full purged, cleansed, and loosed us from our sins.

Again, Faith is a lively and steadfast trust in the favor of God, wherewith we commit ourselves altogether unto God, and that trust is so surely grounded, and sticks so fast in our hearts, that a man would not once doubt of it, though he should die a thousand times therefore, and such trust wrought by the Holy Ghost through faith, makes a man glad, lusty, cheerful and true hearted unto God and all creatures, by means whereof, willingly and without compulsion, he is lad and ready to do good to every man, to suffer all things, that God may beloved and praised, which has given him such grace, so that it is impossible to separate good works from faith, even as it is impossible to separate heat from fire. Therefore take heed and beware of your own fantasies, which to judge of faith and good works, will seem wise, when indeed they are stark blind, and of all things most foolish. Pray God that he will vouchsafe to work faith in your heart, or else you shall remain evermore faithless, feign you imagine you, enforce you wrestle with yourself, an do what you wilt.

Again, Faith is to believing of God’s promises, and a sure trust in the goodness and truth of God, which is faith justified Abraham, Gen. 15. and was the mother of all his good works, which he afterward did, for faith is the goodness of all works in the sight of God. Good works are things of God’s commandment, wrought in faith. And to show a show at the commandment of God, to do your neighbor service with all, with faith to be saved by Christ (as God promises us) is much better then to build an Abby of their own imagination, trust to be saved by the feigned works of hypocrites. Jacob robbed Laban his uncle, Moses robbed the Egyptians, and Abraham is about to slay and burn is own son, and all are holy works because they are wrought in faith at God’s commandment. To steal, rob and murder, are no holy works before worldly people, but unto them that have their trust in God, they are holy when God commands them. What God commands not, gets no reward with God. Holy works of men’s imagination, receive their reward here as Christ testifies. Math. 6:2.                                                                       Tyndale.

Faith is an undoubted belief most firmly grounded in the mind.                           Bullinger. fo. 30.

Again, True faith is the well-spring and root of all virtues and good works, and first of all satisfies the mind and desire of man, and makes it quiet and joyful.                   Bullinger. fol. 54.

Iohn Marbeck, A Book of Notes and Common Places, collected and gathered out of the works of diuers singular Witers, and brought Alphabetically in order (Imprinted at London by Thomas East, 1581), 361-362. [Some words and spelling modernized.]

John de l’ Espine (1506-1597) on Faith as Assurance

de l’ Espine:

What that
Justifying
Faith is.

But when we speak so of faith, we understand not by this name a bare opinion which we may have of the truth or a simple persuasion and consent, whereby we allow all that is contained in the Scripture: but we understand this Faith a lively apprehension of the truth of God’s promises, and an assurance of his grace and favor in Jesus Christ. Also, a full confidence that is sufficient to bear all the temptations, that can be laid upon us, and to beat down death, the devil, and all the gates of hell, and further, to set itself against wrath, in the judgment and malediction of God, the which it turns from us as a tempest and storm when we are threatened. Now when we hear said that the law contains the promises of God, and in them his undeserved favor and grace, as the eye does color, and the ear the sound, and the other senses their proper object: we understand this of the assurance and certainty only, not of any carnal seeing. For the things that we believe, they can not be felt with the hand, nor seen with the eye, nor by any reason, or other sense of man be comprehended, and yet nevertheless they are more certain, then the things that we feel, because our senses may be deceived. As the eye which will judge a piece of wood in the water to be crooked, although it be very straight: But Faith when it is once grounded, and rests itself upon the word of God, it is assured of all that is therein taught, and specially it embraces Jesus Christ and draws from him everlasting life.

I. de l’ Espine   An Excellent Treatise of Christian Righteovsnes, (Imprinted at London by Thomas Vautrolier dwelling in the Blackfires, 1577), 90-92.

Jeremias Bastingius (1551-1595) on Faith as Assurance

Bastingius:

1)

21. What is true faith?

Answer.

It is not only a knowledge, by which I do steadfastly assent to all things which God has revealed unto us in his word, but also an assured affiance kindled in my heart by the Holy Ghost through the Gospel, by which I rest upon God, making sure account, that forgiveness of sins, everlasting righteousness and life is bestowed, not only upon others, but also upon me, and that freely by the mercy of God, for the merit and desert of Christ alone.

Exposition.

We have declared that there is but one means of deliverance, to save us from so miserable destruction, the Mediator and Redeemer, by whose hand the heavenly Father according to his exceeding goodness and mercy having compassion on us, would succor us, if so be we be engrafted into Christ by true faith, and do apply all his benefits unto ourselves. Now we must consider what manner of faith this is, whereby men receive the possession of the Kingdom of Heaven, who are by nature condemned in Adam, for that not every opinion or persuasion is able to bring so great a matter to pass; and so much the rather, because the devil is so hot an enemy to the saving doctrine of faith: for because he was not able to hinder the decree of God touching the redemption of mankind, therefore he employs all this skill about this, how either to take away, or to corrupt, or to weaken this instrument whereby we apply the same unto ourselves, for he knows that which is written, “Whosoever believes not, upon him, abides the wrath of God,” [John 3:16.].

The definition of
true faith is here
further expounded.
John, 6:69. John 17:3.

1. Therefore true faith is defined first to be a knowledge, which although it be common to it with the historical faith, yet true faith can neither be, nor continuing without it, according to the confession of Peter, “We also have believed and known, that thou art Christ that Son of the living God.” He joins knowledge with faith, even as ignorance is the greatest enemy to wit.

Andreas Hyperius (1511-1564) on the Definition of Faith

Hyperius:

Faith is a sure and steadfast trust, whereby we assure ourselves that God will perform unto us all those things that he has promised, chiefly and specially, spiritual benefits, and in them, remission of sins; and righteousness in Christ and for Christ. Which is confirmed by the author of of the Epist., to the Heb., in these words, “Faith is the ground of things which are hoped for, and the evidence of things which are not seen.” The interpretation and exposition of which description (so far as concerns the use and practice thereof) who is so desirous to know, may see set down in the 4. Chap., of the Epist., to the Rom. Wherein after the Apostle had said that Abraham was justified by faith, and that the inheritance of the world was given to him through faith; he afterward adds, that this reverend and blessed Patriarch had respect unto the goodness and power of God,

whereby he quickens the dead, and calls those things which be not, as though they were: and therefore that above hope, that he should be the father of many Nations, according to that which was spoken to him. So shall thy seed be. And he not weak in this says, considered his own body, which was dead, being almost and hundred years old, neither the deadness of Sarae’s womb: Neither did he doubt of the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in the faith, and gave glory to GOD, being fully assured, that he which had promised, was also able to do it, and therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness, &c

Hereby may everyone easily perceive that faith undoubtedly believes that those things shall be performed, and through the goodness and power of God be brought to pass, which otherwise seem never possible to be performed; that faith does always look into the promises and power of God: and finally, that faith is assured, certain, undoubted, and invincible persuasion, conceived of the goodness and power of God, whereby this glory is ascribed, attribute, and entitled to God, that he both will and also can save us. All of which are signified in that usual and accustomed form of confession, which every one privately undertakes and pronounces for himself, saying: “I believe in God.” For in these few words is set forth and contained the whole sum and signification of faith.

Wolfgang Fabricius Capito (1478-1541) on the Definition of Faith

Capito:

A Brief Dialogue between a Christian Father and his stubborn Son, whom he would fain bring to the right understanding of the Christian man’s living.

[The father:] Above all pleasure and worldly delight (dear Son) to here or to read the pure word of God, seems to me a thing most sweet pleasant and amiable without comparison to the comfort and derision of a Christian man. The son: Think though thy self then a Christian man? The father: God forbids else. Son: Whereby knows thou that? The father: Because through the commandments of God I acknowledge myself a sinner. And again through his godly promises, and by that merit of Christ I doubt not but that I am one of God’s chosen children. For Christ has cleansed me from sin with his death. Son: Thou says well, but wherein consists the life of a Christian man, tell me. Father: In a steadfast faith toward God, and pure love without simulation toward a man’s neighbor. Son: What call thou faith? Father: It is a lively and steadfast persuasion of the mind, whereby we doubt not but that the promises of God are given unto us by Christ, as it is evidently declared in our Creed.

Wolfgang Capito, The true beliefe in Christ and his sacraments, set forth in a Dialoge between a Christen father and his sonne, very necessary to be learned of all men, of what estate soever they be (Imprinted at London for Gwalter Lynne, dwelling on Somers kaye, by Byllinges gate, 1550), [1-2]. [No pagination, pages numbered manually from the beginning of the dialogue; some spelling modernized; some reformatting; and underlining mine.]