The third good that comes from faith is that right direction which it gives to our present life. XI, 9: repleta est terra scientia domini. Et hoc patet, quia nullus philosophorum ante adventum Christi cum toto conatu suo potuit tantum scire de Deo et de necessariis ad vitam aeternam, quantum post adventum Christi scit una vetula per fidem: et ideo dicitur Isai. Ipsa enim docet quod est unus Deus, qui est remunerator bonorum et punitor malorum et quod est alia vita, et huiusmodi: quibus satis allicimur ad bonum, et vitamus malum: Habac. Fides autem docet omnia necessaria ad bene vivendum. Tertio, quia fides dirigit vitam praesentem: nam ad hoc quod homo bene vivat, oportet quod sciat necessaria ad bene vivendum: et si deberet omnia necessaria ad bene vivendum per studium addiscere: vel non posset pervenire, vel post longum tempus. “Blessed are they who have not seen and have believed”. No one then can arrive at perfect happiness of heaven, which is the true knowledge of God, unless first he knows God through faith. Paul says: “Faith is the substance of things to be hoped for”. This knowledge of God begins here through faith, but it is perfected the future life when we shall know God as He is. This the Lord announced when He said: “This is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you sent.”. The second effect of faith is that eternal life is already begun in us for eternal life is nothing else than knowing God. XX, 29: beati qui non viderunt et crediderunt. Nullus ergo potest pervenire ad beatitudinem, quae est vera cognitio Dei, nisi primo cognoscat per fidem: Ioan. XI, 1: fides est substantia sperandarum rerum. Haec autem cognitio Dei incipit hic per fidem, sed perficitur in vita futura, in qua cognoscemus eum sicuti est: et ideo dicitur Hebr. ![]() XVII, 3: haec est vita aeterna, ut cognoscant te solum verum Deum. Secundo, quia per fidem inchoatur in nobis vita aeterna: nam vita aeterna nihil aliud est quam cognoscere Deum: unde dicit dominus, Ioan. Paul, “All that is not of faith is sin”, in this way: “Where there is no knowledge of the eternal and unchanging Truth, virtue even in the midst of the best moral life is false.” “Without faith it is impossible to please God”. Indeed, it must be known that no one is acceptable before God unless he have faith. Hence, the Lord said: “He who believes and is baptized shall be saved”. ![]() When a man is baptized the first question that is asked him is: “Do you believe in God?” This is because Baptism is the first Sacrament of faith. The first is that through faith the soul is united to God, and by it there is between the soul and God a union akin to marriage. The Nature and Effects of Faith.-The first thing that is necessary for every Christian is faith, without which no one is truly called a faithful Christian. XIV, 23: omne autem quod non est ex fide, peccatum est: ubi non est aeternae et incommutabilis veritatis agnitio, falsa est virtus etiam in optimis moribus. Et ideo dicit Augustinus super illud Rom. XI, 6: sine fide autem impossibile est placere Deo. Et ideo sciendum est, quod nullus est acceptus Deo sine fide: Hebr. ult., 16: qui crediderit et baptizatus fuerit, salvus erit. Et inde est quod quando homo baptizatur, primo confitetur fidem, cum dicitur ei, credis in Deum?: Quia Baptismus est primum sacramentum fidei. Primum est quod per fidem anima coniungitur Deo: nam per fidem anima Christiana facit quasi quoddam matrimonium cum Deo: Oseae II, 20: sponsabo te mihi in fide. Prooemium PROLOGUE What Is Faith? Primum quod est necessarium Christiano, est fides, sine qua nullus dicitur fidelis Christianus.
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