Philosophy the Handmaid of Theology · §45 · Robert Baron

Whether trust is an act of faith

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Article XVIII. Whether trust is an act of faith.

1. Orthodox theologians differ on trust: some identify it with faith's justifying act; some call it distinct but inseparable; some take trust in several senses.

2. Trust may mean: firm persuasion of God's mercy in Christ; resting on his promises; courageous stance against dangers and miseries; or joy and peace of conscience over remission already obtained.

3. With most Orthodox: justifying trust is an act of faith — or justifying faith essentially includes the trust by which Christ and grace's promises are applied to us. Not mere historical knowledge or bare dogmatic assent.

4. Bellarmine's claim that certainty of particular remission needs special revelation in this life is rejected. Scripture urges trust and gives the regenerate signs of their share in Christ.

Latin

ART. XVIII. An fiducia sit actus fidei. 1. Theologi Orthodoxi non eodem modo loquuntur de fiducia. Alii fiduciam esse ipsum fidei actum justificantem; alii eam esse actum a fide distinctum, etsi inseparabilem; alii fiduciam pluribus modis accipi. 2. Fiducia accipi potest: (1) ut firma persuasio de DEI misericordia in CHRISTO; (2) ut recumbentia in DEI promissis; (3) ut animosa oppositio contra pericula & miserias; (4) ut gaudium & pax conscientiae de remissione jam impetrata. 3. Nos cum plerisque Orthodoxis: fiducia justificans est actus fidei — seu potius fides justificans essentialiter includit fiduciam, qua CHRISTUS & promissiones gratiae nobis applicantur. Non est mere notitia historica, nec nuda assensio dogmatica. 4. Bellarmini sententia, fiduciam certitudinis de remissione particulari non posse haberi in hac vita absque revelatione speciali, rejicitur: Scriptura fideles hortatur ad fiduciam, & signa regeneratis dat quibus de sua in CHRISTO participatione certi reddantur.

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About this text

Robert Baron, Philosophia theologiae ancillans (Philosophy in Service to Theology): exercises on being and essence, on the origin of the soul and the spread of sin, and on faith, science, and opinion, rendered from the 1658 Latin.

Dateby 1621 AD (first printed at St Andrews, 1621; this text is from the corrected Oxford reprint of 1658; Reformed)

English follows 1658 Oxford Latin. Prima Art. I-XII from IA PDF leaves ~15-53. Secunda Art. I-XV from PDF leaves 56-107 / printed pp.54-105 (tess+pdftotext+DjVu). No modern English copied. The third exercise, on faith, science, and opinion, is included.

Reference

Wing B887. IA bim_early-english-books-1641-1700_philosophia-theologi-an_baron-robert_1658. Exercitatio Prima Art. I-XII; Exercitatio Secunda Art. I-XV (De origine animae & propagatione peccati). Exercitatio Tertia Art. I-XXX is included.

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