Now faith is the substance of things to be hoped for, the evidence of things that appear not.

“But faith, which the Greeks disparage, deeming it futile and barbarous, is a voluntary preconception, the assent of piety-"the subject of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen," according to the divine apostle. "For hereby," pre-eminently, "the elders obtained a good report. But without faith it is impossible to please God." Others have defined faith to be a uniting assent to an unseen object, as certainly the proof of an unknown thing is an evident assent. If then it be choice, being desirous of something, the desire is in this instance intellectual. And since choice is the beginning of action, faith is discovered to be the beginning of action, being the foundation of rational choice in the case of any one who exhibits to himself the previous demonstration through faith. Voluntarily to follow what is useful, is the first principle of understanding. Unswerving choice, then, gives considerable momentum in the direction of knowledge. The exercise of faith directly becomes knowledge, reposing on a sure foundation. "Let not the waters of thy fountain overflow, and let thy waters spread over thine own streets." For it is not many who understand such things as they fall in with; or know them even after learning them, though they think they do, according to the worthy Heraclitus. Does not even he seem to thee to censure those who believe not? "Now my just one shall live by faith," the prophet said. And another prophet also says, "Except ye believe, neither shall ye understand." For how ever could the soul admit the transcendental contemplation of such themes, while unbelief respecting what was to be learned struggled within? But faith, which the Greeks disparage, deeming it futile and barbarous, is a voluntary preconception, the assent of piety-"the subject of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen," according to the divine apostle. "For hereby," pre-eminently, "the elders obtained a good report. But without faith it is impossible to please God."”

“You must know that in the eye of perfect, that is, Christian, modesty, (carnal) desire of one's self (on the part of others) is not only not to be desired, but even execrated, by you: first, because the study of making personal grace (which we know to be naturally the inviter of lust) a mean of pleasing does not spring from a sound conscience: why therefore excite toward yourself that evil (passion)? why invite (that) to which you profess yourself a stranger? secondly, because we ought not to open a way to temptations, which, by their instancy, sometimes achieve (a wickedness) which God expels from them who are His; (or, ) at all events, put the spirit into a thorough tumult by (presenting) a stumbling-block (to it). We ought indeed to walk so holily, and with so entire substantiality of faith, as to be confident and secure in regard of our own conscience, desiring that that (gift) may abide in us to the end, yet not presuming (that it will).”

“"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report." Notice how great a dignity the Lord bestows on you in transferring you from the order of catechumens to that of the faithful. The apostle Paul says as much when he affirms, "God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his son Jesus Christ." Since God is here called faithful, you also in receiving this title receive a great dignity. God is called faithful in the same way that he is called good, just, almighty and maker of the universe. Consider therefore to what kind of dignity you are rising, seeing you are to become a partaker of a title of God.Here, then, it is further required that each of you be found faithful in his conscience: "for a faithful man it is hard to find"—not that you need to reveal to me what is on your conscience, for you are not to be "judged by man's judgment." But you are supposed to show the sincerity of your faith to God, "who tries the reins and hearts" and "knows the thoughts of men." A faithful person is a great thing, being richest of all rich people. For "to the faithful person belongs the whole world of wealth," in that he disdains and tramples on it. For they who in appearance are rich and have many possessions are poor in soul: since the more they gather, the more they pine with longing for what is still lacking. But the faithful person (a strange paradox, indeed) is rich in poverty. Such a person knows that we only need to have "food and clothing" and, being "content with these," he has trampled riches under foot.”

“If they are not seen, how can you be convinced that they exist? Well, where do these things that you see come from, if not from one whom you cannot see? Yes, of course you see something in order to believe something, and from what you can see to believe what you cannot see. Please do not be ungrateful to the one who made you able to see; this is why you are able to believe what you are not yet able to see. God gave you eyes in your head, reason in your heart. Arouse the reason in your heart, get the inner inhabitant behind your inner eyes on his feet, let him take to his windows, let him inspect God's creation.”

“Rejoice that whatever the shadows of the Old Testament used to veil beneath the testimonies of prophets has been brought out into the open through the mystery of the Lord's passion. As a result, the various kinds of sacrifices and the different means of purification have come to a halt. Thus, the precept of circumcision, the distinction between foods, the sabbath rest, and the killing of the paschal lamb have ceased, since "the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ."Figures came first so that their fulfillment could follow. When the reality which had been announced finally arrived, there was no longer any need for the services of heralds. Reconciliation of the human race was conducted in such a way that the salvation which comes in Christ should have been available to all generations under the same justification. Delaying this salvation was a calculated move. It had the advantage of causing those things which were believed long before they actually took place to be honored without interruption. When the strength of faith has been established in those things that do not lie open to our vision, heavenly doctrine treats us more leniently.… To help us understand more easily, we benefit from many more prophets and witnesses than former ages.”

“Above, the Apostle showed in many ways the excellence of Christ, preferring him to the Angels, to Moses, and to Aaron, and admonished the faithful that they ought to be joined to Christ himself. And because this joining comes about chiefly and initially through faith — Eph. 3:17: that Christ may dwell through faith in your hearts — the Apostle therefore proceeds to the commendation of faith. And concerning this he does three things: first, he describes faith; second, he sets down various examples of it, at the words "for in this"; third, he exhorts them to the things that belong to faith, in chapter 12, at the words "therefore you... so great." Chapter, at the words "therefore you... so great." He sets down the definition of faith completely, indeed, but obscurely. Hence it must be known that one wishing to define perfectly any virtue must touch upon its proper matter, that with which it is concerned, and its end, because a habit is known through its act, and an act through its object. And therefore it is necessary to touch upon the act, and its order to the object and the end. Thus one wishing to define fortitude must touch upon its proper matter, that with which it is concerned, namely fears and acts of daring, and its end, namely the good of the commonwealth, so that it may be said that fortitude is the virtue that moderates these, for the sake of the good of the commonwealth. But since faith, a theological virtue, has the same thing for its object and its end, namely God: first, therefore, he sets down the order and the end; second, the proper matter, at the words "the evidence of things not appearing." But it must be known that the act of faith is to believe, which is an act of the intellect determined to one thing, at the command of the will. Hence to believe is to think something with assent, as Augustine says in the book On the Predestination of the Saints. And therefore the object of faith and the end of the will must correspond to each other. Now the First Truth is the object of faith, in which indeed the end of the will consists, namely beatitude, which exists differently in the wayfaring state and in the fatherland; because in the wayfaring state the First Truth is not possessed, and consequently not seen either — since, in those things that are above the soul, to see and to have are the same, as Augustine says in the 73 Questions — but it is only hoped for. Rom. 8, Questions, but it is only hoped for. Rom. 8, v. 25, 24: for what we do not see, we hope for. For what a man sees, why does he hope for it? Therefore the First Truth, not seen but hoped for, is the end of the will in the wayfaring state, and consequently the object of faith, since the same thing serves it as end and as object. But the last end simply of faith itself in the fatherland, which we intend from faith, is beatitude, which consists in the open vision of God. John 17:3: this is eternal life, that they may know thee the only true God, etc. And 20:29: blessed are they who have not seen and have believed. And such is the hope of the faithful. 1 Peter 1:3: he has regenerated us unto a living hope. The end of faith in the wayfaring state, therefore, is the attainment of the thing hoped for, namely eternal beatitude. And therefore he says "of things to be hoped for." But here it is asked why, since faith is prior to hope, it is defined through hope; for the posterior ought to be defined through the prior, and not the reverse. I respond. It must be said that the solution is clear from what has already been said, because it has been said that the object and the end of faith are the same. Since, therefore, the attainment of the thing hoped for is its end, it must also be its object. Now it was said above that every habit ought to be defined through the order of its act to its object. But the true and the good, although considered in themselves they are convertible as to their supposits, nevertheless, insofar as they differ in notion, stand toward one another in a different order; for the true is a certain good, and the good is a certain true. And likewise the intellect and the will, which are distinguished according to the distinction of the true and the good, have between themselves a different order. For insofar as the intellect apprehends truth and whatever is contained in it, thus the true is a certain good, and thus the good is under the true. But insofar as the will moves, thus the true is under the good. In the order of knowing, therefore, the intellect is prior, but in the order of moving the will is prior. Since, then, the intellect is moved to the act of faith at the command of the will, as has been said, in the order of moving the will is prior. Therefore the prior is not defined through the posterior; because, as has been said, in the definition of faith it is necessary to set down the order of the act to the object, which is the same as the end. But the end and the good are the same, as is held in Physics 2. But in order to the good the will — of which hope is as of its subject — is prior. But why does he not say "of things to be loved," but "of things to be hoped for"? The reason is that charity is of things present and things absent. Since, then, the end not yet possessed is the object of faith, therefore he says "of things to be hoped for." Nor does it stand in the way that the thing to be hoped for is the object of hope. Because it is necessary that faith, as to an end, be ordered to the object of those virtues by which the will is perfected, since faith belongs to the intellect insofar as it is commanded by the will. But since faith is one — because a habit is called one from the unity of its object — why is it not said "of the thing to be hoped for," but "of the things to be hoped for"? I respond. It must be said that beatitude, which in itself is essentially one — because it consists in the vision of God, which in itself is one — is the principle and root from which many goods are derived, which are contained under it: such as the endowments of the body, the fellowship of the saints, and many other things. In order to show, then, that all these things pertain to faith, he speaks in the plural. Now that word which is said, "substance," can be expounded in many ways. In one way, causally, and then it has a twofold sense. One, that it is substance — that is, making the things hoped for stand under in us — which it does in two ways. In one way, as it were by meriting. For from the fact that a man takes his intellect captive and submits it to the things of faith, he merits that he may at some time arrive at seeing that which he hopes for. For vision is the wage of faith. In another way, as it were, by its own property it makes present, so that what is believed to be future in reality is in some way already possessed, provided that one believes in God. In another way substance can be expounded essentially, as though faith were the substance — that is, the essence — of the things to be hoped for. Hence in the Greek it reads hypostasis of the things to be hoped for. For the essence of beatitude is nothing other than the vision of God. John 17:3: this is eternal life, that they may know thee the only true God, etc. Hence in On the Trinity, chapter 10, Augustine says: this contemplation is promised to us as the end of all actions, etc. The full vision of God itself, therefore, is the essence of beatitude. Now we see this in the liberal sciences, that if anyone wishes to learn one of them, he must first receive its principles, which he must believe when they are handed on to him by a teacher. For it is necessary that one who is learning should believe, as is held in Posterior Analytics 1. And in those principles the whole science is in a certain way contained, just as conclusions are in the premises, and effects in the cause. He, therefore, who has the principles of that science has its substance — for instance, of geometry. And if geometry were the essence of beatitude, he who had the principles of geometry would have, in a certain way, the substance of beatitude. But our faith is that we believe that the blessed will see and enjoy God. And therefore, if we wish to arrive at this, we must believe the principles of this knowledge. And these are the articles of faith, which contain the whole sum of this science, because the vision of God, three and one, makes us blessed. And this is one article. Hence we believe this, and therefore he says "the substance of things to be hoped for." 1 Cor. 13:12: we see now through a glass and in a dark manner, but then face to face; as if he were to say: then we shall be blessed when we shall see face to face that which we now see through a glass and in a dark manner. In these words, therefore, the order of the act of faith to the end is shown, because faith is ordered to the things to be hoped for as a kind of beginning, in which the whole is contained as it were essentially, just as conclusions are in principles. Next, when he says "the evidence of things not appearing," he touches upon the act of faith with respect to its proper matter. But the proper act of faith, although it is ordered to the will, as has been said, nevertheless is in the intellect as in a subject, because its object is the true, which properly belongs to the intellect. But in the acts of the intellect there is a difference. For some are habits of the intellect which carry with them a certitude of every kind, unto the complete vision of that which is understood, as is clear regarding understanding, which is the habit of first principles; for he who understands that every whole is greater than its part sees this, and is certain. This also the habit of science does; and thus such a habit — understanding and science — produce certitude and vision. But there are certain others which produce neither, namely doubt and opinion. Faith, however, holds a middle place between these, because it has been said that faith produces assent in the intellect, which can happen in two ways. In one way, because the intellect is moved to assent by the evidence of the object, which is knowable through itself, as in the habit of principles, or known through something else which is knowable through itself, as is clear in the science of astronomy. In another way, one assents to something not because of the evidence of the object, by which he is not moved sufficiently; hence he is not certain, but either doubts — namely, when he has no more reason for one side than for the other — or holds an opinion, if indeed he has a reason for one side, though it does not entirely set him at rest, but leaves him with a fear of the opposite. But faith is simply neither of these, because it is neither evident to itself as with the first, nor does it doubt as with the last two, but it is determined to one side with a certain certitude and firm adherence, through a kind of voluntary choice. And divine authority produces this choice, through which choice the intellect is determined, so that it firmly adheres to the things of faith, and assents to them most certainly. And therefore to believe is to know with assent. The proper matter of the habit of faith, therefore, is things not appearing. For things that appear have recognition, but not faith, as Gregory says. But the act of faith is a certain adherence, which the Apostle calls "evidence," taking the cause for the effect, because evidence produces faith concerning a doubtful matter. For evidence is a reason producing faith concerning a doubtful matter, as Boethius says. Or if we follow the etymology of the name by which it is called "argumentum," as it were arguing the mind, then he takes the effect for the cause, because from the certainty of the thing it comes about that the mind is compelled to assent. Hence "evidence" is said "of things not appearing," that is, a certain apprehension of those things which one does not see. But if anyone wishes to reduce these words to their proper form, he could say that faith is a habit of the mind by which eternal life is begun in us, making the intellect assent to things not appearing. For where we have "evidence," another text has "conviction," because through divine authority the intellect is convinced to assent to those things which it does not see. It is clear, therefore, that the Apostle defines faith completely, although obscurely. For by this definition faith is distinguished from all things that pertain to the intellect. For by the fact that it is called "evidence," faith is distinguished from opinion, doubt, and suspicion, because through these a firm adherence of the intellect to something is not had. But by the fact that it is called "of things not appearing," it is distinguished from the habit of principles and from science. And by the fact that it is called "of things to be hoped for," it is distinguished from faith taken commonly, which is not ordered to beatitude. For through its proper definition each thing becomes known, and is distinguished from any other, as is the case here. Hence also all the others are reduced to this one. But it seems that he speaks wrongly in saying "of things not appearing," because, as it is said in John 20:28, Thomas saw and believed. Likewise we believe that God is one, which nevertheless is demonstrated by the philosophers. I respond. It must be said that faith is taken in two ways. In one way, properly, and thus it is of things not seen and not known, as is clear from what has been said. And for this reason, because a greater certitude cannot be had of a conclusion than of the principle from which it is drawn — since principles are always better known than conclusions — therefore, since the principles of faith do not have evidence, neither, consequently, do its conclusions. And therefore the intellect does not assent to the conclusions as to things known, nor as to things seen. In another way, commonly, and thus it excludes every certain knowledge; and thus Augustine speaks in Questions on the Gospel, that faith is concerning certain things which are seen. But the Apostle speaks of the first. And indeed concerning Thomas it must be said that, as Gregory says, he saw one thing and believed another, because he saw the humanity, and believed the divinity. To that objection about demonstration, it must be said that nothing prevents a thing from being seen by one which is believed by another, as is clear in different states. For what is not seen in the wayfaring state is seen in the fatherland. Hence what I believe, an Angel sees. Likewise, what was seen by the prophets — as that God is one and incorporeal — this is to be believed by the unlearned, just as the unlearned man believes the eclipse which the astronomer sees. And of such things there is faith only in a qualified sense. But there are certain things which simply exceed the state of the present wayfaring life, and of such things there is faith simply.”

“Here we have, I. A definition or description of the grace of faith in two parts. 1. It is the substance of things hoped for. Faith and hope go together; and the same things that are the object of our hope are the object of our faith. It is a firm persuasion and expectation that God will perform all that he has promised to us in Christ; and this persuasion is so strong that it gives the soul a kind of possession and present fruition of those things, gives them a subsistence in the soul, by the first-fruits and foretastes of them: so that believers in the exercise of faith are filled with joy unspeakable and full of glory. Christ dwells in the soul by faith, and the soul is filled with the fullness of God, as far as his present measure will admit; he experiences a substantial reality in the objects of faith. 2. It is the evidence of things not seen. Faith demonstrates to the eye of the mind the reality of those things that cannot be discerned by the eye of the body. Faith is the firm assent of the soul to the divine revelation and every part of it, and sets to its seal that God is true. It is a full approbation of all that God has revealed as holy, just, and good; it helps the soul to make application of all to itself with suitable affections and endeavours; and so it is designed to serve the believer instead of sight, and to be to the soul all that the senses are to the body. That faith is but opinion or fancy which does not realize invisible things to the soul, and excite the soul to act agreeably to the nature and importance of them. II. An account of the honour it reflects upon all those who have lived in the exercise of it (Heb 11:2): By it the elders obtained a good report - the ancient believers, who lived in the first ages of the world. Observe, 1. True faith is an old grace, and has the best plea to antiquity: it is not a new invention, a modern fancy; it is a grace that has been planted in the soul of man ever since the covenant of grace was published in the world; and it has been practiced from the beginning of the revelation; the eldest and best men that ever were in the world were believers. 2. Their faith was their honour; it reflected honour upon them. They were an honour to their faith, and their faith was an honour to them. It put them upon doing the things that were of good report, and God has taken care that a record shall be kept and report made of the excellent things they did in the strength of this grace. The genuine actings of faith will bear to be reported, deserve to be reported, and will, when reported, redound to the honour of true believers. III. We have here one of the first acts and articles of faith, which has a great influence on all the rest, and which is common to all believers in every age and part of the world, namely, the creation of the worlds by the word of God, not out of pre-existent matter, but out of nothing, Heb 11:3. The grace of faith has a retrospect as well as prospect; it looks not only forward to the end of the world, but back to the beginning of the world. By faith we understand much more of the formation of the world than ever could be understood by the naked eye of natural reason. Faith is not a force upon the understanding, but a friend and a help to it. Now what does faith give us to understand concerning the worlds, that is, the upper, middle, and lower regions of the universe? 1. That these worlds were not eternal, nor did they produce themselves, but they were made by another. 2. That the maker of the worlds is god; he is the maker of all things; and whoever is so must be God. 3. That he made the world with great exactness; it was a framed work, in every thing duly adapted and disposed to answer its end, and to express the perfections of the Creator. 4. That God made the world by his word, that is, by his essential wisdom and eternal Son, and by his active will, saying, Let it be done, and it was done, Psa 33:9. 5. That the world was thus framed out of nothing, out of no pre-existent matter, contrary to the received maxim, that "out of nothing nothing can be made," which, though true of created power, can have no place with God, who can call things that are not as if they were, and command them into being. These things we understand by faith. The Bible gives us the truest and most exact account of the origin of all things, and we are to believe it, and not to wrest or run down the scripture-account of the creation, because it does not suit with some fantastic hypotheses of our own, which has been in some learned but conceited men the first remarkable step towards infidelity, and has led them into many more.”

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for,.... The "faith" here spoken of is not a mere moral virtue, which is a branch of the law; nor a bare assent to anything revealed, declared, and affirmed in the Gospel; nor a faith of doing miracles; nor an implicit one; nor a mere profession of faith, which sometimes is but temporary; nor the word or doctrine of faith; but that which is made mention of in the preceding chapter, by which the just man lives, and which has the salvation of the soul annexed to it: and it does not so much design any particular branch, or act of faith, but as that in general respects the various promises, and blessings of grace; and it chiefly regards the faith of Old Testament saints, though that, as to its nature, object, and acts, is the same with the faith of New Testament ones; and is a firm persuasion of the power, faithfulness, and love of God in Christ, and of interest therein, and in all special blessings: it is described as "the substance of things hoped for"; and which, in general, are things unseen, and as yet not enjoyed; future, and yet to come; difficult to be obtained, though possible, otherwise there would be no hope of them; and which are promised and laid up; and in particular, the things hoped for by Old Testament saints were Christ, and eternal glory and happiness; and by New Testament ones, more grace, perseverance in it, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal life. Now faith is the "substance" of these things; it is the ground and foundation of them, in which there is some standing hope; in which sense the word is used by Septuagint in Psa 69:2. The word of promise is principal ground and foundation of hope; and faith, as leaning on the word, is a less principal ground; it is a confident persuasion, expectation, and assurance of them. The Syriac version renders it, the "certainty" of them; it is the subsistence of them, and what gives them an existence, at least a mental one; so with respect to the faith and hope of the Old Testament saints, the incarnation, sufferings, and death of Christ, his resurrection, ascension, and session at God's right hand, are spoken of, as if they then were; and so are heaven, and glory, and everlasting salvation, with regard to the faith and hope of New Testament saints: yea, faith gives a kind of possession of those things before hand, Joh 6:47. Philo the Jew (e) says much the same thing of faith; "the only infallible and certain good thing (says he) is, that faith which is faith towards God; it is the solace of life, , "the fulness of good hopes", &c.'' It follows here, the evidence of things not seen; of things past, of what was done in eternity, in the council and covenant of grace and peace; of what has been in time, in creation, and providence; of the birth, miracles, sufferings, death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ; of things present, the being, perfections, love, &c. of God; of the session of Christ at God's right hand, and his continual intercession; and of the various blessings of grace revealed in the Gospel; and of future ones, as the invisible realities of another world: faith has both certainty and evidence in it. (e) De Abrahamo, p. 387.”

“Faith is the substance of things hoped for - Εστι δε πιστις ελπιζομενων ὑποστασις· Faith is the Subsistence of things hoped for; πραγματων ελεγχος ου βλεπομενων· The Demonstration of things not seen. The word ὑποστασις, which we translate substance, signifies subsistence, that which becomes a foundation for another thing to stand on. And ελεγχος signifies such a conviction as is produced in the mind by the demonstration of a problem, after which demonstration no doubt can remain, because we see from it that the thing is; that it cannot but be; and that it cannot be otherwise than as it is, and is proved to be. Such is the faith by which the soul is justified; or rather, such are the effects of justifying faith: on it subsists the peace of God which passeth all understanding; and the love of God is shed abroad in the heart where it lives, by the Holy Ghost. At the same time the Spirit of God witnesses with their spirits who have this faith that their sins are blotted out; and this is as fully manifest to their judgment and conscience as the axioms, "A whole is greater than any of its parts;" "Equal lines and angles, being placed on one another, do not exceed each other;" or as the deduction from prop. 47, book i., Euclid: "The square of the base of a right-angled triangle is equal to the difference of the squares of the other two sides." Ελεγχος is defined by logicians, Demonstratio quae fit argumentis certis et rationibus indubitatis, qua rei certitudo efficitur. "A demonstration of the certainly of a thing by sure arguments and indubitable reasons." Aristotle uses it for a mathematical demonstration, and properly defines it thus: Ελεγχος δε εστις ὁ μη δυνατος αλλως εχειν, αλλ' οὑτως ὡς ἡμεις λεγομεν, "Elenchos, or Demonstration, is that which cannot be otherwise, but is so as we assert." Rhetor. ad Alexand., cap. 14, περι ελεγχου. On this account I have adduced the above theorem from Euclid. Things hoped for - Are the peace and approbation of God, and those blessings by which the soul is prepared for the kingdom of heaven. A penitent hopes for the pardon of his sins and the favor of his God; faith in Christ puts him in possession of this pardon, and thus the thing that was hoped for is enjoyed by faith. When this is received, a man has the fullest conviction of the truth and reality of all these blessings though unseen by the eye, they are felt by the heart; and the man has no more doubt of God's approbation and his own free pardon, than he has of his being. In an extended sense the things hoped for are the resurrection of the body, the new heavens and the new earth, the introduction of believers into the heavenly country, and the possession of eternal glory. The things unseen, as distinguished from the things hoped for, are, in an extended sense, the creation of the world from nothing, the destruction of the world by the deluge, the miraculous conception of Christ, his resurrection from the dead, his ascension to glory, his mediation at the right hand of God, his government of the universe, etc., etc., all which we as firmly believe on the testimony of God's word as if we had seen them. See Macknight. But this faith has particular respect to the being, goodness, providence, grace, and mercy of God, as the subsequent verses sufficiently show.”

“All this chapter is a commendation and recommendation of faith, which is the substance [1] of things hoped for, giving as it were a substance in our minds to such things as we are in hopes and in expectation of hereafter, and making them present to us before they come to pass. — It is also a sure conviction [2] of things that appear not. For when God has revealed things, and we believe them upon the divine and infallible authority of the revealer, we have a greater certainty of them than any demonstration can afford us. By this virtue of faith, they of old, our forefathers, obtained [3] a testimony from God that their actions were pleasing to him. (Witham) — Faith is the basis, the foundation supporting our hope; for unless there be faith, there cannot possibly be any hope. (Menochius)”