3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.



Ver. 3. Through faith we understand] It is the nature of faith to believe God upon his bare word, and that against sense in things invisible, and against reason in things incredible. Sense corrects imagination, reason corrects sense, but faith corrects both. Aufer argumenta ubi fides quaeritur. Verba philosophorum excludit simplex veritas Piscatorum, saith Ambrose. I believe, and that is enough, though I cannot prove principles and fundamentals of faith.



That the worlds were framed] Gr. êáôçðôéóèáé , affabre facta, " were neatly made up."



By the word of God] By that one word of his, Fiat, Let it be so and so. By the way, take notice, that faith here described is taken in a large sense as it hath not the promises only, but the whole word of God for its object. Look how the Israelites with the same eyes and visual faculty wherewith they beheld the sands and mountains, did look upon the brazen serpent also, but were cured by fastening upon that alone; so by the same faith whereby we are justified, we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, and believe all other truths revealed; and yet faith as it justifieth looks upon Christ alone, not knowing anything here but Christ and him crucified, as is well observed by a learned divine.



Were not made of things, &c.] Of any pre-existent matter, as Plato held. {See Trapp on "Gen_1:1"}