Institutes of Christian religion - Calvin - XXXIII - Chapter 2 of Book 3 concluded

Required reading
Institutes of Christian religion by John Calvin (Available from Amazon or free here) -  Conclude Chapter 2 of Book 3.

My summary
Calvin continues his discussion of faith.

This week we hear about the relationship of faith to:
(i) security;
(ii) fear;
(iii) salvation and eternal life;
(iv) the free promises of God;
(v) impending punishment;
(vi) the word;
(vii) the Spirit;
(viii) the heart;
(ix) doubts;
(x) hope.

What grabbed me
I enjoyed Calvin's comparison of faith with hope: 'Wherever this living faith exists, it must have the hope of eternal life as its inseparable companion, or rather must of itself beget and manifest it; where it is wanting, however clearly and elegantly we may discourse of faith, it is certain we have it not. For if faith is (as has been said) a firm persuasion of the truth of God—a persuasion that it can never be false, never deceive, never be in vain, those who have received this assurance must at the same time expect that God will perform his promises, which in their conviction are absolutely true; so that in one word hope is nothing more than the expectation of those things which faith previously believes to have been truly promised by God. Thus, faith believes that God is true; hope expects that in due season he will manifest his truth. Faith believes that he is our Father; hope expects that he will always act the part of a Father towards us. Faith believes that eternal life has been given to us; hope expects that it will one day be revealed. Faith is the foundation on which hope rests; hope nourishes and sustains faith.'

Faith and hope are very similar, but most definitely distinct.

Next week's reading
Read Chapter 3 of Book 3.

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.