Chapter
114.—Having Dealt with Faith, We Now Come to Speak of Hope.
Everything that Pertains to Hope is Embraced in the Lord’s
Prayer.
Out of this confession of faith,
which is
briefly comprehended in the Creed, and which, carnally
understood, is milk for babes, but, spiritually apprehended and
studied, is meat for strong men, springs the good
hope
of
believers; and this is accompanied by a holy
love
. But of
these matters, all of which are true objects of faith, those only
pertain to hope which are embraced in the Lord’s Prayer. For,
“Cursed is the man that trusteth in man”
1310
is the testimony of holy writ;
and, consequently, this curse attaches also to the man who trusteth
in himself. Therefore, except from God the Lord we ought to ask for
nothing either that we hope to do well, or hope to obtain as a
reward of our good works.
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Jer. xvii. 5