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Objection 1: It would seem that hope precedes faith. Because a
gloss on Ps. 36:3, "Trust in the Lord, and do good," says:
"Hope is the entrance to faith and the beginning of salvation." But
salvation is by faith whereby we are justified. Therefore hope
precedes faith.
Objection 2: Further, that which is included in a definition should
precede the thing defined and be more known. But hope is included in
the definition of faith (Heb. 11:1): "Faith is the substance
of things to be hoped for." Therefore hope precedes faith.
Objection 3: Further, hope precedes a meritorious act, for the
Apostle says (1 Cor. 9:10): "He that plougheth should
plough in hope . . . to receive fruit." But the act of faith is
meritorious. Therefore hope precedes faith.
On the contrary, It is written (Mt. 1:2): "Abraham begot
Isaac," i.e. "Faith begot hope," according to a gloss.
I answer that, Absolutely speaking, faith precedes hope. For the
object of hope is a future good, arduous but possible to obtain. In
order, therefore, that we may hope, it is necessary for the object of
hope to be proposed to us as possible. Now the object of hope is, in
one way, eternal happiness, and in another way, the Divine
assistance, as explained above (Article 2; Article 6, ad 3):
and both of these are proposed to us by faith, whereby we come to know
that we are able to obtain eternal life, and that for this purpose the
Divine assistance is ready for us, according to Heb. 11:6:
"He that cometh to God, must believe that He is, and is a rewarder
to them that seek Him." Therefore it is evident that faith precedes
hope.
Reply to Objection 1: As the same gloss observes further on,
"hope" is called "the entrance" to faith, i.e. of the thing
believed, because by hope we enter in to see what we believe. Or we
may reply that it is called the "entrance to faith," because thereby
man begins to be established and perfected in faith.
Reply to Objection 2: The thing to be hoped for is included in the
definition of faith, because the proper object of faith, is something
not apparent in itself. Hence it was necessary to express it in a
circumlocution by something resulting from faith.
Reply to Objection 3: Hope does not precede every meritorious act;
but it suffices for it to accompany or follow it.
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