I do not know whether it has ever been inquired, what confusion of thought was shed over Gentile Christianity, from its very origin, by the imperfection of the New Testament Greek.

The single Greek[5] word [Greek: pistis] needs probably three translations into our far more accurate tongue,--viz., Belief, Trust, Faith; but especially Belief and Faith have important contrasts.

Belief is purely intellectual; Faith is properly spiritual.

Hence the endless controversy about Justification by [Greek: pistis], which has so vexed Christians; hence the slander cast on _unbelievers_ or _misbelievers_ (when they can no longer be burned or exiled), as though they were _faithless_ and _infidels_.
But nothing of this ought to be allowed to blind us to the truly spiritual and holy developments of historical Christianity,--much less, make us revert to the old Paganism or Pantheism which it supplanted .-- The great doctrine on which all practical religion depends,--the doctrine which nursed the infancy and youth of human nature,--is, "the sympathy of God with the perfection of individual man." Among Pagans this was so marred by the imperfect characters ascribed to the Gods, and the dishonourable fables told concerning them, that the philosophers who undertook to prune religion too generally cut away the root, by alleging[6] that God was mere Intellect and wholly destitute of Affections.

But happily among the Hebrews the purity of God's character was vindicated; and with the growth of conscience in the highest minds of the nation the ideal image of God shone brighter and brighter.