John 4:41

Believing seemeth here to be taken in a different sense from what it was taken in 1 Thessalonians 4:39, from what followeth, 1 Thessalonians 4:42. There it seemeth only to signify a lower degree of assent, that he was a prophet, upon the woman's saying that he had told her all she had done; here it signifieth a giving credit to him as the Christ, the Saviour of the world, of which they were convinced by what they heard from himself. Thus that of the apostle, Romans 10:17, is justified, that faith cometh by hearing; and the influence of Christ upon the souls of believers is also justified. We read of no miracles our Saviour wrought here; they believed not because of any signs they saw, but because of his word; wherein also they further showed themselves the first fruit of the Gentiles, the generality of which were afterward converted to the faith of the gospel, after that miracles were ceased, by hearing the gospel preached.