Love is not thefòtde of Faith. 39 but lovecannot be the formeor foule of faith. Livelyhood is thequalification, Love thecompanicn,Works the fruits or effe&s of that faith that jufifieth : but faith receiveth not its verrue, life, or efficacie from charitie, or anyother but from the Spirit, ofwhom itis breathed intous, from whom alto it receiveth, that it may give force to all other vernies and goodworks,whereby they are verrues and good works. It is Faith, and not Charitie, that gives influ- ence to all other graces, evento Charitieit felfe ; as faith encreafeth, foothergraces encreafe; as faith decreafeth, fo other graces decreafe: the life of faith is our life, the ftrengthof faith is our firength : ifour faithbeweak, there is nothing elfewhereby wecanbe thong. It is theeff.èntiall forme or a&of faith, toaccept of the promifes of mercie, whereby weobtaine them allo; God having appointed that as a condition, that the promife mightbe fore to all thefeed,toexcludeboafting, andto let forthhis free grace and favour. But Charitie cannot ferve for that ufe : becaufe I cannot prefumeof that that isan- thers, uponany confcience ofmy lovetowards him, but up-' on confidence onelyof his love towards me. Be it that all things are common amongOt friends, before weecanbuild thereupon,wemua haveit refolvedunto us,that God takes us for his friends, which canbee no otherwifebut by faith onely. Faith muff lira receive,embrace,and hold themerit of theblondof ChriP,before therecanbe any affuranceof friendfhipbetwixt God and us. And although, beirg now in friendthip with Chrift, our love maygive us encour age- ment and comfort to makeufe toour felves of that that is his ; yet it is not by ourlove that wee take it to make de thereof. For the a&of love is done onely by iffue and paf- fagefromhim that loveth, to the thing thatis loved, as from us toChrifl; and therefore it muttbefomewhat elfeswhere- bywereceive fromChritt tous. How lnould the goodnefe of God he the obje& of' ourcharitie, but bybeing firtt the obje&ofour faith ? For therefore doe wee love thegoodnfleofGod, or loveGod D 4 for lieb.!r.;;. Ga1.;.í4,22. Matth.8.r3. Rom.4.t 6. Rom.;.27. Rom.;.25.
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