Ball - BT770 B3 1637

40 Love innot thefouleof Faith.. forbis goodneffe towards us, becaufe firít wee beleeve the fame,netther canwe fo lovebut bybeleeving. Forcharitie, confrffing (imply in affe&ion, apprehends nothing inGod ofit felfe : but receiveth all from faith. The forme is the beginning ofa }ions,and that that givet`h influenceand life to another thingsmuff needshave a prioritie to thatthat re- ceiveth it, But charitie is not the beginningoftheaurions offaith, fpeciallyof the a& ofbeleeving; theaft of love bath no prioritie tobeleefe, but followes after it, and is quickened by it. For by faith we embrace the Word, and receive Chrift,when as charitie cornpelleth us to Iovehim, whomweknow, embrace, and holdby faith. Wefirflta(fe our meat, and then loveit : faith is the fpirituall tafleofthe foule, which feedeth uponthe fweet and tendtr mercies of the Lord,beforethe heartbeenflamedwith love. Faith and lovearedifferent gifts andgraces : and fomeeffe&s areat- tributed ro faith which agree not to charitie: as faith is laid tojuffifie, topurifie theheart, toovercome theworld, to receive theprorniles. Charitie maybe caredan accidentali formeoffaith;that is, it is an inftrument unto it for moving and flirting a- broad in the performanceofall duties recommendedunto gas, both to God and man : but the life and foule offaith it is not, or the inward and efl'entiall forme, whereby it bath lifeand beingwithin it f-lfe, and whence proceedeth a motionand working that is proper to it felfe. Ifcharitie fhould be the forme offaith, then faith hath twodifferent formes, its properand the formeof love; thenfaith fhould be theonely curematterof love, then fhouldit beeobedi- ent to love, and contained ofit, as thematter is obedient totheforme, and contained ofit. The body is aninfiru-' ment for the foule toworke by, and not the foule an in-, flrumen*_ for the body to worke by. The forme worketh in the matter, and not the matter either in or by the forme, feeing the matter of everie thing is paffive onely, and not alive: And fo it fhould bee betwixt faith and love, if faith wereas thebody, andlove as the foule. But charitie

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