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CHAP. XI. Shewing how Faith worketh by Love, both to God and Men.
[Sect. 1] THere is one property more of Faith, which I have had oft occa∣sion to mention, but shall now a little further enlarge on, and so conclude this part of my Discourse, touching the nature of Faith. And this quality in Faith, is, that property of it by which it works by Love, which is made the badge and character of that Faith that shall avail men. Gal. 5.6. For in Jesus Christ, neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but Faith which worketh by Love. As the Apostle shews that not circumcision but Faith a∣vails men under the Gospel, so he shews too, what manner of Faith it is that does so; namely, such as works by love: not every Faith that is so called, but that Faith which is thus distinguished. So that it concerns every one as he desires to have something that will avail him in the sight of God and in the great concernments of his Soul, not only to prove himself to be in the Faith, but to prove his Faith to be that Faith which will avail him, by this operation of it here specified. When he sayes that Faith works by love, I take it for granted that he means love both to the Lord and unto men; for they go together as inseparable companions: Every one that loveth him that begat, loveth him also that is begotten of him, 1 Joh. 5.1. And he that loveth not his Brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? 1 Joh. 4.20.
But then the Question will be, How Faith works by Love? And the Answer is, It does so: First, by working this grace, heavenly qualification, spiritual affection or principle in the soul; and so in the second place, disposing the man in whom it is, by means of this principle, unto a deportment and actions suitable to such an affecti∣on. And this I would set out in Two things especially:
[Sect. 2] 1. First, Faith raises this principle of Love in the soul both to God and men, by having it self so much to do with the Love of the Lord, as indeed it hath. For the Love of God and Jesus Christ