A treatise of faith divided into two parts. The first showing the nature, the…A treatise of faith diuided into two parts. The first shewing the nature, the…

But by what faith should these Corinthians have come to know and rightly to value Christian love? The same by which they wrought wonders, or some other? If the same,^a then faith is true though separated from love. If some other, the Apostle in all congruity should first have exhorted them to embrace it; otherwise he had commended the beauty of Christian love but unto blind men. Besides, if it be some other, then by that grace of faith, whereby they rested upon the extraordinary promise and power of God, they had never been able to discern betwixt good and evil, or to behold the worth and dignity of Christian love and kindness, though never so well-rooted in their hearts. To this question it is directly answered, That the exercise of love was to be raised in these Corinthians hearts, by faith, for common offence ⟨p. 51⟩and qualities the same with that whereby they wrought miracles; but by the same faith rightly set, deeply rooted, taking better in the heart diffusing it virtue into the several faculties, spreading it self uniformly unto the particular branches of Christian duties, directing the affections unto spiritual objects, and fixing them fastest upon such as it adjudgeth best, and most effectual to the edifying of themselves and others. In lustifying faith two things are to be considered: the common nature or substance, and the specific nature, plantation and sovereignty. For faith historical and Justifying agree in this, that both the one and the other is an assent to divine truths, grounded upon the authority of the revealer: Faith temporary and Justifying agree in this, that they receive the word, and rest upon the mercies of God: but in radication, sovereignty, and working, and so in special nature, saving faith differeth from other kinds. The seed which fell by the high way side, in stony ground, among thorns, and in good soil, was one and the same: and in most of these grounds it took, not alike in all, kindly in the good soil alone. The common nature of faith is to receive the Word, which some receive by bare assent of understanding, others by sleight and superficial confidence which vanisheth away: but the doctrine of life taketh kindly in the honest and good heart, which embraceth it soundly with unfeigned and well-rooted affiance.

But by what faith should these Corinthians haue come to know and rightly to value Christian loue? The same by which they wrought wonders, or some other? If the same,