A supplement to The Morning-exercise at Cripple-Gate, or, Several more cases of conscience practically…

2. Love to God ennobles all other graces. I will not meddle with the controversy about faith's being informed by love, or love being as it were the Soul of faith. The Scripture tells that faith works by love^(z), and 'tis by loving nothing so much as God. Love is the most ingenuous grace, the most heavenly grace, the most God-like grace; all other graces are more or less excellent, as they are enlivened with love to God. Sales ^(a)illustrates it thus, The General of an Army having gained some renowned victory, will have all the glory of it, for he ordered the Battle, and led them on; we name the Services of the several parts of the Army, both the Vanguard, the Body, the Wings, the Rear. So here, some Christians are singular for Faith, others for Alms deeds; some for Prayer, others for Humility; but Love to God commands all these: Love commands Patience to bear, and Hope to wait, and Faith to believe. Elsewhere he compares love to Scarlet, which is a Royal cloth, not for the wool, but for the dye; so a Soul, (as it were) double dipped in love to God, is the most excellent Christian.

2. Love to God enobles all other graces. I will not meddle with the controversie about faith's being informed by love, or love being as it were the Soul of faith. The Scripture tells that faith works by love^(z), and 'tis by loving nothing so much as God. Love is the most ingenuous grace, the most heavenly grace, the most God-like grace; all other graces are more or less excellent, as they are enlivened with love to God. Sales ^(a)illustrates it thus, The General of an Army having gain'd some renowned victory, will have all the glory of it, for he ordered the Battel, and led them on; we name the Services of the several parts of the Army, both the Vanguard, the Body, the Wings, the Rear. So here, some Christians are singular for Faith, others for Alms deeds; some for Prayer, others for Humility; but Love to God commands all these: Love commands Patience to bear, and Hope to wait, and Faith to believe. Elsewhere he compares love to Scarlet, which is a Royal cloath, not for the wool, but for the dye; so a Soul, (as it were) double dip'd in love to God, is the most excellent Christian.