Precious faith considered in its nature, working, and growth

Thus Faith actuates Graces in a general way common to them all. I now proceed to show how Faith actuates this or that Grace in particular. And that I may not be too prolix in running over all Graces, I shall single some choice ones out instead of all.

Thus Faith actuates Graces in a general way common to them all. I now proceed to shew how Faith actuates this or that Grace in particular. And that I may not be too prolix in running over all Graces, I shall single some choice ones out instead of all.

First, I shall begin with the Grace of Love. This is the great Command, the sum of the Law, a Divine Union with God, a bond of perfection among Men, a holy fire kindled by the Holy Ghost in the Heart, and the sweetness and easiness of every good Duty. This Grace whether it respect God or Christ, or our Neighbour, is actuated by Faith.

As touching our Love to God, it is so actuated. The very light of Nature reveals a God, an excellent perfect Being, or the Being of Beings; whose Love, as the Philosopher said, is the principle and knot of the World, and so cannot but raise up a kind of Love toward him; the Will being necessarily in some sort affected with such an Excellency, though seen but by a glimmering light. Not that this Love is a Grace, or a Love in sincerity, or a Love ⟨p. 297⟩sicut oportet, as an ancient Council speaks, or indeed in Scripture sense any love at all; because it loves not God above all, it must needs be inordinate, there being the same ataxy in loving God below the Creature, as in loving the Creature above God; But that there is a kind of Love, such as that dark light can raise up in fallen man. But when the light of Faith comes, it raises up the Grace of Love towards God, and ever after moves it into act by the pure discoveries of him, which it lets into the Heart from Scripture. He is (saith Faith) an immense infinite Goodness; Creatures are but drops of Being lying in the shell of Time, but he is the Ocean of all Perfections. They may be good for this or that in particular according to their finite kinds and spheres, but he is [Greek or Hebrew], the All-things, as the Apostle calls him,