xiii). These are godly gifts, yet St. Paul calls
them nothing when a man hath them without charity; which is a great
commendation, and shows the great need of love, insomuch that all other
virtues are in vain when this love is absent. And there have been some
who taught that St. Paul spake against the dignity of faith; but you
must understand that St. Paul speaks here not of the justifying faith,
wherewith we receive everlasting life, but he understands by this word
faith the gift to do miracles, to remove hills; of such a faith he
speaks. This I say to confirm this proposition. Faith only justifieth;
this proposition is most true and certain. And St. Paul speaks not here
of this lively justifying faith; for this right faith is not without
love, for love cometh and floweth out of faith; love is a child of
faith; for no man can love except he believe, so that they have two
several offices, they themselves being inseparable.
St. Paul has an expression in the 13th chapter of the first of the
Corinthians, which, according to the outward letter, seems much to the
dispraise of this faith, and to the praise of love; these are his words,
"Now abideth faith, hope and love, even these three; but the chiefest of
these is love.
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