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| Love, Which is Greater Than Faith and Hope, is Shed Abroad in Our Hearts by the Holy Ghost.
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Chapter 117.—Love, Which is Greater Than Faith and
Hope, is Shed Abroad in Our Hearts by the Holy Ghost.
And now as to love, which
the apostle declares to be greater than the other two graces, that
is, than faith and hope,1315
the greater the measure in which
it dwells in a man, the better is the man in whom it dwells. For
when there is a question as to whether a man is good, one does not
ask what he believes, or what he hopes, but what he loves. For the
man who loves aright no doubt believes and hopes aright; whereas
the man who has not love believes in vain, even though his beliefs
are true; and hopes in vain, even though the objects of his hope
are a real part of true happiness; unless, indeed, he believes and
hopes for this, that he may obtain by prayer the blessing of love.
For, although it is not possible to hope without love, it may yet
happen that a man does not love that which is necessary to the
attainment of his hope; as, for example, if he hopes for eternal
life (and who is there that does not desire this?) and yet does not
love righteousness, without which no one can attain to eternal
life. Now this is the true faith of Christ which the
apostle speaks of, “which worketh by love;”1316
and if
there is anything that it does not yet embrace in its love, asks
that it may receive, seeks that it may find, and knocks that it may
be opened unto it.1317
For faith obtains through prayer
that which the law commands. For without the gift of God, that is,
without the Holy Spirit, through whom love is shed abroad in our
hearts,1318
the law
can command, but it cannot assist; and, moreover, it makes a man a
transgressor, for he can no longer excuse himself on the plea of
ignorance. Now carnal lust reigns where there is not the love of
God.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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