"Hope maketh not ashamed, (Rom. v.
5) because the love of God is shed abroad in your hearts by the Holy
Ghost." This love is the consequence of the peace which a justified man
obtains by faith, Rom. v. 1, 2; 2 Cor. v. 14. The constraining love of
Christ flows from this ground, that a man judges Christ to have died for
him, from faith's taking up of Christ in that noble expression of his
love, (John v. 40, 42.) "And ye will not come unto me that ye may have
life. I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you." Faith works by
love. Love is faith's hand put out in action for Christ, and as the mind
commands the outward man, whether it will or not, so doth faith command
love, Eph. iii. 17. The rooting and building up in love is a fruit of
Christ's dwelling in the heart by faith. Love is the branch that grows in
faith's root. These are often joined together, and comprehend the
substance of the law and gospel, 1 Tim. i. 14, 2 Tim. i. 13. Faith fulfils
the obedience to the gospel, and love is the fulfilling of the whole law,
(Rom. xiii. 10) so that faith leads a man back again to the command, that
he fled to faith from. Faith hath reconciled them and taken up the
difference. We shall then show how faith and a good conscience and a pure
heart contribute to love.

First, Faith is the eye and sense of the soul to take up Jesus Christ.
Nothing is loved but as it is known and apprehended to be good. The
affections of themselves are blind, and cannot go forth but as led by the
direction of faith. Faith is the mind to present love's object. The world
sees no beauty nor form in the commands, that they should desire them.
Even Jesus Christ himself is but foolishness to a natural mind, he neither
knows his need of him, nor Christ's suitableness to his need. But faith is
the first opening of the eyes, when we are turned from darkness to light,
and from the power of sin and Satan unto God, Acts xxvi. 18. Christ
becomes the believer's wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and
redemption, 1 Cor. i. 30. The day spring from on high visits them who sit
in darkness, to guide their feet in the way of peace, Luke i. 78, 79. The
light of the knowledge of the glory of God shining in the face of the Sun
of righteousness, doth arise and shine into their hearts. The man sees
himself in a dangerous condition, and says, Oh I where am I? And faith
discovers, on the other hand, all things in Christ Jesus suitable to such
a case. He sees nothing bu