Faith supplies charity with argument and maintenance, and charity supplies faith with life and motion; faith makes charity reasonable, and charity makes faith living and effectual. For to think well, or to have a good opinion, or an excellent or a fortunate understanding, entitles us not to the love of God and the consequent inheritance; but to choose the ways of the Spirit, and to relinquish the paths of darkness, this is the way of the kingdom, and the purpose of the gospel, and the proper work of faith.
—Discourse on Faith (1649)
Ahh. Well, thank you. “Relinquish the paths of darkness”–that might bring some up short (including me).
Taylor is essentially confirming the idea that faith manifests itself in action, which is love. It’s not our smarts or our talents that make us right with God, it is to be obedient to him in love manifested toward others. Make sense?
I hope the people in the 1640’s could understand this better. I read it 4 times, and am still not sure if I know what Taylor is saying.