1. Self-renunciation. Faith is a going out of one's self; a man is taken off from his own bottom, he sees he hath no righte- ousness of his own to save him, Phil. iii. 9., " Not having mine own righteousness." Self-righteousness is a broken reed the soul dares not lean on. Repentance and faith are both humbling graces; by repentance a man abhors himself; by faith he goes out of himself. It is with a sinner in the first act of believing, as with Israel in their wilderness march, behind them they saw Pharaoh and his chariots pursui: g them, before them the Red sea ready to devour them: so the soul behind sees God's jus- tice pursuing him for sin, before hell ready to devour him ; and, in this forlorn con- dition, he sees nothing in himself to help him but he must perish unless he can find help in another.
2. Recumbency. The soul casts itself
OF FAITH.
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upon Jesus Christ ; faith rests on Christ's person. Faith believes the promise; hut that which faith rests upon in the promise, is the person of Christ ; tlierefore the spouse is said to " lean upon her beloved," Cant. A'iii. 5. And faith is described to be a " believing^ on the name of the Son of God," John iii. 23., viz. on his person. The promise is but the cabinet, Christ is the iewcl in it which faith embraceth ? The promise is but the dish, Christ is the food in it which faith feeds on. And as faith rests on Christ's person, so on his person under this notion, as he was crucified. Faith glories in the cross of Christ, Gal. vi. 14. To consider Christ as he is crown- ed with all manner of excellencies, doth ra- ther stir up admiration and wonder ; but Christ looked upon as Weeding- and dying, is the proper object of our faith ; there- fore it is called " Vaith in his hlood," Rom. iii. 25.
3. Appropriation, or t?ie applying Christ to ourselves. A medicine, though it be ever so sovcro/gn, yet if not applied to the tvound, win (1-3 no good, — though tlie })las- ter be piad<J of Christ's own blood, yet it will not Aeal, unless it be applied by faith, — tfip blood of God, without faith in God, w^ii not save. This applying of Christ is called a receiA^ing of him, John i. 12. The hand receiving of gold, enricheth; so the hand of faith receiving Christ's golden me- rits with salvation, ein-icheth us. Quest. How is faith ivrought ? Ans. By the blessed Spirit ; who is call- ed the ' Spirit of grace,' Zech. xii. 10., be- cause he is the spring and efficient of all grace. Faith is the chief work which the Spirit of God works in a man's heart. In making the world God did but speak a word, but in working faith he puts forth his arm, Luke i. 51. The Spirit's working faith is called, " The exceeding greatness of God's power." What a power was put forth in raising Christ from the grave, when such a tombstone lay upon him, " the sins of all the world \" Yet he was raised uj) by the Spirit ; the same power the Spirit of God puts forth in working faitli. The Spi- rit irradiates the mind, subdues tlie \\\\\ ; the will natiinilly i^; like a garrison, A\liich holds out against God; the Spirit wiih 1
sweet violence conquers, or rather cl.angc th the will, making the sinner willing to iiave Christ upon any terms, to be ruled by I'i'" as well as saved by him.
Quest. Wherein lies the preciousness of faith ?
Ans. 1. In its being the chief gospel- grace, — the head of the graces ; as gold a- mong the metal.s, so is faith among the graces. Clem. Alexandrinus calls the other graces the daughters of faith. Indeed, in heaven, love will be the chief grace; but, while we arc here militant, love must give place to faith ; love takes possession of glory, but faith gives a title to it. Love is the crowning grace in heaven, but faith is the conquering grace upon earth, 1 Jolm. v. 4., " This is the vdctory that overcometh the world, even our faith."
A. 2. In its having influence upon all the graces, and setting them a-work, not a grace stirs till faith set it a-work. As the clothier sets the poor a-work, he sets their wheel a-going : faith sets hope a-work. The heir must believe his title to an estate in reversion before he can hope for it ; faith believes its title to glory, and then liopo waits for it. Did not faith feed the lamp of hope with oil, it would soon die. Faith, sets love a-work, Gal. 5. 6., " Faith whicb worketh by love ;" believing the mercy ani" merit of Christ causeth a flame of love to ascend. Faith sets patience a-work, Iltb. vi. 12 , "Be followers of them, uho through faith and patience inherit the promise.' Faith believes the glorious rewards given to suffering. Thi.>i makes the soul patient in suffV'ring. Thus faith is the master-wheel, it sets all the other graces a-running.