man had ali-eady expressed some zeal for Christ, hi vindicating him, and speak- ing well of him to the head of the bitterest enemies he had on earth, for which he was now a sufferer at their hands. This was very commendable : but there is one thing that Christ prizeth above all this, and that is faith. This he inquires after; ' Dost thou believe on the Son of God?' As if he had said. All this thy zeal in speaking for me, and patience in suffering, are nothing worth in my aecoinit, except thou hast faith also. Indeed, most of God's dealings with his people, what are they, but inquiries after faith, either the truth or strength of it? When he afflicts them, it is for the trial of their faith, 1 Pet. i. 7. Afflictions, they are God's spade and mattock, by which he digs into his people's hearts, to find out this gold of faith ; not but that he inquires for other graces also, but this is named for all, as the chief, which found, all the other will soon appear. When God seems to delay, and makes, as it were, a halt in his providence, before he comes with the mercy he promiseth, and we pray for, it is exploratory to faith. ' O woman, great is thy faith ; be it imto thee even as thou wilt,' Matt. XV. 28. She had received her answer without so much ado ; only Christ had a mercy in store for her more than she thought of; with the granting of her suit in the cure of her daughter he had a niind to give her the evidence of her faith also, and the high esteem God hath of this grace, as that which may have of him what it will.
Section II. — The commendations that are given to faith above other graces. You shall observe, that in the same action, wherein other graces are eminently exercised as well as faith, even then faith is taken notice of, and the crown set upon faith's head, rather than any of the other. We hear nothing almost of any other grace throughout the whole eleventh of the Hebrews, but faith ; ' By faith Abraham, by faith Jacob,' and the rest of those worthies, did all those famous exploits. There was a concurrence of the other graces with faith in them all ; but all goes under the name of faith : the whole army fight, yet the general or captain hath the honour of the victory ascribed to him. Alexander's and Ccesar's names are transmitted to posterity as the great conquerors that overcame so many battles, not the private soldiers that fought under them. Faith is the captain-grace ; all those famous acts of those saints are recorded as the achievements of faith. Thus, concerning the centurion, Matt. viii. 10: 'Ve- rily,' saith Christ, 'I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.' There were other graces very eminent in the centurion besides his faith ; his con- scientious care of his poor servant, for whom he could have done no more if he had been his own child. There are some that call themselves Christians, yet woidd not have troubled themselves so much for a sick servant; such, alas! are often less regarded in sickness than their master's beast. But especially his humility ; this shined forth very eminently in that self-abasing expression, ' Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldst come under my roof,' ver. 8. Consider but his calling, and degree therein, and it makes his humility more conspicuous. A swordsman, yea, a commander, such use to speak big and high. Power is seldom a friend to humility. Surely he was a man of rare humble spirit, that he, whose mouth was used so much to words of command over his soldiers, could so dimit and humble himself in his aduress to Christ ; yet his faith outshines his humility in its greatest strength. Not, I have not found such luunility, but such faith, in all Israel. As if Christ had said, There is not one believer in all Israel but I know him, and how rich he is in faith also ; but I have not found so much of this heavenly treasiu-e in any one's hand as in this centurion's. In- deed, the Christian's chief riches are in faith's hand. ' Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith?' James ii. 5. Why rich in faith rather than rich in patience, rich in love, or any other grace? Oh, great reason for it; when the creature comes to lay claim to pardon of sin, the favour of God and heaven itself, it is not love, patience, &c., but faith alone that lays down the price of all these. Not, Lord, pardon, save me, here is my love and patience for it ; but, Here is Christ, and the price of his blood, which faith presents thee for the full purchase of them all. And this leads to a third, and indeed the chief of all.
Section III. — Thirdly, The high office that faith is set in above other graces in the business of our justification before God. ' Being justified by faith, we have peace with God,' Rom. v. 1. Not justified by love, repentance, patience, or any other grace beside faith. O how harsh doth it sound in a
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