fires and longings after Jefus Chrift, and the things of him. Faith its an appetite in the new Creature whereby ic craves and hungers after Jefus Chrift and his benefits, and therefore you fhall find exprefly, that Faith and praying unto God or defiring after him are made all one. Rom. 10. 11, 12, 13. In verfe 11. the Scripture faith, Whoever beleeveth on him fhall not be ashamed. For marke it, There is no difference between the few and the Gentile, for the fame Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.! For whofoever jhal cal lupon the name of the Lord fhall be faved. I fay if you compare verfe 11. with ver. 12 and 13. Faith aud calling on the name of the Lord are al one. For the Apoft le proves that there is no man that doth beleeve, but he fhal be faved, by this; That there is no man that cals on the name of the Lord but he fhall be faved. Those that have attained unto the greatest degrees of Faith their mouths are fulleft of complaints, & their Souls fulleft of fighings because of their wants. Their praiers are Lord increase our Faith. And not only fo, but when they have prayed, they cannot be quiet until Luke fuch time as they find it encreased, and the fruits of 17:5; it in them. In At, 26.7. it's faid that the Patri. archs hoping to come to Heaven,did inftantly ferve. God: That word tranflated Inftantly, is in the Greek vivia, that is, they did as one doth whọ ftretches out himself to get a thing which he hath. much ado to lay hold on, but had rather hove, than any thing that he hath in his hands. Such a kind, of defire was inthe Patriarchs after Glory. In Rom.. 8. 19. the Apostle tells you of an earnest expectation that is in the Creation for the manifeftation of the Sons of God, that they may be freed from their imperfections, and be like their Head Jefus Chrift. Paul profeffeth that he defires to be with Chrift Jefus, that is, he profeffeth it as one that must ei

ther

ther have his mind, or muft die. Those that have the leaft degree of Faith, are alwaies craving after Jefus Chrift; they are never well but when they are receiving. Paul in Acts 9. 11. is faid to pray; Go (faith God to Ananias) unto Paul, Behold be prayes. He did other things befides prayer; he was fenfible of h's fin, and afflicted in his confcience for going against Jefus Chrift; but the Text mentions nothing but this, That be praies; because that was it that al the bitternefs of fin was a means unco, and that which he was eminent in. And all that Paul defired was, That God would give him Chrift although he had done what he could to crucifie him again in his members. As the love of the world makes a man to be fcraping and gathering together by any means, although it be never fo vile. It's no matter what the thing be, fo it brings in gain to a worldly man. So it is the proper work of Faith to make a man look for Jefus Chrift in all Ordinances and Duties. That is the penny which it fweeps the houfe for, and fearcheth every duty for. Now this defire, it comes from Faith. For what makes any man defire, but hope, and the knowledge of the excellency of the things hoped for: Both which comes through believing. That is the first thing. All that have Faith defire to receive Jefus Chrift and his benefits, and therefore the A&t of receiving is the principal act of Faith.

Secondly, All other Acts of Faith are fubordinate to this A&t of receiviug, and done in reference' to receiving. You have heard that Faith hath divers has. It takes Gods word, and receives his Teftimony, even when it fees no reafon to expound the thing that is spoken of; but the End is, that it may receive. I know whom I have trufted, and that he is able at that day to give unto me what I'

have committed to him.

As a man takes the word

of a man to this end, that he may be fure not to miss what is due to him: So this man takes the word of God and the Teftimony of God only in order to be made a recciver of the things promifed. Faith that doth unite, Chrift dwels in our hearts by faith, but that very act of union is to this end, that fo all Chrift may be ours, Eph. 3. 17. We do but touch him, that io vertue may come out from him into us. Faith makes a man dependant and hanging upon God, but it is only that fo a man may ingage the Lord to give, and he may receive. As a man comes to one and faith, I will truft to you for fuch a debt at fuch a time, that fo he may fee that he doth not only expect it, but that he doth him double injury if he doch not give it him. Faith attracts and draws, but that is only that the foul may receive. That is the fecond Reafon. Faith is a receiving Grace, becaufe al the Acts and Operations of it are in order to receiving,

Thirdly, Until this act of Faith be done, Faith can do nothing. Nothing can be done by Faith untill fuch time as it doth receive. Faith purifies the heart, Acts 15. 9. It makes the whol converfation lively. We do live by the Faith of the Son of God, Gal. 2. 20. It makes a man overcome the world, and all the corruptions that are in the world and the evill one to boot, 1 John, 5. 4. This is the victory wherby ye overcome the world, even your faith. He that is born of God overcomes the wicked one. But mark it, As water is first put into the Ciftern before it flows forth, And as the earth first receives the feed before it brings forth meat for him by whom it is dreffed: Heb. 6. 7. And as the Dif ciplesare firft bid to attend the Paflover, and then to receive the Holy Ghoft, and then to go abroad and to diftribute unto the Nations the knowledge

d

of

1

of Chrift: So Faith firft receives from Chrift,and according as it receives from him, Soft ftirs up every Grace and Faculty to its work. I lay Faith receives firft, In Col. 2. 6. As ye have received the Lord Jefus Chrift, fo walk in him. As, ws, that is fuitably to our receiving of Christ. We beleeve, therefore bave we spoken, 2 Cor. 4. 13. Now that which is faid concerning faiths opening the mouths of the Apoftles to declare for certain the truth of that Doctrine which they were experienced in: So I may fay concerning any other Duty. When as Faith hath received the certainty of the word of God, then it cals upon the understanding not to difpute. When as Faith hath received Jefus Chrift then it cals upon the will, and faith, forfake all other things and cleave unto him, for you have enough in him; He is a Mine and a Field wherein there is a Treasure, and you fhal need nothing while you have him. And from this three-fold Demonftration, I fuppofe it will appear that Faith is a receiving. And beloved, think not much that I ftand long upon this for it is not rivited in our thoughts. We live not as if it were fo.

CHAP. II.

Application. Beleeve that to Receive is the prin cipal Ufe of Faith.

USE

Eleeve then this is the principal ufe of Faith,

B To Receive, to be like a Bucket to draw water of life, and falvation out of the Well; A fpunge (as I may exprefsic) to fuck in and draw of the fulnefs of Jefus Chrift. That Faith is beft which is most receptive. That is the thing I do intend. That is belt uf'd wch is uf'd to this end,to receive. The excelency

of

of Faith doth not lie in it felf, but in its object: In what it doth bring in: For there is more vertue in the Act of any Grace whatever. He that knows a thing, doth it because of the evidence of reafon. But he that beleeveth, knows it not, Only he believs because he thinks that he that fpeaks, fpeaks true. Faith degrades a nuan from the ufe of his reafon, and makes him although far more excel lent in his knowledg, yet to fee in the light of God. It is fo, because he faith fo. As a man that hath but little ftock, but hath goods coming in by his trade, Such a trade is Faith. It's a weak and a feeble Grace (as I may call it) of it felf, but it is that which doth receive and fetch in much from Jefus Christ. As the way of tome mans living is not upon any thing he hath of his own, but he is a Recei ver to fome noble and great man, and all his rents and Eftate paffeth through his hands, and fo he comes to have a feeling of it, and to be inriched. Through the hand of Faith al the Treafury of grace and mercy cometh, Do not therefore my beloved think it enough that you do by Faith fecure your felves from the fear of Hell, and fay I do beleeve. and therefore I fhall not perish but have ever lafting life,Do not think it enough that by Faith you order your converfation aright; (for although it be true that no grace makes cleaner work in a mans converfation than Faith doch, it purifies even as God is pure, of all that Niter and Soap which God hath given to wash in, there is none fofcouring as Faith is, if I may ufe that expreflion, it will fetch out any fpot and any defilement) But although Faith be of excellent ufe to order a mans converfation yet do not think you have made fufficient ufe of your Faith when you have used it to that end, but ufe it to receive. As the ufe of a purfe is to pur money in, And theule of an Iron Cheft is to lodge d 2

money