Remains of that excellent minister of Jesus Christ, Mr. Joseph Alleine being a collection…Remaines of that excellent minister of Jesus Christ, Mr. Joseph Alleine being a collection…

Answ. First, In a way of Annihilation. Or emptying your selves of your selves. This was the way, the Centurion's faith did please Christ so much, making him so little in his own eyes. And this was the way the woman of Canaan did please Christ with her faith. Faith is a grace that will exceedingly little us, and abase us, it will make thee that art as big as a Camel, to be little enough to go through an eye of a needle. It will make thee seem less and worse then nothing. It will make thee not only to cease admiring thy self, but to abhor thy self, and repent in dust and ashes. It will show thee what Christ is; and seeing him by thee, thou shalt disappear, and see nothing in thy self but unworthiness. The glow-worm shines in the night; but when the day Springs it cannot so much as be seen. When this Orient Sun Christ ariseth, to the eye of faith, then self will not be seen, it will not appear. Faith will lay thee where thou shouldst be, in the dust And then Christ will be where he should be, in the Throne. When man stands for a Cypher th•n Christ signifies somewhat indeed. When man sets down himself for a Bankrupt, then he ⟨p. 220⟩s•es out for the unsearchable riches of Christ. O be much in exercising thy faith, and that will empty thee to purpose. This is the language of faith, Lord I am undone, do thou set me up, I am a Bankrupt, do thou pay my debt. Lord, my rig•ousness is but rags: my beauty, is but rottenness: my pedigree, is but baseness: my portion, mere poverty: my power, mere infirmity: Lord, here is work for thee: help Lord! This is the language of faith: and therefore it is, that Christ and faith do fit so well together. Faith hath need of every thing that Christ hath, and Christ hath a supply for every want that Faith hath. As for unbelievers, they make light of Christ, they are rich, and need not his gold: they are well, and have no need of his salve. But now faith, that empties and humbles the man, and makes him to sue out to Christ: faith will fetch out all that is in Christ. Lord, here is a beggar for thy bounty Here is a Lazarus, for thy cure. Here is a palsy hand, a blind eye, here is a wound for thy salve. Christ, he comes as an open fountain, and faith brings an empty vessel. Christ comes with a full purse, and faith with an empty hand. Christ comes with an open hand, and faith with an open mou•. Christ comes giving, and faith comes gaping.