The life of faith in three parts, the first is a sermon on Heb.…

Therefore it convinceth us, that our lives, and all being in his hand, it is our wisdom to make it our chiefest care to use all so as is most pleasing unto him, 2 Cor. 5.8. It foreseeth also the day of Judgment, and teacheth us to use our prosperity and wealth, as we desire to hear of it in the day of our accounts. Faith is a provident and a vigilant grace; and useth to ask when we have any thing in may possession, which way I make the best advantage of it for my soul? which way will be most comfortable to me in my last review? how shall I wish that I had used my time, my wealth, my power, when time is at an end, and all these transitory things are vanished?

6. And Faith doth so absolutely devote and subject the soul to God, that it will suffer us to do nothing (so far as it prevaileth) but what is for him, and by his consent. It telleth us that we are not our own, but his; and that we have nothing but what we have received: and that we must be just in giving God his own: and therefore it first asketh, which way may I best serve and honour God with all that he hath given me? Not only with my substance, and the first fruits of mine increase, but with all, 1 Cor. 10.31. When Love and devotion hath delivered up our selves entirely to God, it keeps nothing back, but delivereth him all things with our selves; even as Christ with himself doth give us all things, Rom. 8.32. And Faith doth so ⟨p. 431⟩much subject the soul to God, that it maketh us like servants and children, that use not their Masters or Parents goods at their own pleasure; but ask him first, how he would have us use them, Lord, what wouldst thou have me to do? is one of the first words of a converted soul, Acts 9.6. In a word, Faith writeth out that charge upon the heart,