The dead saint speaking to saints and sinners living in several treatisesThe dead saint speaking to saints and sinners living in severall treatises

Faith doth cut a man off his own stock, the stock of Nature, the stock of Death, before it doth ingraft us into Christ, the Stock of Life. Faith doth strip a man of his own clothes, his own Garments, which are too short to cover him, before it puts on the Robes of Christ. It throws us off from our own bottom, whereon we stand, before it set a man upon another Foundation. It makes a man poor in himself, before it enrich him with Christ. It empties a man of himself, before it fill the Soul with Christ.

Faith doth cut a man off his own stock, the stock of Nature, the stock of Death, before it doth ingraft us into Christ, the Stock of Life. Faith doth strip a man of his own cloaths, his own Garments, which are too short to cover him, before it puts on the Robes of Christ. It throws us off from our own bottom, whereon wee stand, before it set a man upon another Foundation. It makes a man poor in himself, before it inrich him with Christ. It empties a man of himself, before it fill the Soul with Christ.

Now there are two things in general, which Faith doth empty the Soul of, 1. Of all Opinion of Righteousness in our selves. 2. Of all Opinion of strength to help our selves.

1. It doth empty the Soul of that windy conceit, that Pharisaical Opinion of Righteousness in our selves. Faith doth not empty a man of any Righteousness, but of the false Opinion of Righteousness. It doth not empty us of any worth in our selves, there is none: but of that fond conceit of worth in our selves. Faith makes us see we are worthless Creatures, Rev. 3.17.18. — Thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods: I have need of nothing. And knowest not, that thou art wretched and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. — I counsel thee to buy of me Cold, that thou mayest be rich, &c.