Precious faith considered in its nature, working, and growth

First, This resignation is made to Jesus Christ the Mediator. Faith cannot be satisfied with earth, that's but the Paradise of sense; no, nor with present graces, these are but the pawns and earnest-pennies of eternal life, faith aspires after heaven. Oh! let me go over, and see the good Land, where the Mountains are all spices, the Rivers pleasures, the Mountains are all spices, the Rivers pleasures, the Air pure holiness, the Eternal light God himself, saith faith, and for a title thereunto, faith yields up the soul to Christ, who as a Priest hath merited heaven for us, and as a King is able to give it out to us. The Plebeian (saith Epictetus) looks for his gain from things without; the Philosopher looks for it from himself; but (which is a strain higher) the Believer looks for his reward from Christ. Evagrius the Philosopher gave (as the story goes) three hundred pounds to Synesius for the poor, to be repaid him by Christ in another world: the believer doth all at the same rate, hears, and ⟨p. 114⟩reads, and prays, and gives alms, and all to be paid in another world. Worldly men wonder at his hot pursuits after grace and holiness, but he knows what these will go for in another world; that's the reason he follows hard after them, but in the pursuit still his eyes are upon Christ as the great purchasor and pay-master.

Secondly, This resignation in and through the Mediator is made to God. It is he that glorifieth, eternal life is Gods gift, our heavenly Fathers mere pleasure; faith therefore yields up the soul to him for it, and herein it climbs up to him by his free-grace, the pure river of life flows out of the throne of God and of the Lamb, Rev. 22.1. out of the regnant grace of God and merit of Christ as out of a fountain, the believer expects no eternal life but what issues out from thence. Thus the Reverend Soknius on his death bed expressed himself, Pendeo totus à Dei miserieordiâ, I wholly depend on Gods mercy.

Secondly, This resignation in and through the Mediator is made to God. It is he that glorifieth, eternal life is Gods gift, our heavenly Fathers meer pleasure; faith therefore yields up the soul to him for it, and herein it climbs up to him by his free-grace, the pure river of life flows out of the throne of God and of the Lamb,