Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity…

Secondly, You must lay hold on the thing offered, so in faith, first, there is an emptying quality where by a man is made empty of all that is in himself, he must forgo father and mother, and pleasures and profits, and all to receive Christ: Secondly, there is an apprehending quality to lay hold on Christ, a forsaking of any thing that is precious, and a receiving of him, and a resting on him with a purpose to serve him only with a perfect heart, and a willing mind, it is true, there is much excellency and necessity in works; but faith is the well-head from whence all the streams of good works arise; And therefore faith exceedeth them, as much as the cause doth the effect, for faith is the spring of good works, the more faith the more works, where there is more oil, there is the greater flame; faith then being the cause of works, it must needs follow, that the stream cannot rise higher then the fountain.

Secondly, You must lay hold on the thing offered, so in faith, first, there is an emptying quality where by a man is made empty of all that is in himself, he must forgo father and mother, and pleasures and profits, and all to receive Christ: Secondly, there is an apprehending quality to lay hold on Christ, a forsaking of any thing that is precious, and a receiving of him, and a resting on him with a purpose to serve him onely with a perfect heart, and a willing mind, it is true, there is much excellency and necessity in works; but faith is the wel-head from whence all the streams of good works arise; And therefore faith exceedeth them, as much as the cause doth the effect, for faith is the spring of good works, the more faith the more works, where there is more oyl, there is the greater flame; faith then being the cause of works, it must needs follow, that the stream cannot rise higher then the fountain.

Again, all the good works that we do, give not so much glory to God as faith; now nothing is so dear unto God as his glory; and therefore faith is most acceptable to God, and therefore it is said, Abraham believed and gave glory to God, first by his believing him to be such a God as he professed himself to be; and so that which makes him evident to all the world, to be a God most merciful is, the receiving of Christ by faith: Further in this doth the true worship of God principally consist, now God delighteth in his worship, and the worship of God consisteth not only in the bowing of the knee, but it mainly consisteth in the inward persuasion