132 12ecíauo 204 . pretious faith is a far nobler thing,and therefore very emphatically painted out in Scripture ; in the Old Tertament'tis credere in Deum, a be- lieving in Jehovah,Gen. i 5.6. importing a fidu- cial a9}, 'tis a trufting in the Lord, Pfal. 2.12. where the Hebrew word imports allying for re- fuóe,a running under the wings of free -grace as chickens do under the hen; 'tis a leaning upon God, Ifa.5o. r o. as not able to Band alone with - out a re.cumbency on mercy; 'tis a rolling our (elves upon God, Pfal.37.5. as weary and with- out rert till we come to lodg in goodnefs; in the New Teftament, 'tis Hs . Xpip qnsitlin, a believing into Ghrift, very frequent in the Go- fpel of St. John,a phrafe wholly the holy fpirits, never found in any Greek Author, a bare affen- ter may believe about Chrift, but the true be- liever believes into Chrift, fo as to be in veer union with him; 'tis a putting on of Chrif, Rom. 13. 14. the believer 'trips himfelf of his lufts, nay and of his own righteoufnefs, to be inverted with Chrift ; 'tis a receiving of Chrift, Soh. r . r 2. all Chrirt, merit and fpirit, crofs and crown together, 'tis a faith which bath its be- ing in God as its ultimate center, I Pet. 1. 21. Scripture is but a medium, the ultimate objet} is God himfelf: All which imports of precious faith are much above the fphear of a nicer af- fent. Secondly, Precious faith is the very conditi- on of the Golpel. God f5 loved the world, 'that he gave his only begotten fon, that whofoever be- lieveth in him, fhould not perifh, but have ever - lafting
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