First, While we live and converse here in the world, all our comfort and safety is from it, for all our union with Christ the foun∣tain of mercies and blessings is by faith. Eph. 3.17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith. No faith, no Christ. All our communion with Christ is by it. He that cometh to God must be∣lieve. Heb. 11.6. The souls life is wrapt up in this communion with God; and that communion in faith. All communications from Christ depend upon faith; for look as all communion is founded in union, so from our union and communion, are all our communica∣tions. All communications of quicknings, comforts, joy, strength, and whatsoever serves to the well-being of the life of grace are all through that faith which first knit us to Christ, and still maintains our communion with Christ, believing we rejoyce. 1 Pet. 1.8. The inner man is renewed whilst we look to the things that are not seen, 2 Cor. 4.18.
Secondly, And as our life and all the supports and comforts of it here are dependent on faith; so you see our death as to the safety and comfort of our souls then depends upon our faith. He that hath no faith cannot commit his soul to God, but rather shrinks from God. Faith can do many sweet offices for your souls upon a death bed, when the light of this world is gone, and all joy ceases on earth. It can give us sights of things invisible in the other world, and those sights will breathe life into your souls amidst the very pangs of death.
Reader, do but think what a comfortable foresight of God and the joys of salvation, will be to thee, when thine eye-strings are breaking. Faith cannot only see that beyond the grave which will comfort, but it can cling about its God, and clasp Christ in a pro∣mise when it feels the ground of all sensible comforts trembling and sinking under thy feet. My heart and my flesh faileth, but God is the strength (or rock) of my heart and my portion for ever. Reeds fail, but the rock is firm footing. Yea, and when the soul can no longer tabernacle here it can carry the soul to God, cast it up∣on him, with Father into thy hands I commend my spirit. O pre∣tious faith!