The first act of Faith gives us an interest in all the benefits of Christ, though as yet the soul is not able to bring home to it self the great revenue of mercy and grace, which Christ hath purchased, and the soul hath an interest in. The second act of faith brings it all home. In the former God makes Christ ours, and we his; in the latter we make him ours. Christ in his blood and merits, Christ in his grace and Spirit, Christ in all his doings and sufferings; so far as he is communicable to poor sinners. Now there is not much difference between these two acts. The difference is not in the nature and essence of ⟨p. 47⟩the grace, both are faith and saving faith; nor in the fruits and benefits, both give a man union and communion with Christ, &c. But the difference is in the measures and degrees, in the comforts of it. To the first there goes a conviction of sin, a manifestation and clearing of the promise, a persuasion of the truth, fullness, freeness, suitableness, and goodness of the promise. And upon all this here is a rolling, a resting upon Christ. And the latter is but a further degree, a bringing over or home all this to its own self. In the former act the soul hath communion with all the benefits of Christ. It's such an act of Faith, as gives a soul union with the person, and that cannot be without communion with the privileges and benefits. In this latter there is but a clearer apprehension of it. In the ⟨p. 48⟩first we go over to Christ: in the latter we bring over Christ to us. In the former we are apprehended of Christ, 1in the latter we apprehend Christ.
The first act of Faith gives us an interest in all the benefits of Christ, though as yet the soule is not able to bring home to it selfe the great revenue of mercie and grace, which Christ hath purchased, and the soule hath an interest in. The second act of faith brings it all home. In the former God makes Christ ours, and we his; in the latter wee make him ours. Christ in his blood and merits, Christ in his grace and Spirit, Christ in all his doings and sufferings; so far as he is cōmunicable to poore sinners. Now there is not much difference betweene these two acts. The difference is not in the nature and essence of ⟨p. 47⟩the grace, both are faith and saving faith; nor in the fruits and benefits, both give a man union and communion with Christ, &c. But the difference is in the measures and degrees, in the comforts of it. To the first there goes a conviction of sin, a manifestation and clearing of the promise, a perswasion of the truth, fulnesse, freenesse, sutablenesse, and goodnesse of the promise. And upon all this here is a rowling, a resting upon Christ. And the latter is but a further degree, a bringing over or home all this to its own selfe. In the former act the soule hath communion with all the benefits of Christ. It's such an act of Faith, as gives a soule union with the person, and that cannot be without communion with the priviledges and benefits. In this latter there is but a clearer apprehension of it. In the ⟨p. 48⟩first we go over to Christ: in the latter we bring over Christ to us. In the former we are apprehended of Christ, 1in the latter wee apprehend Christ.
- 1Phil. 3.12.
