Direct. IV. OfSarni zcationb 8t wrought, and did work alfo the miracles by it : fo &fó the fame Spirit of Chrift do.h work faving faith in us, and Both anfwer the aim and end of that faith, by giving us union and fellowfhip with Chrift by .it; fo that none of the glory of this work belongeth to faith, but only to him and his Spirit. And, indeed, faith is of fuch an humble feif denying nature, that it afcribeth nothing that it receiveth, to itfelf, but all to the grace of God; and therefore God faveth us by faith, that all the glory may be afcribed to his free grace, Rom iv. 16. if Adam had ftrength e- nough in innocency to perf{&rm the duty of faith as yell as we; yet, it will not follow, that he had ftrength enough to raife himfelf above his natural Rate, into union with Chrift ; becaufe faith doth not unite us to him by its ownvirtue, but by the power of the Spirit working by it, and with it. Thus are we firft paf- five, and then active, in this great work of myftical union; we are firft apprehended of Chrift, and then we apprehend him. Chrift entereth firft into the foul, to join himfelf to it, by giving it the fpirit of faith; and fo the foul receiveth him and hi; Spirit by their own power; as the fun firft enlighteneth out eyes, and then we can fee it by it's own light. We may note further, to the glory of the grace of God, that this union is fully accomplitbed byChrift, giv- ing the fpirit of faith to us, even before we a& that faith in the reception of him; becaufe, by this grace or fpirit of faith, the foul is inclined and difpofed to an active receiving of him. And, nodoubt, Chrift is thus united to many infants, who have the fpirit of faith, and yet cannot act faith, becaufe they are not come to the ufe of their underftandings ; but thofe of riper years fiat are joined paffively to him by the fpirit of faith, will alfo join themfelves with him ac- tivelyby the act offaith: and, until theyaa this faiths they cannot know or enjoy their union with him, and the comfort of it, or make ufe of it, in aging any o- ther duties of holinefs acceptably in this life.
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