Christus in corde, or, The mystical union between Christ and believers considered in its…

The first thing is the necessity of an influencing head, I mean not a simple necessity, but an hypothetical one. God was not bound to raise up a Church out of the corrupt mass of mankind; but upon supposal that he will do so, it was requisite that there should be an influencing head. In our first head Adam, there was once a stock of holiness and righteousness, not merely for himself, but for us; but in the fall he spent it, and became an utter bankrupt. Had he stood in his integrity, holiness had come along with nature unto us; but through his Apostasy nothing comes along with it but pravity and corruption; we are now void of Grace and full of Sin. And how should there be a Church? which way should fallen man arrive at inherent Grace? Nature cannot ascend above its level, or lift up it self to such a thing as Grace, which is altioris ordinis, of a rank and order above nature. God doth not treat with fallen man immediately, or communicate Grace to him, but in and through a Mediator; it was therefore meet that the Son of God should in our flesh interpose, and become an head of influence to us, that so grace might be communicated; nay, and continued to us. It could not be communicated but through a mediating head, ⟨p. 99⟩and he is a complete one; it could not be continued without a perpetual supply, and he is not as Adam a failing Head, but an everliving one; his satisfaction and merit have an endless life in them; the holy unction upon him is indeficient, and ever running down upon Believers; hence the anointing, which they receive from him, abideth in them, 1 Joh. 2.27. because there is a continual supply from him who hath the Spirit above measure; not only the being of the Church, but the continuance of it requires an influencing Head.

The first thing is the necessity of an influencing head, I mean not a simple necessity, but an hypothetical one. God was not bound to raise up a Church out of the corrupt mass of mankind; but upon supposal that he will do so, it was requisite that there should be an influencing head. In our first head Adam, there was once a stock of holiness and righteousness, not meerly for himself, but for us; but in the fall he spent it, and became an utter bankrupt. Had he stood in his integrity, holiness had come along with nature unto us; but through his Apostacy nothing comes along with it but pravity and corruption; we are now void of Grace and full of Sin. And how should there be a Church? which way should fallen man arrive at inherent Grace? Nature cannot ascend above its level, or lift up it self to such a thing as Grace, which is altioris ordinis, of a rank and order above nature. God doth not treat with fallen man immediately, or communicate Grace to him, but in and through a Mediator; it was therefore meet that the Son of God should in our flesh interpose, and become an head of influence to us, that so grace might be communicated; nay, and continued to us. It could not be communicated but through a mediating head,