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

Further, He influences motion into them. Whether they be melting in repentant tears, or burning in acts of holy zeal, or drawing out their souls in charity, or sweating in a lawful calling, or bowing down under an afflicting providence, all the motion is from the Head; without him all their Graces would lye dormant in an habit, and be as it were none at all. It is the Head which awakens them and makes them go forth into act. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me, saith the Apostle, Phil. 4.13. The holy action is in Believers, but the strength is in the Head only; whatever good they do, they must thank the Head for it; which not by an outward command only, but by an inward virtuous influence also, bids them arise and do it.

The last thing is, the way how the influence comes from Christ unto Believers. We are not to think, that the habits of Grace in Christs humane nature are transfused into us; habits go not out of their subjects into another; they produce acts in their own subjects, but procreate not habits in foreign ones. But this is the way: Christ being full of all Grace, did by his glorious satisfaction and merit, procure, that the same Holy Spirit, ⟨p. 102⟩which is upon himself the Head, should fall down upon Believers the mystical parts and members of him: Hence the Apostle saith, that the Holy Spirit is shed on us richly, through Jesus Christ our Saviour, Tit. 3.6. Had not he atoned and merited for us, the Holy Spirit would not have touched upon one fallen Son of Adam; but in, and through him, there is, as St. Chrysostom speaks,¹ [Greek or Hebrew], a Spirit flowing from above, which touches every member of his body. After this sort he is an Head of influence to his Church, communicating his Spirit to all his members, to unite them one to another, and all of them to himself the Head: There is one body and one spirit,