A55302:150
Christus in corde, or, The mystical union between Christ and believers considered in its…
Christus in corde, or, The mystical union between Christ and believers considered in its resemblances, bonds, seals, privileges and marks by Edward Polhil ..., Esq.Christus in corde, or, The mystical union between Christ and believers considered in its resemblances, bonds, seals, priviledges and marks by Edward Polhil ..., Esq.
London: printed by A.M. and R.R. for Tho. Cockerill, 1680
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
One Christian is united to another in Affection. Love is the badge of Christianity: The Primitive Christians were of one heart, and one soul, Acts 4.32. They were as it were but one Man: the very Pagans pointed at this, saying,1 Vide ut se invicem diligant, see how they love one another: Love is the very bond of perfection, Col. 3.14. it couples all Virtues together as in a chain; it conjoins all Christians in the mystical body; where Love ⟨p. 126⟩is, there are all other Virtues; where one Christian is, there are all the rest in heart and affection. Love, which is a sacred fire kindled upon the heart by the Holy Spirit, first ascends up to God its primary object, who is to be loved for himself; and then it goes on to our neighbour, its secondary object, who is to be loved for Gods sake: this is the way of Love; if it ascend to God, it will go out to our Brother; if it go not out to our Brother, it never ascended to God. Hence St. John saith, He that shutteth up his bowels from his brother, how dwelleth the love of God in him? 1 Joh. 3.17. The Love of God can no more be severed from the Love of our Brother, than the first Table of the Law can be rent off from the second. All true Christians are born of the same Father in Heaven; washed in the blood of the same Saviour; inspired by the influences of the same Holy Spirit; interested in the same Charter of the Gospel, and instated in the same Inheritance above.2 All of them therefore must needs be united together in Love; nothing is more evident, than that one Christian is united to another in Love; but yet he is ⟨p. 127⟩not so united to him, as he is unto Christ; Who? where is the Saint that will or dare say to his fellow Christians, I am the foundation, ye are the building, born up by me: I am the vine, ye the branches; without me ye can do nothing: I am the head, ye are the members; from me is all that effectual working which is in you? Who can or may speak after such a rate? such words are proper for Christ only; we are to fix our Faith upon him, not upon our fellow-Christians: This is his Commandment, that we should believe on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another,