A55302:152
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.
There is an union of Love between Christ and the Holy Angels; they are the top of the Creation, sublime in Knowledge, unspotted in Sanctity, excellent in Perfections, ever a ministering to the Church, and doing one piece of the Divine Will or other; it cannot be otherwise, but that he must have a great Love for them; he is the brightness of the Fathers Glory; the Character or express Image of his Person; he made the Angelical World and all its perfections; he came down into the humane nature to repair us, and raise us up out of the ruins of the fall; the highest design of Gods Glory was carried on by him; the Divine Wisdom, Holiness, Justice, Mercy, ⟨p. 129⟩Truth, did show forth themselves upon the Theatre of his humane Nature; the Holy Angels cannot but have a Love for him, and (because he is an object of Excellency, and they creatures of perfection) their Love to him must be a very Eminent one: their Intellects have not, as ours, any blinds or dark shades in them, but are full of pure and celestial light; they have not, as we, only some glimpses, but a full view of the attractive Beauties and Excellencies in him; their Love is not as ours, subject to damps and clogs of corruption, but ever pure, and in holy Orders; they do not as we, dwell here below in houses of Clay, but stand above, attending upon his glorious Person: All which must needs promote their Love in a very high degree. Thus there is an union of Love between Christ and Angels. But if in the glass of Scripture we look upon the union between Christ and Believers, we shall find much more in it, than in that between him and Angels; there is a different foundation: Christ took on him, not the nature of Angels, but of men; he died on a Cross, not for Angels, but for men; our union with him is founded on his Incarnation and atoning-Passion, but the union of Angels is not so. There is also a different way; it is very proper for us fallen ⟨p. 130⟩creatures to be joined to a Mediator; not so for Angels, who stand in their integrity without need of a Mediator; in us there is an unitive Grace, Faith in a Mediator; not so in Angels, they have a Faith of dependence on God; but, I suppose, they have not a Faith of recumbence in a Mediator; it is through the satisfactory and meritorious Sufferings of Christ that the same Holy Spirit which is upon him the head, comes down upon us his members, to repair the Divine Image in us;