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

More particularly, Faith puts the soul into an apt posture for Christ; in that it ⟨p. 169⟩hath that in it which answers to all his Offices; he is an excellent Priest; he offered up himself as a propitiating sacrifice for us; he satisfied the Law and Justice of God; he made a full and perfect compensation for the sin of the world. Unto this, Faith answers by its recumbency; it ventures all upon Christ; it runs under the wings of its Saviour; it hides it self in his precious wounds; it casts the Believer on him who bore the sin of a World; it rolls the soul on his atoning blood, and leaves it there for acceptance with God; it commits the whole concern of Justification as to the Law, to his Plenary satisfaction; it hath no other bottom to stand upon but this; no other answer to the Law; no other plea to divine Justice; no other refuge or hiding-place for the soul to repose it self in: This is the right posture; it is called receiving the atonement, Rom. 5.11. because the Believer is in the very instant made partaker of Christs sacrifice; His atoning blood is sprinkled on him; the great satisfaction covers him as a mystical part of Christ, that the Curse of the Law may not seize him, or the wrath of God burn him up. Again, Christ is a great Prophet, he brought the holy Mysteries out of his Fathers bosom; he speaks outwardly by his ⟨p. 170⟩Word; and by his Spirit he is an inward Ecclesiastes, who can enter into the heart, and there express himself in words of Life and Power. Unto this, Faith answers by an humble docibleness; it softens and meekens the heart; it makes the Believer sit down at Christs feet, and hear him in the hardest Lectures; if Christ talk of a Cross, the Believer is ready to take it up upon his back; if of super-rational Mysteries, he is ready to subscribe to them; he becomes as a little child, ruleable by every holy beam or motion; he yields up himself to the Spirit and Word to be instructed by them: this is the apt posture; it is called an hearing of the Prophet, Acts 3.22. The Believer in this posture is sure to hear of him; he shall be more and more led into holy Truths; his ear is opened, and his mind in a readiness for further instruction. The Spirit will make deeper impressions, and seal divine Truths upon his heart. The rich Mines of Precepts and Promises shall lye more open before his eyes.