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

As for the Manner of it, two things may be observed.

The one is a pure intention towards the glory of God: As God is Alpha, so he must be Omega; as he is the first Good, so he must be the ultimate End; in all reason a creature should be referred to its Creator, and a finite good should terminate in an infinite one; to centre in a creature is Idolatry; to make God a Medium, is Practical blasphemy, as if there were something better than he to be enjoyed for it self. St. Austin observes it as an essential defect in the Moral Virtues of the Pagans, that in them they did not look at the glory of God, but at themselves. Hence he observes,¹ that the whole body of their virtuous Works, for want of a single eye at the great End, was full of darkness; he pronounces their Virtues to be no true Virtues; he cannot be just who is without the Faith of Christ; there cannot be true Purity in a Soul fornicating from God, nor true Virtue in which God is not served; he asserts,² that Virtutes, cum ad seipsas referuntur, inflatae & superbae sunt; they are no longer Virtues, but pieces of pride and presumption. Neither need we wonder at this, the Pagans, not being in union with Christ, nor having any touches from his Resurrection, had but a mere humane Spirit in them, which elevates a man no higher than himself. Our Saviour charges them with hypocrisy, who fast, pray, and give alms, [Greek or Hebrew], to ⟨p. 297⟩be seen of men, Matth. 6. They do but set themselves upon the Stage to act a part, not to God, but to men; accordingly they have their reward not from him, but from them; who seeing only the outside commend them; neither need we admire at this; these hypocrites believe not; they are not in union with him who elevates humane nature above it self; therefore all that they do, terminates in themselves; but those that are in Christ, have an higher Spirit than their own; his Spirit doth direct them in all their good works to aim at the glory of God; there is a pure intention to consecrate all to him; their Holiness is to shine as a little beam or spark from the holy One; the drops of Mercy in them are to point out the infinite Ocean of Goodness in him; their Obedience is to tell the world that he is the Supreme Lord of all; their Sincerity is to testify his Omniscience; all that good they do, is to serve his interest, and show forth his praise; still there is oculus in metam, a pure intention at his Glory.