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

First, There must be a right knowledge of Christ; to an unknown Christ there can be no consent; the knowledge of him must be right in the measure of it. Under the Old Testament, where Religion was much wrapped up in veils and shadows, a less measure of knowledge might suffice; but under the New, when men live in the noon-day light, and as it were directly under the Sun of righteousness, a much greater measure of knowledge is necessary. We should now study to know him distinctly in his offices and benefits, that we may aptly, and out of judgment join our selves to him. If a man think, that Christ is a Saviour only and not a Lord; or that one may partake of Christ crucified, and yet not take up his Cross in mortifications and patient sufferings, nor yet follow him in holiness and true obedience, here is error personae, such an one knows not the true Christ, but a Christ of his own fancy; his consent, which is proportioned to his knowledge, is not to the real Christ, but to the imaginary one: no man can consent to more than he understands; the knowledge must be right, that the consent may be so. Again, the knowledge must be right in the nature of it, it ⟨p. 50⟩must not be a mere notion, which may be in an heart like Nabals, dead and cold in spiritual things; but it must be a spiritual knowledge, which discerns Christ spiritually, and carries with it such a savour of him, as makes the heart choose and embrace him above all things. Further, As there must be a right knowledge, so there must be a free choice of Christ. Consensio volentis est, consent is in the willing; it is not a thing pressed out of the heart by fear, but sweetly issuing out of it in a free option. When Lewis the Eleventh of France was pressed under the fears of death, he sent for the holy Hermite, holy Oil, holy Cross, and what not in his extremity. Many men, when upon their death-beds they are turning off from this world and entering upon eternity; or, possibly before that last hour, when the wrath of God flashes into their consciences, and sets them a fire with the dread of what is justly due to their iniquities, may in such a strait seem very willing to have Christ: But alas! all this is but a force, a mere pressure upon their wills.

First, There must be a right knowledg of Christ; to an unknown Christ there can be no consent; the knowledg of him must be right in the measure of it. Under the Old Testament, where Religion was much wrapt up in vails and shadows, a less measure of knowledg might suffice; but under the New, when men live in the noon-day light, and as it were directly under the Sun of righteousness, a much greater measure of knowledg is necessary. We should now study to know him distinctly in his offices and benefits, that we may aptly, and out of judgment join our selves to him. If a man think, that Christ is a Saviour only and not a Lord; or that one may partake of Christ crucified, and yet not take up his Cross in mortifications and patient sufferings, nor yet follow him in holiness and true obedience, here is error personae, such an one knows not the true Christ, but a Christ of his own fancy; his consent, which is proportioned to his knowledg, is not to the real Christ, but to the imaginary one: no man can consent to more than he understands; the knowledg must be right, that the consent may be so. Again, the knowledg must be right in the nature of it, it