A golden mine opened, or, The glory of God's rich grace displayed in the…

Fourthly, The Love of Jesus Christ to his Saints is a Conjugal Love; it is an Espousal Love Though I purpose to speak to the Nature ¹of that blessed and mystical Union which is betwixt Christ and every Believer under a distinct Argument, yet let it be considered here, that the consideration that Christ's Love is such, as that he doth espouse every Godly Soul, and marry it to himself; this must needs be one of the highest Arguments that can be produced to prove their final Perseverance; because Espousal Love is the Sweetest, the Firmest, and most abiding Love, especially the Love of Christ's Espousal: I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea², I will betroth thee unto me in Righteousness, and in Judgment, and in loving Kindness, and in Mercy. I will even betroth thee unto me in Faithfulness, and thou shalt know the Lord.

1. 1Christ's Love is a Conjugal Love.
2. 2Hos. 2. 19, 20.

What words can more fully express the Firmness of this Marriage-Contract, or Espousal Love of Christ to his true Israel? This Conjugal Love of Christ is that never-exhausted Fountain of all our spiritual and eternal Comforts; all Mercies, like Streams which never fail, flow to all Believers, from hence. Can a Man show greater Love to a Woman, than to espouse her to be his Wife? This is beyond the Love of Parents to Children: Christ bestows himself on us, and all he hath; nay, and that he might do this, he bought or purchases us: Christ bought his Spouse; none ever gave such a vast Sum for a Wife as Jesus Christ hath done; and shall any think he will lose her after all this, if he is able to help it? How can that enter into any Man's Thoughts? Will a faithful Husband, a tender Husband, suffer his most dear and beloved Wife, that he hath such Affection to, to be torn from him, and be abused and pulled into pieces, and he look on? If he hath Power in his Hand, will he not rescue her, nay, die upon the Spot before he will see this done? But alas, ala, what is the Love of any mortal Man, to his Spouse, to his Wife, when compared with the Love of Christ to his Saints, who loved his Church, and gave himself for her; and whose Love is as you have heard, so wonderful, infinite, and inconceivable? Moreover I hope none doubt of his Power. Others may see their Wives ravished and torn in pieces before their Eyes, and cannot help it, they are not able to help and save them: but Christ wants no Power, as he wants no Wisdom, Care, or Affections. Now what are the Enemies, the most dangerous Enemies of the Spouse of Christ? Is not Sin the chief, Sin, the World, the Devil, &c. Will he then, think you, let Sin prevail, Satan prevail, so far as to deflower, murder and destroy that precious Soul he thus loves, and hath espoused to himself? Those who assert final falling from a State of true Grace, must say he doth thus, viz. He suffers Sin to destroy his Spouse, even to put out the Eyes, deflower, strip, wound, and murder the Soul he has espoused, whilst he stands by and looks on, and can, but will not help nor deliver her, because the Soul is blinded by some Lusts, or drawn away by an Enemy; therefore they say he will not. He that can believe such a Doctrine, let him. But,