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

Secondly, This Union must needs be most intimate, near and strong, if we consider by what Metaphors it is set forth in God's Word.

1. It is a Marriage-Union; like as a Man and his Wife are said to be one Flesh, so he that is joined to the Lord is one Spirit. No Man ever hated his own Flesh, but nourished and cherished it as the Lord the Church. He that loveth his Wife, loveth himself; a Man and his Wife is but one Mystical Self: and what is in Nature as to the Perfection of it, is much more eminently in Christ. Now since God hath fitted to our Nature a Care of our Body, this Care be sure is much more in Christ, when the Apostle shows what the Love of the Husband should be unto the Wife; and that a Man leaves both Father and Mother, and cleaveth to his Wife; and they two shall be one Flesh: Saith he, This is a great Mystery; but I speak ¹concerning Christ and his Church; or of Christ and every believing Soul. The Union between Husband and Wife is near; ay but Death dissolves this Union, because they can be united, or be one no longer than both live: But Christ lives for ever, and the Soul of a Believer lives for ever: Nay, Believers have Eternal Life in them, and they shall never die; therefore it follows this Union abides for ever: He hath betrothed his Saints, his Spouse unto himself for ever. And can any then dissolve this Marriage-Contract and Conjugal Union? Is Christ able to preserve his Souse, or the Soul that is united unto him? Is it in the Power of his Hands? Pray, Brethren, consider it well. Will any of you that have a Spouse, a Wife that you dearly love, suffer her to be torn into pieces, and basely murdered before your Eyes, if you could prevent it? And do any think that Christ, who hath all Power in Heaven and Earth, Power over Sin, the World, the Devil, yea, over Hell and Death; will he, I say, ever suffer his Spouse to be destroyed and murdered by Sin, World, or Devil? Strange! did he die for her, and has he married her, and made her one Spirit with himself; and will he leave her to conflict, to fight and war with an Enemy that he knows is too strong and mighty for her, and not come in, rush in to her assistance, to save and rescue her from such bloody, cruel, and barbarous