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

Thirdly, This Spiritual Union between Christ and every believing Soul, is set forth by that near and intimate Union which there is between the Natural Body and every Member thereof: The Head and Members make but one Body; even so Christ is the Head of his Saints, and they being many, are all Members of that one Body. Christ and all Believers make but one Mystical Christ: Even as the Body is one, and hath many Members, and all the Members of that ¹one Body, being many, are one Body; so is Christ, that is, Christ Mystical. Now this Relation of Head and Members, I say, holds forth this Spiritual Union between Christ and every Believer: We are Members of his Body, of his Flesh, and of his Bone. And it is ²from their Head, Jesus Christ, that every Member receives Divine and Saving Influences of Life, Strength, Government and Guidance, as the Apostle shows; From whom the whole Body fitly joined together and compacted, by that which every Joint supplieth, according to the effectual ³working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the Body, unto the edifying of it self in Love. Our Union with Christ brings us into a fixed Settlement, and secures us from all Fears or danger of miscarrying, let all Enemies do what they can. Can the Members be lost that have such a Head? Our Union with Christ cannot consist in the communication of any thing unto us as Members from him the Head: But it must be in that which constitutes him and us in this Relation, (saith a Reverend Minister) he is our Head antecedently in order of Nature, to any communication of Grace from him as a Head, yet not antecedent to our Union it self. Herein then consists the Union of Head and Members; that tho they are many, and have many Offices, Places, and Dependencies, yet there is but one living, quickening Soul in Head and Members: The same Life that is in the Head, is in the Body and in every Member thereof in particular; and he that offers Violence to one Member, offers Violence to the Body and the Head also: And as one living Soul makes the natural Head and Members to be but one Man, one Body; so one quickening Spirit dwelling in Christ, and in his Members, gives them their Mystical Union, and makes them but one Body: As the first Man Adam was made a living Soul, so the last ⁴