A Golden Mine Opened, Sermon 24
HEB. II. 3. How ſhall we eſcape if we neglect ſo great Salvation?
Serm. III.BRETHREN, the laſt Day I ſhewed you that Goſpel-Salvation is Great and Glorious Salvation, conſidering the Greatneſs, Dignity and Glory of the Perſons that are concerned in bringing of it in, and working of it out for us, namely, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghoſt: But more particularly upon the Conſideration of the Dignity of the Perſon of Chriſt, who is that great Saviour God hath ſent, who is great in his Name, great in reſpect of his Perſon and Nature, great as to his Commiſſion in his Call, and in reſpect of thoſe great and glorious Anointings that were upon him … ſmall now proceed.
Seventhly, The Salvation of the Goſpel is great, &c. if we conſider Great Salvation in reſpect of what we are delivered from.what poor Sinners hereby … and delivered from: By this Salvation, thoſe th… believe are delivered from every Evil in this World, and in that which is to come.
All Evil may be conſidered under two general Heads.
Firſt, That which corrupteth our Nature, both Soul and Body, as to their Being.
Secondly, That which is deſtructive to our Nature, as to its wellbeing, both Soul and Body.
The firſt is Sin, the ſecond is Puniſhment. I purpoſe to ſpeak briefly to both theſe, that ſo we may the better demonſtrate the Greatneſs of this Salvation.
Firſt, Of the Evil of Sin which all thoſe are and ſhall be for ever ſaved and delivered from, who embrace this Salvation. This I ſhall ſpeak unto more generally, and then more particularly.
The Evil of Sin opened.Brethren, the Evil of Sin comprehendeth many things, as it reſpecteth God, and is directly againſt him, his Holy Nature, hateful and loathſom in his ſight: and in reſpect had to Man, which takes in our firſt Apoſtacy from God, the loſs of his Holy and Bleſſed Image, as alſo his Love and Favour; and ſo the Pravity of all the Powers of our Souls, and Faculties thereof, as the blindneſs of our Minds, and Darkneſs of our Underſtandings; the Rebellion and Stubbornneſs of our Wills, and hardneſs of our Hearts; the Carnality and Vanity of our Affections; the horrid Guilt, Pollution and Filthineſs that cleaves to the Soul and Conſcience; together with Shame, Bondage, Nakedneſs, Poverty and Enmity againſt God, Slavery to Satan and to this World, having contracted a Likeneſs to the Devil, or an Impreſs of his Image, doing his Will, and ſerving our own Luſts: All theſe, and many other things, comprize the Evil of Sin, from which by this Salvation we are delivered.
But to ſpeak a little more particularly; let us,
1. Conſider the Evil of Sin: As it is contrary to God's moſt Holy and Pure Nature, it is that thing which his Soul is ſaid to hate. Would not we be greatly concerned, if any ſhould do that in our ſight and preſence, which they know we hate and abominate?
2. Sin is a Diſhonour to God, and it is called a Deſpiſing of God: Them that honour me, I will honour; and they that deſpiſe me, ſhall be lightly eſteemed. 1 Sam. 2. 30.Certainly Sin muſt needs have a great Evil in it, if it be a deſpiſing of God: if a Man be deſpiſed, he thinks himſelf greatly wronged; loſs of Honour is no ſmall loſs.
3. Sin is a croſſing of God's Will, acting directly contrary thereunto; nay, and it is a doing the Will of the Devil: How are you troubled if your Servants croſs your Will in that which is juſt and right, and wherein your Intereſt and Honour lies, and is nearly concerned. Sin is a croſſing of the Will of God; not only when the Sinner doth not what God commands to be done, which is a Sin of Omiſſion, but alſo in doing that which he hath poſitively forbid, which is a Sin of Commiſſion.
4. Sin doth caſt contempt upon God, as when Men ſin preſumptuouſly with a high Hand, as if it were in defiance of Heaven, as if they bid God do his worſt, intimating that they will have their Way, their Wills, their curſed Luſts, or ſinful Pleaſures and Profit, let what will come of it.
5. Sin is a renouncing of God's juſt Authority and Government over us; it is a breaking his Bonds, and caſting his Cords from Pſal. 2. 3.us. What is the Voice of Sin? God ſhall not reign over us, we will not be under his Government, but will live as we liſt, our Tongues are our own; and who is Lord over us? Nay, and as Sin doth caſt off God, and diſown him, contemn him, rebel againſt him, will not have him reign, but ſtrive to pull him out of his Throne: So by Sin the Sinner ſets up the Devil in God's Place, puts him into God's Throne. The Heart is the Throne of God, but there the Sinner will not allow God to rule, God to be, but gives way to Sin, and will ſin; and in ſo doing he exalts Satan, and puts him into the Government, and ſubjects to him. O what is the Evil of Sin?
6. Sin in the Nature of it, is a manifeſtation of the Sinner's hatred of God: God declares againſt Sinners in his Word, as ſuch that hate him; the leſſer Love is accounted a Hatred in the Scripture. But alas, Sinners ſeem to have no Love to God at all, they proclaim War againſt him, even wiſh there was no God to controul them, to judg them, to puniſh them, ſo that they might ſin the more freely, and with the more impudence, if it be poſſible for them ſo to do: The Fool ſaith in his Heart, there is no God. He would have no God, he would be glad it there was no God; ſuch is his hatred of God. Hence it is ſaid, Viſiting the Iniquity of the Exod. 20. 5.Fathers on the Children, unto the third and fourth Generation of them that hate me. And again it is ſaid, Shouldſt thou love them that hate 2 Chron. 19. 2.the Lord? Sin even ſtrikes at God's very Being. Can you think any Perſon can have more hatred to you, than to wiſh you had no Being? nay, would, if he could, deſtroy you, and cauſe you not to be, or deprive you of a King any more for ever? This ſeems to be the Voice or Sin naturally in Mens Hearts; therefore it muſt needs be a great Evil, they would not have God to be, if they could bring it about or have their Will; for ſuch as we deſpiſe, reſiſt, war againſt, we would kill and deſtroy if we could: Sin would dethrone God, and thruſt him out of the World, it fills the Mind ſo full of Enmity againſt him.Rom. 8. 7.
2dly. But in the ſecond place, Sin hath not only great Evil in it, as it againſt God, but alſo in reſpect of our ſelves: 'Tis not only … our to God but hurtful to us. No Evil like the Evil of Sin in this … alſo, as will appear, if we conſide… ▪
1. It was Sin we loſt God's Holy Image in which we were created in our firſt Parents. O what a … Creature was Man, as he came out of his great Creator's Hand; there was no Spot, Blemiſh, nor Stain in him: Man was created in Righteouſneſs and true Holineſs, in that did the Image of God conſiſt. But this Likeneſs to God we loſt by Sin; and by yielding unto it, and by being overcome by it, we became like unto the Devil. Naturally all Men bear his Image, even the Devil's Likeneſs: Judas was ſo much like the Devil, that Chriſt calls him a Devil; Have not I choſen you twelve, and one of you is a Devil?
2. Sin poiſoned our whole Nature, and corrupted all our Faculties.
1. It is compared to the Plague of the Leproſy, it ſpreads it ſelf over us, from the Crown of our Heads to the Soles of our Feet; it is more filthy than the filthieſt thing in the World in God's ſight: And as all the Faculties of our Souls were poiſoned thereby, ſo all the Members of our Bodies are defiled and polluted with it alſo. Nay, and it is ſuch a kind of Pollution, that renders the Sinner loathſom to God: God is ſaid to be grieved with Sin, nay grieved that he made Man; grieved at his Heart, becauſe every Imagination of the Thought of his Heart was evil continually. God is Gen. 6. 5, 6.ſaid upon this to repent that he made Man; not that God properly can repent, it ſignifies an alienation of God's Heart and Affections from Man for his Sin and Wickedneſs, whereby he carries himſelf towards him as we do when we repent we have done a thing.
2. It was therefore hereby that we loſt God's Love and Favour, and is not that a diſmal and moſt bitter thing? Man's only Happineſs lies in his Likeneſs to God, and in the enjoyment of his Love, and the Light of his ſweet Countenance: But this the whole Race of Mankind loſt by Original Sin, and inſtead of his Love, we were brought under his Wrath. Sin incurr'd the Wrath and Anger of God: God is angry with the Wicked every Day. And as we by Sin became Pſal. 7. 11.Enemies to God, ſo alſo hereby God became an Enemy to us: And if we conſider what it coſt God, and coſt Jeſus Chriſt to make our Peace, or to make up this Breach, ſure we muſt ſay, this is a great and wonderful Salvation.
3. Sin is the worſt of Evils, it is the Plague of Plagues, it is worſe than any Affliction: Afflictions oft-times bring us nearer unto God, but Sin drives us further from him. Sin is a departing from God, a leaving and forſaking of God, a caſting of God off; the more we are afflicted, the more we are made conformable to Jeſus Chriſt. He was afflicted, and a Man of Sorrows; but the more we ſin, the more like we are unto the Devil. Nay, and by Afflictions we are purged, and are ſaid to partake of the Holineſs of God; therefore there is much Good in Affliction: but Sin hath nothing but Evil in it, hurtful Evil, Soul-defiling, and Souldamning Evil. Sin is the Spring and Cauſe of all other Evils, it is the Cauſe of all Sickneſs, and of all Sorrow and Miſery, nay and 'tis the Cauſe of Death it ſelf: The Wages of Sin is Death; Rom. 6. 23. 1 Cor. 15. 56.nay, the Sting of Death is Sin, that which makes Death ſo terrible to a wicked Man.
4. Sin hath put Mankind into Satan's Hand, who hath laid him in cruel Chains: Conſider what a thing it is to be taken Captive by a grand and mercileſs Tyrant: Satan took all Mankind Captive. and holds them ſtill, who are under the Power of it in Captivity; they are his Bondmen, his Slaves, he takes them Captive at his Will. Every vicious Habit is a ſtrong Bond or Chain in which Satan binds his Vaſſals. All Men naturally are bound down under the Bond of Ignorance, Unbelief, and Hardneſs of Heart; ſuch is the Nature of Sin. Chriſt came to ſet at liberty ſuch that were Iſa. 61. 1.bound. I perceive, ſaith Peter, that thou art in the Gall of Bitterneſs, Acts 8. 23.and in the Bond of Iniquity. And O what is the Strength of theſe Bonds? Who can break them but the Arm of the Omnipotent God? Moreover, theſe Bonds bind the Soul unto, and under the Wrath of God. O what a kind of Salvation is it, that delivers us from Sin, and out of the Power of Satan!
5. Sin hath put out the Eyes of all Mankind, and ſtripp'd them naked, and wounded them unto Death: All Men are born blind, the Eyes of our Underſtanding naturally are darkened, the State of M…n by Nature is moſt miſerable; it is ſet out by a wretched Infant Ezek. 16. 3, 4, 5, 6.caſt out in the open Fi…la in its Blood, in the Day of its Nativity, having none to pity it, to waſh it nor ſwade it at all. We are all naturally moſt loathſom, full of filthy S…abs and running Sores, and yet ſuch i… the Ignorance and Blindneſs of the Sinner's Eyes, and unſenſibleneſs of his State, that he ſees it not, feels it not, but thinks all is well with him, and is ready to fly into that Man's Face, that ſhall tell him ſuch i… his Condition.
6. Moreover Sin feeds Men poorly: How do they feed? What is their Table ſpread with? Are they ſerved with the Beſt? They are fed, as it were with Mallows and Janiper-roots; That, ſaith Caryl, is the Chear Sin make … them: yea, Wickedneſs will be as Gravel in their Teeth, and as Poiſon in their Bowels. True, ſome of them feed their Bodies deliciouſly every Day; they are full fed, they have liberal, large and plentiful Tables: But, alas, what have their Souls to eat? What did the Soul of the Prodigal find? Did he not feed on the Husks which the Swine did eat? Their Food is and will be Gall and Wormwood; he feedeth on Aſhes, ſaith the Prophet: all his Hopes will deceive him, and prove vain, like the Spider's Web; the Pleaſures, Honours, Riches and Comforts of this Life, are the Food wicked Men live upon; they never taſted in a Spiritual manner of God, they know not how good he is, nor do they deſire to eat that which is Good: but the Time is coming in which they will deſire to taſte of Chriſt's Supper, and ſhall not be admitted, becauſe they refuſed to come to the Wedding. O what is Sin, and how miſerable is the Condition of Sinners? And doth not this ſ…t forth and tend to demonſtrate the greatneſs of this Salvation, which delivers us from ſo great an Evil? He ſhall ſave his People from their Sins. He that underſtands no Evil in Sin, as Man is fallen from God, hath loſt God, the firſt Cauſe and chiefeſt Good, and laſt End; and being under the Power of a conſtant Enmity againſt him, and in this deplorable Condition, as I have hinted, will have (as one obſerves) other apprehenſion of th…ſe things when at laſt he miſſes of a Part in this Great Salvation, and when the Means of it ſhall not be afforded any more to him for ever. And on the other Hand, he that comes to ſee this to be his State, and obtains an Intereſt in this Salvation, will ſay, it is a Great and Glorious Salvation.
Secondly, By this Salvation we are delivered from that which is deſtructive to our whole Souls and Bodies.
1. The Sinner by Sin is, as you heard, a Slave, a Captive Sinners are under God's Curſe.and under Satan's Power, bound in ſtrong Chains, &c. And now let me add, he is for his Sin curſed by the Lord, and condemned to die by his Righteous Law; nay the Law lets fly or denounces moſt bitter Curſes againſt Sin, even againſt every Sin, and every Sinner that takes not hold of this Salvation: Curſed is he that continues not in all things that are written in the Book of the Law, to do them. Gal. 3. 10.From this Curſe can no Soul be delivered, but by Jeſus Chriſt alone: Is it not a fearful Thing to be under the Curſe of an offended and angry God, whoſe Wrath is like Fire that ſeizes on dry Stubble? But he that believes, or accepteth of the Salvation of the Goſpel, is delivered and ſaved for ever from the Curſe of the Law: Chriſt Gal. 3. 16.hath delivered us from the Curſe of the Law, being made a Curſe for us.
2. Man by Sin is ſet againſt himſelf, his own Conſcience wars and ſights againſt him; and it is alſo ſometimes let out upon him by the Lord to ſuch a Degree, tormenting him ſo dreadfully, that he is not able to bear it; hence ſome have deſtroyed themſelves: What is more dreadful and amazing, than a guilty, an accuſing and condemning Conſcience? Poor Mr. Child found it intolerable, and many more beſides him; it is that Worm that ofttimes begins to gnaw here, and will (if this Salvation be not took hold of) torment the Soul for ever: for as in Hell the Fire is not quenched, ſo the Worm dieth not. But he that receives Jeſus Chriſt, believes in Jeſus Chriſt, and ſo gets an Intereſt in this Salvation, is delivered from the Guilt and the Laſhes, the Accuſation and Condemnation of his own Conſcience; nay, his own Conſcience ſpeaks Peace to him, and yields him a continual Feaſt: For our rejoicing is this, the Teſtimony of our Conſcience, that in ſimplicity 2 Cor. 1. 12.and godly ſincerity, not with fleſhly Wiſdom, but by the Grace of God, we have had our Converſation in the World, &c. O how is the Caſe altered, Conſcience before was a Tormentor, but now is a Comforter; before it ſpoke nothing but Terror, but now it ſpeaks nothing but Peace; before it did accuſe, but now it doth excuſe; before it fed us with Gravel-ſtones, but now it feeds us with Joy and ſweet Food.
3. The State of the Sinner is very ſad, and the Nature of Sin very deſtructive, as it expoſes the Soul to future Wrath: the Wrath of God remains upon him that believes not; The Wrath of Rom. 1. 18.God is revealed from Heaven againſt all Vngodlineſs, and Vnrighteouſneſs of Men. But by this Salvation we are ſaved from preſent and from future Wrath alſo; this is done by Jeſus Chriſt: Even Jeſus who delivered us from Wrath to come. Wrath to come is far greater than any Wrath Mortal ever felt in this World: Who knows the Power of thine Anger? even according to thy Fear, ſo is thy Wrath. But not one Drop of it ſhall fall upon that Soul that hath Pſa. 90. 11.a Part and Intereſt in this Salvation: Should God let out but a little of his Wrath upon a Soul whilſt he is in the Body, wo to him, whither ſhall he fly? how ſhould he be able to bear it! O 'tis Heb. 12. ult.a fearful thing to fall into the Hands of the living God. O what a great and glorious Salvation is this! Suppoſe a Man was condemned to die for High-Treaſon, or for ſome other great Crime, nay to be burned alive, or to be flead alive, and juſt as the Sentence was going to be executed upon him, one ſhould bring him the Tidings, that the King had pardoned his Offence, and therefore he ſhould not die; would he not look upon this to be a great Salvation? But, alas, what can reach or be compared to the State of condemned Sinners? What is it to be thrown into a Fire, or to burn for half an Hour, nay, to be put into a lingering Fire, to be dying a whole Day, nay, a whole Year, or if it were poſſible to be dying forty or fifty Years, to lie burning in Hell to all Eternity? Every Sinner is condemned by the Law of God to be burned, to be burned alive in Hell for ever, where the Damned are always dying, but yet cannot die. If this were well and ſeriouſly conſidered, certainly every one muſt acknowledg the Goſpel-Salvation to be a Great and Glorious Salvation, that delivers all that imbrace it, from ſo great a Death as the ſecond Death, or the Wrath of God in Hell. Brethren, this Salvation doth not only free and deliver the Souls of all that believe from Wrath, from all Wrath and Miſery, but the Bodies alſo, as I ſhall ſhew you hereafter before I have done with this Text. The Body ſhall be delivered from Sickneſs, Lameneſs, Blindneſs, Poverty, Hunger, Nakedneſs, nay, and from Corruption it ſelf, even from whatſoever it is, that is either grievous or deſtructive here or hereafter. If a Man be but delivered from Want, or from Hunger, being almoſt ſtarved to Death, and ready to tear his own Fleſh to feed himſelf; or from Nakedneſs, or from tormenting Pain, ſuppoſe it be but the Extremity of the Tooth-ach, Gout, or tormenting Pain of the Stone, or from Slavery in Turkey, or from ſome grievous and cruel Impriſonment, being in Bonds and Irons, lying in a dark Dungeon among Toads and Serpents, would he not think it a Great Salvation? Or if People who feel the bitterneſs of War, Famine, or Peſtilence, were delivered and ſet at Liberty, would they not account it a Great Salvation, a Great Deliverance? But what are all theſe Salvations to this Great Salvation I am ſpeaking of! What is the Sickneſs of the Body, or Death of the Body here, to the Sickneſs and Death of Body and Soul for ever? What is an Impriſonment in the worſt of Jails, and to lie in Chains and Irons put upon us by Men like our ſelves, and to bear their Wrath for a few Days, to the eternal Priſon? What is a dark Dungeon here to the Blackneſs of Darkneſs for ever? What is the Wrath of Man to the Wrath of God, or Chains of Iron to everlaſting Chains of Darkneſs? What is a little outward Want or Poverty, to the Want of God's Favour and Love to Eternity, being ſeparated from his Preſence for ever, and to lie in Fire, burning and broiling, and cannot have ſo much as one Drop of Water to cool the Tongue; for one Drop is denied to the Damned in Hell. The rich Glutton when in Hell, begged that Lazarus might be ſent to him and dip the Tip of his Finger in Water to cool his Luke 16. 24.Tongue, but it was not granted. Alas, all Miſeries here are nothing (as they paſs away in a Moment) when compared unto Eternal Wrath and burning in Hell, which is the pourings forth of the unſpeakable and righteous Vengeance of a provoked and angry God.
There is no Parallel, nothing to expreſs the Nature of that deſtructive Evil that is in Sin; there is nothing left us to illuſtrate it withal: therefore to be delivered and ſaved for ever from the juſt Puniſhment and diſmal Wrath of God, muſt needs be deemed Great Salvation; and the Excellency of it will at length be known to them who ſlight and deſpiſe it, when they come to fall and periſh under the want of it. He that is delivered from lying in Priſon for a thouſand Pound Debt, where he muſt have lain till Death, having nothing to pay it, and being fallen into the Hands of Juſtice it ſelf, but meeting with a Friend who paid all he owed, he cannot but cry out, O great Love and Compaſſion, that would be a Deliverance indeed! But it is nothing to this, we in a ſpiritual Senſe being delivered from Hell by Jeſus Chriſt, who payed our Debts for us, each of us owing not leſs than ten thouſand Talents, I mean, ſo many Sins, and every Sin a greater Debt than ten thouſand Pounds. And this brings me to the next Demonſtration.
Eighthly, The Salvation of the Goſpel is a Great and Glorious Goſpel-Salvation is great, in reſpect of what Chriſt doth and muſt do, in order to effect it.Salvation, if we conſider the Way and Means by which this Salvation is wrought out and accompliſhed for us. It could not be effected, except the Son of God became Man, or without the Incarnation, Mediation, and bloody Paſſion of Jeſus Chriſt. The precious Blood of Chriſt muſt be poured forth, or there was no Salvation, no Deliverance for our Souls; Gold nor Silver could not purchaſe it, nor the beſt of all earthly things: For as much as ye know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, as Silver and Gold, from a vain Converſation received by Tradition from your 1 Pet. 1. 28, 1….Fathers, but with the precious Blood of Chriſt, as of a Lamb without blemiſh and without ſp…t. No ſuch Price would be accepted of God, ſo precious is the Redemption of the Soul.
Queſt. But may be ſome may ſay, Could not the Law effect it? Could not the keeping the Precepts, the Law of the Ten Commandments do it, nor the Sacrifices of the Law procure Salvation for us?
Anſw. No, it was impoſſible, the Law requires perfect Righteouſneſs, ſinleſs Obedience; beſides we have broke it, and thereby the whole World is become guilty before God: And, could the Blood of Beaſts, the Blood of Bulls and Goats take away Sin, or ſatisfy Divine Juſtice, and ſo make an Atonement for our Iniquities? No, no, For it is not poſſible that the Blood of Bulls and Goats ſhould take away Sin. Sin cannot be done away without an infinite Heb. 10. 4.Price: What Influence could the Blood of Beaſts have to take away Sin? being in their own Nature corporal things, they could not deliver us from the ſpiritual Evil of the Soul; nor were they ordained of God to that End and Purpoſe, but to point out the great Sacrifice: Beſides, ſaith the Text, Sacrifice and Offerings for Verſe 5.Sin thou wouldſt not, but a Body haſt thou prepared me. It muſt be the Blood of Chriſt, whoſe Sufferings had a ſatisfactory and inconceivable Worth in them; For what the Law could not do, in that it was Rom. 8. 3.weak through the Fleſh, God ſending his own Son in the likeneſs of ſinful Fleſh and for Sin condemned Sin in the Fleſh: Compare this with that Paſſage of the Holy Ghoſt, in Heb. 1. 3. Who being the Brightneſs of his Glory, and the expreſs Image of his Perſon, and upholding all things by the Word of his Power; when he had by himſelf purged our Sins, ſat down on the right Hand of the Majeſty on High He being God as well as Man, or his Humanity being hypoſtatically united to his Divine Nature, offered up himſelf by the Eternal Spirit a Propitiatory Sacrifice unto God; by which Satisfaction and Merits he purged, or took away the Guilt and Pollution of Sin, and delivered us from that juſt and deſerved Wrath that was due unto it, by bearing of it himſelf in our Nature and ſtead; ſo that God (who was injured, and whoſe Holy Law was violated) might be juſt, or that his Juſtice might appear, (for he could as ſoon ceaſe to be God, as ceaſe to be juſt) and yet hereby he magnifies his Mercy alſo. What can we deſire more, than to be delivered from Sin, and purged from Sin? This was the Way and no other, which the Wiſdom of God found out in Chriſt; both thoſe Attributes are united: ſo that Juſtice, as well as Mercy, ſays, Whoſoever believeth in Jeſus Chriſt, or lays hold of his Righteouſneſs by Faith, ſhall be juſtified, and eternally ſaved. The Apoſtle adds his being ſat down on the right Hand of God, to intimate he hath made our Peace, obtained Redemption for us, and brought in by his Obedience, Everlaſting Righteouſneſs, and made an end of Sin; and as a mighty Conqueror, has triumphed, and is gone to Heaven, and there appears at the Father's right Hand, to plead the Merits of his own Bleſſed Sacrifice, and that Atonement he hath made for us by his own Blood on the Tree. O conſider what our Salvation coſt him, what did he do to work about this Salvation! Why he,
1. Became Incarnate, or was made Fleſh; And the Word was Joh. 1. 14.made Fleſh, and dwelt among us, and we behold his Glory as the Glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of Grace and Truth: Though he was equal with God (as you lately heard) yet he took on him the form of a Servant.
2. He became poor. Sirs, Jeſus Chriſt who was rich, that he might accompliſh the Salvation of our Souls, became poor; May 2 Cor. 2. 8, 9.not this affect our Hearts? We muſt be miſerable for ever, or Chriſt muſt become poor, and ſeem to be miſerable for a Time: No Salvation for us, uſeleſs our Bleſſed Saviour doth abaſe himſelf and take our Nature upon him; For verily, he took not on him the Nature of Angels, but took on him the Seed of Abraham. All this Heb. 2. 16.was, Brethren, to bring this Bleſſed Salvation to his choſen Ones.
3. He in his humane Nature muſt be made under the Law, and ſo become obnoxious or liable to the Obedience the Law required; yea, he was obliged to keep it exactly in every part thereof. When the Fulneſs of time was come, God ſent forth his own Son made of Gal. 4. 4.a Woman, made under the Law: The Apoſtle adds the Reaſon of this, to redeem them that were under the Law. He thus became, not only bound to do what the Law required, but to ſuffer what the Law threatned and … on us, who had broke and violated it, and this in our Nature, or in the ſame Nature that had ſinned, in which … the Juſtice of God required a Satisfaction for the wrong Sin had do … unto him: Which being impoſſible for ſinful Man … and that we might not be expoſed for ever unto th… … Wrath and Puniſhment in Hell, which was due to … for us, or in our place, that we through … Obedience, and painful Death and Suffering both in … Body, might obtain a gracious Diſcharge from Si…, or free Juſtification unto Life, and a full deliverance from Wrath and Etern… Death.
4. Nay, and as he muſt di… if he procures Salvation for us, ſo by this means he alſo was made a Curſe for us; for we having broken the Law, … under the Curſe of it; the Law lets fly its bitter Curſes againſt very … thereof: For as many as are of the Works of the Law, are under the Curſe; and therefore impoſſible Gal. 3. 13.for us to be … and ſaved by it. Whoſoever keepeth not the Law perfectly, is curſed; but no Man can keep the Law perfectly, therefore all Man naturally are curſed, and impoſſible then to be bleſſed, until delivered from that Curſe: and this therefore Chriſt came to do, him hath God ſent to bleſs us; which Bleſſing we could not have … Chriſt puts himſelf in our place, and bears the Curſe away from us: Chriſt hath redeemed us Gal. 3. 13.from the Curſe of the Law by being … a Curſe for us; for it is written, Curſed is every one that … on a Tree. He that was hanged on a Tree under the Law, was hanged for tranſgreſſing of it, and was curſed of God; and when … is ſaid, Chriſt was made a Curſe for us, it ſignifies his bearing that Wrath and indignation of God, which was due to us for our Sin: and his he muſt do if ever we are juſtified and eternally …ved from that Eternal Wrath and Vengeance Sin had brought upon every Soul of us.
5. As our Lord Jeſus, if he procure Salvation for us, muſt die, and become a Curſe for us, ſo he muſt alſo raiſe up himſelf from the Dead, or be diſcharged of the Bonds of Death; he muſt deſtroy Death, and be freed out of Priſon: He therefore roſe again from the Dead for our Juſtification. His Diſcharge was virtually a Diſcharge for us, or for all he died for; our Lord Jeſus muſt ſubdue all our Enemies, and bring not Death only, but the Devil alſo, and all the Powers of Darkneſs under his Feet, or there could be no Salvation for our poor Souls: Foraſmuch then as the Children are partakers of Fleſh and Blood; he alſo himſelf likewiſe took part of the ſame, that through Death he might deſtroy him that had the Power of Heb. 2. 14, 15.Death, that is, the Devil: And deliver them, who through fear of Death were all their Life-time ſubject to Bondage. Chriſt and Believers are of one and the ſame Nature; they are as it were but one Man, or are ſo united as to be conſidered as one Myſtical Body. This was held forth in his Incarnation, in his aſſuming our Nature: He took not only an Humane Soul, but our Humane Fleſh into Union with his Divine Nature, that both our Souls and Bodies might be brought into Union with him, and that our Bodies might alſo be raiſed from Death to a State of Life and Glory at the laſt Day, and be faſhioned like unto his Glorious Body; Who hath aboliſhed Phil. 3. ult.Death, and hath brought Life and Immortality to light through the Goſpel. Had not Chriſt conquered Death, and the Devil who 2 Tim. 1. 10.had the Power of Death, we had been loſt for ever: He hath not only taken away Sin, the Sting of Death, but he hath and will be the Death of Death; The laſt Enemy that ſhall be deſtroyed, is Death. 1 Cor. 15. 26.The Body as well as the Soul is brought into Union with Chriſt; he is the Head of the whole Believer, the Body as well as the Soul: Shall I then take the Members of Chriſt, and make them the Members of 1 Cor. 6. 15.an Harlot? Both Body and Spirit are the Lord's, our Body is the Temple of the Holy Ghoſt.Ver. 19, 20.
Brethren, what a Conqueſt hath Chriſt made! how hath he ſubdued all our Enemies, that ſo he might work out a full and perfect Victory for us in every reſpect: For this Corruptible muſt put on Incorruption, and this Mortal muſt put on Immortality, 1 Cor. 15. 53. So when this Corruptible ſhall have put on Incorruption, and this Mortal ſhall have put on Immortality, then ſhall be brought to paſs the ſaying that is written, Death is ſwallowed up in Victory, Ver. 54. O Death, where is thy Sting? O Grave, where is thy Victory? Ver. 55.
6. And laſtly, And as Chriſt muſt conquer the Devil, the World, Sin, Death and the Grave, for us, and in our Nature; ſo he muſt by his mighty Power deſtroy the Devil, and Sin's great Power in us, and vanquiſh that natural Enmity that is in our Hearts againſt God and his Ways, and thereby reſtore the Image of God in us which we had loſt.