by the Power and Efficacy of Christ's Mediatorship to God's Grace and Favour He has broken the Shackles of Universal Guilt subdues and destroys all his and our Enemies rescues us from the slavery and dominion of Sin and Satan has taken away the Sting of Death and does effectually revoke that fatal Curse by which we were exil'd from Paradise and bound over to everlasting Punishment And having by the immense Sactifice of his precious Bloud paid so dear a Price for our Redemption all our Debts are now fully discharg'd God's Anger appeas'd his Justice satisfied an eternal Peace between Heaven and Earth fully ratified and all true Believers in Christ are reinstated in a Condition of Hope and an undoubted capacity of being for ever happy 3 The Sun of Righteousness thanks be to our gracious God is risen upon our Horizon Luk. 1.78 79. Isai 60.1 diffusing his pleasant Light and saving Influences over the whole Body of the Creation dispelling by his radiant Beams the Nignt and dark Clouds of Ignorance and Errour which before his coming had over-spread the face of the whole Earth Christ is the Way John 14.16 the Truth and the Life He keeps his Residence in and exerts his Power in the defence and protection of all pious Souls he enriches his Members with that pure and perfect Wisdom which is from above and kindles Charity Joy and Comfort in their Hearts by the powerful Influence and Operation of his Grace and Spirit he raises their Affections above transitory Things and does inspire and qualifie 'em with such holy and heavenly Dispositions as will sweeten and sanctifie all the Cross Providences which are incident to them in this Life and will finally advance them to and put 'em in Possession of a State of ravishing and uncompounded Pleasures at God's right hand for evermore 4 Christ Jesus the righteous governs his Church with perfect Love and Clemency preserves his Servants in Peace and safety and 't is impossible saith Irenaeus to recount the number of those great things which are done thro' the World by the Wisdom Power and Goodness of Christ for the Succour of the Nations and the Salvation of Mankind For as he liv'd so he died and rose again for us to cure all our Maladies and to restore us to a more happy condition than we lost by the Fall and defection of the first Adam And now to our unspeakable comfort he is sitting in Majesty and triumph at the right hand of God of which more fully afterwards pleading his infinite Merits and interceding power fully with the Father for us That all these Blessings and Priviledges and many more than we can either conceive or think of may be seasonably applied for the comfort and Benefit of all true Believers Hence we proceed 3dly The Application of this Point importing its influence upon Practice To the Application of this Point and shall consider what Influence this important and saving Doctrine should have upon the Lives and Practices of Men. And 1 This is a Subject which may ravish our Souls with Joy and Wonder A Mirrour which the holy Angels delight in and desire to contemplate God and Man in the Person of Christ was the hope and expectation of the Fathers whom the Patriarchs fore-saw and rejoyc'd at and whom the Prophets in such magnificent streins did predict and presignifie whose presence makes glad the City of our God But the perfect understanding of this Mystery transcends all Humane Knowledge and in this Valley of Ignorance we can but attain to a small measure of it His Name is Wonderful and who can understand it Councellor and who can find it The mighty God and who can comprehend it How he being God should be begotten of God and yet but one God still Or how he could be born of a Woman without a Man and she continue still a Virgin That Almighty God out of the Virgin Earth created man and breathed into his Nostrils the Breath of Life was indeed a great Miracle But that a Virgin should conceive and bear a Son that was both God and Man was far greater That God without a Woman should form Eve out of Man was a strange Wonder but 't was much more prodigious that a Woman without a Man should bring forth a Son that was both God and Man For Iron to swim above the Water a Fountain to flow out of a dry Jaw-bone an Ass to speak an old Woman to Conceive Manna to be rain'd down from Heaven a wither'd Rod to yield both Blossoms and Fruit Rivers to flow from a flinty Rock Waters to be turn'd into Bloud Ravens to feed a Prophet Jordan to turn his stream backward the Red Sea to be divided c. These are Miracles to be extremely admir'd But in the Incarnation of our blessed Redcemer we 've a greater Miracle than all these for a Maid is made the Mother of God a great Sphere is drawn into the Center the great God of Heaven and Earth was conceiv'd in the narrow Womb of a Virgin This is indeed a Miracle which humane Reason's not able to comprehend Miraoulum Mirabiliter Miraculosum 1 Tim. 1.15 And therefore saith the Apostle 't is a faithful saying That Jesus Christ came into the World to save sinners We may as well doubt of the reality of our Being and Existence as suspect the Truth of it This is the Lord 's doing and 't is marvellous in our Eyes Man is naturally inquisitive after Curiosities and very desirous to know strange Accidents Now here 's a Subject for the most contemplative Curiosity to be exercis'd about A Mystery indeed and the more we pry into it the more miraculous we find it The more we know of it the more we shall be inflam'd with the desire of comprehending it and shall be still more and more happy in the improvement of this excellent Knowledge Si Christum discis nihil est si caeâ—era nescis Si Christum c All other Wisdom without the Knowledge of God in Christ is as bad if not worse than Ignorance it self For tho' with the wisest Solomon we could understand all the secrets of Nature the several Motions and Influences of the Stars all the Intrigues and Policies of State all the Mysteries of Traffick Arts and Sciences and whatever can be imagin'd to be within the reach of humane Understanding Yet without the saving Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ all our Wisdom is but Foolishness and to no purpose Let the Son of God therefore made Man for our sakes become the Subject of our devoutest Meditations 1 Cor. 2.2 The Holy Apostle determin'd to know nothing else and I am sure 't is both our Interest and Duty to concur with him in this Opinion We read in the Gospels that Christ was sometimes in the Cratch sometimes in the Garden sometimes in the Synagogue sometimes in Egypt sometimes at Jerusalem sometimes at a Marriage sometimes amongst Publicans conversant with
or External to perswade us to be or do otherwise And indeed 't is the greatest Honor we can do him Phil. 2.5 6 7 8 9. to endeavour to have the same mind in us which was in Christ Jesus and by all means possible to transcribe his Pattern who was the great Exemplar of Meekness and lowliness of heart Thus if we walk as we are oblig'd in his Steps 1 Pet. 2.21 and patiently bear as he did with Meekness and Humility those Injuries and Affronts which are usually the Portion and Pattimony of the best Christians in this School of Affliction If we account and esteem Honors Riches Pleasures Wit Beauty Strength and all the other enticing Allurements of this World as they are indeed in themselves Loss and Dung Phil. ◠8 Emptiness and Vanity compar'd with the Exellencies of Christ Jesus our Lord 〈◊〉 and do humbly acknowledge that God i◠Christ is the Proprietor and Dispenser 〈◊〉 'em If we be careful to manage the◠Subsidia prudently and discreetly to God Glory and the mutual Comfort and Benefit of our selves and others if we chearfully submit to God's unerring Will and Wisdom in disposing of us and our Concernments and patiently bear every cross Accident which may happen to us and Ours upon these Conditions I say we shall in some proportion resemble our blessed Saviour's innocent Life in Grace and Goodness here a temper of mind and Spiritmost acceptable to him and we need not doubt but upon these hearty Compliances he will accept of us and reward us when he comes again in his glorious Majesty hereafter 3 We must yield our unfeigned Assent to and sted factly Believe this great Mystery of our Saviour's Manhood that he was conceiv'd without Sin in the Womb and born of a pure and immaculate Virgin by the Operation and Influence of the Holy Spirit that he voluntarily assum'd our Nature and has by the Merits of his Active and Passive Obedience fully satisfied God's Infinite Justice for all our sins which as I hinted before could not be aton'd for by any other Means then by Suffering the severest Resentments of God's just Wrath and Vengeance in that Nature which had sinned against him But because the Guilt and Punishment of our Sins were a Burden too insupportable for Flesh and Blood therefore we must also believe that our frail Humanity was supported by his Omnipotent Divinity of which more fully in the next Chapter Let us therefore seriously apply this Point by the exercise of a true and lively Faith That as Christ was conceiv'd by the Operation of the Holy Spirit in the Womb of a Virgin and became Man for Us So we may conceive him Spiritually by a true and saving Faith and bring forth the Fruits of Evangelical Obedience in a holy vertuous and innocent Conversation 4. We should be always mindful to offer up upon the Altars of our Souls that reasonable Sacrifice and Service of Praise and Thanksgiving for the Incarnation of our Lord. Could ever Tidings be more welcome or any Report so grateful to mortal Ears as this was All the Inhabitants of Heaven were ravisht with joy breaking forth into Hymns of Praise and Congratulation for the Redemption of Mankind and how should we Christians most especially who inherit all the blessed Priviledges of the Gospel bear a part in that Heavenly Chorus praising the Lord incessantly for his Goodness and declaring the Wonders which he hath done for the Children of Men. Psal 107.8 15 c. To shut up this Point I 've been the more express in the handling of it not only because 't is the great Foundation on which our Christian Religion is built but because our restless Adversary the Devil and his wicked Agents and Emissaries have in all Ages us'd their utmost endeavours to corrupt and undermine it And tho' this Doctrine be an impregnable Fortress and Bulwark under which we may securely defend our selves and against which all the Powers of Hell shall never be able to prevail yet we are not ignorant of Satan's devices nor of his malicious Stratagems and mischievous Designs against us and our Religion And how active and successful he has been hitherto in his Temptations and Allurements is most notoriously evident For this great implacable Adversary has endeavour'd by all means possible to extinguish the Knowledge of Christ the Messiah of the World both before and since his coming in the Flesh And 1 Before his coming into the World How restless the Devil has been hitherto in his Endeavors to undermine destroy this Doctrine he us'd all imaginable Means to extirpate the whole Jewish Nation whence 't was prophesied the Messiah should descend He studied to ridicule and enervate all the Prophesies and Promises of Holy Scripture concerning him He made it his business to possess the World with gross Conceits and Apprehensions of Christ's Kingdom at his Coming And his Suggestions were so prevasent and successful that 't was generally expected that the Messiah should appear in great State and Grandeur that he would bestow Crowns and Scepters and the greatest Immunities and Priviledges upon his Subjects Which conceit doubtless our Saviour appearing in so mean and despicable a Condition was not the least cause of the Jewish Infidelity and did in a great measure obstruct their embracing of the Gospel It seems the very Apostles of Christ were tainted with this Prejudice by their being so inquisitive about the Restitution of the Kingdom again to Israel They expected doubtless to be Grandees in it as may be gather'd from that request of the Mother of the two Sons of Zeledee for whom she was so importunate with our Saviour Marth 20.21 that one of them might sit on his right hand and the other on his left in his temporal Kingdom for so the Words must be understood Thus far had Satan's Stratagems prevail'd to prejudice Mankind against the Messiah of the World Before his coming 2 When he was come from the Cradle to the Cross his whole Life was an entire Series of Sorrows and Persecutions How did the Devil inflame the Scribes and Pharisees with a fiery and impetuous zeal and eagerness not only to defend and maintain all the Laws and Constitutions Rites and Ceremonies which they receiv'd from Moses with their own erroneous Comments and heterodox Opinions concerning 'em But to oppose and stifle with all imaginable Vigour and Policy our excellent Religion as it were in the very Embryo ere it had got any considerable footing in the World And tho' this was beyond the reach of their Power and Malice God having decree'd to establish it by his own Omnipotent Arm yet he persecuted its excellent and innocent Author to Death by the severest Methods of Cruelty and Injustice And tho' the Devil receiv'd then a deadly blow yet he has not been wanting to his power ever since to persecute and ensnare his Members and he is restless still in his endeavours to prevail with
perplexing Impediments in our way thither For the Captain of our Salvation was not advanc'd to the Crown of Glory at his Father's right hand By the example of himself till he had compleated all his Agonies and receiv'd his Consummatum est upon the Cross By which Means he has made our Ingress into that state of eternal Happiness more feasiable and certain Wherefore it should be matter of the greatest Joy to us when we bear his Cross and suffer Persecution for Righteousness sake especially if we consider that this light Affliction which is but for a Moment Cor. 4.17 shall work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory and this wet Seed-time of Sorrow shall be recompenc'd with a Harvest of Joy If we now go on our Way weeping and bear it patiently we shall return with Joy Psal 126.5.6 and bring our Sheaves with us Besides if our innocent Redeemer indured so many Troubles and Tortures not for himself but us how should we willingly and chearfully submit to the Wisdom of divine Providence when we suffer most justly for our manifold Transgressions Was he Meek and Patient under those many Injuries and Affronts which he every where met with in his Life and at his Death 'T was doubtless for this very end and purpose that we should be so 〈◊〉 Did the intolerable Burden of the Cross â—â—â—ce him to Sweat both Water and Blood Joh. 19.34 He has taught us hereby to take up ours which are less burdensom and afflictive and follow him that by Suffering with him we may be also glorified together Rom. 8.17 18. But to convince us throughly of the Practicableness of this Doctrine And the Example of his Followers and to encourage us to be earnest and affectionate zealous and uniform in our active and passive Conformity to the Laws and Example of Christ We have a Cloud of Witnesses as Prophets Apostles Martyrs Confessors and holy Men in all Ages of the Gospel who by their virruous Lives and innocent and patient Sufferings have tract the Way before us Rom. 2.7 Who are now all entred into Bliss and shall eternally inherit the comfortable and saving Fruits of their Christian Patience and Perseverance in Well-doing All which divine and excellent Examples may influence our Spirits with the most powerful Encouragments and Incentives to Goodness For we are most certain that we may be eternally happy upon the same Terms that they are if we Fight this good Fight 2 Tim. 4.7 8. finish our Course and keep the Faith henceforth without all peradventure is laid up for us a Crown of Righteousness We may be certainly happy upon the same Terms c. Let us ride on prosperously then because of this Word of Truth and Righteousness For there 's nothing in our Religion but what 's possible to be perform'd and the greatest Difficulties which attend it may be conquer'd and overcome by Diligence and Endeavour Now it would be of singular Use and Advantage to have the heroic Vertues and pious Examples of those holy Men often in our Thoughts which are gone to Heaven before us For these have commonly a greater and more lasting Influence than their Precepts and Counsels we are not so easily convinc't by Mens Words and Reasonings as their Lives and Actions But when their Conversations are answerable to their Callings 't is beyond dispute they are earnest and the most conclusive Argument to perswade others that their Doctrine is true To conclude this Point Christ has taught us all things which are necessary to be known and practic'd 2 Cor. 4.3 There 's nothing can be more evident then this That Christ our great Prophet has taught us all the Truths which are necessary to be known and practiced with that undeniable Evidence and Satisfaction that if this Doctrine be hid 't is hid to those that are lost Again he has enforc't the Belief and Practice of this excellent Religion so clearly reveal'd to the Sons of Men by his own Example and Authority in all the Instances of his active and passive Obedience and in compliance with all the Laws and Constitutions of the Gospel Whereunto might be added the Experiences and Success of all his faithful Servants in all Ages By all which without any further Enlargement we may in a great measure understand what it is that God has been pleas'd to reveal to us by the Spirit of his Son that we may live comfortably die happily and reign with him eternally Which brings me to the 2d Branch of our Saviour's Prophetical Office Which imports the reciprocal Returns of Love and Duty which he Expects and requires from Vs Our blessed Saviour herein complying with the Frailties of our Nature has reduc'd all the Fundamental Principles The Returns of Duty which Christ expects and requires from us and Duties of Christianity to these two Common Heads of Repentance and Faith Both which are not only the necessary Conditions of our present and future happiness but do eminently comprehend all those Gospel-Graces and Virtues which must qualifie and dispose us for the regular discharge of all the Duties of our Religion in the Rewards consequent to ' em And for the prevention of future Mistakes these may be consider'd either generally or particularly And 1st In general As Repentance By Repentance in general we must understand the Conversion of the whole Man from Darkness unto Light Acts 26.18 and from the Power of Satan unto God Or 't is a passing from Death unto Life 11.18 Rev. 20.6 that we may have part in the first Resurrection over whom the second Death shall have no power But more particularly This Duty of Repentance consists in the Conversion of a Sinner unto God That is when the Penitent is truly humbled by a hearty sense of and a well grounded sorrow for all his Sins he applies himself wholly to the Mercies of God and the Merits of Christ by the exercise of a true and lively Faith for their Pardon and Forgiveness And hereupon he resolves by the assistance of God's Grace to use his utmost Endeavours against all Sin and Temptation for the future and to obey all the Commandments of God in every Action and Circumstance of his Life This Duty of Repentance must be often repeated This Duty must be often repeated not only before but after our Conversion and 't is a necessary Principle and Ingredient in the whole Series of a Christian Conversation since there 's something of Obliquity and Defect in every Work and Duty which we do 2dly Faith which comprehends all other Duties The other Head of Evangelical Doctrine is Faith a most comprehensive Term and often us'd in Scripture for the whole of Christianity But the holy Apostle describes it to be a vital and active Principle of Grace which worketh by love Gal. 5.6 And in this sense all the Duties of Christianity are by our blessed Saviour
any other Means whatsoever then the Merits of Christ's Death By which 't is fully made out that God's Justice is wholly satisfied and our Offences punish'd in the Humane Nature of Christ Which is the Point now under Consideration If we make a particular Enquiry into our blessed Saviour's Sufferings and Sorrows in his Life and at his Death we shall be more fully satisfied touching the reality of his Merits and of the Certainty as well as the Manner of our Atonement by that dear and unvaluable Price which he paid for it For he endured all the imaginable Tortures which humane Nature could be subject to not for his own Sins for there was no guile sound in him but ours and did bear in his own Person the Iniquities of us all He was smitten for our Offences and wounded for our Transgressions the Chastisement of our Peace was upon him Isa 53. and by his Stripes we are healed For having assum'd the same Nature that had sinn'd he must suffer for the Guilt which we had contracted and bear the heavy Wrath of God which pursued our Sins after the same manner that our selves should have done Nor can we be ignorant of that which he endur'd for us by the Twinges and Agonies we sometimes feel in our own Consciences when God is pleas'd to awake ' em But to come nearer the Point Our Saviour's whole Life was a black Scene of Sorrows and Miseries and Persecutions did await him in every Place where he came The Nature of my Subject does oblige me here A Narrative of our Saviour's Sufferings in his Life and at his Death to present my Reader with a particular Narrative of the pungent Miseries which our compassionate High-priest underwent for our sakes in his Life and at his Death Insomuch that 't is a received Maxim that Christ and his Cross were never parted For His first Entertainment in the World was in a Stable amongst the Cattel and on a Cratch which were very mean and slender Accommodations for the Son of God and Saviour of the World On the eighth day after his Birth he endured the Pain and Peril of Circumcision and immediatly after his Parents were forc'd to take a long and tedious Journey in the midst of Winter to preserve their Son's Life from the Assassinations of a cruel and butcherly Herod After his return from Egypt to Galilee he liv'd in a mean Obscurity to secure himself from the Rage of Archelaus Herod's Son and an inheritor of his Father's Pride and Passions as well as Patrimony But at his appearing more publickly in the World the Devil his inveterate Enemy carried him into the Wilderness where he endur'd a forty Days Fast Mat. ◠doubtless a most severe Pennance and was tempted all the Time to blaspheme God and become Satan's Proselite He had no sooner atchiev'd a Victory over this infernal Fiend but he set his Agents the Scribes and Pharisees on work to blast his Reputation and if that Project fail'd to take away his Life In a Word Distress and Poverty Hunger and Thirst Weakness and Weariness Reproache and Slanders Miseries and Persecutions did await him in every Place where he came But more particularly Judas one of his own Disciples and Family betray'd him and deliver'd him into the hands of those wicked Conspirators who as if he had been some notorious Malefactor bound him and carried him away Ps 38.11 Then were these Prophesies fulfilled concerning him I will smite the Shepherd and the Sheep shall be scatter'd abroad Zech 13.7 for at that dismal and dreadful Sight his very Disciples notwithstanding their manifold Obligations to the contrary were so amazed that they forsook him and fled from him and in that juncture too when he had most Occasion to make use of them But alas these were but the Beginnings of Sorrows For being thus apprehended bound and forsaken his Enemies deliver'd him up to Caiaphas the Ecclesiastical Judge before and by whom he was strictly examin'd concerning his Doctrine and Disciples and tho he answer'd discreetly and modestly yet the High-priest's Servant with Disdain and Insolence struck him violently on the Cheek nor did he return the least Reproof to that hard Usage and Incivility By this Time his Enemies were assembled and make up a full Court and the suborn'd and perjur'd Witnesses were ready to act their Parts on this bloody Theater Die he must that was resolv'd on ere he came to his Trial. the Depositions being taken the High-priest charg'd him with Blasphemy and told the Court that the Matter of Fact was so evidently prov'd against him that they needed no more Witnesses for by the Law he deserved Death the whole Assembly nemine contradicente concurring with this merciless and unjust Judge did pronounce him guilty of the Crimes laid to his Charge Whereupon they committed him to the Serjeants and base Soldiers there to be kept in arctâ custodiâ as a condemn'd Malefactor These Villains to pass away the Night did contemptuously and inhumanely spit in his Face ridicul'd and mock'd him and said scornfully and as themselves thought in Disgrace to him Prophesie who it is that smote thee Then they struck him with the Palms of their Hands buffetted and bruis'd his Face which was so besmear'd with Bloud and Spittle Isai 53. that there was neither Form nor Beauty nor Comeliness in him But all these harsh Words and harder Blows came far short of those Tortures which are yet behind For the Jews having no Power to condemn and execute him judicially the Roman Governor alone being at that time invested with the Power of Life and Death when they had troubled and tortur'd him as long as they pleas'd then they sent him bound to Pontius Pilate the Roman Deputy and Governor of Judea before whom he was indited upon new Articles Wherein they charg'd him 1 With Impiety as teaching false Doctrine against the Law Traditions and Liberties of the Jewish Nation and that he was a Prophaner of the Sabbath Which being all notorious Untruths and such Allegations too as were not under his Cognizance therefore Pilate took little Notice of them But to enforce their Malice and exasperate the Judge against this innocent Person 2 They charg'd him with Treason against Cesar's Person and Sedition against the civil Government Because said they he refus'd to pay Tribute and declar'd himself to be the King of the Jews This indeed Pilate was very much startled at being tender of the Honour and Interest of Cesar and chiefly because 't was the Stay and Security of his own But to incense and inrage him still more against the Prisoner they further complain'd that this Sedition was begun in Galilee a Place most notoriously infamous for Faction and Rebellion where Judas Galilaeus Theudas and several others had frequently disturb'd the Peace of the civil Government Upon which Suggestion Pilate being conscious of our Saviour's Innocence and unwilling to have any hand in his Bloud sent
then that he swear great Lumps of Bloud Luk. 22.44 and well might he cry out in the great Bitterness of his Soul God having also withdrawn the Beams of his gracious Presence for a time Eli Eli c. Upon which Jeremiah prophetically complain'd that there was never any Sorrow either of Men or Martyrs like unto his Sorrow But because 't is impossible to recount the Number and express the Quality of those Torments which he suffer'd both in Body and Soul We will conclude this Point with that rapturous Petition inserted into the Litany of the Greek Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By thine unknown Sorrows and Tortures felt by thee but imperceptible to us have mercy upon us and save us O Lord our God Hitherto of the real Sacrifice which our faithful and most merciful High-priest offer'd up for our Sins and of the Means and Methods which he us'd both by his active and passive Obedience to perfect the great Work and Business of our Redemption We shall consider in the next Place the Benefits resulting from this great Propitiation and then deduce some Inferences from it by way of Application And 1 Christ our High-priest Benefits of this Propitiation by the infinite Merits of his Obedience and sufferings has purchas'd the Remission of our Sins the Sanctification of our Nature the Justification of our Persons and upon the tolerable and easie Conditions of Faith and Repentance we shall be restor'd to that Holiness and Freedom which we lost by the Fall and Defection of our first Parents But then we must be careful to perform the Conditions on our Part ere we can expect the Benefits of Christ's Mediatorship And if we seriously consider the sad Effects and mischievous Consequences of our original Apostacy we shall be more truly apprehensive of the Benefit and Necessity of a Redeemer and use all possible Endeavours to be Sharers in that Pardon and Peace which he has purchas'd for us as we 've seen at so dear a Price 2 By the infinite Merits of his Obedience and Sufferings he has raz'd out the Hand-writing and deliver'd us from the Curse and Condemnation of the Law We cannot be insensible of our manifold Transgressions both original and actual and that we have been guilty of the Breach of God's holy just and reasonable Commands in many thousand Instances both by Thought Word and Deed For all which 't is impossible that we should make our Atonement either by satisfying of Gods Justice for the Offences of our Lives past or by our perfect and unsinning Obedience to his Laws for the future And therefore 't would be but just with God to inflict the severest Punishments upon us and judge us according to those Laws which we have so wickedly and wilfully violated But our gracious God was pleas'd in great Mercy and Compassion to undone Sinners to send his own Son as we 've seen in the fulness of time Gal. 4. ◠to satisfie the Law for us and has thereby purchas'd Indemnity and Impunity for the Transgressors of it And we are hereby deliver'd not only from the burdensome Yoke of all the Mosaic Performances by nailing 'em to his Cross but he has so mitigated the Penalties and limited the Obligations of the moral Law that tho' we fail in our Duties and Obedience to it yet if we do not wilfully continue in a State of Impenitency but be truly sensible of and heartily sorrowful for the Offences of our Lives past if we exercise a true Faith in Christ our Redeemer and be watchful over our selves in the more pious and prudent Conduct of our Lives for the future Then I say upon our sincere Endeavours and hearty Compliance with these Conditions he will make up all our Defects and by his imputative Righteousness satisfie the Law for us For there 's now no Condemnation to those which are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.1 who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit 3 By the efficacious Merits of Christ's Obedience and Sufferings we are deliver'd from the Sting and Terrours of Death Now Death is the Stipend and Wages of Sin which is due to every Man since the Fall of the first Adam and he that labours the whole day diligently and painfully in his Calling has not a more just Title to his Wages then the wilful and impenitent Sinner hath to temporal and eternal Death But the second Adam has conquer'd the Grave pull'd out the Sting of Death and given us a certain Title to a blissful Immortality So that tho' the Dissolution of our Bodies may be above all terrible Things most dreadful to Flesh and Bloud yet thro' the Merits of Christ's Death 't will be sanctified and made easie to us And the worst Office that Death can do to a sincere Believer is only to send his Body to the Grave a Place of Ease and Silence and his Soul to eternal Bliss Besides all its Harbingers and Concomitants as Afflictions Infirmities Diseases c. will not only prove tolerable and easie for a good man to bear but will turn to Advantage and become Matter of our greatest Triumph and Exaltation 4 Christ our High-priest has conquer'd the Devil and all his infernal Powers by the wonderful Efficacy of his Obedience and Sufferings This politic potent and malicious Enemy was such from the beginning and all the Sons and Daughters of Adam must expect the same Measures from him to the end of the World He knows that Christ the Seed of the Woman shall pronounce and execute that dreadful Sentence against him and therefore so many of his Friends and Relatives as come within his Clutches shall smart for it But the Son of God and High-priest of our Profession tho' he has not absolutely destroy'd yet very much limited his Power and Authority Those idolatrous Religions which he so much gloried in heretofore are since his Coming crept into some private Corners of the World His Oracles are silenc't and he seldom possesses the Bodies of Men or appears in their Shapes as formerly But seeing he is not yet bound up in those Chains of Darkness which shall eternally confine him he will lose no Opportunity in setting all his Engins and Instruments on Work to entrap and ensnare poor Sinners that he may make us if possible as unhappy and miserable as himself But this is our Comfort and Happiness that tho' the Devil may now and then tempt us to Sin yet our blessed Lord's so exceeding tender of our Welfare that he will cither countermine his Stratagems if we be good Christians or furnish us with a Sufficiency of Grace and Power to resist and repel them We have indeed some Instances in Sacred History of those who 've been yielded a Prey to him for a time yet for that very End and Purpose that their Victories over him might become more illustrious And their Examples are left us on Record as in the Case of holy Job c. that they might be