Selected quad for the lemma: sin_n
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A41542
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A sermon on occasion of the death of the reverend and learned Mr. Stephen Lobb, who dyed June 3, 1699 by Thomas Goodwin.
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Goodwin, Thomas, 1650?-1716?
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1700
(1700)
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Wing G1270A; ESTC R32448
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23,607
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49
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of the Law and to save from the power of Sin and Death and cruel Dominion of the Devil Forasmuch as these Children were partakers of Flesh and Blood c. If any ask what is meant by Flesh and Blood his own experience may sufficiently resolve him We all feel the Miseries Sorrows and Pains of our corrupt and frail Constitution and after having been weakened by various Diseases which incessantly batter our decaying Frame we must lie down and die By Flesh and Blood in Scripture not mere Humane Nature is always signify'd but 't is often meant as it is deprav'd by Sin corrupted and polluted Rom. 8. 4 5. Gal. 5. 19 24. 1 Cor. 15 50. But in other places of Scripture Flesh and Blood import the Natural Constitution of Man's being without the inherent Malignity of Sin Matth. 26. 41. but yet infirm and frail and subject to Pains and Sorrows Now the Children of Men are partakers of Flesh and Blood not only weak and frail but sinful and defil'd They all communicate of it for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies and this corrupted Mass of Humane Nature tainted first in Adam is diffus'd through all his Posterity and is the common portion in which they participate and Miseries and Sorrows are their wretched Inheritance Now our Lord Jesus assum'd Humane Nature into Union with himself not with those Corruptions and Lusts which Infect it in us No! He was Holy in the first Constitution of his Being Luc. 1. 35. in his Conception and Birth And all the time of his abode here below he was Holy Harmless and separate from Sinners Heb. 7. 26. And the manner of the Expression in the Text implyeth as much For when the Apostle speaks of Christ's assuming this our Nature he alters the Phrase he doth not say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he communicated it with us or possessed it in common as we have it in our Persons with all the Contagion of Sin adhering to it But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he took part of the same the sound part in all the Essentials of Humane Being without the other that was tainted and polluted Now that the Eternal Son should be as truly Man as he was God was necessary that he might be a fit and proper Mediator that the Threatning of the Law might be made good for as it was denounc'd that Man sinning should die this Punishment was inflicted on a Person who was really Man bearing our Sins as imputed to him It was necessary also that our Redeemer should assume Humane Nature that there might be a Change or Commutation of Persons between him and us not Natural as if we were transform'd into his Being or he into ours but Legal so that he truly appear'd in our stead to answer what the violated Law charg'd upon us and to satisfie offended Justice He really represented us in what he suffer'd and acted for our Redemption insomuch as the Sufferings which he endur'd and the Righteousness which he perform'd are plac'd to our Account by God his Father who admitted that he should put his own Person in the room of our Guilty ones taking our Sins upon him and suffering the Punishments due to them and accepted for us what Christ did and suffered in our stead to all the real Intents and Purposes of our Justification as if we had suffer'd and done it our selves And since the manner of making satisfaction for Sin was to be by undergoing the Penalty which it deserv'd and God had threaten'd and this was Death Gen. 2. 17. not only Separation of Soul and Body but the Wrath of God which gives deep and piercing Wounds to a Spirit it was therefore needful that the Person who offer'd up himself as an Expiatory Sacrifice for us should be Man that he might be capable of Dying For God cannot dye nor be susceptive of the Inflictions of his own Wrath and Justice Nor could an Angel dye as Death imports separation of Soul and Body which those Spirits have not and therefore this among others may be given as a reason why the Apostle says Heb. 2. 16. That he took not on him the Nature of Angels but the Seed of Abraham For by Death which cannot make any impression on an Angelick Nature but may on the Humane Christ intended to destroy him that had the power of Death that is the Devil These Words which are the latter part of my Text express the means by which our Triumphant Lord Jesus gain'd the Victory over Satan He might have employ'd his Invincible Power as God to conquer this Enemy of Mankind who had usurp'd a Dominion in the World The same Jesus who made Legions of Devils tremble at his Voice when he forc'd them by a powerful Command to go out of the Man possess'd could by the Power and Glory of his Divinity have entirely not only vanquish'd but destroy'd him without Dying himself But since God was angry with Man and provok'd by his Sin had justly permitted Satan to have Dominion over him and since it was by Man's Sin that the Devil had obtain'd the power of Death therefore his Empire could not be subverted but by taking away Sin the strength of it And Sin could not be remov'd but by an Expiation of its Guilt and abolishing the Curse of the Law and appeasing God's Wrath and satisfying his Justice And all this could not be effected without a Sacrifice sufficient to make an Atonement And no other Sacrifice was there or indeed could be but our Dying Redeemer So necessary was it for him to die That by Death he might destroy him who had the Power of Death that is the Devil This latter part of the Verse which I fix on as the Subject of my Discourse affords a Doctrine suitable to the occasion of it OBSERVATION That tho' a Believer is not excus'd from Dying yet Satan being conquer'd by Christ hath not the power of Death over him He cannot make it a Curse to him for Christ hath taken away Sin which rendred it such He cannot distract him with amazing Fears nor throw his Conscience into the Convulsions of Despair from Apprehensions of Guilt for Christ by his Blood hath purg'd his Conscience from Dead Works that he may draw near unto God in full dssurance of Faith Heb. 10. 22. He cannot affect his Soul with the malignant Influences of a Spiritual Death for tho' indeed it was once dead in Trespasses and Sins yet it is now quickned by Christ Jesus Eph. 2. 1. He cannot bring the believing Soul within the Confines of Eternal Death for there is no Condemnation to him being in Christ Jesus Rom. 8. 1. And he having overcome shall not be hurt of the second Death Rev. 2. 11. Not the least part of it can ever be his Portion none of its Anguish and Woe ever fall upon him nor shall any of the Flames of Divine Anger which burn to the lowest Hell ever pierce his Soul for his Blessed Jesus hath delivered him
and weary it out by continually accusing it and distract it at the last moment of Life It must be acknowledg'd indeed that the Devil is often permitted to disturb many Holy Persons with his Accusations But what then Christ who hath ruin'd his Power in this respect steps in to the Soul's Rescue and driving Satan off prevents the attempted Mischief and restores Peace to the Afflicted Conscience 4. It is evident that this our mighty Saviour hath deliver'd us from the Power of Satan because he hath recover'd our Souls out of that Spiritual Death into which Sin and the Devil had thrown them This was the Strength of the Devil's Empire in us for he could never have rul'd us had we not been dead in Sin nor have led us Captive had we not been thus weaken'd 'T is this Spriritual Death that makes Men an easie Conquest to him and secures the Peace of his Dominion in their Hearts Christ therefore by quickening the Soul which is dead in Trespasses and Sins Eph. 2. 1. frees it from the Power of Satan and Death He thereby gives us a new Life from the dead and we are not within the Dominions of the Devil any longer for the Spirit of a Believer is Life Rom. 8. 10. and he is therefore no Subject of Death's Kingdom And to strengthen our Assurance that if we are Believers we are quickned with Christ Col. 2. 13. and so are no more any part of Satan's Empire than he himself is Let us consider that our Lord Jesus hath Life in himself for this purpose that as he Lives we may live also God hath therefore given to the Son to have Life in himself as he hath Life in himself Joh. 5. 26. This assigns the cause of what is said V. 25. Why the Dead should hear the Voice of the Son of God and they which hear shall Live It is the Soul's Vivification by the Voice of Christ in the Gospel that is meant For the Hour that Christ speaks of as now coming and instantly present must import the time of the Preaching of the Gospel which was very near whereas the Day of the Resurrection was Seventeen Hundred Years distant in Futurity The cause why the Voice of Christ makes dead Souls live is assign'd v. 26. The Son hath Life in himself and therefore Quickens whom he will v. 21. Thus that Spiritual Death in our Souls by which Satan once kept us under his Subjection is remov'd and so his Power and Dominion over us is destroy'd 5. It is plain it is openly visible that Christ hath destroy'd Satan who hath the Power of Death inasmuch as he hath broken his dark Kingdom subverted his Throne depos'd him from that Authority so arrogantly assum'd by him and thrown him out of that Empire which he had usurp'd in the World This Christ hath done not by Arms but by Dying As Sampson his Type kill'd more at his Death than he had through his whole Life and tho he dyed yet fell a Conqueror So our Great Saviour destroy'd all his and our Enemies by dying and in the sight of all the Angels triumph'd over them when he Ascended after his Victory and will at last openly triumph before the Eyes of all the World when he shall sit on his Throne having all his Enemies put under his Feet Hoh 1. 13. Heb. 10. 13. 6. The Believer knows by his own Experience which is more convincing than all Arguments which can be urg'd that Christ hath deliver'd him from the Power of Satan and Death because he feels himself freed from the fear and bondage of it He knows that Christ hath made his Peace with God and brought him into a Justified State insomuch as nothing can be laid to his charge and therefore is not afraid to go to a Reconciled God who hath fully Pardon'd and perfectly Justified him He sees his Soul sprinkled with the Blood of Jesus as that of the Paschal Lamb was on the Posts of the Israelites Houses Exod. 12. 13. and knows himself secure from any destroying Angel the Instrument of God's Vengeance In what a Horror were they on that dismal Night when Death march'd in pompous Destruction through all the Cities of Egypt But how were they re-assur'd and comforted when they saw the badge of their Safety on the Posts of their Doors In what a Consternation is a poor Soul when he regards Death not only as his Dissolution but as having the Wrath of God his offended Justice and all the Horrors of Hell joyn'd with it to render it terrible But when he sees his Conscience sprinkled with the Blood of Jesus and purged from Dead Works that he may draw nigh to God in full Assurance of Faith he dreads Death no longer when he sees Christ the Captain of his Salvation to be with him to hearten comfort and support him in charging through this difficult Pass he is not apprehensive of any danger but encouraged by his Presence tho he go through the Valley of the Shadow of Death yet he fears no Evil Psal 23. 4. And is so far from thinking it to be any Unhappiness to die as he desires to depart and to be with Christ Phil. 1. 23. 7. Every Instance which we have of a Believer's dying proves the Assertion of my Text and Doctrine for even by this Death our Lord Jesus finisheth the Ruine of Satan and of the Power of Death The Believer's Victory is now compleated who is more than Conqueror through the Power and Strength of Christ he had before fought many a Battle with Satan and put him to flight He had often resisted Sin successfully and given it a Repulse And now he conflicts with his last Enemy and overcomes and his Death is a Triumphant Chariot to carry him to Heaven where he rejoyceth in a safe Retreat from all Sin and Misery It is there he is out of the reach of all Evils It is there that being freed from the Body of Sin and Death under which he groan'd Rom. 7. 24. he feels Diseases and Pains and Pangs of Dying no more It is there he is plac'd out of the reach of Satan's Temptations and violent Assaults for tho that Active and Malicious Spirit pursued him with the fiercest Rage while in this World yet he cannot follow him to Heaven nor will any of his Batteries carry so far Thus the Day of Death is the Day of a Believer's finish'd Victory in which he may truly say he is more than a Conqueror Rom. 8. 37. And then the Blessed Soul is remov'd from a wretched Abode to an happier Mansion and by Death comes to be more closely united unto God the Spring of all Life and to the compleat Enjoyment of that which is Eternal which is God's Gift to him who first begun it in him by his renewing Spirit and brought him to the entire possession of it at last 8. The last and most signal Evidence of Christ's destroying the Power of Satan and Death will be when he