BookiV. WICKED MEN coMPARED TO CAPTIVES. 765 C A P T I V E. D I S P A R I T Y. Hardnefs of their Hearts, they refl: at quiet in the Devil's Prifon, where they are rhut up as Captives. And that which declares their greatelt Thraldom and Mifery is, thev refule all the Tenders of Grace m order to thw Redempnon, nay, let l1ght by Jefus Chrifl:, who came to proclaim Liberty, &c. . · VI. Captives to Men only, may VI. But w1cked Men, though the faddefl: Cupbe redeemed, and fer at Liberty, tives imaginable, in refpeEt of Mifery and Thral– and yet fo captivated by them dom, yet if fer free by Jefus Chrifl:, they fl1all be again, as that they may die in no more the Slaves of Satan: For thofe whom the Slavery. Son makes free, arc free indeed, John viii. j6. free from the Dominion and Power of Sin and Satan here, and free from the Wages of Sin, which is eternal Death, hereafter. I N F E R E N C E ~ !3J1ejl. soME may fay, If this be the State of unconverted JVlen and /Vomen> they are miferable Objefls indeed. But is there 1lO Reliefnor Help for theft poor Cap.ives? Jvfujfthey peri}h inevitably, and be damned for ever? Anfw. God forbid I There is good News for thefe Slaves and Captives of Sin and the Devil, a Gofpel to be preached to them; God is full of Bowels; were there no D eliverance to relieve, it would be fad beyond what any are able to conceive. But tfl prove th•t there is Salvation and Relief for the vile(\ Sinners, confider thefe three Things following ! '· The Lord Jefus hath purchafed Deliverance for them, he hath laid down a fa– tisfaEtory Price or Ranfom for thofe Captives, who through Faith in him fhall obtain Deliverance. 2 . Chnfl: is ordained and anointed to preach glad Tidings to them. '!'he Spirit of the Lord is upon me; becaufe he bath anointed me to preach the Gofpel to the Poor : Ne bath fent me to heal the Broken-hearted, to preach Deliverance to the Captives, and recovering Sight to the Blind, and to Jet at Liberty them that were bound, Luke iv. 18. !fa. lxl. r. 3· Many who h•ve been in the like State of Captivity and Bondage have been fet at Liberty: Thoufands that have been Slaves of Sin and Satan, through the infini-!e M ercy of God are now in a perfeEt State of Freedom. Such were fome of you, faith the Apofl:l ·, buc ye are wafhed, but ye are fanE/ified, but ye a.-e jujlified in the Name <if the Lord ]efus, and by the Spirit of our God, r Car. vi. r r. Sirs, what bldfed News is this for poor Sinners! Suppofe a Man who is a Slave or Captive, and fuffereth juflly for his Sin, was flript naked, and put into a Dungeon, bound with cruel and heavy Chains, wounded in a mofl: fearful Manner frem Hea(l to Foot, and only fed with AChes and Gravel Stones, and in this Con<lition were con. demned to abide for many Years, and then to be put to the greatefl: ToPt:ure that Mor– tals can devife, where he fhould fuffer a long Time together, always dying, and yet cannot die; and that on a fudden one rhould come to him with the joyful News of a full and perfeEt Deliverance; would not this be the welcomefl: News that ever he heard? Sinners, may not the Tidings you hear, caufe your Heans to leap in you for joy! Though you have undone yourlelves by your wtcked \'forks, yet God hath deviled a Way to deliver and fave you for ever. !3Jcejl. How, by what means, and by who1p, may fome poor ignorant Soul fay, is Deltverance brought about? Anfw. Deliverance om of this Bondage-fl:ate is by Jefus Chrift, only by him; neither is there Salvation by any other, AE/s IV. 12. If the Son therefore make )'oufree,J'efha/1 be free indeed, ]ohn viii. 36. But further to anl\ver the Q.,tefl:ion, 1fay, ~he Liberty is, (r.) By a great Ranfom. (2.) By a Conquefl:. 1. There was no other Wav found out to bring Sinners ou~;.of this their mifentble Condition, but a great Sum mufl: be laid down: Te are bought with a Price, 1 Cor. vi. 20. But know this, We are not redeemed with corruptible 'l'hings, as Silver and Gold, &c. 1 Pet. i. 18. All the Gold and Silver in the World, and at! the Riches thereof, were there ten thoufand Worlds more, could not redeem one Soul out of this State of Bondage and Slavery to Sin and Satan. '!'he Redemption of tbe Soul is precious, and ceafeth for ever, Pfal. xlix. 8. Nay, if a Man fhould offer up his Son 9 I or
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