766 wIcKED MEN COMPARED TO cApTIVEs. Book n·. or Daughter, the Fruit of his Body, for t.he Sin of his Soul, Mic. vi. 7· it would be ut· terly rejeCted. Nothing could redeem us but the Price of Blood, and that too the precious Blood of Jejits Chrijl, as a Lamb without Spot, I Pet. i. 19. See Surety. 2. Deliverance out of this Bondage is by Conqueft. Unlefs rhe Savior of Mankind conquer rhofe cruel Enemies of the Soul, not one Sinner can be fer at Liberty: For it is not the bare Ranfom or Price of Chrift's moft precious Blood, I mean the laying down of his Life, that could work a perfeCt Freedom for us; for though that made a full Compenfation to the J uftice of God, yet Sinners being under the Power of Sin, Satan, and Death, thefe Enemies take no Notice at all of that Price; tOr our Savior did not capitulate with them, neither will they give up their Priloner rill they are over– come, and, as l may fay, are forced to do it: For as Chri!l faith , Whm a jfrong Ma;z armed keepeth his Palace, his Goods are in Peace: But whe>t a jfronger than he }hall come, and overcome him, he takethfrom him all his /lrmor, &c. Luke xi . 2 t, 22. Satan rs this ftrong Man armed, and Jefus Chrift rhe Perfon that rs !hanger than he; and it is our Mercy God lent us fuch J ftrong and mighty Savior, one able to fubdue Sin, conquer Satan, overcome Death, that fo he might deliver us, who were taken C<tpuve by them at their Will. To this End was the Son of God maiiifefl, that he might dejfroy the Works of the Devil, I John iir. 8. He through Death, and riling again from the Dead, harh deftroyed Death, and him that had the i'ower of Death , that is, the De· vi!; and delzvered them who through Fear ofDeath were all tbeir Life timeji1bjefl to Bon. dage, Heb. ii. 14, IS· He bids us alfo, Be of good Cheer, for he bath ovenome the World, John xvi. 33· This Conqueft by the Lord J efus is two-fold : I. For us without us: When he afcended on high, he led Captivity captive. He rook him captive, that had taken Mank1nd captive. llaving fpoi!ed Pr·incipalit(es and Pow– ers, he made a Shew of them openb•, (the Work ts already done) triumphing over them in it, Eph. iv. 8. Col. ii. 15. 2. This Conqueft is wrought by Chrift alfo in the Soul; for palpable it is, rhat every unconverred Perfon is under the Power of thefe cruel Enemies, as hath been aJ. ready !hewn, and have they a fullicient Power of their own to encounter wirh t!1cm? Is linful, weak, and depraved M•n, a Match for Satan? Is he able ro fubdue and overcome him? Or can he by any inherent Power of his own de!troy the Power of Sin, and change his own Heart? Can the Ethiopian change his Skin, or the L eopard his Spots? !fa. xiii. 23. Is Man able to raife himfelf from rhe Power of the Grave? Any of thefe Things are too hard for Sinners to do; and therefore it follows, Chrift mufr conquer thefe Enemies in m, he muft break our Bonds, and burft our Chains in pieces, &c. Pray remember, Chri!t is a perfeCt and compleat Savior, he alone dotll the Work, he cloth it for us, and alfo in us; His o·wn drm brought Sah•ation, !fa. lxiii. 5· He bath no Partner nor Competitor. Secondly; As this may ferve to humble Mankind, fo alfo it may lift up their Hearts who are redeemed, in Praifes to the Almighty, Job vii. '7· 0 what is Man rhat God Jhould be mindful of him! What! regard fuch a deplorable Rebel, Slave, and Captive of Siu and the Devil! and the rather, conlidering the Nature of that glorious Freedom procured by Jefus Chrift, which is, L A Freedom from the Guilt of Sin. 2. A Freedom from the Filth of Sin. 3. A Freedom from the Power of Sin. Sin foal! not have Dominion over you, Rom. vi. '4· 4· A Freedom from the eternal Punifhmem of Sir.; a Freedom from Sin, from Satan, from the Law, from Death, and from Wrath; and by this Means, made the Sons and Daughters of God, making them nigh to him, enjoying Union and Communion both with the Father and the Son, having Peace, and good Affurance of eternal Lrfe. Thirdly; It may caufe the redeemed Ones of God to pity Sinners, pity their un– converted Relations; what a deplorable Condition are rhey in! How exceedingly are Perfons concerned for their Relations who are in Slavrry, though it extend but to the Body? And what Ways and Means do they with all Diligence make ufe of, to procure their Libe"y and Freedom! And by how ,much the Bondage of Sin and Satan exceeds all the Slavery that Man can poffibly be expofed unto; by fo much the more ought that Means to be improved, that may effcfrually accompliih dleir Re. demption. WICKED
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