Moreover, this Enmity of Death may help us to understand the reason of the sufferings and Death of Christ. That he gave his life a Ransom for us, and a Sacrifice for sin, and so to make satisfaction to the offended Majesty, is a truth that every Christian doth believe. But there was another reason of his death, that all of us do not duly consider of, and improve to the promoting of our Sanctification as we ought. Death is so great an Enemy, as you have heard, and so powerful to deter our hearts from God, and dull our desires to the heavenly felicity, that Christ was fain to go before us, to embolden the hearts of believers to follow him: He suffered Death (with the rest of his afflictions) to show us that it is a tolerable evil: Had he not gone before and overcome it, it would have detained us its Captives: Had he not merited and purchased us a blessed Resurrection, and opened heaven to all believers, and by Death overcome him that had the power of death (as ⟨p. 51⟩Gods executioner) that is, the Devil, we should all our life time have been still subjected unto bondage by the fears of Death, Heb. 2. 14. But when we see that Christ hath led the way, as the victorious Captain of our Salvation, and that he is made perfect by sufferings (in his advancement unto glory) and that for the sufferings of death (which by the grace of God he tasted for every man) he is crowned with glory and honour, Heb. 2. 9, 10. this puts a holy valour into the soul, and causeth us cheerfully to follow him. Had we gone first, and the task of conquering Death been ours, we had been overcome. But he that hath led us on, hath hewed down the enemy before him, and first prepared us the way, and then called us to follow him, and to pass the way that he hath first made safe, and also showed us by his example that it is now made passable. For it was one in our Nature, that calleth us his Brethren, that took not the nature of Angels, but of the seed of Abraham, that is one with us, as the Sanctifier and the sanctified are, and to whom as children we are given, Who hath passed through Death and the Grave before us, and therefore we may the boldlier follow him, Heb. 2. 11; 12, 13, 16. Being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross, and therefore ⟨p. 52⟩God hath highly exalted him, and given him a name above every name, Phil. 2. 8, 9.
MOreover, this Enmity of Death may help us to understand the reason of the sufferings and Death of Christ. That he gave his life a Ransome for us, and a Sacrifice for sin, and so to make satisfaction to the offended Majesty, is a truth that every Christian doth believe. But there was another reason of his death, that all of us do not duly consider of, and improve to the promoting of our Sanctification as we ought. Death is so great an Enemy, as you have heard, and so powerful to deter our hearts from God, and dull our desires to the heavenly felicity, that Christ was fain to go before us, to embolden the hearts of believers to follow him: He suffered Death (with the rest of his afflictions) to shew us that it is a tolerable evil: Had he not gone before and overcome it, it would have detained us its Captives: Had he not merited and purchased us a blessed Resurrection, and opened heaven to all believers, and by Death overcome him that had the power of death (as ⟨p. 51⟩Gods executioner) that is, the Devil, we should all our life time have been still subjected unto bondage by the fears of Death, Heb. 2. 14. But when we see that Christ hath led the way, as the victorious Captain of our Salvation, and that he is made perfect by sufferings (in his advancement unto glory) and that for the sufferings of death (which by the grace of God he tasted for every man) he is crowned with glory and honour, Heb. 2. 9, 10. this puts a holy valour into the soul, and causeth us chearfully to follow him. Had we gone first, and the task of conquering Death been ours, we had been overcome. But he that hath led us on, hath hew'd down the enemy before him, and first prepared us the way, and then called us to follow him, and to pass the way that he hath first made safe, and also shewed us by his example that it is now made passable. For it was one in our Nature, that calleth us his Brethren, that took not the nature of Angels, but of the seed of Abraham, that is one with us, as the Sanctifier and the sanctified are, and to whom as children we are given, Who hath passed through Death and the Grave before us, and therefre we may the boldlier follow him, Heb. 2. 11; 12, 13, 16. Being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross, and therefore ⟨p. 52⟩God hath highly exalted him, and given him a name above every name, Phil. 2. 8, 9
