A discourse concerning the Redeemer's dominion over the invisible world, and the entrance thereinto

When therefore he was to do for us the part of a Redeemer, he was to Redeem us from the Curse of the Law, not from the Command of it; to save us from the Wrath of God,¹ not from his Government. Had it been otherwise, ⟨p. 59⟩so firm and indissoluble is the connection between our Duty and […] felicity, that the Sovereign Ruler had been eternally injured, and We not advantaged. Were we to have been set free from the preceptive obligation of God's Holy Law, than most of all from that most fundamental precept, Thou shalt Love the Lord thy God with all thine Heart, Soul, Might and Mind. Had this been Redemption? Which supposes only what is Evil and Hurtful, as that we are to be Redeemed from. This were a Strange sort of Self-repugnant Redemption, not from Sin and Misery, but from our Duty and Felicity. This were so to be Redeemed as to be still Lost, and every way lost, both to God, and to our selves for ever. Redeemed from loving God! What a ⟨p. 60⟩monstrous Thought! Redeemed from what is the great Active and Fruitive Principle. The source of Obedience and Blessedness. The Eternal Spring, even in the Heavenly State, of Adoration and Fruition. This had been to legitimate everlasting Enmity and Rebellion against the Blessed God, and to Redeem us into an eternal Hell of horror and misery to our selves! This had been to cut off from the Supreme Ruler of the World for ever; so considerable a limb of his most rightful Dominion, and to leave us as miserable, as everlasting separation from the fountain of life and blessedness could make us.

When therefore he was to do for us the part of a Redeemer, he was to Redeem us from the Curse of the Law, not from the Command of it; to save us from the Wrath of God,¹ not from his Government. Had it been otherwise, ⟨p. 59⟩so firm and indissoluble is the connection between our Duty and 〈…〉 f•licity, that the Sovereign Ruler had been eternally injured, and We not advantaged. Were we to have been set free from the preceptive obligation of God's Holy Law, than most of all from that most fundamental precept, Thou shalt Love the Lord thy God with all thine Heart, Soul, Might and Mind. Had this been Redemption? Which supposes only what is Evil and Hurtful, as that we are to be Redeemed from. This were a Strange sort of Self-repugnant Redemption, not from Sin and Misery, but from our Duty and Felicity. This were so to be Redeemed as to be still Lost, and every way lost, both to God, and to our selves for ever. Redeemed from loving God! What a