Men may be several ways freed from Captivity. 1 By Escape, as Peter by the help of the Angel, Acts 12. 11. 2 By Dismission and free release, as Absalom was dismissed from banishment by the free pardon of David, 2 Reg. 14. 21. 3 By Power, as Abraham rescued Lot out of the hands of those that had taken him captive, Gen. 14. 16. 4. By Commutation of one for another, as Prisoners in War use to be mutually exchanged. 5. By Ransom and payment of a price. And in this manner hath Christ delivered his Church, by giving his life a Ransom for many, §1Mat. 20. 28. 1 Tim. 2. 6. For though it be as to our selves a free condonation, we have remission of sins by the Riches of ⟨p. 29⟩his Grace, Rom. 3. 24. Ephes. 1. 7. And §2though it be as to Satan, and all the powers of darkness a victorious Rescue, whom Christ spoileth, Luke 11. 21. Yet as to §3God, the Judge, whose Justice our sin offended, from whose wrath we cannot be delivered, till that Justice be first satisfied, 1It was by the Solution of a price, or laying down of a proper Ransom;2 for the Lord spared not his own Son, 3but laid upon him the iniquity of us all, 4which he bare in his body on the tree, so that he was made a curse for us; made purposely under the Law, that he might pay, by his Obedience to the Law, that debt which we had contracted, but could never discharge. Unto his Father, did Christ pay this price for us. He had the primitive and original Property in us; from his service we revolting, unto the service of another Lord, were responsible to him as our Judge for so great a wrong;5 Debet omnis qui peccat honorem quem rapit Deo solvere, as Anselm speaks. His Prisoners and Debtors we were: to him alone we pray for the pardon of them. Satan and Death were but his Jailers, unto whose power and custody we were delivered. Though they were our Lords, and we their servants by a Covenant of sinning, yet they were Usurpers ⟨p. 30⟩in regard of God, by intruding upon his Right in us; for we being His, and not our own, had no more power to alienate our selves from his service, then one mans Apprentice hath to bind himself unto another Master. Here then having been a double wrong done unto God; one by the sinner, another by Satan; Christ satisfieth for the wrong of the sinner, by suffering his curse; and revengeth the wrong of Satan, by rescuing the sinner from him unto his natural service again:
Men may be several wayes freed from Captivity. 1 By Escape, as Peter by the help of the Angel, Acts 12. 11. 2 By Dismission and free release, as Absolom was dismissed from banishment by the free pardon of David, 2 Reg. 14. 21. 3 By Power, as Abraham rescued Lot out of the hands of those that had taken him captive, Gen. 14. 16. 4. By Commutation of one for another, as Prisoners in War use to be mutually exchanged. 5. By Ransome and payment of a price. And in this manner hath Christ delivered his Church, by giving his life a Ransome for many, §1Mat. 20. 28. 1 Tim. 2. 6. For though it be as to our selves a free condonation, we have remission of sinnes by the Riches of ⟨p. 29⟩his Grace, Rom. 3. 24. Ephes. 1. 7. And §2though it be as to Satan, and all the powers of darkness a victorious Rescue, whom Christ spoileth, Luke 11. 21. Yet as to §3God, the Judge, whose Justice our sinne offended, from whose wrath we cannot be delivered, till that Justice be first satisfied, 1It was by the Solution of a price, or laying down of a proper Ransome;2 for the Lord spared not his own Son, 3but laid upon him the iniquity of us all, 4which he bare in his body on the tree, so that he was made a curse for us; made purposely under the Law, that he might pay, by his Obedience to the Law, that debt which we had contracted, but could never discharge. Unto his Father, did Christ pay this price for us. He had the primitive and original Property in us; from his service we revolting, unto the service of another Lord, were responsible to him as our Judge for so great a wrong;
- 1Rmo. 8. 32.
- 2Isa. 53. 6.
- 31 Pet. 2. 24.
- 4Gal. 3. 13. 4. 4.
- 5Anselm. Cur Deus homo, lib. 1. cap. 11.
