ve
purchased life, now rise and embrace it of yourselves, truly it had been
an unsuccessful business. Christ had lost all that was given him, if the
moment and weight of our salvation had been hung upon our acceptation.
Therefore, it is well provided for this also, that there should be a power
to overcome this power, a spirit of life in Christ to quicken dead
sinners, and raise them up, and draw them to him. And so, the second Adam
hath this prerogative beyond the first, that he is not only a living soul
in himself, but a quickening Spirit to all that are given him of the
Father, 1 Cor. xv. 45. So then, as Christ Jesus hath law and right on his
side, to free us from death, so he hath virtue and power in him to
accomplish our delivery from sin. As he hath fair law to loose the chains
of condemnation, and to repeal the sentence passed against us, without
prejudice to God's justice, he having fully satisfied the same in our
name, so he hath sufficient power given him to loose the fetters of sin
from off us. When he hath paid the price, and satisfied the Father, so
that justice can crave nothing, yet he hath one adversary to deal with.
Satan hath sinners bound with the cords of their own lusts, in a prison of
darkness and unbelief. Jesus Christ therefore comes out to conquer this
enemy, and to redeem his elect ones from that unjust usurpation of sin,--to
bring them out of the prison by the strong hand. And therefore, he is one
mighty and able to save to the uttermost; he hath might to do it, as well
as right to it.

Consider, then, my beloved, these two things, which are the breasts of our
consolation, and the foundation of our hope. We are once lost and utterly
undone, both in regard of God's justice, and our own utter inability to
help ourselves, which is strengthened by our unwillingness, and thus made
a more desperate business. Now, God hath provided a suitable remedy; he
hath "laid help on one that is mighty," indeed, who hath almighty power;
and by his power he first conflicted with the punishment of our sins, and
with his Father's wrath, and hath overcome, discharged, and satisfied
that, and so hath purchased a right unto us, to give salvation to whom he
will. He conquered, and by his power obtained this supreme authority of
life and death.

Now, having this authority established in his person, the next work is to
apply this purchase,--actually to confer this life. And therefore he hath
almighty power to raise up de