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partner lies in the gloomy grave, and of consequence long for its resurrection to glory. The effects of sin are thus written in heaven and in earth; in the unbodied soul, and the mouldering dust of the saints. But from these the Saviour will save his people. Having delivered them from sin itself, he will not leave them under its disagreeable effects. Sure as his own soul was not left in hell, nor his body suffered to see corrup tion; he will not leave the souls of his people in their disembodied state, or suffer their flesh to be always a prey to the monster death. As he in his whole man is now in heaven, so shall they in his appointed time. The body was bought with a price, it is the Lord's, and therefore he will save it. But being first in the transgression, as I may say, (for by its senses sin enter. ed the soul,) it is just that it should be last in the salvation. So much for salvation from sin in its guilt, filth, being, and effects.

3dly. Such as believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, are saved from Satan. Being brought forth of the prison of a natural state, brought forth by the orders of the judge, the jailor has no more legal power over them. It is one great part of Christ's salvation, as to open the eyes of sinners, turning them from darkness unto light, so also to turn them from the power of Satan unto God, Acts xxvi. 18. While in a state of unbelief, they are Satan's home-born slaves. Having them as in his custody he tyrannizes over them at his pleasure, subjecting them to the basest drudgery. His galling chain is wreathed around their neck, and all the miseries of bondage they suffer. But in the day of power the Saviour enters the prison-house, binds the strong man, knocks off the sinner's chains, and bids him follow him. A glorious salvation indeed! From that day forward the elect sinner is no more under Satan's power as formerly. He is no more a captive, but a combatant, and at last shall be more than a conqueror. I say, a combatant, for though legally delivered from Satan, that tyrant's wrath was never greater than now. And hence, like another Pharoah, he musters up all his for

ces, and pursues the soul so lately escaped, intending to bring it under double bondage. But the Lord-de liverer is at hand, as the believer's rear-ward; and in the end, will write confusion on every attempt formed against him. What day he struck off the sinner's fetters, he put on him the whole armour of God. In so doing he told him that he was to fight, and promised he should overcome. When he gave him armour, he taught him to use it, and daily gives him strength to fight the good fight of faith, 1 Tim. vi. 12. And thus as he died for the sinner, to redeem him from justice, so he fights in him, and for him, to save him from the power of Satan. Priest he bled, but as a King he gives deliverance from the wicked one. In that case the sinner was bought with a price; in this, he is saved by power. There he bruised Satan under his own feet; and here he bruiseth him under the feet of his saints, Rom. xvi. 20.

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Sometimes indeed they may be sore harrassed and well-nigh overcome. While sin is in them, Satan will every now and then be upon them. Fall they may, but that Saviour, in whom they believe, will raise them up again. Into temptation they may come, but God is faithful, who will not suffer them to be tempted above what they are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that they may be able to bear it, 1 Cor. x. 14. The Saviour who was himself tempted, will not fail to succour them that are tempted, Heb. ii. 18. He is merciful and faithful to give grace to help in time of need, chap. iv. 16. His sheep shall never perish. Though simple, the enemy with all his wiles shall not deceive them into hell. Though weak, the restless and the roaring lion shall not devour them. Their Redeemer is strong; the Lord of hosts is his name.

4thly. Such as believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, are saved from this present evil world. This was one end he had in view when he gave himself for our sins, Gal. i. 4. and therefore such as trust in him shall be saved with this salvation. The world, though all engaged

against them, shall never destroy the meanest of their number. Greater is he that is in them, than he that is in the world, 1 John iv. 4. Let Satan and all his legions earthly or infernal attack them, they cannot be destroyed. He in whom they believe is Immanuel, God with us, and before him devils and men are as dry stubble before the whirlwind, or the devouring flame. He overcame the world, and therefore it shall not overcome them, John xvi. 33. A battle they may lose, but in the war they shall certainly be victorious. That Saviour who saves them from other enemies, will not leave them to perish by the world. All that it can do against them shall be rendered ineffectual in the issue. Its machinations may be reduced to two, viz. its flatteries and its frowns. By those it attempts to work on the believer's hopes, and by these, on his fears. In its one hand it holds the intoxicating cup of pleasure, in its other the bitter cup of pain. Such as will not receive the honey, it threatens with the worm-wood and the gall, and by these two, as by warlike engines, it destroys its thousands and its ten thousands. But from this destruction the believer is saved by the Lord Jesus Christ. All that the world can offer is too little to operate on his hopes. Its treasures and its kingdoms have not the bulk or the beauty in his eye, that the things unseen have, Heb. xi. 26. Its threatenings, in their most dreadful array, have not half the influence on him, that the word of the living God hath. And hence believers have unreluctant been cast into the lion's den and the fiery furnace. To all this they have been strengthened by the Saviour: and though weak in themselves, made more than a match for all their enemies. As Egypt with all their united cunning, cru elty, and strength, could not prevail against the Israelites, neither shall the world against such as are in Christ.

5thly. Such as believe in the Lord Jesus Christ shall be saved from death. Christ and his people have ma ny enemies, and death is none of the least of them. But it is devoted to destruction at last, and even now

it is disarmed. It entered into the world by sin, Rom. Sin was the wide gate by which that Trojan horse did enter in. And since that era, O what havoc has it made among mankind! Thousands and thousands it has swallowed at a meal. The first it carried off was a saint, and him it seized in a most violent manner, not waiting till the lamp of life was in the socket. Abel's blood was shed, and that by the hand of a brother. How extensive the empire of death! All that have been born have died, except two. And as if to balance that, two died, who were never born, viz. Adam and Eve. The saints in their various generations have died as well as others. Nevertheless, paradox as it seems, they are saved from death: though not from its painful stroke, yet from its poisonous sting. Death, though introduced by sin, is made subservient to believers. While it takes others by the throat, hauling them away to the infernal prison; it puts an end to the sins and sufferings, the sensible sufferings, of the saints. True, it tears soul and body asunder, but notwithstanding, the dying believer is a gainer on the whole. For though absent from the body, he is present with the Lord, 2 Cor. v. 8. Present in such a manner as he never was while in this life. And thus the soul, though it has lost, or rather left the servant for a season, the body, I mean, yet it has got the Lord and Saviour. Therefore according to the justest reckoning, for the believer to die is gain, Phil. i. 21. Death is one of the all things that are his, 1 Cor. iii. 22. He may sometimes be troubled with its fear, and often feel its pain, but never, never shall he know its sting. Christ took that away, together with the hand-writing that was against us. He put away sin by the sacrifice of himself, Heb. ix. 26. And the sting of death is sin, 1 Cor. xv. 56. While death seals up unbelievers under all their guilt and filth, saying let him that is filthy, be filthy still, it has quite a dif ferent office in the believer's case. It finisheth transgression, makes an end of sin, and brings in everlasting righteousness. And if it make an end of sin by

introducing the believer into a sinless state, is it not evident as the light, that its sting is gone? Thus in dying, believers are saved from the sting of death.

6thly. Such as believe in the Lord Jesus Christ shall be saved from the grave. Though at death the souls of believers are made perfect in holiness, and do immediately pass into the presence of the Lord, yet their bodies lie in the grave, as so many trophies it would seem, of victorious death. Though a part, yet not the whole of the man has escaped its cold clutches. Therefore the salvation is not yet complete. Death seems to reign over the believer's dust. How universal its domain. How long has it retained its power over half the man at least! All the bodies of the saints, since Abel's blood was shed, are lying under the leaden hand of death; except Enoch, Elias, and such as arose after Christ's resurrection. Death has turned its adamantine key and locked its rusty door upon them. There they have lain thousands and thousands of years, and according to the judgment of sense, the longer their continuance in death's dominions, they are the farther from liberty; the more hopeless is their resurrection. So to raise Lazarus on the fourth day appeared more miraculous than to have done it on the first, John xi. 39. The bodies of all the former generations of saints, where are they? None but the omniscient God can say. He sees them now though dissolved into dust, and at last he will save them with an everlasting salvation. The Saviour is Lord both of the dead and living, Rom. xiv. 9. All that died in him shall at last in their whole man live with him. Death and the grave must resign their long continued captives. He uttered a creative word at first, Let there be light, and it was: Let there be a firmament, and it was. At last he will speak a resurrection-word, Arise ye dead! and they instantly shall. The sea and the earth shall give up their dead. The rusty doors of mortality shall fly open! and the saints come forth of their subterraneous chambers, where they have slept for ages. As in dying they were saved from the sting

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