JESUS OPENS THE PRISON-DOORS TO

THE PRISONERS,

SERMON LIV.

ISA. Ixi. 1.And the opening of the prifon to them that are bound.

H

ERE is another benefit which, in the gospel, is brought by Christ to finners who are in their natural state, namely, a proclamation as to opening the prison to the prifoners. In this there are two things.

1. The mifery of a natural state, which is here laid out in its full extent, in three particulars. You have heard that unconverted finners are Satan's captives; this is a fad cafe, but it is yet worse; for,

(1.) They are also prisoners. Every captive is not a prisoner, but all natural men, being Satan's captives, are held prisoners, shut up in the prison of their natural ftate. This is Satan's prifon, crammed full of his prisoners of war. But this is not all; for,

(2.) They are prifoners in chains, they are bound

JESUS OPENS THE PRISON-DOORS, &C. 153.

in the prifon. Satan has his irons on them, as malefactors under fentence of death, that they may not escape. This is ftill worfe than being a prifoner. But worse than all this is here ftated; for,

(3.) They are blinded too in their prifon. For the word rendered opening, does particularly relate to the opening the eyes; and therefore the prophet ufes it to exprefs the relieving of fuch prifoners perfectly. This is evident by comparing Luke, iv. 18. « And recovering of fight to the blind, to fet at liberty them who are bruifed." It was a custom much used in the eastern nations, and retained among the Turks to this day, to put out the eyes of fome of their prifoners, adding this mifery to their imprisonment. So the Philiftines did with Samfon, Judges, xvi. 21.; and Nebuchadnezzar with Zedekiah, 2 Kings, xxv. 7. This, in a fpiritual fenfe, is the cafe of all prifoners in their natural ftate. To fum up all, O unconverted finner! thou art Satan's captive, a captive in prifon, and a prifoner in chains; and withal thine eyes are put out, thou art in darknefs, even darkness itself.-In the words there is,

2. A fuitable remedy, full help proclaimed by Chrift in the gofpel. God has feen the mifery of the prifoners, his Son has paid the ransom for them, and thereupon he is fent to proclaim the opening of the prifon-doors to them, opening every way to them; for this expreffion comprehends the affording full remedy to their cafe; namely, opening their prifon,-opening their chains,and opening their eyes. By his word he offers it, by his Spirit he effects it, in all his elect.-From this fubject we propose to your confideration the following DOCTRINES:

DOCT. I. That every unconverted finner is a bound man in the prifon of a natural state, with his eyes put out.

DOCT. II. That by open proclamation in the gofpel, Chrift offers to the prifoners in a natural ftate, an opening of their eyes, of their bands, and of their prifon-doors.

We begin with

DOCT. I. That every unconverted finner is a bound man in the prison of a natural state, with his eyes put out.

FOR illuftrating this doctrine, we shall,

I. Speak of the imprisonment in which guilty finners are.

II. Mention the bands, chains, and fetters wherewith they are bound in the prifon of a natural ftate.

III. Point out the darkness and blindness of the prifoners in their natural ftate.

I. We are to confider the imprisonment in which unconverted finners are.

This prifon is the natural unconverted state ; and thus that word, 1 Pet. iii. 19. By which alfo he went and preached to the spirits in prifon," is by fome understood. However, it is plain that this is meant in our text. Thus Peter faid to Simon the forcerer: Acts, viii. 23. "For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitternefs, and in the bond of iniquity." Thus finners in their natural ftate, are faid to be all concluded under fin, and fhut up under the law, Gal. iii. 22. 23. Con. cluded or fhut up, that is, declared to be fo. Let us confider, then, the natural ftate as a state of imprisonment.

imprisonment. Here we hall answer the three following QUESTIONS:

1. Whofe prifoners are they?

2. What are the caufes of this imprisonment? --And,

3. In what condition are natural men, as prifoners in this their natural state?We begin. with,

Queft. 1. Whofe prifoners are they?

(1.) Unconverted finners are God's prifoners, as the great Judge and party whom they have offended: Rom. xi. 32.. "God hath concluded them all in unbelief." There are two things in a natural state.--The finfulness of it; they can do nothing but fin. Move they cannot without that circle, more than a prifoner out of his prifon. -The mifery of it. They are under the curse: Gal. iii. IC. This laft, God, as a juft Judge, inflicted on mankind for the breach of the covenant of works; and while this lies upon them, there can be no communion betwixt God and them, and confequently nothing but fin in them; and fo they are all concluded under fin.

(2.) They are Satan's prifoners. He acts as the jailor, and is therefore faid to have the power of death, Heb. ii. 14. Man, having freely yielded to Satan, and become his captive, was delivered up into his hand by the Judge. They are under the power of Satan, Acts, xxvi. 18. He keeps the keys of this prifon, and watchfully marks his prifoners, that none of them efcape. Nay, when the commandment is come, to deliver the elect out of his hand, he will not yield them up, till the prifon-doors be broke open, and they are forcibly taken out of his hand.

Queft. 2. What are the causes of this impri

fonment?

fonment?-As to this we obferve, that they are in prifon,

(1.) As debtors to divine juftice. Sin is a debt, and the worst of all debts; committing fin is contracting a debt, which finners are unable to pay. But it must be paid; a fatisfaction must be made to justice to the utmost farthing. As to natural men, their debt is not forgiven. All their accounts stand uncancelled. They have as yet no fhare in the Cautioner's payment. Therefore they are kept in this prifon juftly for their debt, and they cannot efcape. They were laid up there for our father Adam's debt. This debt brought all mankind into the prifon, Rom. v. 12. "Wherefore, as by one man fin entered into the world, and death by fin; and fo death paffed upon all men, for that all have finned." The covenant being broken, we became liable to pay the penalty, and, being unable to relieve ourselves, were shut up in prifon under the wrath and curfe of God. They are alfo arrested there for their own debt, contracted in their own perfons. Every finful thought, word, or action, is a new item in our accounts. And at the inftance of every broken commandment, the law arrefts the natural man in the prifon, clapping its curfe upon the finner; fo that the longer one remains in their natural ftate, there is always the lefs hope of their delivery. Nay, their delivery is impoffible, till the Cautioner loose all the arrefts, by paying the whole debt.

(2.) They are in prifon as malefactors condemned in law: John, iii. 18. “He that believeth not is condemned already. There is a fentence of death paffed upon all men in a natural ftate, they are condemned to die eternally; and therefore are committed to the jailor, to keep them in the prison