Hosea 13:16

REFLECTIONS

AMIDST numberless beauties which this Chapter furnisheth for the most blessed improvements under grace; methinks I would attend to what my Lord hath said concerning his ransom of his people from the power of the grave, as eminently important; and indeed as including all blessings in one. For if Jesus hath indeed in his own glorious person, conquered both sin, and death, and hell! (as that he hath most assuredly), in that victory all his people are implicated, and interested in all his triumphs. And as under the Holy Ghost's teachings, every believing soul is led to see the truth of what the Lord hath said in this Chapter; O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; it must be blessed indeed to be equally convinced of what the Lord saith, in me is thine help. Look up then my soul, look up Reader, and hear thy Redeemer's well known voice, when he declares that he hath ransomed his people from the power of the grave, and redeemed them from death. And hath he not most completely and most effectually done it, by the assumption of our nature, and in that nature vanquished death by his own death, and subdued the dominion of the grave in arising from the grave in the triumphs of his cross? Hath he not done all this, as the head of his body the Church, and in our nature opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers? He hath paid our ransom with his blood. He hath answered the whole demands of divine justice by his righteousness. He hath shown the satisfaction wrought out, and made to all the Father's perfections. And as it was impossible that the grave should detain such a prisoner, so is it impossible that any of his seed, for whom he hath purchased redemption, should remain in the prison of the grave; for he hath said, because I live, ye shall live also. Hail! thou glorious Lord! thou art indeed the resurrection and the life. He that believeth in thee, though he were dead, yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth, and believeth in thee shall never die. Well may every faithful child of God cry out in the triumphant voice of the Apostle, thanks be to God who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.