Page:A Compendium of the Chief Doctrines of the True Christian Religion.djvu/32

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A COMPENDIUM OF THE

ing him of the future sacrifice of his Son on the cross, whose blood should in like manner be spilt, in order to render him propitious to mankind; yet, that such a notion or view is foreign to the true design of their permission, and that they were all representative of the worship of the heart, or obedience to the divine law, is sufficiently plain from the following explicit declaration: "Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt-offerings or sacrifices. But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you," Jer. vii. 22, 23.

It was stated above, that redemption consisted in three things, viz. 1. the subjugation of the powers of darkness; 2. the orderly arrangement of the heavens; and, 3. the consequent formation of a new church on earth. The subjugation of the powers of darkness is in the Sacred Scripture called a judgment; and this was accomplished by the Lord while in the Humanity on earth, as is plain from his own words: "Now is the judgment of this world; now shall the prince of this world be cast out," John xii. 31. "The prince of this world is judged," John xvi. 11. Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world," John xvi. 33. And again, "I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven," Luke x. 18. At the same time he formed new heavens above, and a new earth below, that is, a new church both in the spiritual and in the natural world, wherein, according to prophecy, should dwell righteousness and peace. Thus, by virtue of his Divinity operating in and by his Humanity, he delivered mankind from the over-