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by Thomas Goodwin

The Triumphs of Christ: Preface by the Author

In setting forth the Triumphs of Christ over Satan, Sin, Death, and Hell; we have a double view presented to our meditation: namely, man s misery and God’s salvation.

We have one object, which may move us with the deepest shame and sorrow, when we behold what vile wretched creatures sin has made us, and how basely altered from what we once were: and we have another object, which may stir us to the highest exultation of joy, when we see our Saviour travelling in the greatness of his strength, mighty to save, Isaiah lxiii. 1. And to save us so effectually, that it is impossible for us to relapse into our bewailed misery; for he hath restored us so perfectly that he will one day present to his Father these our now deformed and polluted souls, without spot or wrinkle, (Eph. v. 27) without any remaining blemish of our first defilements, or any mark of our deformity, or scars of our wounds. If as fallen, we are dejected in our spirits, and ashamed to look up; the sight ot Christ the original and cause of greater happiness, o-lory, and excellency to us than our father forfeited in Paradise; raiseth us to new life and hopes we should bewail our depraved wretched natures, we should also take joy, and delight when we see them by Christ recovering fresh comlmess and beauty, nav it is our duty, and we have all reason to rejoice more in our salvation, than to sorrow i our misery: — to triumph more in the strength am power of Christ the second Adam, than to be cast down in thoughts of the weakness and folly of the first. For though man first stood on ground, which sunk under him, yet we are now built on a firm foundation, unshaken, and which stands to eternity and from which nothing can ever make us totter or fall. Now that, as we have man’s depravation by nature, and his restoration by grace displayed to us mine and your heart may be suitably affected with sorrow, and joy, to lament indeed our sin and misery: but believing to triumph in Christ the Mediator, who so perfectly recovers us is the prayer of,

Your Servant in our Lord Jesus Christ,
THE

TRIUMPHS OF CHRIST,

That ‘through Death, he might destroy him that had the power of Death; that is the Devil. — Heb. ii. 14.

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