iveth us forward in the wrong way, to our perdition.

These things are plain and undeniable, and need no further confirmation;
though, alas! it is little believed or laid to heart by many.

For the second, how Christ answereth this our case and necessity. He is
a way to us to help us out of both these, both out of our state of guilt
and separation, and out of our state of wickedness and enmity.

And, first, he helpeth us out of our state of guilt and separation:

1. By taking away our guilt and sin; "being made sin for us, who knew no
sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him," 2 Cor. v.
21. He hath filled the great gap betwixt God and us, with his body, and
hath made of it, as it were, a bridge, by which they may go over to the
Father: "We enter now into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new
and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that
is to say, his flesh," Heb. x. 19, 20; "we are now brought near by his
blood," Eph. ii. 13, so that through him we are restored again to
friendship with God, and made one with him; for Christ the Mediator hath
"made both one, reconciling Jews and Gentiles both unto God, in one
body, by the cross, having slain the enmity," Eph. ii. 16.

2. By taking away the curse and wrath that was due to us, being "made a
curse for us," Gal iii. 13. So that he is become our peace, and "through
him we have access by one spirit unto the Father, and are no more
strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of
the household of God," Eph. ii. 14, 18, 19. "He is set forth to be a
propitiation through faith in his blood," Rom. iii. 25. 1 John ii. 2,
and iv. 10. "By him have we now received atonement," Rom. v. 11.

Next, he helpeth us out of our state of wickedness and enmity,

1. By taking away our impurity and uncleanness, "by washing us and
cleansing us in his blood," Ezek. xvi. 6-9. Col. i. 22, "having
purchased grace for us," Eph. v. 1, 3, "we are blessed with all
spiritual blessings in him." He applieth his merits, and layeth the
foundation of grace and holiness in the soul, and carrieth on the work
of mortification and vivification; and so killing the old man by his
Spirit, both meritoriously and efficiently, he cleanseth and washeth.
Hence, we are said to be baptised with him in his death, and buried with
him by baptism into death, that we should walk in newness of life. And
so our old man is crucified with him, that the body o