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in reference unto this death doth consist. As 1. He was the means of bringing it into the world. So is the opinion of the Jews in this matter expressed in the book of Wisdom, written as is most probable, by one of them not long before this epistle. They tell us, chap. i. 13. · Olos lavatov &x songs, God made not death,' it belonged not unto the original constitution of all things; but chap. ii. 24. φθόνω διαβολος θανατος εισηλθεν εις τον κόσμου, by the envy of the devil death entered into the world.", And that expression of εισήλθεν εις τον κόσμον, is retained by the apostle, Rom. v. 12. Only he lays the end of it on the morally deserving cause, the sin of man, as here it is laid on the efficiently procuring cause, the envy of the devil. And herein consisted no small part of the power of Satan with respect unto death. Being able to introduce sin, he had power to bring in death also, which in the righteous judgment of God, and by the sentence of the law was inseparably annexed thereunto. And by a parity of reason, so far as he yet continueth to have power over sin, deserving death, he hath power over death itself.

2. Sin and death being thus entered into the world, and all mankind being guilty of the one, and obnoxious unto the other, Satan became thereby to be their prince, as being the prince or author of that state and condition whereinto they are brought. Hence he is called the "prince of this world," John xii. 31. and the " god of it," 2 Cor. iv. 4. Inasmuch as all the world is under the guilt of that sin and death which he brought them into.

3. God having passed the sentence of death against sin, it was in the power of Satan to terrify and affright the consciences of men, with the expectation and dread of it, so bringing them into bondage. And many God gives up unto him to be agitated and terrified as it were at his pleasure. To this end were persons excommunicated, given up unto Satan to vex, 1 Tim. i. 20. He threatens them as an executioner, with the work that he hath to do upon them.

4. God hath ordained him to be the executioner of the sentence of death upon stubborn sinners unto all eternity; partly for the aggravation of their punishment, when they shall always see, and without relief bewail their folly in hearkening unto his allurements; and partly, to punish himself in his woful employment. And for these several reasons is Satan said to have the power of death. And hence it is evident, that,

VIII. All the power of Satan in the world, over any of the sons of men is founded in sin, and the guilt of death attending it. Death entered by sin, the guilt of sin brought it in; herewith comes in Satan's interest, without which, he could have no more to do in the earth, than he hath in heaven. And ac

cording as sin abounds or is subdued, so his power is enlarged or straitened. As he is a spirit, he is mighty, strong, wise; as sinful, he is malicious, subtle, ambitious, revengeful, proud; yet none of all these give him his power. He that made him, can cause his sword to pierce unto him, and preserve man, though weak and mortal, from all his force, as a mighty spirit, and from all his attempts, as a wicked one. And yet these are the things in him that men are generally afraid of, when yet by them he cannot reach one, hair of their heads. But here lies the foundation of his power, even in sin, which so few regard. Then,

IX. All sinners out of Christ, are under the power of Satan. They belong unto that kingdom of death, whereof he is the Prince and Ruler. The whole world lies, To wongw, in the power of this wicked one.' If the guilt of death be not removed from any, the power of the devil extends unto them. A power indeed it is, that is regulated. Were it sovereign or absolute, he would continually devour. But it is limited unto times, seasons and degrees, by the will of God, the Judge of all. But yet great it is, and answerable unto his titles, the prince, the god of the world. And however men may flatter themselves, as the Jews did of old, that they are free, if they are not freed by an interest in the death of Christ, they are in bondage unto this beastly tyrant; and as he works effectually in thein here, he will ragingly inflict vengeance on them hereafter.

3. He is destroyed-" to destroy him." The sense and importance of the word here used, was before declared. It is not applied unto the nature, essence or being of the devil, but unto his power in, and over death; as it is elsewhere declared, John xii. 31. "Now is the judgment of this world, now is the prince of this world cast out." That which is here called the destroying of the devil, is there called, the casting out of the prince of this world. It is the casting him out of his power, from his princedom and rule; and Col. ii. 15. "Having spoiled principalities and powers, he made an open shew of them, triumphing over them in his cross:" as conquerors used to do, when they had not slain the persons of their enemies, but deprived them of their rule, and led them captives. The destruction then here intended of him that had the power of death, is the dissolution, evacuation, and removing of that power which he had in, and over death, with all the effects and consequences of it.

4. The means whereby Satan was thus destroyed, is also expressed. It was by death, by his own death. This, of all others, seemed the most unlikely way and means, but indeed was not only the best, but the only way whereby it might be

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accomplished. And the manner how it was done thereby, must be declared and vindicated. The fourfold power of Satan in reference unto death before mentioned, was all founded in sin, The obligation of the sinner unto death, was that which gave him all his power. The taking away then of that obligation, must needs be the dissolution of his power. The foundation being removed, all that is built upon it must needs fall to the ground. Now this, in reference unto the children for whom he died, was done in the death of Christ; virtually in his death itself, actually in the application of it unto them. When the sinner ceaseth to be obnoxious unto death, the power of Satan ceaseth also. And this every one doth, that hath an interest in the death of Christ; for "there is no condemnation unto them that are in Christ Jesus," Rom. viii. 1. And this because he died he died for their sins, took that death upon himself which was due unto them; which being conquered thereby, and their obligation thereunto ceasing, the power of Satan is therewith dissolved. The first branch of his power consisted in the bringing of sin into the world. This is dissolved by Christ's taking away the sin of the world, John i. 29. which he did as the Lamb of God, by the sacrifice of himself in his death, typified by the paschal lamb, and all other sacrifices of old. Again, His power consisted in his rule in the world, as cast under sin and death. From this he was cast out, John xii. 31. in the death of Christ; when contending with him for the continuance of his sovereignty, he was conquered, the ground whereon he stood, even the guilt of sin, being taken away from under him, and his title defeated. And actually believers are translated from under his rule, from the power of darkness, into the kingdom of light, and of the Son of God. Nor can he longer make use of death as penal, as threatened in the curse of the law, ta terrify and affright the consciences of men; for being justified by faith in the death of Christ, they have peace with God, Rom. v. 1. Christ making peace between God and us, by the blood of his cross, Eph. ii. 14, 15. 2 Cor. v. 19-21. the weapons of this part of his power are wrested out of his hand, seeing death hath no power to terrify the conscience, but as it expresseth the curse of God. And lastly, his final execution of the sentence of death upon sinners, is utterly taken out of his hand by the death of Christ, in as much as they for whom he died shall never undergo death penally. And thus was Satan, as to his power over death, fully destroyed by the death of Christ. And all this depended on God's institution, appointing the satisfactory sufferings of Christ, and accepting them instead of the. sufferings of the children themselves.

The Sociniaus give us another exposition of these words; as knowing that insisted on to be no less destructive of their error,

than the death of Christ is of the power of the devil. The reason hereof, saith Schlictingius, is, Quia per mortem Christus adeptus est supremam potestatem in omnia; qua omnes inimicos suos, quorum caput est diabolus, coercet, eorum vires frangil, eosque tandem penitus abolebit. But if this be so, and the abolishing of the power of Satan be an act of sovereign power, then it was not done by the death of Christ, nor was there any need that he should partake of flesh and blood for that purpose, or die. So that this exposition contradicts both the express words of the apostle, and also the whole design of his discourse. No proposition can be more plain than this is, that the power of Satan was destroyed by the death of Christ, which in this interpretation of the words is denied.

5. And hence it lastly appears, what was the deliverance that was procured for the children by this dissolution of the power of Satan. It respects both what they feared, and what ensued on their fear; that is, death and bondage. For the deliverance here intended, is not merely a consequent of the destruction of Satan, but hath regard unto the things themselves, about which the power of Satan was exercised. They were obnoxious unto death on the guilt of sin, as penal, as under the curse, as attended with hell, or everlasting misery. This he delivered the children from, by making an atonement for their sins in his death, virtually loosing their obligation thereunto, and procuring for them eternal redemption, as shall afterwards be fully declared. Hereon also they are delivered from the bondage before described. The fear of death being taken away, the bondage that ensues thereon vanisheth also. And these things, as they are done virtually and legally in the death of Christ, so they are actually accomplished in, and towards the children, upon the application of the death of Christ unto them, when they do believe. And we may now close our consideration of these verses, with one or two other observations; as,

X. The death of Christ, through the wise and righteous disposal of God, is victorious, all-conquering, and prevalent. The aim of the world was to bring him unto death; and therein they thought they had done with him. The aim of Satan was so also, who thereby supposed he should have secured his own kingdom. And what could worldly or satanical wisdom have imagined otherwise? He that is slain is conquered. His own followers were ready to think so. "We trusted," say they, "that it had been he who should have redeemed Israel," Luke xxiv. 21. "but he is dead:" and their hopes are with him in the grave. What can be expected from him, who is taken, slain, crucified? Can he save others, who it seems could not. save himself? Per mortem alterius, stultum est sperare salutem. Is it not a foolish thing, to look for life by the death of ano

ther? This was that which the Pagans of old reproached the Christians withal, that they believed in one that was crucified and died himself; and what could they expect from him? And our apostle tells us, that this death, this cross, was a stumblingblock unto the Jews, and folly to the Greeks, 1 Cor. i. 18. 23. And so would it have been in itself, Acts ii. 23. iv. 28. had not the will, and counsel, and wisdom, and grace of God, been in it. But he ordered things so, that this death of Christ should pull out that pin, which kept together the whole fabric of sin and Satan, that, like Sampson, he should in his death pull down the palace of Satan about his ears, and that in dying he should conquer and subdue all things unto himself. All the angels of heaven stood looking on, to see what would be the end of this great trial. Men and devils were ignorant of the great work which God had in hand. And whilst they thought they were. destroying him, God was in, and by him, destroying them and their power. Whilst his heel was bruised, he brake their head. And this should teach us, to leave all God's works unto himself; see John xi. 6-10. He can bring light out of darkness, and meat out of the eater. He can disappoint his adversaries of their greatest hopes, and fairest possibilities, and raise up the hopes of his own out of the grave. He can make suffering to be saving, death victorious, and heal us by the stripes of his Son. And in particular, it should stir us up to meditate on this. mysterious work of his love and wisdom. We can never enough search into it, whilst our inquiry is guided by his word. New mysteries, all fountains of refreshment and joy, will continually open themselves unto us, until we come to be satisfied with the endless fulness of it unto eternity. Again,

XI. One principal end of the death of Christ, was to destroy the power of Satan; to destroy him that had the power of death. This was promised of old, Gen. iii. 15. He was to. break the head of the serpent. From him sprang all the miseries which he came to deliver his elect from, and which could not be effected without the dissolution of his power. He was anointed to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening the prison to them that were bound, Isa. lxi. 1. To this end, he was to conquer him who detained them, which he did by his death, Col. ii. 15. and so lead captivity captive, Psal. lxviii. 18. stilling this enemy and self-avenger, Psal. viii. 3. binding the strong man, Matt. xii. and dividing the spoil with him, Isa. liii. 12. And this he did by the merit of his blood, and the atonement he made for sin thereby. This took away the obligation of the law unto death, and disarmed Satan. And moreover, by the power of the eternal Spirit whereby he offered himself unto God, he conquered and quelled him. Satan laid his claim unto the person of Christ; but coming to put it in

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