ín£onttíbínq an'v liebtniption. 93 theHumane Nature, which was fubje& to Mortality. Chap, V. And thus the Devil is overcome in the fame manner as he firft got the Vi&ory : for as the whole race of Man was Captivated by him in Adam their Reprefentative, fo Believers are vi&orious over him as the Tempter and Tormentor, by the Conqueff that Chrifl their Repre- fentative obtain'd in the Wildernefs, and on the Cros. And as our ruine was effected by the fübtiltyofSatan, fo our recovery is wrought by the wfdom ofGod ; who takes thewife in their own craftinefr. The Devil i cor.. r. excited Judas by avarice, the Yews by malice, and Pilate from reafon of State, to accemplifh the deathof Chrift, and he then Teemed to be Vitrtorious. Now what was more honourable to the Prince ofour Salva- tion, than the turning the Enemies point uponhis own breafl, and by dying to overcome him that had the }kb, 2. power ofDeath ? This was fignified inthe firfl promife of the Gofpel, where the Salvation of Man is inclos'd in the curfe of the Serpent, that is, the Devil cloathed with that figure, It fall bruit thy Head, and thou Gen. 3.'5,4 (halt bruit his Heel. That is, The son of God fhould by Suffering in our Flefh, overcome the Enemyof Man- kind, and refcue innumerable Captives from his Ty- ranny : Here theEvents are moft contrary to the pro- bability of their Caufe. And what is more worthyof God, than to obtain his ends in fuch a manner., as the Glory of 'all may be in fòlidur afcribed to Him 7. The Divine Wifdom appears in laying the_defçn of theGofpel in fuch a manner, as to provide for the comfort, and promote the holinef of Man. This is God'sfgnature upon all heavenlyDolrines, which di- ftinguifes them from carnal Inventions, they have a dire tendency to promote his Glory, and the real be- nefit ofthe rational Creature: Thus the way of Sal- vationby Jefus Chrift, is moll fit as to reconcile Godto Matt
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