4 in Coníeibíng ¶l tin',V3ebein ptíon: 397 difcover the diflance from the foot to the top of it : So '57.-20. we mutt defcend to the lowefl degree ofour Saviour'sa- bafement, tounderfland theheight of his exaltation. By Deathhe overcame him that had thepowerofDeath, Heb 2. 14. that is, the Devil. For his cruel Empire was founded in Man's Sin; hisgrea:nefs was built on our Ruins. All thepenal Evils he brings on Mankind are upon the ac- count ofour Difobedience, and his mighty power in Temptations, is from our inward Corruption. Other- wife he might furround,but could not furprife us. Now the Lord Chrifl by his Deathhath taken away the Guilt and Power ofSin : 7 he Guilt in enduring the Curfe of the Law, and thereby fatisfying Eternal Juflice, which all the Creatures in Heaven and Earth could not do : and the Power ofit, By crucifying our oldman with him, Rom .6. 6. that the bodyoffinmight be deflroyed, that henceforth we fhouldnotferve fin. By theCroft ofChrifl the world is cru- Gal. 6. cified to us ; andwe are crucified to the world. By it we are vindicated from the power of Satan, into theglorious libertyofthe Sons ofGod. For this reafon our Saviour, a littlebefore his Pafíion, faid, Nowfhall the Prince_ of this world be call out, By the Craft be fpoiled Principa- lities andPowers,ej° made athewofthem openly;triumphing Z Col° 7 s. over them in it, to their extreme contufion, in the view of Heaven and Earth. Although theRefurreí`iion and AfcenfionofChrifl are the proper asof his Triumph, yet his Death is the foie caufe and original of it. The Nails and Spear that pierced his Body, were his omni- potent Arms, and the Crofs the inftrument of his Suf- ferings, was theT'rophee ofhis Viâory. All our trium- phant Palms are gathered from that Tree. 'Tis there our Saviour bruited the headof theold Serpent, . and renew- ed hisancient Vklory over him. And from hence it was, that upon thefirft Preaching of Chrifl crucified, Oracles were flruck dumb, and put to
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