O[DEA T H. Chap. I. . From this fummary account we may underftand how firmly the Divinity of Chri/l: is eftablifhedinthe Scripture. ForthofePa!fagesoftheProphets, that fpoak of the God of , Jfrael as Creator, and the foie Objefi of Adoration, are direE\ly referr'd to Jefus CIJrilt. And the Name'Jeh!YlJah, Pfal. 97· 9. the Majelty of which confiits in its being incommunicable, is attributed to him. This is the Foundation upon which the whole Fabrick of the Gofpel is b~ilt. TheOffice of Mediator in :he Prophetical, Prieltly, and Regal Admimltrauon, IS neceffanly )Oyn'd With the Dmmty of lm Perfon. And the revelation.of it from Heaven, is as deal' as the Sun is vifible in the Firmameht. All the Difficulties in our conceiving tl1is great Myftery of Godlinefs, are but like the Sbadows that attemWhe Light. And all the Heretical .Subtilties to pervert the .Senfe of fuch plain and pofitive Texts, are as impertinent as impious. ' . This being e.!tablifh'd, the Apoltle proceeds to give an accounfof the Son ofGod's affummg the Humane Nature, and fubmitting to Sulferings and Death. This is a Divine Secret fo miraculouOy ltrangc, that the Contrivancewas without the Compafs of the Aogelical Minds, and the difcovery of it is only by fupernatural Revelation; but when revealed, the account of .it is fo _open and confemam:ous to ~eafon, as being the mofr congruous Means for the Illultrauon of God's Glory. m the favmg Jolt Men, that the humane Mind if not deeply corrupted with the tincture of Prejudice, mult confent to it as worthy of aU AcceptatzoN. The fubltance of his reafoning is this: That it was tile product of the malt wife, merciful, and righteous Counfel of God, that the Saviour of Men fhould have Communion with them m their Nature, that ~1e might have a Right to r~dcem them by his Alliance and Propinquity: for hethat fantl'l{iu, andtheythatarefan#ifed, area// one, Chap. 2. 11. and that he might und~rgo Suff~r!ngs1 even to death1 for_ the price of their Redemption, and the remedy of then· Infirmltles. Fo'"fmucb as the Chtldren are partakm of Fltjb and 13/ood, ~o;~ ;fjj~,t~/::~s "{,:h~~:/'' ~::J ;;/;~'JI~/;;;;t;::thr~~.~~s 1!-;o::/J;,at~:at:~:, 1~ their Lives fi•bjefl to Bondage. The Devil is faid to have the Potver of Death. 1. Becaufe he induces Men to commit Sin1 that meritorioul1y renders them liable to Death. He tempted the firft Mcin cum effec1u, antl was a Murderer from tbe beg inning. 2. In that he infpires them with furious Thoughts, aod inflames their Paffions, fi·om whence proceed Strifes and Wars, that efficiently caufe Death. He is fupream in all the Arts of Mifchief, and always intent upon evil. 'Tis by his Inliigation that Men become like raging Bealts, animated and bent on mutual Slaughter. 3· Becaufe he is many times the Executioner of God's Wrath, and inflicts Death upon rebellious and incorrigible Sinners. 'Tis recorded by the Pfalmilt, That God caft upon ·the Egyptiam the jiercenefs of his. Anger, T!JTratk, lndignatio11, and Tro11ble, bJ fending ev il Angels, Pfal. 7 8. 49· thofe Pnnces of the Air, the Inltruments of the Thunder, and fiery Storm of Hail that delhoyed them. 4· Becaufe he makes Death more formidable to Sinners, by heightning their guilty Fears of God's Tribunal. The falfe Spirit tempts Men to fin by many Blandifhmems, but afterward he is a fevere Accufer of them to God, and ro themfelves. Laltly, This Tjtle may fignifie his tormenting Sinners with unrelenting Cruelty in Hell, which is the fecond Death. · · Now thefe Evils being the penal confequence of Sin, our Saviour by his Death appeafed ~Z~ 1'~~:~/~1.e f~ t~e0~~tf~: ~f'~~~~r~fi!;o6~~~~~c~~~ ;;;,r~~~~t~~~ t~~e~f:;.1 · s~: ~j:afu~~dS~r~~~s ~~d~~~~~~t~~s~t:~:e r;~al0[o1~fs <i:e~~le, ~~~~~t o~;rr~t~~d~n~v~~~ refemblance between them, is compaffionately inclined to relieve them. I fhall now infili upon the ble!fed Priviledge of Believers fet down in the Text, viz. That ']ejits Chrifl by his l)eath frees his People from the fervi!e tormenting fear of Death, ' In profecuting the Point, I fhall, t. Confider the Account the Scripture.gives of Death's entrance into the World. 2, Shew what the fear of Death includes, and the Bondage ~~n~h~~tr~o~itaJ~r~~ft~s" n?eff:J1 ~:iv~~~~ f~~~ ~~!~o~;11~ f~~raldom of that Fear. I . The Scripture gives an account of Death's entrance into the World, in a threefold RefpcEl:. I. As the defert of Sin. i. As the Effea of the Divine Decree. ~- As the Sentence of cl1e Law. I . A s
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