the Pool MantafamflpV0011 449 Being rightetes by Gods giftof Pardon and life, purchafed by HuRighteoufnefs, demonftrating Gods righteoufneîs. 15. God is laid to beReconciled to the World ingeneral up- ón Chrifis death, in that he is no more dbliged in juflice to puns h them, as meet Sinners by the 2 Cot.. 5.1g. Law of Works; but bath granted a conditional, Pardon to all Mankind, and that free, upon condition of med. acceptance ofChrift and Life., God is laid to be Reconciled actually to Believers, in that he is not at all obliged by Juftice to condemn them, but bath as it were obliged himfelf by a Covenant of Grace to forgive and fave them. So that it importeth no real change in God, but in us, and in Gods Covenant, and a change in Gods relation to us. Yea, 2. Though all()he judge us now jùí}, and love us as jufi, who before judged us unjuft, and loathed us as fuch, this change is inus, and not anyother in God than in relation and denomi- nation. 16. Chrift Was buried, that he might beat the loweft before he was exalted: Death feemed to have conquered him, before he fhewed hisconqueft of it. So is it with us. The word tranflated [Hell] in Xngli(h, in the Greek and Latin ancient creeds is ÿ',tys and Inferi, and fignifieth not necefiarily thePlace ofthe damned. Butit is more than hisBurial that ishere meant, and refpefteth his Saul; and fignifieth that [his soul werlt among the fouls ofthe dead] without determining it to Heaven or Hell: the very fepararing it front the Body, being part of Chrifis humiliation. To Paradife it went ; but whither elfe, or what it did, we are necefrarily ignorant. But hence it is plain, that the Soul liveth it felf when it is feparated from the body. AndBelievers may joyfully follow Chrift to the grave, and the flareof feparation. t 77. Chrifts Refurre£fion was the great Vidoryover Death, the beginningof his Triumph, and ofthe eminent Church-ftate under the Mefliali, and the great proof of his, Truth as the Son of God, and is the -great comfort of Believers, alluring them that they have a victorious and a living Savioùr, and that his word is true, and that they fhall rife again. The makingof the New Covenant fealed with Chrifi'~ blood,and commiffiioning a Minifiry to publifh it to the World, was the great ordained means, by which Chrift would give out the fruits ofhis Merits and Sacrifice, with Himfeif, for mens Jufiification and Salvation : Ofwhich more anon. Gg Glix'iftr
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