Chap: i9. An Expofstion upon the Books! J O B. Vert. 26. 361 death when it feizeth upon man, binds him (as it were) hand and foot, with bands and coards, and keeper him fall, that he cannot flirre till it bath totally devoured him. D:ath bound thehands and feete of Jefus Chrift, and layd him in the grave : But God rayfed himup,and loefed the bands orcoards ofdeath:And Jefus Christ, who as Mediator, or God-man, layd downe his life, had power allo to take it up againe ( ich. lo, 18. ) As Sampfon,whom when the Philifítims had bound withnew coards, he (napped them afunder, like a threed at the Candle : So Jefus Chrift when he was layd in the grave, broke the bandsof death, or was railed upby God looting thofe bands; and why ? not onely becaufe he had power to doe it, for fo he bath power to bofe thebands ofdeath fromany man as footle as they are ey- ed on, íf it were hiswill and purpofe todoe it But the Apoftle affignes a reafon beyond this, (hewing that Christ was rayfed before death could confume his body, not onely becaufe it was poffible, or in thepower, as allo agreeable to the will of God, fpeedily to bofe thole bands,butbecaurit was not poffiblethat he fhould be holden ofthem. It was poflible that death should felze _ on Jefas Chrift, and fo it did he freely yeilding himfelfe up to it, becaufe a deathwas owing and to be payd to the Juflice ofGod for fin' . But ( faith the Apoftle ) death couldnot hold him, and keep poffeffion, That was impoffible. And that upona twofold account. Firft , In referenceunto himfelfe. Secondly, In reference to us. Firft, It was not poflible in reference to himfelfe, becaufe he is life, and life effentially.; Iam the refurrellion, and the life, ( faith Christ to Martha, teh. 11.) Chrift is the refurretiion, heraule he rayfeth us . He is not formally the relurret`lion, ( as was {hewed before )but effeaiveiy. But Chrift is life for- mally and effentially ; now it is not poflible for death to hold life it feite longer under its power, then he who is life pleafeth. Therefore Chrdt eing effentially life, could not but prevai)e over and conquer death. Or as the Apoftle fpeakes, Swallow up death in vic`lory,(i Cor. J5. 51.) Secondly, It was not poflible in reference to us : for he ha- ving undertaken the work ofreftoringus to life , if his life had been fubdued by death, jibe had been held downe by the power A a a of
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