86 M'efriab, AbeDeliter:.e.rfromEvil, without theDe truetionof his Works, and a Recovery from that Ruine, he is not conquered, nor his Headbruifed. And as thefe things though they may now feem fomewhat obfcurely expretfed in there words, are yet made plain untous in the Go- fpel; fothe importanceof them was.evident unto our fait Parents of old, being ex- poundedby all the Circumfances wherewiththematter of fadwas attended. Again, there is an intimationof the manner how thiswork (hall be performed. This Fief, God takesupon himfelf; I will do it ; I will putEnmity: It is an illùe of hisSo- veraign Wifdam and Grace. But Secondly, Bewill do it in and by the natureof man ; the feedof the Woman. And two things mutt concur to the efeding ofit. Firft,That thisfed of the Woman muff conquer Satan ; bruife his Head, deltroy his Works, and procure Deliverance for mankind thereby.. Secondly, That he mutt fuller from, and by the means of Satan in his fo doing ; the Serpent. muff bruife ge.Heel. This is the Re- medy andRelief, that Godhathprovided for mankind. And this is the ME, S SI AHi or God joyning with:the Nature of man, to Deliver mankind from fin and Eternal tnifery. ÿ. $4. 1; ThisPromifeof Reliefby thefeed of the Woman, is as the firlt, fo the only intima- tion that Godgave unto our Mil Parents, of a wayofDeliverance from that conditi- on wherewto they and the whole Creation were .brought by the Entrance of Evil or Sin. It was likewife the felt Difcovery that there was in him, 1011, ln, jH1. i=1,0111, Mho. Benignity , Grace, Kindnefs, or Mercy , Compailion, Pardon. Hereby he declard.hiinfeif to be , i=nn-n jun nirnt70 n15zs, Neb. 9, v. 57. A God of Pardons , Gracious, and tenderly mercifidl. As alto Pfalm 86.7.45. 1Drt-171 mDt 1117, Good and_ andmuch in mercy. And if this be not ac- knowledged, it mutt be coddled that all the world, at leatt unto theFlood, ifnot tonto thedayes of Abraham, inwhich fpace of Time we have Testimony concerning fomç, that they walked with God and pleafed him , were left without' any certain ground ofFaith, or hope ofAcceptance withhim. For without fome knowledge of this Mercy, and the Proviûonofa way for its exercife, they couldhave no fuch Per- fwafion. This then wehaveobtained, that God prefently upon the Entranceof fin into theWorld, andthe breach ofits publick Peace thereby, promifed a'Reparation of that Evil in thewhole Extent of it, tobe wrought in and by the lied of the Woman ; Thatisthe MESSIAH. §. 25. Accordingunto our Defign we may take alongwithus the thoughts ofthe Jews in thismatter, expreffedafter their manner. For theSerpent that temptedEve, who is here threatned as the Head of all the Evil that enftted thereon, they confeti that Satan accompanied him, and was principally in- tended in the Curie denounced againtt him. SQ theTargum of Ben Ylzziel; When the Serpent came to tempt Eve, the fawNnin irho *Rum, Samael theAngel of Deathupon him: AndMaimonides gives a large account of the Doctrine of their Wifemen inthis matter. More Nebuch. pag. 2. cap. 2o. At neque hoc pretereundum quod in MidraJbad- dueunt Sapientes notri,Serpentem equitatumfuìf, quantitatem ejes infar Cameli, á' fef_ form ejus fuif ilium qui decepit' Roam , huncque Seforem fait Samaelem, quod nomen abfolute 'ufurpant de Sachems. Invenes onion quad in multis kris dicunt Sathanam voluif impedire Abrahamum ne ligaret Ifaacum, fie voluif impedire Ifaacum ne obfequeretur vo- luntati patrie fiti ; alibi vero in hoc eodem negocio dicunt, vent Samael adAbrahamum; fie itáque apparet quad Samael fit ipfe.Sathan. To omit their Fables, this in evident, Mat they acknowledge it was Satanwho deceived Eve. And in Berefhith Rabbet, fill. so. They give an account why God expoftulated with Adam and Eve be- fore he pronouncedSentence againit them, but without anyWordor Queftion pro- ceeded immediately unto the Doom of the Serpent ; For fay they, the Holy Bleffed God Paid, sL7 1131rz t11n my 1`7 101N UAL =D11 rnamn `1ÿa pin ni vmn any n`rt `rn 1rn3n no. +)mo ornrt 'n" tail =rm. n1Y tints II 1íI j)í91 11`tÿ Y97 lsyti +11Y 11115 ; This Serpent ie wicked, and a running diffruter, and ifI Peak unto him , be will ftrait way fay, thou gávef them a Command- ment, and I gave them aCommandment ; why did they leave thy Commandment , and fol- low myCommandment ; andtherefiire he preftnly pronounced f ntenee againft him; And the fame words are repeated inMidrafiVaiikra adcap. 13. v. z. which things can beun- derltood ofSatanonly. I know forne of the laterMafers have other thoughts of there things, becaufe they difcover what ufe maybe made of the Truth, and the Faith of their fore-fathers in this matter. Aber Ezrain his Commentaryón this placedifputcs the Opinions' of their Doors; and
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