Et.ttt;tf. EpiéletotheHEBrt1Ws. 4. God hath ordained him to be the Executioner of the fentettce ofDeath upon ffubborn finnerr unto all Eternity ; partly for the Aggravation of their Panifhment, when they (hall aiwayes fee, andwithout relief bewail their folly in hearkeningunto his Allurements ; and partly, to punilh himfeif in his wofull Employment. And for thefe (several Reafons is Satan faid to have the power of death. And hence it is evident ; That, VIII. All the Power ofSatan in the world; over any of the fins of men it founded in Sin, and the Guilt ofDeath attending it : Death entered byfin; the Guilt of finbrought it in : Herewith comes in Satans ineereff ; without which he could have no more to do in the Earth, thanhehath inHeaven. And according as fin abounds, or is fub- dued, fo his Power is enlargedor (lreightned. As he is a Spirit, he is mighty, thong, wife; asfinfu, he ismalitious, fubtle, ambitious, revengeful, proud : Yet none of all thefe give him his Power. He that made him, can caufe his fword to pierceunto him, and preferve man thoughweak and mortal, from all his force, as a mighty Spi., rit; and his Attempts, as a wicked one. And yet thefe are the things in him that men are generally afraidof; when yet by them he cannot reach one hair of their heads. But here lyes the foundationof his power ; even in fm, which fo few regard. Then, IX. Allfinnerr out ofChriff, are under the power ofSatan. They belong unto that Kingdom of Death whereof he is the Prince and Ruler. The whole world lyes is n ,1aoweçt, in the power of this wicked one. If the Guilt! of death be not re- moved from ally, the Power of the Devil extends unto them. Apower indeed it is, that is regulated. Were it Soveraign or abfolute, he would continually devour. But it is limited unto times, feafons and degrees, by the Will ofGod, the Judge of all. But yet great it is, and anfwerable unto hisTitles, the Prince, the God of the world. Andhowever men may flatter themfelves, as the Jews did of old, that they are free ; if they are not freed by an interell in the death of Quilt, they are in bon- dageunto this bealily Tyrant, and as he worksetivaly in them here, he will ragingly inflict vengeanceon them hereafter. 3. He is de(froyed. 7o deffroy him ; The fenfeand importance of theword hereufed, was beforedeclared. It is not applyed unto the Nature, Effenceor Being of the De- vil, but untohis Power in and over death s As it is elfewhere declared, tz. 3n. Now is the Judgement ofthis world,now is the Prince of this world call out; that which is here called the deftroying of`the Devil, is there called, the rafting out of the Prince of this world. It is, the calling him out of his Power, from his Princedom and Rule, andCol. 2.15. Hiving piled principalities and powers, be made an openJlsew of them, triumphing over them in his crofs ; as Conquerors ufed to do, when they had not flain the Perfons of their Enemies, but deprived them of their Rule , and lead them Captives. The Deflruecion then here intended of him that had the power of death, is the Diffolution,Evacuation, and Removing of that Power which he had in and over . death, with all the effefts and confequences of it. 4. The means whereby Satan was thus deftroyed is alto expreffed. It was bydeath, by his owndeath. This of all others,famed the moltunlikely way and means, but in- deed was not only the belt, but the onÿway whereby it might be aceommplilhed. And themanner how it was done thereby, mufibe declaredand vindicated. Thefourfold power ofSatan in reference unto death before mentioned, was all founded in fin. The Obligationof the fanner unto death, was that which gave bim all his Power. The takingaway thenof that Obligation, mutt needs be the Dilfolution ofhis Power. The foundation,.being removed, all that is built upon it, mutt needs fall to the ground. Now this in reference unto the Children for whom he dyed, was done in the death of Chrilt; Virtually in his death it felf, Actuary in the Application of it unto them. When the tanner ceafeth to beobnoxious unto death, the Power ofSatan ceafeth alfo. And this every one doth, that hath an intereft in the death of Chrift : for there is no condemnation unto them that are in Chriif lefts, Kom. 8. n. And this becaufehe dyed ; he dyed for their fins, took thatdeath upon himfelf which was due unto them ; which being conquered thereby, andtheir Obligationthereunto ceafing, the Power of Sa- tan is therewith difTolved. The Mil Branch of his Powerconftfted in thebringing of fin into the world; This is difolved by Chrifts taking away the fin of the world, J,hn t. 29. which he did as the Lamb ofGod, by theSacrifice of himfelf in his death, typified by the PafdialLamb, and all other Sacrifices ofold. Again, His power con lifted 211
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