Serra. CXX. as difèover'ddy Nature and1y Revelation. 113 Now thls is laid to be done by the appearingof7efus Chrft, for as much as by his coining into the World, and taking our Nature upon him, hebecame capable of encountering this Enemy andovercoming hitn, in fuch a manner as might give us affurance of a final Vi&ory over it, and for the prefentcomtort and encourage us againft the fears of it. For, r. By takingour Nature upon him, he.became fubje&to the frailties and rniferies of Mortality, and liable to the fuffering ofDeath, by which expiation ofSin was made. Sin was the caufe ofDeath. So the Apoftle tells us, By Man Sin enter'd into the World, and Death by Sin, fo that Death came upon all. Now the way to cure this Malady which was come upon our Nature, and to remove this great Mii(chief which was come into the World, isby taking away the meritorious Caufe of it which isthe guilt of Sin. Now thisChritt bath taken away by his Death. Chrift, that he might abolifh Death, hath appeared for the abolition ofSin. So the Apoftle tells us, Heb. 9. e6, 27, 28. But now once in the end of the World bath he appeared, toput away Sinby the Sacrifice of himfelf, e s ciNrnmv aucc?1í2c, for the aholiPiing ofSin : and to thew that this was intended as a Remedy of the great mifchief and inconvenience of Mortality, which Sinhad brought upon Mankind; the Apoftle immediately adds in the next verfe, that as itis appointed unto all men once to die, fo Chrill Was onceoffer'd to bear the finsof many ; and by this means the Sting of Death is taken away, and Death in effect conquered ; the Confideration of which makes the Apo( lebreakout into that tbankful Triumph, 1 Car. t5. 55, 56, 57. 0 Death, wherft thy Sting ? OGrave, where is thy Victory? The Sting of Death is Sin : But thanks be to God, whichgiveth us the Vedory through our Lord efus Chriff. 2. As Chrift by taking our Nature uponhim became capableof fuffering Death, and thereby making expiation for Sin; fo by dying he became capable of riling again from the Dead, whereby he bath gained a perfe& Victory and Conqueft over Death and the Power of Darknefs. And thisaccount the Apoftle gives us of Chrift's takingour Nature upon him,as beingone ofthe principal Ends andDefigns' of it, Heb. 2. 14, 15, 16. For as much then as the Children arepartaker: ofFlefh and Blood, he alfo himfelflikewife took part of the fame, that throughDeath he might deflroy him that had the Power ofDeath, that is, theDevil; that is, that by taking our Nature upon him, he might be capable of encountering thisEnemy, that is, ofencountering Death in his own Territories, and beating him in his own Quar- ters; and by riling out of his Grave, he might give us full and comfortable ARP- raneeof the Poffibilityof being refcued from the Power ofthe Grave, and reco- vered out of the Jaws of Death. And therefore the Wifdomof God pitched upon this way, as that which was molt fit and proper to encourage and bear us up againft the Terrors of this Enemy; and by giving us a lively inftance and ex- ample of a Victory over Death, atchieved by one clothed with Mortality like our felves, we might havefirong confolation and good hope through grace, and might be fully affur'd that he who had conquer'd this Enemy for himfelf, was able alfo' to conquer him for us, and to deliver us from the Grave. Therefore the Apoftle reafons from the fitnefs and futablenefs ofthis Difpenfation, as if no other Argu- ment could havebeen fo proper to arm us againft the fears of Death, and to fads- fie us that we fhould not always be held under the Power of it; For as much as the Children are partaker: ofFlefh and Blood, he alfo himfelf likewife took part of the famé, that through Deatb he might deflroy him that had the Power ofDeath, and de- liver them who throughfear of Death, &c. Theforce of. which Argument is this, That feeing Men are of a mortal Nature (for that hemeans by beingpartaker: of Flefh and Blood) nothing canbe a greatercomfort tous againftthe fears of Death, than to feeDeath conquer'd by Flefh and Blood, by one ofthe fame Nature with our felves. Therefore the Apoftleadds, ver. rd. For verily he took not on him the Nature of Angels, butthe Seed of Abraham. If he had affumed the Angelical Na- ture, which is Immortal, this would not have been fo fenfible a Convi&ion tous of the pofiìbilityof it, as to have a lively inftance and example prefented us, of one in our Nature conquering Death, and triumphing over the Grave. I pro- ceed to the II. Thing,
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