ercised in the effecting of this, we must consider, that after Satan was cast out of heaven for his rebellion, he set up a throne on the earth, and usurped an absolute empire over mankind. His power was great, and his malice was equal to his power. The apostle represents him with his black army, under the titles of "principalities and powers, the rulers of the darkness of this world, spiritual wickedness in high places," as in respect of the order among them, so in respect of the dominion they exercised in the world," Ephes. vi. 12. His principality hath two parts,-to tempt men powerfully to sin, and to execute the wrath of God upon them. He works effectually "in the children of disobedience." He fires their lusts, and by the thick ascending smoke darkens their minds, and hurries them to do the vilest actions. "And he hath the power of death," to torment sinners; God justly permitting him to exercise his cruelty upon those who comply with his temptations. Now in the time of Christ, seeing many ravished out of his hands and translated into the kingdom of God, he grew jealous of his state, and by his instruments brought him to a cruel and shameful death. He then in appearance obtained a complete conquest, but in truth was absolutely overcome. And from hence the glorious power of Christ is most clearly manifested. As he that will take the height of a mountain must descend to the lowest part of the valley, where fixing his instrument, he may discover the distance from the foot to the top of it; so we must descend to the lowest degree of our Saviour's abasement, to understand the height of his exaltation. By death he overcame him "that had the power of death, that is, the devil," Heb. ii. 14; for his cruel empire was founded in man's sin; his greatness was built on our ruins. All the penal evils he brings on mankind are upon the account of our disobedience, and his mighty power in temptations is from our inward corruption: otherwise he might surround, but could not surprise us. Now the Lord Christ by his death hath taken away the guilt and power of sin; the guilt, in enduring the curse of the law, and thereby satisfying eternal justice, which all the creatures in heaven and earth could not do; and the power of it, by crucifying "our old man with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin," Rom. vi. 6. By the cross of Christ the world is crucified to us; and we are crucified to the world, Gal. vi. 14. By it we are vindi

cated from the power of Satan, " into the glorious liberty of the sons of God." For this reason our Saviour, a little before his passion, said, "Now shall the prince of this world be cast out." By the cross he "spoiled principalities and powers, and made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it," to their extreme confusion, in the view of heaven and earth, Col. ii. 15. Although the resurrection and ascension of Christ are the proper acts of his triumph, yet his death is the sole cause and original of it. The nails and spear that pierced his body were his omnipotent arms, and the cross, the instrument of his sufferings, was the trophy of his victory. All our triumphant palms are gathered from that tree. It is there our Saviour bruised the head of the old serpent, and renewed his ancient victory over him.

And from hence it was, that upon the first preaching of Christ crucified, oracles were struck dumb and put to eternal silence; invisible powers were forced to do him visible honour. As the rising sun causes the night-birds to retire, so his name chased the rout of deities into darkness. They continue to be our enemies, but not our lords. Now where did the divine power ever appear more glorious than in our crucified Saviour? He hath done greater things suffering as man than acting as God. The works of creation and providence are not equal to the effects of his death. In the creation a corruptible world was produced from nothing, which as it had no disposition, so no contrariety to receive the form the Creator gave it; but the new world of grace that is immortal, was formed out of rebellious matter. The most eminent work of providence was the drowning of the Egyptians in the Red Sea; but the spiritual Pharaoh and all his hosts were drowned in his blood. In short, the cross hath opened heaven to us, and wrought a miraculous change on the earth. But this I shall more particularly consider under another head of discourse.

V. The divine power was eminently magnified in Christ's resurrection from the grave. This was foretold concerning the Messiah, by the prophet David speaking in the type; "My flesh shall rest in hope; for thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thy Holy One to see corruption," Psalm xvi. 9, 10. As it was ordained by God's counsel, so it was executed by his power. This is decisive, that he is the Messiah. His other miracles were performed by the

prophets, but this was singular, and done only by the God of the prophets.

The reasons of it prove, that it was equally necessary for his glory and our salvation. The quality of his person required it; for he was a heavenly man without guilt, therefore immortal by the original constitution of his nature. Death, that is the wages of sin, had no power over him. He was subject to it, not by the law of his conception, but the dispensation of his love: not to satisfy nature, but purchase our salvation: therefore the eternal law that annexes immortality to innocence, would not suffer that he should remain in the state of death. The nature of his office made

it necessary. As the economy of our redemption required that he should descend from heaven, the seat of his glory, that by dying he might expiate our sins; so after his lying in the grave so long as to attest the reality of his death, it was necessary he should rise again in order to his dispensing the glorious benefits he had purchased. The apostle tells the Corinthians," If Christ be not risen, then is our preaching in vain, and your faith is also in vain," 1 Cor. xv. 14. For the faith of Christians hath a threefold reference ;—to the person of Christ, that he is the Son of God;-to his death, that it is an all-sufficient sacrifice for sin ;-to his promise, that he will raise believers at the last day. Now the resurrection of Christ is the foundation of faith in respect of all these.

1. He was declared "to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead," Rom. i. 4. He was the Son of God from eternity as the Word, and from the first moment of his incarnation as God-man; but the honour of this relation was much eclipsed in his poor life and ignominious death. And although his darkest night was enlightened with some discoveries of his deity, yet they were transient and soon vanished. But in his resurrection God did publicly own him in the face of the world; therefore he is represented testifying from heaven, "Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee;" according to the phrase of scripture, then things are said to be, when they conspicuously appear, Acts xiii. 33. All the miraculous proofs by which God acknowledged him for his Son during his life, had been ineffectual without this. If he had remained in the grave, it had been reasonable to believe him an ordinary person, and that his death had been

the punishment of his presumption; but his resurrection was the most illustrious and convincing evidence, that he was what he declared himself to be; for it is not conceivable that God should put forth an almighty power to raise him, and thereby authorize his usurpation, if by robbery he had assumed that glorious title. He is therefore said to be “justified by the Spirit" which raised him, from all the accusations of his enemies, who charged him with blasphemy for making himself equal with God. Upon the evidence of it, Thomas adored him as his Lord and God.

2. His resurrection is the most pregnant proof of the allsufficiency of his satisfaction. This was special in the death of Christ, that the curse of the law accompanied it, and seemed like an infinite weight to lie on his grave. But in rising again, the value and virtue of his sufferings was fully declared. Therefore the apostle tells us, that "he was delivered for our offences, and raised again for our justification,” Rom. iv. 25. Although his death was sufficient to merit our pardon, yet since believers alone actually partake of the benefit, and none could believe, if he had not risen from the grave, it is clear his death had been ineffectual without it.

3. Our faith in his promises to give life and glory to his servants, is built on his resurrection; for how could we believe him to be the author of life, who remained under the power of death? How could he quicken and glorify us, who finally perished? If he had been confined to the grave, all our hopes had been buried with him. But his resurrection is the cause, pattern, and argument of ours. He did not only raise his body from the grave, but his church with him. Now the effecting of this is attributed to the divine power, with a note of eminency; "Christ was raised by the glory of the Father," Rom. vi. 4; that is, by his power, which in that act was manifested in its full splendour; for what is stronger than death, and more inexorable than the grave? Omnipotency alone can break its gates, and loose its bands.

CHAPTER XXI.

THE POWER OF GOD IN REDEMPTION.

VI. THE divine power was glorified in the conversion of the world to Christianity.

The apostle tells us, "that Christ crucified was to the Jews a stumbling-block, and to the Gentiles foolishness." The Jews expected the Messiah to deliver them from temporal servitude and establish a universal empire, either by the force of arms, or by the terror of signs and prodigies, as Moses did against the Egyptians: but when instead of power, they saw nothing but weakness, and instead of a glorious triumph, a disgraceful punishment, they despised his person and rejected his doctrine. But notwithstanding this imaginary infirmity in Christ crucified, yet "to those that are called" according to the divine purpose, he was the most excellent "power of God;" it being more glorious to subdue the world to the faith and obedience of a crucified person, than if he had appeared with all the powers of heaven, and princes of the earth as his attendants. For this reason the apostle declares, he was "not ashamed of the gospel of Christ," it being "the power of God to salvation to every one that believeth, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek," Rom. i. 16. And he prays for the Ephesians, that "the eyes of their understandings being enlightened, they might know what is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places," Ephes. i. 18-20. He uses various and lofty expressions, as if one had been insufficient to signify the extent and efficacy of that power which produced the faith of Christ in the heathens. And if we duly consider things, it will appear, that the terms of the apostle are not too strong and hyperbolical, but just and equal to the degree of power requisite for the accomplishment of that great work.

For the understanding of this, I will consider three things;

1. The numerous and great difficulties that obstructed the receiving of the gospel.