The covenant of nature made with Adam described and cleared from sundry great mistakes. And thereby proving, I. That the kind of death that was threatned in that covenant, in Gen. 2.17. ought not to be understood of any other kind of death but of a double spiritual death, 1. By depriving Adam of Gods concreated image: and 2. By corruption of nature that followed thereupon. II. Proving that the said covenant was totally extinguished and made utterly null, as soon as Adam had but tasted of the forbidden fruit, and received the said threatned punishment. III. Expounding Gal. 3.10. and proving that the curse therein threatned must not be understood of the curse of the said covenant of nature, but of that curse that is threatned in the covenant of grace to the fallen posterity of Adam, for their not doing of Moses law by faith in Christ, which was given to them for the covenant of grace and reconciliation only. ... VIII. Expounding Rom. 8.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 6, 8. in ch. 25. By William Pynchon.

Sect. 2.

VI. ANd between thy seed and her seed.

1. This copulative word [And] doth necessarily bring in the two * 1.1 former words that were prefixed to the first warlike combate of enmity; and in that respect this sentence may be read thus, I will put enmity between thy seed and her seed, that is to say, I will effectually cause to be put by my Spirit, a most powerfull principle of a most righteous warlike enmity, into one of this poor deceived womans seed, that shall by his righteous perfor∣mance of his combate of sufferings, conquer the warlike enmity of the numerous and potent seed of the Devil, the Scribes and Pharisees, together with Pilate and Herod, and all the people of the Jews.

2. This second proclaimed combate of warlike enmity, is expressed in the future tense, because it was to be acted in a time yet to come, but in what year or day to come it should be acted, it was not declared at this present unto Adam. Neither was the time thereof revealed unto Abraham, and yet Christ said, He rejoyced to see my day, and he saw it, and was glad, John 8. 56. but the particular time was not revealed unto Abraham, no more than it was to Adam, neither yet was the time of it revealed unto Da∣vid: and yet it was revealed unto David, that Christ should be his sonne, and that the Throne of his spiritual Kingdom should be everlasting, 2 Sam. 7. But the exact time when this seed of the woman should accomplish his warlike combate of enmity, for the breaking of the Devils head-plot by his obedience in all his sufferings,) was first revealed unto gracious Daniel, at the just end of the seaventy years captivity in Babylon. Then Daniel was at prayer for their return at the time of the evening oblation. And then the Angel Gabriel said unto him, O Daniel, I am come to give thee skill and un∣derstanding, therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision. Seventy sevens of years are exactly accounted to finish trespasse offerings, and to end sin∣offerings, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in an everlasting justification, (instead of the Ceremonial,) Dan 9. 22, 23, 24.

Three things are remarkable in this message of the Angel.

1. The exact time when the seed of the woman should fulfill his warlike

combate of enmity, and thereby procure Gods reconciliation for the break∣ing of the Devils head-plot.

2. The manner of his death, and that is expressed in these words, in vers. 26. He shall be cut off, (as a malefactor on the tree,) as it was first declared in Gen. 3. 15. Thou (Satan) shalt (have a liberty of power to) pierce him in the foot-soales, namely, to cut him off as a wicked malefactor on the tree.

3. The efficacy of his death: and that is two-fold. 1. He shall finish trespass and sinne-offerings, (and so by a consequent all the other rites of Moses Law.) 2. And make reconciliation for unrighteousness, and so pro∣cure an everlasting righteousness, (or justification from sin,) to all believers instead of the ceremonial, vers. 24, 27.

These three points I have explained more at large in my Exposition of Daniel 9.

2. [Between thy seed.] (O Satan,) namely, between thy wicked ge∣neration of Scribes and Pharisees, who are also called by J••hn at his Bap∣tisme, A generation of serpents, Matth. 3. 7. and our Saviour called them serpents, and a generation of vipers, Matth. 23. 33. and in that Chapter denounced eight woes against them for their spiritual blindness; and our Saviour told the Jews, that though they boasted of their Fa••her Abraham, yet they were of their Father the Devil, and that his lusts they would do, John 8. 44. And Isaiah saith in Ch. 53. 8. Who shall declare his generation in which he lived? it was so wicked, as I have shewed in my former Book, pag. 353. By these Scriptures we are taught, who they are that are called thy seed, (in speech to the Devil that was yet in the serpent.)

3. The reason why this warlike combate of enmity, openly proclaimed in the Devils hearing was, that the Devil might not say in after-times, I could have made my party good, against this seed of the woman, if I had but had an open and a fair warning, as indeed there ought to be in the first beginning of a righteous warlike combate of enmity: and therefore to prevent this complaint, God gave the Devil an open and faire warn∣ing.

3. [And her seed.] By her seed M^r Norton and many others do under∣stand Christ with all the godly in a collective sence. But this Exposition is a grand errour, because they do by necessary consequence, make all the godly to be co-partners with Christ, in the actual breaking of the Devils head-plot for mans Redemption. Therefore for the avoiding of this grand errors, this word [her seed,] must be expounded in a restrained sence of one single seed of the woman, namely, of the humane nature of Christ on∣ly: for no other seed of the woman was able to conquer the Devils said warlike combate of enmity by perfection of obedience, and to make their soul a sacrifice in that perfection for the procuring of Gods reconciliation to the elect; but this single seed of the woman only.

Therefore the word [her seed] must be understood of that singular seed of the woman, that must be conceived and born of the woman alone, with∣out the help of man: for if Christ had been born of a woman in the ordi∣nary way of generation, then he had been born under the cursed spiritual

death of the Covenant of nature; and then he should have been born in o∣riginal sinne; and then he could not have been a Lamb without spot and blemish for sacrifice; and then he could not have been a Priest holy and harmless; and then his death could not have been accepted of God as a perfect sacrifice; and then we had been still left in our sins. But blessed be God, that promised such a seed from the woman alone, as should be conceived in her womb, by the power of the holy Ghost, in a miraculous manner above the power of nature, Luk. 1. 31, to 35. and such a seed of the woman, as should be able to live and dye without the least spot of sinne, notwithstanding the Devils subtle temptations to insnare him there∣in: But no other seed of this poor deceived sinfull woman, could be such a sinless seed in conception, life and death, but the hu••a••e nature of Christ onely.

But saith M^r Norton in pag. 19. & pag. 218.

"The meaning of these words, Thou shalt bruise him in the heel, in Gen. 3. 15. is, that chiefly Christ, and with him believers that live Godly, (both which are the sed of Eve) shall suffer affliction and persecution by Satan.

[Reply 1] This erroneous Exposition had been the less blameable, if it had not been produced to confute a true Exposition: but seeing he hath produ∣ced it to confute the true Exposition that I gave in my Dialogue, it is the more sharply to be reprehended; for the Dialogue said thus in pag. 3. The Lord told Adam, that not only the promised seed should break the Devils head-plot, but also that the Devil should crucifie him, and pierce him in the foot-soales, Gen. 3. 15. The Devil did it by his instruments, the Scribes and Pharisees are the Roman Souldiers. These are my words in my Dialogue, which M^r Norton doth labour to confute with hi•• corrupt ex∣position.

[Reply 2] Though that which he saith be a truth in it self, namely,

"That the godly are the seed of Eve as well as Christ: yet it is not a truth from the said words in Gen. 3. 15. 2.

I believe also, that the wicked are the seed of Eve as well as the godly: but yet I say also, that these three sorts of seed, are the seed of Eve in three several differing sences. 1. Christ is the seed of Eves womb, only by the power of the holy Ghost. 2. All the godly, (as they are godly,) are the seed of Eves saith only. 3. The wicked are the seed of Eve by natural generation onely. But none else is called her seed from the seed of her womb alone, but the humane nature of Christ onely.

[Reply 3] The word Seed, and the word HE are thus expounded by our large Annotations. The former word Zeta, Seed, and the following word HƲ HE, and Jeshuphecha shall break, are all of the Masculine Gender: thence I inferre, that seeing they are all of the Masculine Gender, then godly wo∣men which are of the Feminine Gender, must not be reckoned into this word seed, nor into this Masculine word HE, but they must be excluded from being comprehended under this Masculine Seed; as M^r Nortons cor∣rupt exposition doth collectively speak.

2. Hence the Papists are to be reproved, because they have corrupted

Jeroms translation in his latter Editions: for in his first Editions he tran∣slated HƲ [by HE] shall break; but in the latter Editions they put in Ip∣sa she, instead of Ipse he, and by that meanes they give the honour of our Redemption to the Virgin Mary. But the said three Masculine terms, do fully exclude the Virgin Mary, and do strongly confirm it to be meant of that humane nature of Christ only.

3. Though our larger Annotations gave a right sence of the words at first, yet it doth conjoyne the said erroneous collective Exposition to the word Seed at last, to the utter confusion of its first orthodox Expo∣sition.

4. The like great errour doth our Annotations fall into, in its Exposition of the word Seed in Gal. 3. 16. for there it doth expound it in a collective sence also.

5. M^r Calvin is in like sort the more to be blamed, because he doth ve∣hemently contend against such Interpreters as make [Her Seed] to relate only to the humane nature of Christ; and doubtless he hath led many latter Expositors into the same error with himself, seeing he is counted for a lead∣ing Expositor.

"6. The word Seed, saith M^r Ainsw. in Gen. 22. 18. is there meant in special of one, that is Christ, Gal. 3. 16, 8. and yet in Gen. 3. 15. he doth likewise fall in the foresaid great error, for first he doth expound the word Seed of Christ onely;

but in the second place he doth expound it in a col∣lective sence of Christ and all the godly: which two sences is contrary to that Rule of a sound Exposition which I have given of the word death, in chap. 1.

But on the contrary, divers other Expositors do most soundly Expounded, [Her Seed,] to relate onely to the humane nature of Christ.

[Reply 4] I will first begin with Luther, for he seems not to be led by Calvin in any thing: Luther doth make her seed in Gal. 3. 16. to relate only to the hu∣mane nature of Christ, in opposition to the malignant Jews, that expound the word Seed of seeds in the plural.

"The Jews saith Luther, will not receive this interpretation of Paul. They say the singular is put for the plural, one for many. But (saith he) we do gladly receive this mean∣ing and interpretation of Paul, who oftentimes repeateth this word Seed, and expoundeth it to be Christ: and this (saith he) he doth with an apostolical spirit.

2. Luther saith thus in Gal. 3. 7.

"All the promises are to be referred to the first promise, and to be expounded concerning Christ the Seed of the woman, that shall break the Serpents head, and so did all the Prophets understand it and teach it.

3. Bullenger in his 4^th Decad and Serm. 1. doth interpret the word Seed in Gen. 3. 15. of one single seed of the woman,

"The first and most evi∣dent promise of all, (saith he) was made by the very mouth of God unto our first Parents Adam and Eve, being oppressed with death, which promise is as it were the pillar and base of all Christi••n Religion, whereupon the Preaching of the Gospel is altogether founded, and out

of which all the other promises are in a manner derived, Gen. 3. 15. In this Verse (saith he) God promiseth seed: The seed I say, not of man, but of woman: to wit, of the most holy Virgin Mary; for she conceived not by any man, but by the holy Ghost, and was delivered of Christ our Lord: who by dying and rising again, did tread and crush the head of Satan, &c. And in the mean while, (saith he) Satan troad on Christs heel by his members, when Caiphas, Pilate, Jews and Gentiles did with exqui∣site torments of death vex and kill the flesh of Christ, &c.

2. Saith Bullenger in his 3^d Decad Serm. 6.

"God did not first begin the league with Abraham, but renewed unto him that Covenant which he had first made with Adam immediately upon his transgression, when he received him again into favour, and promised his only begotten Son, in whom he would be reconciled to the world, &c. And, saith he, this antient league he renewed afterwards unto Noah, and after that again to the blessed Patriarch Abraham: And again, after four hundred years, he * 1.2 renewed it under Moses at Mount Sinai, where the conditions of the league were at large written in Tables, and many Ceremonies were ad∣ded thereunto. But most excellent, clearly, and evidently did our Lord himself shew forth that league, who wiping away all ceremonies, types, and figures, brought in, in the stead of them the very truth: and this is now called the new League or Testament, &c. And then he con∣cludes thus, This promise of God to Abraham, is all one with that which he made to Adam in Gen. 3. 15.

4. Tyndal in his Translation and Annotation of Gen. 3. 15. doth make [Her seed] to be the humane nature of Christ only.

5. That blessed Martyr Jo. Frith saith in p. 109.

"The word of promise was this, I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; that seed shall tread thee on the head, and thou shalt tread it on the heel. In this promise (saith he) they, (namely, the Fathers that lived before Christs Incarnation,) had knowledg that Christ should become the seed, or Sonne of a woman, and that he should destroy the Devil with all his power, and deliver his faithfull from their sinnes. And whereas it is said (saith he) that the Devil shall tread it on the heel, they understood right-well, that the Devil should find the means by his wiles and wicked ministers, to put Christ to death, &c. This promise (saith he) was given to Adam, and it saved as many as did believe, and it was afterwards established to our father Abraham, saying, In thee shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.

6. M^r Rutherford on the Covenant pag. 312. doth largely Dispute on this word [Her Seed,] in Gal. 3. 16. in opposition to M^r Nortons collective sence.

"Our Divines (saith he) as Beza, Piscator, Deodati, and our English Divines in their Annotations, expound the word Seed in Gal. 3. 16. of Christ mystical, as the Church the body is called Christ, 1 Cor. 12. 12. But (saith he) judicious Pareus saith, that the Apostle expounds this word seed, not collectively of many, but individually of one, [Christ.] And (saith he) among Papists Lyranus saith, the promises are made

to the seed, that is, to Christ, in whom the promises are fulfil∣led, and in no other, and therefore it is said to the seed in the singular number.

2. Saith he a little after,

"There is no reason to expound the word seed, of mystical Christ and of his seed. 1. Because the seed is he, in whom the Nations are blessed, both Jews and Gentiles, Gal. 3. 14. 2. Because the seed is he that is made a curse, vers. 13. which is Christ onely, and not mystical Christ, head and members. 3. Saith he, The promise is made to the seed coming in the flesh, and assuming our nature in personal union, vers. 19. 4. It runs most connatural to the Text, and most comfortable to us, if neither Christ Gal. 3. 16. be understood as a private man, the Son of Mary, nor yet as Christ mystical, as 1 Cor. 12. 12. but as Christ a publick person, head, and Lord-Mediator.

This Orthodox Exposition of his, I first hinted in my former printed Reply, in p. 341. But I think it fit to relate it here more fully.

7. M^r Warren saith in p. 127.

"The Promise or Covenant was made to Abraham and his seed, he saith not to seeds as of many, but as of one, and to thy Seed, which is Christ, Gal. 3. 16. This Christ (saith he) was not Christ misticall, as Beza, Piscator and many others expound it (as M^r Rutherford (saith he) hath well observed) but Christ personall. But with their leave, saith M^r Rutherford in his Tryall and Triumph of Faith, Ser. 7. p. 51. The promise is not made to Christs person singly con∣sidered, nor to Christ misticall: For 1. The Promise is ma••e to Christ in whom the Covenant was confirmed, Gal. 3. 17. 2. In whom the Na∣tions are blessed, vers. 14. 3. In whom we receive the promise of the Spirit through faith, vers. 15. and who was made a curse for us, vers. 13. Now (saith he) not any of these can agree to Christ misticall: Christ misticall did not confirm the Covenant, nor give the Spirit, nor was made a curse; but Christ mediator is he to whom the promises are made, and in Him, to all his heirs and kindred, not simply in his per∣son, but as a publike person and mediator: and upon beleeving we are truly in him, and so Abrahams seed, and so heirs according to the pro∣mise, &c.

Thus I have presented the Reader with M^r Rutherfords double Exposition of [her Seed] to be meant of Christ only, and that his expo∣sition is also approved by M^r Warren.

Thus have I confuted M^r Nortons Confutation by a Jury of orthodox Writers.

8. M^r Ainsw. saith,

"The word Seed, is used either for a multitude as in Gen. 15. 5. or for one particular person, as in Gen. 4. 25. Gen. 21. 13. But saith he in Gen. 3. 15. it meaneth one speciall Seed, Christ, Gal. 3. 16. And this did the ancient Hebrew Doctors acknowledge: for in Thar∣gum Jerusalemy (saith he) the fulfilling of this promise is expresly re∣ferred to the last dayes, to the daies of King Messias.

Thus M^r Ainsworth hath concluded his Exposition in a right sence as he began it; but he hath put into the middle the corrupt exposition of a collective Seed, like a dead fly into a Box of pretious truth.

VII. He shall Breakthy Head.

This first word HƲ, HE; is in the masculine gender: But in case the former word Seed had been meant collectively of the womans godly seed as well as of Christ; then this word HƲ, should have been translated They, and not HE: They together shall break the Devils head for mans Redemption.

2. It is observed by M^r Broughton in Rev. 24. 6. and in Melchisedeck D. 2. that the very Zohar upon Gen. 3. saith, that HƲ HE is the holy Blessed the Eternall: In these words the ancient Hebrews did confess, that none else could become true man of the womans seed alone, but the second Per∣son in the Godhead.

3. The same Zohar doth also say on Gen. 3. 15. That by the Serpent Christ should be kild: from both these speeches put together, we may see that the ancient Hebrew Doctors held, That the holy Blessed, the Eter∣nall, the second person in Trinity should assume true humane nature from the poor captive womans seed alone without the help of man: And 2. That the seed of the Devill in the Serpent, should have a liberty of power given them to kill his humane nature, by piercing him in the foot-soals as a sinfull malefactor on the Crosse. But the later Hebrew Doctors are extream ene∣mies to the death of Christ, and extream Apostates from the saith of their Ancestors.

4. Hence observe, that this word HƲ HE in the masculine Gender, doth note out unto us three properties in the Messias person and office.

1. The Humane nature of the Messias; because he must be made true * 1.3 man of the seed of the woman alone, Gal. 4. 4. Luk. 1. 42.

2. It notes out unto us the Divine nature of the Messias, because none else can take mans true nature and passions from the seed of the woman alone without the help of man, but the second person in Trinity.

3. HU HE, is a Noun singular, and in that respect it doth note out unto us, that the said two natures of the Messias should be truly united in per∣sonall union; namely that his Divine nature should assume his humane nature as an appendix to his divine person: and that he should in that re∣spect be called Emanuel, Mat. 1. 23. and one Mediator between God and man, 1 Tim. 2. 5. and that he should in his humane alone, combate with the warlike enmity of the Devill for the victory, by his perfect obedience, through all his ignominious tortures, untill he had gotten the victory, and had in that perfection of his obedience, made his death a most perfect and acceptable sacrifice, for the procuring of his Fathers Reconciliation to all the Elect: and thus, as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one (in his combate of sufferings, and in his death and sacrifice) many are made righteous, i.e. justified from their sinnes, Rom. 5. 19.

4. D^r Alle expounds, he shall break of Christ only, and reproves the Po∣pish writers for reading it ipsa, part 2. fol. 62.

5. M^r Bro. saith in Rev. 9. p. 93. Appoluon fighteth against all for Hebrew in Gen. 3. 15. He shall breakthy head; All the millions of Hebrews saith he to each man say HE: And John expoundeth all of Christ, that HE should destroy the works of the Devill: And Onkelos saith, HE shall, &c. and so

the Arabique Sadazias: and so the LXX: yet the Popes Translation hath She, against thrice the masculine gender in Hebrew, and all Hebrew kind that ever were, to bring Mary into Christs honour, to destroy the Bible and the world: and to this sence doth Gibbons speak in Gen. 3. 15. Question 10. where he sheweth, that Aquilae, Symachus and Theodotion do corrupt the Hebrew, by translating it She: It is recorded that Aquila and Theodo∣tion were notable Apostates from the faith of Christ, and joyned themselves to the unbelieving Jews, and by sinistrous translations perverted such pla∣ces of Scripture, as gave a clear testimony of Christ, as Gen. 3. 15. they translate She instead of H ••: and in Isa. 7. 14. Behold a Virgin shall conceive, they corruptly translate it, Behold a young woman shall conceive: This bad translation of apostate Christians to the apostate Jews, ought to be abhor∣red of Christians; so Chap. 2. Austin saith,

"That the Jews preferre A∣quila before all, (in the City of God, lib. 15. cap. 23.) it is the greater sign, that to please the Jews, he corrupted the said Scriptures.

But Jerom did approve of Theodotion before that of Aquila and Symachus, as Vines saith in l. 16. c. 32.

[Shall break.] So the LXX translate it: others render it, Shall pierce, bruise, or crush. This Hebrew word is used only in Gen. 3. 15. and in Job 9. 17. but the true sence from the context is the thing that is chiefly to be regarded; namely, how this seed of the woman should bruise break or the Devils head, or rather his head-plot; for the Son of God was manifested to destroy the works of the Devil, 1 Joh. 3. 8. namely through death he destroyed him that had the power of death, the Devil, Heb. 2. 14. And the kind of his death is expressed to be as ignominious and cruel, as the Devil could de∣vise; by this expression, Thou shalt pierce him in the foot-soales; and also by this expression, He shall be cut off, or executed (as a notorious malefactor) Esay 53. 8. Dan. 9. 26. But it was not possible that Christ could destroy, break, bruise, pierce or crush the head-plot of Satan, by such an ignominious death, unless he had performed his death in all exact obedience to the Ar∣ticles of the Covenant, in countermining Satans warlike enmity, by his said perfect obedience in his death; but being so performed, it did pro∣cure his Fathers reconciliation to all his Elect seed: and after this sort the Elect are redeemed from the Devils power, and after this sort the De∣vils head-plot is broken, bruised, pierced, and crushed all to pieces, as con∣cerning the Elect number, though the wicked do still remain under his power as his conquered captives.

[Thy head.] It is a known thing that the Devil is a spirit, and therefore that he hath no corporal head: and hence it follows, that by the Devils head must be understood his head-plot, namely, the head-plot of those * 1.4 many legions of Angels that fell, by refusing to be ministring spirits to Adam and Eve, according to the Law of Gods positive Covenant made with them: and for that sinne of theirs, God deprived them of their concreated moral perfections: and then they could not stop from further sinning, but instant∣ly became an envious company against the good of man: and without any delay they combined together in one head-plot, to ask leave of God to en∣ter into the Serpent, and to try whether Adam and Eve would be more

perfect in their obedience to Gods positive Law and Covenant of nature, then they had been: and having obtained leave, they did enter into the head of the serpent, and did so cunningly actuate the tongue of the serpent to speak, as if it had been no other but an Angel from Heaven, that god had sent to reverse his former prohibition, and to give them liberty to eat of the forbidden fruit for their best good, and that the eating of it, would increase their knowledge in all Gods secret will. And by this meanes, the Devil brought them under the same punishment of a double spiritual death with themselves: and as soon as they had effected this head-plot, these fallen Angels are ever since called collectively, The Devil and Satan, and the accuser of the brethren, The adversary, &c. And the word head or head-plot, is very suitable to them, because the word head is used for a head-plot, for in Psal. 140. 9. David prayeth against the head of those that compass me about. M^r Ainsw. saith,

"That head sometimes sig∣nifieth a company of chief men, 1 Chron. 4. 42. and for this also see Ains. in Psal. 141. 5.

2. But yet presently after that our first Parents had broken the Cove∣nant of nature, by eating of the forbidden fruit, and had received the threatned punishment of a double spiritual death. It pleased the Lord to shew forth the riches of his mercy to them, by declaring unto them the de∣cree of the eternal Covenant of the Trinity for their Redemption, namely, that the second Person in Trinity, should become true man, of the seed of the poor captive woman: and that he should be conceived in the womb of a Virgin that never knew man, by the power of the holy Ghost; and that in the fullness of the time appointed of the Father, he should in that nature perform the warlike combate of enmity, with his malignant Cham∣pion, Satan and his seed, in such perfection of obedience, even to the death of the Cross, that he should in that perfection of his obedience, make his death to be accepted as a most perfect and acceptable sacrifice, for the procuring of his Fathers reconciliation, for the full redemption of all the Elect. And after this sort it is, that the seed of the woman hath broken the Devils head-plot, gotten the victory, and divided the spoil, namely, he hath divided the Elect number from the rest of the spoil, that are yet in the hands of the strong enemy Satan, Isa. 53. 12.

VIII. [And thou shalt pierce him in the foot-soales.]

[Thou] Namely, thou Satan that art yet in the Serpent: Thou, as well as thy seed formerly named, shalt have a liberty of power, without any restraint to hinder this seed of the woman from breaking thy head-plot. * 1.5 But thou cansts not devise any likelyer means to hinder him, than by pro∣voking his passions to some sinfull distemper or other: and thou canst not devise any likelyer means to provoke his passions, than by accusing him to be no better than a sinfull malefactor, and by using him with all ignomini∣ous, reproachfull, and painfull tortures, by tormenting his body with the most exquisite and long-lingring torments, in piercing his hands and his feet with iron spikes upon the Cross. This unlimited power of malignity, do I give thee over the body of Christ, more than I gave thee over the body of Job: as I have shewed in my former Book, pag. 312. And

accordingly the Devil began to exercise his unlimited power over the body of Christ, immediately after he was extrinsecally installed into the Media∣tors office. At his Baptism he tempted him fourty dayes together, and at the end of those fourty dayes, the Devil did take his blessed and sinless body, and did carry it up into the ayre, and set it upon the top of the pina∣cle of the Temple, and then tempted him to cast himself down: and Christ had no sooner resisted that temptation, but the Devil having still the same liberty of power, did take his body from thence, and carried it to the top of a high Mountain, and there he had such a liberty of power gi∣ven him, as to represent to his bodily sences, the glory of the whole world; and then the Devil said unto him, All this will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me: and when Christ had resisted this temptation, the Devil seeing no hopes to prevaile at this present, left him for a little season; but it was but for a little season, for not long after, he used a new liberty of power, to stir up the Scribes and Pharisees to be his arch instruments to provoke his patience, by many slanderous reports, and false accusations; and at last to apprehend him, and impeach him as a grand malefactor, and to get Pilate to condemn him to the most ignominious and tormenting death of the Cross between two thieves. For the Devil knew right-well, that in case he could not provoke his patience by any of these means, that then his death should be accepted of God as a death of righteousness, namely, Performed in all exact obedience, according to the declared will of God, in his Covenant of reconciliation, in Gen. 3. 15. And then that it should be accepted as a most obedient sacrifice, for the procuring of his Fathers reconciliation, for the full redemption of all the Elect, and that then his head-plot should be broken as to the Elect number. And yet for all this, the Devils warlike enmity was such, that he would not give over his war∣like stratagems; and therefore when Christ was dead and laid in his grave; he caused the Scribes and Pharisees to seale his Tombe, and to set a watch about it, least his Disciples should steal him away. And when it was noised that he was risen to the great amazement of the Souldiers, by a terrible earthquake, then the Devil prevailed so with the Scribes and Pha∣risees, as to give the Souldiers a large quantity of money, to say that his Disciples stole him away while they slept. But blessed be God, this righ∣teous seed of the woman, did in all things conquer the Devil and all his potent seed by righteousness.

And, 2. After his Resurrection, Peter said thus to the Jews, Him, being delivered, (namely, to Satan and to his potent seed, according to the de∣claration of the warlike combate of enmity in Gen. 3. 15.) by the determi∣nate counsel, and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain, whom God hath raised up, having loosed (or heal∣ed) the soares of death, because it was not possible he should be holden of it, namely, not of death, (because he had it in his power,) Act. 2. 23, 24. Col. 2. 15. Rom. 6. 9.

[Shall pierce] Thou Satan shalt have a full liberty of power to pierce, to bruise, or break this seed of the woman, as a sinfull malefactor in the foot-soales on the Cross, M^r Bro. doth render the Hebrew word in all

these tearms in his Descent. pag. 17, &c. And

2. The word Plerce is used for his crucifying, in Zach. 12. 10. Joh. 19. 34, 37. Rev. 1. 7.

[His heel] The Hebrew word and the Greek word also, doth signifie not only the heel, but the whole foot, or the foot-soal. As Ains. doth often render it, as in Psal. 89. 52, &c.

2. This word Foot, is put for both the feet, as it is also in other places: * 1.6 as in Lev. 13. 12. Deut. 8. 4. Josh. 1. 3. Matth. 22. 13. and consequently by an argument of the like sorce, it is put for both the hands also. And so David doth explain the manner of the Devils crucifying of this seed of the woman, in Psal. 22. 17. The assembly of evil-doers have inclosed me, they have Lion-like pierced my hands and my feet. There is in this Verse a double reading in the Hebrew, and M^r Ainsw. doth translate them both by lion-like:

"And this was fulfilled (saith he) in nailing our Lord to the Cross by his hands and feet, Matth. 27. 35. John 20. 25.

And this kind of death is that which Austin calleth, A death, not of condition, but of crime, But M^r Norton doth interpret Austins sence to be meant of the death of Christs soul, under the wrath of God, through the imputation of our sins to Christ, in pag. 130. But I find that M^r Nortons sence is no more like Au∣stins, than an Apple is like an Oyster: as I have also noted it in my former Reply in p. 96.

Austin doth often use the word crime for scandalous sins, (as Vines doth expound his meaning in The City of God, lib. 14. cap. 9.)

"Austin (saith he) declareth the difference between crime and sinne, in Tract. Super Joan 41. A crime, saith he, is an act worthy of accusation and condem∣nation: for (saith he) the Apostle giving order for the Election of Priests and Deacons, and other Church-men in 1 Tim. 3. 2. saith, not if any of you be without sin, (for so he should exclude all mankind from being elected,) but if any be without crime, as man-slaughter, whore∣dome, adultery, theft, fraud, sacriledge, and the like. And for such∣like scandalous crimes was Christ accused and condemned to death, from the accusations of the high-Priests, and from the sentence of Pilate.

And in this respect it is that Austin cals his death, not a death of condition, but of crime: and therefore the Devil did labour to make his death as odi∣ous in the eyes of the world as it was possible, that so none at all, or but very few, might be affected to believe in his death, for the salvation of their souls: but yet because he performed his death in perfection of obedience, it was accepted of God, as the meritorious price of mans Redemption.

Conclusion.

After this manner it is that Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law, when he was made a curse for us, (for in the outward manner of his death, he died as a cursed malefactor,) for it is written, cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree, Deut. 21. 23. That so the blessing that was promised to our first Father Adam, (which was renewed afterwards unto Abraham,) might come upon all believers, even upon the believing Gentiles, as well as upon the believing Jews.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The second warlike com∣bate between the Devils po∣tent seed, and one single seed of the poor de∣ceived woman described.
• * 1.2

  Bullenger makes the De∣calogue and the Ceremonies at Mount Sinai to be given for the new Covenant of grace.
• * 1.3

  The word HE in Gen. 3. 15. doth compre∣hend both the natures of Christ in perso∣nal union.
• * 1.4

  The Devil is said to have a head, because of the head-plot of all the Angels that fell, to de∣ceive Adam and Eve.
• * 1.5

  God gave the Devil a liber∣ty of power to pierce the hu∣mane nature of Christ, in the foot-soales, as a sinfull malefa∣ctor on the Cross.
• * 1.6

  How or in what sence Austin calls the death of Christ, not a death of condi∣tion, but of crime.