Looking unto Jesus a view of the everlasting gospel, or, the souls eying of…

This promise as it is the first; so the hardest to be understood: it contains in it good news of the overthrow of Satan's Kingdom, and of mans freedom by the death of Christ. But the obscurity is such, that Luther exceedingly complains,¹ the Text which of all men should rightly be known, is of no man that I know (saith he) especially and accurately unfolded: amongst the Ancients there is not one that hath explicated this Text according to the dignity of it.

This promise as it is the first; so the hardest to be understood: it contains in it good news of the overthrow of Satans Kingdome, and of mans freedom by the death of Christ. But the obscurity is such, that Luther exceedingly complains,¹ the Text which of all men should rightly be known, is of no man that I know (saith he) especially and accurately unfolded: amongst the Antients there is not one that hath explicated this Text according to the dignity of it.

1. 1Textus qui omnibus debebat esse notissimus, a nemine quod ego sciam, diligentor & accurate explicatus, &c. Luther. Gen. 3.14.

The occasion was this. The Lord looking down from heaven, and seeing how Satan had prevailed against man, and in some sort undone the whole fabric of the creation, he resolves upon Satan's ruin, and mans preservation; And the Lord God said unto the Serpent, because thou hast done this, thou art cursed. This literally is understood of the Serpent, but Spiritually of the Devil; both were as means to draw man unto sin, and therefore they are joined as one in the punishment; The Lord cut off the feet of the Serpent (say the Rabbis) and cursed him; ¹and he cast Samael (the Devil) and his company out of heaven, & cursed them. Indeed man being in the transgression, must also have his punishment, as it follows vers. 17, 18, 19. and yet that God might manifest the riches of his grace, he includes in the Serpents malediction this everlasting Gospel. I will put enmity between thee and the woman, &c.