Speculum theologiæ in Christo, or, A view of some divine truths which are either…

Satan the arch-enemy, at Christs death seemed to be a Conqueror; that God Incarnate should be slain by his hellish Instruments, that the whole Church should die in its Head, looks like a mighty Victory: when the Head shall die, what shall the Members do? when the Sun, the great Globe of Light in the spiritual World, shall be turned into blood; what should remain but that darkness, which Satan hath the power of? Upon the death of the Duke of Guise, Henry the Third broke out thus, Nunc demum Rex sum. Now at last I am King. Upon the death of our Saviour, Satan might suppose himself absolute Prince in the lower World; a greater Adam than the first being fallen, no man can probably stand before him. But here infinite Wisdom shows forth it self. Satan is taken in his own snare; by that very death of Christ, which was procured by his own Agents, is he utterly overthrown. Christ upon the Cross did spoil Principalities and Powers, and triumph over them in it, Col. 2.15. The satisfaction in his sufferings, paid off divine Justice, and the Merit in them procured that divine Spirit, which is able to bind and cast out Satan from the hearts of men. The Cross was now turned into a triumphant Chariot: and, as an Ancient hath it, there were two affixed to it;¹ Christ ⟨p. 20⟩visibly, freely, for a time; the Devil invisibly, coactively, for ever: that Cross was a final Victory over him. He was overcome not by a man only, but by a man suffering, bleeding, dying upon a Cross; the Lord reigneth [Greek or Hebrew], from the Cross (as some of the Ancients read that 10th verse in the 96 Psalm), through death he destroyed him that had the power of death, that is, the devil, Heb. 2.14. The Devil was destroyed by Death his own weapon, and overcome in that which he had the power of.

Satan the arch-enemy, at Christs death seemed to be a Conqueror; that God Incarnate should be slain by his hellish Instruments, that the whole Church should die in its Head, looks like a mighty Victory: when the Head shall die, what shall the Members do? when the Sun, the great Globe of Light in the spiritual World, shall be turned into blood; what should remain but that darkness, which Satan hath the power of? Upon the death of the Duke of Guise, Henry the Third broke out thus, Nunc demum Rex sum. Now at last I am King. Upon the death of our Saviour, Satan might suppose himself absolute Prince in the lower World; a greater Adam than the first being fallen, no man can probably stand before him. But here infinite Wisdom shews forth it self. Satan is taken in his own snare; by that very death of Christ, which was procured by his own Agents, is he utterly overthrown. Christ upon the Cross did spoil Principalities and Powers, and triumph over them in it,