82 THE KEY OF MYSTERIES

without sin. Let us therefore draw near with boldness unto the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace to help us in time of need.' He declares Christ's manhood by saying that He was born into this world: 'God 1 sent forth his Son, born of a woman': and says that, according to the flesh, Christ was descended from David, saying that God had Paul [separated] apart especially to preach the Gospel 'concerning 2 his Son, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, who was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection of the dead; even Jesus Christ our Lord.' St. Paul declares Christ's crucifixion, saying that He 'emptied 3 himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross.' It is hardly necessary for us to remind the reader that full accounts of the crucifixion are found in the four Gospels. St. Paul speaks of Christ's resurrection in a large number of passages, of which it is sufficient to quote only a few. For instance, it is written: 'It 4 is Christ Jesus that died, yea rather, that was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.' Again: 'To 5 this end Christ


1 Gal, iv. 4; cf. Matt. i. 18-25; Luke i. 26-38; ii. 1-20.
2 Rom. i. 3-4; cf. Matt. i. 1-16. 3 Phil. ii. 7-8.
4 Rom. viii. 34. 5 Rom. xiv. 9.
PROOF OF THE DEITY OF CHRIST 83

died, and lived again, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.' Again: 'But 1 now hath Christ been raised from the dead, the first fruits of them that are asleep. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made 2 alive.' Thus in another place he calls the Lord Jesus Christ 'the beginning, the 3 firstborn from the dead,' meaning that Christ was the first to arise from the dead with the incorruptible and immortal body which other men who have died do not obtain until the resurrection day. St. Paul teaches that through Christ's atoning death all men may be saved; for he says that we Christians 'believe 4 on him that raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up for our trespasses, and was raised for our justification. Being therefore justified by faith, let us have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ . . . . For while we were yet weak, in due season Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: for peradventure for the good man some one would even dare to die. But God commendeth his own love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more, then, being now justified by His blood, shall we be saved from the wrath of God through him. For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God


1 1 Cor. xv. 20-2. 2 Cf. John v. 25-9.
3 Col. i. 18. 4 Rom. iv. 24-5; v. 1, 6-11, 17, 19.