1. How be delivered us, The Apostle answereth, ⟨p. 10⟩that Heb. 2. 14. by Death he destroyed him that had the power of Death, now Christs Death cometh under a twofold consideration, as a merit, or as a glorious act of war and combat; as the Act of a Redeemer, or the Act of a Conqueror: which answereth to the double evil in Death, 'tis a natural evil, and a penal evil; 'tis a natural evil, as it is the dissolution of soul and body; 'tis a penal evil, as 'tis a curse of the Covenant, or the punishment of sin: 1 There was merit in Christs voluntary Death, 'twas *a ransom for the elect, he dyed not only in bonum eorum, for their good and profit, but loco & vice ominium, in 2their room and stead; as when the ram 3was taken, Isaac was spared, so Christs Death was in stead of ours; God will not exact the debt twice, of us, and our surety: Job 33. Delivered him from going down into the pit, for I have found a ransom. The sinner must dye, or the surety; now saith the Lord, I accept of the Death and passion of Christ for this penitent man; if we go down to the pit, we go not down by way of vengeance, by Christs Death the merit of our sin is expiated, justice satisfied, Gods wrath appeased, the Law fulfilled, sin pardoned, and so the Jaws of Death are broken: Death in its self is the sentence of the Law, the fruit of sin, and the recompense of angry justice, and so it hath no more to do with us, for God hath found a ransom. 2 You may ⟨p. 11⟩look upon it as the Act of a Conqueror, Christ foiled Death in his own person, ever since he rifled the Grave, death hath lost its retentive power; Act. 2. 24. [Greek or Hebrew], loosing the pains, &c. tis an allusion to the throws of a travailing woman, the Grave was in travail, till this precious burden was egested, for he could not be holden of it, and over since the Grave is a womb rather then a dungeon and pit of vengeance, *non vitam rapit sed refoomat, it doth not destroy life, but renew it; in almost the same metaphor Christ is called, Col. 1. 18. The first born from the dead; not that he was the first that was raised from the dead, howbeit he was the first that arose, others were raised by the power of another, but Christ arose by his own; so he is called, 1 Cor. 15 20.
1. How be delivered us, The Apostle answereth, ⟨p. 10⟩that Heb. 2. 14. by Death he destroyed him that had the power of Death, now Christs Death cometh under a twofold consideration, as a merit, or as a glorious act of warre and combate; as the Act of a Redeemer, or the Act of a Conquerour: which answereth to the double evill in Death, 'tis a naturall evill, and a poenall evill; 'tis a naturall evill, as it is the dissolution of soul and body; 'tis a poenall evill, as 'tis a curse of the Covenant, or the punishment of sin: 1 There was merit in Christs voluntary Death, 'twas *a ransome for the elect, he dyed not onely in bonum eorum, for their good and profit, but loco & vice ominium, in 2their room and stead; as when the ram 3was taken, Isaac was spared, so Christs Death was in stead of ours; God will not exact the debt twice, of us, and our surety: Job 33. Delivered him from going down into the pit, for I have found a ransome. The sinner must dye, or the surety; now saith the Lord, I accept of the Death and passion of Christ for this penitent man; if we go downe to the pit, we go not down by way of vengeance, by Christs Death the merit of our sin is expiated, justice satisfied, Gods wrath appeased, the Law fulfilled, sin pardoned, and so the Jawes of Death are broken: Death in its self is the sentence of the Law, the fruit of sin, and the recompense of angry justice, and so it hath no more to doe with us, for God hath found a ransome. 2 You may ⟨p. 11⟩look upon it as the Act of a Conquerour, Christ foiled Death in his own person, ever since he rifled the Grave, death hath lost its retentive power; Act. 2. 24. 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, loosing the pains, &c. tis an allusion to the throws of a travailing woman, the Grave was in travail, till this precious burthen was egested, for he could not be holden of it, and over since the Grave is a womb rather then a dungeon and pit of vengeance, *non vitam rapit sed refoomat, it doth not destroy life, but renew it; in almost the same metaphor Christ is called,
- *Mat. 20. 28.
- 21 Tim. 2. 6.
- 3Job 33. 24.Iob 33. 24.
- *Prudentius.
