The Life of Chri/1. fifleth ? To this I anfwer that Çhrifts Death is a three. fold Caufe of the death of finne in his members. Firft,.It is Caufa meritoria, A meritorious caute. For Chrifts death was fo great a price that it did deferve at Gods hand CO have our Pinnes fubdued. A 11 power and judgment was, given unto him by his Father, and that power was given him to purchafe his Church withal!. And this was amongf} other of the Covenants, that their finnes íhould bee Crucified. Hee gave himfelfe unto GOO s juftice for his Church ; and that which by that gift he purchafed, was the fanftification and cleanfing of it. Now as a price is laid to doe that which a man Both by the power which that price purchafed : fo the blood of Chrifr is Paid to cleanfe us, becaufe the office or power whereby lice puriñeth us, was Conferd upon him Sub intuits pret, under the condition of fuffring. For it was necef 'ary that remiflîon and purification fhould bee by bloud. Secondly, it is Caufa exemplaris, The death of Chrif{ was the Exemplar pattern, and Idea of our Death to fin. He did beare our finnes in his Body on the tree, to Phew that as his Body did naturally, fo finne did by analogie and legally dye. Therefore the Apoftle faith that he was made finne for us ; to note that not onely our perfons were in Gods account Crucified with him unto Iufiifc i tion but that finne it felfe did hang upon his Crofle with him unto mortification and holineffe. T n which re- (pea St. 'Paul faith, That he condemned fin in the flub, becaufe bee died as finne its e4bJ'ratla. And in this re- gard of mortification wee are faid to bee planted in the hkenefl'e of ChriftsDeath ; becaufe as when an Ambat- fador doth folemnize the marriage of his King with a forraine Princeffe, that is truely etfeted hetweene the parties themfelves, which is ttanfaded by the agent, and reprefentative perfon to that purpofe and fervice autho- rized : fo Chrift being made finne for,us (as the Sacri- M m fice 529 Eph. S, z ç, z Heb. 9.2x23. Per,2.24. z Cor. 5.2x. Rom. 8.3.
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