Chapter 26 [XXIV.]—Christ Died of His Own Power and Choice.

As to his statement, indeed, that “the Lord was able to die without sin;” His being born also was of the ability of His mercy, not the demand of His nature: so, likewise, did He undergo death of His own power; and this is our price which He paid to redeem us from death. Now, this truth their contention labours hard to make of none effect; for human nature is maintained by them to be such, that with free will it wants no such ransom in order to be translated from the power of darkness and of him who has the power of death,72    Heb. ii. 14. into the kingdom of Christ the Lord.73    Col. i. 13. And yet, when the Lord drew near His passion, He said, “Behold, the prince of this world cometh and shall find nothing in me,”74    John xiv. 30.—and therefore no sin, of course, on account of which he might exercise dominion over Him, so as to destroy Him. “But,” added He, “that the world may know that I do the will of my Father, arise, let us go hence;”75    John xiv. 31. as much as to say, I am going to die, not through the necessity of sin, but in voluntariness of obedience.

CAPUT XXIV.

26. Christus mortuus potestate. Etiam mala Dei misericordia prosunt. Quod vero Dominum dicit sine peccato mori potuisse: illi etiam nasci, potestas misericordiae, non conditio naturae fuit; sic etiam mortuus est potestate; et hoc est pretium nostrum, quo nos a morte redimeret. Et hoc istorum disputatio evacuare contendit, cum ab eis ita natura humana defenditur, ut possit liberum arbitrium isto pretio non egere, ut a potestate tenebrarum et praepositi mortis in regnum Christi Domini transferantur. Et tamen quando Dominus ad passionem perrexit, Ecce, inquit, veniet princeps hujus mundi, et in me nihil inveniet : et utique nihil peccati, unde praepositus mortis jure suo ageret, ut perimeret. Sed ut sciant omnes, inquit, quia voluntatem Patris mei facio, surgite, eamus hinc (Joan. XIV, 30, 31): id est, quia non morior necessitate peccati, sed obedientiae voluntate.