part of that, upon the account whereof, we are juftified.

3. That this obedience of Chrift being done for us, is reckoned graciously of God, unto us, and upon the account thereof, are we accepted as righteous before him. My intendment is not to handle this difference in the way of a controverfy, but to give fuch an understanding of the whole, as may Ipeedily be reduced to the practice of godliness and confolation: and this I fhall do in the enfuing obfervations.

1. That the obedience that Chrift yielded to the law in general, is not only to the peculiar law of the Mediator, though he yielded it as Mediator. He was incarnate as Mediator, Heb. ii. 14. and Gal. iv. 4. And all he afterwards did, it was as our Mediator: for that caufe came he into the world, and did, and fuffered, what ever he did or fuffered in this world. So that of this expreffion, as Mediator, there is a twofold fense: for it may be taken ftrictly, as relating folely to the law of the Mediator, and fo Chrift may be faid to do as Mediator, only what he did in obedience to that law; but in the fenfe now infifted on, whatever Christ did as a man subject to any law, he did it as Mediator, because he did it as part of the duty incumbent on him, who undertook fo to be.

2. That whatever Christ did as Mediator, he did it for them whofe Mediator he was, or in whofe ftead, and for whofe good, he executed the office of a Mediator before God: this the Holy Ghoft witneffeth, Rom. viii. 3. What the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God fending his own Son, in the likeness of finful flesh, and for fin, condemned fin in the flesh, that the righteousness

of

of the law might be fulfilled in us. Because that we could not in that condition of weakness, whereinto we are caft by fin, come to God and be freed from condemnation by the law; God fent Christ, as a Mediator to do and fuffer whatever the law required at our hands, for that end and purpose, that we might not be condemned but accepted of God. It was all to this end, that the righteoufnefs of the law might be fulfilled in us; that is, which the law required of us, confifting in duties of obedience, this Chrift performed for us. This expreffion of the apoftle, God fending his own Son, in the likeness of finful flesh, and for fin condemning fin in the flefb: if you will add to it, that of Gal. iv. 4. that he was fo fent forth, as that he was made under the law, that is, obnoxious to it, to yield all the obedience that it doth require, comprizes the whole of what Christ did or fuffered; and all this the Holy Ghoft tells us, was for us, ver. 4.

3: That the end of this active obedience of Christ, cannot be affigned to be, that he might be fitted for his death and oblation. For he answered all types, and was every way fit to be made an offering for fin, by his union, and habitual grace; fo that if the obedience Chrift performed, be not reckoned to us, and done upon our account, there is no just cause to be affigned, why he fhould live here in the world fo long as he did, in perfect obedience to all the laws of God. Had he died before, there had been perfect innocence, and perfect holiness, by his habitual grace, and infinite virtue and worth from the dignity of his perfon: and furely he yielded not that long courfe of all manner of obedience, but for fome great and fpecial purpose, in reference to our falvation.

4. That,

4. That, had not the obedience of Christ been for us, (in what fense we fhall fee inftantly) it might in his life have been required of him, to yield obedience to the law of nature, the alone law which he could be liable to as a man; for an innocent man in a covenant of works, as he was, needs no other law; nor did God ever give any other law to any fuch perfons; (the law of creation is all that an innocent creature is liable to, with what fymbols of that law God is pleafed to add.) And yet to this law alfo was his fubjection voluntary; and that not only confequentially, because he was born upon his own choice, not by any natural courfe, but also because as Mediator God and man, he was not by the inftitution of that law obliged unto it, being as it were exempted, and lifted above that law by the hypoftatical union: yet when I fay his fubjection hereunto was voluntary, I do not intend that it was merely arbitrary and at choice, whether he would yield obedience unto it or no; but on supposition of his undertaking to be a Mediator, it was neceffary it fhould be fo: but that he voluntarily and willingly fubmitted unto, and fo became really fubject to the commands of it. But now moreover Jefus Chrift yielded perfect obedience to all those laws, which came upon us by the occafion of fin; as the ceremonial law: yea thofe very institutions that fignified the washing away of fin, and repentance from fin, as the baptifm of John, which he had no need of himself. This therefore muft needs be for us.

5. That the obedience of Chrift cannot be reckoned amongst his fufferings, but is clearly distinct from it; as to all formalities, doing is one thing, suffering another; they are in diverse predicaments, and cannot be coincident.

See

See then briefly what we have obtained by those confiderations; and then I fhall intimate what is the ftream iffuing from this firft fpring or fountain of purchased grace, with what influence it hath there

unto.

1. By the obedience of the life of Chrift, you fee what is intended: his willing fubmiffion unto, and perfect compleat fulfilling of every law of God, that any of the faints of God were obliged unto. It is true, every act almost of Chrift's obedience, from the blood of his circumcifion, to the blood of his cross, was attended with fuffering; so that his whole life might in that regard be called a death: but yet looking upon his willingness and obedience in it, it is distinguished from his fufferings peculiarly fo called, and termed his active righteousness. This is then, I fay, as was fhewed, that compleat abfolutely perfect accomplishment of the whole law of God by Chrift, our Mediator; whereby he not only did no fin, neither was there guile found in his mouth, but also most perfectly fulfilled all righteoufnefs, as he affirmed it became him to do.

2. That this obedience was performed by Chrift, not for himself, but for us: and in our flead: it is true! It must needs be, that whilft he had his converfation in the flesh, he must be most perfectly. and abfolutely holy. But yet the prime intendment of his accomplishing of holinefs, which confifts in the compleat obedience of his whole life to any law of God, that was no lefs, for us, than his fuffering death that this is fo, the apostle tells us, Gal. iv. 4, 5. God fent forth his Son made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law: this fcripture formerly named, muft be a little farther infifted on. He was both made

of

of a woman, and made under the law, that is, o bedient to it for us. The end here both of the incarnation and obedience of Chrift to the law, (for that must needs be understood here by the phrase upo nomon genomenos, that is, difpofed of in fuch a condition, as that he must yield subjection and obedience to the law) was all to redeem us. In those two expreffions, made of a woman, made under the law, the apoftle doth not knit his incarnation and death together, with an exclufion of the obedience of his life. And he was fo made under the law, as those were under the law he came to redeem. Now we were under the law, not only as obnoxious to its penalties, but as bound to all the duties of it. That this is our being under the law, the apostle informs us, Gal. iv. 21. Tell me, ye that defire to be under the law. It was'not the penalty of the law they defired to be under; but to be under it, in refpect of obedience. Take away then the end and you destroy the means: if Chrift were not incarnate, nor made under the law for himself, he did not yield obedience for himself: it was all for us, for our good: let us now look forward and fee what influence this hath into our acceptation.

3. Then 1 fay, this perfect compleat obedience of Chrift to the law is reckoned unto us. As there is a truth in that, the day thou eatest thou shalt die; death is the reward of fin, and fo we cannot be freed from death, but by the death of Chrift, Heb. ii. 13, 14. So alfo is that no lefs true, do this and live, that life is not to be obtained, unless all be done, that the law requires. That is ftill true, if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments, Matth. xix. 17. they must then be kept by us, or our Surety. Neither is it of any value which

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