464 Book. IV. Looking rmto :Jefus. Chap+ SeCt. 5 ----- ---- us, theh ar~ we jnftified by his habitual and aetual righteoufnefs, and not meerly.by his paffive ; but Chrift by his conformity to the law, fulfilled the law for us; for fo we readt, he w.u borne for Luke ~. u. UJ, Luk. 2. I I. he wM made fubjeU tv the law for m, Gal. 4· 4, 5. Gal. 4· 4>i. and for our fahp he fanCI:ified himfelfe, Joh. I 7· 19. and for our John 11. t9· fa&es .he dtd the will of God, then [aid I loe I come to do thy Heb· 1 0 • 7' 10 wilt 0 C]od ; by the which wilt :we are fanElijied, Heb. I o. 7.IO. . · Again!\: this are diverfe exceptions; As, I. That Chrift obeyed the law, or conformed to the law (as need was)for himfelf, Chrift (fay they) M he wM man, 'WM bound to obey the law for himfelfe. . Anfw. This alfertion detraCts from the merit of his obedience, and from the dtgnity of his perfon. 1 . From his • Debitum non merit for if his obedience were ofduty, then it were not * mc:rieft meriwm torio~s, Lnkf I 7. r o. and if this be true, then have we no title to heaven. 2. From the dignity of his perfon, as if he needed either to obey for himfelfe, or by his obedience were any way bettered in himfelfe. 0 that thefe men would remember that tl;le perfon who did obey the law was, and is not only man, but God al(o; Chrift fulfilled the law not only as man, but as Godman Mediatour ; and therefore as his blood was GodJ blood, fo A a. :o. 18. his obedience was the obedience ofGod, who being in the fvrme of God, thought it no robery to be equal with God. -and being found in Ph '! 6 ·s fajhion M a man, he humbled himl'e.l~'c, 11nd, became obedient unto 1. 2., ' • I' ~· 'J' death, or until death. We find htm here God-man; and from hence we conclude that all the legal actions of Chrifl: from his incarnation to his paffion incluGvely, were the a4'ions of Chrift God- man, Mediatour, and (urety for us in a way of covenant; and confequently they were not performed of dutie, nor for himfelfe. 2. They except, that ifChrift obeyed the Jaw for us, that by his obedience we might be juftified, then !ball not we our felves need to obey the law, but the conle<luent is abfurd, therefore the antecedent. Anfw. Vve need not to obey the law to that end, that we may be juil:ified thereby, for this is imroffible to us by reafon of the fleib, and therefore our Saviour fulfilled it for us; and yet it follows not bur that we may endeavour to obey the law for other ends; as to glorifie God, to obey his will, to teftifie our thankf-qlnefs, to edifie our brethren, to alfure our felves ofour juftification, and fo to make our calling and election fure:
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