318 Of COMMUNION with (I. That the obedience that Chrift yielded to the law in general, is not only to the peculiar lawof the mediator, though he yielded it as me- diator. He was incarnate as mediator, Hb. ii. 14. and Gal. iv. 4. And all he afterwards did, it was as our mediator, for that caufe carne he into the world, and did, and fuffered, whatever he did or fuffered in this world. So that of this exprelfion, as mediator, there is a twofold fenfe, for it may be taken ftri&ly, as relating folely to the law of the mediator, and fo Chrift may be faid to do asmediator, only what he did in obedi- ence to that law; but in the fenfe now infifted on, whatever Chrift did as a man fubjeft to any law, he did it as mediator, becaufe he did it as part of the duty incumbent on him, who undertook fo to be. (a. That whatever Chrift did as mediator, he did itfor themwhofe me- diator he was, or in whofe head, and for whofe good, he executed the office of a mediator before God, this theHoly Gholt wimeffeth, Rom. viii. 3. What the law could not do, in that it was weak through the fef, God fending his own fon, in the likenefs offinfal ftefh, and f,' fin, condemned fin in the fleffi, that the righteoufnefs ofthe lawmight be fulfilled inus. Be- caufe that we could not in that condition of weaknefs, whereunto we are cad by fin, carne to God and be freed from condemnation by the law; God fent Chrift, as a mediator to do and fuffer whatever the law required at our hands, for that end and purpofe, that we might not be condemned but accepted of God. It was all to this end, that the righeeoufnefs of the law might be fulfilled in us, that is, which the law required of us, con- fiding in duties of obedience, this Christ performed for us. This exarer- fion of the apoftle, God fending bis own fon, in the Iikenefo of finfulflefb, and for fin condemning fin inc the fief), if you will add to it, that of Gad. iv. 4. that he Vas fo feat forth, as that he was uisd uóuov yo"pcw(6 made under the Law, that is, obnoxious to it, to yield all the obedience that it loth require, comprizes the whole of what Chrift didor fuffered; and all this the Holy Gholt tells us, was for us, v. 4. (3. That the end of this alive obedience of Chrift, cannot be affigned to be, that he might be fitted for his death and oblation. For heanfwer- ed all types, and was every way icx'le fit to be made an offering for fin, by his union, and habitual grace; fo that if theobedience Chrift perform- ed, be not reckoned to us and done upon our account, there is no jaft caufe to be affigned, why he Mould live here in the world fo long as he did in perfect obedience to all the laws of Gad. Had he died before, there had been perfect innocence, and perfect 'holinefs, by his habitual grace, and infinite virtue and woods from the dignity of his pert-on, and furely lac yielded not that long courfeof all manner of obedience, but for fome great and fpecial purpofe, in reference to our falvation. (4. That had not the obedience ofChrift been for us (in what renfe we Shall fee inflantly) it might in his life have been required of him, to yield obedience to the law of nature, the alone law which he could he 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 perfon; the law ofcreation is all that an innocent creature is liable ro, with what fymbols of that law God is pleafed to add. And yet to this law alto was his fubjeftion voluntary; and that not only confequentially, becaufe he was born upon his own choice, not by any natural courl;, but alfo becaufe as mediator God and man, he was not by the inftitution of that law :obli- ged unto it, being as it were exempted, and lifted above that law by the hypohatical union, yet when I fay his fubjeftion hereunto was voluntary, Ido
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