each PERSON di t inc7ly. 319 I do not intend that it was merely arbitrary and at choice, whether he would yield obedience (a) unto it or no ; but on fuppofition of his under- taking to be a mediator, it was necelfary it fhould be fo ; but that he vo- luntarily and willingly fubmitted unto, and fo became really fubje& to the commands of it. But now moreover Jefus Chrift yielded perfeft obedience to all thofe laws, which came upon us by the oceafion of fin ; as the cere- monial law, yea thofe very inflitutions that fignified the wafhing away of fin, and repentance from fin, as the baptifm of John, which he had no need of himfelf. This therefore mutts needs be for us. (g. That the obedience of Chrift cannot be reckoned amongft his fuffe- rings, but is clearly diftinft from it, as to all formalities ; doing is one thing, fuffering another; they are in divers predicaments, and cannot be coincident. See then briefly what we have obtained by thole confiderations ; and then I (hall intimate what is the Itream iffuing from the firft fpring or foun- tain of purchafed grace, with what influence it bath thereinto. r. By the obedience of the life of Chrift, you fee what is intended, his willing fubmifhon unto, and perfeft compleat fulfilling of every law of God, that any of the faints of God were obligad unto. It is true, every aft almoft of Chrift's obedience, from the blood of his circumcifion, to the blood of his crofs, wasattended with fuffering ; fo that his whole life might in that regard be called a death, but yet looking upon his willingnefs and obedience in it, it is diftinguilhed from his fufferings peculiarly fo called, and termed his naive righteoufnefs (b). This is then, I fay, as was Chew- ed, that compleat abfolutely perfe& accomplifhment of the whole law of God byChrift, our mediator ; whereby the not only did no fin, neither was there guilefound.in bis mouth, but alto molt perfeftly fulfilled all righteouf- nefs, as lacaffirmed it became him to do. , 2. That this obedience was performed by Chrift, not for himfelf, bur for us and in our ftead ; it is true l It muff needs be, that whilft he had his converfation in the flefh, he muff be muff perfealy and abfolutely holy. But yet theprime intendment of his accomplifping of holinefs, which con- fifts.in thecompleat 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 apoffle tells us, Gal. iv. 4, 5. God fens forth his fon made of a woman, made san- der the law, to redeem them that were under the law, this fcripture formerly named, muff be a little farther infiffed on. He was bothmade ofa woman, andmade under the law, that is, obedient to it for us. The end here both of the incarnation and obedience of Chrift to the law (for that muff needs be underftoodhere by the phrafe .wò nSumv ys.SuerCA, that is, difpofed of in fuclfa condition, as that he mutt yield fubjedion and obedience to the law) was all to redeem us. In thefe two exprefiions, made of a roman, madeunder the lasa, the apo(tle doth not knit his incarnation and death to- gether, with an exclufion of the obedience of his life. And he was fo made Under the law, as thofe wereunder thelaw whom he was 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 apoftle Informs us, Gal. iv. 21. Tell nie, ye that defre to be under the law. It not the penalty of the law they defhred to be under; but to be un- (a) Obedien,ia importar neccffitatem .refpeßu njus good pray pi ur, & voluncucm refprftu implecionis pnecepei, Thom 3 4. 47. a. a. (b) In vita pafhvam habair aBionems in note pa$wnerim abysm Whim, 5 dam [slump operamr in motto cetra, Bern. Ser. 4 der
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