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Now, since the second Adam becomes surety, and stands responsible to the Governor of the world, it was fit he should not only suffer the penalty of the broken law, but obey its precepts too, in order to open a door for us not only to be pardoned, but also received to favour, and entitled to eternal life. There was the same reason the second Adam should do it, as that the rst should. The honour of God did as much require it. It was as needful in order to our being considered as subjects fit for the divine favour and eternal life. It became the Governor of the world as much to stand for his honour with one as with the other; and he had as good reason to suspend the everlasting welfare of mankind upon this condition now, as ever; and to have shown no concern for the divine honour, although God had been openly affronted and despised by man's apostacy, but only to have regarded and consulted the welfare of the rebel under righteous condemnation, had been a conduct evidently unbecoming the great Go¬ vernor of the world.

But again, we may view the case in another point of light. According to the first covenant, eternal life and blessedness were not to have been granted merely under the notion of a gift, from a sovereign Benefactor; but also under the notion of a reward from God, as moral Governor of the world; and perfect obedience was the condition. Do and live. And while eternal life and blessedness were thus promised, by way of reward to virtue, God's infinite love thereto was hereby testified, and the temper of his heart acted out and displayed. But God infinitely loves to act like himself. On this consideration, therefore, it was necessary that the second Adam should fulfil all righteousness, in the room of a guilty, unholy world, to the end that the Governor of the world might bestow grace, and glory, and all good things upon sinners, as a reward to Christ's virtue, and so hereby testify his infinite love to virtue. And so still act like himself. It was God's sovereign pleasure to exercise his infinite goodness towards a ruined race, and his holy nature prompted him to choose this way;

last, it has been his way to put his creatures into a state of trial; even all his creatures who were capable of moral government.

for he always takes infinite delight in showing regard and respect to virtue, in his moral government of the world. He translated Enoch and Elijah; saved Noah from the general deluge; delivered Lot out of Sodom; promised Abraham a posterity numerous as the stars of heaven, and Phinehas an everlasting priesthood; and a thousand things more has he done; and all to bear a public testimony of his love to virtue ; this is the thing which the King delights to honour. The very ground of his love to himself, is the virtue or holiness of his nature. In this, his divine beauty and glory primarily consists. Isaiah vi. 3. He loves, therefore, to put honour upon the image of himself; and, in doing so, he still reflects honour upon himself, the original fountain of moral excellence: and, therefore, according to the first covenant, and according to the second, it was equally fit that eternal life and blessedness should be given as a reward to virtue, in testimony of his regard thereto.

Thus, from the perfections of God, and the reason and nature of things, the necessity of Christ's obeying the preceptive part of the law, as well as suffering the penalty, in order to our being not only pardoned, but received to the everlasting favour of God, and entitled to eternal life, seems evident.

But, from scripture, the point may more easily be confirmed. For therein we are taught that he was appointed, by the Governor of the world, not only to make reconciliation for iniquity, but also to bring in everlasting righteousness. Dan. ix. 24. And are assured that he is become the end of the law for righteousness to them that believe. Rom. x. 4. And that, by his obedience many are made righteous. Rom. v. 19. But this work would not have been put upon him, had it been needless; i. e. if God's honour and our salvation could both have been secured without it; for then it had been in vain which to suppose, reflects much upon the divine wisdom, and quite undermines and nullifies the love, and grace, and kindness of God herein to us; for we had been as well without it. With much evidence, therefore, may we conclude that it was necessary that the second Adam, Christ our surety, should obey as well as suffer in our room, in order to open a door for our justification and eternal life. And, accordingly, we may observe

that the favours shown to a sinful, guilty world, on Christ's account, are, in scripture, promised under the notion of a reward to Christ's virtue; for upon making his soul an offering for sin, which was the highest act of virtue, it was promised that he should see his seed; prolong his days; have the pleasure of the Lord prospering in his hands; and that he should see the travail of his soul, and justify many. Isaiah liii. 10, 11,

12.

Therefore, in order to a genuine compliance with the gospel by faith in Jesus Christ, we must see how far we are from righteousness; that all our seeming righteousness is as filthy rags; that we have nothing to recommend us to God; that there is nothing in us rendering us fit to be beloved by him, or meet to receive any favour at his hands, but every thing to the contrary, to the end we may see our need of Christ; of Christ, to be made of God unto us, righteousness, (1 Cor. i. 30.) and our necessity of being found in him, having on his righteousness, (Phil. iii. 9.) for this is the design of the gospel, to bring us to look to be accepted with God only in his beloved, (Eph i. 6. 1 Peter ii. 5.) and to be justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ, (Romiii. 24.) without the deeds of the law, (ver. 28.) ourselves being considered as being, in ourselves, UNGODLY. Chap. iv.

ver. 5.

that

And under a sense how far we are from righteousness; we have, after all the attainments of this life, no righteousness fit to be mentioned before God; nothing fit to recommend us to his favour, but are still, in ourselves, infinitely unworthy of his love, or the least favour from him; I say, under a deep, effectual sense of this, we must live all our days, to the end that we may never venture to come before God, as the Pharisee did, emboldened by our own goodness, but always as the chief of sinners, desiring to be found only in Christ, not having on our own righteousness, but the righteousness which is of God by faith; and so hereby be influenced to live the life we live in the flesh, by faith on the Son of God, as St. Paul always did, and as the gospel would have all others do. 1 Tim. i. 15. Phil. iii. y. Gal. ii. 20. and iii. 11.

To conclude: Thus, we see the grounds of the necessity there was for a mediator and redeemer, to make satisfaction for sin, and bring in everlasting righteousness; and so open an honourable way for mercy to come out after a rebellious, guilty world; and a way in which sinners may, with safety, return to God.

SFCTION IV.

CONCERNING THE SUFFICIENCY OF CHRIST, AND OF HIS SATISFACTION AND MERITS,

I proceed now to consider,

2. What has been done to make satisfaction for sin, and to answer the demands of the preceptive part of the law; and wherein the sufficiency of the same consists. And,

In the first place, what has been done has been already hinted; and it may be summed up in a few words. It comprehends all that Christ has done and suffered, in his life and at his death. For us he was born; for us he lived; for us he died. He did all on our account, being thereunto appointed by his Father. But because his obedience and sufferings were most eminent and remarkable, when, according to the command he had received of his Father, he laid down his life for us, and offered himself a sacrifice for our sins; and because, with a view to this, he became flesh, and dwelt among us, there` fore the scriptures do more frequently attribute our redemption to what was done then. Hence, we are said to be redeemed by his blood. 1 Peter i. 18, 19. To be justified by his blood. Rom. v. 9. And all spiritual blessings are frequently represented as the fruits and effects of his death. Gal. iii. 13, 14. The sacrifices of the Old Testament pointed out this as the great atonement. And to this the penmen of the New Testament seem, in a special manner, to have their eyes, as the great propitiation for sin. Thus the first Adam was to have yielded a perfect obedience to the divine law in every thing; but that special prohibition, touching the tree of knowledge of good and evil, was in a peculiar manner to try him, that it might be seen whether he would be in subjection to

God in every thing. So, in the garden and upon the cross, our Saviour's spirit of obedience was tried and discovered, and his obedience was perfected and his sufferings completed; and so here, in a more eminent manner, the law was honoured, and justice satisfied; and so the door of mercy opened for a sinful, guilty world. But,

Secondly. As to the sufficiency of what has been done to answer the ends proposed, let these things be considered : (1.) That the person undertaking, as mediator and redeemer, was of sufficient dignity and worth.

(2.) That he was sufficiently authorized to act in such a capacity.

(3.) That what he has done is perfectly suited, in its own nature, to answer all the ends proposed.

(1.) Jesus Christ, the mediator between God and man, as to his person, was FIT for the mediatorial office and work. He was of sufficient dignity and worth; being, by nature, GoD: equal with the Father; the brightness of his glory; the express image of his person. Phil. ii. Heb. i. He was God, (John i. And therefore his blood was

1.) as well as man, (ver. 14.) considered and valued as being the blood of God. (Acts xx. 28.) And hence it is called precious blood, (1 Peter i. 18, 19.) As to his person, he was equal with God the Father in point of worth aud dignity and it was as much for him to obey and die in the room of a guilty world, as it would have been for God the Father himself. In point of dignity and worth, there was none superior to him. He was upon a level with God the Father. He was his equal and fellow. Zech. xiii. 7. Awake, O sword, against the man that is my FELLOW. He was as glorious, as honourable, as lovely. He was therefore fit for the office; able to answer all the ends of God, the Governor of the world; of his holiness and justice, law and government, and perfectly to secure the divine honour, viewed in every point of light. The infinite dignity of his nature, as God, made him capable of an obedience of infinite moral excellence, and capable of making a full satisfaction for the infinite evil of sin. He could magnify the law, and make it honourable in a more illustrious manner than all the angels in heaven and men on earth put together; by how

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