act every branch of the law of God; he walked in all the commandments of God; he performed perfectly, both in thought, word and deed, whatsoever the law of the Lord required.-I do not, cannot limit this obedience of Christ to this last year of his ministry, for his whole life was a perpetual course of obedience; he was obedient unto death, saith the apostle, (mechri thanatou) "even until his death," Phil. 2:8. And yet because we read most of his holy actings this year, and that this was the year wherein both his active and passive obedience did most eminently shine and break forth; the year wherein he drew up all the dispersions of his precepts, and cast them into actions, as into sums total; therefore now I handle it, and I shall make it out by the passages following, only in this one year. As,

1. Now he discovered his charity in feeding the hungry, as at once five thousand men, with five loaves and two fishes, John 6:9,10,11. And, at another time, four thousand men, with seven loaves and a few small fishes, Matth. 15:34.

2. Now he discovered his self-denial and contempt of the world, in flying the offers of a kingdom: when the people were convinced that he was the Messiah, from that miracle of feeding five thousand men with five loaves, presently they would needs make him a king; but he that left his Father's kingdom for us, he fled from the offers of a crown and kingdom from them, as from an enemy; "When Jesus perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone," John 6:15.

Now he discovered his mercy, in healing the woman's daughter that had an unclean spirit; the woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and, in that respect, Christ called her "a dog," Mark 7:26,27. And yet Christ gave her the desire of her soul; O the rich mercy of Christ, that he would admit a dog to his kingdom! O grace! O mercy! that Christ should black his fair hands in washing foul and defiled dogs! what a motion of free mercy was this, that Christ should lay his fair, spotless, and chaste love upon the black, defiled, and whorish souls? O what a favor that Christ maketh the leopard and Ethiopian white for heaven?

4. Now he discovered his bounty, in giving the "keys of the kingdom of heaven," Matth. 16:19. to his apostles, and to their successors: this was a power which he had never communicated before: it was a gift greater than the great charter of nature, and the donative of the whole creation. Indeed, at first God gave unto man, Gen. 1:26. "a dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over the earth:" but till now heaven itself was never subordinate to human ministration; herein was the actings of Christ's bounty, he gives unto his ministers the keys of heaven, that "whatsoever they shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever they shall loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven."

5. Now he discovered his patience in suffering all injuries: from hence forward to the death of Jesus we must reckon his days like the vigils, or eyes of his passion: for now he began, and often did ingeminate those sad predictions of the usage he should shortly find, that he should be "rejected of the elders, and chief priests, and scribes, and suffer many things at Jerusalem, and be killed, and be raised up the third day," Matth. 16:21. And, in the mean time, he suffers both in word and deed: they call him a glutton, a drunkard, a deceiver, a sinner, a madman, a Samaritan, and one possessed with a devil; sometimes they take up stones to stone him, and sometimes they lead him to an hill, thinking to throw him down headlong;

and all this he suffered with patience; yea with much patience he possessed his soul.

6. Now he discovered his glory, in being transfigured on the mount: however, the person of Christ was usually depressed with poverty, disgrace, ignominy: so that neither Jews nor Gentiles, nor the apostles themselves, could at first discern the brightness of his divinity: yet now Christ gave an excellent probation of that great glory, which in due time must be revealed to all the saints, Luke 9:28,29,30,31. "For taking with him Peter, James, and John, he went up into the mountain to pray, and while he prayed, he was transfigured before them, and his face did shine like the sun, and his garments were white and glistering; and there appeared talking with him Moses and Elias, speaking of the decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem:" the embassy of Christ's death was delivered in forms of glory, that so the excellency of the reward might be represented together with the sharpness of his sufferings: now, if ever while he was upon earth, was the beauty of Christ seen at height. Peter saw it, and was so ravished at the sight, that he talked he knew not what; in respect of this glorious beauty, his face is said "to shine like the sun." I cannot think but his shine exceeded sun, moon and stars; but the sun is the brightest thing we know, and therefore it is spoken to our capacity: here is one strain of exaltation, though mostly all Christ's life was a state of humiliation: It learns us to be content with, yea, to expect most humiliation, little exaltation here: we may have a taste, but no continued comforts till we come to heaven.

7. Now he discovered his meekness "in riding upon an ass, and a colt, the foal of an ass," Matth. 21:5. which was according to the prophecy; "Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek;" and especially in rebuking the furious, intemperate zeal of James and John, who would fain have called for fire from heaven to have consumed the inhabitants of a little village, who refused to give Christ entertainment. Ah, saith Christ, Luke 9:55. "Ye know not what spirits ye are of," q. d. You must learn to distinguish the spirit of Christianity from the spirit of Elias; why, "Christ cometh with a purpose, to seek and save men's lives, and not to destroy them," verse 56. It were rashness indeed to slay a man on some slight displeasure, whose redemption cost the effusion of the dearest heart-blood of the Son of God. See here the meekness of Christ, in opposition to the fury and anger of his own disciples.

8. Now he discovered his pity and compassion, in weeping over Jerusalem, Luke 19:41,42. "And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, saying, If thou hadst known, even thou," &c. We read of Joseph, that there was in him such a brotherly and natural compassion, that "his bowels yearned upon his brethren," Gen. 43:30. "and he could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him," Gen. 45:1. His love was like a hot furnace. Now Jesus Christ hath the same heart and bowels of a man, and I conceive, as Christ was a man void of sin, so the acts of natural virtues, (as to pity the afflicted, to compassionate the distressed) were stronger in him than possibly they could be in any other man. Sin blunteth natural faculties, especially such as incline to lauda. ble and good acts, as to love, and pity, and compassionate the miserable; in this respect, Joseph was nothing to Christ, when Christ saw Jerusalem, he wept, and wept; his compassion strangled and inclosed within him, it must needs break out: it may be in some measure it eased Christ's mind, that his blowels of mercy found a vent: we read that pity kept within God's bowels, pains his very heart, so that it must needs come out,

Hos. 11:8. "Mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together."

9. Now he discovered his humility in washing his disciples' feet, John 13:4,5. "Supper being ended, he laid aside his garments, and took a towel, and girded himself, and poured water into a basin, and began to wash his disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded." In this ceremony, and in the discourses following, he instructs them in the doctrine of humility; yea, he imprints the lesson in lasting characters, by making it symbolical. But, why should he wash their feet, rather than their hands or heads? I answer, It is probable on this account, that he might have the opportunity of a more humble pos See how he lays every thing aside, that he may serve his servants: heaven stoops to earth, one abyss calls on another, the miseries of man which were next to infinite, are excelled by a mercy equal to the immen sity of God. It is storied of one Guericus, that, upon the consideration of this humility of Christ in washing his disciples' feet, he cried out, "Thou hast overcome me, O Lord, thou hast overcome my pride, this example hath mastered me."

ture.

10. Now he discovered his obedience to his Father, in preaching the gospel up and down. He foresaw that the night drew on in which no inan could work, and therefore now he hastened to do his Father's business, now he pours out whole cataracts of holy lessons: and still the people drew water from this fountain, which streamed out in continual eman. ations; he added wave to wave, and line to line, and precept to precept; and at last he gave them his farewell sermon, which is the most spiritual and confortable piece that ever was uttered: it comprehends the inten tions of his departure to prepare places for his saints in heaven; and in the mean while he would send them the Holy Ghost, to supply his room, to furnish them with proportionable comforts, to enable them with gifts, to lead them into all truth, and to abide with them for ever. In conclusion of all, he gave them his blessing, and prayed for them, and then, having sung an hymn, he goes away, and prepares for his sufferings.

2. Hitherto of the obedience of Christ; what was it but "a visible com. mentary of God's law?" But now for its influence on us, Rom. 5:19. “By the obedience of one, many shall be made righteous." Observe, “The righteousness of the law fulfilled, and fully accomplished in the person of Christ, is as truly ours, if we believe in Christ, as if it were in ourselves, or as if the law had been fulfilled in our own persons." Thus Christ is the end of the law (saith the apostle) for righteousness to every one that believeth," Rom. 10:4. Christ hath not only determined, and put an end to the ceremonial law; but he is also the end of the moral law, he hath perfectly in his own person accomplished the moral law, and that not for himself, but for righteousness to every one, that truly believes in him, Rom. 8:4. "And God sent his Son,that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us;" these words, in us, much trouble interpreters: for though we believe, yet we are imperfectly holy: how then should the law be fulfilled in us? But it is answered, That the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in us, not by inhesion, or sanctification, but by imputation, and application; (i. e.) in our nature which Christ took upon him; it was in Christ and is imputed unto us, and so the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in us. It is well observed of Beza, that the apostle saith not, "That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled by us, or of us, or by any righteousness inherent in our own persons, but in us, because it is to be found in Christ, whose members we are who walk not after the flesh

but after the Spirit." The point is sweet, but I cannot stay on it. In reference to what I have spoken of the righteousness of Christ, habitual and actual, a great controversy is risen in our days; of which in the next section.

SECT. V. Of the great controversy, Whether we are not justified by the passive righteousness of Christ only, without any consideration had to the righteousness of Christ either inherent in him, or performed by him?

FOR my part, I am for the negative, upon these well knowr. grounds. Arg. 1. By that alone the law is not fully satisfied, by that alone we are not justified; but by the passive obedience of Christ alone, the law is not fully satisfied: therefore by his passive obedience only we are not justi. fied. Thus far I grant that the law is fully satisfied by his passive obedience, in respect of the penalty therein threatened, but not in respect of the commandment, for the obtaining of the blessedness therein promised; and the righteousness of the law is thus described, that "the man which doeth these things shall live by them," Rom. 10:5.

Against this are divers exceptions of the adversaries: as, 1. That the law is satisfied either by doing that which is commanded, or by suffering the punishment which is threatened. Ans. It is true in respect of the penal statutes of men, but not in respect of the commandments of God, in which there is not only a penalty threatened, but a blessedness promised: if man had continued in his integrity, the law might have been satisfied by obedience only; but being fallen into a state of disobedience, two things are necessarily required to the fulfilling of the law, (i. e.). The bearing of the penalty, and the performing of the command, the one to escape hell, and the other to obtain heaven. 2. They except, That whosoever are freed from hell, are also admitted to heaven. Ans. The reason thereof is, because Christ who did bear the punishment to free us from hell, did also fulfil the commands to bring us to heaven; but howsoever these two benefits of Christ do always concur in the party justified, as the causes thereof concurred in Christ, who not only did both obey, and suffer, but in obeying suffered, and in suffering obeyed; yet both the causes between themselves, and the effects between themselves, are carefully to be distinguished; for as it is one thing to obey the commandment, and another thing to suffer the punishment; so it is one thing to be freed from hell by Christ's suffering the penalty, and another thing to be entitled to heaven, by Christ's fulfilling the commandments. 3. They except, That God is a most free agent, and therefore he may, if he will, justify men by the passive righteousness of Christ only, without fulfilling of the law. Ans. What God may do, if he will, I will not dispute, but sure I am, he justifieth men according to his will revealed in his word, and there we find, that, as we are justified from our sins by the blood of Christ, so also we are made just by the active (though not only by the active) obedience of Christ, Rom. 5:19. "For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous." And, Rom. 5:10. "If when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God, by the death of his Son, much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life;" by his life, which he lived before his death, and by his life, which he lived, and doth live, after his death; by the acts of his life, before his death meritoriously, and by the acts of his life after his death (as by his resurrection, ascension, session, and intercession,) effectually, 1 Cor. 1:30. "Christ is made unto us of God, (saith the apostle) both re

that

demption and righteousness," redemption, to deliver us from sin; and righteousness, "to bring in everlasting righteousness," Dan. 9:24. 4. They except, That if we are justified by Christ's fulfilling the law, then we are justified by a legal righteousness, but by such a righteousness as without the law is revealed in the gospel. Ans. The same righteousness by which we are justified, is both legal and evangelical, in divers respects; legal, in respect of Christ, who being made under the law, that he might redeem us who were under the law, perfectly fulfilled the law for us; and evangelical, in respect of us, unto whom his fulfilling of the law is imputed. And herein stands both the agreement and difference betwixt the law and the gospel; the agreement, in that both require the perfect fulfilling of the law unto justification: the difference in that the law requireth perfect obedience, to be performed in our own persons, but the gospel accepts of perfect obedience performed by Christ, our Surety, and imputed to us; and so it is all one as if it had been performed in our own persons.

2. If Christ, by his conformity to the law, fulfilled the law for us, then are we justified by his habitual and actual righteousness, and not merely by his passive; but Christ, by his conformity to the law, fulfilled the law for us, for so we read, "He was born for us," Luke 2:11. "He was made subject to the law for us," Gal. 4:4,5. and "for our sakes he sanctified himself," John 17:19. And for our sakes he did the will of God, "Then said I, lo I come to do thy will, O my God; by the which will we are sanctified," Heb. 10:7.10.

Against this are divers exceptions: as, 1. That Christ obeyed the law, or conformed to the law (as need was) for himself, "Christ (say they) as he was a man, was bound to obey the law for himself." Ans. This assertion detracts from the merit of his obedience, and from the dig nity of his person. 1. From his merit, for if his obedience were of duty, then it were not *meritorious, Luke 17:10. And if this be true, then have we no title to heaven. 2. From the dignity of his person, as if he needed either to obey for himself, or by his obedience were any way bettered in himself. O that these men would remember that the person who did obey the law was, and is not only man, but God also. Christ fulfilled the law not only as man, but as God-man Mediator; and therefore as his blood was God's blood, so his obedience was the obedience of God, Acts 20:28. "Who being in the form of God, thought it no robbery to be equal with God," Phil. 2:6.8. "And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death,” or until death. We find him here God-man, and from hence we conclude, that all the legal actions of Christ from his incarnation to his passion inclusively, were the actions of Christ God-man, Mediator, and surety for us in a way of covenant; and consequently they were not performed of duty nor for himself. 2. They except, That if Christ obeyed the law for us, that by his obedience we might be justified, then shall not we ourselves need to obey the law; but the consequent is absurd, therefore the antecedent. Ans. We need not to obey the law to that end, that we may be justified thereby; for this is impossible to us by reason of the flesh, and therefore our Saviour fulfilled it for us; and yet it follows not, but that we may endeavor to obey the law for other ends; as to glorify God, to obey his will, to testify our thankfulness, to edify our brethren, to assure ourselves of our justification and so to make our calling and election sure? in this study and

* Debitum non est meritum.