the world unto himself for this reafon Jesus, our rightecufnefs, is JEHOVAH, our God. As therefore we cannot difpute the humanity, fo neither dare we doubt of, or deny the proper deity of JESUS CHRIST. By this indiffoluble union of GoD and man in one perfon, CHRIST was both fitted for the work which he had undertaken, and able alfo to finish it; even the great, and glorious work of man's redemption. Therefore God's people are not justified by a righteousness that is merely human, but divine; and CHRIST's righteoufnels, is properly that which in Scripture it is called; even the righteoufness of GOD *: and therefore it is an everlasting righteousness, which fhall not be abolished.-Blef fed is the man to whom GOD imputeth it.

2. THE obedience which this wonderful perfon was called unto, and had engaged to perform; was, in one word, to fulfil all the righteousness of that law which fallen man was under, fo as to deliver him from death, and alfo to obtain for him eternal life: To do this, however it may appear fmall in the eyes of blind mortals, required infinite ftrength and kill, but above all, love that paffeth knowledge +

The

mightiest angel in heaven was by no means equal to the task: for he that engaged in it was qualified for it by a union both of the offending and offended

natures; that is, he was very man, and very GOD : By the former, he was capable of obeying and fuffering; by the latter, of sustaining the human nature unto the uttermoft; that he should not fail nor be difcouraged until he had fulfilled all righteousness, endured the torment of the cross, and fet judgment in the earth*.

GOD, and GOD only, could fupport the man, CHRIST JESUS, in the midft of that fiery law, (without being confumed) until he had endured all its wrath, and curfe; which,, because of tranfgref fions, was become due to his people.

THE obedience of CHRIST was infinitely more difficult than that which God required of the firft Adam: for, befides his keeping the whole law, he had all the fins of God's elect, both original and actual, to expiate and atone for, by his own perfonal fufferings, and death. As foon as he was made under the law, this burden was laid upon him; nor could he put it off, until, with his own body, he had nailed it to the cross :-For, after having kept the whole law in his life, and the hour of his departure to the father was fully come, he muft needs fuffer an accurfed death. Thus CHRIST'S obedience was of a mixt nature, both active and paffive; he came not only to do the commandments of God's law, but likewife to fuffer its penalty.

* Ifa. xlii. 4.

Had not Adam tranfgreffed it at firft, and fin thereby entered into the world; the latter could not have been required; but, when Adam fell, it became abfolutely neceffary: for, to punifh fin is as effential ta justice, as to acquit the innocent.

Now CHRIST, by his obedience, fulfilled the righteoufnefs of that very law which Adam broke, commonly called the moral law, and which is fummed up in love both to GoD and man.-It was ne. ceffary therefore, that CHRIST, in obeying the law for finners, fhould endure its curfe; that, at the fame time, he might both do the things commanded in the law, and fatisfy for the breach of it. And verily, Whatsoever the law and juftice of God demanded of CHRIST for the redemption of his people whose fins he bore; he paid it unto the uttermoft farthing. The fcripture faith, without fbedding of blood there is no remiffion; CHRIST hath shed his blood for our fins: again he faith, the foul that finneth, it shall die; CHRIST alfo died for our fins: again the law faith, curfed is every one that continueth not to do all things which are written therein; CHRIST was made a curfe for us. Thus CHRIST hath by himself pur. ged our fins, and reconciled us to GOD; in whom whofoever believeth fhall never perish, but have eternal life. And altho' the divine nature upheld, and gave infinite weight and dignity to the fuffer

ings

rings of CHRIST, yet it was the buman nature that obeyed the law, fuffered the wrath, and endured the curfe; whereby the atonement was made: for as by man came fin, and death; so by man also came righteoufnefs, and life.

When CHRIST therefore had finished the work which the FATHER had given him to do, he received the most public evidence and glorious demonstration of its being perfect, fatisfactory, and accepted with GOD the FATHER, by his raifing him again from the dead: for by this he plainly fhewed and teftified, that JESUS CHRIST was the Son of his Love; that his obedience was fuch as he required; that he thereby had expiated our fins, fatisfied GOD's juftice, magnified the law, and fulfilled all righteoufnefs. CHRIST had no fin when he came into this world, nor any after he had left it; but all the time that he abode in the world, he had fins upon him more than can be numbered, for he bare the fins of many; hence he faith in the pfalms, mine iniquities have taken fuch bold upon me that I am not able to look up, they are more in number than the bairs of my head, therefore my heart bath failed met. But as CHRIST took these fins upon him after he came into the world, fo he nailed them, with his

own

H

* Matt. v. 18,

+ Pfal. 49. 12.

own body, to the crofs, and left them there to perifh for ever.

FROM hence it evidently appears that the fins which CHRIST met with, and bore, and fuffered for when he was in the world, were not his own, but were of the world; that is, they were the fins of men in the world: Therefore John the Baptist cried, concerning him, faying, Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the fins of the world. Which.. leads me

3dly, To fhew for whom CHRIST obeyed the Law, and fuffered its penalty: Was it for fallen men or angels? Not for angels it is certain, but for finners of the human race CHRIST died; as it is written, he laid not hold of angels, but he laid hold on the feed of Abraham*; and again, there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jefus : it is therefore a faithful faying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Jefus Chrift came into the world to fave finners ‡. Did CHRIST then die for all men univerfally? I think not: for if he died for them only that are faved, as is moft probable, he certainly died not for all men; becaufe all men are not faved: He himfelf tells us, that he came down from heaven to give his life a ransom for many: and again, GOD fo loved the world, that he gave