say so much but he who was God, but he who is the Lord of life; and it is more plainly expressed, 1 John iii. 16, Hereby we perceive the love of God, because he laid down his life for us.' It was the life of God, and that in so true and real a sense, as therein the utmost of his love appeared. Yea, further, he not only died, but death held him a while under it, as a conqueror of him, therefore, Rom. vi. 9, death is said to have once had dominion over him. Now this true and real laying down of his life must needs be more satisfactory unto God than the attempt, or rather tendency, that is in the act of sin to take God's life away can be reputed heinous.

You may remember, when we did set forth (in that first part of this discourse) sin's sinfulness, and the evil of it against God, wherein it was that it exceeded all the goodness of the creature (which yet was for God, as well as sin is said to be against God), we pitched it upon this, the undueness of the act of dishonour done to God by the creatures; whereas all the honour their graces bring in to him, is due from them towards him. Now therefore let us see if, even in this particular, the evil of sin be not exceeded by Christ's satisfaction also, that nothing may be omitted that may satisfy a sinner's reason about the all-sufficiency of this satisfaction. This undueness of the act of dishonour was the highest and utmost aggravation of man's sinfulness, and did cast the balance, and was found to weigh heavier than all the creatures' goodness. Now let us put Christ's debasement of himself into the balance with it, and we shall see it far over-balanced even by this, that all this debasement of his to glorify God was infinitely more undue; which naturally riseth thus to all men's apprehensions.

1. In that it was such a way of giving honour to God by him, as God himself could no way challenge as his due from the second person towards him; for he was equal with him. He did owe indeed (as all the persons do one to another, a mutual honour) an honour unto God, even as kings mutually honour one another; yet still but as equals use to do. And if as man, being made inferior to God, he owed subjection, yet still not in this way of debasing himself. He honoured his Father, and his Father the Son, from all eternity; for as they love one another, so they give honour one to another. But that God should have honour this way, by having his Son, a person his equal, become inferior to him, and obedient, and that so far as to death, and to profess that he did it freely at his command, this was in itself more than could be challenged, as due from him, by God, and therefore must needs be a full amends for any dishonour thrown on him by sin. It is as if the king of Spain should come out of his own kingdom, and admit himself into this of ours, and subject himself to our king and his laws, thereby to make our king seem greater; what an honour were it to him! More than all his subjects can do to him all sorts of ways in which they can be subject.

And 2. As Christ's debasement was thus undue, in respect that God could not exact it from him but by his own voluntary compact, so most of all undue it was, if we consider that which so often hath been inculcated, viz., the glory that himself could challenge as his due, and that by right of inheritance; and how great that was, and how due it was, hath been declared; and for him to be so debased, how infinitely undue was it in this respect also! Of sin's undueness it may be said, 'Hear, O heavens; and hearken, O earth;' that men should sin and rebel against the great God, so undue an act it is, and unworthy of the creature. But when we think or speak of this debasement of the Son of God, equal with God, to whom so much glory is due, O stand astonished at it, all you angels and men ;

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and with mere amazement fall and shrink into your first nothing, to think that ever it should be said, and be a truth, that the great God, the Lord of glory, should be crucified, the Lord of life killed. I appeal to you all, if this be not an act infinitely more unworthy, and as much out of course, more horrid to the thoughts of men and angels, than sin can be supposed to be. That a base creature should sin against God, it is a thing to be wondered at indeed as a strange indignity; but yet the creatures, if they know themselves, may well know, yea, and fear, that they being but creatures, they may do it too soon, as the best of them did; and it was a wonder rather that any stood. But that the Lord of glory should be thus debased and killed, no creature durst have thought it, if they had conceived it possible; but it is so abhorrent as it could never have entered into their thoughts, had not God done it; and it is marvellous in our eyes.

And lastly, That sin may have nothing left to boast of, and that we may omit nothing that may or hath been any way pleaded about sin's sinfulness, but see it out-pleaded, and cast, and exceeded by this satisfaction of Christ's, let us put into the balance likewise those evil effects mentioned also in that first part of this discourse, whereby the heinousness of sin was demonstrated to transcend the goodness of the creatures' graces in any effects of their goodness: you shall find the effects of Christ's righteousness to abound far above them.

For, first, his actions, by reason of the dignity of his person, do please God more than sin can displease him. For if our works, although full of sin, are yet, by reason of our union with Christ as our head, made so acceptable as to please God more than the sin in them doth displease him, how must his own works be accepted, wrought in himself, in our nature hypostatically united to him!

Secondly, And therefore if sin hath that inseparable evil (as was said) in the nature of it, that where it is found it condemns all, though the creature had been in former times never so righteous, nor never so long such, so hath Christ's righteousness that inseparable royalty to save and justify, So Rom. v. 17, he compares though sins be never so great and many. both the one and the other: If condemnation came by one man's disobedience, how much more shall, by an abundance of his righteousness, justification be unto life?' So as if he will impute this righteousness, and account it to the ugliest sinner in the world, then by virtue of the imputation he cannot but justify him, and pronounce him as worthy of eternal life as the greatest and the holiest angel in heaven. For this righteousness claims it by the merit of it, when once the sinner can call it his. And although one sin spoils and makes void all the good in any creature, though it hath been of never so long continuance, yet his righteousness, on the person, contrary, is sin-proof for time to come, and hath the worth of his who is the great God, to give power to it to prevail against all sins past, present, and to come; it is an everlasting righteousness,' Dan. ix. 24, such as which sinners can never spend or evacuate. And if sin take away the justifying power from grace, his righteousness takes away the condemning power from sin: There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ; for it 'condemneth sin itself.' Rom. viii. 1, 3, 'There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.' Ver. 3, 'For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh.'

CHAPTER XII.

That all the pleas which the law can make against a sinner are by this satisfaction of Christ also fully answered.

And now we have shewn such abundant satisfaction given to God in point of his honour, the law methinks may well sit down and never so much as mention the debt that is its due. Yet if the law will needs bring in her bill also, there will be found satisfaction full enough for its claim also.

And first, in general, what is the law? The will, word, and command of the great God. Well, but Christ is the Word of his Father in a higher and more glorious sense; the original of this word and law. This is but the copy of what is substantial in him; he is therefore called & óyos, 'the Word,' John i. 1. Yea, and is not Christ the maker and the giver of that law? Gal. iii. 19. And if he that made the law will be made under the law,' as, Gal. iv. 4, he was, and enter into bond to the law, and give the law power over him, as a servant and an apprentice to it, make himself a debtor to it and fulfil it, will not this make amends? We might make very short work with the law's suit but by calling for her bond, which once she had to shew against those Christ died for. Therefore let the law shew and bring in that bond into open court. She returns answer, that she hath it not; we find then that it is taken out of the way,' Col. ii. 14. But how, and by whom? Not surreptitiously, and by stealth, or by force and violence, but openly in the face of the court of justice. And by whom? Christ blotting it out, nailing it to his cross, and triumphing openly,' says the 15th verse, and before the judge's face. The moral law, that was the creditor, and the bond which God appointed the Jews to give in, whereby to acknowledge the debt, was the ceremonial law; therefore says the apostle, 'he that is circumcised' (upon which the bond was entered into, and sealed) is a debtor to the whole law.' Now, in token that the debt is paid, we find the bond cancelled; and now she hath nothing to shew against believers so as to condemn us, and this is evidence sufficient. But yet if the law, or any legal conscience, would notwithstanding have further satisfaction, and put us to prove and shew how the particular debts due thereunto were paid and discharged, both that of service to be done, and fulfilling all the law, by active obedience, and then by passive obedience also, and know how the punishment and curse threatened was undergone, the particular discharge is yet upon record. Christ hath done both fully; and what he hath done and suffered hath that in it which the obedience and sufferings of no pure creature could have had, nor could have satisfied as his hath done. It is a point I shall speak of after, when I shall shew the fulness of parts that is in his obedience; yet I shall say a little now, and enough to stop the law's mouth, for this is but a ruder draught of what more particularly we will fill up.

First, He fulfilled the law in service and obedience performed unto it for the space of thirty-three years: John viii. 29, I do always the things that please him.' The text too says, 'he was a servant,' and obedient usque ad mortem, until death, Philip. ii. 8, and therefore all his life. He there mentions that obedience in lieu of service due by us; and although creatures could fulfil the law, yet they could not perform it for us, and for themselves

too, because the law requires all they can do for themselves, and what they do is not their own; but what Christ doeth shall stand for both. To go no further now than the text for clearing this ;

First, Though as Christ was man, the law required obedience of him for himself, when once he is become a man, and had once assumed our nature, yet being before his assumption equal with God (which the text on purpose mentions to shew the worth of his obedience), and at his choice to have continued free for ever from all subjection; that he should take upon him voluntarily this condition of a servant (as the phrase 'he became obedient' importeth, and he was servus factus, non natus, so Gal. iv. 4, made under the law'). This act of such a person, and thus free, doth make all the obedience he upon this performed, to stand both for himself and for others also; for the righteousness the manhood performed, his person had no need of. And then again the assumption of this nature was agreed on by covenant, and this by a more ancient law and decree made in heaven ere there were any creatures extant to give the moral law unto; whereby it was agreed that the service he did in that nature should justify others; so Isa. liii., 'My servant shall justify many;' though a servant, yet his service was not for himself, but others. And again, though as a man he is subject, yet that man is personally united to the Godhead, and so partakes of all his royalties, whereof one is to be Lord of the law, Mat. xii. 18;* and therefore his fulfilling the law is truly the obedience of God, the Lord thereof, as well as his blood is the blood of God. The creatures have no relation or privilege whereby they can plead exemption from the law, but so can he; but all that the creatures have is necessarily and wholly subject, and therefore all which they can do is only for themselves. But his person is equal with God, and in that relation (which over-balanceth all other) is free and subject, not necessarily, but voluntarily, and that by a covenant made on purpose, the condition whereof was to assume the nature and the form of a servant in it, merely to justify others; and therefore will stand good for us against the law. Jehovah, that hath no need of acquisite righteousness, is our righteousness, Jer. xxiii. 6. And,

·

Secondly, Though creatures could not by their active obedience satisfy for another, because what they did was not their own, nay, it was but borrowed, yet he could say his soul was his own (as we use to speak) and that his life was his own, which no creature could say; they cannot say their service is their own, and grace their own. And this propriety in what he had, did, or suffered, the Scripture often puts an emphasis upon, as that which conduceth to satisfaction, as when it is said he washed us with his own blood, Rev. i. 5. And I will lay down my life, and take it up again; and, John xvi. 14, he shall receive of mine.' And though, as some of the schoolmen object, Christ's human nature and all his actions were sub dominio Dei, under the dominion of God, as creatures, and God had an interest in them, yet this human nature, and all that it could perform, was in another relation so peculiarly the second person's own, as it was not the other persons', namely, his own by personal union, which propriety was incommunicable to the other persons. Habitual grace, though it was the work of the Holy Ghost, Luke i. 35, yet due unto the human nature when united as its own; and as the human nature was to be called not the adopted Son of God, but the natural, so the grace in that human nature might be called, now it is united to the Godhead, co-natural to him. And though the first grace of union was mere grace, yet that grace was * Probably a misprint for Mark ii, 28.-ED.

vouchsafed to the human nature, not the divine, subsisting in the second person, who as such is the person who owneth all both graces and actions in the human, and is the proprietor of them; and he it was who was lessened by that assumption. Yea, and besides, when once that human nature is assumed, then all the dues and rights of that person, as to be full of grace, and Lord of glory, &c., was due and proper to him as the only begotten Son of God: John i. 14, And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth.' And grace was not given to him as a mere servant to give account of, but he entered upon it as a Lord; for if he be the Lord of glory,' as 1 Cor. ii. 8, then the Lord of grace too; and he is not as Moses, as a servant, but as a Son in his own house, Heb. iii. 5, 6; and so there are these great and just respects upon his obedience, that it was free, and his person not subject to that law which he ful

filled.

And whereas the creatures must have gone over their works again and again to eternity, done nothing but written the blurred copy of their obedience, copy after copy, in their lives, and so have made nothing perfect, there is in Christ a fulfilling of it but once by him, which will serve for that eternal debt of active obedience. And as by once offering of himself, Heb. x. 14, so by one righteousness and obedience, Rom. v. 18; that is, once gone over, he is able to justify us for ever. And therefore he tells his apostles, a little afore his death, that he had now but one thing to do, and that was to drink of the last cup; and how do I long, says he, till it be accomplished! And at his death he tells his Father, John xvii. 4, I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.' And so he having despatched the active part, he had space enough left to undergo the passive, which, as I shewed in the first part of this discourse, no creature was capable of. Nay, further, he can do both at once: in obeying, suffer; and in suffering, obey; and each successively, so as God shall be no loser by the one or the other, and in the end can say of both, 'It is finished.' Thus much for the debt of active obedience.

Secondly, Now, if we come to passive obedience, we shall find that he was able so to undergo it, as shall put that worth into it, as it shall soon be finished, and be yet satisfactory.

First, Whereas no creature could have so much as borne the imputation of sin (which yet was necessary to satisfaction), for it would have withered and shrivelled up all their grace, because their grace is all but washy stuff, and but as a gilding by gold slightly overlaid; now Christ's grace is substantial, it was as gold itself, therefore it was sin-proof. He can be made sin, and yet his grace continue, as ours doth not, when Adam's sin is imputed. Grace maintains itself in him, not by a covenant of works, but by the personal union and the rights thereof, and so can bear the guilt of all our sins, and his grace never a whit the worse for it; his person is unpeccable, and so uncapable of hurt by the imputation of sin.

Secondly, The life and comforts thereof, which he lays down, and sacrificeth, is his own. His life is not due to God, as is the creatures', for it is given him to have life in himself,' John v. 26. 'And I have power over my life to take it up and lay it down,' says he. God, that hath power over life and death, hath not power over his : John x. 17, 18, Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.' Ver. 18, No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command