Looking unto Jesus a view of the everlasting gospel, or, the souls eying of…

3. Faith must go to Christ as God in the flesh, made under the Law:¹ and hence it is that the Apostle joins these together, God sent his Son made of a woman, made under the Law: If Christ had been out of the compass of the Law, his being incarnate, and made of a woman, had done us no good. Suppose one in debt, and danger of the Law, to have a Brother of the same flesh and blood, of the same Father and Mother; what will this avail, if that same Brother will not come under the Law (i.e.) become his Surety, and undertake for him? It is our case; we are debtors to God,² and there is an hand-writing against us, and contrary to us: here is a Bond of the Law which we have forfeited; now what would Christ avail, if he had not come under the Law, if he had not been our Surety, and undertook for us? Our Faith therefore must go to Christ as made under the Law, not only taking our nature upon him, but our debt also;³ our nature as men, and our debt as sinful men: He hath made himself to become sin for us who knew no sin, (i.e.) he made him to be handled as a sinner for us under the Law, though he knew no sin on his part, but continued in all things written in the Book of the Law to do them. If Faith be inquisitive, when was Christ made under the Law? I answer,⁴ even then when he was circumcised: Thus Paul protests, I testify to every man that he that is circumcised, is a debtor to do the whole Law. Christ at his Circumcision entered into bond with us, and undertook for us; and therefore then, and not till then,⁵ he had his Name given him, Jesus a Saviour: and from that time he was a debtor to do the whole Law. Not only to suffer, but also to do; for he both satisfied the Curse, and fulfilled the Commandments. O remember this! as Christ, and as Christ in the flesh, so Christ in the flesh made under the Law, is principally to be in the eye of of our Faith. If we put all together, our first view of Faith is to look on Christ God in the flesh, made under the Law.

3. Faith must go to Christ as God in the flesh, made under the Law: