The Fountain of Life Opened

Thirdly, The internal moving cause of Christs satisfaction for us, was his obedience to God, and love to us. That it was an act of obedience is plain, from Phil. 2.8. He became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Now obedience respects a command; and such a command Christ received to dye for us, as himself tells us, Joh. 10.18. I lay down my life of my self, I have power to lay it down, and power to take it again; this commandment have I received of my Father. So that it was an act of obedience with respect to God, and yet a most free and spontaneous act with respect to himself. And that he was moved to it out of pity and love to us, himself assures us. Gal. 5.2. Christ loved us, and gave himself for us, an offering and a Sacrifice to God: upon this Paul sweetly reflected, Gal. 2.20. who loved me, and gave himself for me. As the external moving cause was our misery, so the internal was his own love, and pity for us.

¹Fourthly, The matter of Christs satisfaction, was his active and passive obedience, to all that the Law of God required. I know there are some that doubt whether Christs active obedience have any place here, and so whether it be imputed as any part of our righteousness. It is conf•ssed the Scripture most frequently mentions his passive obedience, as that which made the atonement; and procures our redemption. Matth. 26.28. Matth. 20.28. Rom. 3.24, 25