The Fountain of Life Opened

First, In that hereby he obliged himself to keep the whole Law, though he were the Law-maker.¹ Gal. 5.3. For I testify again; to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole Law. The Apostles meaning is, he is a debtor in regard of duty, because he that thinks himself bound to keep one part of the Ceremonial Law, doth thereby bind himself to keep it all; for where all the parts are inseparably united, (as they are in the Law of God) we pull all upon us, by engaging or meddling with any one. And he that is a debtor in duty, to keep the whole Law, quickly becomes a debtor in regard of penalty, not being able to keep any part of it. Christ therefore coming as our surety, to pay both those debts; the debt of duty, and the debt of penalty ⟨p. 238⟩to the Law; he by his circumcision obliges himself to pay the whole debt of duty, by fulfilling all Righteousness; and though his obedience to it was so exact and perfect, that he contracted no debt of penalty for any transgression of his own: yet he obliges himself to pay that debt of penalty we had contracted; by suffering all the pains due to transgressors. This was that intolerable yoke that none were able to bear but Christ. Acts 15.10. And it was no small abasure of Christ, to bind himself to the Law as a Subject made under it. For he was the Law-giver, above all Law; and herein that Sovereignty of a God, (one of the choice flowers in the Crown of Heaven) was obscured and veiled, by his subjection.

First, In that hereby he obliged himself to keep the whole Law, though he were the Law-maker.¹ Gal. 5.3. For I testifie again; to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole Law. The Apostles meaning is, he is a debtor in regard of duty, because he that thinks himself bound to keep one part of the Ceremonial Law, doth thereby bind himself to keep it all; for where all the parts are inseparably united, (as they are in the Law of God) we pull all upon us, by engaging or medling with any one. And he that is a debtor in duty, to keep the whole Law, quickly becomes a debtor in regard of penalty, not being able to keep any part of it. Christ therefore coming as our surety, to pay both those debts; the debt of duty, and the debt of penalty