Meditations and Discourses on the Glory of Christ

2. THIS Obedience as unto the use and end of it, was not for himself, but for us. We were obliged unto it, and could not perform it; he was not obliged unto it any otherwise but by a free Act of his own Will, and did perform it. God gave him this Honour, that he should obey for the whole Church, that by his obedience we should ⟨p. 85⟩be made righteous, Rom. 5. 19. Herein I say did God give him Honour and Glory, that his Obedience should stand in the stead of the perfect Obedience of the Church as unto Justification.

3. HIS Obedience being absolutely universal, and absolutely perfect, was the great Representative of the Holiness of God in the Law. It was represented glorious when the Ten Words were written by the Finger of God in Tables of Stone: It appears yet more eminently in the Spiritual Transcription of it in the Hearts of Believers: But absolutely and perfectly it is exemplified only in the Holiness and Obedience of Christ, which answered it unto the utmost. And this is no small Part of his Glory in Obedience, that the Holiness of God in the Law was therein, and therein alone in that one Instance, as unto human Nature, fully represented.

4. HE wrought out this Obedience against all Difficulties and Oppressions. For although he was absolutely free from that Disorder which in us hath invaded our whole Natures, which internally renders all Obedience difficult unto us, and perfect Obedience impossible; yet as unto Opposition from without in Temptations, Sufferings, Reproaches, Contradictions, he met with more than we all. Hence is that glorious Word, Although he were a Son, yet he learned Obedience by the things which be suffered,