1. Because he fulfilled his Active Obedience not merely for himself, but mainly for us; he was our Surety, and so received the Obligation of Obedience on himself. Hence he would be baptized, because it was [Greek or Hebrew], it became him to fulfil ⟨p. 213⟩all righteousness, Mat. 3. 15. it became him, not as for himself, for he was the spotless Lamb, and needed no Baptism at all, he could baptize with the holy Ghost, and needed no Water-baptism; but it became him as our Surety, to be subject to Gods command even in this. And so in all other his Active Obedience: For the impletion of the Law was by God translated upon him: 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, that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us, Rom. 8. 3, 4. Here all the Obligations of the Law are cast upon Christ as our Surety; we could not satisfy for our sins, Christ did it; we could not fulfil Righteousness, Christ did it. But you'll say, this place only concerns his Passive Obedience; for it speaks of condemning Sin, and that was done in his Passive only. I answer, that this place extends to all Christs Obedience, Active as well as Passive, and this seems clear by the first and last part of the words compared together: the first are, What the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh; and what was that? Could it not curse the Sinner? ⟨p. 214⟩Yes undoubtedly; And here the flesh, that is, Sin was the strength of the Law; but for want of perfect Obedience, it could not give life, Gal. 3. 21. and here the flesh, that is, Sin was the weakness of the Law. Now Christ (the Power of God) came to supply this weakness: but how doth he do it? The latter words tell us, Sin was condemned in his flesh, that is, his humane Nature; and it was condemned there not only by his Passive Obedience, but by his Active too. Every Act thereof did as it were sit in judgment on Sin; even as every knock of Noah on the Ark condemned the old World: Sin was so condemned, that [Greek or Hebrew], the righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in us, the Law hath its rightful demands, one whereof is perfect Obedience; the righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in us, that is, for us, in our stead and room:
1. Because he fulfilled his Active Obedience not merely for himself, but mainly for us; he was our Surety, and so received the Obligation of Obedience on himself. Hence he would be baptized, because it was 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, it became him to fulfil ⟨p. 213⟩all righteousness, Mat. 3. 15. it became him, not as for himself, for he was the spotless Lamb, and needed no Baptism at all, he could baptize with the holy Ghost, and needed no Water-baptism; but it became him as our Surety, to be subject to Gods command even in this. And so in all other his Active Obedience: For the impletion of the Law was by God translated upon him: 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, that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us, Rom. 8. 3, 4. Here all the Obligations of the Law are cast upon Christ as our Surety; we could not satisfie for our sins, Christ did it; we could not fulfil Righteousness, Christ did it. But you'l say, this place only concerns his Passive Obedience; for it speaks of condemning Sin, and that was done in his Passive only. I answer, that this place extends to all Christs Obedience, Active as well as Passive, and this seems clear by the first and last part of the words compared together: the first are, What the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh; and what was that? Could it not curse the Sinner? ⟨p. 214⟩Yes undoubtedly; And here the flesh, that is, Sin was the strength of the Law; but for want of perfect Obedience, it could not give life, Gal. 3. 21. and here the flesh, that is, Sin was the weakness of the Law. Now Christ (the Power of God) came to supply this weakness: but how doth he do it? The latter words tell us, Sin was condemned in his flesh, that is, his humane Nature; and it was condemned there not only by his Passive Obedience, but by his Active too. Every Act thereof did as it were sit in judgment on Sin; even as every knock of Noah on the Ark condemned the old World: Sin was so condemned, that 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, the righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in us, the Law hath its rightful demands, one whereof is perfect Obedience; the righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in us, that is, for us, in our stead and room:
