N13864:511
A history of the work of redemption. Containing the outlines of a body of…
A history of the work of redemption. Containing the outlines of a body of divinity, in a method entirely new. / By the late Reverend Mr. Jonathan Edwards, president of the College of New Jersey[.]
Boston: printed by Draper & Folsom, 1782
A HISTORY Of the WORK of REDEMPTION. › Period 2 › Part 2 › Section 3
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
As the obedience of the first Adam, wherein his righteousness would have consisted, if he had stood, would have mainly consisted, not his in obedience to the moral law, to which he was subject merely as man, but in his obedience to that special law that he was subject to as moral head and surety of mankind, even the command of abstaining from the tree of knowledge of good and evil; so the obedience of the second Adam, wherein his righteousness consists, lies mainly, not in his obedience of the law that he was subject to merely as man, but to that special law which he was subject to in his office as Mediator and surety for man.
BEFORE I proceed to the next distribution of Christ's righteousness, I would observe three things concerning Christ's obedience to these laws.
1. He performed that obedience to them which was in every respect perfect It was universal as to the kinds of laws that he was subject to; he obeyed ••ch of these three laws; and it was universal with respect to every individual precept contained in these laws, and it was perfect as to each command. It was perfect as to positive transgressions avoided: for he never transgressed in one instance; he was guilty of no sin of commission It was perfect with respect to the work commanded: he perfected the whole work at each command required, and never was guilty of any sin of omission. It was perfect with respect to the principles from which he obeyed: his h•art […] principles were wholly right, there was no corruption in his hea•t It was perfect with respect to the ends he acted for: for he never had any by-ends, but aimed perfectly at such ends as the law of God required. It was perfect with respect to the manner of performance: every circumstance of each ac• was perfectly conformed to the command. It was perfect with respect to the degree of the performance: he acted wholly up to the rule. It was perfect with respect to the constancy of obedience: he did not only perfectly obey sometimes, but constantly without any interruption. It was perfect with respect t perseverance: he held out in perfect obedience to the very end, through all the changes he passed through, and all the trials that were before him.