Now, that we have communion with Christ in this purchased grace, is evident on this single consideration, — that there is almost nothing that Christ hath done, which is a spring of that grace whereof we speak, but we are said to do it with him. We are "crucified" with him, Gal. ii. 20; we are "dead" with him, 2 Tim. ii. 11; Col. iii. 3; and "buried" with him, Rom. vi. 4 ; Col. ii. 12 ; we are "quickened together with him," Col. ii. 13 ; " risen" with him, Col. iii. 1. " He hath quick- ened us together with Christ, and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places," Eph. ii. 5, 6. In the act- ings of Christ, there is, by virtue of the compact between him as mediator, and the Father, such an assured foundation laid of the communication of the fniits of those actings unto those in whose stead he performed them, that they are said, in the participation of those fruits, to have done the same things with him. The life and power of which truth we may have occasion hereafter to inquire into : —
(1.) The first fountain and spring of this grace, wherein we have our communion with Christ, is first to be considered; and that is the obedience of his life: concerning which it must be declared, — [1.] What it is that is intended thereby, and wherein it consisteth. [2.] What influence it hath into the grace whereof we speak.
To the handling of this I shall only premise this observation, — namely, that in the order of procurement, the life of Christ (as was necessary) precedeth his death ; and therefore we shall handle it in the first place : but in the order of application, the benefits of his death are bestowed on us antecedently, in the nature of the things themselves, unto those of his life ; as will appear, and that necessaiily, from the state and condition wherein we are.
156 OF COMMUNION WITH THE SON JESUS CHRIST.
[1.] By the obedience of the life of Christ, I intend the universal conformity of the Lord Jesus Christ, as he was or is, in his Leing mediator, to the whole will of God ; and his complete actual fulfilling of the whole of every law of God, or doing of all that God in them required. He might have been perfectly holy by obedience to the law of creation, the moral law, as the angels were ; neither could any more, as a man walking with God, be required of him : but he sub- mitted himself also to every law or ordinance that was introduced upon the occasion of sin, Avhich, on his own account, he could not be subject to, it becoming him to " fulfil ^all righteousness," Matt. iii. 15, as he spake in reference to a newly-instituted ceremony.
That obedience is properly ascribed unto Jesus Christ as mediator, the Scripture is witness, both as to name and thing. Heb. v. 8, " Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience," etc. ; yea, he was obedient in his sufferings, and it was that which gave life to his death, Phil. ii. 8. He was obedient to death: for therein "he did make his soul an offering for sin," Isa. liii. 10; or, "his soul made an offering for sin," as it is interpreted, verse 12, " he poured out his soul to death," or, " his soul poured out itself unto death." And he not only sanctified himself to be an offering, John xvii. 19, but he also " offered up himself," Heb. ix. 14, an " offering of a sweet savour to God," Eph. V. 2. Hence, as to the whole of his work, he is called the Father's "servant," Isa. xlii. 1, and verse 19: and he professes of himself that he " came into the world to do the will of God, the will of him that sent him;" for which he manifests " his great readi- ness," Heb. X. 7 ; — all which evince his obedience. But I suppose I need not insist on the proof of this, that Christ, in the work of me- diation, and as mediator, was obedient, and did what he did willingly and cheerfully, in obedience to God.
Now, this obedience of Christ may be considered two ways: — \.st. As to the habitual root and fountain of it. 2c?/?/. As to the actual parts or duties of it: —
1st. The habitual righteousness of Christ as mediator in his hu- man nature, was the absolute, complete, exact conformity of the soul of Christ to the will, mind, or law of God; or his perfect habitually- inherent righteousness. This he had necessarily from the grace of luiion ; from whence it is that that which was born of the virgin was a " holy thing," Luke i. 35. It was, I say, necessary consequentially,
' " Vox lia>c liKdiixruvti lioc quidem loco latissiino .sumitur. ita iit significet noii iiiodo TO *o//,i/4.av, sed ft (juicqiiid iillani jcinii atque lioiicsti liabet ratioueni; nam li'X Mosi.s do hoc bajidsnio nihil pia-scripscrat." — Grot.
" Per iiKaio<ruv>i Cliiistiis hie non designat justitiani legaloni, sod, lit ita loqui liceat, jiorsonalcin; tc <rf£T«v ]icrsaiia>, ot ri Ka.frix.oy nuiiieri." — Wahw,