Righteousness Of Life
RIGHTEOUSNESS OF LIFE
THIS also the law insisted upon as a condition of life; and justly: for God gave to Adam, and all mankind in him, a law to be obeyed in all points; not only in virtue of the tie of natural duty, but in virtue of the bond of a covenant for life: but it was never fulfilled by them. The first Adam began indeed the course of obedience; but he quickly fell off from it, with all his natural seed in him. Now, it being inconsistent with the honour of the law, that the prize, to wit, eternal life, should be obtained without the race was run; it still insisted, saying, "If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments," Matth. 19:17. Howbeit, we were weak, moveless, without strength for running that race. Wherefore it was settled as another conditionary article of the covenant, "That Christ, as a public person, represented those whom he contracted for, should begin and perfect the course of obedience to the law in righteousness of life." And accordingly, he became obedient unto death, Phil. 2:8.
The law, which was the rule of this obedience, exacted of him, was the same law of the ten commands, that was given to Adam, and binding on us as under it: for he was made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, Gal. 4:4, 5. It extended to all divine institutions which the second Adam found in being, whether obliging men as men, or as members of the church of God on earth: even as the rule of the first Adam's obedience, extended to the positive law touching the forbidden fruit, which was in being when he was set to fulfil his covenant-obedience.
That we may the more distinctly comprehend this article, it may be observed to bear these three things following.
1. "That he, as the second Adam, should obey the whole law, in the name of those he represented." This was a debt owing by them all; and was required of them by the law, as a condition of life: Gal. 3:10. "Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them." But the answering of this demand was quite beyond their reach. Man, by the fall, having lost much of his knowledge of the law, had lost sight of many of the duties required therein: howbeit, ignorance of the law excuseth no man. His heart was averse to and enmity against the law, Rom. 8:7. And he was without strength to perform the duties therein required of him, chap. 5:6. So that by reason of ignorance, aversion, and impotency in that matter, the obedience of the whole law was not to be had from them. Wherefore it was provided, that Christ, as their representative, should give obedience to the whole law for them; that both tables of the law, and each command of each table, should have the due obedience from him; that the law being laid before him in its spirituality and full extent, he should fully answer it, in internal and external obedience, in his mind, will, and affections, in thought, word, and deed; that he should conform himself to the whole natural law, and to all divine institutions, ceremonial or political, so as to be circumcised, keep the passover, to be baptized, to be a servant of or subject to rulers, pay tribute to whom it was due, and the like: in one word, that he should perform the whole will of God, signified in his law; so that with the safety of the law's honour, his people might have life. What the first Adam failed in, the second Adam was to do. And this I take to be represented unto us, in the case of the first and second king of Israel, to wit, Saul and David, Acts 13:22. "I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will;" Gr. "all my wills." In which there is a plain view to Saul, who was partial in his obedience to the will of God, (1 Sam. 15) and upon that score lost the kingdom for him and his.
2. "That every part of that obedience should be carried to the highest pitch and degree." This the law required of them, as a condition of life; as our Lord himself shewed unto the lawyer, Luke 10:27, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself." Ver. 28, "This do, and thou shalt live." But it was a demand they could never have answered, since Adam had squandered away their stock of ability, and left them without strength. They might as soon have reached up their hands to the sun in the firmament, so far above, as have attained to the perfection of obedience demanded of them by the law. Wherefore it was agreed, that Christ should in their name obey the law in that perfection, being made under the law, as they were under it, Gal. 4:4, 5; that every action of his should bear, not only a goodness of the matter, but of the manner too, and that in perfection; that love to God and man should flame in his holy human soul, to the utmost pitch required by the law; and so that debt owing by his seed, might be cleared by him, acting as a public man in their name.
3. Lastly, "That all this should be continued to the end, without the least failure in one jot of parts or degrees of obedience." This also was a condition of life stated in the first covenant; Gal. 3:10, "Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them." But it was a demand they could by no means answer; man's nature being so vitiated by the fall, that if a thousand hells were lying upon it, the best on earth could not keep perfectly right one hour. Wherefore it was agreed, that the second Adam should, in the name of those he represented, continue in all things written in the law to do them, even to the end; that he should not fail in his begun course of obedience, but run to the end of the race set before him; that from the womb to the grave, his heart and life should shine in perfection of holiness. All which he did accordingly fulfil, being obedient unto death, Philip. 2:8.