Exposition of Romans 8-11, Chapter 8 · Verse 4
VERSE 4. That the Righteouſneſſe of the Law might be fulfilled in vsus, which walke not after the Fleſh, but after the Spirit.
HItherto of the two Effects of God. God ſent his Son, and gane him a Commiſsion. He executed it. So did God. So ſuffered Chriſt. But why? Cui bono? Who hauehave the benefite of all this? This Paul ſhewes in this Verſe. Where are two things. Firſt, what the Benefit is: (viz) The fulfilling of the righteouſneſſe of the Law. 2. Who receiue this Benefit. Wee that beleeue. In vsus. Deſcribed by a proper Effect. Which walke, &c.
That. This noteth not here the euent onelyonly, as though it ſo fell out, but the Counſell of God, purpoſing this to be the end of the ſending of his Sonne, &c.
The Righteouſneſſe of the Law. So many. As though it were foreign: ſome Iuſtification: as though it were foreign: but it is foreign, which Beza well renders; Vt Ius Legis, that the Right of the Law might be fulfilled in vsus. What Right? The Law hath a double Right. One of Obedience, it doth rightly challenge obedience, and the Law hath not the right if it bee not obeyed. The other Right is to Condemne vsus for Diſobedience; for it is right and equall that thoſe which doe euill, ſhould ſuffer euill. Both theſe are here vnderſtood.
Of the Law. Law ſometime is taken for the ſtrength of a thing, as in Verſe 2. ſometime largely for the whole Word of God: ſometime more ſtrictly for the Morall Law in the Decalogue, and for the Doctrine, Precepts, Promiſes, Prohibitions, Threatnings, which the Law ſpeakes of: So here.
Fulfilled. Perfectly ſatisfied by Chriſt, in regard of both the Rights.
In vsus. Not by vsus. By Chriſt. In vsus. For Chriſt in our Nature hath fulfilled the Right of the Law: and therfore in vsus, becauſe of our Communion with him.
The meaning. God hath Condemned ſinne in the Fleſh of his Sonne, that, All that which the Law by any right could require of vsus, might be performed by him for our Benefit ſo, as if we our ſelues had in our perſons performed the ſame.
doctrine Whatſoeuer Chriſt did concerning the Law, is ours by Imputation ſo fully as if our ſelues-had done it, Mat. 3.15. & 5.17,18. As if he ſhould ſay, EueryEvery Tittle of the Law ſhall be fulfilled. If it require Obedience, it ſhall hauehave it. If it threaten Curſes, they ſhall be borne. The Precepts ſhall be kept, the Promiſes receiued, the Puniſhments endured, 2. Cor. 5.21.
Ʋſe. 1.If Adam had not ſinned; by fulfilling the Law in the Precepts hee ſhould hauehave beene ſaued: and the Damned fulfill it in hell in regard of the Curſe, by ſuffering it, and cannot bee ſaued. If wee would be ſaued, we (becauſe ſinners) muſt fulfill it, in Praecepto, & poena, in the Precepts and Puniſhment. The Precepts muſt bee kept, that there may bee place for the Promiſes. The Curſe alſo muſt be endured, which is the wages of our Sinne. The Law muſt hauehave our Bloud, and without bloud there is no remiſsion. Heb. 9.22.We can doe neither of theſe in our ſelues. Wee hauehave done both theſe by our Surety. Faith is here neceſſary, that Chriſts doing and ſuffering may bee applyed to vsus, that The Right of the Law may be fuifilled in vsus.
Vſe 2.The Wonderfull wiſedome of God appeares in our Redemption. Who Executes his Iuſtice vponupon Chriſt, Exerciſeth his mercy toward vsus. Without Infinite Satisfaction his merciemercy could not be appeaſed. Without Infinite mercy wee could not be ſaued. One Deepe calleth another. The Deepe of his Iuſtice, the Deepe of Chriſts Satisfaction: The Deepe of our Miſery, the Deepe of his Mercy. If he had laid his Iuſtice vponupon vsus, where had beene his Mercy? If hee had ſhewed Mercy without Satisfaction, where had beene his Iuſtice? Both theſe muſt meete, that we may hauehave Righteouſneſſe and euerlaſting peace. This the Angels admire; doe thou labour to vnderſtand.
Ʋſe 3.Chriſt ſuffered for vsus, not onelyonly (noſtra Cauſa, but noſtra vice,) for our ſake, but in our roome and ſtead. Wee ſhould hauehave beene Buffeted, Spit vponupon, Crucified, Curſed. Hee repreſented our Perſons, was in our roome. O infinite LoueLove! Many deſire to repreſent Great Perſonages, to partake of their Honour: but none deſire to repreſent the perſons of baſe and condemned wretched, to beare their Shame. No ſuing for this. Dauid wiſht that he had dyed for Abſalon. But Chriſt our Dauid dyed for vsus indeed.
Ʋſe 4.Heere is ſingular comfort; for this is our due from this place. The Law muſt hauehave its right, before a ſinner can be ſaued. We cannot of our ſelues fulfill the right of it. Art thou in Chriſt by Faith? Be of good comfort: Chriſt hath fulfilled it in thee, and thou haſt fulfilled it in Chriſt.
Thou mayſt bee threatned by the Law, in regard of thy dayly failings: But here is a non obſtante, by the goodnes of thy ſurety. As a man hauing broken a penall Statute, if hee once hauehave vndergone the Law, he feares not any more, either Iudge, Officer, or Law, for that fault. So, becauſe Chriſt hath vndergone the Law for vsus, wee need not feare. And as the Debter by the payment of the ſurety is deliuered, ſo wee by the ſuffrings of Chriſt.
But thou wilt ſay, that thou ſtill ſinneſt, and canſt not fulfill the Obedience of the Law. I anſwere, that this right alſo of the Law is fulfilled in thee by Chriſt, if thou beleeueſt. For hee that hath Chriſt, though hee hath not kept the Law, hath the whole righteouſneſſe of the Law. Chriſts righteouſneſſe is a large Garment couering himſelfe, and vsus too. Iuſtitia Chriſti non pallium breue. Bernh.This Garment is not of our buying or working, but it is better, becauſe wrought by Chriſt; and wee ſhall alſo hauehave a righteouſneſſe of our own in the kingdome of Heauen.
Vſe 5.Chriſt hath stood in thy ſtead, and endured the ſharpest of Gods Iudgements, which hee deſerued not, that thou mighteſt taſte the ſweeteſt of Gods Mercies, which thou deſeruedſt not. How ſhould this bind thee vntounto Him in all obedienced▪ The Borrower is a ſeruant to the Lender, as Salomon ſaith, Prou. 22.7.and the Receiuer to the Giuer. Chriſt hath done and ſuffred ſo much for thee: ſhalt thou deny him any thing? Euen thy life if He require it? Now, what would Chriſt hauehave thee to do? He hath borne the puniſhment of thy ſinnes; He would then hauehave thee ceaſe from ſinne. Hee endured baſeneſſe and pouerty for thee: Repent then of thy Pride: His bleſſed Mouth was buffeted and ſpit vponupon for thee: Hee would now hauehave thee to leaue thy Swearing, Lying, filthy and vngodly talke, and to vſe a holy and gracious ſpeech. His heart was pearced for thy ſinnes; thruſt not the ſpeare of thy ſinnes into his ſide againe; but regent, and pleaſe thy Sauiour in the amendment of thy life.