erwise it
would never have been done. I suppose that justice had exacted the
punishment of us. As we could never have ended suffering to all eternity,
so we would never have begun new obedience to the command to all eternity.
Thus, except Christ had taken it off us, and us off its hand, it would
never have been fulfilled, since it was first broken. Next, the curse of
the law could not get fuller satisfaction than in Christ. I suppose it had
fallen upon the sinner. There is not so much worth in the creatures
extremest sufferings, as to compensate the infinite wrongs done to the
holiness and righteousness of God. Therefore, what was wanting in the
intrinsic value of the creature's suffering, behoved to be made up in the
infinite extent of it, and eternal continuance of it upon the creature.
Thus, there could never be a determined time assigned, in which the curse
was fulfilled, and in which justice could say,--hold, I have enough. It is
as if a man were owing an infinite debt, and he could get nothing to
defray it but poor petty sums, which being all conjoined, cannot amount to
any proportion of it. Therefore, since he cannot get one sum in value
equal to it, he must be eternally paying it in smalls, according to his
capacity. And so, because the utmost farthing cannot be won at, he can
never be released out of prison. But our Lord Jesus hath satisfied it to
the full. He was a more substantial debtor, and because of the infinite
dignity of his person, there was an intrinsic value upon his sufferings,
proportioned unto the infiniteness of man's sin, so that he could pay all
the debt in a short time which a sinner could but have done to all
eternity. Now, you know, any man would rather choose such a cautioner,
that can solidly satisfy him in gross, and pay all the sum at once, than
such a principal, that because of his inability, cannot amount, to any
considerable satisfaction in many years. And even so it is with the law
and justice of God. They hold themselves better contented in Christ than
in us, in his being "made a curse, than the falling of the curse on us,"
Gal. iii. 13. And therefore God testifies it to poor sinners, "Deliver
them, I have found a ransom," Job xxxiii. 24,--and that is the ransom which
Christ gave,--"his life--for many," Matt. xx. 28.

You see then, how this conclusion follows, "that the righteousness of the
law might be fulfilled in us," he having fulfilled it, and satisfied it so
fully, both by obe