dience to the commandment, and submission to the curse.
It is all one in God's account, as if we had done it, because Christ was
surety in our stead, and a common person representing us, and therefore
his paying of the debt acquits us at the hand of justice, and whatsoever
he did to fulfil all righteousness, that is accounted ours, because we
were represented in him, and judicially one with him. And therefore, we
were condemned when he was condemned, we were dead when he died,--and so
the righteousness of the law, in exacting a due punishment for sin, was
fulfilled for us in him, and it is all one as if it had been personally in
us. And this is laid down as the foundation of that blessed embassy or
message of reconciliation to sinners, as that upon which God is in Christ
reconciling and beseeching us to be reconciled, (2 Cor. v. 19-21.)--Him who
knew no sin, hath he made sin for us, that we might be made the
righteousness of God in him. You see the blessed exchange that he hath
made with us,--he hath laid our sins on sinless Christ, and laid Christ's
righteousness on sinful us. Christ took our sins on him, that he might
give us his righteousness, and by virtue of this transaction and
communication, as it was righteous with God to condemn sin in Christ's
flesh, because our sin was upon him, so it is as just with him to impute
righteousness to us, because we were in him. And as the law made him a
curse, and exacted the punishment of him, it is as righteous with the Lord
to give us life and salvation, and to forgive sin, as John speaks, 1st
Epistle i. 9, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive
us our sins."

Now consider this my beloved, for it is propounded unto you as the
greatest persuasive to move you to come to Jesus Christ,--there is such a
clear and plain way in him to salvation. If this do not move your hearts,
I know not what will. I do not expect that your troubles in this
world,--the frequent lashes of judgment, the impoverishing and exhausting
of you, the plucking away of those things you loved, the disquieting your
peace so often, that any of those things that have the image of wrath upon
them, can drive you to him, and make you forsake your way, when such a
motive as this doth not prevail with you. O what heart could stand against
the power of this persuasion, if it were but rightly apprehended! Who
would not willingly fly into this city of refuge, if they did but know
aright the avenger of