First, By the obedience of the life of Christ you see what
is intended, — his willing submission unto, and perfect, complete
fulfilling of, every law of God, that any of the saints of God were obliged
unto. It is true, every act almost of Christ’s obedience, from the blood
of his circumcision to the blood of his cross, was attended
with suffering, so that his whole life might, in that regard, be called a
death; but yet, looking upon his willingness and obedience in it, it is
distinguished from his sufferings peculiarly so called, and termed his “In vita passivam habuit actionem; in morte
passionem activam sustinuit; dum salutem operatur in medio terræ.” —
Bern. Ser. 4. active
righteousness. This is, then, I say, as was showed, that complete,
absolutely perfect accomplishment of the whole law of God by Christ, our
mediator; whereby he not only “did no sin, neither was there guile found in
his mouth,” but also most perfectly fulfilled all righteousness, as he
affirmed it became him to do.