CHRIST’S holy submission, and obedience unto the will of God, which were now in the height of their exercise, and grace advanced unto the utmost in them, was another especial part of this His offering up of Himself. That this was wrought in Him by the holy or eternal Spirit was before declared. And when He offered up prayers and supplications, though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered; that is, He experienced obedience in suffering. It is true that the Lord Christ, in the whole course of His life, yielded obedience unto God, as He was made of a woman, made under the law; but now He came to the great trial of it, with respect unto the especial command of the Father to lay down His life. This was the highest act of obedience unto God, that ever was, or ever shall be, to all eternity; and therefore doth God so express His satisfaction therein, and acceptance of it. This was wrought in Him, this He was wrought unto by the Holy Spirit, and therefore, by Him, He offered Himself unto God. There belongs also hereunto, that faith and trust in God, which, with fervent prayers, cries, and supplications, He now acted upon God and His promises, both with respect unto Himself and to the covenant which He was sealing with His blood. This our Apostle represents as an especial work of His, testified unto in the Old Testament, “I will put my trust in Him.” Thus respected Himself, namely, that He should be supported, assisted, and carried through the work He had undertaken, unto a blessed issue. Herein I confess. He was horribly assaulted, until He cried out, “My God why hast Thou forsaken Me;” but yet, after and through all His dreadful trial, His faith and trust in God were victorious. To this purpose, He declares Himself at large, Isaiah lv. 7-9, so His faith and trust in God, as to His own supportment and deliverance, with the upon His engagement in the work of mediation were victorious.
This respected the covenant, and all the benefits that the church of the elect was to be made partaker of thereby. With respect hereunto did He also exercise faith in God, as fully appears in His prayer which He made when He entered on His oblation, John xvii. These, and the like gracious actings of the soul of Christ were the ways and means, whereby, in His death and blood-shedding, He voluntarily and freely offered up Himself a sacrifice unto God, and these were the things which from the dignity of His person, became efficacious and victorious.