Here we are dealing with the nature and causes of obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ. This picks up what was begun in chapter nine, it is the second head of "The respect which we have in all acts of religion unto the person of Christ [which] may be reduced under...4 heads." (p. 104) This one being obedience to Christ.
Jesus told his disciples to obey his commandments, else they are not his disciples. Owen is here working out whether Christ gave any new law in the gospel, "whereby our obedience to him is regulated" (p. 135). He says that the Old Testament law was in teo parts. a) the moral part of it. b) the institution of worship. In terms of a) Christ gave no new law: "Any such supposition is contrary to the wisdom and holiness of God in giving the law, and inconsistent with the nature of the law itself." (p. 135) But in terms of b) the law "was in this sense abolished by Christ" (p. 135) But christ gave a new way to worship (Heb. 3:3-6).
Some things may be added to clear up what we mean by obedience to Christ:
1. we must subject our souls and conciences to Jesus. 2. The reason he gets our obedience is because he is God in nature as well. 3. As Mediator he receives obedience also: i) he has enforced and confirmed the moral law of the Old Testament. We (the evangelical church) are not obliged "by the original authority of that law, but as it is confirmed unto us in the hand of our Mediator." (p. 137) ii) God has given all power to Jesus so that he can command obedience. iii) All judgement concrning this obedience is given to Jesus by the Father.
If we do not follow Jesus' institutions in our worship it is because of: "a loss of that subjection of soul and conscience unto him which is indispensibly required of all believers." (p. 139)
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