5. The Lord Christ, in his obedience, was not a private but a piih- lic person. He obeyed as he was the surety of the covenant, — as the mediator between God and man. This, I suppose, will not be denied. He can by no imagination be considered out of that capacity. But what a public person doth as a public person, — that is, as a represen- tative of others, and an tmdertaker for them, — whatever may be his own concernment therein, he doth it not for himself, but for others. And if others were not concerned therein, if it were not for them,
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what he doth would be of no use or signification ; yea, it implies a contradiction that any one should do any thing as a public person, and do it for himself only. He who is a public pei'son may do that wherein he alone is concerned, but he cannot do so as he is a public person. Wherefore, as Socinus, and those that follow him, would have Christ to have offered for himself, which is to make him a me- diator for himself, his offering being a mediately act, which is both foolish and impious; so to affirm his mediatory obedience, his obe- dience as a public person, to have been for himself, and not for others, hath but little less of impiety in it.
6. It is granted, that the Lord Christ having a human nature, which was a creature, it was impossible but that it should be subject unto the latu of creation; for there is a relation that doth necessarily arise from, and depend upon, the beings of a creator and a creature. Every rational creature is eternally obliged, from the nature of God, and its relation thereunto, to love him, obey him, depend upon him, submit unto him, and to make him its end, blessedness, and reward. But the law of creation, thus considered, doth not respect the world and this life only, but the future state of heaven and eternity also ; and this law the human nature of Christ is subject unto in heaven and glory, and cannot but be so whilst it is a creature, and not God, — that is, whilst it hath its own being. Nor do any men fancy such a transfusion of divine properties into the human nature of Christ, as that it should be self -subsisting, and in itself absolutely immense; for this would openly destroy it. Yet none will say that he is now u'TTo vo/Mov, — " under the law," — in the sense intended by the apostle. But the law, in the sense described, the human nature of Christ was subject unto, on its own account, whilst he was in this world. And this is sufficient to answer the objection of Socinus, mentioned at the entrance of this discourse, — namely, that if the Lord Christ were not obliged unto obedience for himself, then might he, if he would, ne- glect the whole law, or infringe it; for besides that it is a foolish imagination concerning that " holy thing " which was hypostatically united unto the Son of God, and thereby rendered incapable of any deviation from the divine will, the eternal, indispensable law of love, adherence, and dependence on God, under which the human nature of Christ was, and is, as a creature, gives sufficient security against such suppositions.
But there is another consideration of the law of God,- — namely, as it is imposed on creatures by especial dispensation, for some time and for some certain end, with some considerations, rules, and orders that belong not essentially unto the law ; as before described. This is the nature of the wi'itten law of God, which the Lord Christ was made under, not necessarily, as a creature, but by especial dispensation. For
262 ON JUSTIFICATION.
the law, under this consideration, is presented unto us as such, not absohitely and eternally, but whilst we are in this world, and that with this especial end, that by obedience thereunto we may obtain the reward of eternal life. And it is evident that the obligation of the law, under this consideration, ceaseth when we come to the en- jojTnent of that reward. It obligeth us no more foraially by its com- mand, " Do this, and live," when the life promised is enjoyed. In this sense the Lord Christ was not made subject unto the law for himself, nor did yield obedience unto it for himself; for he was not obliged unto it by virtue of his created condition. Upon the first instant of the union of his natures, being " holy, harmless, undefiled, • and separate from sinners," he might, notwithstanding the law that \ he was made subject unto, have been stated in glory; for he that was "^ the object of all divine worship needed not any new obedience to pro- cure for him a state of blessedness. And had he naturally, merely by virtue of his being a creature, been subject unto the law in this sense, he must have been so eternally, which he is not ; for those .things which depend solely on the natures of God and the creature are eternal and immutable. Wherefore, as the law in this sense was given unto us, not absolutely, but with respect unto a future state and reward, so the Lord Christ did voluntarily subject himself unto it for us ; and his obedience thereunto was for us, and not for himself. These things, added unto what I have formerly written on this sub- ject, whereunto nothing hath been opposed but a few impertinent cavils, are sufficient to discharge the first part of that charge laid down before, concerning the impossibihty of the imputation of the obedience of Christ unto us ; which, indeed, is equal unto the impos- sibility of the imputation of the disobedience of Adam unto us, whereby the apostle tells us that " we were all made sinners."