The Doctrine of Justification by Faith

It is said, That this Obedience was necessary as a Qualification of his Person, that he might be meet to be a Mediator for us; and therefore was for himself. It belongs unto the necessary constitution of his Person, with respect unto his Mediatory Work: But this I positively deny. The Lord Christ was every way meet for the whole Work of Mediation, by the ineffable union of the Humane Nature with the Divine, which exalted it in Dignity, Honour, and Worth, above any thing, or all things that ensued thereon. For hereby he became in his whole Person the object of all Divine Worship and Honour; for when he brings the first begotten into the World, he saith, And let all the Angels of God worship him. Again, That which is an effect of the Person of the Mediator as constituted such, is not a qualification necessary unto its constitution; that is, what he did as Mediator, did not concur to the making of him meet so to be. But of this Nature was all the Obedience which he yielded unto the Law, for as such, It became him to fulfil all Righteousness.

It is said, That this Obedience was necessary as a Qualification of his Person, that he might be meet to be a Mediator for us; and therefore was for himself. It belongs unto the necessary constitution of his Person, with respect unto his Mediatory Work: But this I positively deny. The Lord Christ was every way meet for the whole Work of Mediation, by the ineffable union of the Humane Nature with the Divine, which exalted it in Dignity, Honor, and Worth, above any thing, or all things that insued thereon. For hereby he became in his whole Person the object of all Divine Worship and Honor; for when he brings the first begotten into the World, he saith, And let all the Angels of God worship him. Again, That which is an effect of the Person of the Mediator as constituted such, is not a qualification necessary unto its constitution; that is, what he did as Mediator, did not concur to the making of him meet so to be. But of this Nature was all the Obedience which he yielded unto the Law, for as such, It became him to fulfil all Righteousness.

Whereas therefore he was neither made Man, nor of the Posterity of Abraham for himself, but for the Church, namely, to become thereby the Surety of the Covenant, and Representative of the whole, his obedience as a Man unto the Law in general, and as a Son of Abraham unto the Law of Moses, was for us, and not for himself; so designed, so performed, and without a respect unto the Church, was of no use unto himself. He was born to us, and given to us, lived for