The Doctrine of Justification by Faith

6. It is granted, That the Lord Christ having an Humane Nature, which was a Creature, it was impossible but that it should be subject unto the Law 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 Humane 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 Humane Nature of Christ, as that it should be self-subsisting, and in it self absolutely immense; for this would openly destroy it. Yet none will say, that he is now [Greek or Hebrew] under the Law, in the sense intended by the Apostle. But the Law in the sense described, the Humane 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, neglect 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 Humane Nature of Christ was, and is as a Creature, gives sufficient security against such Suppositions.

6. It is granted, That the Lord Christ having an Humane Nature, which was a Creature, it was impossible but that it should be subject unto the Law 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 Humane Nature of Christ is subject unto, in Heaven and Glory, and cannot but be so, whilest it is a Creature, and not God, that is, whilest it hath its own Being. Nor do any Men fancy such a transfusion of divine properties into the Humane Nature of Christ, as that it should be self-subsisting, and in it self absolutely immense; for this would openly destroy it. Yet none will say, that he is now under the Law, in the sense intended by the Apostle. But the Law in the sense described, the Humane Nature of Christ was subject unto on its own account, whilest 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, neglect 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 indispensible Law of Love, Adherence, and Dependance on God, under which the Humane Nature of Christ was, and is as a Creature, gives sufficient security against such Suppositions.