The Ark of the Covenant Opened, Chapter 20 (1 of 2)

The Ark of the Covenant Opened · Chapter 20 (1 of 2)

p. 368CHAP. XX. Chriſt the Surety of the Covenant.

THE ſixth relation which Chriſt ſuſtaineth in the Covenant of Grace,Beza in locum. is, He is Surety of the Covenant: ſo he is expreſly called, Heb. 7.22, Jeſus was made ſurety of a better teſtament, or rather Covenant, as Beza reads it: becauſe a Surety is not uſed in Teſtaments, neither is Chriſt properly to be conſidered as Surety in his Teſtament; but as Teſtator.

p. 369For the opening of this relation, I ſhall, 1. Enquire a little into the name and thing, that the nature of this relation may be the better known; eſpecially what it imports as it is applied to Chriſt. 2. I ſhall lay down ſome aſſertions for the better underſtanding of Chriſts Suretiſhip in the Covenant. 3. How Chriſt came under this relation, to be an undertaker for ſome of the ſons of men. 4. For whom did he become Surety and undertaker. 5. For what is he engaged by this relation. 6. What doth commend his Suretiſhip, that the excellency of it may appear. 7. Wherein his Suretiſhip doth differ from undertakings of that nature among men. 8. What are the advantages that the Lords people have by Chriſts Suretiſhip. And in the laſt place I ſhall ſhew you what uſe is to be made of this relation, or of Chriſt conſidered as Surety of the Covenant.

The Hebrew word foreign Ghnarab, Vide Mercer. and Buxtor. in voce.to which the Greek word foreign, doth anſwer, is of very large ſignification, as any word in that language: I will touch but a few of many, becauſe they are appoſite to expreſs the nature of Suretiſhip: The firſt and native ſignification of the word, is to mix, and to mingle, ſee Pſal. 106.35, But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works. And to meddle, or to have dealing and commerce, ſee Prov. 20.19, Therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips. Prov. 24.21, And meddle not with them that are given to change. And indeed Chriſts Suretiſhip, was a mixing and mingling with his people; it was ſuch a mingling with us, as the like was never heard of, a mingling of natures (if I may uſe the word), by a wonderful perſonal union, two natures meeting in one perſon, and yet remaining diſtinct; and a myſtical union whereby he is in us, and we are in him: a mingling of intereſts; his intereſts are ours, and our intereſts are his; whereby in ſome reſpect he cometh in our place, and we come in his place: See Joh. 17.21, 22, 23, That they all may be one, as thou father art in me, and I in thee; that they alſo may be one in us: that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in we, that they may be made perfect in one. 2 Cor. 5.1…, 21, Therefore if any man be in Chriſt, be is a new Creature.—For he hath made him to be ſin for as, who knew no ſin, that we might be made the righteouſneſs of God in him. p. 370Iſa. 5.8, For ſhe was cut off out of the land of the living: for the tranſgreſſion of my people was he ſtricken. Rom. 8.1, There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Chriſt Jeſus. And his medling and dealing in our matters, is ſuch as hath laid the whole weight of them upon him, Iſa 9.6, For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the godei… went ſhall be upon his ſhoulder: And hath drawn on an everlaſting co…erce, eommunion and exchange of commodities Betwixt him and his people, 2 Cor. 6.16, 18, For ye are the temple of the living God, as God hath ſaid, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they ſhall be my people. And will be a father unto you, and ye ſhall be by ſons and daughters, ſaith the Lord Almighty. Again, 2. This: word ſignifieth to engage. See Jer. 30.21, For who is this that engageth his heart? Arr. Mont. reads it, Dilatavit, alii obligavit, accommodavit, Hierom, qui applicet cor. And in this ſenſe, Chriſts Sureriſhip is the enlargement of his heart to a voluntary engagement for his people, unto which there was no neceſſity lying upon him. 'Tis the offering of himſelf willingly to undertake for them, Heb. 10.9, Then ſaid he, Lo, I come to do thy will (O God), Joh. 10.11, 18, The good ſhepherd giveth his life for the ſheep.—No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of my ſelf: I have power to bay it down, and I have power to take it again, Joh. 18.8.3. This word ſignifieth alſo to be Surety, to undertake, becauſe he that becomes Surety for another, doth ſo mix with him, that in ſome reſpect he is ſubſtitute in his place and room; ſo 'tis frequently uſed, Gen. 43.9, I will be ſurety for him: of my hand ſhalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and ſet him before thee, then let me bear the blame for even. Gen. 44.…2, For thy ſervant became ſurety for the lad unto my father, ſaying, &c. Prov. 6.1. and 11.15. and 22.26. Iſa. 38, 14. Bſal. 119.122, which is well rendered by the learned Expoſitors, ſpende, ſide. jube pro ſervo t…o, be furety for thy ſervant. In this ſenſe alſo Chriſt is the Surety; who did undertake for his people, that what ſhould be required of them, he ſhould anſwer for it; and what ſhould be wanting of their account, the burden and blame of it ſhould lie on him; as J…lh ſpoke in the place dited. See Joh. 17. throughout. 4. This word ſignified to give pledges, which is a kind of p. 371Suretiſhip, Iſa. 36.8, Now therefore give pledges, I pray thee, to my maſter the king of Aſſyria, and I will give thee two thouſand horſes, if thou be able on thy part to ſet riders upon them, 2 Kings 18.23. Da vadem, ſponſionem fac. Hence cometh that word Arrhabo, which is originally an Hebrew word, and came from Phenica into Greece (as is obſerved by Grotius),Grotius in 2. ad. cor. c. 1. v. 22. that which we call the earneſt and arles of any bargain, 2 Cor. 1.22, Who hath alſo ſealed us, and given the earneſt of the ſpirit in our hearts. In this ſenſe alſo, Chriſt is made Surety of the Covenant; he who gave himſelf pledg and hoſtage for his people; he who not only did undertake and give bond, but alſo put his perſon in priſon, until the Debt of his people ſhould be paid, and until all things promiſed in their name were made good; he being the pledg which lay for the whole price, Iſa. 53.8, He was taken from priſon, and from judgment: and who ſhall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the tranſgreſſion of my people was he ſtricken. Rom. 8.32, he that ſpared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all. 5. This word ſignifieth to ſtrike hands: for ſo were Covenants made, and Sureties engaged, Prov. 22.26, Be not thou among them that ſtrike hands, to wit, ſide ju…enad, as Mont. ſupplieth, and the LXX renders it, by the ſame Greek word that's uſed, Heb. 7.22, give not thy ſelf foreign, as a Surety: and in this ſenſe alſo was Chriſt made a Surety of the Covenant, he did ſtrike hands with God; he did Covenant with us, and for us, by ſtriking hands with God, Pſal. 40.7, Then ſaid I, Lo, I come. Iſa. 59.21, As for me, this is my covenant with them, ſaith the Lord, My ſpirit which is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, ſhall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy ſeed, nor out of the mouth of thy ſeeds ſeed, ſaith the Lord, from henceforth and for ever.

The Greek word uſed for a Surety, Heb. 7.22, foreign ſpenſor, ſide juſſor, I do not read elſewhere in the new Teſtament (though the LXX uſe it ſometimes) for aneut the Hebrew word that ſignifies a Surety, Prov. 6.1. and 17.19. and 20.19. Whether we take it to be from foreign, appropinquo: or from foreign, prope: or from foreign, ſpondeo, prom to which comes from foreign, in manibus: it ſeemeth to import p. 372the nearneſs of the Surety, and the Debtor, and to anſwer well the Hebrew word,Chriſtus nobis conjunctiſſimus: propinquns ridimens. By natural, myſtical, and voluntary relations. Brinſt. of the Mediator, p. 115, &c. which importeth mixing together; it importeth that Chriſts Suretiſhip made him near to us, and did mix him and us by a conjunction of blood; for by it he plighted his faith and truth, to take on our nature, and our condition in law, and ſo became our foreign— Goal our kinſman, Job. 19.25, our neareſt of kindred, who had the right to redeem us, Lev. 25.25. Ruth. 3.9.

The Latin word ſponſor according to the opinion of Divines, Juriſts and Humaniſts, ſignifieth one who engageth for another. Sponſor proprie eſt, qui pro alio ſatisfactionem ſpondet, vel de ea caver. Pareus Commen. in Heb. 8.6. Again, ſponſor eſt qui ſponte pro alio promittit; ſponſores ſunt quicunque ſpondent maxime pro aliis, ſive rogati ſive: non rogati, ſive ſolem…i ſtipulatione, ſive nuda receptione, intercedant, quibus ſpondentibus, pecuniae cuipiam creduntur, aut aliquid denique promittitur. Calv. Lexic. Jurid. in voce ſponſor. Cicer. ad attic. Lib. 1. And it cometh from ſpondere quaſi ſponte dicere, dare ac promittere; therefore alſo he is called ad-promiſſor. Fide juſſor dicitur qui pro alio fidem ſuam obligat, et fide ſua, id eſt periculo ſuo eſſe Jubet, quod alius debet. Calv. Lex. Jurid. in voce fide juſſor. Again, fide juſſor eſt autor credendi alium aliquid daturum facturumve, ſua fide, ſuoque periculo promittens. Ulpian. in tract. de fide juſſore. And in this ſenſe Chriſt is Surety of the Covenant, that is, he who willingly engaged, and undertook for the parties, eſpecially for us; he that put in his faith and obligation for ours, and had God truſt us on his Credit, and reckon our Debt upon his account; and wherein we fail, let it be on his peril.

But that we may a little more particularly conſider the nature of this relation and Suretiſhip of Chriſt: 1. The end and uſe of Suretiſhip among men, was no doubt the eſtabliſhment of a firm ſecurity, to be ground of faith and truſt, as the Juriſts tell us, dum curant homines ut diligentius ſibi cautum ſit. Juſtinia…. inſtit. tit. de fide juſſor.And it is not to be doubted, but in the purpoſe of God, the Suretiſhip of Chriſt was intended as a ground of truſt, confidence and ſecurity, betwixt himſelf and the people for whom Chriſt did undertake, that ſinners might be induced to give him credit, and that he might have a reſponſal p. 373party to deal with; man being a broken unbelieving creature, who could neither truſt God, nor was to be truſted by him. See Heb. 6.17, 18, Wherein God, willing more abundantly to ſhew unto the heirs of promiſe, the immutability of his counſel, confirmed it by an outh, that by two immutable things, in which it was impoſſible for God to lye, we might have a ſtrong conſolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope ſet before us. Pſal. 89.19, Then thou ſpakeſt in viſion to thy holy one, and ſaidſt, I have laid help upon one that is mighty: I have exalted one choſen out of the people. And ſo the Surety of the Covenant is that perſon upon whoſe account, truſt and confidence is betwixt the parties Covenanting, and in whom it ſtandeth faſt. 2. If we conſider the Suretiſhip, 1. It imports an obligement for another, and is to be reckoned among Contracts and Covenants; and therefore the Lawyers ſay,Fuſtinian. ib. Calv. lex. jurid. fide juſſor non fit niſi per ſtipulationem; and they reckon it among contracts and ſtipulations. Prov. 22.26, Be not thou one of them that ſtrike hands, or of them that are ſureties for debts. And indeed Chriſts Suretiſhip is relative to a Covenant betwixt him and the Creditor; whereby he came under this relation, whereof we have ſpoken elſewhere on this ſubject, Chap. And ſhall hint ſomething further ere we paſs it over. 2. It imports a voluntary obligation, as I have ſhewed in expounding the word: The law cannot force and compel any man to be Surety for another, though it may conſtrain him for his own Debt. Chriſts Suretiſhip was a moſt free voluntary act on his part: for he was not under any obligation of law, nor under any neceſſity of nature, to put his name in our bond, or to ſatisfie for our Debt, Joh. 10.18, No man taketh it (my life) from me, but I lay it down of my ſelf: I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again: this commandment have I received of my father. Heb. 10.5, 7, Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he ſaith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldſt not, but a body haſt thou prepared me: then ſaid I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me) to do thy will, O God. Phil. 2.7, But made himſelf of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a ſervant, and was made in the likeneſs of men. 3. It imports not only a voluntary obligation for another perſon, but alſo union of parties, and p. 374aſſumption of the condition of that perſon in the laws ſenſe, ſo that the Surety and the Debtor are …ut one party in the law; Therefore …ay the Juriſts, fide juſſor proprie di…itur debitor: Chriſt by his Suretiſhip, he did not only take our nature upon him, but he took our condition upon him: it's ſaid of him, that he was made under the law, Gal. 4.4. He put his name in our bond, that the law might reach him for our Debt. 4. It imports a communion betwixt the Debtor and the Cautioner, whereby as the Debt of the principal Debtor becometh the Debt of the Surety, and affecteth him; ſo alſo the ſatisfaction and payment of the Surety, and his diſcharge and relief, becometh the ſatisfaction, diſcharge and relief of the principal Debtor. Chriſts Suretiſhip imports, not only an union of parties; and conjunction of intereſts and condition with his people; but alſo a communion with debtful broken man, reſulting from his bond of Suretiſhip, whereby as upon the one part our Debt became his intirely, as the Juriſts ſay of all Sureties, Singuli in ſolidum tenentur; ſo upon the other part his ſatisfaction and diſcharge becomes ours, 2 Cor. 5. laſt, For he hath made him to be ſin for us, who knew no ſin, that we might be made the righteouſneſs of God in him. Gal. 3.13, Chriſt hath redeemed us from the curſe of the law, being made a curſe for us: for it is written, Curſed is every one that hungeth on a tree. 5. It imports a commutation, ſurrogation, or ſubſtituting of one in the room of another; and ſo Chriſt was ſubſtitute in our ſtead and room, as Judah was in Benjamines, 1 Pet. 2.21, Becauſe Chriſt alſo ſuffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye ſhould follow his ſteps. Rom. 4. laſt, Who was delivered for our offences, and was raiſed again for our juſtification, Rom. 5.8, But God commended his love toward us, in that, while we were yet ſinners, Chriſt died for us. Gen. 44.33, Now therefore I pray thee, Let thy ſervant abide in ſtead of the lad, a bond-man to my Lord, and let the lad go up with his brethren. 6. It imports a conjunct obligation, both of the Surety and of the Debtor to the Creditor. Nam fide juſſorum obligatio eſt acceſſio principalis obligationis. Juſtinian ubi ſupra.So Chriſts Suretiſhip is not a binding of himſelf, and looſing of his people from all obligation; but ſtill the Debt lieth on the ſinner, till Chriſt make actual ſatisfaction for it, and till he apply the ſatisfaction, and report a relief to the poor creature… p. 375And in other parts of the obligement, Chriſt and the believer ſtand both under a conjunct obligation for the believers duty, that the broken man who was bought from the hands of Juſtice, ſhall ſerve for love all his days, Rom. ….31, Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we eſtabliſh the law. Luk. 1.74, That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hands of our …em…, …ight ſe…e him without fear… 7. Suretiſhip in the nature of it imports either irreſponſalneſs in the Debtor, or diſtruſtfulneſs betwixt the Creditor and Debtor: or it imports both. Sure however it be in other caſes, there is in this caſe where Chriſts Suretiſhip intervenes, both an irreſponſalneſs on the one part, broken man not being ſolvend…, able to pay his Debt… and there is a diſtruſtfulneſs betwixt the parties. God deſervedly diſtruſting impotent perfidious man, … creature, who had deboſhed his ſtock, and … his Covenant. And man cauſleſly diſtruſting God, till Chriſts Suretiſhip intervened, to take away both theſe evils, which kept the parties at diſtance, Heb. 8.7, For if that firſt covenant had been faultleſs, then ſhould no place… have been ſought for the ſecond. Pſal. 89.19, I have laid help upon one that is mighty: I have exalted one choſen ou… of the people. 2 Cor. 1.20, For all the promiſes of God in him are, yea… and in him, Amen, unto the glory of God by us.

3. It is to be remembred, that Suretiſhip among men is of divers kinds, all which can be but an imperfect reſemblance of Chriſts Suretiſhip. 1. Suretiſhip is … according to the time of the Sureties intervening and it is either before or after the obligation of the principal Debtor. Fide juſſor & pracedire obligatione… & ſequi pot…ſt. Juſtinian ib.There is ſomething of both theſe in Chriſt… Suretiſhip; for his Suretiſhip being a deed … grace concluded in the counſel of God, before the beginning of the world, in that reſpect it was before our obligation, yea… and before our being… 2 Tim. 1.9, Who hath ſaved us, … us with an …o…y …alling, not according to our works bu… according to his own purpoſe and grace, which was given … in Chriſt J…ſ…, before the world began. Prov. 8.2…, I … ſet up from …, from the …, or ever the …. But in another reſpect, he being Surety of this never and … Covenant… and ſo man p. 376being conſidered in this Covenant as a broken irreſponſal creature, who could not fulfil his obligation to God; in this reſpect Chriſts Suretiſhip may be conſidered as ſubſequent to mans obligation (underſtand it in order of nature, not of time): for his Suretiſhip and the Covenant wherein he was made Surety, preſuppoſeth the firſt Covenant broken, and man thereby became a bankrupt creature, Heb. 8.9, 10, Becauſe they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, ſaith the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the houſe of Iſrael, after thoſe days, ſaith the Lord. 2. Suretiſhip is diſtinguiſhed according to its extent: and here is a double diſtinction of Suretiſhip: 1. A Surety is either more particular, when he doth not undertake for all that may follow upon the obligation of the principal Debtor, but hath his Suretiſhip reſtricted it may be to a particular bond, and not to all the perſons Debt; or to the principal ſum, and not to all the penalties and intereſts thereof: or he is a more univerſal Surety,Calv. ubi. ſupra. called by the Juriſts, Fide juſſor in omnem cauſam, qui in id omne, quod ex ea obligatione, cui accedit, n…ſtri p…teſt, ſ… obligat. And this kind of Suretiſhip extends as far as the obligation of the principal Debtor. Our Lord Jeſus was a Surety, both for a particular debt and obligation, to ſatisfie the violated Law and Covenant of works, Rom. 10.4, For Chriſt is the end of the law for righteouſneſs, to every one that believeth. Such a particular Surety was Judah, Gen. 43.9. and 44.32. Chriſt was alſo ſuch a Surety as this laſt ſort, who took upon him the Debt, and all that could follow upon the broken mans obligation; who ſaid unto God, that he did become good for his people, for all the Debt which they owed, and for all the penalties which they had incurred; let all that might follow them, by vertue of their obligation, be upon him, Heb. 10.5, 10. 2. In reſpect of the extent, Suretiſhip is either for one of the parties Covenanting, or for both; which is a rare caſe among men: yet Chriſts Suretiſhip was of this laſt ſort: for he was ſuch a Surety, as was Umpire and Mediator, and is nearly related to both the parties, and hath power with them both, and therefore he is an undertaker for God to man, 2 Cor. 1.20, For all the promiſes of God in him are, yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. And for man to p. 377God, Luk. 22.32, But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith …ail not. Whereof more particularly, when we come to ſpeak of what he is engaged unto by this Covenant-relation.

Suretiſhip is diſtinguiſhed according to the manner of aſſurance granted by the Surety, or according to the way of his making faith for his undertaking. He that interpoſeth and undertaketh for another, is properly a Surety, quocunque modo interceſſerit, which way ſoever he doth interpoſe for another, whether it be by ſtipulation; explicite, by promiſe or by bond; or if it be by a perſon, acting himſelf in the books of any court for another perſon; or if it be by giving any pledg, pawn, or hoſtage for the thing undertaken: Our Lord Jeſus had ſomething of all theſe ways in his Suretiſhip for his people. He acted himſelf in the court of Heaven, and book of God, Heb. 10.7, Then ſaid I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me) to do thy will, O God. He did expreſly give his promiſe and bond for his people unto all effects (whereof afterward), Ezek. 36.27, 31, And I will put my ſpirit within you, and cauſe you to walk in my ſtatutes, and ye ſhall keep my judgments, and do them.—Then ſhall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and ſhall loath your ſelves in your own ſight for your iniquities, and for your abominations. Which is aſcribed to Chriſt, Heb. 8. He did give himſelf, his own bleſſed perſon, to the priſon and to juſtice, as a pledg and hoſtage to God, for the fulfilling of this Covenant; a precious and worthy pledg to lie Surety for the Debt of all his broken people, Iſa. 53.8, 12, He was taken from priſon, and from judgment: and who ſhall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living, for the tranſgreſſion of my people was he ſtricken. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he ſhall divide the ſpoil with the ſtrong: becauſe he hath poured out his ſoul unto death. Gen. 44.33, Now therefore I pray thee, let thy ſervant abide in ſtead of the lad, a bond-man to my Lord, and let the lad go up with his brethren. 1 Chron. 21.17, Let thine hand, I pray thee, O Lord my God, be on me, and on my fathers houſe: but not on thy people, that they ſhould be plagued. He verily acted that which Judah and David ſaid in theſe Scriptures: p. 378We have an evidence of this ſpirit in him, Joh. 18.8, Jeſus anſwered, I have told you that I am be: if therefore ye ſeek me, let theſe go their way. 4. Suretiſhip is diſtinguiſhed according to the ſubject-matter, and things undertaken. A Surety is either, 1. A Surety for Debt, Prov. 22.26, Be not thou one of them that ſtrike hands, or of them that are ſureties for Debts. Or, 2. A Surety for perſons, to wit, for their ſafety and indempnity, Gen. 44.32, For thy ſervant became ſurety for the lad unto my father, ſaying, If I bring him not unto thee, then I ſhall bear the blame unto my father for ever. Or for their good behaviour, or for their appearing. Or. 3. A Surety for performance, to wit, of conditions and ſtipulations, ſuch are commonly hoſtages in war, Iſa. 36.8, Now therefore give pledges, I pray thee, to my maſter the king of Aſſyria. The firſt is Suretiſhip in the way of ſatisfaction, and it is ſponſio de praeterito, or de preſenti: The latter two is Suretiſhip by way of caution, and is ſponſio de futuro: Chriſts Suretiſhip hath ſomething of all theſe. 1. He He was Surety for your Debt, to ſatisfie for that, for all your Debts and Treſpaſſes, Iſa. 53.6, And the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 2. He became Surety for your perſons, for your indempnity, that none of you ſhould be loſt; and not for the indempnity of your perſons only, but for the appearing of your perſons, that he ſhould preſent you to God at the time appointed, Joh. 17.12, While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: thoſe that thou gaveſt me, I have kept, and none of them is loſt, but the ſon of perdition: that the ſcriptures might be fulfilled. He was bail for his people. 3. He became Surety, for performance of the ſtipulation, and all the conditions of the Covenant upon both ſides, Job. 6.37, 39, 40, All that the father giveth me, ſhall come to me: and him that cometh to me, I will in no wiſe caſt out.—And this is the fathers will which hath ſent me, that of all which he hath given me, I ſhould loſe nothing, but ſhould raiſe it up again at the laſt day. And this is the will of him that ſent me, that every one which ſeeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlaſting life: and I will raiſe him up at the laſt day. Joh. 17.4, 6, I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finiſhed the work which thou gaveſt me to do. I have manifeſted thy name unto the men which thou gaveſt me out of p. 379… they were, and …ou gaveſt them me; and they … kep… thy word.

In the ſecond pla…e I ſhall lay down ſome Aſſertions, breſly for clearing of this Covenant-relation.

Aſſert. 1. Man as he is conſidered in the ſecond Covenant, hath as much need of a Surety as of a Saviour; hath equal need of one to beget a confidence betwixt God and him, as of one to help him, Heb. 8.7, For if that firſt covenant had been faultleſs, then ſhould no place have been ſought for the ſecond. He being not only a broken creature, and irreſponſal; who having banquered out, with the ſtock which his Lord committed to him, did merit to be no more truſted by him; and who had alſo with the loſs of his ſtock of Grace, put himſelf in a deſperate condition, having ſinned away all power and poſſibility of paying his Debt, and ſatisfying his Lord; who alſo had begotten a mutual diffidence and diſtruſt betwixt his Lord and him, that there could henceforth be no more dealing with expectation of truſt and performance, until a Surety intervened to make up this breach by his undertaking, Pſal. 80.19, 28, 33, I have laid help upon one that is mighty: I have exalted one choſen out of the people.—My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant ſhall ſtand faſt with him.—Nevertheleſs, my loving-kindneſs will I not utterly take from him: nor ſuffer my faithfulneſs to fail.

Aſſert. 2. Chriſts Suretiſhip was not only a voluntary act, it was alſo an act of abſolute Soveraignty: He being an abſolute Lord, this was his priviledg, that he had power over himſelf and over his own life, to lay it down at his pleaſure, (which others may not do); take this Aſſention from his own mouth, Joh. 10.18, I have power to lay down my life, not only foreign, ability, but foreign,—Authority and right. This Chriſt had by conceſſion and grant from God his father who had given him power over all fleſh, Joh. 17.2. And this he had in and from himſelf; being God… he had power over himſelf as man, to diſpoſe of his manhood as pleaſed him; and theſe two concurring Chriſts conſent, and his power over his own life, did make it lawful and juſt that he ſhould be puniſhed, being innocent, 1 Pet. 3.18, For Chriſt alſo hath once ſuffered for ſins, the juſt for the unjuſt, that he might bring us to God.

p. 380Aſſert. 3. When man was in this … unrequeſted, did undertake for the broken …, to pay his Debt, and to ſatisfie the Creditor, Rom. 5.8, But God commended his love toward us, in that while we were yet ſinners, Chriſt died for us. And this he did not by any requeſt of ours, or any Covenant with us, to undertake for us, whereby we did ſollicite him or compact with him to be Surety for us, (for his Suretiſhip gave the riſe to the Covenant made with us; our Covenant with him gave not the riſe to his Suretiſhip); but becauſe the Lord the Creditor, and Chriſt the Cautioner, had long before ſtricken hands together, that he ſhould both undertake and diſcharge the Debt of theſe broken men: Therefore its ſaid, that God laid our iniquities upon him, Iſa. 53.5, 6. And he was made a Surety, Heb. 7.22.

Aſſert. 4.Catech. Ra…rov. c. 8. Socin. de ſirvatere. l. 2. c. 5. and 8. Chriſt the Surety of the new Teſtament died, not only noſtro bono for our good and profit, as Socinians ſay; but he died alſo in our ſtead and room, noſtra vice: For, 1. Sure he died for us, as no other perſon can be ſaid to die for us, 1 Cor. 1.13, Is Chriſt divided? was Paul crucified for you? But for the good of the Church other perſons may ſuffer and die, Col. 1.24, Who now rejoice in my ſufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Chriſt in my fleſh, for his bodies ſake, which is the Church. 2 Tim. 2.10, Therefore I endure all things for the elects ſake, that they may alſo obtain the ſalvation which is in Chriſt Jeſus, with eternal glory. 2. Sure he died otherwiſe for elect men, than for Angels, than for the whole Creation; and yet he died for their good, that he might be head of Angels, and to reſtore all the creatures to their perfection, Col. 2.10, And ye are compleat in him, which is the head of all principality and power. Whereof alſo, ſee Rom. 8.20, to 24. 3. The force of the particle foreign, and of the phraſe, to die for another, doth enforce no leſs then in the room and ſtead of another, Mat. 20.28, And to give his life a ranſom for many. Gal. 3.13, Chriſt hath redeemed us from the curſe of the law, being made a curſe for us. Luk. 11.11, Or if he ask a fiſh, will he for a fiſh give him a ſerpent? Mat. 2.22, But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judea, in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither. Mat. 5.38, An eye p. 381…. Where without queſtion … ſee at length the learned treatiſes of Gr…tius de ſ…fact: Chriſt… & … ejus defenſerem, and Mr. Rutherf. his treatiſe of the Covenant. part 2. ch. 3. and Mr. Brinſley his treatiſes of the Mediator. pag. 72, &c.

Aſſert. 5. Chriſt the Surety, and broken man the Debtor, are one in law, but not intrinſecally one, Iſa. 1. they are legally one, or in the laws ſenſe one; becauſe by a legal ſubſtitution and ſurrogation, Chriſt having put his name in the believers bond, by the law he is in his place, and the believer is put in Chriſts law-place: ſo that by a legal act the Surety is the broken man; therefore Chriſt being made Surety, ſaith, I am the broken man; all my friends Debts be upon me, my life for their life, my Soul for their Souls, Gal. 4.4, 5, But when the fulneſs of the time was come, God ſent forth his Son made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of ſons. Joh. 18.8, Jeſus anſwered, I have told you I am he: if therefore ye ſeek me, let theſe go their way. Gen. 44.33, Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy ſervant abide inſtead of the lad, a bond-man to my Lord, and let the lad go up with his brethren. And God commands the wakenedup ſword of Juſtice, to ſmite him for his brethren, ſince he will ſtand in their room, and take their Debt upon him, Zech. 13.7, Awake, O ſword, againſt my ſhepherd, and againſt the man that is my fellow, ſaith the Lord of hoſts: Smite the ſhepherd. 2. I ſay, The Surety and the Debtor are not intrinſecally, phyſically and formally one (though they be one in law; ſo that there is not two Debts, nor two Bonds, nor two Debtors in law); for though the Lord laid on Chriſt the puniſhment of our iniquity, yet he did not lay on Chriſt iniquity it ſelf (as Antinonin us tells us), for the broken Debtor is a ſinful creature, and continueth ſuch even after the puniſhment due to him, is removed by a ſatisfying-Surety: I ſay, he continueth ſuch till by ſanctification the evil of ſin be wholly removed, Rom. 7. throughout: but Chriſt the Surety was in this reſpect ſeparate from ſinners, Heb. 7.26, And was not one with them. 1 Pet. 3.18, For Chriſt alſo hath once ſuffered for ſins, the juſt for the unjuſt, that he might p. 382bring us to God: … wicked and with the ric… … his … violence, neither … in his mo…. … that five-fold oneneſs and ſameneſs, or law-identity betwixt Chriſt the Surety,Ruthe…f. treatiſe of the Covenant. par. 2. pag. 251. and us the Debtors (mentioned by Mr. Rutherford); though phyſically the Surety and Debtor be two different men: yet, 1. They are one and the ſame legal party, and the ſame object of juſtice: whoſo in law purſues the Surety, purſues the Debtor. 2. The Debt and ſum is one: not two Debts, not two puniſhments, not two lives to loſe, but one. 3. It's one and the ſame ſatisfaction: there cannot in juſtice and law, another reckoning and ſatisfaction come after the Surety hath paid. 4. There is one and the ſame acceptation, upon the Creditors part: if he accept of ſatisfaction from the Surety, he cannot purſue the Debtor, but muſt look upon him as no Debtor, for ſatisfaction to juſtice. 5. It is one and the ſame legal effect, Chriſt riſen and juſtified in the ſpirit, 1 Tim. 3.16. and we in him, as the meritorious cauſe of our juſtification, are legally juſtified, Rom. 4. laſt, Who was delivered for our offences, and was raiſed again for our juſtification.

Aſſert. 6. (which followeth upon the former), neither the Creditor nor the Law can exact ſatisfaction from both the Surety and the Debtor; but the Surety having paid all, and ſatisfied; the broken Debtor can ſay, I have paid all, I am free: he may plead, My friend and Surety hath done all for me; and that is as good in foro, in the court of Juſtice, as if I had paid all in mine own perſon, Gal. 3.13, Chriſt hath redeemed us from the curſe of the law, being made a curſe for us. Rom. 4. laſt, Who was delivered for our offences, and was raiſed again for our juſtification. 1 Pet. 2.24, Who his own ſelf bare our ſins in his own body on the tree, that we being dead to ſins, ſhould live unto righteouſneſs: by whoſe ſtripes ye were healed. The Debt that Chriſt payed, is our very Debt; and the believer can ſay, When Chriſt my Surety was judged and crucified for my ſins, then was I judged: and what would you have more of a man, than his life? Iſa. 53.6, 7, 8, And the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was appreſſed, he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he was taken from priſon, and from judgment: and who ſhall declare p. 383… off out of the land of the living: for … tranſgreſſion of my people was he ſtricken.

Aſſert. 7.See Brinſ. of the Mediator pag. 137. Chriſts Suretiſhip was a mixture of juſtice and grace: for thereby there was a ſatisfaction made to juſtice for the violation of the law; yet ſo as God was pleaſed to diſpenſe with his own law which was peremptory, Gen. 2.17. For though it was juſt that the law ſhould have a ſatisfaction, yet it was of Grace that God was content to accept that ſatisfaction which the law required, from the perſon of another, than the ſame ſoul that ſinned: God being no ways bound to admit of ſuch a ſatisfaction by a Surety, which the rigour of the law exacted from the perſon of the offender; and therefore there can be no ground for the Socinians charge againſt us, that while we aſſert the ſatisfaction of Chriſt, we derogate and detract from the Grace of God; the Grace of God and the ſatisfaction of Chriſt being no ways repugnant, but rather Grace is advanced and exalted by the ſatisfaction of Chriſt, by the finding out of that way, by his undertaking and his performing of that ſatisfaction, and by Gods accepting thereof, Rom. 5.7, 8, For ſcarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man ſome would even dare to die. But God commended his love toward us, in that, while we were yet ſinners Chriſt died for us.

Aſſert. 8. Chriſts Suretiſhip was not ptivate; for the Debt of one or ſome few perſons, but of publick concernment: for his engagement was for the ſafety of many; yea, it was for the elect world, whoſe Debt he payed, whoſe puniſhment he did bear, Mat. 20.28, And to give his life a ranſome for many. Iſa. 53.6, 8, And the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.—For he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the tranſgreſſion of my people was he ſtricken. 2 Cor. 5.19, To wit, that God was in Chriſt, reconciling the world unto himſelf, not imputing their treſpaſſes unto them. It was a noble act of Grace and favour on his part: it was like a mans laying down his life for the ſafety of his kindred, and of his Countrey: he was given as an hoſtage, who did engage his life for the performance of the conditions agreed upon, for ſaving the loſt world.

Aſſert. 9. Chriſt in his undertaking and engagement as Surety p. 384of the Covenant, had his fathers … of relief and … I ſay, he had no relief nor warran…ie from the broken creatures whoſe Debt he paid; neither could the reſtitution of his loſſes be expected from broken men: but he had as it were a back-bond, or a bond of relief from God his father, that when he went into the priſon, his Soul ſhould not be left in the grave, but that he ſhould come out with honour: ſee Pſal. 16.10, For thou wilt not leave my Soul in hell; neither wilt thou ſuffer thine holy one to ſee corruption. Iſa. 53.10, 11, 12, Yet it pleaſed the Lord to bruiſe him, he hath put him to grief: when thou ſhalt make his ſoul an offering for ſin, he ſhall ſee his ſeed, he ſhall prolong his days, and the pleaſure of the Lord ſhall proſper in his hand. He ſhall ſee of the travel of his ſoul, and ſhall be ſatisfied: by his knowledg ſhall my righteous ſervant juſtifie many: for he ſhall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a po…tion with the great, and he ſhall divide the ſpoil with the ſtrong: becauſe he hath poured out his ſoul unto death. Pſal. 2.7, 8, 9, I will declare the decree: the Lord hath ſaid unto me, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I ſhall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermoſt parts of the earth for thy poſſeſſion. Thou ſhalt break them with a rod of iron, thou ſhalt daſh them in pieces like a potters veſſel.

Aſſert. 10. All Chriſts offices are founded upon his Suretiſhip: for by that Covenant of Suretiſhip that is betwixt Jehovah and the Son, he is King, Prieſt, and Prophet: whatſoever he did by office, and by compact and agreement with God; he did becauſe he had put his name in our bond, having become Surety for his people. As a King he ſuffers for his ſubjects and ſaves them, becauſe he was engaged to do ſo; as a Prieſt he dies for them, becauſe by his Suretiſhip he was engaged to bear their puniſhment; he performs alſo a Prophets office towards them, becauſe he was engaged to God to do ſo, &c. Joh. 17.4, 6, I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finiſhed the work which thou gaveſt me to do. I have …anifeſted thy name unto the men which thou gaveſt me out of the world. Heb. 9.28, So Chriſt was once offered to bear the ſins of many. 1 Joh. 3.5, And ye know that he was manifeſted to take away our ſins, and in him is no ſin. And if that had p. 385not been for his engagement as a Surety, we ſhould never had the fruit of any of his offices.

The third thing to be conſidered, is,See Mr. Ruth. treatiſe of the Covenant. p. 2. c. 7. how Chriſt came under this Covenant-relation, to be Surety of the better Teſtament. To this the Apoſtle gives an anſwer, Heb. 7.22, foreign, He was made the Surety of a better Teſtament, or Covenant. If Jeſus was made the Surety, then, 1. He was not Surety by nature, nor by any natural neceſſity: Then, 2. He was not Surety by any neceſſity, or conſtraint of Law: he was not ſo made Surety, becauſe there was no Law that could exact upon him, anteceding his bond of Suretiſhip; neither could there be any neceſſity upon him, there being no conjunction betwixt him and us (antecedently to his act of Suretiſhip), by any relations, whether natural, legal, foederal, or myſtical, until this voluntary conjunction and Covenant-relation of Suretiſhip was brought about, upon which all his offices, and all other relations 'twixt Chriſt and his people are founded. I take therefore the making of him Surety, ſpoken of by the Apoſtle, to relate mainly to that eternal free tranſaction and Covenant of Suretiſhip that was betwixt God and Chriſt, whereby he came under a judicial and Law act to ſatisfie for the ſins of his people.

And this imports, 1. Something on Gods part, Heb. 7.21, He was made Surety by him, that ſaid unto him, The Lord ſware, and will not repent, &c. God made him the Surety of the better Teſtament. I ſay on Gods part, the making of him Surety, imports three things: 1. His eternal decree, whereby he was deſigned, ordained, and choſen in the counſel of God for this Suretiſhip: he was made the Surety, that is, deſigned and ordained to this by an everlaſting decree, Heb. 5.4, 5, 6, 10, And no man taketh this honour unto himſelf, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. So alſo Chriſt glorified not himſelf to be made an High-prieſt; but he that ſaid unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee. As he ſaith alſo in another place, Thou art a prieſt for ever after the order of Melchiſedec.—Called of God an High-prieſt, after the order of Melchiſedec. Pſal. 2.7, I will declare the decree, the Lord hath ſaid unto me, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. Iſa. 42.1, Behold, my ſervant whom I p. 386uphold, mine elect in whom my ſoul delighteth. 2. His annointing, furniſhing, and fitting of Chriſt for this buſineſs: he was made the Surety, i. e. He was anointed and qualified for that work: ſo the father ſaith of him, Iſa. 42.1, 4, 6, I have put my ſpirit upon him, he ſhall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.—He ſhall not fail, nor be diſcouraged, till he have ſet judgment in the earth, and the Iſles ſhall wait for his law.—I the Lord have called thee in righteouſneſs, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles. And ſo Jeſus ſaith of himſelf, Heb. 10.5, A body haſt thou prepared or fitted me: to the ſame purpoſe, alſo the Apoſtle tells us, Gal. 4.4, That he was not only made of a woman, but made under the law, i. e. ordained and fitted for taking on our condition in Law, or our Law-place and room, as well as our nature. 3. The inveſting of him in this relation; he was ma…e the Surety, i. e. He was inveſted, conſtitute and ſet ind that Covenant-relation unto which he was ordained, and for which he was fitted; therefore he was made with an oath, And the Lord ſware unto him, Heb. 7.21. and Joh. 6.27. Him hath the father ſealed, i. e. inveſted him, and conſtituted him under his commiſſion and ſeal.

2. This imports ſome things upon Chriſts part: He was made Surety; God made him Surety, his father made him, and he made himſelf the Surety: he was willingly made Surety by his own free conſent and Covenant: the Scriptures ſpeak frequently of his conſent, and of the making of himſelf, whatſoever his father made him, Phil. 2.7, 8, He made himſelf of no reputation. &c. and he humbled himſelf. Joh. 10.18, No man taketh my life from me, but I lay it down my ſelf. I ſay, on Chriſts part this doth import, 1. His eternal condeſeending to empty himſelf, and to take on him our nature, and our room, and place, under the Law; he was made Surety, he condeſcended, and agreed to take upon him both our nature and our condition, Heb. 2.14, 16, Foraſmuch then as the children are partakers of fleſh and blood, he alſo himſelf likewiſe took part of the ſame, that through death he might deſtroy him that had the power of death. that is the devil.—For verily he took not on him the nature of Angels; but he took on him the ſeed of Abraham. Phil. 2.6, 7, p. 387Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himſelf of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a ſervant, and was made in the likeneſs of men. 2. His engaging and plighting his faith and truth to perform whatſoever he did condeſceud and agree unto by his act of Suretiſhip, ſo that whatſoever the law could exact of us, he plighted his faith to fulfil that: he was made Surety, i.e. He did promiſe and ſtrike hands to ſatisfie all that the Law could demand of his people (for ſo the word Surety ſignifieth, as I have already ſhewed you, Prov. 22.26.) to make ſatisfaction for the ſins done againſt or under the firſt Covenant and Teſtament, Heb. 9.15, And for this cauſe he is the mediator of the new Teſtament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the tranſgreſſions that were under the firſt Teſtament, they which are called might receive the promiſe of eternal inheritance. Rom. 3.25, Whom God had ſet forth to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood, to declare his righteouſneſs for the remiſſion of ſins that are paſt, through the forbearance of God. Heb. 10.5, 7, Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he ſaith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldſt not, but a body haſt thou prepared me: then ſaid I, Lo I come (in the volume of the book, it written of me) to do thy will, O God. 3. His performance of all theſe things unto which he did agree, and for which he plighted his faith, by his act of Suretiſhip: he was made the Surety, i. e. He payed the debt, he ſatisfied the Law, he ſtood in the place of the broken men, till Juſtice ſaid, It is enough: and till he himſelf ſaid, It is finiſhed, Iſa. 53, throughout. 2 Cor. 5.21, For he hath made him to be ſin for us, who knew no ſin, that we might be made the righteouſneſs of God in him. Gal. 3.13, Chriſt hath redeemed us from the curſe of the law, being made a curſe for us. Thus did Jeſus the Surety of the better Teſtament, 1. By an eternal tranſaction agree and condeſcend to put his name in the bond and writ of the Law that ſtood over our head, Deut. 27.26. Gal. 3.10. 2. Thus did he engage for us, and act himſelf to anſwer at the demands of Law and Juſtice, Heb. 10.7. Gal. 4.4. 3. Thus did Jeſus in due time diſcharge and perform, and actually was made a curſe for us, Gal. 3.13.

From this voluntary relation of Chriſts Suretiſhip for his p. 388people ariſeth a fourfold relation, which is founded on this, which relations betwixt Chriſt and his people import a nearneſs of conjunction and union with them, and do contribute to the clearing the juſtice of God, in ſmiting Chriſt for our ſin, and in our place and room. 1. From Chriſts Suretiſhip ariſeth a natural relation betwixt him and us, that he is our kinſman, and our brother, of the ſame nature, of the ſame fleſh and blood with us: this reſulteth from his Suretiſhip, whereby he condeſcended and agreed to take our nature upon him: for otherwiſe he and we had never been of the ſame lump, Heb. 2.11, 14, 16, For both he that ſanctifieth, and they who are ſanctified, are all of one: for which cauſe he is not aſhamed to call them brethren.—Foraſmuch then as the children are partakers of fleſh and blood, he alſo himſelf likewiſe took part of the ſame.—For verily he took not on him the nature of Angels, but he took on him the ſeed of Abraham. 2. From his Suretiſhip flows a Legal relation betwixt Chriſt and us, that he and we are one party in the Law: that his ſatisfaction and payment is ours, and that our debt is his: that what he did and ſuffered, we did it Legally in him: this proceeds from his Suretiſhip, becauſe when he was made Surety of the Covenant, he put himſelf in the bond and writ of the Law, and put in our names in the … writ, Gal. 2.20, I am crucified with Chriſt. Nevertheleſs, I live, yet not I, but Chriſt liveth in me. Rom. 6.5, For if we have been planted together in the likeneſs of his death, we …all be alſo in the likeneſs of his reſurrection. 3. From Chriſts Suretiſhip, proceeds a foedenal relation betwixt him and his people, whereby they are his, and he is theirs by Covenant; whereby he and his people have one God and Father by Covenant, Pſal. 89.26, He ſhall cry unto me, thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my Salvation. Joh. 20.17, But go to my brethren, and ſay unto them, I aſcend unto my father, and your father: and to my God, and your God. Heb. 1.5, For unto which of the Angels ſaid be at any time, Thou art my ſon, this day have I begotten thee? and again, I will be to him a father, and he ſhall be to me a ſon? This alſo floweth from his Suretiſhip, for thereby he plighted his promiſe and faith to God, that he would undertake the bringing about of this conjunction: and God plighted his faith to him, that he ſhould do the p. 389buſineſs, and that this work ſhould proſper in his hand, Joh. 17.4, I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finiſhed the work which thou gaveſt me to do. Iſa. 53.10, And the pleaſure of the Lord ſhall proſper in his hand. 4. From his Suretiſhip proceeds a myſtical relation betwixt him and his people, whereby he is the head, and they are the members: he is the vine, and they the branches: he is the king, and they are his ſubjects: he is the husband, and they are his bride and wife: 1 Cor. 12.12, For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, ſo alſo is Chriſt. Col. 1.18, And he is the head of the body, the Church, who is the beginning, the firſt born from the dead, that in all things he might have the pre-eminence. Joh. 15.5, I am the vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the ſame bringeth forth much fruit. Rev. 19.7, For the marriage of the lamb is come, and his wife hath made her ſelf ready. Pſal. 45.10, Forget alſo thine own people, and thy fathers houſe, &c. Yea, if any relation can be more near and myſtical, that alſo is the reſult of his Suretiſhip. See Gal. 2.20, I am crucified with Chriſt: nevertheleſs, I live; yet not I, but Chriſt liveth in me. 1 Cor. 6.17, But he that is joyned unto the Lord, is one ſpirit. Joh. 6.57, As the living father hath ſent me, and I live by the father: ſo he that eateth me, even he ſhall live by me. Joh. 17.23, I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one. Think it not ſtrange then that Juſtice ſhould ſmite Chriſt for the tranſgreſſions of his people, there being ſuch nearneſs of relations, and conjunction betwixt the perſon offending and the perſon ſuffering:Grot. de ſatisfact. cap. 4. and va…. max. lib. 6. c. 5. See Mr. R… on the Covenant. pag. 2. c. 9. for even among men we find one man ſuffering for another, upon the account of theſe and the like relations: 1. Upon natural relations: do not parents, and children, and kinſmen, often juſtly ſuffer with and for one another? Exod. 20.5, For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, viſiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me. Joſh. 7.24. And Joſhua, and all Iſrael with him, took Achan the ſon …, and the ſilver, and the garment, and the wedg of gold, and his ſons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his aſſes, and his ſheep, and his tent, and all that he had: and they brought them unto the valley of Achor, &c. 2. Upon p. 390Legal relations: doth not the husband pay the wives debt? doth not the heir ſuffer for his predeceſſor, and the perſon to whom he is heir? doth not the hoſtage and pledges given, ſuffer for them who gave them? doth not the Surety ſuffer for the Debtor, becauſe theſe are but one party in law? Prov. 6.1, 2, My Son, if thou be Surety for thy friend, if thou haſt ſtricken thy hand with a ſtranger, thou art ſnared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth. Prov. 11.…5, He that is Surety for a ſtranger, ſhall ſmart for it: and he that hateth Suretiſhip, is ſure. 3. Upon foederal relations: do not people ſuffer for and in their confederates? Ezek 16.37, Behold therefore, I will gather all thy lovers, with whom thou haſt taken pleaſure, and all them that thou haſt loved, with all them that thou haſt hated: I will even gather them round about againſt thee, and will diſcover thy nakedneſs unto them, that they may ſee all thy nakedneſs. Ezek. 30.8, And they ſhall know that I am the Lord, when I have ſet a fire in Egypt, and when all her helpers ſhall be deſtroyed. 4. Upon myſtical relations, whether in the body natural, doth not one member ſuffer for another? doth not the head pay for what the hand acted? or in the body politick, and civil: do not princes and people often ſuffer for one another, 1 Sam. 12. laſt, But if ye ſhall ſtill do wickedly, ye ſhall be conſumed, both ye and your king. 1 Chron. 21.17, And David ſaid unto God, Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbred? even I it is that have ſinned, and done evil indeed: but as for theſe ſheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, O Lord my God, be on me, and on my fathers houſe, but not on thy people, that they ſhould be plagued. Or in the Church and body politick and Eccleſiaſtical: do not paſtors and people often ſuffer for one another? Ezek. 3.26, And I will make thy tongue cleave to the roof of thy mouth, that thou ſhalt be dumb, and ſhalt not be to them a reprover: for they are a rebellious houſe. Rev. 2.5, Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the firſt works: or elſe I will come unto thee quickly, and remove my candleſtick out of his place, except thou repent. How much more may it ſtand with juſtice to ſmite Chriſt, and to put him to ſuffer for his people, having in him a complication of all theſe relations towards them, and of all kind of relations that can import and expreſs p. 391nearneſs, conjunction, union, and oneneſs with them; he alſo being willing to ſuffer for his people, and abſolute Lord of his own life, Joh. 10.17, 18, Therefore doth my father love me, becauſe I lay down my life that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of my ſelf: I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again, this commandment have I receieved of my father.

Now the conſideration of this point, how Chriſt came under an act of Suretiſhip for his people, to wit,Brinſt. of the Mediator, pag. 123, &c. by a free conſent and agreement betwixt God and Chriſt in a Covenant, whereby God willingly made him the Surety, and he willingly made himſelf the Surety; this I ſay, doth exceedingly commend this grace of God in the ſatisfaction made by Chriſt the Surety of the Covenant, eſpecially in theſe things. 1. It was grace and favour in God, that he was pleaſed to diſpence ſo far with his own Law, as to admit of ſatisfaction by a Surety, and not to ſtand upon the rigour thereof, which requires that the ſame ſoul that ſinned might ſuffer and die, and no other for him, Gen. 2.17, But of the tree of the knowledg of good and evil, thou ſhalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eateſt thereof, thou ſhalt ſurely die. Gal. 3.10, Curſed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them. It is grace, that the ſame ſoul that ſinned dieth not, but another: and yet more grace, that every ſoul that ſinneth, dieth not, but one for many, one for all the Elect world, Mat. 20.28, And to give his life a ranſome for many. 2 Cor. 5.15, And that he died for all, that they which live, ſhould not henceforth live unto themſelves, but unto him which died for them, and roſe again. 2. This was grace in God, that he did not only admit this way of ſatisfaction, but himſelf did find it out. The finding out of a way of ſatisfaction to juſtice, without the eternal puniſhment of the ſinner, this was Gods act, and this was one act of ſpecial grace: for it was not only above the reach of men and Angels, but alſo before their being, 1 Cor. 2.7, 8, But we ſpeak the wiſdom of God in a myſtery, even the hidden wiſdom which God ordained before the world, unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew. Prov. 8.23, 30, I was ſet up from everlaſting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. Then I was by him, as one p. 392brought up with him: and I was daily his delight: rejoycing always before him. 3. This was pure grace in God, that he did deſign, provide, and foreſee a Surety and ſactisfaction for us, before we became broken men, and needed one; that he deſigned a Phyſician before we were ſick, 2 Tim. 1.9, Who hath ſaved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpoſe and grace, which was given us in Chriſt Jeſus, before the world began. 4. This was grace, even ſingular grace in God, that he neither did admit of this way of ſatisfaction for the ſin of Angels, nor did he find it out for them, but unto men only did he indulge this diſpenſation, Heb. 2.14, 16, Foraſmuch then as the children are partakers of fleſh and blood, he alſo himſelf likewiſe took part of the ſame, that through death he might deſtroy him that had the power of death, that is, the Devil.—For verily he took not on him the nature of Angels: but he took on him the ſeed of Abraham. 2 Pet. 2.4, For if God ſpared not the Angels that ſinned, but caſt them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkneſs, to be reſerved unto judgment. Jude verſ. 6, And the Angels which kept not their firſt eſtate, but left their own habitation, he hath reſerved in everlaſting chains under darkneſs, unto the judgment of the great day. There was no relaxation of the rigour of the law toward them; but a ſtrict execution of juſtice upon them. 5. It was unſpeakable grace in God, that having admitted of ſuch a way of ſatisfaction, he ſhould put his own Son upon the work, and make him the Surety, who ſhould make ſatisfaction unto the juſtice of God, by giving his life a ranſome for us: ſuch an act of grace as this hath not been heard of: Joh. 3.16, For God ſo loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoſoever believeth on him ſhould not periſh, but have everlaſting life. Rom. 5.8, But God commended his love towards us, in that while we were yet ſinners, Chriſt died for us. 1 Joh. 2.2, And he is the propitiation for our ſins; and not for ours only, but alſo for the ſins of the whole world. 1 Joh. 4.10, Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and ſent his Son to be the propitiation for our ſins. 6. It is grace in God, that when he hath found out this way of ſatisfaction, and is content to admit of it, and hath put his Son upon the work, that he ſhould be at the p. 393pains to reveal to us Chriſts Surety righteouſneſs, and to apply it unto us, without which the ſatisfaction of the Surety could not avail us: and what elſe can it be but grace in God, that maketh the ſatisfaction of Chriſt effectual to one, and not to another, who hath alſo heard of this way of ſatisfying-juſtice? Job 33.23, 24, If there be a meſſenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thouſand, to ſhew unto man his uprightneſs. Then he is gracious unto him, and ſaith, Deliver him from going down to the pit, I have found a ranſom. Joh. 6.44, No man can come to me, except the father which hath ſent me, draw him: and I will raiſe him up at the laſt day. Eph. 2.8, For by grace are ye ſaved through faith, and that not of your ſelves, it is the gift of God. And upon this account it is, that juſtification and remiſſion of ſins are called free, notwithſtanding the ſatisfaction of Chriſt; that the wonderful riches of Gods free grace might ſhine in the Suretiſhip of Chriſt, Iſa. 43.25, I, even I am he that blotteth out thy tranſgreſſions for my own ſake, and will not remember thy ſins. Rom. 3.24, Being juſtified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Chriſt Jeſus.

4. For whom is Chriſt engaged as Surety of the Covenant? (I ſpeak now of his Suretiſhip, only as it relateth to his act of cautionry for his people; remitting the conſideration of it, in a larger extent, unto the next thing to be handled upon this Subject) Before I anſwer this Queſtion, I ſhall premit ſome diſtinctions which make way for an anſwer to it. 1.See Mr. Ruth. treatiſe of the Covenant. p. 2. c. 10. It is a neceſſary diſtinction of the Covenant of grace, that it is conſidered, either, 1. As it is preached according to the commanding-will of God: or, 2. As it's fulfilled in the Elect, according to the Lords will of purpoſe: the Covenant in the firſt conſideration, ſtands of promiſes, commands, threatnings, &c. And ſo it holds forth what is the command of God concerning our duty, and the things which we may conditionally expect; and puts nothing abſolutely, whether we perform it or not. See Act. 2.38.39, Then Peter ſaid unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jeſus Chriſt, for the remiſſion of ſins, and ye ſhall receive the gift of the holy Ghoſt. For the promiſe is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God ſhall call. Act. 16.31, And they p. 394ſaid, Believe on the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and thou ſhalt be ſaved, and thine houſe. In the ſecond conſideration, the Covenant ſtands wholly in promiſes, and thoſe abſolute promiſes, and does not hold forth our duty and obligation, and what is morally good or evil, becauſe God commands it, or forbids it: but what is Gods will of purpoſe and decree, and what is his pleaſure, to act effectually upon the hearts of the Elect, he over-ruling their corrupt wills: ſo the Covenant is to be underſtood, Jer. 31.31, &c. Ezek. 11.16, &c. and 36.25, &c.

2. We muſt diſtinguiſh the parties of the Covenant, according to this two-fold conſideration thereof: for the parties contracting with God in the Covenant, under the firſt conſideration, are all thoſe who are within the viſible Church, whether Elect or Reprobate (and their ſeed) profeſſing obedience to the Goſpel-ordinances, under which they are (as I have at length proved elſe-where), Pſal. 147.19, 20, He ſheweth his word unto Jacob: his ſtatutes and his Judgments unto Iſrael. He hath not dealt ſo with any nation: and as for his judgments, they have not known them. But the parties contracters with God in the Covenant, conſidered in the ſecond reſpect, are only the Elect of Chriſt; to whom the ſpirit is given, as well as the ordinances; to whom the promiſe of the new heart is made, and in whom it is fulfilled, Iſa. 59.21, As for me, this is my covenant with them, ſaith the Lord, My ſpirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, ſhall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy ſeed, nor out of the mouth of thy ſeeds ſeed, ſaith the Lord, from henceforth, and for ever.

3. We are to diſtinguiſh betwixt Chriſts act of Suretiſhip and undertaking; and ſome benefits which by concomitancy redound to them, for whom he never was made Surety: for many hypocrites and reprobates that have the Goſpel preached by concomitancy, becauſe they are mixed with the Elect, in the habitable parts of the earth, and Societies of men, where theſe have their abode; yet Chriſt was never undertaker for them, nor doth the preaching of the Covenant come to them from Chriſt, as their Surety: but this benefit they have by Chriſts undertaking and Suretiſhip for the elect that are among them, and for the Elects ſake, concerning whom Chriſt p. 395undertook to preach the Covenant to them, and to fulfil it in them; therefore he is a light to the Gentiles, Iſa. 49.6. with Act. 13.26, Men and brethren, children of the ſtock of Abraham, and whoſoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this ſalvation ſent. 2 Cor. 4.15, For all things are for your ſakes, that the abundant grace might, through the thanksgiving of many, redound to the glory of God. Joh. 17.19, And for their ſakes I ſanctifie my ſelf, that they alſo might be ſanctified through the truth.

Theſe things premiſed, we anſwer to the queſtion; 1. Negatively. 1. Sure he was not made Surety,Cat. Racov. de Prophet. Ch. munere. Chriſt did not undertake for all Mankind, in whom was ever the breath of life, the Reprobate as well as the Elect, Cain as well as Abel, Judas as well as Paul, (as Socinians and Arminians tell us) for the Apoſtle's [all], 1 Tim. 2.6,Jac. Arm. Orat. ſacdotio Chriſti, pag. 16, 17. Who gave himſelf a ranſom for [all], to be teſtified in due time: can be no more than Chriſt's many. Mat. 20.21, And to give his life a ranſom for many, Heb. 9.28, So Chriſt was once offered to bear the ſins of many; and unto them that look for him, ſhall he appear the ſecond time without ſin unto ſalvation. 2.Davenant. diſſect. de morte Chriſti, cap. 4. p. 48. Sure he was not Surety, nor did undertake for all theſe who are within the viſible Church, or within the Covenant externally: for many of theſe were neither given to him by the father, nor undertaken for by him, 1 Joh. 2.19, They went out from us, but they were not of us: for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifeſt, that they were not all of us. Mat. 22.14, For many are called, but few are choſen. 3. He was not made Surety for all men conditionally, to wit, if they ſhould believe: for, 1. His Suretiſhip was an abſolute act of his own will and grace, and doth not depend upon our will, over which Chriſt hath the dominion, Joh. 6.37, All that the father giveth me, ſhall come to me: and him that cometh to me, I will in no wiſe caſt out. Zech. 10.8, I will hiſs for them, and gather them, for I have redeemed them. 2. It was part of his undertaking, to purchaſe by the meirt of his death, grace to bow our will, and to heal our nature, Heb. 10.10, By the which will we are ſanctified through the offering of the body of Jeſus Chriſt, once for all. Iſa. 42.4, He ſhall not fail, nor be diſcouraged, till he have ſet judgment in the earth, and the Iſles p. 396ſhall wait for his law. 3. God knew them all particularly, whom he gave to Chriſt, to be ranſomed by him; and Chriſt knew them all by name, for whom he did undertake: therefore we read of names written in the lambs book of life, Rev. 21.27.

2. We anſwer affirmatively, That Chriſt undertakes in his bargain of Suretiſhip, only for the Elect, Chriſt from eternity came under an act of cautionry for all theſe and no other.

For, 1. No other were given to him by the Father: but theſe were given unto him, and without queſtion he became Surety for none but theſe who were given to him by his father, Joh. 17.2, 19, That he ſhould give eternal life to as many as thou haſt given him.— And for their ſakes I ſanctifie my ſelf. Joh. 6.37, All that the father giveth me, ſhall come to me: and him that cometh to me, I will in no wiſe caſt out. Joh. 10.28, 29, And I give unto them eternal life, and they ſhall never periſh, neither ſhall any man pluck them out of my hand. My father which gave them me, is greater then all: and no man is able to pluck them out of my fathers hand.

2. He became Surety for none but for thoſe for whom he died, and in whoſe ſtead he anſwered the demands of the Law, and ſatisfied the Juſtice of God; now he died only for the Elect, Rom. 8.33, 34, Who ſhall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect? it is God that juſtifieth. Who is he that condemneth? it is Chriſt that died; yea rather, that is riſen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who alſo maketh interceſſion for us. Joh. 10.11, I am the good ſhepherd: the good ſhepherd giveth his life for the ſheep. 3. He did undertake for theſe only for whom he doth pray and intercede with God, and theſe were only the Elect, Joh. 17.9, I pray for them, I pray not for the world: but for them which thou haſt given me, for they are thine. 4. He did undertake for theſe only, for whoſe believing his father did undertake to him, and theſe were only the Elect, Iſa. 53.10, 11, And the pleaſure of the Lord ſhall proſper in his hand. He ſhall ſee of the travel of his ſoul, and ſhall be ſatisfied: by his knowledg ſhall my righteous ſervant juſtifie many: for he ſhall bear their iniquities. 5. He did undertake for theſe only, in whom the Covenant is fulfilled, upon whoſe hearts it is really acted, ſo p. 397that a new heart is given to them, and life eternal, and theſe were only the Elect, Jer. 31.32, 33, Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers, in the day that I took them by the hand, to hring them out of the land of Egypt, which my covenant they break, although I was an husband to them, ſaith the Lord. But this ſhall be my covenant that I will make with the houſe of Iſrael, after theſe days, ſaith the Lord, I will put my law in their inwards parts, and write it in their hearts, and will be their God, and they ſhall be my people. Joh. 17.6, I have manifeſted thy name unto the men which thou gaveſt me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gaveſt them me; and they have kept thy word.

And this is as ſad news to many of you who heard this Goſpel, as it is glad news to theſe who receive it, and believe in Chriſt: wo to them who have not this undertaker for them, for the Law muſt have a ſatisfaction by the eternal undoing of all theſe.

5. Let us conſider for what Chriſt is engaged by his Suretiſhip: That this may appear, we ſhall take notice of ſome diſtinctions, which ſpeak the extent of his undertaking for his people. He was a Surety and undertaker, 1. In his ſtate, and in his actions. 2. In Earth, and in Heaven. 3. In our ſtead, and in our behalf. 4. To us-ward, and to God-ward.

1. I ſay, Chriſt is a Surety for his people, in his ſtate, and in his actions: that is, 1. In whatſoever ſtate and condition Chriſt was, in that ſtate and condition he doth ſuſtain our perſons, and is ſurrogate in our place and condition, (for ſo much his Suretiſhip doth import, as I have already ſhewed) when he was in a ſtate of humiliation here, upon the earth, in that low condition, he did ſuſtain the perſons, and bear and repreſent the ſtate and condition of his poor broken people: he was ſurrogated a Surety to ſuſtain their Legal ſtate, or the ſtate wherein they are by the violation of the Law and Covenant of works, Heb. 2.14, Foraſmuch then as the children are partakers of fleſh and blood, he alſo himſelf likewiſe took part of the ſame, that through death he might deſtroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil. Gal. 4.4, But when the fulneſs of the time was come, God ſent forth his Son made of a woman, made under p. 398the law. Rom. 8.3, For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the fleſh, God ſending his own Son in the likeneſs of ſinful fleſh, and for ſin condemned ſin in the fleſh. Again, in his exaltation, Chriſt doth ſuſtain the perſons, and repreſent the condition of the Elect, unto the which they are advanced by the Covenant through him: and therefore the Scripture holds him forth in his reſurrection and aſcenſion, &c. as repreſenting the ſtate of the Elect: He is in heaven this day, ſaith the Scripture, for us, ſuſtaining our ſtate, and glorified condition, till we come there; taking poſſeſſion of our inheritance, unto which he hath acquired for us a right, Heb. 6.20, Whither the fore-runner is for us entred, even Jeſus. Heb. 9.24, For Chriſt is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true: but into heaven it ſelf, now to appear in the preſence of God for us. 2. In his actions, he acted our parts; eſpecially in what he did, or in what befel him here upon the earth: for it was his end of coming down into this world to act our parts; and to have acted upon him, what ſhould have been done to us: he died as our Surety, and he aroſe as our Surety; Juſtice ſmote him as our Surety, he was taken into priſon, and to judgment, and was condemned as our Surety, being numbred among tranſgreſſors; and again, he was taken from the priſon and judgment, as our Surety, being juſtified when he payed the Debt; and by vertue of that communion which we had with him in all theſe actions of his, he being our Surety, and ſuſtaining our Law-place and room, by a juſt law, theſe things are reckoned unto our account, whoſe perſons he ſuſtained, and whoſe parts he acted, Iſa. 53, throughout. Rom. 4. laſt, Who was delivered for our offences, and was raiſed again for our juſtification. 1 Pet. 3.18, For Chriſt alſo hath once ſuffered for ſins, the juſt for the unjuſt, that he might bring us to God.

And to this purpoſe is that inſtance and parallel of Adams ſuſtaining the condition of all men,Chriſt ſet forth. Sect. 3. cap. 4. and therein being a type of Chriſt, 1 Cor. 15.22, 48. and Rom. 5.14, Fitly, and at large applied, by Mr. Thomas Goodwin.

2. Chriſt was a Surety on Earth, and he is a Surety ſtill in Heaven: Chriſt is as well a Surety in his interceſſion, as he was in his death; for beſide all that Chriſt did upon earth p. 399for diſcharging his undertaking unto God for his people, he ſtands yet engaged in Heaven as an undertaker for them, and ſhall not be acquitted of all his engagements, until he have brought all the Elect company, as ſafe there as he came himſelf, Joh. 17.24, Father, I will that they alſo whom thou haſt given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory which thou haſt given me: for thou lovedſt me before the foundation of the world. Therefore the Apoſtle, Heb. 7.22, By ſo much was Jeſus made Surety of a better Teſtament. After he hath made mention of the Suretiſhip of Chriſt, he inſtanceth in his interceſſion and continuing a Prieſt for ever, verſ. 23, 24, 25. Shewing, that becauſe he is engaged as a Surety, therefore he intercedes to ſave to the utmoſt.

That this may be yet more plain; conſider, 1. That the Suretiſhip of Chriſt, as it was acted in a free Covenant and tranſaction betwixt Jehovah and Chriſt, doth not only relate unto the juſtification of the Elect, but alſo to their Salvation, Iſa. 53.11, He ſhall ſee of the travel of his Soul, and ſhall be ſatisfied: by his knowledg ſhall my righteous ſervant juſtifie many; for he ſhall bear their iniquities. Rom. 5.9, 10, Much more then, being now juſtified by his blood, we ſhall be ſaved from wrath through him. For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son: much more being reconciled, we ſhall be ſhall be ſaved by his his life. And therefore as long as the perſons of any for whom he died, remain ſtill unſaved, he is not acquitted of this Suretiſhip and engagement, but after that he hath payed a price to juſtice for them, there remains an obligation upon him, to bring theſe for whom he died to glory, Heb. 2.10, For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many ſons unto glory, to make the captain of their ſalvation perfect through ſufferings. 2. Conſider that the being part of his Covenant of Suretiſhip to be performed, as long as the perſons of any of the Elect are yet unſaved to the utmoſt, the performance of that which is behind of his engagements is aſcribed to his interceſſion, which he is now performing in heaven, and therefore he muſt intercede in Heaven, as Surety of the better Teſtament, Heb. 7.22, to 25. with Rom. 5.10. and Rom. 8.34, Who is he that condemneth? p. 400it is Chriſt that died, yea rather, that is riſen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who alſo maketh interceſſion for us. 3. Conſider, that unleſs he were a Surety in Heaven, and acted therein that Covenant-relation by his interceſſion, all his other actings as Surety of the Covenant would be to little purpoſe for our behoof: for it is this part of his Suretiſhip that maketh his ſatisfaction to the Law effectual for the good of the Elect; this is it which putteth life in the death of him who died in our ſtead and room; and without this, the blood of the Surety had been ſhed in vain. For this is the very application of it, and ſprinkling the blood of the Covenant upon us, Heb. 9.19, 20, 24, For when Moſes had ſpoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of Calves and Goats, with water and ſcarlet wool, and Hyſop, and ſprinkled both the book and all the people, ſaying, this is the blood of the Teeſtament which God hath enjoined unto you.—For Chriſt is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true: but into heaven it ſelf, now to appear in the preſence of God for us, Heb. 7.22, 25. By ſo much was Jeſus made Surety of a better Teſtament.—Wherefore he is able alſo to ſave them to the uttermoſt that come unto God by him, ſeeing he ever liveth to make interceſſion for them. 1 Joh. 2.1, 2, My little children, theſe things write I unto you, that ye ſin not: and if any man ſin, we have an advocate with the father, Jeſus Chriſt the righteous; and he is the propitiation for our ſins, 4. Conſider, that as his ſoul and his life was at the ſtake, and was pawned for that part of his Suretiſhip that was to be performed on earth, to wit, the paying of a price to Juſtice: ſo his honour lies yet at the ſtake and in pawn for that part of his engagement which is to be performed in heaven by his interceſſion: ſo that as it behoved him to have lien in priſon for ever, and the ſoul to have been left in the grave, unleſs he had payed his Debt, and made ſatisfaction to Juſtice, his Soul being in our ſouls ſtead as a Surety, ſo his honour (I ſay) lieth ſtill at the ſtake for all his peoples compleat Salvation: inſomuch that Heaven cannot hold him if he bring not them there, he ſhall not have the glory of a perfected Saviour and Surety, if he perform not his engagement to ſave them to the utmoſt; yea, he muſt quit heaven if he bring not his p. 401people thither, for whom he undertook, See Joh. 6.57, As the living father hath ſent me, and I live by the father: ſo he that eateth me, even he ſhall live by me. Joh. 17.1, 4, 12, 24, Glorifie thy ſon, that thy ſon alſo may glorifie thee.—I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finiſhed the work which thou gaveſt me to do.—While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: thoſe that thou gaveſt me, I have kept, and none of them is loſt, but the ſon of perdition, that the ſcripture might be fulfilled. Father, I will that they alſo whom thou haſt given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory which thou haſt given me: for thou lovedſt me before the foundation of the world, Heb. 2.10, For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many ſons unto glory, to make the captain of their ſalvation perfect through ſufferings. He ſpeaks for his brethren as Judah did for little Benjamin, Gen. 43.9. 3. Chriſt is a Surety in our ſtead, and in our behalf. 1. I ſay, in moſt things which Chriſt did as a Surety of the Covenant, he did them in our ſtead and room; he did them as a perſon repreſenting us; and we did them in him by vertue of that communion that is betwixt the Surety and the Debtor: when he died, he died in our ſtead, and we died in him; there we paid the Debt: when he aroſe and aſcended, he roſe in our ſtead, and we roſe and aſcended in him; there we had a diſcharge and liberation when he had it, &c. Rom. 6.6, 8, Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of ſin might be deſtroyed, that henceforth we ſhould not ſerve ſin.—Now if we be dead with Chriſt, we believe that we ſhall alſo live with him. 1 Cor. 15.22, For as in Adam all die, even ſo in Chriſt ſhall all be made alive. Eph. 2.5, 6, Even when we were dead in ſins, he hath quickened us together with Chriſt (by grace ye are ſaved); and hath raiſed us up together, and made us ſit together in heavenly places in Chriſt Jeſus. 2. Yet there are ſome things which Chriſt the Surety performed wholly for us indeed, and on our behalf; but he cannot be ſaid to perform them in our ſtead, or to act our part in them, that is, to act theſe things as that which we ſhould have done: ſuch was his incarnation and taking of our nature upon him, and the taking of our Law-place upon him, which were acts of Chriſt the Surety of the Covenant, and unto which he p. 402had voluntarily engaged himſelf by his Covenant of Suretiſhip with God,See Mr. Tho. Goodwin, Chriſt ſet forth. Sect. 5. c. 4. pag. 149. Gal. 4.4, But when the fulneſs of the time was come, God ſent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law. Heb. 10.5, 7, Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he ſaith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldſt not, but a body haſt thou prepared me: then ſaid I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me) to do thy will, O God. Yet he cannot be ſaid properly to have done theſe things in our ſtead, though he did them on our behalf, and wholly for us; for theſe were the very foundation of all that he acted in our ſtead, and opened the way to his acting as our Surety, in our ſtead; by theſe acts he put himſelf in our ſtead, that he might act our part, being found in our nature, ſtate and condition, Rom. 8.3, For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the fleſh, God ſending his own Son in the likeneſs of ſinful fleſh, and for ſin condemned ſin in the fleſh, Phil. 2.6, 7, Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God. But made himſelf of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a ſervant, and was made in the likeneſs of men. Such alſo is his interceſſion in heaven: for though he intercede as a Surety in Heaven, and on our behalf; yet he doth it not in our ſtead: for it cannot be ſaid that we intercede in him: for this is the accompliſhment of all the work, and ſo proper to himſelf only as Mediator, being the Crown of all his works of Mediation.

4. Chriſt is a Surety on Gods part to man, and on mans part to God.

1. I ſay, Jeſus the Mediator of the new Covenant, is a Surety for God to man: that is, he who made faith upon the Covenant on Gods behalf, who is engaged to make good all the promiſes thereof to us:De Luſhington comment. ad Heb. 7.22. Grotius ad. Heb. 7.22.Heb 7:22 and upon this head the Socinians and we differ not; for in this ſenſe the Apoſtle calleth Jeſus the Surety of a better Teſtament (though not only in this ſenſe as they affirm), Heb. 7.22. And in this ſenſe Jeſus may be called Surety of the Covenant, for four reaſons, or in four reſpects: 1. As he is a party contracting on Gods behalf with his people, becauſe Chriſt is he who makes the Covenant and all the promiſes; he who contracteth a Covenant with us in his fathers name. He is the Angel of the Covenant, Mal. 3.1. who ſaid to Moſes, I am the God of thy p. 403fathers, Act. 7.32, 38. 2. As he is undertaker and engager for God, to make his promiſes good to us; becauſe he undertaketh on Gods part, that all his promiſes ſhall be made good and effectual to us-ward. Therefore we find that theſe Scriptures of the old Teſtament, which promiſe the fulfilling of the Covenant in the Elect, and the acting of it upon their hearts, the promiſes of a new heart, and of forgiveneſs and perſeverance, &c. Jer. 31.34. and 32.39, 40. The making of theſe promiſes, and undertaking for Gods making them good, is aſcribed to Chriſt by the Apoſtle, Heb. 8.6, 8, 10, 11, 12, 3. As he is performer of what God hath promiſed: becauſe Chriſt doth not only undertake for God, but he diſchargeth his undertaking for him, by fulfilling theſe promiſes; for Chriſt is he who performeth and fulfilleth the promiſes of God unto his people, even he who appeared to Moſes in the Buſh, and had an active hand in the delivery of his Church out of Egypt, whereby he fulfilled the promiſe made to Abram, Gen. 15.14. This was he that ſaw their affliction, and came down to deliver, Act. 7.34. And was with them all the way in the Wilderneſs, 1 Cor. 10.9. Exod. 23.21. This is he who is advanced above Moſes, as a more ſpiritual and effectual Miniſter and Prieſt, who acteth the Covenant on his peoples hearts, Heb. 8.6, 10. 4. As he is confirmer of the Covenant, becauſe he ratified it on Gods part: for in him all the promiſes thereof are yea, and in him they are Amen, 2 Cor. 1.20. For as they are made to him eminently as the chief heir of the promiſes; and for him, as he by whoſe merit the grace promiſed is given to us, and ſo alſo the promiſes are made firm and ſtable to us in him and through him, who did ratifie the Covenant, Gal. 3.15, 17, 19, Brethren, I ſpeak after the manner of men: though it be but a mans covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man diſannulleth, or addeth thereto. And this I ſay, that the covenant that was confirmed before of God in Chriſt, till the ſeed ſhould come to whom the promiſe was made. Heb. 9.16, 17, For where a Teſtament is, there muſt alſo of neceſſity be the death of the Teſtator. For a Teſtament is of force after men are dead: otherwiſe it is of no ſtrength at all, whilſt the Teſtator liveth. And who did make faith for confirming all things whatſoever are promiſed in it, Joh. 5.24, Verily, verily I ſay unto p. 404you, he that heareth my word, and believeth on him that ſent me, hath everlaſting life, and ſhall not come into condemnation, but is paſſed from death unto life. Pareus ad locum. Diod. annot. ad Heb. 7.22.Heb 7:22And in this reſpect mainly ſome learned expoſitors underſtand, Heb. 7.22, Chriſt to be called Surety of a better Teſtament, becauſe he did confirm it. Unto this part of Chriſts Suretiſhip doth Mr. Brinſley refer the aſſurance given unto us by Chriſts word, Joh. 5.24. by his works, Joh. 5.36. Mark 16.17, 20. by his blood, Heb. 9.12, 17. Zech. 9.11. and by his ſpirit, Rom. 8.16. 1 Joh. 5.8. Which you may read at more length in his treatiſe of the Mediator, pag. 145, &c.

2.Cat. Racov. c. 8. p 183, 184. Socin. de ſervat. lib. 2. c. 8. Jo. Crell. adverſ. Grot. p. 1. c. 5. Ja. Arm. exam. Perkinſ. edit. Bertianae. p. 676. Jo. Schlichting ad Heb. c. 7. v. 22.Heb 7:22 Chriſt is Surety of the Covenant for mans part to God: this is denied by the Socinians, who will have him Surety of the Covenant only in the ſenſe before mentioned: and upon the matter the ſame is denied by Arminians alſo. Let us endeavour to clear and eſtabliſh the truth.

We may ſum up Chriſts Suretiſhip for man to God in theſe three parts: The firſt relates unto the violation of the Law, and broken Covenant of works. The ſecond unto the performance of the Condition of the new Covenant; yea, even of the preceptive part of the Law and Covenant, in ſo far as it ſtands in force towards believers. The third relateth unto the perſons of thoſe for whom he hath undertaken what the Law did threaten,Cautions. and what the Goſpel doth command. In all theſe three parts of his Suretiſhip, 1. We are ſtill to diſtinguiſh his undertaking from his diſcharging of that which he undertook: for in all thing appertaining to his Suretiſhip, he did firſt undertake (as I have ſhewed) by an eternal agreement with his father, and afterwards he did fulfil and diſcharge his undertaking. 2. We are to conſider, that though his undertaking in all theſe parts of his Suretiſhip for man, was at once by one eternal act and Covenant of Suretiſhip with God; yet his diſcharging of that undertaking, is brought about in different periods of time, ſo as at one time he ſatisfies for the breach of the firſt Covenant: at another time he fulfilleth the condition of the new Covenant in his people, and at another time he fulfilleth what he undertook concerning their perſons, to ſave them compleatly, which may remain unperformed when the former two are diſcharged. For it was not the intent of God, that by Chriſts Suretiſhip the p. 405ſinner ſhould be immediately delivered from the whole curſe of the Law, and inveſted in the whole bleſſing of the new Covenant. 3. There is an order of Chriſts diſcharging his intire Suretiſhip for the Elect: for Chriſts ſatisfaction to the Law goes before the new Covenant, and treating of new conditions for the ſinner: there can be no treating on new terms till the old be ſatisfied; and again, both theſe go before the performance of ſome things which Chriſt the Surety hath undertaken concerning the perſons of the Elect: for a perſon looſed from the law, and married to another husband, may yet remain without a performance of ſome things which Chriſt hath undertaken for him: whereof read, Rom. 7.3, to 24. Heb. 2.14, 15. Gal. 4.4, 5, 6. and 3.21, 25. Eph. 1.13.

And, 1. Of Chriſts Suretiſhip for man to God, as it relates to the violated Covenant of works: this comprehends two things: 1. Chriſts ſurrogation in our place, whereby he put himſelf in our room, and took upon him our Law-place and Condition, Gal. 4.4, He was made under the law; he put his Soul in our Souls ſtead, ſo that he might be in that condition Legally, wherein we had put our ſelves through our non-performance of the Covenant of works, 2 Cor. 5.21, He was made ſin for us. He ſtood in the ſinners Law-place: for having by his Suretiſhip put his name in our bond, then he was in our ſtead as the Scripture ſpeaks of Sureties, Gen. 44.23. 2. This comprehends Chriſts ſatisfaction, who being ſubſtitute in our ſtead and place, did undergo the penalty and curſe of the violated Law, and ſo did perfectly ſatisfie the Juſtice of God for our non-performance of the Condition of the Covenant of works. In regard of this ſatisfaction, it is, that the Scripture ſaith, Iſa. 53.6, The Lord laid upon him the iniquities of us all: that is, not the evil and pollution of them (for Chriſt was not intrinſecally and phyſically the ſinner), but the guilt and penalty belonging to them (for he was Legally the ſinner); and God charged it upon him as the Creditor chargeth a Debt upon the Surety, requiring a ſatisfaction of him. The like equivalent expreſſions, we find, v. 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, He was oppreſſed, and he was afflicted; or as the words may be rendered, it was exacted: and he anſwered: that is, God required ſatisfaction for our ſins, and his Son p. 406(as our Surety) anſwered for us, Lo, I come, Heb. 10.5, 7. Their curſe be upon me; let the law exact, and I will anſwer;S…b. lib…rtus …o…tra Socin. lib. 2. c. 7. Grot. de ſatis. c. 9. let Juſtice ſmite, and I will bear the puniſhment for them: and unto this ſatisfaction do theſe Scriptures relate, which ſo often mentions Chriſts dying for us, ſuffering for us, being made a curſe for us, a ranſome for us, a Sacrifice and propitiation for our ſins, &c. 1 Pet. 2.21. and 3.18. 2 Cor. 5.14, 15. Heb. 2.9. Rom. 5.8. Mat. 20.28. Gal. 3.13. 1 Joh. 2.2.Mr. Ruther…. treatiſe of the Covenant, pag. 2. c. 3. Bri…ſ…. of the Mediator, pag. 72, &c. Dr. Owen. Now to die foreign. for us, is to die in our ſtead, vice noſtra: which is ſo abundantly proved in the learned treatiſes of other men more worthy to hold forth light in this point, that I Judg needleſs to inſiſt upon it, but rather do refer you to them. Only ere I leave this, let me leave with you theſe three advertiſements concerning Chriſts ſatisfaction for our violation of the Covenant of works.

1. Though our puniſhment and ſuffering ſhould have been eternal, becauſe we could never out-ſatisfie; yet the ſufferings of Chriſt, becauſe of the dignity of the perſon, God-man, were perfectly ſatisfactory in a ſhort time.