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should bow, Philip. ii. 9, 10. This latter fervice of Chrift belongs to the promife of the covenant; but the former, to wit, the bond fervice, being his furety fervice, belongs to the condition of the covenant. Wherefore, rifing from the dead, having fulfilled the condition of the covenant, paid the debt for which he became furety, and got up the difcharge, he put off for ever the form and character of a bond-fervant, and rofe and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living, Rom. xiv. 9.

And hence it clearly appears, how the obedience of the man Chrift comes, in virtue of the covenant, to be imputed to believers for righteoufnefs, as well as his fatisfaction by fuffering: for that kind of obedience which he performed as our furety, was no more due by him, antecedently to his contract of furetifhip, than his fatisfaction by fuffering. It is true, the human nature of Chrift, being a creature, owed obedience to God in virtue of his creation; and moft owe it for ever, forafmuch as the creature, as a creature, is fubject to the natural law, the eter nal rule of righteoufnefs: but Chrift's putting himfelf in a fate of fervitude, taking on him the form of a bond-fervant, and in the capacity of a bond-fervant performing obedience to the law, as it was ftated in the covenant, for life and falvation, was entirely voluntary. Obedience to the natural law was due by the man Chrift, by a natural tie; but obedience to the pofitive law, binding to be circumcifed, baptized, and the like, which fuppofed guilt on the party fubjected thereto, was not due but by his own voluntary engagement. And the obedience of a fon to the natural law, he owed naturally; but obedience to that or any other law, in the character of a bondfervant, and thereby to gain eternal life and falvation, he owed not but by compact. The human nature of Chrift had a complete right to eternal life, and was actually poffeffed thereof, in virtue of its

ence.

union with the divine nature; fo that there was no occafion for him to gain life to himself by his obediWherefore Chrift's taking on him the form of a bond-fervant, and in that character obeying the law for life and falvation, were a mere voluntary work of his, as furety for finners; wherein he did that which he was no otherwise bound to, than by his own voluntary undertaking. Now, forafmuch as the obedience of Chrift imputed to believers for righteousness, is his obedience of this kind only; there is a clear ground for its imputation to them according to the covenant.

And thus have we feen Chrift's furetifhip in the covenant to be of the nature of a furetiship for paying one's debt; and what the debt was which he became furety for.

If it be required, Whether or not Christ's furetifhip is alfo of the nature of furetiship for one's performing of a deed? or, Whether Chrift became furety in way of caution to his Father, that the elect fhould believe, repent, and perform fincere obedience! I answer, Though the elect's believing, repenting, and fincere obedience, are infallibly fecured in the covenant; fo that whofoever, being fubjects capable of these things, do live and die without them, fhall undoubtedly perish, and are none of God's elect: yet I judge, that Chrift did not become furety in the covenant, in way of caution to his Father, that the elect should perform thefe deeds, or any other; and that the way of speaking doth not fo well agree with the fcripture account of the covenant. Because,

1. It doth fomewhat obfcure the grace, the free grace of the covenant; whereas the covenant is purposely fo ordered, as to manifest it most illuftriously, being of faith, that it might be by grace, Rom. iv. 16. For fuch a furetifhip, or cautionry for the elect's performing of these things, muft needs belong to the condition of the covenant, properly fo

called;

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well as the former: and fo the reward is, in part, of debt unto him, as well as to the furety. The application hereof to the cafe in hand is obvious. The fum of the matter lies here: If Chrift did in the covenant become furety in way of caution for his people's performing fome deed; the performing the condition of the covenant, properly fo called, is divided betwixt Chrift and them, however unequal their fhares are: and if the performing the condition is divided betwixt Chrift and them, fo far as their part of the performance goes, the reward is of debt to them, which obfcures the grace of the covenant.

2. According to the fcripture, the elect's believing, repenting, and fincere obedience, do belong to the promiffory part of the covenent. If we confider them in their original fituation, they are benefits promised in the covenant by God unto Chrift the furety, as a reward of his fulfilling the condition of the covenant. And fo they are, by the unchangeable truth of God, and his exact justice, insured beyond all poffibility of failure: Pfalm xxii. 27. All the ends of the world SHALL remember and turn unto the Lord. Verfe 30. A feed SHALL ferve him. Verfe 31. They SHALL come, and SHALL declare his righteoufnefs unto a people that shall be born. Pfalm cx. 3. Thy people SHALL be willing in the day of thy power. See Ifa. liii. 10. with verfe 1. Ezek. xxxiv. 26, 27, 31. Heb. viii. 10, 11. If it be afked, To whom are thefe promifes made, and the promises of the like nature through the Bible? it is evident, that feveral of them are made to Chrift exprefsly; and the apostle anfwers as to them all, Gal. iii. 16. To Abraham and his feed were the promifes made.To thy feed, which is Chrift. And whereas there are found promifes wherein Christ himself is the undertaker, as John vi. 37. All that the Father giveth me, SHALL come to me; they are not to be taken for Christ's engaging to his Father, as cautioner for a deed to be

done

done by the feed: but therein he speaks to man, as adminiftrator of the covenant, intrufted with the conferring on finners, the benefits purchased by his obedience and death, and made over to him by the promise of the Father: Matth. xi. 27. All things are delivered unto me of my Father. Ver. 28. Come unto me all ye that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you reft. Luke xxii 29. And I appoint (or difpone) unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed (or difponed) unto me.

Thus far of Chrift's furetyfhip in the covenant.

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III. Chrift the Prieft of the Covenant.

S it was neceffary for Christ the second Adam his doing the part of a Kinsman redeemer, that he should become furety in the covenant; fo it was necessary to his performing of what he became furety for, that he fhould be a Prieft. And accordingly, confenting to the covenant, he became the priest of the covenant, Heb. ix. 11. Chrift being come an high priest of good things to come. A priest is a public perfon, who deals with an offended God in the name of the guilty, for reconciliation, by facrifice, which he offereth to God upon an altar, being there. to called of God, that he may be accepted. So a priest speaks a relation to an altar, an altar to a facrifice, and a facrifice to fin.

Those whom Chrift reprefented in the covenant being finners, he became their priest, their highpriest, appearing before God in their name, to make atonement and reconciliation for them: and this was the great thing that the whole priesthood under the law, and especially the highpriesthood, did typify and point at. Their nature was the priest's garments he put on, to exercise his priestly office in ; the fame being pure and undefiled in him: and in their nature he fustained their perfons, reprefenting them before God, as their great high-prieft. A live

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