and Wrath of God only but also from Sin or a vain Conversation and out of the Power and Kingdom of Satan which Christ by his Blood as poured forth and in applying it undertook to do in the Covenant of Peace which is called Christ's Covenant As for thee by the blood of thy Covenant I have sent forth the Prisonâ—rs out of the Pit wherein there was no water Reverend Charnock says Christ is the surety of the Covenant of Grace but the Covenant of Redemption had no surety the Father and the Son trusted one another the Covenant of Redemption was not Confirmed by Blood c. Answ. Had God only entred into Covenant with Christ as a single Person and for himself there had been no need of a surety but since he entred into that Covenant as a publick person and that for broken and fallen mankind whom God regarded not their Credit being for ever gone there was a necessity of Christ's suretyship in that said Covenant in respect had to those things which Christ was to do for us and also work in us which he then engaged to the Father to perform and if the Covenant of Redemption from Sin and Wrath was not confirmed by the Blood of that Covenant one grand part of our safety and security is gone for ever My Brethren Our Lord Jesus Christ when he first entred into the Covenant with the Father agreed to be the Mediator and Surety thereof also evident it is that there are some Transactions where suretiship is required which a Surety must undertake to do and readily agree unto even all such things which the Creditor requires and the nature of the Covenant calls for So that there are some things that peculiarly belong to him as surety even so and in like manner it was here about the compleat accomplishment of the Covenant of Grace entered into between the Father and the Son in behalf of the Elect. Yet all the good we receive through the applicatory part of the said Covenant are but the effects fruits or product of the same Covenant as it was made with Christ for us as our Surety Also among Men those things and Covenant Transactions betwixt the Creditor and the Surety which peculiarly appertain to him to perform and answer though the poor debtor nevertheless is mainly concerned therein they being such things that must be performed by the Surety for him or the Debtor can have no benefit by it yet the free grants to the Debtor in the said Covenant upon the Suretys engagement is never called a distinct Covenant in it self but as I said before 't is one and the same Covenant our Covenant therefore is but a branch of Christ's Covenant with God the Father in which he engaged to Spouse and Marry us to himself for ever Therefore I know not what these Mens nice distinctions signifies unless it be to amuse the world or except it be for the worser purpose just now hinted Brethren The distinction lies not in two distinct Covenants Essentially differing from each other but in the distinct parts of the said one intire Covenant I. One part as it refers to Christ viz. he is the Surety and we the Debtors whom he engaged for his money and not ours pays all and makes satisfaction to God Christ is the Redeemer in this Covenant and we the Redeemed Christ is the Saviour and we the Saved II. That part that appertains to Christ was upon conditions of what he was to do and suffer he hath obtained all for us wholly by Desert and Merit and we have all every way of meer grace and favour particularly in the applicatory part thereof Moreover let it be noted that there is a difference in respect of the time of the making of the Covenant and of the Revelation Execution and Application thereof Christ in the Covenant first Articl'd with the Father to be Mediator and Surety c. and in the execution of the Covenant actually discharges those Offices and all things that appertains to them one thing being his bringing of us home to God or into the bonds of his Covenant Moreover Take here what the Reverend Assembly of Divines have said about the Covenant of Grace viz. Q. 30. Doth God leave mankind to perish in a state of Sin and Misery Answ. God doth not leave all mankind to perish in a state of Sin and Misery into which they fell by the Breach of the first Covenant called the Covenant of works but of his meer love and Mercy delivereth his Elect out of it and bringeth them into a state of Salvation by the second Covenant commonly called the Covenant of Grace Q. 31. With whom was the Covenant of Grace made Answ. The Covenant of Grace was made with Christ as the second Adam and in him with all the Elect as his Seed Thus that Learned Assembly From hence it doth appear that this opinion of two distinct Covenants was not received by that Assembly they own but two Covenants i. e. that of Works and that of Grace and I am sure the Scriptures bear witness of no other Covenant of Redemption but that of Grace and Reconciliation which includes Redemption and all Covenant-Blessings My Brethren That very Covenant made between the Father and the Son was hidden or kept secret as to the clear manifestation of it till Christ came and then it was manifested and the clear revelation of it is in the Gospel which shows how God manifesteth the grace of this Covenant by offering Pardon and Peace to sinners by revealing of Christ who is called the Covenant and offering him to them for Life and Salvation so that this Covenant contains all Grace Mercy and Redemption Moreover Remarkable it is to see how that Learned Person that wrote the Book called The Ark of the Covenant who too boldly asserts the Covenant of Redemption a distinct Covenant from the Covenant of Grace doth in divers places contradict himself herein take some of his words viz. So that I take saith he the meaning of these words This is my Covenant with them my Spirit that is upon thee c. to be This is my Covenant that I have made with thee upon their account and for their behoof or the Covenant that I have made with them to wit virtully when I Covenanted with thee and made promises to thee for their behoof He confesseth that the Covenant of 〈◊〉 was made with Christ primarily and representatively and with the Elect in him and all promises of Grace was made to us in Christ in that Covenant And what do we say more but this is to overthrow his own Notion of two distinct Covenants Nay the same Author confesseth that the grand thing he argues for is to prove that there is nothing spoken of Christ's Seed as parties with whom God deals in this Covenant and upon whom he layeth any Commands Answ. We say so too Christ is only the Covenanting party for us and on
Trusted or whose Faithfulness or Ability is suspected Now my Brethren when Man had broken the Law of the first Covenant his Credit was gone or lost for ever God would not enter into Covenant any more with him without a Surety he knowing that Man's Inability and Unfaithfulness in his Fallen Estate therefore was graciously pleased to provide for us or in our behalf a Sponsor or Surety By so much was Jesus made a Surety of a better Covenant As Christ engaged to God for us to satisfie for our Sins and to bring us into a State of Grace and Peace with God and preserve us in that State to the end and to give Security to the Covenant of Peace which he is a Surety of he is call'd a Surety And as he gives all good things and Divine Blessings to us he is called a Testator for a Testator denotes one dying making his Last Will and Testament firm and bequeathing Legacies to his Friends some I know would not have Christ be a Surety of that Covenant that was made betwixt God the Father and himself which they call the Covenant of Redemption but of the Covenant of Grace made with us but I know no ground for such a distinction as I shall hereafter prove my Brethren evident it is that had not our Mediator engaged in this Covenant of Peace and Redemption for us there had been no Covenant nor Peace for us at all because all dependeth on Christ's Suretiship or on Christ's Obligation to the Father for us nor did God ever manifest more rich Grace to us than he did in providing of such a Surety for Man And hence God saith speaking of the Covenant of Grace My Mercy will I keep for him for ever and my Covenant shall stand fast with him I have laid help upon one that is mighty I have exalted one chosen out of the People one able to perform and do all his Pleasure one that he can trust who neither wants Ability nor Faithfulness 3. A Surety commonly engageth for one Party even for him whose Credit is suspected or who being poor the Creditor will not nor cannot Trust him the Lord Jesus is only a Surety for us unto God not for God to us for God had no need for any to engage or be a Surety for him he never failed any of his Creatures he broke not his Covenant with Man but Man with him Because they continued not in my Covenant I regarded them not saith the Lord. Therefore God will not Treat nor Trade with Man any more without such a Mediator and Surety as Christ is therefore I am not of his Opinion that saith That the Suretishâ—p of Christ was that Sinners might be induced to give God Credit and that he might have a Responsal Party to deal with for this is to cast Contempt upon the Holy and Faithful God as if he is not to be Trusted in without he gives us good Security that he will not fail nor deceive us 4. The end of Suretiship among Men is to give Stability and Security in case of Bonds or Covenants c. that such Bonds or Covenants may be firm and sure and to this end did Christ become the Surety of this Covenant of Peace Grace and Redemption My Brethren this Covenant depends upon the Suretiship of Jesus Christ upon whose Undertakings and Security God Promised and Covenanted with him to be our God again and to give to us all that good which was in his Heart to bestow upon his Elect from everlasting There being such things requisite to be done in order hereunto which God well knew we were not able to perform i. e. the Satisfaction of his Justice or Payment of all our Debts and Victory over all our Enemies and that this Covenant might not be broken as the first was My Covenant shall stand fast in him 5. Suretiship imports that the Obligation be free and voluntary for the Law forces none to be a Surety or to engage for others My Brethren tho God chose Jesus Christ to be the Surety of this Covenant for us yet Christ as a most free and voluntary act on his part undertook that Office for that Law we had broke laid no Obligation on him nor was he under any necessity of Nature to undertake herein because he was the Son of God but it is ascribed wholly to his Infinite Love and Goodness and as a Sovereign Act of his own Free Grace to undertake for Man and not for Angels and also only for some of the lost Sons of Adam and not for all No Man taketh my Life from me but I lay it down freely I have power to lay it dnwn and I have power to take it up again Lo I come in the Volume of the Book it is written of me to do thy Will O God 6. Suretiship imports not only a voluntary Obligation for others or for another but also Union of Parties or Assumption of the Condition of that Person or Debtor In a Law sence it denotes a Foederal or Law Union the Surety and the Debtor are but one Party yet not so but that it is the Surety that pays it is his Money and not the Debtors My Brethren Christ by vertue of his Suretiship did not only take our Sins upon him but our Nature and put himself in our Law-place he took our Condition upon him He was made of a Woman made under the Law to redeem them Object I know it is objected If Christ and the Elect are but one Party and that his Righteousness be ours i. e. imputed to us or that he did and suffered all in our stead then we are our own Saviours we are Mediators as having a Mediator's Righteousness Ans. This as one well observes follows not for they may as well argue the Debtor is the Surety because his Surety's Payment is accepted for him Object Again they object If Christ our Surety and we are one and that his Righteousness is ours then we are as Righteous as Christ. Ans. They may as well affirm the Bankrupt is as rich as his Surety because his Surety pays his Debts 7. A Surety doth not only ingage for Debtors but also sometimes for Criminals Those that Christ became Surety for in the Covenant of Peace to Reconcile to God and to Redeem from Sin and Hell were Criminals and not only Debtors we all deserved Death and were under the Sentence thereof The Evangelists render the Words Sins and Debts promiscuously as Luke 11.4 compared with Matth. 6.12 the Laws of some Countries admit of a Surety for a Criminal i. e. that one Man shall die for another Thus did Christ obey the Law for us and die for us He was made a Curse for us Gave himself for us His Life a Ransom for us The Just for the Vnjust Made Sin for us All proves he was a Surety for Condemned Criminals and so died in our stead to satisfie the Law and Justice of
eternal Wisdom of God so also it shews there was a voluntary and ready consent in our Lord to undertake in the Work of our Peace and Redemption that he was set up and did agree to undertake as our Mediator to make our Peace with God and also that he took pleasure in his so engaging on our behalf To this let me add what David in the Person of Christ speaks Sacrifice and Offerings thou didst not desire mine ears hast thou opened Burnt Offerings and Sin Offerings hast thou not required then said I lo I come to do thy Will O God This place is cited by the Apostle Wherefore when he cometh into the World he saith Sacrifice and Offerings thou wouldst not but a Body hast thou prepared me In Burnt Offerings and Sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure Then said I lo I come in the Volmn of the Book it is written of me to do thy Will O God Nothing can more fully shew Christ's chearful Consent What God the Father required Jesus Christ yielded to do which was to make satisfaction for Sin in his Body on the Tree and so to make our Peace with the Eternal Jehovah I. Consider who the Persons transacting and treating with each other were even God the Father and God the Son the Father stands upon satisfaction to his Law and Justice or demands the whole Sum or Price of our Redemption that so our Peace might be made and Christ engageth to give it II. The business or grand Matter transacted I say betwixt them was our Peace and Reconciliation unto God and so to recover all God's Elect from Sin Wrath and Misery and work about their Eternal Happiness the Elect tho not then in Being yet are here considered as fallen wretched and forlorn Creatures III. That the Manner or Nature of these Transactions were faederal or in a Covenant-way one Person mutually engaging and stipulating with the other The Father stands upon the strict demands of Law and Justice the Son consents to glorifie the Father therein and raise the honour of all the Divine Attributes which in time he did do I have glorified thee on Earth I have finished the work thou gavest me to do And now Father glorifie me with thine own Self As if he should say the Terms agreed upon or thy Demands are done therefore let me have my Reward and let mine Elect be made one in us Let me not only Personally be one with thee but also Mystically one and so be glorified as it is due to me as the Hire or Reward of my Work IV. If any ask when this Covenant or holy Compact was made I told you and say again it bears Date from Eternity or before the World began when we had as I said before no Existence but only in the Eternal Decree and Purpose of God Moreover Remember this Covenant was made with Christ for us and in him with us for all that Grace which is given to us in time was promised unto us in Christ nay given to us in Christ from Eternity 2 Tim. 1.9 Tit. 1.1 2 3. as our Surety Covenanting-Head and blessed Representative As to the special and particular Articles agreed upon on which the Covenant of Peace was made and concluded I shall open them under the next Head of Discourse V. Commonly in all Treaties or Covenants of Peace amongst Men there is a Mediator chosen So God chose a Mediator of this Covenant yet his Work as Mediator greatly differs from the Work and Office of all other Mediators as I might make it appear For Christ is not only Mediator of the Covenant but Surety Messenger and Testator of it also And as he is considered Mediator he is invested with a Threefold Office more particularly which Offices he faithfully executeth in order to the making our Peace with God in reconciling God to us and us to God which I purpose to treat of and open in order The Work of our Mediator is not barely to see our Peace made or to labour by Intreaty to bring each Party to Moderation and pliable Terms and to see every thing done according to the Preliminaries agreed upon but the whole Work of making Peace is solely committed to our Lord Jesus Christ not to see others do it but he himself doth it all even all that God requires on his part and what is necessary to be done for us in us and by us also I. Let it be also considered That God would not make any Covenant of Peace with us without a Mediator without such a Mediator and that Jesus Christ alone is the Mediator is evident There is one Mediator between God and Man even the Man Christ Jesus I say God chose his Son to be the Mediator of this Covenant of Peace and hence he is said to be given for a Covenant unto the People that is as some conceive To be the Mediator thereof II. God the Father's Demands must be granted he will not suffer his Just Right and Honour to be invaded nor his Glory eclipsed therefore was this Mediator chosen besides the Sanction of his Holy Law must be preserved Private Persons may forgive Offences as they please but the Just and Holy Governour of the World will not cannot pass by Offences till the end of Government be secured that so his Holiness and Justice be not stained nor his Law fall to the Ground Hence one main Article proposed was That the Mediator of our Peace do make full Satisfaction and if he doth not this there could be no Covenont of Peace concluded this therefore was the result of that Counsel of Peace held in Eternity III. There was I say a necessity for the Son of God to be both Mediator and Surety of this Covenant I do not say that there was a necessity laid either upon the Father or the Son to enter into this Covenant of Peace for us No no! But if God will in a way of Free and Sovereign Grace enter into such a Covenant for Mankind there was a Necessity for Christ to be the Mediator and Surety of it I say Necessity so far as we can or are able to conceive in respect of this Matter 1. Because God hath not revealed or made known any other way by which our Peace could be made but by a Mediator I do not say that God could not any other way make our Peace but that he could not in reguard of his own Honour so far as it appeareth unto us Moreover if God hath not made known any other way then there is no other way for us to obtain Peace with him But no other way is made known 2. There could be no other way as we can conceive because the breach that was between God and us must be made up by a full satisfaction to the Law and Justice of God God being Just as well as Gracious and hence one end why Christ was made a propitiation through Faith in his