of the Covenant. 57 fuff'er the force of revenging wrath, to the compleat fatisfaction of infinite, jufl:ice, and full reparation of God's injured honour. This was their debt of punHh– ment; a debt, which they themfelves could neyer have cleared, tho' paying to the utmofi of their pow– er, .through ages of eternity. But, this their debt ' Chri.fi became Surety for, obliging himfelf to lay down his· life, for theirs which was lofl: in law. Pfal. xl. 6, 7. ' Sac;rifice and offering thou didfl: not defire, mine ears hafl: thou opened Then faid I, Lo,I com'e,' John x. r5· ' I lay down ·my life for the !heep. ' ver. 18. ~I lay it down ofmyfelf: I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This corn– mandment .have I received of my Father.' Here is a Suretiihip that never had amatch ! David, in a tran~ fport of grief for the death of his fan Abfo!om, w.ifhes he had died for him, 2 Sam. xviii. 33· Reuben will venture the life of his two fans for Benjamin, Gen. :Xlii. 27· and Judahwillventure his own for him, chap. xliii. 9· while yet there was hope, that all would be fafe. But.. our Lord · Jefus deliberately ~pledge th his own life for finners ; when it was beyond all. perad– venture, the precious. pledge would be lofl: in the caufe ; and that the death he would-fuffer, would be a thoufand deaths in one. Some have offered therri– felves fureties in capital caufes, and embrace4 death for their country or friends : And ' Peradventure for agood man fame would even dare to die. But God -< commendeth his ]ov~ towards us, in that while we . were yet fi_nners (and .enemies) Chrifi died for us,' Ram. v. 7, 8, 10. Now in the fecond Adam's f~retifhip for th-e cri ~ minal debt of his fpiritual feed, there was not an en– furi.ng of the payment thereof one way or' other; on· ly as in fimplc cautionry? But, th,ere was an exchange pf perfoQs in law ; Chrifl: fubfiituting himfelf in their room, and taking the ~hole obligation on himfelf. This, the free grace of God th~ Creditor did admit, whe~ he might have infified, that the foul that finned fuould.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=