of th~ Covenant. · . . 65 ther-eof, · irt virtue of its union with the Divine n~. tu re : ·fo that there was no occafton for him, to gain. life to himfelf by his obedience. Wherefore, Chri!l:'s tal<.~ng on him the form ofapond-fervan~, and in that ch,~racrer obeying the law for life and falvation, were f\ mere voll.lnta,ry wor}{ of his, as furety for finners ; wherein he did that which he was rio otherwife bound to,., than by his own 'voluntary undert:aking. Now, fo.rafmuch as the obedience of Chrill:, imputed to be· Jievers for righteoufnefs,_ is his obedience of this kind only; there is a clear ground for its imputation to j them, according to the covenant. And thus We have feen Chrift's furetifhip in tne· eo.. • venant, to be of the nature of a fureti{l1ip for paying ·orie's debt; ~nd what the debt Wl:s, which he became f~rety for. If- it be enquited, ' Whether or not Cbrifr's fureti .. fuip is alfq of the nature of furetifhip for on-e's perfor.... ming of a deed ?' Or, whether Chrill: becatne furety in ··· way of caution to his Father, that the eleCl: fhould beu lieve, repent, and per'form fincere obedience ? I an– fwer, Tho' the eletl:'s beli~ving, repenting, and fin– cere obedience, are infallibly fecur_ed in the covenant ; fo that whofoever, being fubjeEts capable of thefe things, do live and die without them, iliall undoubt– edly per.if11, arid are none of God's eleCt:: yet I judge, that Chrifi did nq~ become furety in the covenant, h1 way . of caution to his Father, that the eleCl: .lh.ould perform thefe deeds, pr any other; and that, that way of fp€aking doth n9t fo well agree with .the Scriptur~- . account of the covenant. Becaufe, , · Firfl~ It doth fomewhat obfcure the grace, the free grace,, of th~ covenant ; whereas the covenant is pur.. . ,pofedly fo ordered, ·as to manifefi: it moft illuflrioufly~ -being ' of faith, that it rt1ight be by grace,' Romo iv. r,6. For fi~ch a furetifh!p, or camio~ry for the tlecr s performmg of thefe thmgs, mufl: needs belong to th~ CQndjtion of the ~ovena.J,:lt, properly ~called; E 2 aft
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