Book II. CHRIST A SURETY. SURETY. not be faid to receive a Releafe or Difcharge in a Way of Grace and Favor, but only m a Way of Juf– tice. D IS PAR IT Y. which may be thus demonflrated : Firjl, God, as was faid, and not the Sinner, found or provided the Surety, which his own fovereign Grace and Goodnefs moved him to, being wholly at his own Choice whether he would fave Man or not, having Caufe enough to cafl him off for his Difobedience, as he did the Angels that finned : So that whatever Relief or Difcharge Sinners receive, it is of Grace, being wholly the Contrivance of the Creditor, to find out the Way which befl comported (in his Wifdom) to the fatisfying of Law and Juflice, in behalf of the Criminal; had the Debtor found the Surety, as it is among Men, the Cafe had been otherwife. Secondly, The Suretifhip of Chrift holds forth abundant Grace, yea, the greatefl Demonflration of the Love and Goodnefs of God to Sinners, in that he was pleafed to difpenfe with his own Law, as to the rigorous ExaCtion of it from Sinners, and to take SatisfaCtion from another, which he. might have exacted from them. '.fhirdly, That he might bring about R edemption .and Pardon for Man, he parted with his own dear Son, who laid down his Life, to atone, and make Reconciliatioll between him and Sinners. Fourthly, In that the BleOing and Benefit of Chrift's Undertaking as our Surety, is given and beflowed freely upon us, fo that we have no more to do, but to fa.Jl down on our Knees, and humbly acknowledge our Offences, and accept of a Pardon through Chrift's Mediation, and own him to be our Prince and Savior. Fifthly, In that he, as our Surety, gives to us a broken Heart, and renews a right Spirit in us; gives us the Grace of Believing, whereby we come to have an lntereft in him, through the Atone– ment made by his Blood; from whence it appears, it is not our Faith, nor our Accep– tance of Chrift and the Gofpel, that makes his Satisfaction fo to God, though it is hereby made effectual unto us. The Sum of all is this, that Chrift did not die only noj/ro bono, for our Good and Profit, as Soci11ians affirm; but in our Stead and Room; for where one is faid to die for another, it is always thus taken. Moreover, where it is faid, Chrifl bore our Sins, &c. it is to be underftood of the Punifhment due to them; for in all Places of the Old Teliament, where it is faid, '.fhou }halt, or, they }hall bear their own Sins, it is meant ofthe Punifhment of them. So that if we would be pardoned, we muft accept it as God is pleafed to offer it to us, though a complete SatisfaCtion be made for Sin, in our Nature, to the Father. And fi1all we diftike that Way of Forgivencfs, that God is fo much pleafed with, wherein he doth not only magnify his own Free-Grace and Goodnefs, but his own J uflice and Holinefs alfo? • IV. Among Men u[ually the IV. Chrifl became Security for his People's Surety's Bond is for Debts, conDebts, before ever they were contracted, or they tracted at or before the Surety's themfelves born; yea, he was bound to fatisfy Bond is given in, and for a parfor all the Debts (of fuch who do believe in him) ticular Sum, or Sums, fpecified. that at any Time of their Lives fhould be contract- . ed; that is to fay, he _bore not only the Punifi>- ment due to them for Sins committed before their Calling and Converfion, but all their Iniquities afterwards, through human Frailty committed, !fa. v. 3· Jer. iii. 5· I John ii. I, 2. though it is not alledged, they were difcharged before committed, nor before true Repentance be wrought in them, for Repentance and Pardon go toge– ther, Him bath God exalted on his Right-hand, to be a Prince and a Savior, t• give Re– pentance to Ifrael, and Remijjion of Sins, Atis v..~I. V. A Surety fometimes repents V. Chrifl never repented his Suretifhip; inhis coming into Bonds, and it is a ftead of its being a Trouble to his Mind, he de· great Trouble and Perplexity to lighted in it. I have a Baptijin to be baptized him, and feeks Ways to be releafwith, and how mn Ijlraitened till it be accompli/bed.? ed. Jl.fy Son, if thou be a Surety I delight to do thy Will, 0 my God, Pfal. xi. 8. for thy Friend, if thou haft jlricken He kr.ew the Payment of all would fall upon him, Hands with a Stranger, thou art enand yet he fhrinks not from it. I lay down my Jnared with the Words of thy Mouth, Life freely, John x. 17, I 8. &c. Prov. vi. 1, 2. VI. A Surety many times undoes himfelf by being bound for other Men ; he engages for more than VI. Chrift? though he fuffered hard Things for his People, m becomwg their Surety, yet was not undone, or brought to utter Beggary thereby; 4I ~
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