should bow, Philip. ii. 9, 10. This latter fervice of Christ belongs to the promife of the covenant; but the former, to wit, the bond fervice, being his furety service, 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 discharge, 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 righteousness, 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 furetiship, 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 most owe it for ever, forafmuch as the creature, as a creature, is fubject to the natural law, the eter nal rule of righteousness: 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 positive law, binding to be circumcised, 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 Christ 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 occasion 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 furetiship in the covenant to be of the nature of a furetiship for pay. ing one's debt; and what the debt was which he became furety for.

If it be required, Whether or not Chrift's furetifhip is alfo of the nature of furetifhip 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 secured 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 manifeft it moft 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;

called; as being a deed of the Mediator, whereby he promiseth fomething to God, and engageth that it fhall be performed by them: and fo these things performed by them accordingly, must be a part of the condition of the covenant. But that finners themfelves perform any part of the condition of the covenant, properly fo called, cannot be admitted without prejudice to the grace of the covenant: for so far as we perform in our own perfons, any part of the condition, the reward is not of grace, but of debt; for to him that worketh, is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt, Rom. iv. 4. But the reward is wholly of grace to us, as it is of debt unto Chrift for to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that juftifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness, verfe 5. Chap. xi. 6. And if by grace, then it is no more of works; otherwife grace is no more grace. Suppofe a man is furety for a thoufand pound, for his neighbour, who is thereupon to have a right to a certain valuable benefit; and that this man abfolutely becomes furety for the whole fum, excepting only an hundred pence; for which hundred pence alfo he becomes cautioner, that it fhall be paid by the principal: it is evident, that the condition of this bargain is divided between the furety and the principal, though indeed their fhares are very unequal: but however unequal they are, as far as the hundred pence which the principal pays in his own perfon, do reach, fo far the benefit is of debt to him. Or put the cafe, A furety engageth for the whole of the fum payable; and, befides, is furety for the principal's good behaviour; it is evident, that in this cafe the good behaviour of the principal is a part of the condition of the bargain, as well as the payment of the money; fince caution for it is required by him who is to communicate the benefit. At this rate, the condition is ftill divided between the furety and principal; and the latter performs a part of it as

well

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 Christ 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 shares 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 Christ 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, infured 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 righteousness 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 Chrift 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 fpeaks to man, as administrator 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 Christ's furetyship in the covenant.

III. Chrift the Prieft of the Covenant.

A$

S it was neceffary for Chrift the fecond Adam his doing the part of a Kinsman redeemer, that he should become furety in the covenant; fo it was neceffary 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 ław, and especially the high priesthood, 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 fuftained their perfons, reprefenting them before God, as their great high-prieft. A live

ly