A55305:243
The divine will considered in its eternal decrees, and holy execution of them. By…
The divine will considered in its eternal decrees, and holy execution of them. By Edward Polhill of Burwash in Sussex Esquire
London : printed, and are to be sold by Thomas Shelmerdine, at the sign of the Rose-Tree in Little-Britain, 1695
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
2. Conjunction Legali, he was our Sponsor or Surety, and so in Law one person with us; his Stile is [Greek or Hebrew], Surety of the covenant, Heb. 7. 22. and the Covenant being mutual on both parts, from God to Man and from Man to God, he is in both respects a Surety of it; a Surety on God's part that his Promises should be performed to us, and a Surety on our parts that our Debts should be paid to God. We were double Debtors to God; as Rational Creatures we owed perfect Obedience, and as Sinful Creatures we owed eternal Sufferings; the first is a debt to God's Holiness, and the second to his Justice. Now Jesus Christ was our Surety for both, a Surety to fulfil all Righteousness for us, and the Fidejussorial Bond which he gave for this was his Circumcision; for he had no sinful flesh to be cut off, but would become a debtor to the whole Law for us; and ⟨p. 198⟩in Circumcision he signed security for it with his own Blood: and also a Surety to take our Sins on him. Hence the Righteous God (who cannot but judge according to truth) charged our iniquities upon him, Isai. 53. 6. and he as our Surety accepted the charge, and those words, my sins are not hid from thee, Psal. 69. 5. are (as St. Jerome thinks) spoken ex personâ Christi, for he was though not commissor, yet susceptor delictorum; our Flesh and Blood was taken into his Divine Person, and our Sins (which could by no means enter in there) were yet cast upon him, and being cast upon him, God exacted satisfaction of him, [Greek or Hebrew] it was exacted and he answered, Isai. 53. 7. Satisfaction was exacted from him as our Surety, and he answered for us; and what was his Answer? Why, I'll lay down my Life, I'll pour out my Soul, saith he; let all the Wrath due to those Sins be squeezed into one Cup and I'll drink it up to the bottom; let the Fire of God's Anger drop down from Heaven, and I'll be the Paschal Lamb roasted in it. Thus Jesus Christ was a Surety, nay, [Greek or Hebrew], the noblest of Sureties, putting his Soul in our Souls stead, to bear our Sins and God's Wrath; and ⟨p. 199⟩