I answer, that God did here also interpret his Law in an equitable way; the divine Sanction [Do this] on which Life did depend, was not precisely determinate that we must do it in our own persons, for then a Sureties obedience should have been totally excluded; neither was it precisely determinate that we should do it in our Surety; for there was a Do this in the state of Innocency where there was no need of a Surety; but the Sanction was general, Do this, and two interpretations lay before God; the first that it should be done in our own persons, the second that it should be done in our Surety; the first a rigorous and literal, the second an equitable and merciful interpretation. Now these two interpretations lying before God, he as supreme Law-giver takes the equitable interpretation; had he taken the rigorous one, there would have been no room for a Surety, nor life for the Sinner; but in rich mercy he takes the equitable ⟨p. 268⟩one, and so through a Surety's Obedience eternal Life is purchased for us. These two interpretations of the Law seem to me to be figured out by the double making of the Tables; the Law in the rigorous interpretation is like the first Tables which were broken: For as the Law was first written in those Tables, so the rigorous interpretation firstly rises out of the Letter of the Law; and as those first Tables were broken, so Sin made such a breach upon the Law, that the Apostle puts a [Greek or Hebrew] upon it, Rom. 8. 3. it could not give life according to the rigorous interpretation. And the Law in the equitable interpretation is like the second Tables which were put into the Ark: for as those Tables were kept inviolate in the Ark, so the Law was kept inviolate in the equitable interpretation; and as the Mercy-seat covered the Tables in the Ark, and from the Mercy-seat so covering them God manifested his presence; so Christ, the true [Greek or Hebrew] or mercy-seat, did by his perfect Obedience cover the Law all over, and in and through him so covering it God manifests his presence, not only his back-parts on Earth but his face in Heaven. Thus by the admirable Wisdom of God Heaven was purchased, ⟨p. 269⟩and yet the Law established, the Do this turned upon the Surety, and the promised Life made good to us Sinners.
I answer, that God did here also interpret his Law in an equitable way; the divine Sanction [Do this] on which Life did depend, was not precisely determinate that we must do it in our own persons, for then a Sureties obedience should have been totally excluded; neither was it precisely determinate that we should do it in our Surety; for there was a Do this in the state of Innocency where there was no need of a Surety; but the Sanction was general, Do this, and two interpretations lay before God; the first that it should be done in our own persons, the second that it should be done in our Surety; the first a rigorous and literal, the second an equitable and merciful interpretation. Now these two interpretations lying before God, he as supreme Law-giver takes the equitable interpretation; had he taken the rigorous one, there would have been no room for a Surety, nor life for the Sinner; but in rich mercy he takes the equitable ⟨p. 268⟩one, and so through a Surety's Obedience eternal Life is purchased for us. These two interpretations of the Law seem to me to be figured out by the double making of the Tables; the Law in the rigorous interpretation is like the first Tables which were broken: For as the Law was first written in those Tables, so the rigorous interpretation firstly rises out of the Letter of the Law; and as those first Tables were broken, so Sin made such a breach upon the Law, that the Apostle puts a 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 upon it, Rom. 8. 3. it could not give life according to the rigorous interpretation. And the Law in the equitable interpretation is like the second Tables which were put into the Ark: for as those Tables were kept inviolate in the Ark, so the Law was kept inviolate in the equitable interpretation; and as the Mercy-seat covered the Tables in the Ark, and from the Mercyseat so covering them God manifested his presence; so Christ, the true 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 or mercy-seat, did by his perfect Obedience cover the Law all over, and in and through him so covering it God manifests his presence, not only his back-parts on Earth but his face in Heaven. Thus by the admirable Wisdom of God Heaven was purchased, ⟨p. 269⟩and yet the Law established, the Do this turned upon the Surety, and the promised Life made good to us Sinners.
