He was a Surety on earth, and is a Surety still in heaven;1 only with this double difference, which ariseth first from the different things which he undertook for then, whilst on earth, and for which now he undertakes in heaven: That on earth he was a Surety to pay a price so sufficient, as should satisfy Gods justice; which having paid, he was discharged (in that respect, and so far) of that Obligation, and his Bond for that was cancelled, but so as still he remains a Surety, bound in another Obligation as great, even for the bringing to salvation those whom he dyed for; for their persons remained still unsaved, though the debt was then paid: and till they be saved, he is not quit of this Surety-ship and engagement. And secondly, these two ⟨p. 149⟩Surety-ships do differ also by the differing Pawns which he was engaged to forfeit, by failing in each of these works: for the payment of our debt, his soul it self lay at the stake, which he offered up for sin; but for the saving of the persons, all his honour in heaven lies at stake: He lives to intercede; He possesseth Heaven upon these terms, and it is one end of his life; so that as he must have sunk under Gods wrath if he had not paid the debt, (his soul standing in our souls stead) so he must yet quit heaven, and give over living there, if he brings us not thither. It is true, he intercedes not as a Common person, (which relation in all other forementioned acts he still bore; thus in his death he was both a Common person, and a Surety representing us, so as we died in him; so likewise in his Resurrection we arose with him, and in his Ascension we ascended, &c. but yet he intercedes not under that relation, namely, not as a Common person;) for we must not, cannot be said to intercede in him, for this last work lay not upon us to do. He doth it wholly for us indeed, but not in our stead, or as that which we should have done, though on our behalf; for it being the last, the crown of all his works of mediation, is therefore proper to him as Mediator, and his sole work as such. Thus in like manner the first work of Incarnation, and answerably the last of Intercession, in neither of these was Christ a Common person representing others, though a common Saviour of others in these; for the one was the ⟨p. 150⟩foundation of all, the other the accomplishment of all, and so proper only to himself, as Mediator.
He was a Surety on earth, and is a Surety still in heaven;1 onely with this double difference, which ariseth first from the different things which he undertook for then, whilst on earth, and for which now he undertakes in heaven: That on earth he was a Surety to pay a price so sufficient, as should satisfie Gods justice; which having paid, he was discharged (in that respect, and so far) of that Obligation, and his Bond for that was cancelled, but so as still he remaines a Surety, bound in another Obligation as great, even for the bringing to salvation those whom he dyed for; for their persons remained still unsaved, though the debt was then paid: and till they be saved, he is not quit of this Surety-ship and engagement. And secondly, these two ⟨p. 149⟩Surety-ships doe differ also by the differing Pawns which he was engaged to forfeit, by failing in each of these works: for the payment of our debt, his soule it selfe lay at the stake, which he offered up for sin; but for the saving of the persons, all his honour in heaven lies at stake: He lives to intercede; He possesseth Heaven upon these tearms, and it is one end of his life; so that as he must have sunk under Gods wrath if he had not paid the debt, (his soule standing in our souls stead) so he must yet quit heaven, and give over living there, if he brings us not thither. It is true, he intercedes not as a Common person, (which relation in all other forementioned acts he still bore; thus in his death he was both a Common person, and a Surety representing us, so as we died in him; so likewise in his Resurrection we arose with him, and in his Ascension we ascended, &c. but yet he intercedes not under that relation, namely, not as a Common person;) for we must not, cannot be said to intercede in him, for this last work lay not upon us to doe. He doth it wholly for us indeed, but not in our stead, or as that which we should have done, though on our behalfe; for it being the last, the crowne of all his works of mediation, is therefore proper to him as Mediator, and his sole work as such. Thus in like manner the first work of Incarnation, and answerably the last of Intercession, in neither of these was Christ a Common person representing others, though a common Saviour of others in these; for the one was the ⟨p. 150⟩foundation of all, the other the accomplishment of all, and so proper onely to himselfe, as Mediatour.
- 1The difference of these two Suretiships.
