Christ Set Forth, Book III: The Evidence of Justification from Christ's Resurrection

The first head: the evidence of justification which Christ’s Resurrection affords to faith; explained by two things: First, by shewing how Christ was made a Surety for us. Secondly, how his Resurrection as a Surety holds forth this evidence.

CONCERNING the first of those two heads at first propounded, namely, the evidence which Christ’s Resurrection affords unto our faith in point of non-condemtion: I have two things to handle in this chapter : — first, how Christ was made a Surety for us, and what manner of Surely he did become; secondly, what the consideration hereof will contribute to that evidence which faith hath from Christ’s Resurrection.

For the first, Christ was appointed by God, (and himself also undertook) to be our Surety. This you have, Heb. yii. 22, He was made a Surety of a better Testament, or Covenant; namely, of the new. The Hebrew word for Cwenant, the Septuagint still translated (Diatheke) Testament: the word in the Hebrew being of a large signification, and comprehending both a Covenant and Testament: and so in the New Testament it is used promiscuously for either; and indeed this new covenant of grace is both. Of this Covenant, Christ is (the Enguosy the p/ighter of his troth for it, the Surety, the Promise the Undertaker 3 verb this comes of, is Enguio(promittere), which s fromEngmois(ln manibu*), striking hands, or giving one’s hand as a sign of a covenant; and so to bargain with, or to make up a covenant. Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties r *bt*. Prov. xxii. 26. Which whole verse the reads, Gi not ihysdf ( Eis enguw)

tiship. The same word that is here used by the Apostle. It was the manner both of the Jews and Romans also, to make covenants by striking of hands; and in testaments, the heir and executor shook hands, or the executor gave his hand to fulfil it.

And the word Enguesasthi is used, not only in promising to pay a debt for another, but also in becoming a pledge for another, for to undergo death, or a capital punishment in another’s room; as in that famous story of friends, namely, Euephenus and Eucritus: Eucritus did ( Rriosen enguesasthi) willingly become a surety for Euephenus, when “condemned to die by Dionysius the tyrant. This very word is used by Polyenus, the historian of that fact. Now such a Surety every way did Christ become unto God for us, both to pay the debt by undergoing death in our stead, and so to satisfy God; and then as the Heir to execute his will and testament: he became a Surety of the whole covenant, and every condition in it, take it in the largest sense; and this of all, both on God’s part, and on our’s. For us he undertook to God to work all our works, and undergo all our punishments; to pay our debts for us, and to work in us all that God required should be done by us, in the covenant of grace. And thus to be a Surety, is much more than simply to be an Intercessor, or Mediator, as Pareus well observes. God did, as it were, say to Christ, What they owe me, I require it all at your hands: and Christ assented, and from everlastingstruck hands with God, to do all for us that God could require, and undertook it under the penalty that lay upon us to have undergone. Yea, Christ became such a Surety in this for us, as is not to be found among men. On earth, sureties are wont to eater into one and the same bond with the creditors, so as the creditor may seize on which of the two he will, whether on the debtor, or on the surety, and so (as usually) on the debtor first, for him we call the principal; but in this covenant, God would have Christ’s single bond; and hence Christ is not only called the Surety of the Covenant for us, but The Covenant, Isaiah xlix. 8, and elsewhere. God making the covenant of grace primarily with him, and with him for us, thereby his single bond alone was taken for all, thai so God might be sure of satisfaction: therefore he laid all upon Christ, protesting that he would not deal with us, nor so much as expect any payment from us, such was his grace. So Psalm lxxxix. 19, where the mercies of the covenant made between Christ and God, under the type of God’s covenant with David, are set forth, Thou spakest in vision unto thy holy One, and saidst, / have laid help on one who is mighty. As if God had said, I know that these will fail me, and break, and never be able to satisfy me; but you are a mighty and substantial person, able to pay me, and I will look for my debt of you. And to confirm this (than which nothing cau give stronger consolation, or more advanceth God’s free grace) when God went about reconciling the world in arid by Christ, and dealt with Christ about it, the manner of it is expressed to have been, that God took off our sins from us, and discharged us, as it were, meaning never to call us to an account for them, unless Christ should not satisfy him, and laid them all on Christ, so as he would require tin account of them all from him first, and let him look to it; and this he did to make the covenant sure. Thus 2 Cor. v. 19, it is said, the Apostle speaking of God’s transaction of this business with Christ, that God was in Christ, namely, from everlasting, reconciling the world (of elect believers) to himself] not imputing their trespasses to them; and made him sin who knew no sin. Observe, that as he laid our sins on Christ, so withal, he discharged us, in his compact between Christ and himself, not imputing their trespasses to them. So then, all laid upon Christ, and he was to look to it, or else his soul was to have gone for it. This is not the manner of other creditors; they use to charge the debt on both

the surety and the debtor; but in this covenant of grace, namely, Christ’s single bond is entered, he alone is The Covenant: so as God will have nought to say to us, till Christ fails him. He hath engaged himself first to require satisfaction at Christ’s hands, who is our Surety.

Now then secondly, for to make use of this notion, for the clearing of the point in hand. It might afford us matter of unspeakable comfort, only to hear of Christ’s having been arrested by God for our debt, and cast into prison, and his bond sued, and an execution or judgment served on him, as the phrases are, Isaiah liii. 8. For thereby we should have seen, how God had begun with our Surety, as minded to let us alone, and that it lay on him to discharge the debt, who was so able to do it; and thereby we might also sec, how he was made sin for us, and therefore we might very well have quieted our hearts from fearing any arrests, or for God’s coming upon us, till we should heur that our Surety were not sufficiently able to pay the debt, as you have heard he is. But yet our hearts would still be inquisitive, for all that, to hear whether indeed lie hath perfectly satisfied God or no; and would be extremely solicitous, to know whether he hath satisfactorily performed what he undertook; and how he got clear of that engagement, and of being made sin Jor us. And therefore the Apostle comforts believers with this, that Christ shall the next time appear without sin. Unto them that look for him he shall appear the second time without sin, unto salvation. One would think it no great matter of comfort to us, to hear that Christ should appear without sin; for who would imagine that it could be otherwise with The holy One, The Lord of Glory? There is no wonder in that: aye, but, says the Apostle, your very salvation is interested in this, as nearly as is possible. It is well for you that Christ is now without sin; for he having as your Surety undertook to satisfy for sin, and having accordingly been once made sin, when on earth, and arrested for it by God at his death; in that now he is got clear of that engagement, (which could be no way, but by satis faction, which he undertook) this doth plainly evince it, and ascertain you, that you shall never be condemned for it; for by the law, if the surety hath discharged the debt the debtor is then free. And therefore no news would or could be more welcome to sinners, than to have a certain and infallible evidence given, that their Surety were well come off, and had quitted all to satisfaction.

Now then to evidence this, serveth his Resurrection; Christ is risen. Nothing so sure. Therefore certainly the debt is discarged, and he hath paid it to the full, and so is now without our sin, and fully

£0t clear of it. For God having once arrested Christ, and cast him into prison, and begun a trial against him, and had him to judgment, he could not come forth, ‘till he had paid the very utmost farthing. And there is the greatest reason for us to ascertain it that can be: for he was under those bonds and bolts which if it had been possible would have detained him in the grave, as Acts ii/24; The strength of sin, and God’s wrath, and the curse against sin, Thou shalt die the death, did as cords hold him, as the Psalmist’s phrase is. Ocher debtors may possibly break their prisons; but Chris, could not have broke thro’ this, for the wrath of the All-powerful God was this prison; from which there was no escaping, no bail: nothing would be takon to let him go out but full satisfaction. And there fore to hear that Christ is risen, and so is come out of prison, is an evidence that God is satisfied, and that Christ is discharged by God himseli’; and so is now without sin, he walking abroad again at liberty. And therefore the Apostle proclaims a mighty victory obtained by Christ’s Resurrection, over Death, the Grave, the strength of Sin, and the Law (1 Cor. xv. 55, 50); and cries out, Thanhs be to God icho giveth us the victory, through Jesus Christ our I^rd,.

verse 57. You may now rest secure indeed:

Christ is risen! who, therefore, shall condemn?

74 CLOfclES OF CHRIS’/