A96532:151
The doctrine of the covenant of redemption Wherein is laid the foundation of all…
The doctrine of the covenant of redemption Wherein is laid the foundation of all our hopes and happiness. Briefly opened and improved. By Samuel Willard, teacher of a church in Boston. [Three lines from Psalms]
Boston: printed by Benj. Harris over against the Old-Meet, 1693
Chapter 10: The necessity of this Covenant, in order to Mans Salvation.
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.
6. That the Punishment of Sin must have some reference to the person, and terminate there. If we consider Sin abstractly and separately, as it is an obliquity, we cannot conceive how or after what manner it can be punished: The penalty of it therefore must bring it under the consideration of a Guilt which it leaves upon the Sinner, and by virtue of it exposeth him to punishment. The Sinner is the guilty person, and the Sin is his, and therefore if Sin be necessarily punished, it would consequently follow, that the Sinner in person must be punished, because the Sin is his, and the spot of it cannot be Translated. If then this Guilt may be removed to another, it argues that there is an arbitrariness in the punishing of it.
6. That the Punishment of Sin must have some referrence to the person, and terminate there. If we consider Sin abstractly and separately, as it is an obliquity, we cannot conceive how or after what manner it can be punished: The penalty of it therefore must bring it under the consideration of a Guilt which it leaves upon the Sinner, and by vertue of it exposeth him to punishment. The Sinner is the guilty person, and the Sin is his, and therefore if Sin be necessarily punished, it would consequently follow, that the Sinner in person must be punished, because the Sin is his, and the spot of it cannot be Translated. If then this Guilt may be removed to another, it argues that there is an arbitrariness in the punishing of it.
7. Hence the transferring of the guilt and punishment of Sin from the Sinner to his Surety, seems to plead against this natural necessity: because, if the penalty ⟨p. 76⟩be removed, the Offender may escape and therefore Sin may go unpunished in him: and that God will not remove it from him but in a way of Translation seems to be voluntary, because he hath contrived it as a way most suitable to advance the Declarative Glory of his Justice and Grace. It is most certain, that Christ in suffering for Sin, suffered Arbitrarily; there was the highest Sovereignty expressed in it. The pardoning of the Sinner hereupon is equally Arbitrary, and refers to the Covenant of Redemption: and how this should be consistent with Relative Justice, except God had a Sovereignty in regard of the thing it self, is very hard for any to tell.