N00556:107
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-Meeting-House, 1693
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.
3. The Fallen Angels, or Devils, stand no way related unto this Covenant: but only men. God never thought of, or contrived a way for the Jail-Delivery of Devils, but hath left them hopelessly under the Sentence which fell upon them ⟨p. 49⟩when they rebelled against him, and therefore their misery is beyond all hopes of remedy: they are said to be Reserved in Everlasting Chains, Jude, 6. But God had more Gracious thoughts for man: and in this respect we find, that the Son of God in pursuit of this Covenant, meddled not with the Assumption of the Angelical nature, but took that only of Humanity, Heb. 2.16. And the reason of this was because he had not covenanted to redeem Angels but only men.
3. The Fallen Angels, or Devils, stand no way related unto this Covenant: but only men. God never thought of, or contrived a way for the Jayl-Delivery of Devils, but hath left them hopelesly under the Sentence which fell upon them ⟨p. 49⟩when they rebelled against him, and therefore their misery is beyond all hopes of remedy: they are said to be Reserved in Everlasting Chains, Jude, 6. But God had more Gracious thoughts for man: and in this respect we find, that the Son of God in pursuit of this Covenant, medled not with the Assumption of the Angelical nature, but took that only of Humanity, Heb. 2.16. And the reason of this was because he had not covenanted to redeem Angels but only men.
4. That all mankind universally were not included in this Covenant, so as that the Son of God undertook to pay the Redemption price for them. How far there was some benefit to redound from it to mankind, I here dispute not: But that Christ became Surety to pay the Price for all, is not to be believed. As to the notion or distinction, of his redeeming all Sufficiently, and only some Effectually, it cannot be reconciled to sense, how then shall it be believed? It is one thing to pay a Price of sufficient value to redeem all, and another thing to pay it for their Redemption: and to suppose that he did it for this end, and yet they should perish at the last, is not only besides, but against Scripture,