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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
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.
2. For the more clearing up of this, let it be considered.
1. That God was under no natural necessity to Save any of Fallen Mans Posterity. There was no tie of Nature upon him, to give a pardon to, and bestow Salvation upon any of that Ruined Progeny. He might have Damned them all, without any injury to himself, or wrong done to them; and that he did not so do, is a fruit not of Compulsion, nor of Nature, but of his mere Good Will, Rom. 9.18. No man can give any other reason of the thing it self, than that which he gives of the choice of the Subject in particular. The same reason why he chooseth this man, and not the other, is to be assigned why he chooseth any at all, and that is, because it so seemed good unto him, Mat. 11.24. for they were all equally capable.
1. That God was under no natural necessity to Save any of Fallen Mans Posterity. There was no tie of Nature upon him, to give a pardon to, and bestow Salvation upon any of that Ruin'd Progeny. He might have Damned them all, without any injury to himself, or wrong done to them; and that he did not so do, is a fruit not of Compulsion, nor of Nature, but of his meer Good Will, Rom. 9.18. No man can give any other reason of the thing it self, than that which he gives of the choice of the Subject in particular. The same reason why he chuseth this man, and not the other, is to be assigned why he chuseth any at all, and that is, because it so seemed good unto him, Mat. 11.24. for they were all equally capable.