N00556:147
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. That hence God was not under any natural necessity of engaging in this Covenant, for the bringing about the Redemption of men. If the effecting of the thing were arbitrary to him, then the Indenting about the doing of it must needs be so too. If God might have left the whole Race of Mankind to have perished for ever; and that he doth not so do is contingent, i. e. free and voluntary; than whatsoever refers unto the designation or appointment of it in the Decree must proceed from the Sovereignty of his Will: and hitherto this Covenant is to be referred. Yea, indeed if it had been natural, the notion of a Covenant made about it had been impertinent; the fixing of a Decree concerning it, had been superfluous; for what occasion is there for a Decree about natural actions?
2. That hence God was not under any natural necessity of engaging in this Covenant, for the bringing about the Redemption of men. If the effecting of the thing were arbitrary to him, then the Inden•ing about the doing of it must needs be so too. If God might have left the whole Race of Mankind to have perished for ever; and that he doth not so do is contingent, i. e. free and voluntary; than whatsoever refers unto the designation or appointment of it in the Decree must proceed from the Soveraignty of his Will: and hitherto this Covenant is to be referred. Yea, indeed if it had been natural, the notion of a Covenant made about it had been impertinent; the fixing of a Decree concerning it, had been superfluous; for what occasion is there for a Decree about natural actions?
3. That natural Necessity destroys the very nature of a Covenant. For, a Covenant is a voluntary obligation between persons about things wherein they enjoy a freedom of Will, and have a power to choose or refuse. It is a deliberate thing wherein there is a Counsel and a Consent between Rational and free Agents. It is true, a person may be a Subject, and so under the Duty of Consenting in ⟨p. 69⟩a Covenant; so was Adam at the First but still the act of consent it self, is the act of a Cause by Counsel and therefore it is not absolutely necessary, so as that he could not but do it.