N00556:171
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.
4. Hence man by his fall coming under a Law of Death, Justice is strongly engaged to see the Law Executed, according to the true intent of it. God having given to m•n a Law, according to which he was to stand or fall, he must in Justice judge him by the Law. Now Gods Holiness, Justice, Truth, Righteousness, Immutability stand all concerned in it. Upon this account, Christ assures us of the necessity that not one syllable, Letter, or point of the Law must fall to the ground, in Mat. 5.18. yea, God himself swears that he will do Justice, Deut. 32.40. &c. and indeed, because ⟨p. 81⟩God was resolved to make sin a foil, on which he would draw the Colours of his Holiness, in the displays both of his Justice and Grace, he therefore inviolably fixed this Law or Covenant.
2. That hence Relative Justice requires that if sinning man be pardoned, his sin must be satisfied for according to this Law, in a Surety. Here lies the ground of the necessity. If any ask, why need God to lay a ground for such a necessity, if he could by his Lordship have pardoned Sin without a Mediator? it is easily replied, who are we to call him to an account? and it may as well may be demanded, why did God let man fall into sin to necessitate the Intervention of a Surety? surely he could have kept him from it, as he did the preserved Angels It is enough, Infinite Wisdom contrived the way for his own Glory, and Who shall teach hi•, who is most High. Here then let it be observed.
2. That hence Relative Justice requires that if sinning man be pardoned, his sin must be satisfied for according to this Law, in a Surety. Here lies the ground of the necessity. If any ask, why need God to lay a ground for such a necessity, if he could by his Lordship have pardoned Sin without a Mediator? it is easily replied, who are we to call him to an account? and it may as well may be demanded, why did God let man fall into sin to necessitate the Intervention of a Surety? surely he could have kept him from it, as he did the preserved Angels It is enough, Infinite Wisdom contived the way for his own Glory, and Who shall teach hi, who is most High. Here then let it be observed.