N00556:181
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.
5 He must be one who bare us good will, and took delight in the work of Redemption. It was certainly a very great Love to Mankind that could move him to engage in such an Undertaking as this; to expose himself to so sore a Travail of Soul, and submit to undergo such grievous things as it was requisite for him to do in the making of satisfaction to the Justice of God, and answering all the demands of the Law, and t•ere was none but the Son of God that entertained such a respect for poor man in his misery: but he did, Prov.. 8.31. &c. Ezek. 26.5.
4. That the Son of God could not become actually engaged to be mans Surety, so as that our Redemption should be secured by it, but only by a Covenant: ⟨p. 87⟩and this will be manifest in the consideration of these things.
1. It was absolutely free for the Son of God to choose whether he would be a Redeemer, and Surety, or no. The Son of God is a Divine Person, and hath all personal properties belonging to him: Now one thing proper to a Person is, to be Intelligent, and by consequence to have a power of Election. Christ was no Surety by nature; it was none of his either Essential or Personal Properties: and he could not be so by Coaction, for he is the Eternal Jehovah, and therefore cannot be compelled. The Apostle plainly asserts his full liberty in this matter, in Phil. 2.6, 7