people. And in subsequent Scripture, when speaking of them as his people, he usually annexes some express reference to his covenant dealings with Abraham.*

That the covenant with Abraham was the covenant of the church of Israel, is evident from the Mosaic institutions themselves. The design of these institutions was, not to separate a people with whom God had no previous covenant relation, and form them into a church, but to establish Israel to be his people, and that he might be their God, as he had "sworn unto their fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob." Deut. xxix. 13. Since, then, the covenant with Abraham was the covenant of the ancient visible church; and since the church has been, under both dispensations, the same; it follows that the covenant with Abraham must now be the covenant of the visible Christian church.†

That the covenant with Abraham still exists, as the covenant of the church, may be shown from other considerations.

1. It still exists, because it has never been abolished. As God established this covenant, and gave it to his

"Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people. ..... to perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant, the oath which he sware to our father Abraham," &c. Luke i. 68-73.

Some Pedobaptists have considered this covenant as the covenant of Grace; but I prefer to speak of it as the covenant of the church. The covenant of grace is strictly this, Repent, and ye shall be forgiven; believe, and ye shall be saved;' and all who enter into it are of course, pious persons. It is believed that the covenant of the church, under both dispensations, comprises the covenant of grace; but it also comprises certain other things, to denote its visibility. Many have lived and died in the covenant of grace who have not entered into the covenant of the visible church; and more, probably, under both dispensations, have entered professedly into the covenant of the church, who have had no interest in the covenant of grace.—I make these remarks, for the purpose of distinguishing between these covenants, and to show the propriety of considering the covenant with Abraham as the covenant of the church,

church, it must continue till it is abolished by the same authority. Where, then, is the evidence that God has abolished his covenant with Abraham? Suffice it to say that there is no such evidence in the Bible.

It has been said, indeed, that in the change of the dispensations the removal of the Levitical law-the covenant with Abraham was doubtless abolished. But Paul, it seems, judged differently. He assures us that the covenant with Abraham, "which was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect." Gal. iii. 17.

It has been said, too, that the removal of circumcision, the ancient token of the covenant with Abraham, affords evidence of the abolition of the covenant itself. But a visible token is no essential part of a covenant. Mutual engagements may be binding without any token. Consequently, God may have removed the ancient token of his covenant, or may have exchanged it for another of similar import, and still the covenant remain the same as before.

2. That the covenant with Abraham is still the covenant of the church, is evident from its premises and requirements, or from its very nature. Every literal covenant consists essentially in promises and requirements. If, therefore, the covenant with Abraham shall be found to present the same general promises and requisitions which are held forth to believers under the gospel, the conclusion cannot be avoided, that this is still the covenant of the church

The covenant with Abraham, like the gospel, exhibits a Saviour as the grand object of faith. "In thy seed" (which is Christ)" shall all the nations of the earth be blessed." Gen. xii: 3, and xxii. 18. This covenant contains promises of all needful temporal blessings, Gen. xvij.

8: and promises of the like description are found in the .gospel. Matt. vi. 33. I Tim. iv. 8. Here are promises of great prosperity to the church, Gen. xvii. 2; and such promises are repeated throughout the Bible. Here, too, are promises, in which Abraham saw his title to heaven, Gen. xvii. 8, and Heb. xi. 10; and the same precious promises are still good to believers. In this covenant are promises of distinguished honor for the seed of Abraham, Gen. xvii. 6; and his spiritual seed find such promises in the New Testament. In short, God here promises to be a God to his people and their children after them, Gen. xvii. 7; and a greater promise never has been made, nor can be, in this or in the coming world. Heb. “viii 10. Rev. xxi. 7.*

Let us now look at the requirements of the covenant under consideration. In promising to be the God of Abraham, God virtually required Abraham to accept of him as his God and portion. In holding up the Messiah as an object of faith, he required him to believe in the promised Messiah. In requiring circumcision, he required that of which circumcision was an emblem, viz. a renewal of the heart to holiness. And he expressly required Abraham to walk before him and be perfect. Gen. xvii. 1. Has God ever ceased to make these requirements? Or will he cease to make them to the end of the world? We see, then, from the promises and requirements of the covenant with Abraham, or from its very nature, that it still exists as the covenant of the church.

Among the promises of the covenant with Abraham, I have included the memorable promise, first recorded in the twelfth Chapter of Genesis, "In thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed." It is admitted by the more

* In the interpretation above given to the covenant with Abrahâm, I am fully supported by Mr Carson, a late distinguished Baptist writer on the subject. For his statements at length, see Appendix, Note D.

intelligent Baptists, that this is a "gospel promise," and "the ever memorable charter of all the blessings which. Jewish and Gentile believers enjoy through Christ." But then it is insisted that "this promise is not contained in the covenant of circumcision, but in a covenant made with. Abraham twenty-four years before."*

It would seem that the controversy, so far as the covenant with Abraham is concerned, is here brought within narrow limits. If it can be shown that the promise above quoted is a part of this covenant, it can never more be disputed that this covenant comprises the covenant of grace. It will be proved, that the covenant with Abraham is "the ever memorable charter of all the blessings, which Jewish and Gentile believers enjoy through Christ."

It is manifest that God made but one covenant with Abraham. His covenant transactions with the patriarch are spoken of throughout the Scriptures in the singular form. "The Lord thy God will not forget the covenant of the fathers." Deut. iv. 31. "To remember his holy covenant, the oath which he aware to Abraham." Luke i. 72. "Ye are the children of the covenant which God made with our fathers." Acts iii. 25. In these and the parallel passages, the covenant with Abraham is spoken

of as one.

There is as much reason to suppose that God made eight distinct covenants with Abraham, as that he made more than one. God appeared to him and addressed him in covenant language at eight different times;† nor is there anything in the subjects on which he addressed him, which would lead us to fix on two covenants, rather than on eight. Those, therefore, who do not believe that

* Judson's Sermon, p. 24.

Gen. xii. 1 and 7; xiii. 14; xv. 1; xvii; xviii; xxi. 12; xxii. 15.

God made eight distinct covenants with Abraham, have 'no reason to suppose that he made more than one.

It is evident from the similarity of the promises which at different times were made to Abraham, that they all belong to one and the same covenant. The promise of a numerous posterity was made and repeated to him, at no less than seven different times.* The promise of the land of Canaan was made at four different times. The promise of God to be his portion was also made to Abraham, impliedly or expressly, at four different times. And the promise that in him all nations and families should be blessed, was made at three different times. Is it likely that promises so similarly repeated and intermingled should be considered as belonging to more than one covenant? And is it posible to form more than one covenant from them, without putting asunder things which God hath joined together, and doing violence to the sacred text?

These promises of the covenant seem to have been repeated at different times, for the trial and confirmation of the patriarch's faith. Before he was finally constituted the father of believers, and the covenant was sealed and confirmed with an oath; it was necessary that his faith should endure severe trials. And it was highly proper, amidst these trials; that he should be strengthened and supported by repeated promises and encouragements. S

*.Gen. xii. 2; xiii. 16; xv. 5; xvii. 2; xviii. 18; xxi. 13; xxii. 17. + Gen. xii. 7; xii. 15; xv.7; xvii. 8.

Gen. xii. 3; xv. 1; xvii. 7; xxii. 17.

Gen. xii. 3; xviii. 18; xxii. 18.

The process of these covenant transactions, says Dr. Reed, "exhibits a most striking and beautiful climax. In the first instance, we see the blessing confirmed to Abraham and his seed by promise. Gen. xii. 1-3; secondly, the promised blessing is confirmed by covenant, Chap. xv. 18; thirdly, the covenanted blessing is confirmed, by annexing the token of cir cumcision, Chap. xvii. 10; and fourthly, by the oath of Almighty God, Chap. xxii. 16." Reed's Apology, p. 66.