SOME time since, a small pamphlet was published, bear­ing the title of, Conferences on baptism. In answer to this, another has been published, entitled, Remarks on a late WRITER on baptism, by SAND NILES. To evade the arguments for infant baptism, contained in the first publicati­on, Mr. N, as others have been, was obliged to deny, That the covenant of grace was ever made with mankind, and that circumcision was a seal of the covenant, between God and his people; ^† sensible that these, if admitted, would form an insuperable argument for infant baptism. This reduces the controversy to this single point: If God has not instituted the covenant of grace, and does not transact with mankind in it, the baptism of infants is an human invention, and they who inculcate it, teach for doctrine the commandments of men; but if God has instituted it, they who deny it, reject an ordinance of God, and neglect a useful part of christian practice. This shews the importance of the present subject.

As it may assist the reader in understanding the present de­sign, I will hazard a general conjecture concerning Mr. N's ideas on these subjects: if it be not accurately just, the error will be pardonable, as he has not explicitly conveyed them.

Mr. N. supposes, if I understand him, That in the cove­nant with Abraham, God promised and secured the land of Canaan, with many temporal favours, for a possession to his seed. In connection with this, he instituted many religious rites, which were typical of Christ and spiritual blessings. When, therefore, the posterity of Abraham inherited the pro­mised land, and Christ, who was eminently the seen promised, came and completed the work of redemption, the covenant [Page 4]with Abraham was fulfilled—the end of those religious insti­tutions attained, and that whole dispensation disannulled.—Consequently, no visible covenant subsists between God and his people, under the gospel dispensation; nor are baptism and the Lord's supper, seals of any federal transaction between them; but duties, in common with others, which believers are to perform, in obedience to the commands of Christ.

Others consider the covenant with Abraham, as being the covenant of grace, and a perpetual institution to the people of God; in which they transact with him, in a visible and pub­lic manner; and divine ordinances, as confirming tokens or seals of this transaction. This expresses the difference, and introduces the proposed subject, which is, To explain or define the covenant of grace.

That distinct and clear ideas of this subject may be obtain­ed, it should be premised, That covenants suppose parties, im­ply conditions, and are adapted to the end designed by them. It may be further observed, That the scriptures speak of two covenants, without giving either of them any distinguishing name or title. One of these, was eternally made between the father and the son: the other subsists between God and his people. To prevent confusion of thought and language, ^* the former has been denominated, The covenant of redemption: having been concerted between the Father and the Son, with respect to the redemption of the human race. In this, accor­ding to our conception, the Father, viewing the human race as fallen, proposed the incarnation and death of the Son, as the way and means of their recovery. To induce him to a com­pliance, he et before him, in connection with that dazzling glory which this would reflect on the divine character and government, the honour and joy, of redeeming an inconceiva­ble number of miserable sinners, from wrath and hell, and exalting them to a state of dignity and blessedness in his hea­venly kingdom. These appeared to the Son so important, [Page 5]glorious and desirable, that for the sake of obtaining them, he cheerfully consented, humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the CROSS. The other has subsisted between God and men, and been termed, The covenant of grace; to distinguish it from the covenant of works, made with man in his innocent state: and express the infinite condescen­sion and grace of God, in forming it, and receiving man into it, and the important and valuable blessings, he graciously be­stows upon him in it. To explain and understand this, it should be considered, That God made a covenant with man, at least implicitly, in his primitive state: promising him the continuance of his favour, and everlasting blessedness in his presence, as the consequence and reward of perfect obedience to his commands; but threatned to punish disobedience with eternal death. By violating this covenant, he secluded him­self and his race, from all divine favours, upon the basis of law and desert, incurred the divine displeasure, and involved himself and his posterity in an abyss of misery. In this state of horror and despair, God intimated to him, his gracious pur­pose of redeeming and saving him through the interposition of a mediator. He then proposed a new covenant, in which personal merit was excluded, and the atonement of Christ was the basis of his favour and acceptance. He promised pardon and eternal life, as acts of meer grace, to all true believers in Christ Jesus. The prosecution of this glorious device of sa­ving sinners through a mediator, in the external application and use of wisely adopted means and mercies, is the DISPENSATION, and the promise of eternal life to believers in him, is THE COVE­NANT OF GRACE. For a series of ages, God treated with mankind upon this covenant, externally acquainting them with it, by the ministry of holy men, to whom he revealed it, and by whom he invited them into it; but he transacted it, with those who complied with the terms of it only spiritually and personally, without prescribing [...] [...]ition of it, or affixing any visible and public [...] it. But in process of time, he ordained [...] public institution, and transacted with mankind in it, by sensible signs and to­kens, ratifying it by known and established rites.—Concern­ing this we may observe,

[Page 6] I. The parties, God and men.

If it be supposed, that the exceeding guiltiness of man, pro­hibits all federal connection, between him and his God, ^* it will be removed by considering the medium, through which all transactions take place, between an holy God and sinful creatures: through JESUS CHRIST, a blessed centre of agree­ment and communion. The union of the divine and human nature, in his person, or as the scriptures express it, The ful­ness of the God-head dwelling in him bodily, perfectly qualifies him for the important office, of mediating between an offend­ed God and guilty sinners. In him, God is reconciling the world to himself, proposing the most merciful terms and of­fers, and persuading to a compliance, by the most affecting considerations. An apprehension and sense of these, existing in the mind, expel from it that horror and dread, which a con­sciousness of sin and guilt produce, allure and constrain it to a [Page 7]cordial acceptance. Thus, in Jesus Christ, God and men meet and unite: they contract with each other, and walk to­gether, as those who are agreed, in all the endearing expressions of harmony and love.

These subjects were anciently expressed by the sacrifices, offered to God by his people. Noah builded an altar and of­fered sacrifices, And the Lord smelled a sweet savour: this grateful odour arose from the respect this sacrifice had to Christ, who atoned for sin by the sacrifice of himself. And God blessed Noah, and said, and I, behold I establish my covenant with you. ^† So the Lord said to Abraham, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she-goat of three years old, and a turtle dove and a young pigeon. And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece over against the other, but the birds be divided not. And it came to pass, when it was dark, behold! a smoking furnace and a burning lamp! [Page 8]striking representations of the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow, passed between those pieces—In that same day the Lord made a covenant with Abraham. ^‡ That this covenant was represented by these visible signs and figures, is evident from the words of the prophet: And I will give the men—which have not performed my covenant, which they made before me, when they cut the calf in twain, and passed be­tween the parts thereof. ^§ This covenant was renewed, Gen. 17, and solemnly ratified and completed, by a visible seal or token.—We have a similar transaction described, Exod. 24. And Moses sent young men, who offered burnt offerings and sa­crificed peace offerings unto the Lord. And Moses took half the blood and put it in basons, and half he sprinkled on the altar. And Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people and said, Behold, the blood of the covenant, which the Lord hath made with you.—The comment of the apostle, on this passage, ^† evidently shews, that it had respect to Christ, who through the eternal Spirit, offered himself without spot to God. Thus the Israelites visibly entered into covenant with God, through Jesus Christ, typically represented by their offerings. But when the shadows fled away, on the incarnation and sacrifice of Christ, the people of God transacted with him in his cove­nant, without a veil, by professing their faith in him and obedience to his commands: as the words of the apostle teach us, when he says, Ye are not come to the mount which might be touched—but unto mount Sion,—and to Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, which speak­eth better things than the blood of Abel. ^* Which imply, that under the new-testament dispensation, by professing faith in Christ and obedience to his commands, believers enter into covenant with God, as the Israelites did at mount Sinai. Agreeably to these general observations, we find entering in­to covenant with God, to be the distinguishing character of God's people, as constituting those, who, only, will be accep­ted and rewarded in the general judgment: Gather my saints together unto me, those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice. ^‖ This brings me to consider

[Page 9] II. The Terms.

In the covenant which God has instituted, he proposes him­self, as the great good, the blessed portion and reward, to be possessed by those who accede to his terms, and enter into covenant with him. This comprises in it, all that protection, grace and comfort, which shall best subserve the interests of God's kingdom and their own good in this world, and the enjoyment of God forever, in the world to come. The pre­sent comfortable, and the future eternal enjoyment of God, as the all-sufficient, satisfying portion of the soul, is that blessed motive which he proposes, to induce man to comply with the terms or conditions on his own part.

The requisitions or terms on the part of man are, That for­saking all other as the objects of his respect, desire and pursuit, he should make choice of God for his supreme good and chief end, obey his commands and seek his glory, confiding in his grace, through Jesus Christ, for pardon and acceptance. These are implied in the words addressed to Abraham, I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward—I am God almigh­ty; walk before me and be thou perfect. As for me, behold my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations: ^* which contain the sublime subjects of the gospel. The same good to be enjoyed, God, over all blessed forever— Possessed through the same medium, Jesus Christ the righteous; and enjoyed in the same way, the way of holiness, or universal obedience to the commands of God. In succeeding ages, when God gave the Israelites the ten commandments, engra­ven on tables of stone, these were called the tables of the cove­nant. ^† When, in addition to these, he prescribed particular laws and ordinances, which were inserted in a book, it was called, The book of the covenant. And Moses took the book of the covenant and read in the audience of all the people. And all the people answered and said, All that the Lord hath commanded, will we do and be obedient. ^‡ We may consi­der the words of Moses, as an illustration of the terms [Page 10]and manner of covenanting, and the light in which this subject was viewed, Thou hast, this day, avouched the Lord, to be thy God, and to walk in his ways, and to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and to hearken to his voice. And the Lord hath, this day, avouched thee, to be his peculiar people—and that thou shouldest keep his command­ments, and that thou shouldest be an holy people unto the Lord thy God. ^* This public transaction formed the visibly holy, or the covenant people of God. In consequence of it, they had a mutual interest in each other,—God was their God— and they were his people. This connection was expressed by the endearing relation, between the husband and the wife, I am married unto you saith the Lord: And the transgressions of it, by the impure violations of the nuptial bond— Surely, as a wife treacherously departeth from her husband, so have ye dealt treacherously with me, O HOUSE OF ISRAEL, saith the Lord. ^‖

Similar to the terms on which God covenanted with Abra­ham and the Israelites, were those prescribed by Christ, to his apostles, for the admission of members to their communion. They were to preach repentance for the remission of sins in his name; and to teach them, to observe all things, whatsoever he had commanded them: and they who complied with these re­quisitions, who professed faith in Christ, and subjection to his gospel, sustained the same relation to Christ, that the posterity of Abraham did to God, were the covenant people, the Israel of God, ^† under the new-testament, as they were under the old. ^‡ Let us now consider

III. The token or seal of it.

It may be observed, That the terms, token, sign and seal, are of the same import, and are used in the same sense. This is evident from Gen. 17.11. compared with Rom. 4.11. God said to Abraham, It, circumcision, shall be a token of the cove­nant between me and you. This the apostle calls, The sign of circumcision, and says, it was a seal of the righteousness of faith. [Page 11]The consistency of these various terms will appear, only by considering, That the seal of any engagement or contract, is only the completing sign or token of it. When God made a covenant with Abraham, he appointed circumcision to be the token of it. This seal of the covenant, by his particular di­rection, was to be affixed to all the males of his family, both those which were born in his house, and those which were bought with money. As this injunction was connected with the insti­tution of the covenant, if it can be proved, That the cove­nant exists and operates under the gospel dispensation, it will be equally evident, that children are the subjects of the seal of it.—This brings me to observe

IV. That this was a perpetual institution.

That such a covenant subsisted between God and the natu­ral seed of Abraham, is not disputed by any. But as Mr. N. denies and I affirm, that it had respect to the dispensation of the gospel, and should be equally obligatory on the spiritual, as it had previously been on the natural seed of Abraham: the proof of it shall now be attempted. Not to insist, as Mr. N. observes, That the covenants made with Noah and Abra­ham, are expressly declared to be everlasting covenants: and we have occular demonstration, that the covenant with Noah yet exists, as we observe the token of it, The bow in the cloud; and as the covenant with Abraham is expressed in the same terms, we may rationally infer, that it is of equal duration, An everlasting covenant, and according to the original insti­tution, operates equally with the covenant of Noah, in the present, ^* I would observe

[Page 12] 1. This is plainly implied in the predictions of the prophets.

Holy men of old made the gospel dispensation a glorious subject of their prophecy. One of the events which they fore­told, as pertaining to it, was that of other nations uniting themselves with the Jews, as the covenant people of God. From those passages which express this, I select only two, which teach it very plainly, (Isa. 44.5.) One shall say, I am the Lord's, and another shall call himself by the name of Ja­cob, and another shall subscribe with his hand to the Lord, and surname himself by the name of Israel. (Zech. 8.23.) In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirts of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you. That these prophecies re­late to gospel times, and the conversion of the gentiles, is ve­ry evident from their contexts: and it is equally manifest, that they contain two distinct propositions:

(1.) They do very plainly imply, That the posterity of Abraham should exist, under the gospel dispensation, as the visible people of God. This is agreeable to the eleva­ted prophecy of Isaiah, (chap. 54.1.) in which he stiles the gentiles, the desolate, and terms the Jews, the married wife: which the apostle quotes, (Gal. 4.27.) and applies to the gen­tiles termed, the desolate, and the Jews, whom he represents as having an husband. This doctrine, which is thus suggest­ed in the prophecies of the old testament, is plainly implied, and clearly expressed in the observations of the new. It is implied in the words of Christ, Other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: ^* which evidently refers to the Jews: for he was not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. ^† The description of the apostle, very forcibly implies, That the commonwealth of Israel then existed, and that the Jews were the body, or people of God. ^‡ It is implied in these ex­pressions, SOME of the branches were broken off—Blindness in PART is happened to Israel. ^§ The apostle denies, in the most emphatical terms, the total rejection and extirpation of the Jewish church. I say then, Hath God cast away his people? [Page 13]GOD FORBID— God hath not cast away his people which be foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? How he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying, Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars: and I only am left alone, and they seek my life. But what saith the an­swer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to Baal. EVEN SO them at this PRESENT TIME ALSO, there is a remnant according to the election of grace. ^*

(2). That the proselyted, or converted gentiles, should enter into covenant with God, and unite themselves to the Jews, as his people. This is, evidently, the meaning of those ex­pressions, One shall say I am the Lord's, and call himself by the name of Jacob, shall subscribe with his hand to the Lord, as signing a written covenant, surnaming himself by the name of Israel, and taking hold of the skirt of him that is a JEW. This agreeable to those prophecies, Also the sons of the stran­ger, which join themselves to the Lord—and take hold of my covenant. The Lord God which gathereth the out-casts of Is­rael, saith, Yet will I gather others to HIM, besides those that are gathered to him. ^† The words of Christ are of a similar signification, Other sheep I have which are not of this fold, them also must I bring in, and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. ^‡ The descriptions of the apostle suggest an accom­plishment of these predictions. The apostle represents be­lieving gentiles as CUT OUT of the olive-tree which was WILD by nature, and graffed in amongst the Fews, the NATURAL BRANCH, and WITH THEM partaking of the root and fatness of the olive-tree: and affirms, That when the Jews, who were broken off, shall turn to the Lord, they shall be reinstated in their former privileges and relation, or be graffed into their OWN olive-tree. ^§ He describes the gentiles, who were aliens from the common wealth of Israel, and strangers from the cove­nants of promise, as becoming FELLOW-CITIZENS with the saints, and of the houshold of God: as being FELLOW-HEIRS, and of the SAME body; and the gentiles, thus united and incorpora­ted with the Jews, as being FITLY FRAMED together, forming a [Page 14] spiritual house, and growing into an holy temple of the Lord. ^* Thus demonstrably, do scriptures teach, the existence of the posterity of Abraham, as the visible people of God, under the gospel dispensation; and that the gentiles should, and did with them, call themselves by their name, and take hold of God's covenant.

If any addition can be made to these scripture illustrations of this argument, it may be from these words of the apostle, Before faith came we were kept under the law, shut up to the faith, which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith is come, we are no longer a schoolmaster.—Now I say, that the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. Even so we, when we were children, were in bon­dage under the elements of the world: But when the fulness of time was come, God sent forth his son o redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons— Wherefore thou art no more a servant but a son. ^† It is very manifest from the context, that the apostle, in this passage, is considering the state of the church, before the coming of Christ and after it. This he compares to that of a child, edu­cated and trained up for the privileges of manhood and free­dom, and possessing an estate: and if the similitude of the apostle be just, it is as evident, that the church under the old testament dispensation and the new, is the same church, as that the child, grown from a state of infancy to that of manhood, is the same person.

2. The terms, or conditions of covenanting, are the same to believers under the new, that they were to the Jews under the old-testament dispensation. The Israelites were to ac­knowledge no true God, but the God of Abraham, and to obey all his statutes: and there was one law to the home-born and to the stranger. ^‡ Christ made these the terms, on which proselytes should be received into the number of his disci­ples. ^‖ All the difference which can be supposed, is rather of [Page 15]words, than ideas. Between the Jews and the heathen, the dispute was about the deity. The Israelites would acknow­ledge no true God, but their own. The heathen acknow­ledged many other divinities. So the disciples acknowledged Christ to be the only true Messiah. Their opposers denied their doctrine and rejected their faith. This appears evident­ly to have been the same dispute; especially when it is con­sidered, that Christ was the God of Israel: ^* which will make the dispute between the Israelites and the heathen, and the disciples and their opposers, to have been, Whether Christ were the only true God and Saviour, or not?—As the Isra­elites received none into their communion, but those who abandoned all other deities, acknowledged their God, to be the only true God, and conformed to their rules of his worship: so the apostles, as is evident from the instance of Philip and the eunuch, admitted none to their fellowship, but those who professed their faith in Christ, and promised obedience to his commandments. This shews that the requisitions of the apo­stles, for admission to their number, were the same with those the Israelites exacted of strangers, for admission to their privi­leges: and that they were of the same nature with their enter­ing into covenant with God.

3. The same religious ordinances were common to Jews and Christians.

[Page 16] Circumcision among the Israelites, was the token or seal of complying with the terms, and entering into covenant with God: and the passover, of their deliverance from the servi­tude and oppression of Egypt. So baptism is the seal of our discipleship to Christ: and the Lord's-supper of redemption by him. That baptism and the Lord's-supper, are of the same significancy with circumcision and the passover, is evi­dent from this, that they are called by the same name. This is manifest from the words of the apostle, In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in put­ting off the body of sins by the circumcision of Christ. ^* That by the circumcision of Christ, the apostle designed baptism, is evident from the parallel passage, Rom. 6.2. So the Lord's-supper, is the passover of Christ.— Even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast. ^† From which it is evident, that baptism and the Lord's-supper, under the gospel, are the same ordinances with circumcision and the passover among the Jews: or in other words, are the christi­an circumcision and the christian passover: and therefore seals of the same covenant. ^‡

[Page 17] 4. The Jewish and the Christian church are the same holy people, enjoy the same religious privileges, and sustain the same characters and relations.

The scriptures represent Abraham as the common head of all those who believe. The father of circumcised Jews and uncircumcised gentiles, ^* who unitedly compose one houshold of faith, form one religious commonwealth, ^† and are the Is­rael of God, ^‡ the same holy nation. ^‖ Hence, they enjoy the same immunities and privileges, and are blessed with faith­ful Abraham, being nourished by the fatness of the olive-tree. ^§

They sustain the same characters and relations. God was an husband, and the Israelites were his wife. So Christ is an husband, or bridegroom, and the church is his wife, or spouse. ^¶ The congregation of Israel, and the new-testament church (compare Psa. 22.22. with Heb. 2.11.) are equally the brethren of Christ. In like manner, The promises made to the Israelites are applied to believers. Be content with such things as ye have, for he hath said, (Gen. 28.15.—1 Chron. 28.20.) I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, (as Psa. 27.1. and 118.6.) The Lord is my helper, I will not fear what man can do unto me. ^‖‖ The Christian church is the temple of God, as the congregation of Israel was. Te are the temple of God, as God hath said, [...]. 28.18. Levit. 26.12.) I will dwell in them and walk [...], and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

They are equally the children of God: Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord, (Isa. 52.11.) and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you, and I will be a father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters saith the Lord almighty. ^‡‡

5. The whole dispensation of the new-testament is a fulfil­ment of the covenants, made with Noah and Abraham. ^††

[Page 18] Future events relating to the government of the world and of the church, were revealed to the apostle John, who lived in the beginning of this dispensation, and are described by him in the revelation. These descriptions are generally expressed in the terms and figures of the old-testament; and it is ne­cessary to examine their origin, to ascertain their true mean­ing. In his vision he heard a voice, saying, Come up hither, and I will shew thee the things which shall be hereafter. He looked and behold a throne was set in heaven, and there was a RAINBOW round about the throne. ^* From whence was this figure taken? And God said to Noah, Behold I establish my [Page 19]covenant between me and you—This is the token of the cove­nant —Behold I do set my how in the cloud. It being obser­ved, That this bow was formed by the rain which descended from the cloud, it was from that termed, the rainbow. Now when John saw a rainbow round about the throne, the seat of divine government, it naturally suggests to us that covenant of which the bow was the token; and teaches, that the series of events now disclosed to his prophetic eyes, was agreeable to the nature of it—and as the expression, The things which shall be hereafter, comprizes in it, all the revolutions and events which should occur from that period to the end of the world, we may infer, That all divine administrations toward the church, and the whole government of the world, are agreeable to that everlasting covenant which God made with Noah. So John saw a mighty angel clothed with a cloud and a RAINBOW upon his head. ^* This angel, from the description of him, was Jesus Christ: He stood with his right foot upon the sea and his left upon the land, to denote his absolute dominion over them; all things being put under his feet. He lifted up his hand to heaven and sware, that time should be no longer; but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, the mystery of God, those curious and intricate dispensations of divine provi­dence, so inexplicable by human minds, should be finished and come to an end. ^* We are informed, (Rev. 11.15—18.) That the seventh angel sounded, which introduced the general judg­ment: thus teaching us, That conformably to the nature, and under the signature of the covenant with Noah, Jesus Christ will come to judge the quick and dead, and so finish that grand scene which he had been displaying, from the deluge of the world, to the dissolution of the heavens and earth.

It is equally evident, That the dispensations of providence are agreeable to the nature and a fulfilment of the covenant made with Abraham. This is implied in the words of the apostle, This I say, that the covenant which was before CON­FIRMED of God in Christ. ^† —The covenant which God made [Page 20]with Abraham, is in these words expressly declared to have been confirmed in Christ Jesus; and this proves it to have been a gracious covenant, and, as all the transactions between the father and son are, permanent and durable; similar to the promises of God in Jesus Christ, which are YEA and AMEN.— With great propriety therefore might the apostle affirm, That the law, or dispensation of Moses, which was established four hundred and thirty years after it, could not disannul and make it void. And can it be supposed, that Christ should vacate it when it was CONFIRMED in him? That he should dissolve that covenant on earth, which was confirmed in him, in heaven? This is illustrated by another assertion, This I say, that Jesus Christ was the minister of circumcision, for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers. By circum­cision we must understand, either the Jewish nation or church which was termed, The circumcision, ^* to distinguish it from the gentiles who were called, The uncircumcision, or that cove­nant of which circumcision was the seal or token: of this co­venant Jesus Christ was the minister, the officer or agent, and the end for which he sustained this character or office, was to CONFIRM the promises made to the fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, which promises pertained essentially to that covenant which be made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac, and confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, and unto Israel for an everlasting covenant, saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan—and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. ^† —The first of which was accomplished, when Joshua subdued the land of Canaan, divided it among the tribes by lot, and they possessed it—and the other, when Christ com­manded the gospel of the kingdom to be preached to every creature, became the light of the gentiles, and made them [Page 21] fellow-heirs with the Jews, and partakers of his promise by the gospel. It is therefore as inconsistent for a gentile believer to affirm, that the covenant with Abraham is disannulled, when he enjoys the blessings of the gospel in consequence of it, as it would have been for an Israelite to have asserted it, when he was eating the grapes of Eschol, or the milk and honey, of Canaan. So that the new-testament is so far from disan­nulling and abrogating the covenant with Abraham, that it teaches us, that Jesus Christ, the author of it, is the grand officer of confirming and establishing the contents of it, and that under his administration it is brought to its most proper issue and effect.—We may therefore infer, that the work of Christ and his universal government of the church and world, are a fulfilment of the covenant which God made Abraham— As Jesus Christ is the agent of fulfilling the covenant with Abraham, and this is the end of his government and admini­stration, so we are taught, that in officiating as the supreme Judge of the world, he will make this the rule by which he will distribute rewards and inflict punishments.—This is evi­dently suggested in the description of the general judgment— When the apostle in his vision, saw the dead judged, the pro­phets and saints rewarded, and the wicked destroyed, The tem­ple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen the Ark of his testament or covenant, (described Exod. 25.10.) and there were lightnings, and voices, and thundring, and an earth­quake, and great hail. ^† Thus representing Jesus Christ, as judging quick and dead, agreeably to the covenant made with the Israelites in the wilderness, and attended with all the dread­ful appearances, the same terrible exhibitions of divine Maje­sty, which he displayed on mount Sinai when he made it. ^‡

It is manifest from the general observations, That the terms and language of the covenant which God made with his an­cient friend, run through the old and new-Testament, and that according to the universal representation of scripture, the va­rious dispensations of divine providence, relative to the Jew­ish [Page 22]and Christian church, are made subservient to the accom­plishment of the promises, and an actual bestowment of the blessings contained in it.—Let it suffice to add, That the description of the eternal blessedness of the righteous, in the heavenly state, is in the express terms and language of the im­portant promise contained in it,— And they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them and be THEIR GOD. ^†

Thus the covenant of grace has been defined and explain­ed —and so demonstrably evident is it, that it was made with Abraham, and operates under the gospel dispensation. The inference is clear and unavoidable, that the seal of it is to be affixed to believers and their seed, as it was in its original in­stitution.