A Short Vindication of Presbytery; With Twelve Essays on the Church (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1843 Excerpt: ...covenant in these passages, the following things may be observed. 1. This was altogether a covenant of promise. It was all laid out to Abraham in absolute promises. There were, no doubt, duties enjoined, which were especially incumbent on him in consequence of God's promises. But these duties are by no means to be considered as conditions, or as stipulations, on the part of Abraham, upon the performance of which he was to obtain the blessings promised; for all the promises run in the most absolute terms, and declare what God would do according to his sovereign pleasure. 2. This covenant was no other, in the principal matter and substance of it, than that covenant of grace which is exhibited to us in the Gospel, though it was established with Abraham in such a way as was suited to the then state of the church, and partly exhibited under the promise of earthly things, as typical of things spiritual and heavenly. A small attention to the promises of it may serve to make this evident. (1.) Here is a promise of Christ, and of the benefit of his mediation. It is Christ, in whom all the nations of the earth would bless themselves; and he is promised as the seed of Abraham, which refers to his incarnation, and his mediation in an humbled state. What measure of knowledge Abraham might have of that mystery we cannot tell. Some instruction about it he had by the sacrifices that had been appointed and offered; by the faith of God's promise about that matter he was justified; and the Apostle shews, that he and all believers are justified in the same way, and on the same ground.1 1 Bom. iv. N (2.) A leading promise of this covenant was, that God would be his God, which cannot be taken in any lower sense than that promise of the new covenant in Heb, viii. 10. It is a prom...