The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1875-09-22
BY REV. H. II. HAYES.


pensations, it does follow that its covenant
and promise remain in force for u.s. We
have seen that the covenant was made
Aud in this we have found the organizing of
the visible Church The FIRST members Of
this society were the believing parent, his
infant sons, and all his household, though We
have no evidence that any but this parent
was possessed of faith. And now what more
reasonable than TO say: As God was the
giVer of that covenant, only He can repeal,
or order its repeal? If any man says it
does not exist in force now, of course he must
show the Thus saith the Lord" for such a
declaration before our faith can accept it..
No objection can be made to this. The
question then arises, Did God ever abolish
that covenant, and so change the constitution
of his visible Church? As We follow the
line of the history We come upon nothing of
any kind which affects the covenant, or
which could do so until we come to the Civ
ing Of the Mosaic law, as it is generally
called. No one can doubt this. Tne truth
is too clear for any denial Did that lasO
set aside the Abrahamic covenant, or its
promise? That famous Srd chapter of Gal
atians gives answer, and the answer is en-
phatic There the Apostle is speaking ex-
pressly of this covenant which he gives to
parents and children both place in the
visible membership of the Church. First,
He declares (verse y who "the children of
Abraham" are. They 'Ohieh are of the
faith Secondly, he shows (verse s. that
Gods promise to Abraham, Z" In thee shall
all nations be blessed, was an actual gospel
promise. Thirdly, the Oh verse shows to
whom the blessing of Abraham extended
"they which be of faith, as opposed to law
workers. Fourthly, in verse IA, he shows
that Christ's coming, so far from abOlishing
the covenant, or ending the duration and ap-
pHcation of its promise, confirmed both to
Geahlesi That the blessing of Abraham
might come on the Gentiles through Jesus
Christ" Filthy, in verse Is. the sacred
and inViolate character of covenant making
is asserted. Even "a mans covenant" must
stand as he makes it. How much more then
must Gods covenant stand as He has made
at S.xthly, the covenant promise was made
to be fulfilled to Abraham's seed in Christ
(verse 16) not to simple numerous posterity
So we have the spirituality of that covenant
again taught, as in Rom. iy: IL. The pro
mise was to be made good through Christ
Eph. Iii: 6. Therefore the cOnclusionis is drawn
in the last verse of this chapter, " And if yt
be Chriss's, then are ye Abraham seed, anC
heirs according to the promise" q" SeVenthly
verse IT, asserts positively "that the pro
mise sOas confirmed before God in Christ
and that "the law, which was four hundred
and thirty years after, cannot disannul, lit
that it should make the promise of none eff
feet" Eighthly, verse Is, declares that tn,
law bad nothing to do with this matter a
all. Aud lastly, in verse %, we see that il
Christ the privileges are enlarged to al
classes and sexes without distinction, instead
of being con6ced to Jewish males, or to thi
sex when any strangers Joined the Lord
people. Here and upon Rom. iv., the argu
ment safely rests. It is demOnstration,-
It is of God, and does not He know? Shal
we argue against Him
That covenant had direct reference t
Christ and to those in connection with Hin
And every member of the covenant is in cor
nection with Him. He is bound to ODE
and confess Christ by the ever present con
mand: "Walk thou before me, and be tho
perfect.
10 this arrangement there is great beauty
God organized His visible church by callin
Abraham, the man of faith-and setting hil
aOith les family apart from the aOOrld. &
marked them as His own. Then in ordt
to secure the continuance of this churcl
each parent in it is commanded to give II
covenant token to his child, so understandir
and acknowledging Gods claim to the chill
as paramount. So. of each generation
Gods claim is to be sealed upon the child
its early infancy. And while the lasl
expired by limitation when Christ cam
His coming only served to "cOnfrm tl
promise made unto the fathers" that " t