The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1875-09-08
THE ABRAHAMIC COVENANT.

BY REV. H. H. HALVES.

5.
Let US now consider Gods design in max
ing and establishing such covenant as this.
As already intimated, it was to form and
perpetuate the visible church. 1t did not
contemplate Abraham and his seed as all be-
longing to the Church-invisible,- the num-
Der of the actually redeemed. But it sepa-
rated people from the world, organized
them into one body which is visible, social
and ecclesiastical, with peculiar spiritual re-
Nations to God. Again and again We are
taught that in this covenant the word ''seed"
does not embrace all of, and is not confined
to Abrahams natural descendants. For
example: Immediately after the covenant
is given, Abraham pleads, go that Ishmael
might live before thee God answers by a
promise to bless Ishmael greatly in temporal
things "But," said He, "My covenant
sViu establish acith isaac" Accordingly,
Paul teaches lRom. tx: 6-S.) For they
are not all Israel which are of Israel neither
because they are the seed of Abraham, are
they all children; but, in Isaac shall thy
seed be called. That is, They which are the
children of the flesh, these are not the chill
dren of God; but the children of the prom
ise are counted for seed" And Gal. iv: 2S.
Snow we brethren, as Isaac was, are chill
.dren of the promise. (See the whole of
chapters 5 and a. Thus spake " the ApoS-
tie of the Gentiles" And he was speaking
to Gentiles,-telSnq Geaatiles who had none
of Abraham's blood in them, that they were
as Isaac was, the children of the promise, "
and (" the seed of Abraham How clear
does this make it that mere carnal descent
did not entitle any one to membership and
privileges in that covenant Or if we return
to the covenantmaking, we see the same
thing in the additional instructions to Cir
cumcise those whom Abraham bought with
bis money "of any stranger which is not of
thy seed" Then comes the warning that
any man remaining uncircumcised "shall be
cut off from his people; he hath broken my
covenant" So God arranged definitely and
positively to separate from all others a peo-
pie of His own. And in after ages, when
ga stranger" Joined himself to Israel, and
was ~ircumcised, he came not as one of
Abraham's stock, nor as simply member Of
the Jewish commonwealth, but as one of the
Lords people, aud accepting the true God
as his God. But how came this whole ma
ton to be in possession of knowledge about
the true God and the true religion? We see
this as the result Of that covenant of circum-
cision. It's beginning was in the household
of a man of faith. God bound him by this
covenant to keep and train his children for
the Lord. They in turn were to train their
children. And so the truth about God was
preserved and taught from generation to
generation. The covenant privileges, token
and duties were the birthright of every child
in the families of this society. All in this
society were not believers; but faith led the
yay. When Christ came, the whole nation
was apostate, except portion like the re
served "seven thousand which had not bow
ed the knee to Baal." Yet they were Gods
covenanted people. So Paul teaches, Rom
iii: 2. TX: 4. S. By them Gods oraclel
and ordinances were preserved on earth not
withstanding their corruption. And it wal
by this uniting people into compact body
that He secured the growth or perpetuatior
of His truth. So is it now in Gods cove
panted hosts. From father to son the trutl
Of God is handed down. Our covenant rela
ton to God insures this. And it is not tot
much to say that but for this visible church
hound in this covenant, there would be nov
no intelligent knowledge Of God among US
We would be as those described in Roman
1st-True doctrine and true religion ar
preserved and kept alive by those who adher
to this Abrahamic covenant Not that "
are better than others. No. But the knowl
edge of Gods truth and of true duty to Hir
cannot be lost, and must inevitably be con
tinuany spread abroad SO long as parent
submit themselves and subject their childre
to the laws of this covenant This is God
, wisdom 1t is a significant fact that one c
7 the special sins charged upon those whOl
4 God "gave over to a reprObate mind,
= c0vsnant-breakiag! Rom. L: 81. If "
e give up His covenant, We also give up tf
Q safeguard of His truth; and We have no a
9 surance left that we will not one day