4th. Christ has administered this covenant in three successive modes or dispensations. (1.) From Abraham to Moses, during which he attached to it the ratifying seal of circumcision. (2.) From Moses to his advent, (for the law which was temporarily added did not make the promise of none effect, but rather admin- istered it in a special mode, Gal. iii., 17,) he added a new seal, the passover, emblematic of the atoning work of the promised seed, as set forth in the clearer revelation then vouchsafed. (3.) From Christ to the end of the world, when the promise being unfolded in an incomparably fuller revelation, the original seals are superseded by baptism and the Lord's supper. See below, question 21.
5th. That the Abrahamic covenant was designed to embrace the visible church of Christ, and not his mere natural seed in their family or national capacity, is plain. (1.) It pledged sal- vation by Christ on the condition of faith. Compare Gen. xii., 3, with Gal. iii., 8, 16 ; Acts iii., 25, 26. (2.) The sign and seal attached to it symbolized spiritual blessings, and sealed justifica- tion by faith, Deut. x., 15, 16 ; xxx., 6 ; Jer. iv., 4 ; Kom. ii., 28, 29 ; iv., 11. (3.) This covenant was made with him as the representative of the visible church universal, a It was made with him as the "father of many nations." Paul said it consti- tuted him the " heir of the world," " the father of all them that believe," Rom. iv., 11, 13, and that all believers in Christ now, Jew or Gentile, are " Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise," Gal. iii., 29. b It contained a provision for the intro-
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duction to its privileges of those who were not born of the natu- ral seed of Abraham, Gen. xvii., 12. Multitudes of such prose- lytes had been thus introduced before the advent of Christ, and many such were present in Jerusalem as members of the church under its old form on the day of Pentecost, " out of every nation under heaven/' Acts ii., 5-11.
6th. That the church thus embraced in this administrative covenant is not the body of the elect, as such, but the visible church of professors and their children, is evident, because, (1.) the covenant contains the offer of the gospel, including the setting forth of Christ, and the offer of his salvation to all men (all the families of the earth) on the condition of faith, Gal. iii., 8. But this belongs to the visible church, and must be administered by means of inspired oracles and a visible ministry. (2.) As an in- disputable fact, there was such a visible society under the old dispensation ; and under the new dispensation all Christians, whatever theories they may entertain, attempt to realize the ideal of such a visible society, for Christian and ministerial commu- nion. (3.) Under both dispensations Christ has committed to his church, as to a visible kingdom, written records, sacramental ordinances, ecclesiastical institutions, and a teaching and ruling ministry. Although these are all designed to minister the pro- visions of the covenant of grace, and to effect as their ultimate end the ingathering of the elect, it is evident that visible signs and seals, a written word and a visible ministry, can, as such, attach only to a visible church, Eom. ix., 4 ; Eph. iv., 11. (4.) The same representation of the church is given in the New Tes- tament, in the parable of the tares, etc., Matt, xiii., 24-30, and 47-50 ; xxv., 1-13. It was to consist of a mixed community of good and evil, true and merely professed believers, and the sepa- ration is not to be made until the " end of the world/'
7th. This visible church from the beginning has been trans- mitted and extended in a twofold manner. (1.) Those who are born " strangers from the covenants of promise," or " aliens from the commonwealth of Israel/' Eph. ii., 12, were introduced to that relation only by profession of faith and conformity of life. Under the old dispensation these are called proselytes. Acts ii., 10 ; Num. xv., 15. (2.) All born within the covenant had part in all of the benefits of a standing in the visible church by inheri-
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tance. The covenant was with Abraham and his " seed after him, in all their generations, as an everlasting covenant" and consequently they received the sacrament which was the sign and seal of that covenant. Hence the duty of teaching and train- ing was engrafted on the covenant, Gen. xviii., 18, 19 ; and the church made a school, or training institution, Deut. vi., 6-9. In accordance with this, Christ commissioned his apostles to disciple all nations, baptizing and teaching them, Matt, xxviii., 19, 20. Thus the church is represented as a flock, including the lambs with the sheep, Is. xl., 11, and as a vineyard in which the scion is trained, the barren tree cultivated, and. if incurable, cut down, Is. v. 1-7 ; Luke xiii., 7, 8.