from thence, leaft fhe fhould be confumed by the flame. This covenant, then, was requifite at this time, to preferve the knowledge of the true God in the world, as well as to be a teftimony against thefe manifeft covenant-viola

tions.

3. NOAH, the preacher of righteoufnefs, and principal covenanter in the preceding tranf action, was now dead; and there were but few religious perfons left behind to fupply his place. The moft remarkable among them were Shem and Melchifedec; and Heber, probably, was ftill alive likeways: But, left the true religion fhould die with thefe perfons, this covenant was neceffary to raise up a new covenanted feed, That the Covenant between God and his Church might ever be perpetua ted. Thus God renewed the covenant with Noah's feed, in their generations, which he had ftruck with him in his own perfon; and he continued to be the LORD GOD OF SHEM, AND HIS SEED, from generation to generation *.

*Gen. ix. 26. 27.

PART

As

$ it is better to adapt method to the fubject, than to repeat what has been already advanced, I fhall rather refer the reader to the preceding part than again infert the character of the Parties covenanting in this Here I fhall proceed,-I. To confider the Declarations which God made unto Abram. II. The Occafions of them.-And, III. Their Confirmations.

one.

FIRST, I fhall confider the gracious DECLARATIONS which God made unto Abram.

1. GoD promifed to be Abram's SHIELD. He had lately broken the fhield of Chedorlaomer, king of Elam; but he fecured Abram against any fuch difafter: Said he, "I am thy SHIELD." In all parts of the fpiritual warfare, and in all the fteps of thy peregrinations, my perfections are over thee as a covert, and round about thee as walls of protection. This promife is nobly illuftrated by David: "He fhall cover thee with his feathers; and under his wings fhalt thou truft: his Truth fhall be thy fhield and thy buckler *" What grand

encouragement

encouragement had he to engage every enemy, at God's command, under this armour? It is fufficiently large to ward off every danger; abfolutely impenetrable by all the fiery darts of the devil.

2. GOD announced himself to Abram as his EXCEEDING GREAT REWARD *. Abram generously defpifed the reward offered him by the king of Sodom; but God promised to confer on him a better and more durable fubftance. He promifed to endue him with an intereft in all the perfections of the Deity, as his portion; and alfo in all the perfons of the Godhead. This REWARD must be great, indeed; yea EXCEEDING GREAT, it far tranfcends the most enlarged defires and expectations of the immortal foul; and it is dur able as the lafting ages of eternity.

3. GOD renewed unto him the PROMISE OF A SEED, which had been made in the prece ding covenant, as well as unto Eve and Noah. God promifed to make him a great nation, while, as yet, he had not a single fon. The patriarch, therefore, manifested fome fretfulness, mixed with unbelief, in his reply; but God did not deny him an heir of his own body on this account. Though the accomplishment of the promife was delayed, as a chastisement, per

* Gen. xv. I.

haps,

haps, of his unfeafonable hesitation. Said Abram, "Lord, what wilt thou give me, feeing I go childlefs, and the fteward of my houfe is this Eliezer of Damafcus? Behold, to me thou haft given no feed; and lo, one born in my houfe is mine heir." But God faid, "This fhall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels fhall be thine heir. And he brought him forth abroad, and faid, Look now toward heaven, and tell the ftars, if thou be able to number them: And he faid unto him, So fhall thy Seed be*." The faith of the patriarch, from first to laft, was much excrcifed about this promife: And much depended on the accomplishment of it. Wherefore, God faw meet to unvail it gradually unto him: And it made one advance in this tranfaction, as he was fecured of a feed without adoption. But, as it deferves to be minutely furveyed on all fides, I may observe,

That it includes a multitude of literal feed. This part of the promife received its accomplishment, especially, in the feed of Jacob: The facred hiftorian remarks, that they were as the SAND OF THE SEA. They were feparated from the rest of the world, that this might be manifefted; as well as for another, and ftill more important purpose.That this promife alfo includes an Extraordinary Seed, even the true Meffiah. The literal Seed

were, at first, separated, and afterwards kept together in a body, to be the channel through which this Extraordinary Seed should flow. And the patriarch's faith took up with the Meffiah, even in this edition of the promife; as appears from the object of it: "He believed the Lord, and it was accounted unto him for

-That

righteoufnefs." "He believed the promife, that he fhould have a Seed, and a very numerous one; he believed the Meffiah should spring from this feed; he believed in him as his Saviour and Redeemer; he believed in him for righteoufnefs; and he believed in his righteoufnefs juftifying him before God †.' this promife also includes a Spiritual Seed,—a race of believers, who fhould walk in the footfteps of faithful Abram: "Know ye, therefore, that they which are of the faith, the fame are the children of Abraham ." The Apostle further witneffeth, "That he is the father of all them who believe,-that righteousness may be imputed to them alfo. And the father of circumcifion to them who are not of the circumcifion only, but who alfo walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcifed §." The promife is already fully accomplished with respect to the two firft fpecies of feed; as it refpected a certain end which is now accomplished: