Wesley Corpus

61. I suppose you do not imagine that the bare word cove nant, if it occurred ever so often in holy writ, is a proof of any such covenant as this. The grand covenant which we allow to be mentioned therein, is a covenant between God and man, established in the hands of a Mediator, “who tasted death for every man,” and thereby purchased it for all the children of men. The tenor of it (so often mentioned already) is this: “Whosoever believeth unto the end, so as to show his faith by his works, I the Lord will reward that soul eternally. But whosoever will not believe, and consequently dieth in his sins, I will punish him with everlasting destruction.” 62. To examine throughly whether this covenant between God and man be unconditional or conditional, it may be needful to go back as far as Abraham, the father of the faithful; to inquire what manner of covenant it was which God made with him; and whether any reason be assigned of God’s peculiarly blessing Abraham, and all the nations of the earth in him. The first mention of the covenant between God and him, occurs Genesis xv. 18: “The same day the Lord made a cove nant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land.” But this is much more explicitly related in chapter xvii. 1, &c.: “The Lord appeared unto Abram, and said unto him, I am the almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. And Abram fell on his face: And God talked with him, saying, As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy ~mame shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. And I will establish my covenant between me and thee, and thy seed after thee, for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. Every man-child among you shall be circumcised;--it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.