Francis Roberts Summary of Cov. Theo.

**Prufrock** · #1 (**permalink**) 04-28-2009, 08:56 PM

I think this, from Francis Roberts, may be one of the best worded and most succinct and clearest summations of the basic structure of Covenant Theology.

Quote:

Quest. II. Whether Abraham and his Seed both among Jews and Gentiles had and have equal share in all these Covenant-Benefits and Priviledges?

Answ. This Question may be resolved 1. More Generally. 2. More Particularly: and both very briefly.

1. More Generally, thus. If we Consider Abraham, and his Seed; whether Primary, Jesus Christ; or Secondary, his Iewish, or Christian Seed; whether really, or apparently such: we may resolve, That Abraham and his Seed being joynt-Parties to the Covenant, are joynt-sharers in the Covenant and Covenanted Priviledges, yet are they not equally and all alike sharers in all and singular those Priviledges Covenanted, forasmuch as they are not all alike interested in the Covenant. For Abraham was as a publike Ordinance from whom in Christ the Covenant and its benefits were to-be convey'd to his Seed. Christ was the Primary and most Eminent Seed, 2 Cor. 1. 20. Gal. 3. 16. on whom the Covenant and the priviledges thereof were founded and setled for all the other Seed. Iews were concern'd in the Covenant, as Abrahams Natural Seed: Christians, as Abraham's Spiritual Seed. The Real Seed of Abraham indeed, whether Iewish or Christian, had not only a visible, but an invisible and saving interest in the Covenant: The apparent and visible Seed of Abraham, that were his Seed by meer outward profession, had and have only a visible interest in the Covenant. And therefore all these do not equally share in all the Covenant-priviledges: but differently and respectively according to their several Covenant-interests and foederal capacities. (Mysterium, Book III, ch. 3, aph. 2, Q.2)