Excerpt from Familiar Survey of the Old and New Covenants: Including a Summary View of the Patriarchal and Levitical Dispensations The subject is unfolded and illustrated in the Various statements and reasonings of the sacred writers, who employ a variety of figures taken from the things Of this life, to elucidate its nature and its Object. But this use Of figurative language, as a medium of illustra tion, is quite a different thing from the use of it literally, to describe the dispensation of mercy. The latter has sometimes led to the use of phraseology, which is more adapted to a series of earthly transactions, than to the sovereign interposition of Heaven for the salvation of men. This, instead of elucidating the subject, produces confused, as well as low ideas Of its spirit and design. The mind gets too much occupied with the nature of a human paction, and with the many designations and relative interests connected with such a compact, - the Simplicity with which the Scriptures exhibit the plan of redemption is greatly Overlooked, and the progress of the learner in Scriptural knowledge, instead of being facilitated, is exceedingly retarded. In strict propriety, there has been but one grand dispensation of grace Since the entrance of sin. This was revealed in different portions, and was connected with different subordinate dispensations but all those portions were parts Of one stupendous whole, and all those dispensations were but the scaffolding of the building. And now that Christ has come, the one great plan of redemption has been fully revealed in the new and everlasting covenant, which has been ratified by his precious blood, and the promises of which, are now in the course of fulfilment through his heavenly ministrations. Heb. 1 - 4; xii. 22 - 24. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

The doctrine of "the covenant of works" arose to prominence in the late sixteenth century and quickly became a regular feature in Reformed thought. Theologians believed that when God first created man he made a covenant with him: all Adam had to do was obey God's command to not eat from the tree of knowledge and obey God's command to be fruitful, multiply, and subdue the earth. The reward for Adam's obedience was profound: eternal life for him and his offspring. The consequences of his disobedience were dire: God would visit death upon Adam and his descendants. In the covenant of works, Adam was not merely an individual but served as a public person, the federal head of the human race. The Covenant of Works explores the origins of the doctrine of God's covenant with Adam and traces it back to the inter-testamental period, through the patristic and middle ages, and to the Reformation. The doctrine has an ancient pedigree and was not solely advocated by Reformed theologians. The book traces the doctrine's development in the seventeenth century and its reception in the eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth centuries. Fesko explores the reasons why the doctrine came to be rejected by some, even in the Reformed tradition, arguing that interpretive methods influenced by Enlightenment thought caused theologians to question the doctrine's scriptural legitimacy.

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