CHAPTER V.

The second proposition is, That the word covenant in the twenty-seventh verse refers to the covenant made with Abraham, viz. that his seed should inherit the land of Canaan as an everlasting possession.

THE word covenant signifies a compact or agreement between two or more parties. And such was the covenant so often spoken of in the Old Testament, as existing between God and the descendants of Abraham. The Israelites being under obligation to perform the conditions of the covenant, by keeping the law; and God having engaged, on his part, to fulfil certain promises towards them, con

tingent upon the observance of those conditions.

In examining, however, the numerous passages where the word covenant occurs, we shall find it frequently used, on the one hand, merely with reference to the conditions of the covenant, and, on the other hand, frequently with reference merely to the contingent promises.

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For instance, in the following passages the word exclusively applies to the obligations imposed upon the Jews. "This is my covenant which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; every man child among you shall be circumcised *.”. Now, therefore, ye will obey my voice and keep my covenant, then shall ye be a peculiar treasure unto me†. "And he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even ten commandments ." The two tables of

if

* Gen. xvii. 10. † Exod. xix. 5. Deut. iv. 13.

stone containing these commandments, were called the tables of the covenant. And finally, the whole Levitical law was termed the book of the covenant. We find, therefore, frequent passages such as these "They will provoke me, and break my covenant*;" that is, the Levitical law. "For the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars †," &c. Many such passages will occur to the reader, where the expression, breaking the covenant, is applied in rebuke to the Jews for the non-performance of their part of the covenant; and it is in this sense, of the Levitical law, that the word most frequently occurs in the Old Testament. But, on the other hand, we find frequent passages where God, speaking by the mouth of his prophets, uses the expression my covenant, applied exclusively to the promises which

*

Deut. xxxi. 20. † 1 Kings xix. 10.

as

he had engaged to perform towards the Jews as long as they should continue obedient to his will.

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For instance, "I said I will never break my covenant with you*. also established my covenant with them", (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob) "to give them the land of Canaan, the land of

their pilgrimage †." And I shall presently have occasion to cite many other passages bearing the same signification.?

The word covenant, therefore, in the Old Testament, sometimes refers to the conditions of the covenant, sometimes to the promises. It is in the second sense that I consider Daniel to have used the word in the prophecy. Let us then ex

amine

1st. What were the promises which God had engaged to perform with Abraham and his seed.

* Judges ii. 1.

† Exodus vi. 4.

2nd. How far the Jews themselves, when speaking of the covenant, referred to the promises.

3rd. Whether Daniel himself, in the previous part of the chapter containing the prophecy, has not used the word covenant as referring especially to the promise of the land of Canaan.

With regard to the first point, the nature and extent of the promises will be fully seen from the following extracts. "Now the Lord had said unto Abraham, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee: and I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee and make thy name great : and I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee; and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed *."-" And the Lord said unto Abraham, after that Lot was separated