(5) The Old or Sinaitic Covenant. The old or Sinaitic covenant was that given by God to the Israelites through Moses. It respected especially the inheritance of the land of Canaan and the temporal blessings therewith connected; but it stood related to the new covenant, as embodying a typical representation of those great truths and blessings which the Christian dispensation un folds and conveys.
In the system of a certain class of theologians great importance is attached to what they have technically called 'the covenant of works.' By this they intend the constitution established by God with Adam, during the period of his inno cence. So far as this phraseology is not under stood to imply that man, even in his sinless state, was competent to bind Jehovah by any condi tions, it cannot be objected to. It seems also to have the sanction of one passage of Scripture, viz. Hos. vi :7. which almost all the best inter preters agree in rendering thus: 'But they like Adam have transgressed the covenant.'
(6) The Covenant of Redemption. Theolo gians have also spoken of 'the covenant of redemp tion,' by which they mean an engagement entered into between God the Father and God the Son from all eternity, whereby the former secured to the latter a certain number of ransomed sinners, as his church or elect body, and the latter engaged to become their surety and substitute. By many the propriety of this doctrine has been doubted: but the references to it in Scripture are of such a kind that it seems unreasonable to refuse to ad mit it. With it stand connected the subjects of election, predestination, the special love of Christ to his people, and the salvation of all that the Father hath given him.
Sometimes a mere human contract is called God's covenant, in the sense of involving an ap peal to the Almighty, who, as the Judge of the whole earth, will hold both parties bound to fulfil their engagement. Compare 1 Sam. xx :8; Jer xxxiv :IS, 19: Ezek. xvii:IS, 19.