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comprehensive promises of God, as they issue from the election, must be borne in mind in
connection with both Word and Sacrament; that, finally, the essence of the covenant, its full
realization, is found only in the true children of God, and therefore is not more extensive than
the election. Attention should be paid especially to the second point. Besides that everywhere,
where God’s covenant is administered, there is a seal having this content: In the supposition of
the presence of faith, you are assured of the right to all the blessings of the covenant, —
besides that, we say, there is always a solemn testimony and seal, that God will realize the
whole content of the covenant in the elect.” De Verbondsleer in de Gereformeerde Theologie,
pp. 46 f.]
The idea that the covenant is fully realized only in the elect is a perfectly Scriptural idea, as
appears, for instance, from Jer. 31:31-34; Heb. 8:8-12. Moreover, it is also entirely in line with
the relation in which the covenant of grace stands to the covenant of redemption. If in the
latter Christ becomes Surety only for the elect, then the real substance of the former must be
limited to them also. Scripture strongly emphasizes the fact that the covenant of grace, in
distinction from the covenant of works, is an inviolable covenant, in which the promises of God
are always realized, Isa. 54:10. This cannot be intended conditionally, for then it would be no
special characteristic of the covenant of grace, but would apply to the covenant of works as
well. And yet, this is exactly one of the important points in which the former differs from the
latter, that it is no more dependent on the uncertain obedience of man, but only on the
absolute faithfulness of God. The covenant promises will surely be realized, but — only in the
lives of the elect.
But now the question arises, whether in the estimation of these Reformed theologians all the
non-elect are outside of the covenant of grace in every sense of the word. Brakel virtually takes
this position, but he is not in line with the majority. They realized very well that a covenant of
grace, which in no sense of the word included others than the elect, would be purely individual,
while the covenant of grace is represented in Scripture as an organic idea. They were fully
aware of the fact that, according to God’s special revelation in both the Old and the New
Testament, the covenant as a historical phenomenon is perpetuated in successive generations
and includes many in whom the covenant life is never realized. And whenever they desired to
include this aspect of the covenant in their definition, they would say that it was established
with believers and their seed. It should be borne in mind, however, that this description of the
second party in the covenant does not imply that the covenant is established with men in the
quality of believers, for faith itself is a fruit of the covenant. Dr. Bavinck correctly says: “Maar
het verbond der genade gaat aan het geloof vooraf. Het geloof is geen voorwaarde tot het
verbond, maar in het verbond; de weg, om al de andere goederen van dat verbond deelachtig
te worden en te genieten.”[That is, “But the covenant of grace precedes faith. Faith is not a