A discourse of the covenants that God made with men before the law wherein the covenant of circumcision is more largely handled, and the invalidity of the plea for pædobaptism taken from thence discovered / by Nehemiah Coxe.

OF Covenant-Relation TO GOD in General.

CHAP. I.

A General Introduction to the following Dis∣course. §. 1. The particular design of this Chapter proposed. A Covenant to be consider∣ed either on the part of God, as proposed by him, or as Man enters thereinto. God is first in proposing a Covenant to Men. Co∣venant-Interest compleated by Restipulation. No Covenant of mutual benefits betwixt God and Men. §. 2. The general notion of a Covenant as proposed by God. This further explained, with some necessary Consequences of it, in seven particulars. §. 3. God hath

always dealt with men about their future state in a way of Covenant. Some Consectaries of it. §. 4. His Covenant always transacted with some Head, or representative for others. §. 5. Some general Inferences, and Directions for the right understanding of Covenant-Trans∣actions. §. 6.

THE great Interest of Man's present Peace, and eternal Happiness, is most nearly concerned in Religion; and all true Religion, since the fall of Man, must be taught by divine Revelation, which God * 1.1 by diverse parts, and after a di∣verse manner hath given out to his Church, causing this Light gradually to encrease, until the whole Mystery of his Grace was perfectly revealed in and by Jesus Christ; in whom are hid all the treasures of Wis∣dom and Knowledg. And that God unto whom all his Works were known from the beginning, hath in all ages disposed and ordered the Revelation of his Will to Men, his Transacti∣ons with them, & all the works of his holy Providence to∣wards them, with a * 1.2 Respect

unto the fulness of time, and the gathering of all things unto an Head in Christ Jesus therein: So that in all our search after the mind of God in the holy Scriptures, we are to manage our En∣quiries with a respect to Christ. And therefore the best Interpreter of the Old Testament, is the holy Spirit speaking to us in the New; because there we have the clearest Light of the Knowledg of the Glory of God shining upon us, in the face of Jesus Christ, by unveiling those counsels of Love and Grace that were hidden from former Ages and Generations. Nevertheless the greater Light of the New Testament doth no way abate the use∣fulness of the Old; but rather obligeth us the more to an humble and diligent Study thereof; and that (as on many other accounts, so, for this reason also) because the Mystery of the Gospel cannot be throughly apprehended by us, with∣out some good understanding of the Oeconomy of the Law, yea, and also of the State of things before the Law; the mutual respect and dependence of the Old and New Testament being such, as nei∣ther can be understood apart, or without the o∣ther, nor an intire Sys••eme of Truth, as it is in Jesus, collected, but from both.

It must be acknowledged therefore to be of great use and concern to us, to be well acquainted with those Transactions of God with Men, and his Dispensations towards them, that are record∣ed in the sacred History of the first Ages of the World, and the Church of God therein. And

in this Enquiry, I shall at present ingage my self, so f••r as those times reach that preceded the giving of the Law by Moses, and no farther. And in the performance of this (to avoid tediousness in repeat∣ing what hath been by others handled at large, and fully cleared) I shall for the most part confine my self to brief Observations upon the Records of these things, as left to us in the holy Scriptures; and more largely insist on such Passages only, as I conceive not to have been so fully spoken to by others, or at least not handled in that Method and Order, as to me seems most suited to the nature of the things treated of, and so most apt to convey a clear notion of them to our Minds.

§. 2. And forasmuch as those Transactions of God with Men, which in this Enquiry we shall meet with, are of a Foederal Nature, it will be requi∣site that in the first place, something be spoken of Covenant-Relation to God in general.

The original Words whereby a Covenant, ma∣king, striking, or entring into Covenant are signified, with their various use, and ap∣plication to particular Cases * 1.3 and Occasions, have been ful∣ly explained by many; and therefore passing that, as to our present purpose, it will be enough to mind you,

That a Covenant is to be considered, either sim∣ply as proposed by God, or as Man enters therein∣to by Restipulation. For,

1. Whatsoever is transacted in a foederal way betwixt God and Men, God hath the first hand in it. As Christ said to his Disciples in ano∣ther case, that they had not chosen him, but he had chosen them; so may we say, Man hath not at any time entred into Covenant with God, but God hath entred into Covenant with Man; seeing it only belongs to his Soveraign Majesty, and is the fruit of his infinite Goodness to pro∣pose, as of his Wisdom to choose and order the Terms of a Covenant-relation between himself and his Creatures; And therefore the Covenant that he hath made with Men, is frequently in Scrip∣ture said to be the Lord's Covenant, as in Psal. 25. 14. Isa. 56. 4, 6. and other places. Howbeit,

2. Covenant-relation to God, and Interest in him, doth not immediately result from the pro∣posal of a Covenant, and Terms of Covenant-re∣lation to Man; but it is by Restipulation that he actually enters into Covenant with God, and be∣comes an interessed Party in the Covenant; it is a mutual Consent of the parties in Covenant, that states, and compleats a Covenant-Relation; and this is called an avouching of the Lord to be their God; by consent to the Terms of a Covenant proposed to them Deut. 26. 16, 17, 18. a subscribing with the hand unto the Lord, Isa. 44. 5. and taking hold of his Covenant, Chap. 56. 4, 6. The formal notion of a Covenant entred or made, includes Mutual Ingage∣ment. But yet,

3. There can be no Covenant of mutual benefits

betwixt God and Men, as there may be betwixt one man and another; for all Creatures do neces∣sarily depend upon, and have both their Being and Wel-Being from the Bounty of their Creator; there is nothing that they have not received from him, and therefore the most perfect of them can render nothing to him, but what is due by the Law of their Creation. None can be profitable to God, tho' he that is righte∣ous, may be so both to him∣self, * 1.4 and his Neighbour; and therefore none can oblige God, or make him their Debtor, unless he condescend to oblige himself by Covenant or Promise.

§. 3. The general notion of any Covenant of God with Men, considered on the part of God, or as proposed by him, may be thus conceived of, That it is,

* 1.5

A declaration of his So∣veraign Pleasure concerning the Benefits he will bestow on them, the Communion they shall have with him, and the way and means whereby this shallbe injoyed by them.

And for the better understanding of what I intend by this general Description, I shall briefly pro∣pose some particulars, that are either included in it, or are the immediate and necessary consequents of it, viz.

1. It implies a free and Soveraign Act of the Divine Will, exerted in condescending Love and Goodness; it is not from any necessity of Nature, that God enters into Covenant with Men, but of his own good Pleasure. Such a priviledg, and near∣ness to God, as is included in Covenant-Interest, cannot immediately result from the relation which they have to God as Creatures, no not as reasona∣ble Creatures, tho' upright, and in a perfect state; for the Lord owes not unto Man the Good pro∣mised in any Covenant he makes with him, ante∣cedently; but his first Right therein, is freely given him by the promise of the Covenant.

2. The notion of a Covenant adds assurance to that of a promise, as it implies a special Bond of fa∣vour and friendship, which belongs unto Foederal-Interest and Relation; for a Covenant is the foundation of a special Relation betwixt the par∣ties concerned therein; the kind and benefit of which Relation is determined by the Covenant it self, the Nature, Promises, and End thereof.

3. The immediate and direct End therefore, of God's entring into Covenant with Man at any time (so far as concerns Man himself) is the ad∣vancing and bettering of his State; God did never make a Covenant with Man, wherein his Good∣ness to him was not abundantly manifest; yea such is his infinite Bounty, that he hath proposed no lower End to his Covenant-Transactions with Men, then the bringing of them into a blessed State in the eternal Fruition of himself; And

therefore, when one Covenant (thro' the weak∣ness of Man in his lapsed State) hath been found weak, and unprofitable, as to this great End of a Covenant, because insufficient to accomplish it; God finds fault, abolisheth it, and introduceth another, wherein full provision is made for the perfect Salvation of those that have interest in it: Heb. 8. 7, 8.

4. The kindness, and condescending Love of God in entring into Covenant with Man, doth strengthen that Bond of Love and Obedience to God, that he is under by the Law of his Creation, by adding a new Obligation thereunto; And therefore the Sin of Man in breaking Covenant with God rises higher, and is accompanied with greater aggravations, than the bare Transgression of a Law, if no such Covenant-relation had been added thereunto. And therefore,

5. The Revelation of the Counsel of God's Will in a Covenant proposed to Man, is so far from excluding a Restipulation on his part, as that it renders it a necessary duty upon him. It is not in this case as in Foederal Transactions betwixt Equals, where one is at liberty to refuse the Co∣venant offered by the other Party; but the sence of our infinite distance from God as Creatures, and the dependence we necessarily have upon him, and the duty we owe to him by the unalte∣rable Law of our Creation, (as well as our own advantage and profit thereby) obligeth us with holy fear, and thankfulness, to accept both the

Benefits he offers to us, and the Terms on which they are offered, in his Covenant; and diligently to perform what we are by him commanded, and directed to, for the Ends proposed therein. But yet,

6. This Restipulation (and consequently, the way, and manner of obtaining, as also the right in which we claim Covenant-Blessings) must of necessity vary, according to the different Nature and Terms of those Covenants that God at any time makes with Men: if the Covenant be of Works, the Restipulation must be, by doing the things required in it, even by fulfilling its con∣dition in a perfect obedience to the Law of it; and suitable hereunto, the reward is of Debt (under∣stand it not of Debt absolutely, but of Debt by compact) according the Terms of such a Cove∣nant. But if it be a Covenant of free and sove∣raign Grace, the Restipulation required, is an humble receiving, or hearty believing of those gratui∣tous Promises on which the Covenant is establish∣ed; and accordingly the Reward or Covenant Blessing, is, immediately, and eminently of Grace.

7. Therefore the Good and Glory of any Cove∣nant, that God makes with Men, whether it be considered absolutely, or in comparison with a∣nother Covenant, is chiefly to be measured by the Promises and Terms thereof; if one Covenant be established upon better Promises (i. e. either promising a more excellent Good, or in a more excellent Way) then another, it is from thence

denominated, and for that reason to be esteemed, a better Covenant then the other. Heb. 8. 6.

§. 4. And together with these things, it may not be unseasonable in this place, farther to ob∣serve,

That the holy and wise God hath always dealt with the Children of Men in a way of Covenant; the Display of infinite Goodness hath always ac∣companied the discovery of his infinite Glory in his dealing with Men; and therefore he hath not acted towards them, to the utmost Right of his Soveraignty and Dominion over them; had he so done, there had never been any reward of fu∣ture Blessedness assigned, and made Due to their Obedience, as by Covenant there hath been; nor had they been brought into any nearer Relati∣on to God, then that which did result from their Creation by him: But the great God hath not so kept his distance from Man, but that he hath condescended to come to Terms with him; and as he hath required Obedience in some things beyond the immediate dictates of the Law of Na∣ture, by positive Institutions; so he hath been plea∣sed also to oblige himself, beyond the Debt of a Creator, by promise of a bountiful Reward. And hence it follows;

That as all the Worship and Obedience that God hath required of, and accepted from the Children of Men, hath been upon Covenant-Terms; so their Ability, or moral capacity, of walking in

well-pleasing before him, hath been also given to them, or wrought in them, pursuant to the ends of their Covenant-Relation; and therefore must be the inseparable Adjunct (not of the bare proposal of a Covenant to them, but) of that Covenant-Interest in which they have been stated. And of this, the consequence is,

1. That persons once fallen under the guilt of breach of Covenant, are by their own default utterly disabled from yielding any acceptable Obedience to God upon the Terms of that Covenant, which they have violated; and in the Interest of that Co∣venant-relation which is forfeited and lost by them; they remain under the paenal Sanction of the Covenant, but are utterly dispoyled of Strength to answer the Ends of that Covenant, and have wholly lost their Right in the Reward of it.

2. If they be without Strength, with respect to the Condition and end of that Covenant, which once they had Interest in, and Principles suited to; then are they so much more, while they remain in their lapsed state, with respect unto the terms of another Covenant more excellent and mysterious, and wholly supernatural as to the Doctrine and Terms thereof. And therefore,

3. Spiritual Strength, and Ability to please God, can no way be restored to them, but by a new Covenant-interest, and that new Creation which is the adjunct thereof.

§. 5. This also is worthy to be noted by us,

That those Covenants which God hath made, wherein either Mankind in general, or some select number of Men in particular have been concerned, it hath pleased him first to transact with some publick Person, Head, or Representative, for all others that should be concerned in them: Thus it was in the Covenant of Creation, which God made with Adam in his upright State, and with all Mankind in him; and the same is to be observed in the Noachical Covenant; as also in the Covenants made with Abraham, considered either as the Father of Believers, or of the Israelitish Na∣tion; in the interest of a spiritual Relation to him, Believers claim the Blessings of the Covenant of Grace that was made with him; and in the interest of a natural Relation to him, his off∣spring according to the flesh did claim the Rights and Priviledges of that Covenant of Peculiarity which was first made with him as the Head of that separate People; but more eminently, the Cove∣nant of Grace is established in Christ as the Head thereof; all its Promises were first given to him; and in him they are all Yea, and Amen: It is by Uni∣on to him that Believers obtain a new-Co∣venant-interest, and from him they derive a new Life, Grace, and Strength, to answer the Ends of the New-Covenant.

§. 6. Now as it is evident from what hath been already said, that all foederal transactions of God with Men flow only form his good pleasure,

and the counsel of his Will; so upon that ground it is certainly to be concluded, that our Knowledg and Understanding of them, must wholly depend upon Divine Revelation; none can pretend acquain∣tance with the Secret of God, but as he hath pleased to reveal it in his Word; this Light must guide all our Inquiries after it; and our sentiments of things of this nature must be strictly governed by this Rule; seeing the nature of them is such as tran∣scends the common Principles of Reason or natu∣ral Light, inasmuch as they owe their original to the free acts of the divine Will and Wisdom, which are unaccountable till revealed by God himself; and therefore it becomes us to captivate all our thoughts of them, to the obedience of Faith, as knowing that Learning, and Strength of parts (tho' of excellent use in their place) not guided by Scripture-light in these Inquiries, can only form an ingenious error, and lose a Man in the Labyrinth of his own Imagination, and uncer∣tain guesses; seeing the single advantage of those assistances (in this case trusted to, and stretched beyond their line) can reach no further than to enable him cum ratione errare; and so to wander from Truth, in a Path seeming more smooth, tho' no less dangerous, than others light upon.

And therefore in these things lies the Spring of most Mistakes, and corruption of Doctrine and Practice in matters of Religion; Men do easily find out, and agree in the true dictates of the Law of Nature, but in things pertaining to the

Covenants of God, how various are their Senti∣ments! Yea many great, learned, and good Men have been divided in their Judgments about some things of great importance to the Faith and Edification of the Church, tho' not absolutely necessary to her Being; and some one error admit∣ted about the nature of God's foederal transacti∣ons with Men, doth strangely perplex the whole Systeme, or Body of Divinity, and intangle our interpretation of innumerable Texts of Scripture; and by this means Jars and Contentions have been perpetuated in the Church, to the great grief and hindrance of all, the offence of the weak, and greater scandal of the blind World; and all this hath been much occasioned thro' the want of a due and humble attention to that Revelation of Truth which God hath given us in the holy Scriptures, and indeavouring to collect the mind of God from thence without prepossession of Judg∣ment (which is a greater occasion of these mis∣takes then Men are generally aware of) and a careful avoiding the undue mixture or confusion of things natural, with those that are purely of a foe∣deral nature.

Forasmuch then as the Covenant of God is his Secret, and he only can make us to know it; and yet our Faith and Practice, Comfort, and Holy∣ness, is nearly concerned in a good acquaintance with it, we need no other Motive to a diligent and humble search of the Scriptures, for the right informing of our Judgment thereabout; nor no

other Caution not to attribue overmuch to our own Wisdom or Abilities, but to manage all our Inquiries with earnest prayer to God for that holy spirit of Light and Truth, who only can lead us into all this Truth, and bring us to a clear acquaintance with the mind of God con∣cerning it.

Of God's Transactions with Adam. CHAP. II.

The Importance of this Enquiry, the method proceeded in stated. §. 1. The original state of man; the Law that he was made under, both moral, and positive; the sanction of this Law, and the Reward proposed to him. §. 2. That he had a promise of Reward farther asserted and proved. §. 3. Some farther re∣marks upon this Transaction; Reward and Punishment not alike necessary; the sancti∣on of the Law by the Curse most expresly mentioned, and why it was so. §. 4. Adam a publick person, the consequent hereof. §. 5. That Transaction with Adam of a foederal nature; proof that it was so. herein consists the Mystery thereof; §. 6. The general nature of

this Covenant; Man left to the freedom of his own Will under it; his mutability, the ori∣ginal of Sin. §. 7. The sin of our first Parents; some Remarks thereupon. §. 8. The state and condition of Man fallen, described in seve∣ral particulars; the death threatned in the sanction of the Law was eternal death; two reasons urged for the proof of it; §. 9. The Mercy of God to fallen Man; two things premised to the consideration thereof, §. 10. God holds a treaty with man; the issue of it; A Promise of Redemption implyed in the commination of the Serpent; A re∣straint and modification of the Curse ensuing thereon; this the occasion of temporal Death; the institution of Bloody Sacrifices; the Covenant of Grace not made with Adam as a publick person; §. 11. The state and con∣dition of Adam's Posterity after the Fall, described in some particulars; §. 12.

§. 1. IN the former Chapter, I have briefly touched upon some things of a more ge∣neral nature, which I thought needful to be pre∣mised to the handling of those Particulars which are to follow; and now my work is to consider the first state of Man, an account of which is to be taken from the state of Adam, in whom the

world of Mankind was Epitomized, and in the Transactions of God with him, the Relation he had to God with the Event and Issue thereof, we are all most nearely concerned; for the right under∣standing of these things, is not only necessary in order to, but lies in the very Foundation of all useful Knowledg of our selves, and of the mind of God in all Revelations, that he hath in following Ages made of his Will and Counsel to the Chil∣dren of Men, either before, or in the Law of Mo∣ses, or by the word of the Gospel. The igno∣rance of this that was in them, is apparently the reason of the Blindness, and miserable Mistakes of the wisest Heathen Philosophers, in a thou∣sand other things of the greatest Importance; if a Man miss the right account of this, he is cer∣tainly bewildred in all after search for that Truth which it most concerns him to know; and there∣fore it behoves us with all diligence to observe what the Holy Ghost hath left upon Record for our Instruction in this matter: The Discourse of which, may be reeferred to these three Heads.

• 1. The Condition of Adam before he sinned.
• 2. His Sin, and the immediate Consequents thereof. And,
• 3. How God dealt with him in his fallen State: of each I shall discourse but very briefly: And first,

§. 2. Concerning the Condition of Man before his Fall, we may observe these things;

1. That God made him a reasonable Creature, and indued him with original Righteousness, which was a Perfection necessary for the enabling of him to answer the End of his Creation; and emi∣nently in this respect, he is said to be created in the Image of God, Gen. 1. 26, 27. and to be made upright, Eccle. 7. 29. which Ʋprightness or Recti∣tude of Nature did consist in the perfect Harmony, of his Soul, with that Law of God which he was made under, and subjected to: which was,

1. An eternal Law, and invariable Rule of Righteousness, whereby those things that are a∣greeable to the Holiness and Rectitude of the Di∣vine Nature were required, and whatsoever is contrary thereto was prohibited; which Law was to Adam, internal and subjective only being com∣municated to him with his reasonable Nature * 1.6 and writ∣ten in his heart, so as that he needed no external Revelation to perfect his Knowledg of it. And therefore in the Histo∣ry of his Creation there is no other account given of it but

what is 〈…〉〈…〉 which 〈…〉〈…〉 have 〈…〉〈…〉 that he was made in the Image of God, which as the Apostle reacheth us doth con∣sist in Righteousness and true Holiness, Eph. 4. 24. The Sum of this Law was afterwards given in ten Words upon Mount Sinai; and yet more briefly by Christ, who reduceth it unto two great Commands respecting our Duty both to God, and our Neighbour, Mal. 22. 37-40. And this as a Law and Rule of Righteousness is in its own Nature immutable and invariable, as is the Nature and will of God himself, whose Holiness is stampt thereon, and represented thereby.

2. It pleased the 〈…〉〈…〉 Majesty of Heaven; to add into the eternal Law a 〈…〉〈…〉, wherein it charged Man not to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the Fruit of one Tree in the midst of the Garden of Eden, which Tree was called, The Tree of the Knowledge, of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and Evil, Gen. 2. 16, 17. chap. 3. 3. The 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of this Fruit was not a thing evil in it self, but 〈◊〉〈◊〉 was made so by divine Prohibition; and therefore it was necessary that the Will of God concerning this, should be expresly signified and declared unto Man, who otherwise by the Light of Nature, had been no more directed to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 from the Fruit of this Tree, then of any other in the Garden, nor indeed had he been un∣der any Bond of Duty thereunto. But the Com∣mand being once given forth, this positive Law had its Foundations 〈◊〉〈◊〉 laid in the Law of Nature, it being an 〈…〉〈…〉

That it is a most righteous and reasonable thing that Man should obey God, and that the Will of the Creature should ever be subject to the Will of the Creator.

And therefore the Heart of an upright Man could not but naturally close with, and submit to the Will of God by any means made known unto him; and there can be no Transgression of a positive Precept, without the Violation of that eternal Law that is written in his Heart.

Secondly, This Law was guarded by a Sancti∣on, in the threatning of Death to the Transgression thereof, Gen. 2. 17. which Commination is de∣livered in Terms denoting the utmost Misery that can befall a reasonable Creature, and the highest cer∣tainty of its befalling him in case of his Transgressi∣on; In the day thou eatest thereof (saith the Lord) in dying thou shalt dye. And this Sanction belonged not only to the positive Precept unto which it was expresly annexed, but also to the Law of Na∣ture, the Demerit of the Transgression of which Law, is known to man by the same Light as the Law it self is known to him; and this is made good by the experience of Mankind even in their fallen State, who do not only find some re∣maining Notions in themselves of the difference of Good and Evil, and some sense of their Duty to embrace the one, and eschew the other, but also have a Conscience of Punishment due to the Transgression of these Dictates of their Reason: And these Notions are connatural to them, and

therefore to be observed as well in those that have not, as in those that have the Light of a written Law to guide them; Rom. 1. 32. chap. 2. 15. And if it be thus with fallen Man, then much more, as the Law it self, so also the Sanction thereof was perfectly and distinctly known unto Adam in his upright State, whose Conscience was pure, and his Mind irradiated with a clear Light, as being perfectly free from those dark Fumes of sensual Lust wherewith the Reason and Judgment of his lapsed Offspring is darkned and perverted.

Thirdly, Adam was not only under a Commi∣nation of Death in case of Disobedience, but had also the Promise of an eternal Reward, on condi∣tion of his perfect Obedience to these Laws; which Condition if he had fulfilled, the Reward had been due to him, by vertue of this Compact that it pleased God to condescend unto for the incouraging of Man's Obedience, and the ma∣nifestation of his own Bounty and Goodness.

§. 3. Now that such a Promise of Reward, was given to Adam, and indeed implyed in the Com∣mination of Death in case of Disobedience, may be concluded;

1. From the State, and Capacity in which God set him; which was a state of Tryal in a way to eternal Happiness, under a Law of Works and exercise of Obedience; which we cannot conceive of, but as in order to some Reward and highest

End, proposed to him, and in this way attainable by him.

2. From the natural 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of Men; to expect the Reward of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Blessedness, for their Obedience to the Law of God, and to stand be∣fore him upon 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of a Covenant of Works, which must necessarily 〈…〉〈…〉 Relation to God in such a Covenant at 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to which the Promise of such a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 did ••••long and the Knowledg of these Covenant-Terms com∣municated to him, together with the Law of his Creation.

3. From the Sacramental Ʋse of that Tree in the Midst of the Garden of Eden, which was cal∣led the Tree of Life, because institute of God for a Sign and Pledg of that eternal Life, which Adam should have obtained by his own personal, and perfect Obedience to the Law of God, had he continued therein; and that this Tree was ap∣pointed by God unto such an Use, and End, is col∣lected,

1. From the Allusion that Christ makes there∣unto in the New Testament, 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 2. 7. where he promiseth and eternal Reward, to him that over∣cometh, in there 〈◊〉〈◊〉, I will give him 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the Tree of Life, which is in the midst of the Para∣dise of God: The reason of which is taken from God's Appointment of this Tree to be an assurance of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Life to Adam upon the Terms and Condition of a Covenant of Works, and the Ana∣〈…〉〈…〉 of that Reward which Christ gives to his

faithful ones upon Terms of another Covenant, which Analogy consists in the general Nature of an eternal Reward promised, tho' there be not an Identity, or perfect Agreement in the Degree or par∣ticular Kind thereof: I will not pretend exactly to determine the Mode or Degree of that Blessedness which was set before Adam by the Covenant made with him, whether it was a Confirmation in his present State (which was very happy) or a Translation to a better, when the Course of his Obedience in this, was run out; however it seems reasonable to conclude that it was in some respects short of that Glory we are called to by Jesus Christ; but they both agree in the notion of an eternal, and in its kind, perfect Happiness; and therefore the one is expressed by those Terms that relate to a former Assurance of the other.

2. From the Method of God's dealing with Adam in reference to this Tree, after he had sinned against him, and the Reason thereof assigned by God himself, Lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the Tree of Life, and eat, and live for ever. You may read an account of the whole, Gen. 3. from Verse 22th, to the End. We are not to suppose that Adam could indeed have obtained eternal Life, by eating of the Fruit of that Tree, after he had sinned against God; but the whole Scheme of that Discourse is Ironical; and as I take the foregoing Words * 1.7 Behold the Man is become like one of us, to be an holy upbraiding of the

Folly of Man in aspiring to such a State, by the Breach of God's Law, upon the Credit of the Devil's Suggestion; so I take these Words also to intimate a farther Delusion that fallen Man was in danger of, by entertaining an Opinion (that vain Man is on any pretence ready to nourish in himself) of his being in a Capacity yet to reco∣ver his forfeited Happiness this way, or by any o∣ther Work of his own; howbeit they teach us what was the Ʋse and End that this Tree was at first designed to, as also that Adam was not ignorant thereof, tho' now he was to be taught the utter impossibility of obtaining Life by a broken Cove∣nant, by the guarding, and prohibiting all access to, that Tree, by the Cherubins flaming Sword, that turned every way to keep the way of the Tree of Life.

3. This also must not be forgotten, that as Moses's Law did some way include the Covenant of Creation, and serve for a Memorial thereof (on which account all Mankind was concerned in its Curse) it had not only the Sanction of a Curse awfully denounced against the Disobedient, but also a Promise of the Reward of Life to the Obe∣dient; now as the Law of Moses was the same as to the moral Precept, with the Law of Creation, so the Reward in this respect proposed, was not a new Reward, but the same that by Compact had been due to Adam, in case of his perfect Obedience.

§. 4. From what hath been said (I conceive) it is manifest, that Adam was set in his way but not actually brought to his eternal Rest, in that State wherein he was created; being capable of, and made for, a greater Degree of Happiness then he immediately enjoyed, which was set before him as the Reward of his Obedience by that Co∣venant wherein he was to walk with God; and of this Reward thus set before him, these things are farther to be observed;

1. That altho' the Law of his Creation was attended both with a promise of Reward, and a threatning of Punishment, yet the reason of both is not the same, nor alike necessary; for the Re∣ward is of meer Soveraign Bounty, and Good∣ness, and therefore might have been either less or more, as it pleased God, or not proposed at all, and yet no Injury done; but the Punishment threatned is a Debt to Justice, and results imme∣diately from the nature of Sin with reference to God, without the Intevention of any Compact; it is due to the Transgression of a Divine Law as such, and therefore still due to every Transgrssion of it, even by those that are already cut off from hope of Reward by former Breach of the Cove∣nant; and as it may not be more then the Offence deserves without Injury to Man, so neither may it be less, without a Diminution of the Glo∣ry of Justice, by the strict Rule of which it is al∣ways measured: that Death therefore which was threatned in the Curse, is in a strict and proper

Sence the wages of Sin; Rom. 6. 23.

2. In the History of this Transaction, as left upon record by the Holy Ghost for our Instructi∣on, we have a more particular and express Men∣tion made of the Curse threatned, than of the Reward promised, and so a more distinct Notion of that conveyed to our Minds then of this, altho' we have reason to think both were known to Adam with equal clearness; and this may be, because it more concerns us to be thro'ly hum∣bled under a Sense of the present Misery of Man∣kind in their lapsed State, then curiously to en∣quire after the particular Mode, or Degree of that Blessedness which was once proposed, but can never be obtained by us in the Interest of that Covenant, which first gave Man a Right thereunto.

§. 5. In this Transaction of God with Adam, he is not to be considered in a private Capacity, or as one concerned for himself alone; but God treat∣ed with him as the common Root and Representative of all Mankind, that were to spring from him according to the ordinary course of Nature, and were then reckoned to be in him both as a natu∣ral, and Foederal Root; and therefore in his stand∣ing all Mankind stood, and in his Fall, * 1.8 they all sinned, and fell in him, for by the Dis∣obedience of one many were made Sinners; Rom. 5. And in this respect he is said to be the Type, and

Christ the 〈◊〉〈◊〉, or, the Figure of him that was to come; because as Adam's Sin is imputed to all that were in him, and so the Judgment is come upon all unto Condemnation, that were repre∣sented by him; so also the Obedience of Christ is imputed to all that are in him, and the free Gift redounds upon them, unto the Justification of Life, by vertue of their Union to, and Com∣munion with him.

§. 6. From these things it is evident that God dealt with Adam not only upon Terms of a Law, but in a way of Covenant, and that this Transaction with him was of a Foederal Nature; and altho it be not in Scripture expresly called a Cove∣nant, yet it hath the express Nature of a Covenant, and there is no reason for Ni••••••y about Terms; where the thing it self, is sufficiently revealed to us; there is no express mention of a Covenant of Grace, before Abraham's time, and yet the thing is certain and clearly revealed in Scripture, that all who were saved before his time, were interested in such a Covenant, and saved only by the Grace thereof. The Evidence of Adam's Co∣venant-Relation to God, may briefly be summ'd up thus,

1. It is probable, in that God set him, not only under the necessary Law of his Creation, but added thereunto a positive Law; which we may observe in all his After dealings with Men to be an adjunct of a Covenant Transaction. But hen,

2. It is certainly concluded from that Promise of Reward, and the Assurance thereof, that was given to Adam, which he could never have obtain∣ed, but by God's condescending to deal with him upon Terms of a Covenant.

3. It could only be upon the account of such a Covenant, that his Posterity should be concern∣ed as they were, in his standing, or falling; let the first be denyed, and the latter is altogether unaccountable, for had he only been under a Law to God, his Sin had remained upon himself, and could not have redounded upon the whole World of Mankind, as now it doth by a just Imputation, no more then the Sin of any parti∣cular Person, can now be imputed to another Man that is not actually guilty thereof, at least the Sins of immediate Parents unto their Chil∣dren.

And herein lies the Mystery of the first Trans∣action of God with Man, and of his Relation to God thereupon, which did not result immedi∣ately from the Law of his Creation, but from the Disposition of a Covenant according to the Free, So∣veraign, and wise Counsel of God's Will; and there∣fore tho' the Law of Creation be easily understood by Men, and there is little Controversie about it amongst those that are not degenerate from all Principles of Reason and Humanity; yet the Co∣venant of Creation, the Interest of Adam's Posterity with himself therein, and the Guilt of original Sin redounding upon them thereby, is not owned

by the generality of Mankind, nor can be under∣stood but by the Light of Divine Revelation; nor is the Heart of Man humbled unto a due Ac∣knowledgment of it, by a clear and deep Conviction, but by a Work of the Holy Ghost. And while Men will measure this Counsel of God by their own narrow and dark Reason, and refuse to submit their Sentiments thereabout, to the Revelation of his Soveraign Pleasure, his unaccountable Will, and Wisdome, they must necessarily fall into grievous Mistakes, and fill the World with fruitless Contentions thro' their darkening of Counsel, by words without Know∣ledg.

§. 7. This Covenant that God made with Adam, and all Mankind in him, as to the Terms and Condition of it (we see) was a Covenant of Works; with respect to immediate Priviledg and Relation, it was a Covenant of Friendship, and with regard to the Reward promised, it was a Covenant of rich Bounty and Goodness; but in∣cluded not, nor intimated the least Iota of pardon∣ing Mercy; but as while the Law of it was per∣fectly observed it raised Man within a Degree of the Blessed Angels, so the Breach of that Law inevitably brought him under that Curse which did sink him to the Society of Apostate Devils, and left him under a Misery like to theirs.

2. Under this Covenant Man was left to the Freedom of his own Will; It was in his own

Power and Choice, either to obey, and be eter∣nally happy, or to sin and so expose himself to eternal Misery; he was not so confirmed in Grace, as that he could not sin and dye, but he was in∣dued with that Power, and Rectitude of Nature, as that he might not have sinned, nor ever dyed, tho' he had not a non posse peccare, and so a non posse mori; yet he had a posse non peccare, and so a posse non mori; he was a perfect tho' a mutable Crea∣ture, and had all possible advantage of moral ••••••∣sion to make him constant in his Obedience; he could not be without a clear Conviction of the greatest Obligation thereunto, both in point of Duty and Gratitude, towards his Creator, and Covenant-God; he had present Happiness, and future Hope in the way of his Duty; and fair warning of the Misery that Sin would bring upon him, in the denouncing of that Curse which was the Sanction of the Law given unto him; and yet when the time of Trial comes, all this pre∣vails not against the Temptation, but his Muta∣bility becomes the Original of that Original Sin, whereby himself, and in him the World of Mankind, were ruined and made miserable.

§. 8. The next thing therefore to be enquired into is, The Sin of our first Parents, and then State and Condition thereupon.

As to the first, Their Transgression was actu∣ally compleated, by eating of the Fruit of the Tree of Knowledg of Good and Evil concerning which

the Lord had commanded them that they should not eat thereof; Gen. 3. 6. and with respect to this let it be observed,

1. That it was by the Breach of a positive Law that Mankind was lost: This was the Door thro' which Sin, and all the Miseries consequent thereto, invaded, and by their Entrance ruined this lower World.

2. In that Man fell by the Transgression of this Positive Precept, his Breach of Covenant with God was so much the more conspicuous; inas∣much as this Precept belonged not immediately, and necessarily to the law of his Creation, but was superadded thereto, as a special Term and Condition of his Covenant-Relation.

3. The Breach of this positive Law doth sup∣pose and necessarily infer, a Violation of the eter∣nal Law of his Creation; this Transgression was a total Apostacy from God, and in it all con∣ceiveable Wickedness was included, even the lust of the Flesh, the lust of the Eyes, and the pride of Life; 1 Joh. 2. 16. yea all the Villanies that to this day have been, or ever shall be perpetrated in the World, are the genuine Fruit thereof; and upon a strict search its Aggravations will be found to be unaccountable.

§. 9. The State and Condition of Man thus fallen, is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to be enquired into; and that was midst miserable and dreadful; for having af∣ter this ma••••ier broken Covenant with God, by

a wicked and wilful Transgression of his holy Law,

1. He thereby utterly forfeited and lost all Covenant-Interest in God; he could no more claim a Right in, or hope for, that Reward which was promised on Condition of his perfect Obedience to the Law of that Covenant, which God had made with him; but immediately fell under Guilt, being by the Sentence of his own Con∣science bound over to punishment, under the just Wrath of the Almighty; and therefore he dread∣ed nothing more then the Approach of God to him, Gen. 3. 8, 9, 10.

2. He did not only forfeit his Right, and pre∣sent Relation to God by this Sin, but moreover he was thereby rendred uncapable of true Hap∣piness, inasmuch as he was now apostatized from a Covenant of Friendship, to a State of Enmity against God, and Alienation from him, which is the necessary Adjunct of Wickedness; He fell under the Dominion of Sin; and that I∣mage of God wherein he was created, was in a manner wholly defaced; he sinned and fell short of the Glory of God; Rom. 3. 23. And now instead of that original Righteousness where∣with he was at first beautifyed, there was nothing to be found in him, but abominable Filthiness, and horrid Deformity; his Mind was covered over, yea possest with hellish Darkness, Hatred of God reigned in his Heart, and his Af∣fections were no longer subject to right Reason▪

but became vile, and rebellious; and in this State it is evident, he must be utterly uncapable of Communion with God, and of the Fruition of him, wherein alone the true Happiness of a rea∣sonable Creature doth consist.

3. The Curse of the Law in its utmost Rigour, and prime Intendment, was immediately and only due to him; and no less then the utmost Exe∣cution thereof was every Moment to be expected by him; and that was Death, even the worst of Deaths, eternal Death, which is,

An everlasting Punishment of Soul and Body, under the wrathful Vengeance of a provoked Deity.

Now that this was the prime Intendment of the Threatning, might be evinced by many Rea∣sons, but at present I shall content my self with the mention of two only.

1. This Punishment will be inflicted on many of the ungodly Posterity of Adam who have been guilty of no other Transgression but that of the Light and Law of Nature; such were those wicked Heathens that Paul speaks of Rom. 1. 20. &c. and Chap. 2. 6,—16. who, tho' they never had the Law written, or knew of any repeated Promulgation thereof, (and therefore we may conclude them much more unlikely to be acquain∣ted with the new-Covenant and its Terms) yet being a Law to themselves, were for the Trans∣gression of this Law lyable to this Punish∣ment: Now this Punishment must be the Fruit of that Curse which is the Sanction of that Law

which they were under, and which was transgressed by them, which was the Law of Creation, even the same Law that Adam was made under; and if the Law be the same, the same Penalty was incurred by the Transgression thereof; and if they are liable to eternal Death for the Transgressi∣on of this Law, there is no rational doubt but Adam was so.

2. If the just Demerit and Wages of Sin was con∣tained in the threatning (as no doubt it was) it could be no less than an eternal Punishment that was threatned; for if that be not the Desert of every Sin, it cannot be due to any Sin; for the Reason why the Punishment of any Sin is eternal, is that the Penalty inflicted on the Sinner may be adequate to the Offence; the Punishment hath an Infinity in its Eternity, because the Fault is infinitely aggravated, and that can only be in re∣gard of its Object; there is nothing that can be an infinite Aggravation of Sin, but its being committed against a God of infinite Greatness, Glory, and Goodness; and this Aggravation attends every Sin, as it is Sin against God, and tho' other Circumstances may increase the Provo∣cation, and so intend the Degree of the Sinners Pain, yet none but this can reach Infinity: The Punishment therefore due to Adam for Sin against God, could be no other or no less then eternal Death, which is that intended in the Sanction of the Law given to him.

Fourthly, The whole Creation of this visible

World became lyable to Destruction with fallen Man, as an Inheritance forfeited by his Treason against the Supream Majesty: By the Sin of Man the Frame of Earth, and the Heavens made for his Service and Delight, was loosed, and their Foundations so shaken, as would have issued in an utter Ruin, had not Christ interposed and upheld the Pillars thereof; Psal. 75. 3. with Heb. 1. 3. and if the Curse had been immediately executed in its Rigor, with these Desolations following thereupon, there had been an Hell ready prepared for Man; for suppose, I pray you, all the Lights of Heaven to be put out, the whole Order, Sym∣metry, and Beauty of the Creation to be destroy∣ed, and all reduced to a Chaos of Confusion, and horrid Darkness about Man, and the burning Wrath of God kindled upon him, now cast into the Jaws of eternal Despair, and tormented by a Worm that never dyes, (think I say of this) and you will hardly be able to conceive of a state more dreadful and dismal than this, that Man stood at the very Brink of.

Fifthly, In this Condition Man was altogether helpless and without Strength, being utterly disa∣bled to stand before God upon Terms of a Cove∣nant of Works, and as uncapable to bring him∣self upon other Terms with God; for he was not able to move one step towards a Reconciliati∣on with God, or the ransoming of himself out of these Miseries: The Door of Repentance was not opened to him by the Covenant of Creation,

or if it had, there was in him now neither Power, nor Will to enter in thereat; He was utterly disabled from obeying God acceptably upon a∣ny Terms, until made a new Creature: And therefore it was impossible, not only that this Covenant now broken should be renewed with him, or any of his Posterity, for the same Ends, and in the same manner as it was at first made with upright Man; but moreover that ever any Covenant should be immediately stricken with him or them, wherein fallen Man should have been the first, and immediate Covenanter with God for himself, as Adam was in his State of Integri∣ty.

§. 10. Thus miserable (yea more than we have expressed, or can express) was the State of fallen Man; Let us now see how the bound∣less Mercy of God was revealed unto him, when he was thus lost, and miserably ruined by his own Sin. And for the better understanding of what is to follow, I shall premise two things, which are necessary to be kept in our Eye.

1. That the infinitely Wise and Gracious God, who from Eternity foresaw the Fall of Man, had also from Eternity a gracious Purpose in himself, according to the Coun∣sel of his own Will, to redeem * 1.9 and save a Remnant of lost Mankind from their lapsed and fallen State, and by his All-powerful Grace thro' the Merits of Christ,

to recover them from Misery to the Inheritance of a Kingdom and Glory far greater than that set before Adam in his Integrity; And these eter∣nal Counsels that were hid with himself, were transacted in a way of Covenant between the Fa∣ther and the Son, even in a Covenant of Redemp∣tion now revealed in the Scriptures of Truth: And to this Covenant belong all the Promises of the Father to the Mediator, and the restipulatory Engagements of the Redeemer, about the Salva∣tion of Sinners and the way and method of its Accomplishment: And with respect to these Counsels the Son of God is said to be the Father's Delights, and himself also to have his Delights in the habitable World, when the Head of the Dust thereof was formed; Prov. 8. 22,—31. In which Context the mutual Acquiescence both of the Fa∣ther and the Son, in this admirable Contrivance of infinite Grace and Wisdom, is not obscurely set forth.

2. In pursuance of this Covenant of Redemp∣tion, and the Suretiship of Christ taken therein, upon the Fall of Man, the Government of the World was actually put into the hands of the Son of God, the designed Mediator, who inter∣posed himself for the Prevention of its present and utter Ruin: And by him were all future Transactions managed for the Good of Man, and all Discoveries of Grace and Mercy were made to the Children of Men in him, and by him: And all things in Heaven and Earth were brought

into an order subservient to the Ends of the new Creation, and the Redemption of lost Man to be accomplished in the fulness of time by the Son of God incarnate: Fallen Man could have no more to do with God, nor God with him in a way of Kindness, but in a Mediator.

§. 11. And from this Design of Love and Mer∣cy it was, that when the Lord God came unto fallen Man in the Garden, in the cool of the Day, and found him filled with Horror and Shame in the Conscience of his own Guilt, he did not exe∣cute the Rigor of the Law upon him, but held a Treaty with him, which issued in a Discovery of Grace, whereby a Door of Hope was opened to him, in the laying of a new Foundation for his ac∣ceptance with God, and walking unto well plea∣sing before him. For,

1. In the Sentence passed upon the Serpent (which principally concerned the Devil, whose Instrument he had been in tempting Man, and who probably was made to abide in his Possession of the Serpent, till he had received this Doom) Gen. 3. 5. there was couched a blessed Promise of Redemption and Salvation unto Man, which was to be wrought out by the Son of God made of a Woman, and so her Seed; which Salvation thus promised, Man was to receive by Faith, and to hope in it; for in this implyed Promise was laid the first Foundation of the Church after the Fall of Man, which was to be raised up out of the

Ruines of the Devil's Kingdom by the Destructi∣on of his Work by Jesus Christ; 1 Joh. 3. 8.

2. In this Commination of the Serpent there is not only implyed a Promise of raising up a Savi∣our of the Seed of the Woman, and sending him into the World for the breaking of the Serpents Head, that is, the perfect Conquest of Satan, and the utter ruining of his Kingdom; but also of propagating and preserving a Church in the World that should be Heirs of that Salvation, and should maintain a spiritual War with Satan and his Kingdom, which on their part should end in perfect Conquest and Victory; The God of Peace bruising Satan under their Feet, while he is nib∣ling at their Heel, and making them to be more than Conquerors thro' him that loved them; for the Seed of the Woman is to be understood col∣lectively of Christ and his members (as the Seed of the Serpent includes all wicked Men) tho' it hath a principal respect to Christ personal, who alone hath obtained the Victory over the infernal Power, and destroyed the Works of the Devil; But altho' this was done by himself alone, yet was it not for himself only, but for his Body the Church, of which every true Believer is a Member, and shall certainly obtain Victory thro' the Faith of his Name; And against this Church the Gates of Hell can never prevail, but a Church there ever shall be in the World, so long as the World continues, and ever was since the first Promise, tho' maligned and persecuted by the Devil and wicked Men, as

early appears in that Instance of Cain and Abel; Gen. 4. compared with 1 Joh. 3. 12. And some∣thing of this nature is intimated in the Name of Seth, and the Reason given by Eve of her impo∣sing that Name: Gen. 4. 25.

3. Hereupon there was a present Restraint and Modification of the Curse in the Sentence pronoun∣ced upon Adam and Eve Gen. 3. 16,—19. where∣by altho' they and their Offspring were necessa∣rily subjected to many Evils and Miseries while they lived, and Dissolution by a temporal Death at last, yet they were not immediately laid under a Sentence of eternal Death which was the Punish∣ment they had deserved: And concerning this Sentence we may farther observe,

1. That the Promise of breaking the Serpents Head which was revealed to our first Parents, did not give them a Deliverance from all Misery, but only an Exemption from eternal Death; But not∣withstanding this Promise, and all that Christ hath now done for the full Accomplishment thereof, it is the Will of God that all Men, even Believers as well as others, shall in this World be exercised with Miseries, and remain subject to temporal Death, or Dissolution of the Body into Dust.

2. The Corruptibility of Man, all the Miseries he is subject to while he lives, and temporal Death at last, are the Fruits of Sin, and of the Curse due to it, as they are natural Evils, or Punish∣ments; but yet they are not the Fruit or Result of the Curse only, nor the full Wages of Sin; As

they are evil they flow from the Curse, but as temporal only, the Evil of them is limited, and thus modified by Mercy, or compassionate Goodness at least: The Position of temporal Death, concludes indeed that Sin is in the World; but this Limi∣tation of Death doth also prove, that there is Mercy reserved for some, and that such as obtain not Mercy must be brought to an after reckoning, inasmuch as the Fruit of their Doings hath not fully been repaid to them in this World. And hence,

3. There are none of these Evils but are capa∣ble of a Change, as to their penal Nature, toge∣ther with the Change of that Man's State upon whom they come; for tho' they fall as so many Drops of Wrath that bode a dreadful Storm coming upon the wicked, yet are they * 1.10 all sanctifyed unto a Believer, and turned into real Blessings; which change the utmost Execution of the Curse is not capable of, for eternal Punishment can never be turn∣ed into a Blessing upon any.

Yea supposing (as there is Reason to do) that God did not only promise a Redeemer to Adam before he pronounced this Sentence, but also gave him Faith in the Promise, it came immediately upon him as a fatherly Chastisment, and not as a Fruit of unpaci∣fied Anger.

It is also true on the other side, that the Godness and Forbearance of God is, thro' the Wickedness of Man, turned into a Judgment upon the Un∣godly and Impenitent, who abuse the day of his Patience unto the treasuring up of Wrath against the day of Wrath, and Revelation of the righteous Judgment of God: Rom. 2. 5. So that both tem∣poral Mercies and temporal Evils are wholly sub∣servient to the Design of God's Glory in the future and eternal State of Man; and we may conclude there had been no such thing as temporal Death, if there had not been a day of Patience.

4. It is more than probable that at the same time, or immediately after, God did institute those bloody Sacrifices, that were offered unto him from thenceforth, and accepted by him when offered in Faith, for the further Instruction of Man in the general Notion of the way of his Re∣demption by the promised Seed, and for the Help and Confirmation of his Faith in the Promise: Yea even the Coats of Skins which the Lord made, and wherewith he cloathed Adam and Eve, then confounded with the shame of their own Nakedness, seem to be designed of God not only for a natural, but also a mystical Ʋse, were for their Instruction concerning that imputed Righte∣ousness wherein they must now stand before him, and without which they could find no acceptance with him; Especially if these Coats were made of the Skins of those Beasts that Adam was then directed to offer in Sacrifice to God (as some

conjecture they were) we can hardly imagine less to be intended thereby; for no doubt with the Institution of Sacrifices, something of the Ʋse and End of them was revealed unto Adam.

5. This also must be noted, That altho' the Covenant of Grace was thus far revealed unto Adam as we have heard; yet we see in all this, there was no formal and express Covenant-Trans∣action with him, much less was the Covenant of Grace established with him as a publick Person or Representative in any kind; but as he obtained Interest for himself alone, in the Grace of God thus revealed, by his own Faith, so must those of his Posterity that are saved thereby: And there∣fore altho' the Corruption of fallen Adam, and the Guilt of his Fall, be from him derived to all his Offspring, because they were in him as a publick Person and foederal Root when he fell; yet can they not derive from him any Interest in his renewed State, or in the Grace or Holiness thereof; seeing with respect thereunto God dealt with him only as a private Person; and the Good of the Promise now given out, was no more intrusted with him, then with his Posterity, or any of them in particular.

§. 12. The State and Condition that the World of Adam's Posterity are now in, is as fol∣loweth.

1. They are all born in original Sin, in the Image of the first Adam fallen, and so under a

broken Covenant, being by Nature Children of Wrath, unholy, and without Strength.

2. Yet are they necessarily under the Obligati∣on of a Law, to obey, worship, and serve their Creator, tho' they have no Covenant-Interest in him; for it is impossible, and implies a Contra∣diction that reasonable Creatures should be brought forth into the World, and not be subject to the Law of their Creator, or that eternal Death should not be due to the Breach of that Law by them; The Law of Creation binds, when the Covenant of Creation is broken; tho' the Trans∣gression of Man hath forfeited his Interest in the one, yet it cannot dissolve the Obligation of the other. But yet,

3. The World is set under a general Reprieve, and the full Execution of the deserved Curse is delayed until the day of Judgment; until which time the Children of Men are under a Dispensati∣on of Goodness, and sparing Mercy, and so in a remote Capacity or Possibility of obtaining Sal∣vation by Christ, where it pleaseth God to send the Gospel, the Dispensation of which is made effectual for the Salvation of all the Elect, who are thereby gathered into the Kingdom of Christ.

4. The Lord Christ hath undertaken in the close of his Mediatorial Kingdom, when all his Sheep are brought into his Fold, for whose sake a∣lone the day of his Patience is lengthened out to the World, to raise all Mankind again in an incorruptible State, prepared for that eternal Du∣ration

unto which they were designed in their first Creation; And then will he glorifie all those with himself for whom he hath satisfyed the Justice of God, born the Curse of the Law, and wrought out everlasting Righteousness, who have been also called by his Grace to a Participation of these Benefits thro' Faith; and others he will de∣liver up by a righteous Sentence, unto the full Ex∣ecution of that Curse upon them in its utmost Rigor, which till then, for the Ends aforesaid, was suspended.

Of God's Covenant with Noah. CHAP. III.

The Children of God stated in a new Relati∣on, and their Obedience upon a new Foun∣dation from the first Promise. §. 1. The Word of God the Rule of their Faith and Obedience; how revealed to them. §. 2. Enoch's Translation; the Instruction and Benefit the whole Church had thereby: His Prophecy; how written in the Old Testa∣ment. §. 3. The ordinary Propagation of

the Church in those times: Mixt Marri∣ages one cause of the general Defection of Mankind: Noah finds Grace in the Sight of God. §. 4. The Ark its typical Respect; the general nature of such a Type illustrated by conference of some other like extraordina∣ry Works of Providence: The form of the Ark, its mystical Ʋse: how Baptism an∣swers to the Ark: Noah not altogether ig∣norant of the mystical Signification of the Ark: How he became Heir of the Righte∣ousness of Faith by building it. §. 5. The Covenant of God with Noah; the establish∣ing thereof at his entring into the Ark; the Benefit of the Church thereby. §. 6. The farther management of God's foederal Trans∣action with Noah, when he came out of the Ark; the Promises obtained in the In∣terest of his Sacrifice; what signified there∣by: The reason of his Name: the particu∣lar Benefits of this Covenant: the spiritual Extent thereof. §. 7. The curse of Cham opens the way to Shem's Blessing: Circum∣cision a warning to Israel not to imitate Ca∣naans Wickedness: Special regard to the Messiah in Shem's Blessing: This the cause of Japhet's Blessing also; The extent there∣of.

§. 8. The building of Babel, and con∣fusion of Tongues. §. 9. The Evils involved in this confusion of Language: how remo∣ved by the gift of Tongues at Jerusalem: The days of Man shortned. §. 10.

§. 1. THE first Dawning of the blessed Light of God's Grace unto poor Sinners be∣ing broken up in that Promise intimated Gen. 3. 15. the Redeemed of the Lord were from that time brought into a new-Relation to God in and by Christ the promised Seed, thro' Faith in him as revealed in that Promise; and hereupon their Obedience, and religious Service, was stated, and accepted of by God upon a new Foundation, viz. that of pardoning Mercy, and Forgiveness thro' the Redeemer, Psal. 130. 4. They were no longer upon Terms of personal, and perfect Obedience, or doing of a Law; but upon Terms of Faith, or believing a gratuitous Promise; which wholly changed the order of their Acceptation with God: For by the Covenant of Creation, the Work of Obedience was to maintain the Relation, and se∣cure the Acceptance of the Person with God; but by the Covenant of Grace and Redemption, the Relation and previous Acceptance of the Person in Christ, was the reason of the good Acceptance of all their sincere, tho' imperfect Obedience, which did now spring from Faith: And hence it is said Heb. 11. 4. God had respect to Abel and his Off∣fering;

first to the Person, and then to his Work; And this order, and way of Salvation, as to the general Nature thereof, ever was, and must be, the same and invariable in all Ages, and under all different Dispensations of God towards his Church.

§. 2. And as holy Men then lived by Faith, so consequently they had the Object of Faith with them, viz. The Revelation if God's Counsel by his Word; Tho' the Word was not written till Moses's time, yet was the Church never without God's Oracles; which in those days were made known to it, by those ways and means, that the infinite Wisdom, and Goodness of God made choice of; This we have seen in the first Promise, and in the Institution of Sacrifices, which could not have been offered in Faith, as Abel's was, if God had not commanded and appointed them; yea it ap∣pears also that God had given them some particu∣lar Directions what Beasts they might offer in Sacrifice, and what not; for in Noah's time the distinction of Beasts clean and unclean, is men∣tioned as a thing well known before: See Gen. 7. 2, 3. chap. 8. 20. Unto this we may add that (at least diverse of) the Names of Seth's Line were imposed by a Spirit of Prophecy; Enoch was a Prophet; and Noah a Preacher of Righte∣ousness; all which do infer a Revelation of the Mind of God, and of his Counsels then made unto the Church, distinct from the Light, and

Law of Nature, and transcending all the Dictates thereof; altho' it must be granted, This Light did not shine upon them with the same Clearness, as it did upon after Ages.

§. 3. Moreover, The extraordinary Dispensa∣tion of God's Providence towards Enoch, who by Faith walked with God, and then was translated to the heavenly Inheritance without being made subject to the common Lot of Mankind in Disso∣lution by temporal Death, was not only a singu∣lar favour to himself, but also an eminent Dis∣covery to the rest of the Believers of that Age, that the right of Adoption, and claim of an In∣heritance in Light by Faith, was restored to them in the promised Seed; and therefore did greatly tend to encourage their Faith and Hope, in the Expectation of a glorious State for Soul and Bo∣dy, to be injoyed in a blessed Immortality, and eternal Life hereafter; an Earnest of which they had, in the present Injoyment of one Member of that Body to which they were all united. Conf. Gen. 4. 24. Heb. 11. 5.

And the very time wherein this was done, doth cast some farther Light upon the mystical Import thereof: Enoch was the seventh from Adam; and this Septenary Number is famous in Scripture, for its mystical Signification of that perfect Rest or Sabbatism that Christ should bring his Church un∣to: And therefore by Matthew, the Genealogy of Christ is counted by septenary Generations: Again,

The Translation of Enoch happened soon after the Death of Adam (the first whose natural Death is mentioned in Scripture) Enoch in the se∣venth Generation was translated, that he should not see Death; As they had seen the Fruit of the Curse exemplified in Adam's Death; so they saw that Life which the Promise gives exemplified in Enoch's Translation; who before he was trans∣lated walked with God, or, as the Apostle gives it, had this Testimony, That he pleased God; and indeed the Hebrew Phrase used Gen. 5. 22. doth not on∣ly signifie Integrity, and eminent Holiness, in a private Capacity, but also (as the learned Ains∣worth notes upon the place) is often used for a pleasing Administration of Office before God, in which respect he was a special Figure of Christ; and his Translation, of Christ's entring into Heaven, as a Forerunner for us.

Three hundred Years the Church had injoyed his Ministry; and seven Patriarchs were left alive as Witnesses of his Translation; so that the whole number of the Sons of God had the Benefit and Comfort of Instruction thereby. He prophesied of the Destruction of wicked Men, and summed up his Prophecy in the Name he gave to his Son Methuselach, which may be interpreted, They die by a Dart: or He dyeth, and then is the Dart; (i. e. the Dart of Divine Vengeance in Punishing the ungodly) or, he dyeth and then it is sent: This was almost 1000 years before the Flood; but was exactly fulfilled in the issue; For Methuselach

dyed but about the space of one Month before the Flood came. This Prophecy is more fully set down by Jude v. 15. (which may be taken as a di∣vine Paraphrase upon this Prophetick Name; like Daniel's Interpretation of the Writing upon the Wall) and applyed analogically to the Sinners of his time: for as this first Judgment, was a Type of future Judgments upon wicked Men, e∣specially of the Destruction of the Jewish State by the Fire of God's Wrath, for their rejecting of Christ; and each of these was a Praeludium of the general Judgment of the World, so the threatning of this first Judgment to the ungodly then living, was a denouncing of Judgment against all ungodly Sinners, in future times also.

§. 4. In these Ages of the Church it was ge∣nerally propagated in that Line, thro' which the Blood of the promised Seed did run; Yet do we not find any such Partition-Wall set up between one Family and another, but any that would might freely associate themselves, and joyn with the true Worshippers of God; * 1.11 nay it is possible that even some of the Line and Race of Cursed Cain might do so; as on the other hand, it is more then probable that others of the Children of Adam, besides Cain, did revolt with him from all true Religion and Holiness, and joyned Issue

in an open Contempt of God, and Rebellion a∣gainst him. However the Nature and Necessity of the thing in it self, in reference to religious Worship, and that Obedience that was due to God therein, did oblige his Servants to keep themselves distinct and separate from the rest of the World: And whilst they did so, the general Defection of Mankind was prevented: But to∣wards the Period of the old World, all things declined and grew worse, and worse; Gen. 6. 5, 12, 13. The Violence and Corruption of Man∣kind abounded; and even the Sons of God were taken with the bait of sensual Delights: And those who had formerly kept up a pure and di∣stinct Communion for the solemn worshipping of God by calling upon his Name, and therefore had also his Name called upon them, Gen. 4. ult. being denominated the Sons of God; did now lose the sense of Religion, and brake the Bounds of their just Separation, and mingled themselves with the Daughters of Men, Gen. 6. 24. These were the Wo∣men of Cain's Offspring, or of Confederacy with his Seed, by whose Beauty they were entangled, while they regarded more the gratifying of their Lust, than the true Ends of Marriage; and being thus entangled were also drawn in a Partnership with them in their Abominations; Insomuch that when the time of the Flood came, the pure Worship of God was maintained in the Family of Noah only, who found Grace in the sight of God; Gen. 6. 1-11. and was preserved in the Ark,

that by him and his Sons the desolate Earth might be again replenisht with Inhabitants, after the Foundation of the Wicked had been destroyed with a Flood: Job 22. 16.

§. 5. Now in the dealings of God with Noah there are some things call for our diligent Atten∣tion, as carrying on to a farther degree of Light, the Discovery of Grace and Redemption by Christ; and so the farther Establishment of the Church in Expectation thereof. For,

The Ark which Noah being warned of God, built by his special Direction, for the saving of himself, and his House, which were eight Souls, 1 Pet. 3. 20. did not only afford him and them a temporal Deliverance from the Deluge of Waters, by which God in his Wrath then swept away a disobedient World; but was moreover useful by its typical Respect for their farther Instruction about the Redemption of Man, from the Floods of divine Vengeance to be hereafter poured out in eternal Wrath upon the World of Unbelievers. For this is to be observed concerning the State of the Church before Christ came in the Flesh; That as the Gospel was preached unto them by Types and dark Shadows, so this kind of Instruction was afforded them, not only by the stated Ordi∣nances of Ceremonious Worship, but also by many extraordinary Works of Providence, which were so ordered by Divine Wisdom, as that they might bear a typical Respect unto, and be an apt Repre∣sentation

of, spiritual things: This may be ob∣served in many Instances in the History of Abra∣ham, and of his offspring the Children of Israel: On this account the Manna they did eat in the Wilderness is called spiritual Meat, and the Wa∣ter of the Rock which they drank, spiritual Drink; and the Rock Christ: 1 Cor. 10. 3, 4. and yet we read of no special Ordination, or Appointment of these things unto such an End, but what they had from the Order and Voice of Providence, toge∣ther with the peculiar Circumstances of the Peo∣ple concerned in them. And under this Conside∣ration doth Noah's Ark come, which either was a Type of Christ, (as the Ark in the Jewish Sanctuary) or of the Church considered as guarded with his Salvation; which in the Issue will come near to the same thing.

And this Type is rendered the more lively by the Form of Structure which God commanded; and also the unwonted Use of one Term in the Direction given for the securing of their Preserva∣tion who were to enter into the Ark.

1. The Form in which the Ark was built, in the Proportion of its Dimensions comes nearest to that of the Body of a Man; for it was in length 300 Cubits, in breadth 50, and in height 30: So that in Figure is was shaped like a Coffin; and there was a Resemblance of Burial in the entring thereinto, and of a Resurrection in coming out of it; In which respect the Apostle Peter makes Baptism to be the Antitype to the Ark, 1 Eph. 3.

19, 20. And thus was the Ark an extraordinary Sacrament, or Prefiguration of the Churches Re∣demption and Salvation, by the Death and Re∣surrection of Christ; and of her Union, and Com∣munion with him that dyed and rose again, so as to enjoy all the Benefits of his Death and Resur∣rection.

2. In the Directions given for the building of the Ark, Noah is commanded to pitch it with Pitch both within and without, Gen. 6. 14. the Words in the Hebrew are Caphartà Baccophèr: The first sence of the Verb [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] is to cover; and thence by a Metaphor it signifies to expiate, or make Atonement; because as things covered are hid from Sight, so Sin expiated, is blotted out, and no more re∣membred against the Sinner: And the Noun viz: Cophèr is never used in the like sence in all the Bible, for the Hebrews have other Words that properly signify such kind of Stuff as was now to be made use of; see Exod. 2. 3. but in the Law it is often used for the Covering of, or Propitiation for Sin: So that these Terms seem to be especially adapted by the holy Ghost, unto the typical re∣spect of the Ark, which was to prefigure the Sal∣vation of the Church thro' the Expiation of Sin, and Atonement made by the Death of Christ; in the Merit of whose Blood is her only Defence against the swelling Waters of Divine Wrath, and the Curse of the Law, under which the whole World of Unbelievers must inevitably pe∣rish.

Now tho' we have no reason to think that these things could be then apprehended so distinct∣ly and clearly, as we now see them by the Light of the New Testament; yet have we good ground to believe that some general Knowledg of them was conveyed to the Minds of the Faithful, in the time of this Type, and by means thereof: And this will inform us how Noah became an Heir of the Righteousness of Faith by building the Ark, and entring thereinto: Heb. 11. 7. seeing there was not only a Proof of his Obedience herein, where∣by the Truth of his Faith was manifested, but moreover his Faith did reach, and in some Degree apprehend, the Mystical use of the Ark which he was building; and while his hands were busied in the external Work thereof, and his Life secured by his abode in it, his Faith was exercised about that spiritual and eternal Salvation, that was shadowed and typically represented by it.

§. 6. Upon rhe entrance of Noah into the Ark, and also at his coming out thence, we find mention made of God's establishing his Covenant with him: see Gen. 6. 18. & chap. 9. 11. And this is the first Place and Occasion of the explicite mention of a Covenant in the Scriptures; and therefore we are the more obliged to a serious inquiry after the true Nature, and import of this Covenant; some Observations upon it we shall collect, according as things are presented in the order of their Nar∣ration by Moses; only let this be premised;

That tho' God's establishing of a Covenant with Noah, be mentioned at two distant times, in the Texts before referr'd to, yet they are not two different Covenants that are so mentioned, but in substance one and the same Covenant, the Benefits whereof are first more generally, and af∣terwards more particularly exprest.

In Gen. 6. 18. God thus speaks unto Noah;

But with thee will I establish my Covenant, and thou shalt come into the Ark,

&c. God's making of a Covenant, is the Establishment thereof, be∣cause his Promise is a full, and sufficient Assu∣rance, that he will perform to the end, what is engaged for therein: The Benefit immediately promised, is, the Preservation of Noah, and all that were with him in the Ark; and the Resti∣pulation required of him, was, A believing Resig∣nation of himself to God, in an obedient use of those Means of safety which he had ordained.

This at first view seems to import no more than an outward and temporal Favour; but if diligently looked into, we shall discern a great deal more in it; for,

1. In this Benefit of Noah's Covenant there was not only a temporal Salvation secured to him, and his House, but moreover his eternal Salvation, yea, the Salvation of the whole Church was inclu∣ded therein, and did wholly depend thereupon; seeing, the promised Seed which should break the Serpent's Head was not yet brought forth; and therefore if all Mankind had been now destroyed,

that first and great Promise (which was a Revela∣tion of the Sum of the Covenant of Redemption) had failed, and so the whole Covenant unto which it did belong, had been evacuated, and made of none effect: And with respect to this also as well as the Certainty of it in it self, the Pro∣mise here given to Noah in a foederal way, is aptly said to be an establishing of God's Covenant with Noah, seeing this Covenant was made with him pursuant of that gracious Design of Man's Re∣demption before revealed, which as it was never suspended upon the Worthiness of Man, so God by Covenant assures Noah, its Accomplishment should never be prevented by his Wickedness.

2. Add to this the typical Respect of the Ark, and you will discern that under this Covenant was implyed, and darkly shadowed, the Cove∣nant of eternal Salvation by Christ; even as the Promise of the heavenly Inheritance unto Belie∣vers, was afterwards couched in the Promise of Canaan to Abraham and his Seed.

§. 7. What past after Noah was come out of the Ark, you have recorded in Gen. 8. from v. 20, to the end of the Chapter, and in Chap. 9. In which History you may observe;

1. That before any farther Transaction of God with Noah, there was a Sacrifice offered unto the Lord by him, in which the Lord smelled a sweet Savour, or, a savour of Rest, Gen. 8. 21. This Phrase of smelling a sweet Savour, signifies the Accep∣tance

of his Offering; and this Savour did arise from the typical respect of this Offering to the Sacrifice of Christ (Confer Eph. 5. 2.) and the Faith of him that sacrificed, which was thro' it directed to the same Object: And this is to in∣form us, That all which fol∣lows, was transacted in the * 1.12 Interest of this Sacrifice, and is some way to be referred to the ends thereof. From this Passage you may look back to Gen. 5. 29. and you will find the reason of La∣mech's giving the name of * 1.13 Noah to his Son explained thereby.

2. The Blessings of Noah's Covenant are first conceived in a gracious Purpose of God's Heart; And the Lord said in his Heart, I will not again curse, &c. and are afterwards put into the Promises of the Covenant wherein God ingageth himself to be∣stow them; chap. 9. 8, 9, &c. And this is reckon∣ed equivalent to an Oath, Isa. 54. 9. I have sworn that the Waters of Noah should no more go over the Earth.

3. The particular Benefits and Blessings given to Mankind by this Covenant, were, 1. Fruit∣fulness for the replenishing of the Earth. 2. Do∣minon over the Creatures, and the free use of them for Food. 3. Assurance that the Judgment which they had now escaped should not be re∣peated;

notwithstanding that after-Generations were like to prove as wicked as those that had gone before them, seeing the same Root and Spring of Corruption remained in them, Gen. 8. 21. And the Rainbow was appointed to be the visible Sign and Token of this Covenant: Gen. 9. 12-17.

These things I shall content my self to have thus briefly pointed at; and farther we have to Note,

1. That the Dispensation of Goodness, and Forbearance which the World was set under by the first Promise, was now ratified by a solemn Covenant; wherein also was ensured the Succes∣sive Generation of Mankind for the Production of the promised Seed, both as * 1.14 personally, and collectively con∣sidered: And this Assurance raised the Faith of the Church one Degree higher than it had before attained to.

2. This Covenant had also its Mystical Use to the Faithful, as shadowing the Covenant of Grace by Christ; and the Ratification thereof in the Blood of his Sacrifice, by which we are saved from the Curse, and restored to a sanctified Right in Creature-Comforts, and the Hope of eternal Life: And the Soveraignty of God's Good∣ness, with the Absoluteness of his Promise in this Covenant, are instanced as a singular Incourage∣ment to the Faith of the Church in reference to the Promise of that Grace that reigns in the New

Covenant: Isa. 54. 9. And the Token of this Co∣venant, is made the Emblem of the Stedfastness, and eternal Memorial of the other * 1.15 Rev. 4. 3. so that in the typical respect of this Co∣venant, the Light of divine Grace, and Mercy, did dawn upon the Church with some more Clearness then former∣ly.

3. This Covenant is said to be made with Noah, and his Sons, and their Seed after them, and that for perpetual Generations; the Terms are parallel with those we meet with in the 17th Chapter in the Covenant made with A∣braham for his Seed in their Generations: And yet here two things are evident;

1. That remote Generations to the end of the World, are as much concerned in this Covenant as their immediate Offspring with whom it was first made, and have equal Claim to the Blessings of it with them, without any consideration had of their immediate Parents. And

2. That altho' the Grace of the New-Cove∣nant was mystically held forth in this Covenant with Noah, which was thus stricken with him for all his Posterity, yet were not the Grace and Blessings thereof by this means intailed upon all Mankind; * 1.16 They have all, in∣deed, an interest in that Co∣venant

that signified, and some ways included spiritual Blessings, but those Blessings appertain not to all that have the Signs of them, but re∣main the peculiar Right of those that do by Faith receive them, Who are born not of Bloods, nor of the Will of the Flesh, nor of the Will of Man, but of God. Joh. 1. 13.

§. 8. In the following Part of this History Gen. 9. 25, &c. we may observe,

1. That the Curse of Cham upon his Son Canaan, prepared the way to the Blessing of Shem in his Posterity by Abraham; for by the Executi∣on of this Curse were the Canaanites afterwards disinherited, and Israel planted in their room. And in this prophetick Curse on Canaan, and the Blessing on Shem you may read, what is after noted by Moses, Deut. 32. 8. It is also worthy of our Notice; That the Seal of Israel's Covenant by virtue of which they inherited the Land of Canaan, kept alive the Remembrance of Cham's Wickedness, and was a perpetual warning to them, not to de∣generate into his Steps: He was condemned to servitude for looking upon the Nakedness of his Fa∣ther, and they were circumcised in the foreskin of their Flesh.

2. In the Blessing of Shem, special Regard is had to the Messiah, whose bringing forth into the World, was now limited to the Line of Shem; and therefore in his Blessing is the Spring of Ja∣phet's Blessing also. Shem is the first of whom

it is expresly said, that the Lord was his God: And by the Lord God of Shem Christ who is now over all, God blessed for ever, is intended; whose Name is here celebrated by Noah, as the only Hope and Salvation of the Church.

3. The Blessing of Japhet in the Interest of Shem's Blessing, doth not only signifie his personal Interest in the Messiah who was to come of Shem, but also the calling of the Gentiles of his Posterity, to be joynt Heirs with the Jews in the Blessings of the New-Covenant; yea his dwelling in the Tents of Shem, doth intimate moreover the Suc∣cession of the Gentile Church unto the Church of the Jews, who were to be disinherited of all Covenant-Interest for their rejecting of the Mes∣siah: In that Passage, God shall * 1.17 perswade Japhet, there is an Allusion to his Name; and the calling of the Gentile Church is prophesied of in like terms, Hos. 2. 14, 15.

§. 9. Some time after these things, viz. about the fourth Generation, we find that according to the Blessing of God upon Noah and his Sons Gen. 9. 1. there was a very great Increase of Men in the World; and as they increased, they evi∣dently drew upon themselves the same Charge that was laid upon the Old World; viz. That the Imagination of their Heart was evil from their Youth; For in the days of * 1.18 Peleg there was a very general Con∣spiracy,

and Rebellion against God, managed by the Children of Men at Babel; in pursuance of which they began to build a Tower there: Gen. 11. 1-9. And it is very probable Nimrod that mighty Hunter was one chief Doer in the Busi∣ness: (for, A Defection from the true Religion, and Tyrannous Oppression, usually go hand in hand) But this their rebellious Enterprize was interrupted by the * 1.19 Confusion of Languages that God brought upon them; And hereupon the Hebrew Tongue which before was uni∣versal, remained in its Purity only with the Family of Heber (from whom it also had its particular Denomination) and such other of the Patriarchs and holy Men then living as had not joyned themselves with these Workers of Iniquity in their cursed Design; And on this occasion Heber hath a special Honour put upon him, as you may collect from Gen. 10. 21. where Shem is in a peculiar manner said to be the Father of all the Children of Heber. And Abraham with his Posterity the Heirs of Shem's Blessing, are from him denominated Hebrews.

§. 10. Now by this Confusion of Languages the Children of Men fell under a greater Evil, than possibly at the first thought we may be aware of; for it did not only frustrate their present Design, and also render the means of their civil Converse difficult for the future, and the Attainment of all

Knowledg in things natural, full of Labour and Travel; but, which is far more.

1. It was virtually a kind of Excommunication from the Church then in being, with whom the Hebrew Tongue remained, that was from this time unintelligible to the greatest part of the World besides; And,

2. In the after Dispensation of God towards the Hebrews, this Diversity of their Language from that of the rest of the World, was as the Addition of a natural Fortification to that Wall of Separation, whereby the Nations were excluded from the Pri∣viledges of the Church, and left destitute of that Blessing (which of all other was the greatest Israel had, Rom. 3. 1, 2.) of the Oracles of God, which were committed to them in the Hebrew Tongue: And therefore for many Ages they remained Strangers to the Covenant of Promise, Eph. 2. 12. living in the darkest Cloud of Ignorance and Ido∣latry, and so without Hope, and without God in the World. And this dismal Effect of the present Judgment, remained upon them generally, un∣til the times of Restitution and Refreshing, even un∣til the last Days, wherein God would perswade Japhet, and bring him into the Tents of Shem: And then a Door was opened for the breaking up of Light to the Gentiles, by the Gift of Tongues at Jerusalem, whereby the Apostles and Prophets of the New-Testament were enabled to preach the Gospel to all Nations in their own Tongue; and thus the Salvation of God in Zion became a

Light to the Gentiles, whose Darkness was origi∣nally brought upon them by the Confusion of Tongues at Babel.

3. Neither did the Judgment of God upon this Evil Generation stop here, for their Days were also shortned, and cut off in Anger for their Sin, and that to the half of them: for you may observe in the Genealogy, Gen. 11th, that as none which were born after the Flood, attained to the Years of those that lived before it, so most mani∣festly the ordinary Age of Man was again shorten∣ed from the time of this Defection at Babel; in∣somuch that none of the Generations after Heber, attained to more than about half the number of his Years.

Of the Covenant of Grace, as re∣vealed to Abraham. CHAP. IV.

God puts a special Honour upon Abraham by his Covenant-Transactions with him. §. 1. Abraham's Descent, and Contemporaries: his seeming Incapacity for that Covenant-Relation which God brought him into. §. 2. Abraham to be considered in a double ca∣pacity; the Covenant not made with him as an ordinary believing Parent: The Method of the following Discourse proposed. §. 3. The Co∣venant of Grace revealed to Abraham: Gal. 3. v. 6, 7, 8, 9, & 16, 17. proposed. §. 4. The time of this Covenant-Transaction ex∣actly noted: some Inferences from thence. §. 5. The Sum of all spiritual Blessings in∣cluded in it: Abraham made the Father of the Faithful by it. §. 6. This Covenant confirmed of God in Christ: Gal. 3. 16, 17. farther opened; why Abraham and David so particularly named in the Genealogy of Christ. §. 7. Abraham a Root of Cove∣nant-Blessings, and common Parent to Be∣lievers:

why Paradise called Abraham's Bosom. §. 8. An eternal Settlement of the way of Salvation by Faith in Christ, in this Covenant. §. 9. The Promise of this Cove∣nant given to Abraham twenty five years before the Covenant of Circumcision: no outward Sign added, nor Ordinances of Worship peculiar to it, till Christ's time: the Seed, as well as the Blessing, promised; their Interest in the promised Blessing com∣pleat and full: the Reason of this; and a mistake removed: the Claim of Believers in the Interest of Abraham's Seed, and not as Coordinate with him. §. 10.

§. 1. THE next signal Advance that was made of the Discovery of God's Grace to Men, was in Abraham's time, and by the Foederal Transactions of God with him, whereby he was brought into such a Relation to God, and the whole Church, as was in some respects peculiar to himself, and never was the Lot of any other of the Children of Men either before or since his time; in respect of which Abraham may be con∣sidered as a Type of Christ, who is eminently the Head and Prince of the new Covenant; And because of that special Grace and Favour that the Lord bestowed upon him in his Transactions with him, is he styled The Friend of God: And the

Covenant is said to be Mercy to Abraham, and Truth to Jacob; Mic. 7. ult. intimating the beginning of it to be with Abraham which was of meer Grace and Mercy, tho' when once made with him, the Truth and Faithfulness of God was ingaged to make it good to the succeeding Heirs thereof: not but that the Covenant of Grace as made with A∣braham was the same for Substance, that had been more darkly revealed in the Ages before, but it pleased God to transact it with him as he had not done with any before him. It may be noted also that Abraham is the first Man in the World unto whom God is said to have appeared or been seen, Act. 7. 2. with Gen. 12.

§. 2. This Abraham was of the Posterity of Shem, descended from him in the Tenth Generation, and chosen of God from amongst all his rumerous Offspring to be in an especial manner the Heir of his Blessing: Gen. 11. Yet are we not to imagine that Abraham and his Family were the only People that God had in the World in his Days; for altho' there was then a very great Defection of the World from God and his true Worship, yet was it not universal as in Noah's time; but there were many alive that did truly fear God, and were accepted with him, besides Abraham and those immediately depending on him; for even Shem lived till Abraham was 150 years old; and Arphaxad lived till he was 88, which was 13 years after that Covenant was confirmed with him,

mentioned Gen. 12. Salah lived until Abraham was 118 years of Age, which was about 19 years after the Covenant of Circumcision was given to him: And Heber lived after his Death, even until Jacob was about 19 years old (for he was the longest Liver of all that were born after the Flood) And there is no doubt but these Patriarchs with their Houses, and others joyning with them, and under their Conduct, did worship and serve the true God; yet it pleased the Lord to single out Abraham, call him to his Foot, and make him an Head of all future Covenants with Men; And this, notwithstanding such a Bar lay in his way at the time of his calling, as to his entering into any such Relation, as was impossible to have been removed, but by Omni∣potent Grace and Power; And that both upon a Moral and Physical Account.

1. Upon a Moral Account: Abraham was not a Person eminent for Holiness and Religion; when God called him to inherit Shem's Blessing, he was not better or more deserving then any of the rest of his Posterity, but was swiming down the Stream of a wicked World, being de∣generated from the Religion and Piety of his Ancestors, unto false Worship and Idolatry; Josh. 24. 2, 3. And therefore it is not without reason that the Prophet Ezekiel, chap. 16. 3. upbraids the People of Israel with this, that their Father was an Amorite, and their Mother an Hittite, not properly but metaphorically so called, because

even they had been involved in the Guilt of like Apostacy from God as these Nations, before the Lord graciously called them out of it.

2. Upon a natural Account; For Sarai the Wife of Abraham was barren, and noted to be so before God called him, Gen. 11. 30. And yet the Bles∣sing of Shem must have been lost, the hope of the Church perished, and all Covenant-Transacti∣ons with Abraham proved of none Effect, if he had not had Seed; forasmuch as by virtue of God's Covenant to be established with him, the Messiah (as concerning the Flesh) was to come of him; And yet all this was no Impediment, or Obstruction in his way, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth the things that are not as tho' that were. Rom. 4.

§. 3. There is one thing more to be premitted to the Consideration of God's Covenant-Trans∣actions with Abraham in particular, which we have most clearly stated in the New Testa∣ment, viz.

That with respect to them Abraham is to be considered in a double Capacity, both as the Fa∣ther of all true Believers, and as the Father and Root of the Israelitish Nation, and for both these Seeds God did enter into Covenant with him; howbeit these Seeds being formally distinguisht the one from the other, their Covenant Interest must of necessity be diverse, and fall under a distinct Consideration; and the Blessings appro∣priate

to either, must be conveyed in a way a∣greable to their peculiar and respective Covenant-Interest; And these things may not be confound∣ed without a manifest Hazard of the most impor∣tant Articles in the Christian Religion; And yet such is the mutual respect of all God's Covenant-Transactions with Abraham, and such was to be his Dispensation towards the Church for some Ages following, as did require a present Intermix∣ture of the Promises, and an involving of spiritual Blessings in the shade of temporal, and of a spiri∣tual Seed in a natural. This I suppose is more evident then to admit a Denyal; and other Re∣lation of Abraham in the Covenants made with him the Scripture speaks not of; neither can we prove thereby, That any of the Covenants given to him, were transacted with him simply under the Notion, or in the Relation of, an ordinary believing Parent, or Head of a particular Houshold.

And therefore for the better understanding of these things, it is necessary that with due Attenti∣on both to the History of the Old Testament, & the Light of the New, we humbly enquire concerning,

• 1. The Covenant of Grace as made with A∣braham.
• 2. The Covenant made with him for his natu∣ral Offspring; And
• 3. Their mutual Respect, and Dependence one upon the other.

§. 4. To begin with the first: That God did

reveal the Covenant of Grace to Abraham, as also the general nature of that Covenant, and the Seed concerned in it, we have plainly decla∣red in that Account which the Holy Ghost gives of it, in Gal. 3. 6, 7, 8, 9, & 16, 17. Verses; which I shall here transcribe at large;

Vers. 6. Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for Righteousness.

7. Know ye therefore that they which are of Faith the same are the Children of Abraham.

8. And the Scripture foreseeing that God would justifie the Heathen thro' Faith, preached before the Gospel unto Abraham (saying) In thee shall all Nations be blessed.

9. So then they which be of Faith, are blessed with faithful Abraham.

16. Now to Abraham and his Seed were the Pro∣mises made: he saith not, And to Seeds, as of many; but as of one, and to thy Seed, which is Christ.

17. And this I say, that the Covenant that was confirm'd before of God in Christ, the Law which was four hundred and thirty years, after cannot disannul, that it should make the Promise of none effect.

These Words contain the whole of what I in∣tend in this Discourse; the Sum of which, as to my present Purpose, I shall briefly collect in some Observations upon them.

§. 5. First, That the Gospel was preached to Abraham, and the Covenant of Grace revealed to

him, we have asserted in such full Terms in this Context as none can rationally doubt thereof; and moreover in ver. 17. we have the Time of God's establishing this Covenant with him exactly no∣ted: It was (saith the Text) 430 years before the giving of the Law; Gal. 3. 17. (viz. on Mount Sinai) Now the Law was given in a very little time after the Children of Israel came out of E∣gypt; And from the giving of the first Promise to Abraham, which we have recorded Gen. 12. 2, 3. unto that very Night in which the Children of Israel were brought out of their Egyptian Bondage, is the Computation of these Years made, as will be evident to him that shall diligently compare the Chronology of those times with the express Testimony of Moses, Exod. 12. 41. And it came to pass at the end of the 430 years, even the self same day it came to pass that all the Hosts of the Lord went out from the Land of Egypt. From the time of the first Promise to the end of Israel's so∣journing in Egypt was 430 years, tho' their Abode in Egypt was not near so long. And from hence we collect,

1. That in the Transaction of God with Abra∣ham, recorded Gen. 12. he did solemnly confirm his Covenant with him (altho' Moses makes not express mention of the Term Covenant until ano∣ther occasion be offered Gen. 15. 18.) For the Promise there mentioned, the Apostle asserts to be the Covenant confirmed of God in Christ unto A∣braham.

2. The Mercy of Israel's Redemption out of Egypt was in some respect to be referred to this Covenant as the Spring thereof (tho' it was not immediately and in its own nature a New Cove∣nant-Blessing to all that did partake in it) And all the dealings of God with them as a select and peculiar People in Covenant with himself, were in Subserviency to the great Ends of this Covenant with Abraham; and therefore none of them may be interpreted to the Prejudice or disannulling of those Promises in which the Gospel was preached unto Abraham.

3. By the Computation of Moses, Exod. 12. it appears, That the Promise we are speaking of was given to Abraham on the 15th day of the Month Abib (the first Month according to the religious Account of the Jews) on which day Israel a Typical Church, obtained a Typical Re∣demption, in the Interest of a Typical Passover; And on that same day Christ our true Passover was sacrificed for us upon the Cross, obtained eternal Re∣demption, and by confirming the Covenant of Grace with his own Blood, passed all the Promises thereof into * 1.20 an un∣alterable Testament.

§. 6. Secondly, The Sum and Substance of all spiritual and eternal Blessings was included in the Covenant and Promise given unto Abraham

Gen. 12. In these words: I will bless thee, and thou shalt be a Blessing; The Grace and Blessings of the New-Covenant were given and ensured unto A∣braham for himself; and moreover this Honour was conferred on him, That he should be an Head of Covenant-Blessings, as the Father of all true Believers; No less is intended in those words, thou shalt be a Blessing; They suppose indeed that He should be blessed, but the Promise terminates not in himself, but also conveys Blessedness to many others thro' a Relation to him as his Children; which is yet more fully exprest in that which follows: In thee shall all Nations be blessed; This general Promise intends not, that every individual Per∣son in every Nation should at any time be blessed in Abraham; but that his Blessing should not be confined to any one Nation excluding others, and that all in every Nation that were blessed, should be so by virtue of the Covenant now made with Abraham, and in a Relation to him as their Father: This was the Gospel preached unto Abraham; and a Promise of the Justification of the Heathen thro' Faith: Gal. 3. 8. and in the Interest of this Bles∣sing of Abraham they receive the Promise of the Spi∣rit as being his Seed ver. 14. And this Promise, of a believing Seed which should with himself in∣herit the Blessings of the Covenant of Grace, was farther confirmed unto Abraham a considerable time after this, Gen. 15. compared with Rom. 4. 3, 18.

§. 7. Thirdly, This Covenant was made with Abraham in and thro' Jesus Christ; It is not A∣braham but Christ that is the first Head thereof; in and by him all the Promises of it are ratified, as he was the Surety of the Covenant: Heb. 7. 22. and in him they are all Yea and Amen, 2. Cor. 1. From whom all the Grace of the Covenant is de∣rived upon poor Sinners thro' Faith in his Name. This the Apostle asserts most clearly, Gal. 3. 17. and argues it from the Form of the Promises as made unto Abraham ver. 16. Ʋnto Abraham and his Seed were the Promises made; he saith not unto Seeds, as of many; but as of one, and to thy Seed, which is Christ.

The Scope of the Apostle's Discourse will teach us that those Promises are meant which relate to the Justification and Salvation of poor Sinners; even such as include that Grace by which the Gentiles are called to inherit eternal Life; some do principally refer this to Gen. 17. 7. and it will readily be granted that some of those Promises that ultimately respect the spiritual Seed and spiri∣tual Blessings, are sometimes given to Abraham under the Covert of those Terms that have an im∣mediate respect unto his natural Seed and temporal Blessings as made Types of the other; and when they are so, the Promise still runs to his Seed, in the singular Number; which the holy Ghost may here teach us to be on set purpose to gather up our Thoughts to Christ alone, as the Spring and Root of Abraham's Blessing, when we consider the mysti∣cal

import of such Promises. But this being al∣lowed, That the Apostle hath the form of that Promise in his Eye, we cannot from thence con∣clude that the Promise is made to Abraham's Seed both natural and mystical in one and the same Tenour; but only thus much will fairly follow upon it, That the Apostle argues from the car∣nal Seed as typical, to the spiritual Seed as typi∣fied thereby; and so arguing makes special Use of the Terms in which the Promise is made, as pur∣posely fitted to its typical respect or mystical sence. So is the Prohibition of breaking a Bone of the Paschal Lamb, which was a Type of Christ, ap∣plyed by John to Christ himself who was typified thereby: Joh. 19. 36. with Exod. 12. 46.

Howbeit (I conceive) the Apostle hath here a direct and special Eye to that Promise Gen. 22. 18. * 1.21 In thy Seed shall all the Families of the Earth be blessed, which runs directly parallel both in Terms and Sence with the Promise given to Abraham Gen. 12. 3. which was before pleaded by him: Gal. 3. 8. This Promise was given forth in the Repetition and Confirmation of the Covenant before made with him, upon the occasion of Abraham's having offered up Isaac, whereby the Death and Sacri∣fice of Christ Jesus was in a most lively manner prefigured; And clearly holds forth thus much, That as all Nations should be blessed in a rela∣tion

to Abraham as his Children, so that Blessing should be derived upon them thro' Interest in Christ his promised Seed, and by the Efficacy of his Mediation in the Interest of that Sacrifice and Offe∣ring of a sweet smelling Savour, Eph. 5. 2. that in the fulness of time he should make unto God. And if it be objected, that the Promise there is made of or concerning Abraham's Seed, and not to his Seed; let it be minded that all the Promises made of this Seed (viz. Christ) in one respect, may be said to be made to this Seed in another, because they are originally established in the ever∣lasting Covenant of Redemption that was between the Father and him.

* 1.22 Some do interpret this Text in Gal. of Christ mystical, because of the order of the Words, The Promise is made first unto Abraham, then unto his Seed; therefore (say they) it is such a Seed as comes to have Right in the Promise; Secondly, to Abraham and as his Children; And also because the Apostles Scope is to prove that the Gentiles are justified by Faith, as Abraham was. But I should rather apply them to Christ as personally considered; For the Seed to whom the Promise is made, is the same in whom all the Nations of the Earth are blessed, Gen. 22. 18. Now altho' as all Believers being the Seed of Abraham, are blessed with faithful Abraham, yet are they not that Seed in whom all Nations are blessed, but the Nations who are blessed in this Seed: And in the very

next Verse the Covenant is said to be established of God 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in or unto Christ, who is the same Seed spoken of in the preceding Verse; Now the Covenant is confirmed in Christ personal, not in Christ mystical; hence Paraeus concludes it is to be understood individuè de uno Christo, ex quo omnis spiritualis Benedictio in fideles diffluit. But this also is to be observed, That Christ is given for a Covenant of the People, Isa. 42. 6. and there∣fore the Covenant is established in him, and with him for all Believers, who by Union with him, become that One Seed of Abraham unto whom the Blessing of his Covenant doth belong; And so in this sence it as strongly concludes for Justifica∣tion only by Faith in Christ, as in the other. And for the order of the Words, it need not seem strange that Abraham is first mentioned, and then Christ his Seed; for besides that of the Pro∣mises chiefly intended, the first saith in thee, and that given afterwards, in thy Seed shall all Na∣tions be blessed (which is the order the Apostle observes.) This is also to be considered, That Abraham was really the Father of Christ according to the Flesh, and by Covenant appointed so to be, as was David also; and yet Christ is not only the Offspring, but also the Root both of Abraham and David; And altho' the Mercies of the Covenant, are called the sure Mercies of David, because of the Covenant which God made with him; yet are they all originally from Christ in one respect, tho' mediately by Christ in another, as they flow from

a Covenant first made with David, which was to be after ratified and fulfilled in Christ the Son of David * 1.23 And perhaps it is up∣on the account of the Cove∣nants made with Abraham and David concerning this Matter, that in Mat. 1. 1. they are so pe∣culiarly mentioned in the Gene∣alogy of Christ as recorded by that Evangelist.

§. 8. Fourthly, This Covenant was made with Abraham as a Root of Covenant-Blessings, and common Parent unto all true Believers: Indeed Abraham himself obtained the Grace of this Co∣venant by Christ his Seed, and so came into it at the second hand with respect to the Son of God who is the Prince of the Covenant; but with respect unto us, The Covenant was first given unto A∣braham, and we are brought into it in the Inte∣rest of Relation to him as Children, which also is by Faith in Jesus Christ: This special Honour did God put upon Abraham by the manner of his en∣tring into Covenant with him, that thenceforth no People should be taken into Covenant with himself but as his Seed. This is evident as to Is∣rael after the Flesh in the Old Testament, that their Covenant-Interest was derived from Abra∣ham; and it appears as plainly concerning the spiritual Seed and Israel of God in the New-Testa∣ment, that Abraham is their Father Rom. 4. and

all true Believers are blessed in him, as his Seed, Gal. 2. 8. & 29. with Gen. 12. 3. for by that Promise in Genesis, Abraham was ordained, and constituted of God the Father of the faithful, as hath been before touched: And hence it is that their Fruition of Paradise is called a resting in Abraham's Bosom, Luk. 16. because as they have their Entrance into a State of Grace, so they are also brought into the Kingdom of Glory, and made to possess Heaven, as his Children. They are also said to sit down with Abraham in the Kingdom of of Heaven. Mat. 8. 11.

§. 9. Fifthly, The last thing I shall note is, The eternal Settlement of the way of Salvation accor∣ding to the Tenour of the Covenant, which is by Faith in Christ: This is a Covenant that con∣veye the Grace of Life to poor Sinners by a free and gracious Promise; which admits of no other Restipulation in order to Covenant-Interest but Be∣lieving; 〈◊〉〈◊〉 is of Faith because it is of Grace; Rom. 4. 16. And this way is the only way of Life; There is but one Covenant of spiritual and eternal Blessings in Christ Jesus, founded in the eternal Decree and Counsel of God's Love and Grace, which is now revealed unto Abraham; and there is but one Seed, which is of true Believers in Union with Christ; promised to him as the Heirs of this Covenant, and the Grace given thereby; and thus is the Way of their Justification and Accep∣tance with God determined, not by a natural De∣scent

from Abraham, or any external Priviledg ap∣pendent thereunto, but by a walking in the Foot∣steps of Abraham's Faith, Rom. 4. 13. who is made the Exemplar of Justification unto all in future Ages, for whose perpetual Instruction this is recorded; That he believed God, and it was ac∣counted to him for Righteousness. The Tenour therefore of the Promise now given unto Abraham could never be altered, nor any ways evacuated, or superseded by any future Dispensation that the Church was brought under; but whatsoever Law or Covenant was afterwards given unto them, must of necessity lye in an order of Subserviency unto it, and be directed towards the 〈…〉〈…〉ring in of the Perfection of that Dispensation of Grace which was unalterably fixed thereby Gal. 3. 17. It was the everlasting Gospel that was now preached unto Abraham, which was afterwards to break forth with the fullest Glory and Lustre in the days of the Messiah, when the Lord performed his Mercy to Abraham, and remembered his holy Cove∣nant. Luk. 1. 72, &c.

§. 10. I shall now close this Chapter with some Co••laries deduced from the things already cleared; and then proceed in the Method before propounded:

1. This Covenant of Grace whereof we have been speaking, and which the Holy Ghost in the New-Testament hath so remarkably pointed out 〈◊〉〈◊〉 us, whereby Abraham was made the Father of

the Faithful, and all Believers according to it were to be considered as a Seed that God would give to him, was confirmed and ratified by a sure Promise unto Abraham a considerable time before the Covenant of Circumcision was given to him; viz. about twenty five Years before it; and had then no outward Sign or Seal annexed thereto; And indeed that which hath been of late affirmed, That the Covenant of Grace always had an outward Sign on Seal added to it, is so wide a Mistake, that on the contrary it may be affirmed, That altho' the Efficacy of its Grace did reach Believers in all Ages, yet it was not filled up with Ordinances of Worship proper, and peculiar to it self, until the times of Reformation; nor had till then any outward Sign or Token immediately belonging thereunto; For had it been so, this Sign or To∣ken, as the Covenant it self, had remained with∣out Change, and not vanished away with the other Shadows of the Mosaical Oeconomy.

2. The Promise made unto Abraham gives the Seed, as well as the Blessing of that Seed unto him; Believers are the Children of Promise Typifi∣ed by Isaac afterwards, being begotten unto God of his own Will by the Efficacy and Grace of his free Promise and in the Virtue thereof; yea the Seed is first supposed in the Promise, and then the Blessing of that Seed is promised, which being of Grace, is made sure unto all of them, Rom. 4. 16. And as the Blessing is spiritual, so is the Seed also, nor can it be extended farther then to that Seed

which is the promised Subject thereof.

3. The Sum of all Gospel blessings being compri∣zed in this Promise, it will hence follow, That the proper Heirs of this Blessing of Abraham have a Right (not only in some, but) in all the Promises of the New Covenant; and that not in a limited Sence, and as suspended on uncertain Conditions, but in a full Sence, and as secured by the infinite Grace, Wisdom, Power, and Faithfulness of God, and accordingly they are in time made good to them all.

And this will be more manifest, if we consi∣der, that all the Blessings of this Covenant re∣dound upon Believers by means of their Ʋnion and Communion with the Lord Jesus Christ, who is both the Head, and Root of the New-Covenant, and the Fountain from whence all its Blessings are derived to us, which as they were intirely purcha∣sed by him, so are they intirely applyed to all that are in him, and to none other;

The Limitation therefore of a New Covenant-Interest to the Grant of an external and temporary Priviledg only, I conceive to be utterly inconsistent with the Promises of the Covenant it self; even such as these Isa. 54. 13. chap. 59. 21. Jer. 31. 33, 34. Ezek. 36. 26, 27. with Heb. 8. and many others of like import; Neither will these Texts admit of another Notion of late insisted on for the Com∣mendation of Paedo-Baptism. viz.

That the Infant Seed of Believers, during their Infancy, have all of them a certain and

definite Interest in the Covenant of Grace by vir∣tue of which they are compleatly justified be∣fore God from the Guilt of original Sin▪ both Originans, and Originatum; and yet when they come to Years of Discretion may, (yea must) by their actual closing with, or refusing the Terms of the Covenant, either obtain the Con∣tinuation and Confirmation of their Covenant-Interest, or be utterly and finally cut off from it, and so perish eternally in their Ignorance of God, and Rebellion against him.

And as the Promises of the Covenant will ad∣mit of no such partial Interest therein, so neither can this Opinion consist with the Analogy of Faith in other Respects; For either the Stain of origi∣nal Sin in these Infants is purged, and the Domi∣nion of Concupiscence in them destroyed, when their Guilt is pardoned, or it is not; If it be, then the case of these Infants in point of Perseverance, is the same with that of Adult Persons that are un∣der Grace by their actual Faith; and then a final Apostacy from the Grace of the New Covenant must be allowed possible to befal the one as well as the other, notwithstanding all the Provisions of the Covenant, and Engagement of God there∣••n, to make the Promise sure unto all the Seed: But this the Author will not admit: If he say that their Guilt is pardoned, but their Natures are not renewed, nor the Power of original Corrupti∣on destroyed, so as that Sin shall not have Dominion over them; It will be replyed; that then notwith∣standing

their supposed Pardon, they remain an unclean thing, and so uncapable of Adminion into the Kingdom of Glory; But the Truth is, None are at any time justified before God, but such as Christ hath loved, and washed from their Sins in his Blood; Rev. 1. 5. And none are washed by him: but those that are in him, as the second Adam; It is by Union to him as the Root of the New-Co∣venant, that the free Gift comes upon them to the Justification of * 1.24 Life; And none can have Uni∣on to him but by the indwelling of his holy Spirit; and wherever the Spirit of God applies the Blood of Christ for the Remission of Sins he doth it also for the purging of the Conscience from dead Works to serve the living God; And as certainly as any de∣rive a New-Covenant Right from Christ for Pardon, they also receive a vital Influence from him for the Renovation of their Natures, and conforming their Souls to his own Image. And therefore to assert, That the Grace of Christ is applyed to some for the Remission of Sins only, or that the Guilt of any Sin can be pardoned to any Person, and yet that Sin retain its Dominion over him, is (so far as I can discern) both unscriptural, and incoherent with the Doctrin that is according to Godliness.

4. To conclude; It is plain, That a Believers Claim to the Blessings of the New-Covenant is in the Interest of Abraham's Seed, and by virtue of the Promises given to him relating to such a Seed, and not as Coordinate with him in Covenant-Interest;

They are not each one by this Cove∣nant made the Father of a blessed Seed, as Abraham was the Father of the Faithful; neither can they claim the Promise for themselves and their Seed according to the Tenour of Abraham's Covenant, and as he might; but they must rest in a Rela∣tion to him as Children, and so receive his Blessing, that is, the Blessing promised to him for his Seed, and that by their own Faith, and for themselves alone: Believers because they are Abraham's Seed, are blessed with faithful Abraham; And, If we be Christs, then are we Abraham's Seed, and Heirs according to the Pro∣mise. Gal. 3. 29.

Of the Covenant of Circumcision. CHAP. V.

The Subject of our present Inqiury; the Pro∣mises gived to Abraham for his natural Off∣spring; these given forth gradually; all sum∣med up in the Covenant of Circumcision §. 1. Gen. 12. 2. farther opened in its respect to the carnal Seed; Abraham called out of Ur of the Chaldees; Heb. 11. 8. confer∣red with Gen. 11. 32. their Harmony shew∣ed. §. 2. Abraham comes into Canaan, and builds an Altar; his Journey into E∣gypt, Return to Canaan; parting from Lot; the renewing of the Promise there∣upon. §. 3. Gen. 13. 15. opened; how the Promise of the Land of Canaan was made good to Abraham; in what sence said to be an everlasting Possession. §. 4. The Histo∣ry in Gen. 15. considered; the 6th Verse explained; the Promise renewed, and in∣larged; the Bondage of Israel in Egypt foretold; The time limited to 400 Years;

when they began; one reason why the Pro∣mise was no sooner to take place; the Ini∣quity of the Amorites not yet full; how the Curse of Parents comes righteously upon their Children. §. 5. The Seed of Abraham, and their Inheritance first given by Pro∣mise; One consequence of this. Abraham goeth in to Hagar; the Reason of it; as yet no mention of a Distinction of Abra∣ham's natural Offspring among themselves; nor any distinguishing Character appointed for them; his Seed in remote Generations, as well as in an immediate Descent from him, intended in the Promises. §. 6. The Covenant of Circumcision; why so called; Gen. 17. 1. opened; This a Praeludium to the Sinai Covenant. §. 7. Gen. 17. 4, 〈◊〉〈◊〉. opened; The Promise of the New-Cove∣nant rehearsed; Two reasons thereof; A∣bram's Name changed to Abraham; How Circumcision became a Seal of the Righte∣ousness of Faith, briefly touched; The ne∣cessity of distinguishing of the Promises given to Abraham, and of the Seed to which they belong. §. 8. Gen. 17. 6. open∣ed; the first Intimation of a distinction of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in Israel. §. 9. The general Scope of

Gen. 17. 7, 8. the word Everlasting how to be taken as applyed to this Covenant; no proof of its being a Covenant of spiritual Blessings deducible from thence. §. 10. The Church-State of Israel after the Flesh, the principal Blessing of this Covenant; This evinced by the Story of Ishmael and Esau; Their Exclusion from this Cove∣nant; The preference of Israel's Lot. §. 11.

§. 1. THE Method before laid down leads us in the next place to inquire after the Promises given to Abraham for his natural Off∣spring and the Assurance of them, which it pleased God to give him by Covenant-Transactions: And here (as formerly) I shall diligently re∣view the History that Moses wrote of these things by the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost, and comparing the Promises made, with the Records of their Accomplishment in other parts of holy Writ, indeavour to collect from both, the true Import and Extent of them, with the proper Nature and Ends of that Covenant, unto which in a peculiar manner they do belong. Only this I shall premit to the whole,

That these Promises were not all made unto Abraham at one time, Nor the Covenant of them perfected by one Transaction, but they were given forth by several Parts and Degrees, until

at last the whole Charter of Priviledges and Bles∣sings granted to the natural Offspring of Abraham was fairly drawn, and the Covenant of them sealed by Circumcision: This will immediately appear in the historical Account we shall have of these things; and some Regard hereunto may be also remarked in the Progression of Stephen's Discourse when he gives a Recapitulation of them. Act. 7. 5, 6, 7, 8.

§. 2. In Gen. 12. 2. we find, That when the God of Glory first appeared unto Abraham, and called him out from his own Country, from his Kindred and from his Fathers House, besides the Promise of spiritual Blessings that was given to him both for himself and his spiritual Seed, he had also the Promise of a numerous Offspring which should naturally descend from him: No less can be intended in these Words, I will make of thee a great Nation, than this; Thou shalt be the Father of a great Nation which shall spring, and issue from thy Loyns: such is the plain Sence of the like Words to Moses Num. 14. 12. And this Promise with the rest, Abraham em∣braced by Faith; for to an Eye of Reason there was no present Likelihood of its Accomplish∣ment, seeing at this time he had no Child (for want of which he also makes Complaint a con∣siderable time after this Gen. 15. 2, 3.) and Sar•• his Wife was barren; Yet esteeming him faith∣ful and able to make good his Word that ha••

given him these Promises, he embraced them, and upon the Call of God * 1.25 forsook all that before was dear unto him, and went out, not knowing whither he went; Heb. 11. 8. For it doth not appear that the Land of Ca∣naan was mentioned to him at his first calling, but rather an absolute Resignation of him∣self unto divine Goodness and Conduct was required of him; and he knew no more than this, that he must travel from his own to another Country, which was to a Land that God would shew to him; tho' as yet he knew not what, or where it was; And therefore tho' we read Gen. 11. 32. That he went from U•• of the Chal∣dees to go into the Land of Ca∣naan; I conceive those Words are to be taken as an historical Anticipation, and not a Relation of what fell within Abraham's Knowledg and Intention, when he first undertook his Journey; * 1.26 His Peregrination was in the Counsel of God determined to the Land of Canaan, and by a divine Conduct he was brought thither tho' himself knew not the Place

designed, at least, not till he came nearer to it, viz. unto Haran, where the Lord gave him a se∣cond Call after the Death of Terah, to proceed in his Journey to the Land of Canaan. * 1.27

§. 3. When Abraham came into the Land of Canaan unto the Place of Sichem the plain of Mo∣reh (the Progeny of cursed Canaan being then the Inhabitants of the Country) the Lord ap∣peared unto him again, and gave him a full and express Promise of that Land (which for Pleasantness and * 1.28 Fertility was the Glory of all Lands) for an Inheritance unto his Seed; And there he first built an Altar unto the Lord, that by worshipping him he might testifie his Grati∣tude for the Promise so freely given to him, and also receive a Ratification of it in the Blood of his accepted Sacrifice. Soon after this a Famine drives Abraham into Egypt; and there Sarai's Chastity was indangered by the Egyptian King, but the * 1.29 Lord's rebuke upon him, de∣livered his Servant from that Affliction; and by his good Providence he was again brought back in Peace to the Land of Canaan: All this time Lot, Abraham's Brothers Son was with him; but now their Substance being increased and some Contention happening between their Servants Abraham, to take up the present Controversie

and prevent the like, makes a Proposal for their parting the one from the other, which was ac∣cepted of by Lot; Gen. 13. And after that Lot was separated from Abraham, the Lord again re∣new and confirms the Promise of the Land of Canaan to him, and of the great Increase of his Seed that should possess it, with a special Com∣mand to Abraham to walk thro' it in the Length thereof, and the Breadth thereof, to survey, and by Faith to take Possession of it; while as yet he was a Stranger and had no Inheritance in it; no not so much as to set his Foot on. Act. 7.

§. 4. In the Promise thus renewed there are two things that require some farther Explanati∣on.

First, The Conveyance of this Inheritance is directly made first unto Abraham himself, and then, unto his Seed; All the Land which thou seest to thee will I give it, and to thy Seed, Gen. 13. 15. Now it is evident, Abraham had no Possession in it all his Days, save that of a Burying-place which he after purchased for his Money paid to the full value thereof; Gen. 23. And like was the Case also of Isaac and Jacob, who were the Heirs of this Promise together with Abraham, Heb. 11. 9. A Question therefore ariseth, How was this Pro∣misemade good to Abraham?

In Answer hereunto (waving at present the Typical Respect of the promised Land, and A∣braham's Inheritance of the spiritual and heavenly

Blessings signified thereby) observe,

1. That as to those Words to thee, and to thy Seed, the latter may be taken as an Interpretati∣on of the former, and then the sence is, to thee, that is, to thy Seed: The Hebrew Particle here used, is undoubtedly to be taken in this sence in some o∣ther * 1.30 places, and is to be interpreted not as Co∣pulative by And, but as explicative by Even, or that is, See 1 Chron. 21. 12. where it is so rendred; And the like Interpretation must be given of it in 2 Sam. 17. 12. Of him and (rather that is) of all the Men that are with him there shall not be left so much as one. Now this rendring removes all appearance of Difficulty from the Text.

2. A Man may have jus ad rem that hath not jus in re; All Right, is not persently actionable, but a Man may have a Right to an Inheritance by Promise or otherwise, without the Right of present Possession, which he may not enter upon till a long time after, or perhaps not himself, but his Posterity are to be possessed of it by that Right which is at present made over to him; Neither doth the annexing such Terms render the Promise vain or fruitless unto him that first receives it; for the Assurance that the Good pro∣mised shall in its time certainly redound upon his Offspring, is a present Comfort to himself, as it is an Honour also for him this way to be made capable of transmitting such a Right to them. And therefore it was a pleasing Thought to old

Jacob when he lay dying, That God would surely visit his Children and bring them up out of Egypt to in∣herit the promised Land; Gen. 48. 5, 20, 21. tho' he went to his Fathers without sight of its Ac∣complishment: As it was also a special Favour to Ephraim and Manasseth, that by Jacob's Blessing each of them obtained a Right in Canaan equal with the Brethren of their Father, and yet them∣selves enjoyed not the temporal Good of that Blessing, but their Posterity af∣ter them. And indeed, that * 1.31 is properly said to be given to Parents which is given to their Posterity upon the Ac∣count of that Promise which they have received, and which makes them the Heads of that Covenant-Blessing which descends upon their Offspring. And that the Fathers em∣braced the Promise in this sence, is put beyond doubt, by the express Limitation of the time of its Accomplishment in Gen. 15. 13, 16.

Secondly, The other Difficulty ariseth from the Extent of the Pomise in point of time; for here God promiseth to give this Land to Abraham and to his Seed for ever, and again Gen. 17. 8. for an everlasting Possession; whereas it is evident they have now for many Ages been disinherited of it. But the Solution of this Doubt will be easie to him that consults the Use of these Terms in other Texts, and the necessary Restriction of their Sence when applyed to the State or Concern∣ments

of Abraham's Seed in the Land of Canaan; For the Priesthood of Levi is called an everlasting Priesthood Num. 25. 13. and the Gates of the Temple everlasting Doors Psal. 24. 6. and this in the same sence, as Canaan, is said to be an everlasting Inheritance; no more being intended than the Continuance of these for a long time, viz. throughout the Old Testament Oeconomy, until the days of the Messiah commonly spoken of by the Jews under the Notion of the World to come; wherein a new State of things was to be ex∣pected, and when their old Covenant Right and Priviledge was to expire, as having its proper End and Degsin now fully accomplished.

§. 5. In Gen. 15. we have an account of ano∣ther solemn Transaction of God with Abraham, wherein (besides other things included and in∣termixt) the Promises before given to Abraham concerning his carnal Seed and their Inheritance, are renewed, and farther explained in diverse Particulars. And Abraham being now more stricken in years than when he first received the Promise, and as yet having no Son, tho' his eternal Happiness, as well as other Blessings, de∣pended on the Seed that should be given to him, he was now brought to a greater Tryal of his Faith then formerly; and the present acting of it being rendred the more Illustrious by the Dif∣ficulties it overcame, the Holy Ghost is pleased in this Place to give an express Testimony there∣to;

ver. 6. He believed in the Lord, and he counted it to him for Righteousness. And * 1.32 this is the first time that either Believing or the Imputation of Righteousness is in terminis mentioned in the Scripture; Not but that both these were true of Abraham before, even from the first giving out of the Promise to him Gen. 12. He then believed in the Lord; and he accounted it to him for Righteousness; but as his Faith was now manifested in a higher Degree, so it pleased God from this time to leave upon Record a more particular Encomium thereof than formerly. And as a farther Token of Favour, immediately hereupon follows that Explication and Inlargement of the Promise to his natural Offspring that was before mentioned. Many things I shall pass over, and only note here these few that follow, as direct to my present Pur∣pose.

1. The Lord informs Abraham of the Afflicti∣on that should befall his Posterity, and the seem∣ing Death that should be upon the Promise be∣fore they were brought into the Inheritance of the Land of Canaan; And also particularly li∣mits the time thereof; they should be afflicted four hundred Years, the Account of which (I suppose) must take its Rise from the mocking of Isaac the Heir of the Promise by Ishmael the Son of Hagar the Egyptian, from which to the deliverance of Israel from their Bondage in Egypt is exacty four hundred Years.

2. The Lord gives Abraham an Assurance that in the appointed time he will redeem them from their Servitude, and that by signal Judgments upon their Oppressors, and so great Favour to them, as should suddenly change their Condi∣tion from Want and Penury, to the Enjoyment of great Riches and Substance: Gen. 15. 14. And as for Abraham; himself should go to his Fathers in Peace, and be buryed in a good old Age; and in the fourth Generation the Blessing of this Promise should certainly come upon his Posteri∣ty; ver. 15, 16. The exact Accomplishment of all this you may read in the Book of Exodus; all the Wonders there recorded being the Birth of these Pro∣mises; * 1.33 for it was not the Goodness of the People, but the Stability of the Promise that all those things are to be ascri∣bed to.

3. A Reason is given for the referring of the Accomplishment of the Promise to this time; Because the Nations whose Land they were to possess were not yet ripe for Judgment; and the Measure of their Iniquity must be filled up before the Curse of Canaan was fully executed upon them. Thus we see, that although the Children of Canaan bare his Curse many Generations af∣ter him, yet this Curse descended not upon them without a full Measure of their own Sin; as there is no doubt but Canaan's partnership with Cham in his Wickedness did at first bring the

Curse of his Father upon himself. But to re∣turn,

4. These things are expresly said to have been transacted in a way of Covenant with A∣braham: and also the Bounds of Israel's Inheri∣tance are set, and those Na∣tions marked out by Name * 1.34 that were to be dispossessed and destroyed by them.

§. 6. Before we pass on farther in the History of God's Transactions with Abraham respecting his natural Offspring; Let it be observed;

1. That as this Seed was afterwards raised up to Abraham by virtue of a Promise, so the first Grant of the Land of Canaan to them for an Inheritance was by a gratuitous Promise also; and that Promise past into the Form of a Covenant with Abraham long before the giving of the Law as a Condition of their Inheritance therein, yea before the Institution of Circucmision; And the Original of their Claim being from a free Pro∣mise, the Severity of that Law which afterwards they came under, was so far restrained thereby, as that (notwithstanding their manifold Breach of Covenant with God, and Forfeiture of all legal Claim of their Rights and Priviledges in the Land of Canaan thereby) they were never utterly cut off from that good Land, nor ceased to be a peculiar People unto God, until the End of their being made so, was fully answered, and

that Promise expired with the Accomplishment of its Design, in the Introduction of the Israel of God, to the full Enjoyment of those spiritual Blessings, which were the Substance of what was but darkly shadowed, by their temporal Enjoy∣ments. This will be of great Use in our Re∣flections upon the Typical State of that People, which I shall not now inlarge upon.

2. Hitherto it is not expresly signified, That Sarai shall be the Mother of this Seed; And therefore in the delay of the Promise, Abraham and Sarai (not knowing but it might be fulfil∣led that way) agreed about Abraham's going in to Hagar the Hand-maid of Sarai, that by her they might obtain Children; Gen. 16. It will be granted that on good grounds they might have other Apprehensions of the Promise before (as it will appear they had, by Conference of Gen. 15. with Rom. 4.) and that this proceeded from some Vacillation, and weakness of Faith in them; but yet it was not such as did directly cross, and call into Question the Promises before given; nei∣ther doth any thing appear to the contrary but that Abraham accounted of Ishmael as Heir of the Promise, until the Lord appeared to him a∣gain Gen. 17. and fully compleated his Cove∣nant with him about his natural Offspring.

3. Much less was there as yet any Intimation given of a Distinction to be made, in point of Priviledge or Covenant-Right, betwixt the Children that might in one way or another be

brought forth unto Abraham: But the Claim of such (suposing, as it after proved, that there might be many) seemed to be equal; until the farther stating thereof Gen. 17. Neither was there as yet any distinguishing Character appointed for his Seed as a Foundation for their rising up into such a Church-State, as that the solemn Institu∣tions of divine Service should be appropriate to them, and none accounted Members of the visi∣ble Church but themselves, and such as became Proselites to them. Tho' its true all that hath been before mentioned, was disposed in order hereunto, being in the wife Counsel of God di∣rected towards such an End; for known unto him are all his Works, from the Beginning; And therefore the former Promises are still recollected, and taken in, in the after Transactions about this People.

4. The Promises hitherto given unto Abraham for his natural Offspring, do as much concern them in remote Generations, as in an immediate Descent from him; nay in some Respects were more fully made good unto them than the other; for it was not until the fourth Generation that God was known to them by his Name JEHOVAH, Exod. 6. in the actual Accomplishing of his Word; the Fathers having only his Alsufficiency ingaged for the after fulfilling of the Promise in its proper Season. It was not Abraham's imme∣diate, but his mediate Seed that became numerous as the Dust of the Earth, and took Possession of

the Land flowing with Milk and Hony.

§. 7. We shall now pass on to Gen. 17. And what is there more largely recorded, we have briefly pointed at by St••phen in his general view of the History of Israel Act. 7. 8. And he gave him the Covenant of Circumcision; And so A∣braham begat Isaac &c. By the Covenant of Circum∣cision, we are to understand that Covenant of which Circumcision was the Sign or Token; or that Covenant in which a Restipulation was re∣quired by the Observation of this Rite or Ordi∣nance; as in Gen. 17. 9, 10, 11.

It is observable, That in this Transaction of God with Abraham we first meet with an express Injunction of Obedience to a Command (and that of positive Right) as the Condition of Covenant-Interest; And the whole is ushered in with this Prologue Gen. 17. 1. I am the Almighty God; walk before me and be thou perfect. In which Words, first the Alsufficiency of God is revealed for the Ensurance of the Promises; and then a strict and intire Obedience to his Precepts is requi∣red in order to the Inheritance of the good things that were to be given by this Covenant; And in this Mode of transacting it, the Lord was plea∣sed to draw the first Lines of that Form of Cove∣nant-Relation, which the natural Seed of Abra∣him, were fully stated in by the Law of Moses, which was a Covenant of Works, and its Condition or Terms, Do this and live. For altho' the Cove∣nant

of Grace made with Abraham hath in all Respects (as well in point of time, as Excellen∣cy) the Precedence to the Covenant made with his carnal Seed in Isaac's Line; yet in the wise Counsel of God things were so ordered, That the full Revelation of the Covenant of Grace, the actual Accomplishment of the great Promises thereof, and its being filled up with Ordinances proper thereunto, should succeed the Covenant made with Israel after the Flesh, And take place upon the Dissiolution thereof when it waxed old and vanished away. And therefore the Co∣venant-Interest of the natural Seed, was to be perfected by the Law of Moses, before the Gospel preached unto Abraham, was unveiled; and accordingly this Chapter leads us on a great Step towards the Sinai Covenant, and the Terms thereof.

§. 8. Altho' this Covenant of Circumcision do properly and immediately belong to the na∣tural Seed of Abraham, and is ordered as a Foun∣dation of that Oeconomy which they were to be brought under until the times of Reformation; yet by way of Preface thereunto you have (in Gen. 17. 4, 5.) a Recapitulation of former Trans∣actions, and a renewed Confirmation of one great Promise of the Covenant of Grace before given to Abraham, viz. A Father of many Nations have I made thee; That this is principally to be understood of his believing Seed, collected out of all Nations indifferently, appears from

Rom. 4. 17. And that Abraham was constituted the Father of the faithful before this Covenant of Circumcision was made, and did not ob∣tain the Grant of this Priviledg thereby, hath been before proved from Moses's History, and is also argued by the Apostle strongly in the former part of that forementioned Rom. 4. Ne∣vertheless, That it should be thus repeated in this place, there is very great reason, upon a twofold Account;

1. That it might be evident; that the Cove∣nant of Peculiarity with the carnal Seed, which was first to take place, and that Wall of Sepa∣ration which was to be raised up betwixt them and other Nations (the corner Stone of which was now to be laid in Circumcision) should not evacuate, or intrench upon the Covenant of Grace, or the Right and Priviledg of the spiritual Seed stated therein, or of any part of it; but was added, and made subservient to the great Ends thereof: The Springs of New-Covenant-Mer∣cy, which God had before opened to all Nations were not to be shut up again by this Covenant; nor the Heathen * 1.35 excluded; from inheriting the Blessing of Abraham, thro' Faith in Je∣sus Christ, by any Priviledg or Right conferred upon the Jew: And therefore when the Cove∣nant of Circumcision was given to the carnal Seed, in order to a full Separation of them from other Nations, It pleased God, therewith to re∣vive

the Remembrance of that Promise of the Covenant of Grace, which should in due time bring forth Salvation to the Gentiles; That so there might be no colour of Reason left for inter∣preting this Covenant to their Prejudice, in the straitening of the Grace of the Gospel, which was designed of God only as an Handmaid there∣to.

2. Because, Things were so ordered by God in this Covenant, that as the Promises thereof, should be subordinate to the great Promise; so al∣so spiritual Blessings should be mystically implyed in them; so Abraham's being the Father of Be∣lievers of many Nations, was typified in his nu∣merous Offspring by Isaac, viz. Israel after the Flesh: And hence, a Confirmation and sealing of the one, must include a Ratification of the other also: And therefore at the same time, to assure Abraham that he should certainly become the Father of * 1.36 a Multitude, or, of many Nations his Name is changed into Abraham; and also Circumcision is instituted for the sealing of the Promises made to his carnal Seed; The mu∣tual respect of these different Promises, and the order observed in their Establishment, being such; Circumcision it self was so far from everting the Covenant of Grace, in its Promise to the Gen∣tiles, as that it became to Abraham a Seal of the Righteousness of Faith: Rom. 4. 11. This it had, not from its next and peculiar End, or its proper

Nature, with respect to all the carnal Seed, or others, that were to be the Subjects of it; but from the Disposition of the Covenant to which it was annexed, and the present Circumstances of A∣braham, with whom it was made, and to whom Circumcision was now given for a Seal thereof. But this we must farther inlarge upon, in speak∣ing to The mutual respect of God's Foederal-Trans∣actions with Abraham; And at present it shall suf∣fice to remind you,

That there is no way of avoiding Confusion and Intanglements, in our Conception of these things, but by keeping before our Eyes the di∣stinction of Abraham's Seed, which is either spiritual or carnal, and of the Promises respectively be∣longing to either: For this whole Covenant of Circumcision, as given to the carnal Seed, can no more convey spiritual and eternal Blessings to them as such, then it can now inright a Belie∣ver (tho' a Child of Abraham) in their tempo∣ral, and typical Blessings in the Land of Canaan; Neither can I see any reason for an Assignment of Covenant-Interest in all spiritual Blessings typi∣fied, as well as in the temporal Blessings that were the Types of them, to the carnal Seed; and yet not to admit the Conveyance of the same Cove∣nant to hold good in point of temporal Blessings, to the spiritual Seed; seeing (as some conceive) both are directly included in the same Covenant; and the Promise of both was sealed with the same Seal.

But the Truth is, Notwithstanding the respect this Covenant hath to the Covenant of Grace, it yet remains distinct from it; and can give no more then external and typical Blessings unto a typical Seed: The stating of their Rights and Priviledges, in Subserviency, and with a typical Respect, to the Dispensation of Grace to the Elect, in the New-Covenant, is the proper End, and Design of this Transaction in Gen. 17. as will more fully appear in the particular Account of the Promises given therein.

§. 9. The Sum of those Promises is set before us in Gen. 17. 6, 7, 8. In the 6th Verse; The Pro∣mise of a numerous Offspring is repeated in such Terms as do import (if not Inlargement, yet at least) a farther Explication of what was before promised in Gen. 13. 16. And I will make thy Seed as the Dust of the Earth, &c. For here the Promise runs thus; I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make Nations of thee; and Kings shall come out of thee. These Words in their first and lite∣ral Sence had their Accomplishment in the natu∣ral Offspring of Abraham; and are particularly intended of his Seed by Isaac; For tho' it be true that other Nations besides Israel did spring from Abraham, yet the Context will evince it to be that Seed with which the Covenant of Cir∣cumcision should be established, that is here meant; and that was with the Seed of Abraham by Isaac only. To see therefore the fulfilling of

this Promise, we must look to the twelve Tribes of Israel, that were as so many distinct Peoples, and Nations, with respect to their Power and Num∣ber; tho' with respect to Religion and Govern∣ment united in one Polity, and so but one peo∣ple: And to this Promise Jacob hath an Eye in his blessing of the Sons of Joseph Gen. 48. 19. where he saith that Manasseth (the Father of one of the Tribes of Israel) shall be a People, and shall become great: i. e. His Seed shall be nume∣rous and strong, and shall make up one People, or one of the Nations, that God had promised should come of Abraham; And yet Ephraim his younger Brother must have the Preeminence in being the Father of another distinct People, or Tribe, that should be stronger then Manasseth and more nume∣rous; in that his Seed should become the Fulness of Nations (so it is in the Hebrew) i. e. a very great Nation and People. That Distinction of Tribes which was after observed among the Isra∣elites, seems to be first pointed at in these Words, I will make Nations of thee; And the fol∣lowing Words, viz. Kings shall come out of thee; do not only signifie the Eminency of Abraham's Seed in general, but more particularly respect their forming under a distinct Polity, and Go∣vernment of their own, or (as Ezekiel speaks Chap. 16.) prospering into a Kingdom; and living under the Rule and Conduct of Judges, and Princes raised up among themselves; as they were from Moses his time (who was King in

Jeshurum, when the Heads of the People and the Tribes gathered themselves together, Deut. 33. 5.) by whose Ministry God settled their State, and Government, by Laws peculiar to themselves; and fulfilled the Covenant of their Fathers therein. This Branch of the Promise contains more than was expresly given to Abraham before.

§. 10. In the following Words Gen. 17. 7. we have the Assurance of this, and of the ensuing Promises also, which God gives unto Abraham by passing them into a solemn Covenant, and consequently, an Interposition of himself, and En∣gagement of all the Perfections and Properties of his divine Nature, to be exerted for the making of them good: Thus you read; And I will esta∣blish my Covenant between me and thee; and thy Seed after thee in their Generations; for an everlast∣ing Covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy Seed after thee.

Unto this is added the Promise of their Inheri∣tance, Ver. 8. And I will give unto thee, and to thy Seed after thee, the Land wherein thou art a Stranger, all the Land of Canaan for an everlasting Possession; and I will he thire God.

The Difficulty arising from those Terms in the Promise which give the Right of the Inheritance of Canaan to Abraham in the first place, hath been already considered and cleared; as also how the Land of Canaan may be said to be an everlasting Possession: And in the same fence is this Covenant

said to be everlasting: Israel could not be finally cut off from the promised Inheritance, until the Covenant it self, by which it was given to them did expire: As was, therefore, the Duration of the Inheritance, and of Israel's Right therein, so was the Duration of this Covenant, Everlasting, not absolutely, but with such a Limitation as the Nature of the things spoken of doth necessarily require, and as is usual in those Scriptures that speak of things pertaining to the Jewish State. There is therefore, no more Reason to conclude from this Term, That the Covenant of Circumci∣sion was directly and properly a Covenant of spiritual and eternal Blessings, than there is to affirm that the Land of Canaan and the good things thereof, were a spiritual and eternal Inhe∣ritance.

§. 11. Howbeit, From the strict Connexion of this 7th Verse with the 6th, and the Assurance here given that God will establish his Covenant with the Seed of Abraham, to be their God; it is evi∣dent;

That the Number of Abraham's carnal Seed, and the Grandeur of their civil State, is not all that is promised in this Covenant, nor yet the principal Blessing bestowed on them therein; but rather, The forming of them into a Church-State, with the Establishment of the Ordinances of publick Worship among them, wherein they should walk in a Covenant-Relation to God, as

his peculiar People (understand it still of the old Covenant, whereing they had their peculiar Right and Priviledg) No less can be intended in this, I will be a God unto them in their Generations; And it is also made more evident by the follow∣ing Account that is given of this Transaction with respect to Isaac and Ishmael; Gen. 17. 18-21.

When the Lord had promised unto Abraham a Son by Sarah, whose Name should be called Isaac; he thus prays for Ishmael, O that Ishmael might live before thee! which the Chaldee para∣phraseth thus, might live, and Worship before thee: No doubt his Prayer was, that Ishmael might also be an Heir of the Blessing of this Covenant; But that was not granted to him; for the Lord would have his Covenant Seed called in Isaac only: with him God would establish his Covenant, having appointed and chosen him alone to be the Heir thereof, who was to be a Child of Promise, and Son of the Free-Woman: And yet for Ishmael (in special Favour to Abraham, whose Seed he was) thus much is obtained, that he should be made fruitful, and multiplyed exceedingly; twelve Princes, or Heads of great Families, should spring of him (which imports some A∣nalogy to the twelve Tribes of Israel after the Flesh, whose old Covenant-State was typified in Ishmael) and God would make him a great Nati∣on: And yet all this lay short of the Blessing of Abraham's natural Offspring by Isaac; from

which Ishmael was now excluded; It is plain therefore, that the Priviledg of the Ecclesiastical, as well as the flourishing of the Civil State of Israel did arise unto them out of the Covenant of Cir∣cumcision.

The like may be observed of Esau afterwards, whom the Lord rejected before he was born; excluding him from the Priviledg and Blessing of this Covenant, which descended upon Jacob only: And yet Esau was also the Father of a great Nation, and of many Kings, and had the Inheritance of many outward Blessings assigned to him, Gen. 27. 39.

We conclude therefore, That notwithstanding the carnal Seed of Abraham could not, as such, claim a Right in the spiritual and eternal Blessings of the New-Covenant, because of their Interest in the Covenant of Circumcision; yet their Priviledges and Advantages in their Church-State, tho' immediately consisting in things outward and typical, were of far greater Value and Use, than any meer worldly, or earthly Blessing; as giving them choyce means of the Knowledg of God; and setting them nearer to him than any Nation in the World besides.

Of the Covenant of Circumcision. CHAP. VI.

The general design of this Chapter: Two Pro∣positions laid down. §. 1. The first Pro∣position; that the mediate and remote Seed of Abraham in Isaac's Line are in∣cluded in the Covenant of Circumcision: Proved from the Terms of the Promise; and the Instance of their Children who fell in the Wilderness. §. 2. Farther confirmed from Ezek. 16. 20, 21. §. 3. The Current of sacred History; and accomplishment of the Promises pleaded. §. 4. The Church-State of Israel built upon this Covenant. §. 5. This proved: Circumcision the Door of Entrance into, and Boundary of, their Communion: and an Obligation to keep the whole Law. §. 6. Rom. 3. 1. proposed: How Levi payed Tythes in Abraham. §. 7. Israel brought out of Egypt and planted in Canaan by virtue of this Covenant: An

Objection prevented. §. 8. The second Pro∣position; Some of the immediate Seed ex∣cluded; proved from Gen. 17. 19, &c. An Objection answered. §. 9. The Instance of Esau insisted on: why so particular Men∣tion made of Isaac and Jacob; Act. 7. 8. §. 10. An Objection, from the Application of the Seal of the Covenant, stated: An∣swer; 1. The express Testimony of Scrip∣ture removes it. 2. Abraham was bound to circumcise his Servants as well as his Children. 3. No Covenant-Interest, with∣out Interest in the Promises of the Cove∣nant; These not made to all that were cir∣cumcised. §. 11. Circumcision a Seal of the Covenant upon all, but not to all the Subjects thereof: This farther explained; The Command of God, not Covenant-In∣terest, the Rule of applying Circumcision. §. 12. Some Inferences from the Discourse foregoing. §. 13.

§. 1. THose Passages in Genesis that have been last discoursed of, give me an Occasion of Inlargement upon some things, which as they are deduced from the Texts that have been in part considered already; so the farther clearing and strengthening of them, will not only con∣firm

what hath been already hinted, but also contribute very much to the right Understanding of the Nature and End of this Covenant of Cir∣cumcision that I am treating of; and to a re∣moval of the Grounds of many mistaken Deducti∣ons from it, by those that would from thence determine the right Subjects of Baptism.

What I intend, is summ'd up in these two Propositions;

1.

The mediate and remote Seed of that Line to which the Promises of the Covenant of Circumcision did belong, were as fully inclu∣ded, and interested in them, as the immediate Seed.

2.

From the first establishing of this Cove∣nant, some of the immediate Seed of Abraham were excluded from Interest in it.

§. 2. I shall begin with the First: The Truth of which appears sufficiently in the express Terms of the Promises now given to Abraham, which run to him, and to his Seed after him in their Generations; and the Covenant it self is said to be an everlasting Covenant, which they are strict∣ly commanded to keep in their Generations; Gen. 17. 7, 9, 13. These Terms are used, because it was a Covenant in force, as well for the Benefit of more remote, as nearer Generations; Its Promises did include, and its Law did equally bind both, during the whole State of the Mosaical Oeconomy.

The Right of the remotest Generation, was as much derived from Abraham, and the Covenant made with him, as that of his immediate Seed was; and did not at all depend upon the Faith∣fulness of their immediate Parents: And therefore the immediate Seed of those Israelites that fell in the Wilderness under the Displeasure of God, were made to inherit the Land of Canaan, by virtue of this Covenant with Abraham; who o∣therwise could never have injoyed it by virtue of their immediate Parents Stedfastness in the Co∣venant.

§ 3. I suppose it cannot be denyed but gross Idolatry, was a manifest and full Breach of this Covenant, on the part of the Idolater; And yet when the Israelites in Ezekiel's time became guilty of the vilest Idolatries, the Lord still claims an Interest in their Children by virtue of this Covenant: Eezek 16. 20. 21. Moreover thou hast taken thy Sons and thy Daughters, whom thou hast born unto me, and these hast thou sacrificed unto them to be devoured: Is this of thy Whoredoms a small matter, that thou hast slam my Children, &c. The Children of an Apostatize Israelite were God's as well as those of his faithful Servants; which could not have been, if their Covenant-Interest had been suspended on the good abearing of immediate Parents.

And to this agrees the Story that we have of Mattathias his proceeding in the Reformation of

the Church in his day; who, finding that many had denyed their God, and forsaken his true Worship, in that time of Persecution, did (ac∣cording to the Law of Moses) execute Justice upon as many of the Apostates as he could lay Hands on, by slaying them; (as Josephus wit∣nesseth) but the Children that he found to be left uncircumcised in this Time of Apostacy, he took and circumcised them: The Words of the Au∣thor in 1 Maccab. 2. 46. are, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. This I know hath no farther Strength than of an humane Testimony; But it speaks fully what the sence of those Times was concerning the Covenant-Interest of Children; viz. That the Apostacy of their immediate Pa∣rents could not prejudice it, so as to render them uncapable of Circumcision; which strongly con∣cludes their Covenant-Right to be derived from Abraham, and not suspended upon them. And Mattathias who did this, was not only a Man zealous for the Law, but also one that may be presumed to have understood it better than ma∣ny others, seeing he was a Priest.

§. 4. And not only the Passages before in∣sistted on, but the whole Current of Scripture, where these things are mentioned, runs very smoothly this way; but especially that Phrase before touched [thy Seed in their Generations] will admit no other Sence; being by no means

capable of a restraint to the immediate Seed, but even as the like Expression Gen. 9. 12. secures Noah's Children from drowning, by the Waters of an universal Deluge, to the end of the World; so did this Promise give a Covenant-Interest to the Seed of Abraham till the times of Reforma∣tion.

We exclude not the immediate Seed, viz. Isa∣ac, but the Promise passeth on much farther, and is to be fulfilled in a Seed multiplyed exceed∣ingly, and formed into a Kingdom, which it was not until Isaac, and his immediate Offspring al∣so, were laid in the Dust.

Moreover; The Inheritance promised in the Land of Canaan, is given to this Seed for an ever∣lasting Possession; which was fulfilled in their successive inheriting of it from Generation to Ge∣neration; therefore the Seed intended was such as should be propagated thro' many Generations, the last of which are as directly here spoken of as the first; Circumcision being to be observed by them (upon the account of the Promise, and Command now given) for an everlasting Covenant:

The Relation of the carnal Seed, to God, in an external, typical Covenant; the Inheritance of Canaan by virtue thereof; and the Seal of Cir∣cumcision; are all of one Date, and did all expire together.

§. 5. That these things may be the better un∣derstood, we must farther observe,

This Covenant of Circumcision was the Foundation upon which the Church-State of Israel after the Flesh was built.

I do not say, that their Church-State was exactly, and compleatly formed by this Ordinance alone; But this I intend; That in the Covenant of Circumcision were contained the first Rudi∣ments of that in the Wilderness; and the latter was the filling up, and compleating of the for∣mer; yea it was made with them in Pursuance of it; and for the full Accomplishment of the Promises now made to Abraham; And there∣fore the Priviledge of the carnal Seed of A∣braham by virtue of the Covenant of Circumci∣sion, can rise no higher than the Advantage, and Priviledg of a Jew, by virtue of the Covenant in the Wilderness.

§. 6. For the Confirmation of this, I shall of∣fer these things.

First, Circumcision was the Entrance into, and Boundary of Communion in the Jewish Church; and it was made so by the express Command of God himself; who straightly injoyned, that who∣soever brake the Covenant by the neglect of Circumcision; should be cut off from his People: Gen. 17. 14. And as it was to them a Gate of Priviledg, so was it no less a Bond of Duty; not only obliging them to obey the Will of God so far as it was now made known to Abraham; but also, to the Observation of all those Laws

and Ordinances that were after delivered to them by Moses, when so delivered: For the circumcised Person was a Debtor to keep the whole Law: Gal. 5. 3. And this Obligation did result from its proper Ʋse and End, in its primitive Insti∣tution; for we read not of its Appointment to any new End by Moses, nor of any Ʋse it was assigned to, de novo, which it had not (at least virtually) from its first Appointment: It was from first to last, a visible Character upon this People as separated unto God from other Nations, and as such they made their Boast of it: And there∣fore it may be concluded to belong unto that Covenant, from which all their Rights, and Priviledges, as such a People, did spring; and where the Sign was not varied, there was no essential Variation, or Change in the Covenant it self.

§. 7. Secondly, All the Advantage, and Pri∣viledg of Israel after the Flesh, is in the New Testament, expresly referred to the Covenant of Circumcision; For thus the Holy Ghost speaks by Paul Rom. 3. 1. What Advantage then hath the Jew? Or what Profit is there of Circumcision? You see these Phrases; [The Advantage of the Jew] and [The Profit of Circumcision] are set down as Convertible; they import the same thing; what belongs to the one, belongs to the other: And wherever Circumcision is mentioned in the New-Testament, it is spoken of as no less be∣longing

to the Mosaical Oeconomy (tho' the first Institution was not of Moses, but of the Fathers) than any other part of the Law first given by him; and boasting in Circumcision is esteemed a boasting in the Flesh, as much as boasting in any other Old-Testament Priviledg of the Jew; Phil. 3. From all which we may safely conclude, that the Covenant of Cir∣cumcision was of the same Kind with the Levitical Covenant, afterwards annexed to it, or rather built upon it, for the full accomplishing of its De∣sign

I might also insist upon Levi's paying Tithes in Abraham; which could not have been reckoned to him, if he had not been in Abraham conside∣red as an Head in some Covenant Transaction, wherein Levi was Covenanted for, by Abraham: Neither could this have been pleaded by the A∣postle as it is in Heb. 7. 9, 10. if that Covenant in which the Levitical Priesthood was founded, and to which it did belong, had not been originally made with Abraham. But I pass this.

§. 8. Thirdly, The Scriptures do every where affirm, That the Lord brought up Israel out of Egypt, formed their Church-State by establish∣ing the Order of his solemn Worship among them, and gave them the Land of Canaan in Possession, in Remembrance of his Covenant with Abraham; and for the fulfilling of the Promises

thereof: For Instance let these Places be well weighed; Exod. 2. 24, 25. Deut. 29. 10,—13. Neh. 9. 7, 8, 9, &c. Psal. 78. with Psal. 105. And herein was he known to them by his Name JEHOVAH, as giving Being to his Promise in the actual Accomplishment of it, which their Fathers did depend upon his Alsufficiency for: Conf. Exod. 6. with Gen. 17. 1. Thus if we follow the Clue of Scripture in our Enquiries after the Original of the Covenant of Peculiarity made with Israel after the Flesh, it will certain∣ly guide us to that Covenant which God made with Abraham for his natural Offspring, and sealed by Circumcision. And yet that Covenant of Peculiarity is in the New Testament always styled Old, and Carnal; a Covenant from which the Gospel Covenant is distinguished; and to which it is in many Respects opposed: See Jer. 31. 31,—34. and Heb. 8. 8,—13.

Neither doth there lye any just Exception against what hath been said, from the Inlarge∣ment of the Terms and Articles of this Covenant in the Consummation thereof in the Wilderness; for that will not in the least infer any substantial Difference of this Covenant from the Covenant of Circumcision; seeing it is no more than God hath done by the Gospel, with respect to the New-Covenant that was confirmed in Christ un∣to Abraham; which being first summed up in one Promise, In thee shall all Nations be blessed, was abundantly inlarged, cleared, filled up with

its own Ordinances, and made the intire Rule of the Church's Obedience, when the Fulness of Time came which that Promise had respect to; And yet the New Testament is not another Gos∣pel differing from that preached to Abraham, or another Covenant differing from that before confirmed of God in Christ; In like manner the filling up of this Covenant of Circumcision was reserved to the time of God's performing what he now promised unto Abraham, without the least change of the Nature or Design of the Co∣venant it self.

§. 9. We come now to the second Proposition: viz.

That from the first Establishment of this Covenant, some of the immediate Seed of Abra∣ham were excluded.

The Promises thereof did belong to Isaac's Line in their Generations, from Age to Age; but they did not appertain to the immediate Seed of Abraham by Hagar or by Keturah; Their ex∣tent being restrained by the express Caution of God himself, to whom it belonged to set the Bounds of this Covenant-Relation and Interest, and that in the very first making of the Cove∣nant of Circumcision with Abraham: Read dili∣gently Gen. 17. 19, 20, 21. In Isaac shall thy Seed be called; It was Isaac's Seed and not Ishmael's that the Lord would set apart for himself, and would give the Land of Canaan unto, and establish his solemn Worship among them, to be a God un∣to

them. And ••et Abraham was as much a Be∣liever, and as much in Covenant with God, as to his personal Interest in the ••ovenant of Grace, when he begat the one as when he begat the o∣ther.

If it be objected, That Ishmael was at first included, and interested in the Covenant, but was afterwards rejected and cast out for his prophane mocking at Isaac: It will be answer∣ed;

That such a Supposition is against the ex∣press Words and Letter of the Text before ur∣ged▪ and the Limitation which God the Author of the Covenant made of its Promises therein; Before Ishmael was circumcised God declares that he gave not the Promises of his Covenant unto him, but to Isaac with whom it should be established: So that Ishmael's being cast out of Abraham's Family afterwards, will in no wise infer that till then he was in Covenant; but only thus much, That then it was made more ma∣nifest than ever, that the Covenant appertained not to him, and that he must be concluded under the Exception that was before laid in against him. And the divine Confirmation of what Sarah then required is grounded upon that Re∣velation of his Will that he now made unto Abraham; as will be evident to him that com∣pares Gen. 17. with Chap. 21. 12, 13. Cast out the Bond Woman and her Son, For in Isaac shall thy Seed be called. And therfore Abraham did

afterwards voluntarily send his Sons by Keturah, far away from Isaac, and from the promised Land: Gen. 25. 1,—6. altho' these were guilty of no such Wickedness as Ishmael who mocked at Isaac; but for ought appears might be very holy and good Men, the true Children of Abra∣ham by Faith, according to the Tenour of the Covenant of Grace; tho' they might not be Joynt-Heirs with Isaac, according to the Tenour of the Covenant of Circumcision.

§. 10. It is moreover to be observed; Not∣withstanding the Covenant-Seed of Abraham was called in Isaac, and his immediate Children were only two Sons, Esau and Jacob; yet the Right of this Covenant-Blessing did not equally descend upon them both, but once more the Lord re∣strains it by the Rejection of Esau and choosing of Jacob, and that before the Children had done either good or evil; That the purpose of God according to Election might stand; and that he might here set before us an awful Type of his Soveraingty in the after Dispensation of the Grace of the Gospel: Esau (indeed) did after∣wards by the profane selling of his Birth-right, and despising the Inheritance, render himself manifestly un∣worthy * 1.37 of the Blessing; but before this, God had declared that Jacob and his Seed, and not Esau, should inherit the Promises of this Covenant.

And possibly it may be from hence that Isaac and Jacob are so particularly mentioned Act. 7. 8. because of the special Limitation of the Promises to them; and because they were the Seed brought forth in the virtue of the Promise given to Abra∣ham.

§. 11. Thus plain do these thing lye before us in the History of the Scripture, That they will hardly be called into Question, if our minds be not prepossest with some particular Notion unto which they are not suited: But it is earnestly pleaded by some,

That all the immediate Seed of Abraham were interested in this Covenant, and that the first Right in its Promise, did be∣long unto them; inasmuch as the Seal of the Covenant was applyed to them all, in their Circumcision; the doing of which must be ab∣surd, and useless, if they had not been Parties in that Covenant unto which this Seal did belong.

To this, I answer:

1. It is no way meet our uncertain Conjec∣tures, or Inferences, should be opposed to the express Testimony of God himself; or that his Wisdom should be called into Question upon their Account: Now tho' God laid his Com∣mand upon Abraham to circumcise Ishmael, yet at the same time he tells him that his Covenant should be established with Isaac, excluding Ish∣mael; unto whom he will not grant (tho by Abraham interceded for) a Joynt-Interest with

Isaac in this Covenant; but dismisseth his Claim, and lays out his Portion by himself, in another inferior Blessing.

2. Abraham was as strictly bound to circum∣cise all the Males in his Family, that were bought with his Mony of the Stranger, that was not of his Seed, and the Children of those Bond-Ser∣vants, that were born in his House, as he was his own Children, Gen. 17. 12, 13. And this Ob∣ligation remained upon the Heirs of his Cove∣nant in their Generations; And yet none of these Servants (no nor yet Ishmael) were here∣by made Parties in the Covenant, so as that the Promises of it should be sealed unto them, by Circumcision, as their own Inheritance: And,

3. To suppose an Interest in the Covenant, without a Right to the Promises thereof, is to introduce a meer Chimera or Fancy, instead of a real Covenant-Interest: Now the Promises of this Covenant are, that God will give unto the Seed of Abraham, called in Isaac, the Land of Canaan for an everlasting Possession; and that he will be a God to them in their Generations, and they shall be a peculiar People unto him: And can we suppose that these Promises did be∣long to Ishmael, and to the Bond-Servants in Abraham's Family? or were they ever made good to them? If not; seeing the Performance of these Promises was the fulfilling of the Cove∣nant on God's part, whose Faithfulness is to all Generations, we must conclude they never had

the Grant of them, or an Interest in them: And if the Promises of the Covenant did not belong to them, then were they not Parties in Covenant: and if not in Covenant; then they were not circumcised upon the account of their own Covenant-Interest, but in obedience to the particular, and positive Com∣mand of God.

§. 12. It appears therefore, from what hath been already said; that Circumcision was a Seal of the Covenant upon all, but not to all, that were circumcised; it was a Seal of the Covenant unto the Children of the Covenant, and gave them admissi∣on to all the Blessings promised therein; but it did not make their Slaves free of the Commonwealth of Israel, nor was it given for their sakes; And if they could not claim the outward Priviledge of an Israelite thereby, it will hardly be granted that singly upon the account of their being bought by a Jew (tho' their Master himself, perhaps, had no Interest in the Covenant of Grace) they should be made the Subjects of a New Covenant-Blessing; and that, whether they knew, or were capable of consenting to the Terms of that Co∣venant, or not; For that might be the Case of many of them, seeing the Law concerned such as were purchased in their Infancy, as well as those of riper Years; As well the one as the other must needs be circumcised, because of the Com∣mand given to his Master. Perhaps this might belong to the typical Holiness of the Family of an

Israelite; but whether we can fully understand the Reason of it or not; it sufficeth, that the wise God ordained it so to be. However this is certain, that it was the positive Command of God, and not simply Covenant-Interest, that was the Rule according to which Circumcision was ad∣ministred, and by which, both the Subjects, and Circumstances of it, were determined: And so must it be in all things of like Nature; For in Matters of positive Right, we can have no War∣rant for our Practice but from a positive Precept: For things of this kind fall not within the compass of Common Light, or general Principles of natu∣ral Religion; but have their Original from; a particular, distinct, and independent Will of the Law∣giver: And therefore Inferences built upon gene∣ral Notions may soon lead us into Mistakes a∣bout them; if upon such Inferences we form a Rule to our selves of larger Extent than the express Words of the Institution do warrant.

§. 13. The Propositions laid down, being thus far explained and confirmed; I shall draw to a close of this Chapter with an Inference or two, grounded upon the foregoing Discourse.

1. He that holds himself obliged by the Com∣mand, and interested in the Promises of the Cove∣nant of Circumcision, is equally concerned in the whole of them; seeing they together are that Covenant; And therefore (omitting now to speak of the Yoke of the Law belonging thereunto) he that

will apply one Promise or Branch of this Cove∣nant to the carnal Seed of a believing Parent (esteeming every such Parent to have an Interest in the Covenant coordinate with Abraham's) ought seriously to consider the whole promissory Part of the Covenant, in the true Import and Extent thereof; and see whether he can make such an Application of it together, without manifest Absurdity; For, (to pass by other things) If I may conclude my Concern in this Covenant to be such as that by one Promise thereof I am as∣sured, That God hath taken my immediate Seed into Covenant with himself, I must on the same ground conclude also, that my Seed in re∣mote Generations shall be no less in Covenant with him, seeing the Promise runs to the Seed in their Generations; yea, and that this Seed shall be separated from other Nations as a peculiar People unto God, and shall have the Land of Ca∣naan for an everlasting Possession; seeing all these things are included in the Covenant of Circum∣cision: But inasmuch as these things cannot be allowed, nor are by any that I know of pleaded for; we must conclude, That Abraham was con∣sidered in this Covenant, not in the Capacity or Respect, of a private believing Parent, but of one chosen of God, to be the Father of, and a Foederal Root unto a Nation, that for special Ends should be separated unto God by a peculiar Covenant: And when those Ends are accomplished, the Cove∣nant it self by which they obtained that Right,

and Relation, must cease; And the like cannot be pleaded for by any other, without a reviving of the whole Oeconomy built thereupon.

2. Their Notion, who assert this Covenant-Interest, to be the Basis of such a foederal Holi∣ness of Believers Children under the New-Testa∣ment, as gives them a Right to Baptism, doth moreover labour under these Inconveniencies.

1. They generally straiten the Terms of Co∣venant-Interest (if we consider it as derived upon Isaac's Line) by restraining it to the imme∣diate Offspring, which in this Covenant was not so restrained, but came as fully upon remote Gene∣rations; and also by excluding the Servants and Slaves of Christians, with the Children born of them, from that Priviledg which they sup∣pose them to have enjoyed under the Old-Te∣stament, in being sealed with the Sign or To∣ken of the Covenant of Grace. But then;

2. On the other hand (according to what hath been already proved) they make a Believer's Interest in this Covenant of larger Extent, than ever Abraham's was in Truth; For they will have all the immediate Seed of Believers to be included in it; whereas we see, of all the Sons of Abraham according to the Flesh, but one only Isaac was admitted to the Inheritance of the Bles∣sing, and Promises of this Covenant.

Of the Covenant of Circumcision. CHAP. VII.

The great Promise, Gen. 17. 7, 8. proposed, in order to a more strict Enquiry into the pro∣per meaning, and extent thereof: What some collect from it. §. 1. Several things are premised in order to a right Ʋnder∣standing of it. §. 2. Israel to be considered in a twofold Respect under the Mosaical Oeconomy; 1. As the whole Body of the People was constituted in a typical Church∣state. 2. As many of them were by Faith, Members of the spiritual Church. §. 3. The Israel of God in Israel, remained under the Law till Christ came: Tho' they obtained eternal Life in Circumcision, and under the Law, yet not by Circumcision, nor by the Law: The Promise inquired into belongs to the Jewish Church; and was fulfilled to the Body of that People. §. 4. The Promise fully opened; It was an Engagement of God to make good the Covenant: It gives no particular Good beyond what is contained

in particular Promises. §. 5. The sence given, farther confirmed; This Promise added both to the Old Covenant, and the New: No proof that the Covenant of Circumcision was the Covenant of Grace deducible from it. §. 6. A brief view of the History of its Ac∣complishment to Israel. §. 7. All the Bles∣sings of Israel after the Flesh, as such, fall short of the Blessings of the New-Covenant: The first Tender of the Gospel belonged to the Jews; Act. 2. 38, 39. opened. §. 8. The Covenant of Circumcision was not that Co∣venant of Grace, which God brings all the Elect into; nor immediately a Covenant of spiritual Blessings: The solemn Worship of God not presently confined to Abraham's Family thereby. §. 9. The Patriarchs, and other holy Men then living, were not bound to be circumcised, tho' interested in the Co∣venant of Grace as well as Abraham; The Consequence hereof. §. 10. The Question a∣bout Infants Church-membership considered. §. 11. Five things proposed in order to the clearing of it: No Argument for Paedo-Baptism can be taken from thence. §. 12.

§. 1. IT will be expedient, in the next Place, more fully to search out the true meaning,

and extent of that great Promise in the Covenant of Circumcision, which was before but briefly touched upon; viz. I will establish my Covenant—to be a God unto thee, and to thy Seed after thee. Gen. 17. 7. And again, The Promise of Canaan to Israel for an everlasting Possession, is backed with the same Assurance; and I will be their God; v. 8. This Enquiry is the more necessary, because many conceive, That the intire Blessing of the New-Covenant is comprehended in these words; seeing the like Promise is given forth as the Sum∣mary and Assurance of that Covenant in Jer. 31. and Heb. 8. And hereupon they conclude it is the Covenant of Grace that God is now making with Abraham, and which he sealed with Circum∣cision; and that spiritual Blessings are thereby directly bequeathed to him both for himself, and his Seed; and consequently, it was no other than Interest in the Grace and Promise of the New-Covenant, that was sealed to his Infant Seed by Circumcision.

This Notion militates against diverse things that have been before pointed at in the Account we have given of this Transaction; But I conceive, upon a more thorough Disquisition, it will be found without sufficient Strength to shake those Principles that are already laid down, and must yet be built upon, in the Progress of our Discourse: In order therefore to free you from any Intangle∣ment by Objections raised from hence; I shall proceed gradually, to the Solution of the doubt moved.

§. 2. And, that I may not be misunderstood in what is to follow, I shall prepare my way by offering these things to serious Thoughts:

1. A considerable time before this Transaction recorded Gen. 17. the Covenant of Grace was by God confirmed unto Abraham in Christ Jesus; and that not only in the Capacity of a private Believer; but as one bearing the Relation of a Father to all Believers: And this Relation is peculiar to himself; none can claim a Partnership with him there∣in.

2. In the establishment of this Covenant, there was a Seed promised unto him, that should certain∣ly inherit the spiritual and eternal Blessings there∣of; for the Promise was sure unto all the Seed: But this was a Seed of Believers collected out of all Nati∣ons, and united to Christ by Faith, and not the Chil∣dren of Abraham according to the Flesh; as is ma∣nifest almost in every Page of the New-Testament. And,

3. It hath been moreover proved, That God did choose Abraham to be the Root, and Father of a typical People, even of a Nation, the whole Body of which he would take into a peculiar Re∣lation, and Nearness to himself; and upon whom he would bestow many great Favours and Privi∣ledges, until the fulness of Time came for the bring∣ing forth of that Seed unto which the Promises of the New-Covenant did eminently appertain.

4. One great End of this Separation of Abra∣ham and his Seed by Isaac from all other Families

in the Earth, was the bringing forth of the Messiah in his Line, and the evident Accomplishment of the great and first Promise therein: This was a Pri∣viledg that Abraham had in the Flesh, and his Seed derived from him; That they were set apart as a special Channel, thro' which the promised Seed should be derived and brought forth into the World: Rom. 9. 4, 5. And therefore;

5. On this account their Priviledg, and Cove∣nant-state was secured unto them, so as they could never * 1.38 be utterly divested of it in their Generations; until the great End of it was accomplished by the Messiah's being come in the Flesh: And that then it was to cease, the Nature of the thing it self sufficiently de∣monstrateth, in that it was now brought to the limited Time, and End, appointed to it: And hereupon all the carnal Priviledges, and Ordi∣nances of Worship suited to that State, did ne∣cessarily cease and become useless also.

6. During the time wherein their Covenant re∣tained its full Vigor, and all their carnal Privi∣ledges remained good to them in their utmost ex∣tent, all their Advantage lay short of Interest in the Covenant of Grace; This they could never claim by virtue of a carnal Descent from Abraham: Mat. 3. 9. For it was not a carnal Relation to Abraham, but walking in the steps of his Faith, that alone could interest them in this Covenant, and the Blessings thereof: This the Apostle professedly discourses

in Rom. 4. and many other places: So then,

§. 3. 7. The carnal, and the spiritual Seed, as also the Covenants wherein their respective Priviledges are stated, were from the Beginning, in their own Nature distinct the one from the o∣ther; Altho', during the Minority of the Church, under the Mosaical Oeconomy, these different Blessings did ordinarily meet in the same Subjects: For in that time the Seed of Abraham after the Flesh comes under a twofold Consideration.

1. The whole Body of them is to be conside∣red as a People separated unto God for the Ends before mentioned, and formed into a typical State by the Law of Moses, vested with carnal Priviledges, and having an earthly Inheritance; which things were typical of spiritual Blessings under the Gospel.

2. As a great number of them were made the true and real Members of the spiritual Church, and Assembly of the redeemed of the Lord, who did by Faith inherit and enjoy those spiritual Blessings, which the outward Priviledg of the carnal Jew, was but a shadow of: For that Na∣tion was so made a typical Church; as that they were also the only true visible Church that God then had i•• the World: And therefore while the Wall of Separation stood betwixt them and the Gen∣tiles, the Oracles of God were committed to them, and his true Worship wa•• settled among them; the Covenants of Promise were given to them, and the way of Salvation by a Covenant of Grace,

thro' the promised Seed, was made known (tho' but darkly) among them; and the Blood of God's special Elect did generally run in their Veines; that People who were savingly interested in God, and truly holy, being, for the most part found amongst them, while the Gentiles lived without God in the World: (Thus, I say, it was ordinarily; for even then the Grace of God might superabound to some few among the Gentiles) And therefore that Church that was really, and not only typically, Holiness to the Lord, was found within the Compass of their Enclosure: Thus as Isaac was not only a Type of the Children of Pro∣mise in the New-Testament, but was also one of them that did by Faith truly inherit the spiritual Blessing of Abraham; and Jacob was not only a Type of the Elect Seed, but also a real Part thereof; so the like may be said of all that came after of the Circumcision, who were not of the Circumcision only; but, did also walk in the Steps of the Faith of their Father Abraham, which he had, being yet un∣circumcised; They were in one respect a Type, and in another, true Members, of the general As∣sembly and Church of the First-borne: Tho' the one of these they found as pertaining to the Flesh; the other, they obtained by Faith.

§. 4. And, of this Israel in Israel, two things are to be observed;

1. That notwithstanding their Interest in the Promise by Faith, they were not freed from the

Yoke and Discipline of Moses his Law, until Christ came: They were indeed, Children, even the Children of Abraham on a spiritual Account; and by the Grace of a free Promise, which the Law could not disannul, they were relieved from its Rigor, as to their spiritual and eternal State; but being Children under Age, the Paedagogy they were under, differed nothing from that of Servants; neither could they be discharged of this School-Master before Christ came.

2. They were blessed with spiritual Blessings, and had Interest in eternal Life, in Circumcision and under the Law; but none of them obtained this by Circumcision, or by the Law: That whole Oe∣conomy that Israel after the Flesh was under, was, in, and by, it self insufficient and weak as to the End of eternal Happiness, and the Justification of a Sinner before God, in order thereto: It could not make the Comers thereunto perfect; nor make the carnal Seed Heirs of spiritual Blessings; But a Right to them was evermore grounded upon a spi∣ritual Relation to Abraham, and Interest in that Promise which the Covenant of Circumcision was but an Hand-maid to: And therefore those that rested in their carnal Priviledges, and sought eternal Happiness from them, did pervert their true End, and could never obtain what they followed after.

Lastly, To conclude; The Covenant of Cir∣cumcision did belong to the Body of the carnal Seed, even to the Jewish Church; The Founda∣tion of their State is laid therein, and their Right

and Priviledg is thereby expresly stated, in their Generations; And therefore, as we readily grant the Promise, now under consideration, to belong to the Seed of Abraham after the Flesh; so we do with good Reason affirm, that it must be taken in such a sence as we may find verified in that People and Nation, unto whom it did belong; and that shall no ways contradict, or interfere with, the general Design of the Gospel, or the plain and indisputable Sence of other Texts of Scripture.

§. 5. These things being premised, we shall now come more close to the Words themselves, and enquire what that Good, and Blessing is, which by them is ensured unto this Seed of Abraham.

That this Promise, I will be their God; with that foregoing in Gen 17. 7. do give a general Assurance of some Good to the People in Covenant, is evident; but that they are Promises of some particular Good, or Blessing, that is of an higher Nature then is comprehended in any other Promises of the Covenant, is not to be supposed; For, the true Import of this general Promise is;

That God hath ingaged himself, and all the Properties of his Nature, for the exact fulfilling of all the Promises of the Covenant now made with them, according to the true Tenor, and Conditions of the said Co∣venant.

All the divine Per∣fections* 1.39 are laid in as Pledges,

that the Promises shall not fail on God's Part; seeing as need requires they shall be all exerted for the Good and Advantage of this People in ful∣filling the Promises given to them: But still these Communications of God to them, and Actings for them, both in respect of the Blessings he will bestow, as also the Terms and Conditions on which they shall be bestowed, are limited by the Covenant he hath made with them, and the Na∣ture, and Extent of the Promises thereof.

And this will more plainly appear to be the true Sence, if we duly weigh the Terms of the Promise enquired into; (I will be their God, i. e. a God to them; They shall have Interest in all the Perfections of my Nature) For,

Either God is obliged by this Promise to com∣municate himself, in the highest Degree possible to all those to whom it is made, and to do the utmost for them that may be done, without im∣plying a Contradiction to his Being, and, the in∣finite Perfections thereof, and so to bring them ab∣solutely to the utmost Degree of Happiness, that omnipotent Goodness can raise them to; or else the Good promised must fall under some parti∣cular Limitation: If it fall under any Limitati∣on; (as certainly it doth) Those Bounds must be set, either by the Import of the Terms in which the Promise is made, as considered abso∣lutely, and by themselves; or some other way: The first cannot be affirmed, for the Terms are ge∣neral, and indeterminate; Therefore it is some

other way to be limited; and that must be by the particular Promises, and Conditions of that Co∣venant, unto which this general Promise doth belong; And if so, then there is not, nor can be, any greater Good promised thereby, then what the Nature of that Covenant admits of, and its particular Promises give a Right in, to them that are Parties concerned.

And these things being so; None can from hence prove a Grant of spiritual Blessings to, nor yet a Right in Gospel Ordinances for, the carnal Seed of Abraham, or of any Believer, as such; unless he could produce a particular Pro∣mise which did contain such a Grant, or give such a Right, unto them.

§. 6. So then, That which is principally in∣tended, and fully express'd in this Ingagement, is no more than the necessary Result of any Covenant-Transaction of God with Men; For where his Truth is once ingaged in a Promise, there all the Properties of his Nature are ingaged respectively, for the making good of that Promise: And there∣fore, Such a Promise as in its own Nature, con∣tains no more, than a general Assurance of any Covenant that God makes with Men, cannot by it self be the distinguishing Character of any one Cove∣nant, in Opposition to, or Contradistinction from, another; neither doth it determine of what kind the promised Blessings are, or the way wherein they shall be injoyed.

And hence it is that you find this Promise, equally and indifferently annexed both to the Old Covenant and the New; the Covenant of Works and that of Grace: The Truth of this will be mani∣fest by a diligent Conference of Heb. 8. with Jer. 31. and this with Gen. 17. and Exod. 6. 7. and Deut. 26. 17, 18. There is no Reason there∣fore to conclude, Because we find this Promise in the Covenant of Grace, every Covenant in which it is found, must be of the same Nature, for the Covenant is not measured by this Promise; but è contra, its special Import, is limited by the Covenant to which it belongs.

§. 7. Thus far I have indeavoured to set before you the Genuine Sence, and true Interpretation of this great Promise in the Covenant of Circumcisi∣on, and to give you the Reasons by which it is confirmed; And it may add some farther Light to what hath been said, briefly to represent the History of its Accomplishment, from the holy Scriptures, which take, as followeth.

The Lord did abundantly bless Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and guided them with his Eye in all their Peregrinations from Nation to Nation, and from one Kingdom to another People; and when he brake the whole Staff of Bread in the Land of Canaan, and the adjacent Countrys, he made Provision, by a wonderful Series of Providences, for the Sustentation of Jacob's Family, by sending Joseph before them into the Land of Egypt, and

for their Sakes raising him unto a Capacity, not only to secure them from Want, but also to pre∣serve the Lives of thousands more: And when the House of Jacob was by this means brought into the Land of Egypt, the Lord was with them there; and when the time of the Promise drew nigh, he caused them to increase and multiply exceed∣ingly; and tho' the Egyptians sought by all means to oppress them, and dealt subtilely with them, yet by all their Artifice and Cruelty they could make no Earnings of their Work, for the more they oppressed them, the more they grew: And in the midst of their calamitous Distress Moses was brought forth, whom the Lord had designed for a Deliverer and a Saviour unto them; and in order thereunto he was preserved in a miraculous manner from all Dangers and Temptations, from his Birth to the time that he was sent about his great Work. And in the time when the Bondage of Israel grew to its Extremity, the Lord's Eye was still open upon them, and he heard their Cry, and remembred his Covenant with their Fathers, and sent Moses and Aaron to deliver them; Then was his Bowe made quite naked, Hab. 3. 9. in a Course of Miracles, by Signs, and Wonders, and mighty Works, for which his Name is ce∣lebrated unto all Generations; and in that very day which he had set in the Promise to their Fa∣thers, he brought them out of the Land of Egypt, and delivered them from the House of their Bon∣dage with an high Hand; yea he divided the

Red-Sea before them, and led them thro' the Deep as on dry Land, but buried Pharaoh and all his Host in the same Waters that had been as a Wall on the Right-hand and on the Left, while the redeemed of the Lord passed over: He guided them also in the Wilderness, and af∣forded the visible Token of his Presence with them, in a Pillar of Cloud by Day, and of Fire by Night: From his Right-hand there went forth a fiery Law for them, because he loved them, by which he formed both their Civil, and Eccle∣siastical Polity; wherein they were immediately subjected to himself, and made a Kingdom of Priests and an holy Nation; and the Lords Ta∣bernacle was pitched in the midst of them, so that there was no Nation under Heaven that had God so nigh, as the Lord their God was unto them in all that they did call upon him for. Moreo∣ver he gave his good Spirit to instruct them, which was poured upon Moses, Aaron, and Miri∣am, with the seventy Elders, and those Prophets which from time to time, God raised up among them: He fed them also with Manna from Heaven, and gave them Water out of the Rock to drink; and all the time of their forty Years Travel in the Wilderness, their Feet were not swollen, neither did their Garments wax old: He dryed up Jor∣dan also, and brought them into the Land of Canaan, and drove out before them Nations more in number, and mightier than they; and there he blessed them with the Blessings of Heaven

above, and of the Earth beneath; so that there failed not ought of any good thing which the Lord had spoken concerning them; Josh. 23. 14. but their State was made prosperous and happy, bcause the Lord was their God; Psal. 144. ult. And notwith∣standing all their Provocations, he had Compassi∣on upon them, when in their Distresses they cryed unto him; and delivered them, so that the Scep∣ter did not depart from Judah, nor a Law-giver from between his Feet untill Shiloh (i. e. Christ) came. Much of this you have summ'd up in Neh. 9. Psal. 105 and Psal. 144. with Act. 7.

§. 8. In all these Respects (with others of like Nature before insisted on) there was a Glory, 2 Cor. 3. 7,—11. upon the Ministration of the Old Testament; The Jew had a great Advantage, and there was Profit of Circumcision; but chiefly in that to them were committed the Oracles of God; Rom. 3. 1. and Chap. 9. 4. Their's were the Co∣venants of Promise; and the solemn Worship of God was maintained among then; For Salvation was of the Jews; Joh. 4. 22. and in these things was this Promise fulfilled, That the Lord would be a God to them * 1.40 in their Generations; And yet all this lies short of an actual, personal, and saving Interest

in the Covenant of Grace; as the Apostle Paul argues at large in his Epistle to the Romans, and particularly in Chap. 9, 10, 11. Neither could he have affirmed that the committing of the Oracles of God to them was the chief Profit or greatest Benefit of Circumcision, if ever God had appoin∣ted it to be the Seal of their Interest in the Covenant of Grace; which undoubtedly is much greater than any external Benefit or Advantage: But moreover,

This Priviledg the Jews had, That as the Son of God was to be made Flesh of the Seed of A∣braham; and to be manifested among them, being made a Minister of the Circumcision for the fulfilling of the Promises made unto the Fathers: Rom. 15. 8. so also, the first Tender of the Grace, and Salvati∣on of the Gospel, did of Right belong unto them: The preaching of Repentance and Remission of Sins in Christ's Name was to begin at Jerusalem: Luk. 24. 47. And as this was an Argument of God's great Favour, so it might be unto them a great Incouragement to receive the Gospel, and expect Salvation by Christ according to the Tender made therein; And for this End is it urged by Peter, Act. 2. 38, 39. Repent and be baptized every one of you, in the Name of Jesus Christ for the Re∣mission of Sins, and Ye shall receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost. For the Promise is to you and to your Children, &c. The Promise which he hath a par∣ticular Respect to, is that before cited, of the Salvation of all who in the day of the Gospel

call upon the Name of the Lord, and the pouring out of his Spirit upon all Flesh, &c. see ver. 17, 21. (The Promise of the Spirit is also mentioned by Paul, as the great Blessing of the Gospel Gal. 3. 14.) The Spirit was then to be poured out upon many in the miraculous and extraordinary Gifts thereof; and upon all true Believers in a New-Testament Measure; accordingly the Apo∣stle exhorts them to the Obedience of the Gos∣pel, that they might obtain the Remission of their Sins, and receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost; which he assures them of, upon the Terms pro∣posed, For (saith he) the Promise is to you, and your Children: You are in no wise excluded from the Hope of this Blessing, tho' you have been the Betrayers and Murtherers of Christ him∣self; but on the contrary, you (as Jews) have a special Interest in the Promise, so far as that its Accomplishment is to be begun among you, and the first Offer of its Blessing belongs to you; An actual Interest in the Promise unto Salvation, they could not have until they believed, and re∣pented; but as before explained, the Promise was to them while Unbelievers; and in a like sence the, the Apostle Paul saith of them, That the Covenants, and the Promises (as well as the giving of the Law, and Levitical Service) were theirs Rom. 9. 4. Their Covenant brought Salvation to them; but it was the receiving of it by Faith, when so tendered, that gave them particular In∣terest in it. And the Interest of their Children,

or Posterity, in the Promises, can reach no farther then their's, from whom it is supposed to be derived. And it is the same thing in Effect, that Peter urgeth upon the same People, to per∣swade their Obedience to the Doctrine of Christ, Act. 3. 25, 26. Ye are the Children of the Prophets, and of the Covenant which God made with our Fa∣thers, saying unto Abraham, and in thy Seed shall all the Kindreds of the Earth be blessed. Ʋnto you first, God having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning every one of you from his Ini∣quities.

And suitable hereunto, we find the Apostles in all Places, where they came with the glad Ty∣dings of the Gospel, first applyed themselves un∣to the Jews; as holding it necessary that the Word of God should first be preached unto them, Act. 13. 46, 47.

§. 9. From that Account which hath been given of the Covenant of Circumcision, the Nature, and Promises thereof; these Corolaries do follow;

1. That this was a Covenant of Grace and Mer∣cy, as having its Original from the meer Good∣ness, and undeserved Favour of God towards Israel, Deut. 7. 7, 8. whereby many excellent Priviledges were given to them, which no other Nation under Heaven had a Right in, but them∣selves; and these were conferred on them in Pursuance of the great Design of God's Grace in the Covenant of Redemption by Christ: Yet

was it not that Covenant of Grace, which God made with Abraham for all his spiritual Seed, which was before confirmed of God in Christ, and thro' which all Nations (that is, true Be∣lievers in every Nation) have been ever since, now are, and shall be, blessed with the spiritual and eternal Blessing of Abraham.

2. Altho' it be granted, This Covenant had ultimately a respect to spiritual Blessings, as it was disposed in the manifold Wisdom of God in a Subserviency to the Covenant of Grace, and as added to the Promise until the fulness of Time came; yet was it not immediately and directly, a Covenant of spiritual Blessings, nor could it ever convey to the carnal Seed of Abraham, as such, a Right, and Interest in them.

3. Notwithstanding the Promises made in this Covenant of Circumcision, and the Separation of Israel to be the peculiar People of God, in Pursu∣ance of them, whose Church-state was compleat∣ed by the Covenant in the Wilderness, when the set Time for the fulfilling of those Promi∣ses in that respect was fully come; Yet for the present this Covenant did not confine the solemn Worship of God (by Sacrifices or otherwise) to Abraham's Family; nor were other holy Men then living, under any Obligation to incorporate them∣selves thereinto, by Circumcision, or at all to take upon them that Sign or Seal of this Covenant of Peculiarity that God now made with Abraham; which yet without doubt they should have done

if in its first Institution it had been given simply, and directly, as a Seal of the Covenant of Grace; for then by reason of their Interest in that Cove∣nant, both in point of Duty, and Priviledg, it had equally belonged unto them, as to the Seed and Family of Abraham.

§. 10. But, from the sacred History it is evi∣dent, That the Command by virtue of which Circumcision was administred, extended no far∣ther than to Abraham, and his Family; And therefore we have no ground to conclude, that Lot (tho' nearly allyed to Abraham) was cir∣cumcised, seeing there is nothing in the Com∣mand of God, or first Institution of Circumcision that obliged him thereunto, or interested him therein; and yet there is no Doubt to be made of his Interest in the Covenant of Grace: Nei∣ther was Lot the only righteous Man then living in the World, besides those of Abrham's Family; for of the Patriarchs, Heber, Salah, and Shem were now living; and as they had their distinct Families, and Interests, so there is no Question but the pure Worship of God was maintained in them; and they promoted the Interest of true Religion to the utmost of their Power while they lived; Yea Melchisedeck was in Being about this time (whether he was Shem before named, or another, it concerns not us to inquire, much less to deter∣mine; but this is certain that it was he) who was the Priest of the most high God, and King of Salem,

and in both these respects the most eminent Type of Jesus Christ that ever was in the World; a Person greater than Abraham, for Abraham paid Tythes to him, and was blessed by him; Now considering that he was both King and Priest, there is no doubt but there was a Society of Men that were ruled by him, and for whom he mini∣stred; for a Priest is ordained for Men in things pertaining to God; and this Society was at this time, as much a Church of God as Abraham's Fa∣mily was, and as truly interested in the Covenant of Grace as any therein; yet were they not con∣cerned as Parties in this Covenant of Circumcisi∣on, nor to be signed thereby; And hence it is manifest, that Circumcision was not at first applyed as a Seal of the Covenant of Grace, nor did an In∣terest therein presently render a Man the proper Subject of it.

Again; To suppose that all good Men then living, should have been circumcised, as Abraham was, and their Offspring bound to keep this Co∣venant in their Generations, as his were, would necessarily frustrate one great (if not the greatest) End of Circumcision, and the Covenant thereof, which was the separating of one Family, and People from all others in the World, for the bringing forth of the Messiah, that promised Seed, of them, and among them, for the establishing of all the Promises made unto the Fathers. And moreover the Promise of this Covenant touch∣ing the Inheritance of the Land of Canaan could

never have been made good to them all; And yet certainly the sealing of that Promise, was one thing intended in Circumcision. From the whole it appears;

That as on the one hand, there was a posi∣tive Command which made it necessary to cir∣cumcise many that never had Interest in the Covenant of Grace; so, on the other hand, from the first Date of Circumcision there were many truly intersted in the Covenant of Grace, who were under no Obligation to be circumcised.

So far it is from Truth that a New Covenant-Interest, and Right to Circumcision, may be inferred the one from the other.

§. 11. I should here have put a close to this Chapter; but that I judg it may be convenient in this place, briefly to touch upon that Notion of Infant's Church-membership, which is much spo∣ken of with Reference to those Times, the Hi∣story of which we have already past thro'; And the rather, because of the Light we may receive from the things already discoursed, to guide us to a right Understanding of the true State of the Question about it; By many such a thing is affir∣med to have been from the Beginning, and great Weight is laid upon it in the Controversie about the right Subjects of Baptism; It being judged to afford a sufficient ground for applying the Seal of the Covenant to the Infant Seed of Be∣lievers. For my own part I find not in the Scrip∣tures

Occasion given for any long Discourses a∣bout it; and I shall not desire to be wise above what is written; And therefore I shall endeavour in few Words to represent some things grounded upon the records of matter of Fact, in the Scrip∣ture, which I conceive may be sufficient to deter∣mine our Thoughts, as to the Issue of our pre∣sent Enquiry about it. And they are these that follow:

§. 12. First; The term Church in the Scrip∣tures is not (that I find) applyed to any par∣ticular Society of Men united in one Body, in or∣der to the maintaining of the publick and solemn Worship of God among themselves; before the Children of Israel were compleately formed in∣to a Church-state, by the Covenant that God made with them in the Wilderness; They are called the Church in the Wilderness, Act. 7. 38. Yet I doubt not but all good Men before that time did belong to that general Assembly, and Church which Christ hath redeemed with his Blood, and made the Members of his Body; and I grant that we may (using the Term in a more laxe sence) call any Family or Society of Men truly worshiping God, a Church of God. Nevertheless, if we consider the Circumstances re∣lating to the different State of things in those different Times, it will appear, that no Society before the Jewish Church was formed, can be called a Church in so strict, and proper a

sence as they might; for no other were so for∣med into a Church-state as they were.

2. Before Abraham's time, there was no Insti∣tution of an outward Sign, or, Seal of any Covenant to be applyed either to Infants or adult Persons; And therefore there could be no Inauguration of this kind, or solemn Right of Initiation to Church Priviledg then in Use among them. All that can be said of the Children born in those Families and Societies, must issue in things of another Na∣ture: viz. That they were under a more special and gracious Providence of God than others, as being Members of a Family peculiarly interested therein: They had also the Benefit of continual Prayers for them, and the Advantage of early and diligent Instruction, being brought up in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord; and so preserved from many Snares and Temptations that others are liable to, by the Discipline they were under; And being provoked to Religion by the pious and holy Example of those they conversed with; as soon they were capable of it (if, when grown up, they did not break thro' all these Fences, and revolt to a wicked and irreligious Life) they actually joyned with that Family and Society to which they belonged, in the solemn Worship of God.

3. If we consider Church-membership in such a Notion of it as will agree to that time wherein Circumcision was first instituted, we can by no means conclude that a Right to Circumcision

did result therefrom; For certainly the Patri∣archs, and other good Men then living, and their Families, were as truly Church-members, as Abraham and his Family; yet were they not therefore to be circumcised, but the particular, Law and positive Institution of this Ordinance, did alone determine the Subjects thereof. And more∣over;

4. It was not Membership in Abraham's Fa∣mily singly and simply considered, that brought a Person under the Law of Circumcision, with∣out respect to other Circumstances of Time and Sex expresly set down in the Institution; For Circumcision was to be applyed to the Males only, tho' the Right of Church-membership belonged as as well to the Females as to them: And it is no satisfactory Answer to say the Female is not a Subject capable of Circumcision; For if it had pleased God to have made Church-membership the reason and ground of applying this Seal of the Co∣venant, he could easily have appointed such a Sign, as all Members had been capable of; Besides, how doth it appear that the Females were utter∣ly uncapable of any kind of Circumcision? Save that God required no such thing: Vitriacus re∣ports that the Jacobites use Circumcision of both Sexes; and so do the Habas∣sines; and therefore the thing * 1.41 in it self is not impossible; that which hath been done, may be done: More∣over we find the circumcising of the Males was

limited to the eighth day; it might not be done sooner, nor delayed longer: and the Slaves that were bought with Mony must needs be circumcised, tho' they were no Church-members, nor the Children of such; from all which it is manifest, that they proceeded not upon a Notion of Church-membership, but were strictly governed by Divine-Institution in the matter of circumcising or not circumcising.

5. To conclude; It is granted that the Jewish Infants were born Members of that Church; This Priviledg they had in the Flesh; But this evident∣ly belongs unto the national and typical Church-state of that People; which State by the Gospel is dissolved, and is so inconsistent with the Mini∣stration thereof, that the Position of the one, necessarily infers the Abolition of the other; And therefore this Right and Priviledg of the Jew which was in the very Foundation of their nati∣onal Church-state, as separated from the Gentiles, cannot be transfer'd into, because it will not comport with, the Gospel-dispensation.

Besides, It is evident throughout the whole Gospel, that Right of Membership in the Jewish Church, could never give to any, either Infant or Adult, a like Right of Membership in the Gospel Church; nor was there ever any one re∣ceived thereinto, co nomine, because he had such a Right according to the State of the Old Co∣venant. And there is good Reason to con∣clude, that the carnal Seed of Believers can derive

no higher Priviledg from the Covenant of Cir∣cumcision, then the carnal Seed of Abraham ob∣tained thereby: And if it could not bring the one into the Gospel Church, nor give them a Right to Baptism without an actual Compliance with the Terms of the Gospel, by Repentance and Faith, it can by no means do so for the other, tho' we should suppose them concerned in it, as indeed they are not.

It remains therefore; That as Circumcision of old Time was administred according to the positive Law, and express Will of the Lord; so ought Baptism to be now, and no other∣wise; neither can I see any ground to con∣clude for Paedobaptism, until such a divine Law can be produced for the warrant of it, as was of old given, for circumcising the Male Infants of the Jews.

Of the mutual Respect of the Pro∣mises made to Abraham. CHAP. VIII.

An Introduction to the general Design of this Chapter. §. 1. The present Intermixture of the Promises of spiritual, with those of tem∣poral Blessings, suitable to the Darkness of the Old-Testament-dispensation: The like observed in the Writings of the Prophets: The mistake of the Jews hereupon. §. 2. The mutual Respect, and Dependence, of these Promises: The Concern of Abra∣ham's Faith in the Promise of Isaac's Birth. §. 3. Wherein the Greatness of Abraham's Tryal in offering up Isaac did consist: All the Promises made to Abraham meet in one general Issue. §. 4. The typical Respect and Analogy of the Covenant of Peculiarity to the Covenant of Grace: Israel, in one re∣spect, a Type of Christ mystical: This ex∣plained: The typical Respect of Circumcision to his perfect Righteousness. §. 5. Colos. 2.

II. proposed, and explained. §. 6. A typi∣cal Representation of the future State of the Church in Abraham's Family: Gal. 4. 21. &c. proposed; and the Sum of that Con∣text collected. §. 7. Some farther Observa∣tions, and Inferences from thence. §. 8. Several things recollected, and Direction given for their Ʋse as a Key to many Prophecies and Promises in the Old Testa∣ment. §. 9. Rom. 4. 11. proposed, and the Terms explained. §. 10. How Circumcision became unto Abraham a Seal of the Righte∣ousness of the Faith which he had while un∣circumcised. §. 11. The Account given of it confirmed, by the Words of the Text, Scope of the Context, and its Harmony with other Scriptures that speak of Circumcision, and its Ʋse: The Conclusion of the Treatise. §. 12.

§. 1. IN the Chapters foregoing, I have endea∣voured to treat distinctly of the Promises given to Abraham; first of those that belong to his spiritual, and then of such as appertain to his carnal Seed; which Promises (notwithstanding their different Nature, and Importance) we have found frequently intermixed in the same Trans∣action of God with Abraham, they being in the sacred History presented to us interwoven the one

with the other; And now the order of our Dis∣course leads us to make a more particular Enqui∣ry into that mutual Respect of the Promises, which might give Occasion for, and render necessary, such an Intermixture of them.

§. 2. And the first thing which I shall offer to be considered upon this Head, is;

That this Order and Disposition of the Promises is excellently suited to the Dispensation of those Times wherein they were given forth, and to that State of the Israelitish Church which was, not long after, to be built upon them: For these things were transacted long before the time appointed for the clear breaking up of Gospel-light to the World, which was not to be expected till Christ came in the Flesh, before whose coming the Law was to take place, and the Oeconomy of the Old Covenant to remain for many Generations: And therefore, altho' the Gospel was preached unto Abraham; yet was it not delivered unto him with that Plainness and Perspiouity as it is in the New-Testament, but for the most part as shadowed and figured by outward things: And hence, That which concerns the State of Israel under the Mosaical Oeconomy is more expresly and fully declared unto Abraham, than what concerns his spiritual Seed under the Gospel; And there∣fore tho' this latter be the chief thing intended and aimed at (because the perfection of all the rest) in all divine Transactions with Abraham▪

yet is it, for the most part, mystically infolded in, and to be inferred from, the typical Respect of the other thereunto; which leaves the Glory of Gospel-grace still under that Vail, which accom∣panied the Old Testament-state of the Church; the full opening of those Promises that did imme∣diately belong to the Covenant of Grace, being reserved for another State of things in the Church; God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect: Heb. 11. 40. A dim Light was suited to those Times; and it could be but dim, so long as the Promises lay so much intangled one within another. The like is to be observed in After-times, in the Reve∣lation of the Mind of God to Israel by the Pro∣phets; For in the prophetick Writings (as it appears that the temporal Deliverances of Israel, are considered as typical of the spiritual Redemp∣tion of the Church; so) we often meet with sudden, and (seemingly) abrupt Transitions from the Promises of things relating to the present State of Israel after the Flesh, unto Promises and Prophecies of those things which are accomplished in the New-Testament by the Ministration of the Spirit, which being generally delivered in Terms suitable to the present Dispensation of things, and their typical Respect, are by the Jews wofully perverted unto this day, while they contend that themselves are the only People concerned in them, to whom the Blessings, promised and prophesied of, do belong; and that they are to be fulfilled

unto them in a way agrecable to their former State, and suited to their own carnal Lusts and Imaginations; whereby they harden themselves in their Contempt of the Grace of God in Christ, and the spiritual Blessings of the Gospel, wherein the Accomplishment of those Prophecies, accord∣ing to the true Sence of them, is only to be sought. And thus Jesus Christ himself became a Stone of stumbling, and Rock of Offence to them; because the State of his Kingdom suited not their car∣nal Minds, nor answered their groundless Ex∣pectation.

§. 3. It is also to be observed; That there is not only a singular Congruity, and Fitness in this Method of giving forth the Promises, in regard of the Time wherein they were made to Abraham, and that State of the Church which was next to follow upon these Transactions; but there is also in some respect a Necessity of it arising from the Nature of the things promised, and their mutual De∣pendence one upon the other. For,

All the Promises of a spiritual Seed, and spiri∣tual Blessings to be bestowed on that Seed, (which belong to the Covenant of Grace as revealed to Abraham) are Yea and Amen in Christ Jesus: And this Messiah, in whom the Covenant was confir∣med, was to be made of the Seed of Abraham ac∣cording to the Flesh; and for the bringing of him forth, according to the Promise, was the Seed of Abraham by Isaac and Jacob, separated unto God

for a peculiar People, and kept distinct from all other Families in the World; and in this respect, the Blessing of Grace and eternal Life given un∣to Abraham, and his believing Seed, was suspen∣ded upon the Effect and Accomplishment of the Promises concerning his natural Offspring; and particularly upon the Promise of Isaac's Birth; who was to be begotten by Abraham, and brought forth by Sarah, at such a time, when Nature in them both was so weakned by Age, that they were as unapt, he to beget, and she to con∣ceive a Son, as if they had been already dead, Rom. 4. 19. And hence it is, that the Apostle doth lay so great Weight upon Abraham's Faith in this Particular, even in the Business of his Justificati∣on before God; The Object of justifying Faith, the Messiah to come, being thus included in the Promise of Isaac's Birth: On this account his Pa∣rents had the greatest Cause of rejoycing at the Birth of this Son, who hath his Name from Laughter, and Rejoycing: Gen. 17. 17. and Chap. 21. And to this (in part) may be referred the say∣ing of our Saviour, Abraham rejoyced to see my Day, and he saw it, and was glad: Joh. 8. 56. He saw it in the Birth of Isaac (and afterwards in the offering of him up) who was a Type of Christ, and from whom he was to come; whose miraculous Birth, in the virtue of a Promise, when Nature could not have effected it, afforded also some Adumbration of, and was a Praeludium to, the more miraculous Birth of Christ, who

was conceived and brought forth by a pure Vir∣gin (the Power of the most High overshadowing her) for the fufilling of that Promise, The Seed of the Woman shall break the Head of the Serpent. As Isaac in the Type, so Christ more eminently, sprang up as a Root out of a dry Ground; Isa! 53.

§. 4. Now from these things we may collect with Ease, and great Clearness, wherein the Great∣ness of Abraham's Tryal, and the Eminency of his Faith in offering up Isaac, did specially consist: To part with a Son, an obedient Son; a Son grown up (as Isaac now was) yea an only Son, was indeed a great Tryal; howbeit Abraham was not only required to part with him, but to sacri∣fice him; and for a Father to become the Execu∣tioner of his Son, the Son of his old Age, and the Object of his most endeared Affections; for him (I say) to be appointed the Priest that must slay this Victime, adds yet much more to the Tryal; And in Abraham's addressing himself to such a Service (had there been no more in it) with∣out Debate, murmuring, or delay, we have an unparallell'd Instance, and Example of Piety, and Obedience: But alas! There is a Concern infinite∣ly greater, in this Case, than all that hath been yet mentioned; Isaac was the Son of the Promise, (And upon this account the Holy Ghost places it—he that had received the Promises offered up his only begotten Son: Of whom it was said, in Isaac shall thy Seed be called; Heb. 11. 17, 18.) Abraham

had no other Son in whom he might expect the fulfilling of the Promise when Isaac was lost; and yet upon the Accomplishment of this Promise, in the bringing forth of the Messiah in Isaac's Line, the eternal Salvation of Abraham, and of the whole Church depended; and therefore he is called his only begotten, not because Abraham had no other Son, but because he was the only H••ir of the Pro∣mise. This might have caused the greatest Anxi∣ety of Mind imaginable, in Abraham, had he at all consulted with Flesh and Blood in the case; but his Faith overcame this Difficulty, and silen∣ced all carnal Reasonings about the Impossibility of the Accomplishment of the Promise, if this Command were obeyed; Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the Dead, from whence also he received him in a Figure: Heb. 11. 19. And the Issue made it abundantly manifest, that the readiness of Abraham to obey in this Case, did put the Promise to no real Hazard; for it brought forth means of farther Confirmation of his Faith, by the Exhibition of an eminent Type of the Redemption of the Church by the Death and Resurrection of Christ; unto which was added the renewing of God's Promises to him, both for his spiritual and carnal Seed and that with their Con∣firmation by the Oath of the great God: Gen. 22. 17, 18. But to return to that which concerns our present Purpose.

From these things we may certainly collect, that all the Promises made to Abraham, were or∣dered

of God to meet in one general Issue; For as the Promises concerning the carnal Seed, and their State, were subservient unto the Ends of of God's Covenant with the spiritual Seed: so also the the Promises peculiarly belonging to the spiritual Seed, were to have their Effect and Ac∣complishment in a Seed that must descend from A∣braham according to the Flesh: And therefore that Interchange of the Promises which hath been ob∣served to you, ought not in any wise to seem strange.

§. 5. Again, The typical Respect and Analogy of the Covenant of Peculiarity unto the Covenant of Grace, as after to be more fully revealed, and accomplished in Christ, affords another Occasion of, and Reason for, the interweaving of those Promises which re∣quire a distinct Application: some of them be∣longing immediately to the carnal, and others to the spiritual Seed, as arising from the springs, and ordered towards the Ministration of two distinct Covenants: That there was a Disposition of things in the Old Testament with a typical Re∣spect to the things that are of a spiritual Nature, and Concern, in the New, is so fully, and clearly asserted by the Holy Ghost in the Scriptures, that it hath obtained a general Acknowledgment from those that own their Authority; as also that many things in the Transactions of God with Abraham were of this Nature; largely to insist on these things is besides my present Design; only

for the better clearing of the Point under Consi∣deration, I shall briefly touch upon something of this kind: And first, let it be observed;

That the Body of the Israelitish Nation, consi∣dered as an holy People, and the Lord's first-born, Exod. 4. 22, 23. Jer. 2. 3. bearing in their Flesh the Character of Circumcision (which laid them under an Obligation to perform the Righteousness of the Law) was not only a Seed separated unto God for the bringing forth of the Messiah, but also, was a Type of Christ mystical, viz. of that Seed, and Body, whereof Christ is the Head, and true Believers are the Members (who in this Relation are considered as compleat in him) and so did eminently point at his being made under the Law, Gal. 4. 4. and (by the perfect fulfilling thereof) becoming the End of the Law for Righte∣ousness to every one that believeth; Rom. 10. 4.

Thus much (I suppose) may be fairly gather∣ed from that saying of the Prophet in Hos. 11. 1. * 1.42 Out of Egypt have I called my Son; compared with Mat. 2. 15. where the Evangelist ap∣plies it unto Christ. And, pro∣bably for this reason is Christ prophesied of by the Name of Israel, Esa. 49. 3. Christ was the Seed in whom the Substance of that Righteous∣ness, that was shadowed in the Circumcision of Israel, was to be found; and from whom it is derived upon all true Believers for their Justifi∣cation before God, and Introduction into such a

State wherein they should acceptably walk before God, and worship him in newness of Spirit: Thus Circumcision did not only oblige to the keeping of the Law (in which respect, it was an heavy Yoke Act. 15. 10.) but did also (as subservi∣ent to the Promise) point at the Messiah who was to come under a legal Bond to fulfil all Righte∣ousness, that thro' Faith in his Name such a Righteousness might be obtained, as is witnessed to both by the Law and the Prophets: Rom. 3. 21. It is Christ alone, in whom the Design of Cir∣cumcision is fully answered: And as under the Old Testament-Ministration, no Man could en∣joy the Priviledges of the Covenant of Peculiarity without Circumcision, none being admitted to walk before God in that Covenant, without this Sign of a perfect Righteousness and Purity accord∣ing to the Law; so now, none can have entrance into the Kingdom of Grace, nor obtain a Right in the spiritual Blessings and Priviledges of the New-Covenant, but by an Interest in the Righte∣ousness of Christ thro' Faith, and by coming un∣der the Imputation of his Obedience, wherein the Law was fulfilled for us. And seeing this was one (and that the most comfortable, if not the chief) end of Circumcision, as it served the Design of the Covenant of Grace towards the Elect; the Continuance of it now, with the same respect which it had in its first Institution, would be in effect, to deny that Christ is come in the Flesh.

I intend not by any thing I have said to inti∣mate

a Denial of the typical respect of Circumci∣sion to the Sanctification of Believers also; neither is that Notion of it in the least weakened, but ra∣ther strengthened in its proper Place; For as the real Holiness of Believers springs from their Ʋnion to Christ, and Justification thro' the Faith of his Name; so I take Circumcision, first to look to∣wards that perfect Righteousness which we have in Jesus Christ; and then to that sincere (tho' imperfect) Holiness that is wrought in us by the Spirit of Christ: For we are the Circumcision which worship God in the Spirit; and rejoyce in Christ Je∣sus, and have no Confidence in the Flesh: Phil. 3. 3.

§. 6. And I conceive if those other Texts in the New-Testament that look towards the my∣stical use of Circumcision, be well weighed, and the scope of the Context in which they are, du∣ly considered, they will cast a great Light upon the Notion proposed to you; I cannot stay upon all, But for Instance, let us repair to Col. 2. 11. In whom also ye are circumcised with the Circumcisi∣on made without hands, in putting off the Body of the Sins of the Flesh, by the Circumcision of Christ.

The design of the Apostle's Discourse in the whole Context, is, to confirm the Souls of the believing Colossians in the Faith of the Gospel, and particularly in that great Article of the Christi∣an Religion concerning our being justified freely by the Grace of God, thro' the Redemption that is in Christ Jesus; Rom. 3. 24. and to caution them

not to be led away by the Errour of the Wicked from the Simplicity of Truth which they had re∣ceived; But as they had received Christ Jesus the Lord; so they should walk in him: Rooted and built up in him, and established in the Faith; ver. 6, 7. And (saith he) Beware lest any Man spoile you through Philosophy and vain Deceit, after the Traditi∣on of Men, after the Rudiments of the World, and not after Christ; ver. 8. The Men which the A∣postle brands in these last Words, are those that endeavour'd the Subversion of the Liberty of the Gentile Churches, and intangling them again in the yoke of Legal Bondage; in order whereunto, they did not only assert the Levitical Ceremonies, to be still, and in their own nature, acceptable Ser∣vice to God; but also, that they were of perpe∣tual Use, because of those Philosophick Secrets, and Mysteries of Nature, which they pretended were wrapt up in them; which Conceit they had no ground for (God having at no time appointed them to such an End) but from the Tradition of their Elders: This it is which the Apostle intends, by Philosophy and vain Deceit after the Tradition of Men: And, to prevent their being insnared with this corrupt Doctrine, he informs them how Christ was the End and Substance of all those Shadows, and that all Fulness dwels in him, in whom they were compleat; and therefore ought not to turn back to the Law, or its Ceremonies, to seek Per∣fection from them; seeing by Christ they were made Partakers of that real Benefit, which was

but darkly pointed at, and shadowed by the Ce∣remonies of the Law: For so he adds in this 11th Verse, In whom also ye are circumcised; (mind) They are not said to be circumcised in themselves, but in Christ; because in him they were com∣pleately justified by the Imputation of a perfect Righteousness, which Circumcision under the Law, as an Ordinance of the Old Covenant, did oblige Men to, and as subordinate to the Promise did prefigure: Hence the Apostle affirms, that Belie∣vers are the Circumcision, who place their whole Trust in Jesus Christ: Phil. 3. 3. and whereas they are also described to be such as worship God in the Spirit; this doth not restrain the Notion of their Circumcision to the Righteousness of Sanctificati∣on, but rather describes the Persons by another Fruit, and Property, of that Grace whereby they are justified; Confer. Rom. 8. 4. In the following words of this Text in Colos. the Circumcision spo∣ken of, is said to be,—In the putting off the Bo∣dy of the Sins of the Flesh; which is primarily in∣tended of our Justification, and includes Sancti∣fication as a necessary Concomitant thereof; It is by Justification that we are compleatly delivered from a State of Sin, and the Mass of Corruption (as Joshua was from his filthy Garments) Zach. 3. 4. by an Implantation into, and Union with Christ, who dyed for our Sins, and rose again for our Justification; and therefore this change of their State, is said to be, by their being quickned together with Christ; ver. 13. and this quickning is that

of Justification, wherein they were raised from that deadly state of Guiltiness, in which they were, while dead in their Sins, and the uncircum∣cision of their Flesh, unto a state of Life, Righte∣ousness, and Acceptance with God, who forgives them all Trespasses. Now this putting off the Body of the Sins of the Flesh, is,

—By the Circumcision of Christ. I know Ex∣positors do generally take that Circumcision which is the work of the Spirit of Christ in the Soul, to be here intended; as they do apply the whole Verse to our Sanctification; but I conceive as our Justification is primarily intended in the Context, so the scope of the Apostle's Discourse leads us rather to interpret this to be that Circumcision wherewith Christ was circumcised; the Sign being put for the thing signified; viz. the Circumcision of Christ, for his perfect Obedience, and fufilling of the Law: In Circumcision was the first bear∣ing of the Yoke of the Law; and by it the Per∣son circumcised was bound to keep the whole Law, otherwise his Circumcision became Ʋncircum∣cision; Rom. 2. 25. so then, the Circumcision of Christ is a convincing Evidence of his being made under the Law; and by a perfect fulfilling thereof, he brought in that everlasting Righte∣ousness, thro' the Imputation of which, all that are in him are justified before God: And this Communion that Believers have with Christ in his Benefits thro' the Faith of the Operation of God, is in a lively manner held out, and sig∣nified

to them in their Baptism, wherein they are said to be both buried and risen together with him; Col. 2. 12. The Immersion of the Body into the Water bearing an Analogy to his Burial, as the raising of it again out of the Water doth to his Resurrection. This the Apostle intends, that even their Baptism upon their first receiving, and profession of the Christian Religion, did teach and oblige them to live upon Christ alone, and to joyn no other thing with him in the Foundation of their Hope.

These things being so, Circumcision was of Use no longer, neither had Christians any Concernment in it; for having reached the Ac∣complishment of its utmost End in Jesus Christ, it expired in Course, and vanished away with the whole Frame of the Mosaical Oeconomy: And so far is the Apostle from intimating that Baptism came in the room of Circumcision, that he discourses of them, as appertaining to two Co∣venants so differenced one from the other, and in their compleat Ministration opposed the one to the other, as that they could by no means (in this last respect) consist together.

§. 7. In the next place; It is to be noted,

That there was

A typical Representation of the future State of the Church (viz. in the days of the Gospel) in the present Transacti∣ons of God with Abraham, and the State of his Family thereupon.

The Explication of all Par∣ticulars

belonging hereunto, would require an inlargement of this Discourse beyond its intended Bounds; And therefore, to our present Purpose, I shall only point at the Heads of those things which the Apostle sets before us in Gal. 4. from ver 21, to the end of the Chapter.

Upon the reading of this Context, you will observe that the Allegory insisted on by the Apo∣stle is grounded upon this historical Verity,

1. That Abraham had a twofold Seed; the one proceeding from him according to the ordinary Course, and by the Strength of Nature, the other brought forth by virtue of a Promise; the one was Ishmael by Hagar, a Bond-woman, the other Isaac by Sarah a Free-woman.

2. The Bond-woman and her Son, had the Precedence, in time of Conception and Birth, to the Free-woman and her Son.

3. In process of time the Son of the Bond-woman who was born after the Flesh, persecutes the ••on of the Free-woman who was born after the Spirit; i. e. in the virtue of the Promise; And thereup∣on the Bond-woman and her Son are cast out of the Family, and Isaac remains there as the only Heir of his Father's Blessing.

That these things were disposed of God with a typical Respect to Gospel-times, the Apostle af∣firms, and thus applys them:

Hagar was a Type of mount Sinai, and the Legal Covenant there established; and Ishmael was a Type of the carnal Seed of Abraham, as under

that Covenant: Sarah was a Type of the New-Jerusalem, or of the Gospel-Church founded on the Covenant of Grace; And Isaac, a Type of the true Members of that Church, who are born of the Spirit; being converted by the power of the Holy Ghost, for the fulfilling of the Promise of the Father, unto Jesus Christ the Mediator: And, the Ejection of Hagar and Ishmael was to foreshew the Abrogation of the Sinai-Covenant, and dissolving of the Jewish Church-state; that so the Inheritance of spiritual Blessings might be clearly devolved upon the Children of God by Faith in Jesus Christ.

There are many other things worthy to be ob∣served, which it is not my present Work to insist upon; this general View which hath been taken of the Context being sufficient to prepare our way to the following Observations.

§. 8. First, The Apostle who in Gal. 3. 8, & 17. calleth the Promise recorded in Gen. 12. the Gospel preached to Abraham; and the Covenant con∣firmed of God in Christ: doth here expresly call that Covenant-Transaction unto which Circumcision belonged, and wherein the Right and Priviledg of the natural Seed of Abraham was stated, the Law; and their desire of being under it he condemns, as proceeding from their Folly and Ig∣norance: Gal. 4. 21.

2. Notwithstanding all the Priviledges of Israel after the Flesh, they remained in a state of Bond∣age

under the Law: And their being Parties in the Sinai Covenant, and in the Covenant of Cir∣cumcision, and Children of the earthly Jerusalem (or Members of that Church whose State was founded on the Covenants before mentioned) and so interested in all the Worship there to be performed, (all this I say) could no more give them Interest in, and Right to, the spiritual Bles∣sings of Abraham, then Ishmael's carnal De∣scent from him, could either inright himself or his Seed, in the Covenant of Peculiarity made with Israel, and the outward Blessings thereof: For altho' the Seed of Abraham by Isaac were under the Dispensation of those Blessings that were the shadow, and Type of the good things of the Gospel; yet their Birth-right, and proper Claim in the Interest of their Covenant; did fall as far short of Gospel-blessings, as Ishamel's did of their Priviledges; For as Ishmael was, in a li∣teral Sence, born after the Flesh and the Son of a Bond-woman, so were they mystically; and as Ishmael did persecute Isaac, so they (being puft up with a vain Confidence in their carnal Privi∣ledg, and Prerogative) did not only reject the Gospel themselves, but also persecuted the Chil∣dren of the New Jerusalem; And therefore as he was cast out of Abraham's Family, and ex∣cluded from any part in the Inheritance of the Son of Promise, so must they be excluded from the Kingdom of God, and the Inheritance of the Blessings thereof.

Thus did God, in the very beginning of the Covenant-state of Israel after the Flesh, in this Type set before their Eyes the Imperfection-thereof, and the sad End they would bring themselves to, by a resting in it, and overweening of it.

3. Howbeit, The Covenant of Peculiarity made with Israel, and the Dispensation that God brought them under pursuant to the Fnds thereof, was typical of the Gospel-Covenant and the State of things therein. In Isaac we have a Type of the Children of God by Faith; and as he (in his Seed) was the Heir of Canaan, so are they Heirs of Heaven; And as he was persecuted by Ishma∣el, so must they expect Trouble in the World, and look to be maligned by all carnal and Phari∣saical Spirits, that seek to establish their own Righteousness, and refuse to submit to the righte∣ousness of God; In a word, the People, their Wor∣ship, and Inheritance, was all typical; And yet, as Abraham's spiritual Seed may behold the sha∣dow of their own State and Priviledg, in the mystical Respect, and typical Oe∣conomy of the Jewish Church; * 1.43 so they again might, and ought to consider themselves in their outward State to be but typical; and while they were figures of

the Children of Promise, both themselves, their State, and End, was figured in the Son of the Bond-woman and his Rejection.

Now from hence we may infer, that;

1. The carnal Seed of Believers, can obtain no greater Priviledg by the Covenant of Circumcisi∣on, than the Seed of Abraham by Isaac had; and their Priviledg reached not to an Interest in Gos∣pel-Blessings, or in the New Covenant, unless they obtained that Right for themselves by be∣lieving; otherwise they had no more Right in them, by their natural Descent from Abraham, than Ishmael had in the Blessings of their Cove∣nant of Peculiarity; And their Interest in typical Priviledges, must needs cease, and vanish away, when the things typified were exhibited.

2. The State of Israel after the Flesh being ty∣pical; The Israel of God among them, were taught to look above, and beyond their external Priviledges, unto those things that were shadow∣ed by them, as set before their Faith in the Pro∣mises of Grace by Christ; and so to live upon the Grace of that Covenant, which their outward State, and Covenant of Peculiarity was subser∣vient to; And unto them, all these things had a spiritual, and evangelical Ʋse; which being their principal End and Intent, a fair Occasion is mi∣nistred for such an Intermixture of the Promises of Typical, with those of real Blessings, as we have

now had under Consideration; Because the Cove∣nant of Grace, and that of Circumcision have their mutual Respect, as the Type to its Antitype.

§. 9. And these things are not only necessary to the right Understanding of those divine Trans∣actions with Abraham which we have been treat∣ing of; but also are of Use for the opening, and right Application of very many Prophecies, and Promises of the Old Testament; and for the a∣voiding of those stumbling Blocks (and others like unto them) which the blind Jews have fallen, and do fall upon to this day.

The Phraseology of the Old Testament will hardly be understood in divers Places, without due regard to many of those things that we have been treating of: viz.

1. That during the time of the Law, the true Church was impaled within the Bounds of the Common-wealth of Israel; which in its intire Body was a typical Church.

2. That the Children of God after the Spirit (tho' as Children under Age, they were subject to the Paedagogy of the Law, yet) as to their spi∣ritual and eternal State, did walk before God, and found Acceptance with him, upon Terms of the Covenant of Grace.

3. That the whole Oeconomy this People were under, did in its typical respect, subserve the Ends of the Covenant of Grace to the Elect, who were the true and spiritual Worshippers of God; And

the greatest, and only visible Number of them, was to be preserved among that People, until the Gospel Church-state should take place.

4. But yet, this spiritual Relation to God ac∣cording to the Terms of the New-Covenant which the truly Godly then had, was not so clear∣ly held forth under the Old Testament as it is in the times of the New, and by the Dispensation of the Gospel: But the things relating thereto, were very much wrapt up in dark Shadows, and Fi∣gures. And therefore,

Many times the things, and People typified, are spoken of in prophetical Scriptures, under the names of those Things, and that People, which were the Types of them; And the Promise of the choicest Gospel-blessings, and most glorious State (with respect to spiritual Glory) of the New-Testament Church, are given forth to Israel of old in those Terms that did suit the present State of things; and are peculiarily directed unto them, and their Seed; but these Promises being given to them as considered in their Relation to God, as his only visible Church, and Covenant-people, are not to be applyed to Israel after the Flesh, as such, but had their Accomplishment in the Church when Israel was rejected, and the Gentiles called to inherit the Blessing of Abraham; Howbeit they being directly given out to Israel and Jacob, as the only true Church then in being, and a People in whom the Church, which should be, was typified; it was but meet and necessary

(especially considering that the spiritual Glory of the Gospel, and the calling of the Gentiles, was a Mystery not to be unfolded in those times, but kept under a Veil) that the Terms made use of in those Prophecies and Promises, should be acommodated unto that Oeconomy under which the Church then was; which yet must be inter∣preted in a Sence agreeable to those times, and that Dispensation, in which they were to have their full Accomplishment. And therefore seeing the Church was then continued in a Line of natural Descent from Abraham, being propagated by Gene∣ration as long as the Old Covenant state thereof remained unshaken, the Promises made to the Church respecting her future Glory, Peace, and Blessedness in the days of the Messiah, are given forth as to the Seed and Offspring of the Church then in Being; tho' they did really belong to, and were intended for, (not a carnal Offspring, but) those that God should continue to own as his Covenant-People and Church; even such as should walk in the steps of Abraham's Faith, the Gentiles, as well as Jews.

§. 10. All that now remains to be done before I draw to a Period of this Discourse, is to consi∣der how far the mutual Respect of the Promises made to Abraham may guide us towards a right understanding, how Circumcision became unto Abraham, a Seal of the Righteousness of Faith, &c. which the Apostle affirms it to have bin, Rom. 4. 11.

And in opening that Text, the grand Objection against that Notion of the Covenant of Circum∣cision which I have insisted on, will be obviated. In order hereunto, I shall first set down the Text, and give you a brief Exposition of it; then shew you wherein it was verified: and offer something for the strengthening and Eviction of the Sence given.

The words of the Text are;

And he received the Sign of Circumcision, a Seal of the Righteouness of Faith which he had being yet uncircumcised; that he might be the Father of all them that believe, tho' they be not circumcised, that Righteousness may be imputed unto them also.

In the Verses foregoing the Apostle is discours∣ing of the time wherein Abraham's Faith was im∣puted to him for Righteousness, and proves from thence the equal Right of the uncircumcised Gen∣tile (if a Believer) with the circumcised Jew, in the Blessings of the Gospel, by means, of a spiritual Relation to Abraham, inasmuch as his Faith was reckoned to him for Righteousness, not in Circumcision, but in Ʋncircumcision;

And he received the Sign of Circumcision; i. e. Circumcision which was a Sign; It is genitivus Speci••i; as when we read the City of Jerusalem; for the City Jerusalem; and the like: Some Greek Copies do here read 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. This be∣longs to the general use, nature, and end of Cir∣cumcision, it was a Sign; but moreover, unto Abraham it was;

—A Seal of the Righteousness of the Faith, which he had being yet uncircumcised; A Seal is for Confir∣mation, and Assurance; and in this notion of a Seal there may be some respect to that visible Mark and Character which remained in the Flesh of him that was circumcised; for we read not that any other Ordinance (no not Baptism) is so called in Scripture; but in the New Testament the sealing of Believers is attributed to the Holy Ghost.

—Of the Righteousness of the Faith which he had, yet being uncircumcised; that is, of his being Righteous before God thro' believing; which Faith he had, and which Righteousness was im∣puted to him (the Relative may agree with either Antecedent) while he was uncircumcised: There are some Words supplyed by the Translators to fill up the sence in our English Phrase, which the learned Dr. Lightfoot in his Hor. Hebraic. on Cor. 7. 19. fills up by another Supply that gives some∣what a differing sence of the Text, which I refer the Reader to, as not unworthy his Consideration; but shall here rest satisfied with that sence which our Translation affords us. It follows,

—That he might be the Father of all that be∣lieve in Ʋncircumcision: the sence is, that he might be manifested to be (things are in Scripture of∣tentimes said to be, when they are by any solemn Act declared, or confirmed) the Father of all be∣lieving Gentiles, tho' they be not circumcised; inasmuch as they also are a part of that spiritual

Seed promised to him in Uncircumcision.

—That Righteousness might be imputed to them also: take it as before, that it might be made ma∣nifest, and confirmed, that Righteousness is, and shall be imputed to thm also: See ver. 23, 24.

§. 11. Having given this brief Explication of the Terms used in the Text, the next thing to be enqurired is; wherein are the Contents of it verified? or how, or in what respect, was Circumcision a Seal of the Righteousness of the Faith which Abraham had being yet uncircum∣cised?

For answer to this Enquiry; observe,

1. That in the Prologue to this Covenant of Circumcision Gen. 17. God did expresly renew, and confirm to Abraham, the great Promise of the Covenant of Grace, concerning the justifying of the Gentiles by Faith in Christ, which Blessing they should receive in the Relation of Children to Abraham, and so he should become the Father of many Nations; And the Covenant of Circumci∣sion being added to former Transactions wherein God had confirmed his Covenant in Christ with Abraham; the use of Circumcision (as to him) was not limited to that Covenant of Peculiarity unto which it did immediately belong, but must necessa∣rily reach farther, and include a Confirmation of all preceding Transactions, & the Promises given in them;

especially of that which was repeated, immedi∣ately before the Institution thereof. The Promi∣ses of God to Abraham (tho' of a different Na∣ture) did not interfere one with another; but the latter still implyed a Confirmation and Ra∣tification of the former; This Covenant there∣fore did not supplant, but confirm the Truth of the Gospel before preached to Abraham, it was not added to disannul the Promise, but to serve the Ends thereof; and therefore Circumcision did not only seal to Abraham the Promises of ty∣pical Blessings now given, but also was a Seal of the Righteousness of the Faith which he had being yet uncircumcised, that he might be the Father of all that believe in Ʋncircumcision.

2. It was so (tho' more indirectly) on this account also:

Abraham's Faith (as we have seen before) was much concerned in the Promise of Isaac's Birth, and the separating of his Seed from other Nations for the bringing forth of the Messiah; and he knew well that the Covenant of Circum∣cision was made with him in pursuance of the great Promises before given; and so the Seal of this Covenant became unto him, a Seal of the Righteousness of the Faith which he had before, and confirmed him in his paternal. Relation to Believers in all Nations, which was an Honour before conferred on him. It is the Discovery of the Subserviency of Circumcision, as received by Abraham, to the great End and Design of the

Covenant of Grace (which was confirmed to Abraham before he was circumcised) that the Apostle particularly aims at in this Place; and he proves that the Covenant of Circumcision is so far from excluding the Gentiles from inheriting the Blessing of Abraham by Faith; as that it was, to him an Assurance and Seal of the Promise of so great a Priviledg to them; as also of his own Justification thro' Faith, while uncircumcised.

And moreover; The Covenant of Circumcisi∣on not being so compleat in it self, as to bring the Church unto that Perfection which in the e∣ternal Counsels of God's Soveraign Grace was intended; and therefore not capable to make any thing perfect by it self; must needs be established as typical, and subservient to the Covenant of Grace, in a temporary Dispensation that should usher in, and then give place to the Gospel, in the fulness of Time; and in respect of this Dispo∣sition of the Covenant now made, the Sign by which it was confirmed, became ultimately and in its typical respect, a Seal of the Righteousness of the Faith which Abraham had before.

§. 12. It is no ways difficult to conceive, that Circumcision might have a different Respect, ac∣cording to the differing Circumstances and Capa∣city of its Subject; Yea that it had so, in another Instance hath been already proved. It was a Seal of the Inheritance of Canaan to the Children of Israel, and did ensure the Promise thereof to them

and their Seed; But it gave their Bond-servants no such Right or Claim; Even so, it was to Abra∣ham a Seal of the Righteousness of the Faith which he had, &c. but this arose from the peculiar, and extraordinary Circumstances, and Capacity that he was in; for it is not possible to conceive that Circumcision should be a Seal of the Righteousness of the Faith which he had while uncircumcised, that he might be the Father of all that believe in Ʋncircumci∣sion, to one that never had Faith, either before or after his Circumcision, nor ever had, or should have, the Relation of a Father to all Believers, as Abraham had.

Now that the Apostle speaks of Circumcision here with respect to the peculiar Circumstances, and Capacity of Abraham who received it, is evi∣dent from the scope of his Discourse in the Con∣text; in which the Argument that he manageth, is to prove that neither could Circumcision give to any an Interest in that Grace, that justifies a Sinner before God, nor the want of it hinder any from obtaining that Interest, in the way, and upon the Terms of the Gospel; seeing Abraham him∣self obtained it not by his carnal Prerogative, but was justified before he was circumcised; And the whole stress of his Argument, lies upon the Sup∣position of Abraham's being a Believer, and justi∣fied by his Faith, before he received Circumcisi∣on; Remove this, and his Discourse concludes nothing of what he intends; And hence he infers, that Abraham received Circumcision so, as that it

was to him, a Seal (not simply, of the Righte∣ousness of Faith, or of the New-Covenant, but) of the Righteousness of the Faith which he had being yet uncircumcised; as also of his paternal Relation to all Believers tho' they be not circumcised; for so it follows, that he might be the Father of all them that believe; And it is equally absurd to say that Circumcision was a Seal unto all its Subjects, of the Righteousness of Faith which they had while uncircumcised, as to affirm that it was the Seal of a paternal Relation to all Believers, unto eve∣ry one that received it: Both these must necessa∣rily be resolved into the peculiar Circumstances of Abraham, the particular Relation he had in the Covenants made with him, and the order of their Disposition; and not into the nature of Cir∣cumcision considered simply, and in it self.

And moreover it is observable, That immedi∣ately after, in the continuance of his Discourse in Rom. 4. the Apostle refers Circumcision to the Law, in contradistinction from the Gospel; for when he hath told us that the circumcised Jew could not obtain the Blessing of a spiritual Relati∣on to Abraham by virtue of his Circumcision, unless he did walk in the steps of Abraham's Faith, which he had while uncircumcised, ver. 12. he assigns this as the reason of it in the 13th Verse; For the Pro∣mise that he should be the Heir of the World, was not to Abraham or to his Seed, thro' the Law, but through the Righteousness of Faith. And I cannot see how the Conclusion which the Apostle makes

concerning the Inefficacy of Circumcision, is en∣forced by this Reason, if Circumcision immedi∣ately and in its own Nature had not belonged to the Law; but, to the Righteousness of Faith, or Covenant of Grace, as an ordinary Seal there∣of.

Again; The Interpretation made of this Text is farther strengthened by the conference of other Places in the New-Testament, where we find that Circumcision is stiled an unsupportable Yoke, Act. 5. 10. and is said to lay Men under an Obli∣gation to keep the whole Law; Gal. 5. 3. and the compleat Dispensation of Grace in the Gospel ac∣cording to the New-Covenant, is constantly insisted on as that which renders it utterly useless to the Gospel-Church, and manifests the Inconsistency of retaining the Practise thereof, with the Liber∣ty of their present State: See for Instance the Epistle to the Galatians, and in Chap. 5. 13. the Apostle tells them if he did yet preach Circumcision, then was the Offence of the Cross ceased; and he might have lived free from the Persecutions he now suffered from the unbelieving Jews: It was the Apostles preaching Christ, so as therein to assert the shaking and removing of that Old Co∣venant, unto which Circumcision did belong, and by which the Jews held the Right of their peculiar Priviledges (tho' now in Truth, the Continuance of those could no longer have been a real Priviledg to them) that was the ground of the Controversie betwixt them, and of their

unreasonable Opposition to him: For if the Con∣••roversie had been about the Mode of administring ••he same Covenant, and the Change only of an ••xternal Rite, by bringing Baptism into the place of Circumcision, to serve for the same Use and End ••ow, as that had done before, the heat of their Contests might soon have been allayed; especi∣••lly considering the latter is far less painful and ••angerous than the former: But he will certain∣••y find himself ingaged in a very difficult Task, ••hat shall seriously endeavour to reconcile the Apostles discourses of Circumcision, with such a Notion of it: Circumcision was an Ordinance of the Old Covenant, and appertained to the ••aw, and therefore did directly bind its Subjects ••o a legal Obedience; but Baptism is an Ordi∣••ance of the Gospel, and (besides other excel∣lent, and most comfortable Uses) directly ob∣••igeth its Subjects to Gospel-Obedience; And therefore is rather, in this respect opposed to, than substituted in the place of Circumcision: And certainly it is more safe to interpret one Text according to the general Current of Scripture, and in a full Harmony therewith, than to force such a sence upon many Texts, which in no wise they will admit, to bring them into a Compliance with that Notion of one which our minds are pre∣possest with; And it is plain that the Notion I have insisted on, fully agrees with other places where Circumcision is discoursed of according to its immediate and direct Use in the old Cove∣nant:

For there can be no Contradiction in ascrib∣ing a different, and seemingly opposite, Use and End, to the same thing, if it be done in a diffe∣rent Respect: What Circumcision was directly and in its immediate Ʋse, is one thing; and what it was as subordinate to a better Covenant, and Pro∣mise, that had Precedency to it, is another; And it is easie to conceive, that it might be that to the Father of the faithful, in its extraordinary Instituti∣on, that it could not be to the Children of the Flesh, or carnal Seed, in its ordinary Ʋse.

To conclude, if Circumcision and Baptism have the same Use, and are Seals of the same Co∣venant, I can hardly imagine how the Applicati∣on of both to the same Subjects should at any time be proper; and yet we find those that were circumcised in their Infancy, were also baptized upon the Profession of Faith and Repentance, and that, before Circumcision was abrogated; yea according to the Opinion that hath been argued against, The Jews that believed before Christ had suffered, were at the same time under a Com∣mand both of circumcising and baptizing their Infant-seed. But if the Principles that this Di∣scourse is built upon, be well proved by Scrip∣ture, as I take them to be, there must be allowed a vast Disparity, betwixt Circumcision and Bap∣tism: The Old Covenant, is not the New, nor that which is abolished, the same with that which re∣mains; and till these become one, Baptism and Circum∣cision will never be found so far one, as that the

Law for applying this, should be a sufficient War∣rant for the Administration of that, unto Infants.

We have now past through the Covenant-Transactions of God with Abraham; after which we find no signal Alteration in the state of the Church, by any New Transactions, until the Law was given upon Mount Sinai. And there∣fore I shall here put a Period to my present Dis∣course, it being intended only, of the Cove∣nants that God made with Men before the Law.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Heb. 1. 1, 2. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Deus non semel olim omnia, sed particulatim, de∣inde etia•• de••ersis modis sus notitiam ac cultum declara∣vit. per Prophetas, quò propius dies im∣minebat, eo clario∣rem lucem edentes. Bez.
• * 1.2

  Deus in omnibus Actionibus prisci se∣culi, semper ob ocu∣los habebat tempora Messia, Grot.
• * 1.3

  Vid. Cooceii de foe∣dere. ca. 1. & R••••et. in Gen. Exerc. 53.
• * 1.4

  Job 35. 7, 8. Rom. 11. 35, 36.
• * 1.5

  Est enim Dei Foedus nihil aliud quam divina decla∣ratio de ratione per∣cipiendi amoris Dei, & unione, ac commu∣nione ipsius potiendi. Cocceius de Foed.
• * 1.6

  Jus naturale est dictamen recte rati∣onis, judicans actui alicus, ex ejus con∣venientiâ vel discon∣venientiâ cum ipsâ naturâ rationali in∣esse moralem turpi∣tudinem, aut neces∣sitatem moralem, & con〈…〉〈…〉 ab Authore Naturae, ipso Deo, talem accum aut Vet•••• aut 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Grot. This 〈…〉〈…〉 Philosopher 〈…〉〈…〉∣eth it, was Nota Artificis operi suo impressa. And of some Dictates of the Law of Nature (as I remember) Cicero saith, that with respect to them, facti non docti, imbuti, non instructi 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.7

  En 〈◊〉〈◊〉 promissam!
• * 1.8

  Nos omnes era∣mus ille unus homo.
• * 1.9

  2 Tim. 1. 9, 10. Tit. 1. 1, 2.
• * 1.10

  De primâ igitur Corporis Morte, a••ci potest quod bonis bo∣na sit, malis mala, secunda vero sine du∣bio sicut nullorum bonorum est, it a nul∣li bona. Aug. De Civit. Dei Lib. 13. Cap. 2.
• * 1.11

  Potuit fieri ut qui∣dam privati Homi∣ner ex Generation•• Caln, Instinctu divi∣no, se ad Adam con∣junxerint, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 salva∣ti sint. Luther in Gen.
• * 1.12

  Christ's Media∣tion and Sacrifice is the cause of God's Forbearance towards the World
• * 1.13

  And he called his Name Noah, say∣ing, This shall com∣fort us, &c.
• * 1.14

  Viz, The Mes∣siah, and his Mem∣bers.
• * 1.15

  The Rainbow a∣bout the Throne, notes God's regard to his Coveannt in the Government of the World; All the Administration of Providence is bound∣ed by his Faithful∣ness.
• * 1.16

  The same may be said of the Promi∣ses of typical Blessings to Abraham's carnal Seed, and their Interest in them.
• * 1.17

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.18

  Gen. 10. 25.
• * 1.19

  This gave the Name to the place Babel signifying Con∣fusion.
• * 1.20

  The Covenant of Grace is to be con∣sidered by us a Testa∣mentary Covenant. Conf. Heb. 7. 22. with Chap. 9. 16.
• * 1.21

  This Promise is particularly cited by Peter, as a summary of the Covenant of Grace made with Abraham; Act. 3. 25.
• * 1.22

  See Strong of the Covenant p. 126.
• * 1.23

  Duorum maxi∣mè Filius dicitur Christus Abrahae & David, quoniam istū sapius, ac disertius, quam caeteris, est pro∣missus, Lud. Viv.
• * 1.24

  Rom. 5. 14, &c.
• * 1.25

  Cui non magis est dulce proprium tugurium quam pa∣latia Poregrina? & Voluntaria Casa, quam digesta Prae∣toria? Cui non est durum illos conscio•• n••••alium Par••••∣tes, dulcia ill•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 mina at{que} amabi∣lem larem, quem & parentum memoria, & ipsius Infantiae Rudimenta commen∣dant—Inter 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ergo tam 〈…〉〈…〉 dulcia, 〈…〉〈…〉 Exi, ait, de 〈…〉〈…〉. Quis haec 〈…〉〈…〉? August.
• * 1.26

  Vid. Riveti ex∣ercitationes in 〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.27

  Gen. 12. 4, 5.
• * 1.28

  Gen. 12. 6, 7.
• * 1.29

  Gen. 12. 17. Psal, 105. 13, 14, 15.
• * 1.30

  See Ainsw. Annot.
• * 1.31

  Lege Riveti exer∣citationem in Lo∣cum; ubi dubium hoc proponitur & ac∣curatè solvitur.
• * 1.32

  Conf. Rom. 4.
• * 1.33

  Exod. 2. 24. Act. 7. 17.
• * 1.34

  Gen. 15. 18, 19, 20, 21.
• * 1.35

  Read diligently Gal. 3.
• * 1.36

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.37

  Conf. Gen. 25. 23. with Mal. 1. 2, &. Rom. 9. 10,—13.
• * 1.38

  See Dr. Owen's Exercitations on the Heb. Vol. 1.
• * 1.39

  See Mr. Whist. Prim. Doctr. p. 124.
• * 1.40

  Many to whom the Lord was a God according to the Te∣nor of the Old Cove∣nant, dyed in their Sins, and were eter∣nally lost; But those to whom he is a God, according to the Tenor of the New Covenant, receive from him, the Blessings of a new Heart, Remission of Sins, and eternal Salvation.
• * 1.41

  Breerw. Inquir.
• * 1.42

  Vid. Junii An∣notationes in locum, & ejusdem Parallela.
• * 1.43

  Pars quaedam ter∣renae Civitatis, Ima∣go coelestis Civitatis effecta: est, non se significando, sed al∣teram, & ideô ser∣vieus. Neque enim propter seipsam, sed propter aliam significandam est instituta, & praecedente aliâ significatione, & ipsa praefigurans, praefigurata est: Nam{que} Agar ancilla Sarae, ejus{que} Filius, Imago quaedam hujus I∣maginis fuit. August. de Civita. Dei, Lib. 15. Cap. 2.