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multitude of feed, according to the flesh; and their poffeffion of Canaan. It must be obferved, however, though the clothing of many of the promises was figurative, yet they contained spiritual privileges under it, even fuch as true faith was capable of difcerning. There were also duties, correfponding in their nature unto these privileges; and these were folemn confirmations of all the promises which were conferred upon him: Such as, circumcifion, facrifice, &c. But thefe are fuperfeded under the better œconomy: The facrifice of the Son of God having made the facrifice and oblation to cease; while baptism holds the place of circumcifion in the Gospel Church. But, though we readily grant, that fome things in this covenant are typical; yet it by no means follows, that all things in it were of that nature. It might be easily shown, that the moft capital promises of this covenant are tranfferred, by the great promifer, unto the members of the Gospel Church: For example, that promise, "I will be a God unto thee," &c. ftands alfo in the new Covenant, "I will be unto them a God." Some fondly imagine, indeed, that fuch promises contain only temporal and typical bleffings: But I would gladly know, How God can be a typical God unto any? We live in an age in which men feem to exceed old Origen himself, in fondness to allegorize. God himself, and all things under him, are turned into fhadow, or allegory, to

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make way for a favourite hypothefis. One bold writer ftrikes out body from the lift of realities; another cuts off fpirit from the fame lift; a third fears not to aver, That God was only a figurative God, unto the children of Ifrael at leaft! But happy are thofe perfons,happy that people, whofe God is Jehovah. The Moft High is a God and portion to his people, without a figure, after all that men can fay about it.As to the duties required, they are of perpetual obligation; as the promises are for perpetual confolation: Such as, faith in God's promife; hence New Teftament faints are faid to walk in THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE FAITH OF ABRAHAM *. The patriarch's walking BEFORE GOD is alfo much a-kin unto the duties required in the first commandment of the decalogue. Should any enquire, If the Abrahamic Covenant, under the notion of a covenant, be extended unto the Gospel Church? Let the Apostle Peter anfwer, "Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, faying unto Abraham, And in thy Seed fhall all the kindreds of the earth be bleffed. Unto you firft God, having raised up his Son Jefus Chrift, fent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquitiest." Though Peter delivered this fermon to Ifraelites, yet he was exhibiting and offering privileges which belonged to the

* Rom. iv. 12. + Acts iii. 25, 26.

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members of the Gospel Church; this fermon being delivered after that Church was conftituted. The fact is, this covenant was continued in the Gospel Church, when the natural branches were broken off; and, for a very long time, caft out, with fuch alterations and enlargements as her cafe required. Many, at this time, fuppofe themfelves to be the children of Abraham, and imagine they are entitled to a higher place in his family than others; but, at the fame time, they imagine, they may excufe themfelves from imitating him in this part of his conduct: They may be very good children in his family, though they never, like him, enter into covenant with God. But fuch perfons would do well to confider the characteristic of Abraham's family, drawn by Truth itfelf: "Jefus faith unto them,

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If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham." As it is vain to boaft of inward faith and outward privileges, without charity; fo it is equally vain to glory in the moft folemn profeffions of charity, in the modern fenfe of the word, while perfons neglect the principal lineament in his character, and the principal branch of his conduct refpecting the highest of objects--his Maker.

2. SELF-DENIAL is a peculiar characteristic of genuine covenanters. How much of this grace and duty is exemplified in Abraham! He is denied to his native country, his father's house,

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houfe, and his own people; yea, and his own fon also. In him was notably fulfilled that folemn injunction of our Lord Jefus Chrift, concerning felf-denial, which he amplifies to the following purpose: "If any man come to me, and HATE NOT (that is, to love only in an inferior degree; or to hate comparatively) father and mother, and wife and children, and brethren and fifters; yea, and his own life alfo, he cannot be my disciple."

3. THE motions of divine providence, tho' ever fubfervient to the accomplishment of his word, do not always run, according to human appearance, in a direct line to that end. Providence fometimes moves in an oblique, fometimes in an oppofite direction, as it were, unto the word; but it always reacheth the defired end at last. How intricate were the motions of providence-How various its windings, towards conferring a feed on Abraham! But the accomplishment of the promife was as a key unto them all. It evidenced every entire part, however oppofite like unto the general defign, confpired to form a beautiful whole, and was even requifite to conftitute and complete it.

DISSERTATION III.

ON ISAAC's COVENANT.

GEN. XXVI. 2-5.

A

S the grace of God was manifested to Noah and Abraham in the way of foederal tranfaction; fo it was continued to Ifaac by way of covenant-renovation. The doctrine of covenant-renovation is as plain in itfelf as any doctrine of divine revelation; but the craft of Satan has used many efforts to obfcure it, while fome men imagined they found their account in contributing to the fame purpofe. If we mean to avoid the ftumblingblocks which have been caft in the way, the most proper courfe is, to attend unto the facred history of the foederal tranfactions between God and his Church; and to furvey the progrefs of covenanting work, from its very beginning until now.

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