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infant possesses, I have as real evidence that the infant is a subject of covenant promise, as I have that the adult is. In the case of the adult, the ground of the conclusion may be more extended, and the conclusion itself more certain; just as the evidence respecting one adult visible believer, is far more convincing than that respecting another; but, in the case of the infant, the evidence, or the ground of estimate is as real. In both cases the ground of evidence is the divine testimony; i. e. God tells us by what marks we shall estimate a person to be one of his kingdom, or a subject of promise.

To return, the covenant must be kept. It must be kept by the careful observance of infant circumcision as the appointed token of it. To have substituted adult circumcision exclusively, in the room of infant eircumcision, or to have deferred circumcision till the child should come to years of discretion, in order that it might embrace or reject the covenant, and be circumcised or not, accordingly, would have been a departure, not only from the law, but from the design and spirit of the promise. Circumcision would then have lost its most important meaning, as a token. It would have implicitly turned the promise into a conditional thing, and virtually vacated it. So indispensable was infant circumcision.* Let it be carefully noticed by the reader, that I have qualified the term neglect by unpermitted. God has a right to dispense with his own laws. He has done so on many occasions. The neglect of circumcision was permitted to the Israelites while they were prosecuting the tedious journeyings of the wilderness. Neglect, which is not of the nature of disobedience, but of duty, cannot be a breach of covenant. Neglect, which is of the nature of disobedience, is such a breach of covenant, as nothing but

"And the male child that was not circumcised on the eighth day, was to be cut off from his people, as having broken the covenant, (for these words, on the eighth day, should be inserted in the 14th verse; and the verse read thus. The uncircumcised manchild, whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, on the eighth day, that soul shall be cut off from his people, he hath broken my covenant; as appears from the Samaritan text, the Greek and Samaritan versions, and the citations of Philo, Justin, and Origen." Hallet's Notes, Vol. III. page 246.

repentance, and that on the ground of an atonement, can repair.

As the reason why an unpermitted neglect of infant circumcision separated from the visible seed, was, that it broke the covenant, it is evident, that a breach of the covenant, let it consist in what it might, was a reason, in law, why a person should no longer be counted for the seed. That which was a reason in one case, would certainly be in another. In the nature of things, if a man openiy reject the covenant, he can no longer be considered as a subject of it. This idea is established by the whole current of scripture, The covenant promises made to Abraham proceeded originally upon this given principle, "I know Abraham, that he will command his children, and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do justice and judgment, that God may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him." The covenant, as expressed in the 17th of Genesis, is thus introduced. "Walk before me, and be thou perfect." Circumcision must be attended with allegiance, otherways it becomes uncircumcision. St. Paul observes, Romans iii. 25. "Circumcision verily profiteth,if thou keep the law; but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision." Obedi ence then, just as it is now under the Gospel, was the condition of continuing visibly in the covenant: I say continuing; it was not the condition of being established in it initially. Accordingly, in successive periods, when any part of nominal Israel were openly rejected, it was because they had despised the covenant. All imperfections were borne with, so long as the covenant was not despised. This was done by open idolatry, and such other acts of disobedience, as amounted to a refusal to have God for their God. The Psalmist, Psalm, 78, detailing the dealings of God with the refractory part of Israel, assigns, as a general reason of the judgments which fell upon them, "For their heart was not right with him, nor were they stedfast in his

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The numerous denunciations of the Mosaic and the prophetic law, provided for the exslusion of all, who, by personal disobedience, rejected the covenant; and, whether executed or not, whom God would have, and whom he would not have, counted for the seed.

Having thus clearly determined whom we are to understand to be the seed, really and visibly, there will be no difficulty in ascertaining what we are to understand to be intended by the covenant, mentioned in this article; the establishing of this covenant; and its duration, expressed by the term everlasting. The term covenant has its own explanation in the promise itself, "to be a God unto thee and thy seed sfter thee." In this covenant, God engaged, that in the highest sense, and by a relation as spiritual, and unalterable, as that which subsisted between God and Abraham, he would be the God of his seed, their shield, and exceeding great reward. This is so clear as to be beyond dispute.Nothing but partiality to a favorite theory can lead any one to attach a different idea to the declaration.

Equally evident is it, what is to be understood by the promise, to establish this covenant with Abraham, and his seed, throughout their generations. The plain import of the engagement is, like what has been just observed, that the covenant should not only be proposed, but take a full effect with respect to the seed, as it had taken effect with respect to Abraham. Therefore it secured the continuance of a seed, in successive generations, with whom the covenant should be established.This is so obviously the import of the declaration, that ingenuity could scarce find out a different meaning to apply to it. This construction of the promise is agreeable to fact, and is confirmed by the current of the scriptures, especially by a question which the apostle Paul puts, in the beginning of the 11th chapter of his Epistle to the Romans, and the reply which he makes

to it. "I say then, hath God cast away his people whom he foreknew? God forbid." This answer clearly supposes, as an undoubted fact, that there is a per

petual succession of the seed, called the people of God, with respect to whom the promise has its full effect.

Finally, it is easy to see what we are to understand to be the meaning of the word everlasting, as qualifying this covenant, with regard to its duration, Beyond a doubt it is ufed to convey the idea of its endless continuance. This is evident; beeause the literal meaning is the most natural, and by far the most agreeable to the spirit, of the covenant; because, on the supposition the term had a limited meaning, the covenant might have been of very short duration; and then A. braham would have had every thing to fear; whereas he is commanded, not to fear. "Fear not, for I am your shield and your exceeding great reward;" because this covenant, as explained by Christ, secured a resurrection from the dead and eternal glory; Matth. xxii. 31. "But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying; I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. God is not the God of the dead, but of the living;" because otherways, i. e. if he had not prepared a city, a continuing city, God would have been ashamed to be called their God, Heb. xi. 16; and because the promise is expressly said, Heb. ix. 15, to have had respect to an, "eternal inheritance."

Το suppose that the covenant is of temporary duration, is to sink its glory to nothing. It is to suppose God has ceased, or will cease to be the God of Abraham and his seed; that the connextion between Christ, and his adherents will be dissolved; and that the provisions, encouragements, promises and interpositions of grace, mentioned in the scriptures, as eminently illustrating the excellency of Jehovah's character, have ultimate respect to perishable objects; and are therefore little more entitled to notice, than sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal.

By this covenant then God united himself eternally to Abraham, and his seed, as their God; and they were taken into a peculiar, spiritual, and indissolvable con

nexion with him as his people; the seed being placed in regard to covenant relation and security, even though they did not now exist, upon the same ground that Abraham himself stood upon.

One article more is to be attended to, before the an alysis of the covenant of circumcision can be considered as completed. This is, that it made provision for the adoption of others, who were not of the seed by natural descent. I shall not here dwell largely upon this idea. It will come into view with more advantage in a subsequent stage of this Treatise. A few things however in this connexion claim to be noticed.

The child by descent, is a child according to the primitive literal meaning of the term. The child by adoption, is such figuratively. The adopted son, may, however, be as paternally regarded, and share as fully the privileges of the family, as the natural son.

The doctrine of adoption, into the family of Abraham, runs through the Old Testament, and the New. It is very clearly intimated in the Abrahamic covenant itself. "I will bless him that blesseth thee." He who blesses Abraham, is a friend of Abraham, in the light in which he is exhibited in the covenant; is a possessor of the faith, and a worshipper of the God of Abraham. His language is that of the pious Moabitess, Ruth. "Where thou goest I will go; where thou lodgest I will lodge; thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God." He is of course united with Abraham, in a participation of the blessings of the same covenant. He is equally an object of promise. This doctrine is again intimated, or rather clearly expressed in another promise of the covenant, "And in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed." Here the blessing is extended beyond the boundaries of Abraham's natural seed. But it is extended, in Abraham, i. e. by the Messiah, his seed. It takes effect by faith. By faith Gentiles become joint heirs of the eternal inheritance; or are blessed with faithful Abraham. "If ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." The doctrine of adoption then was wrought into the

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