God did so much priviledge them above others was that all his might believe but yet some did not implying that some did i. e. many of them were justifyed Tâ—erefore ch 4. 9. he draws tâ—wards a result cometh this blessedness then upon the Circumcision onely or upon the uncircumcision also how was it then reckoned i. e. If Abraham was justifyed in uncircumcision then the righteousness of Faith comes not upon the Circumcision onely and ver 12. To them who are not of the Circumcision onely and ver 16. Not to that seed onely which is of the Law And then the Apostle concludes ver 23. that it was not written for Abrahams sake alone that righteousness was imputed to him but for us also i. e. Rom. and all other Gentiles if they believe to whom Abraham is as well a Father as to the Jews So that this triumphant place gives not the least continuance to his opinion either that Circumcision was a covenant of works or that it stands in direct opposition to saith or that God gave a covenant of works to Abraham to seal a covenant of Grace as he consequentially affirms p. 53. Therefore such an interpretation as he hath given of this place is most unsound The like answer is to be given to that place Phâ—l 3.2 3 4. which he brings in pag. 55. as an Appendix to this second Argument the Philippians were also revolting to seek after Justification by the works of the Law the teachers of which Doctrine the Apostle calls dogs and evil-workers And if any had cause to boast of the law of Works he had more yet to him it was but dung and dogs meat all his priviledges of being a Jew a Pharisee Circumcised one that concerning the Law was blameless All this saith Paul I can boast of but what is this as to matter of justification which is by faith alone in Christ The like plain answer also is and may he given to that other place Gal. 3.3 which Church also were back sliding into the same error and therefore he calls them fools and tells them they were bewitched ch 5.1 And if they would be seeking Justification by works they should find they were mistaken For as many as sought to be justifyed by the works of the Law were under the curse And that no man by the works of the Law was ever justifyed is evident because the just shall live by Faith ver 10 11. And therefore he sends them also to Abrahams covenant For to Abraham and his seed were the promises made And ver 18. he shews them the ill-consequence that would follow if they thought to be justifyed by works For then the inheritance must be by works that is the inheritance of Abrahams promises both for the Land of Canaan and all other spiritual blessings If it were by the Law then it is no more of promises But God gave them to Abraham by promise And not by a covenant of works remember that Mr P. upon this again comes with the old Objection Wherefore then serveth the Law If a man may not be justifyed and saved by the works of the Law to what end and purpose then was it given The answer is it was added because of transgression that is to make sin look like sin and thereby to ingage Gods people then to walk close in the duties thereof and in ver 21. The Apostle directly confutes Mr. Patients Doctrine Is the Law then against the Promises or in opposition to the Promises God forbid By all which it appears that the Law was no covenant of Works nor is Circumcision or any part of the Law opposed to Faith as he would make us beheve but this was the great mistake of many in Primitive Churches by false teachers means And so of all Israel as it is also of Mr P. that the Law was given to the Church of the Jews as a covenant of works which God never intended to any such end or purpose CHAP. IX The next thing we come to is the several Arguments he brings in p. 53. to prove Circumcision onely a seal to Abraham answered I. FIrst because the righteousness of Faith which it sealed Abraham had it before the seal was given but his posterity could not be said to believe at eight days old Therefore it was a seal to him and not to them A. The seal was not annext to Abrahams Faith as Abrahams but to Gods covenant made with Abraham therefore it is called the seal of the righteousness of Faith So that what it sealed to Abraham was as he was an heir of the same Promises with Isaac and Jacob Heb. 11.9 therefore what it sealed to him as an heir it sealed to Isaac and Jacob and so to all believers as co-heirs of the same inheritance Heb. 6.17 2. If it was a seal of Abrahams Faith onely then it must be either as it was a weak faith or strong faith 1 It could not be the first because Abrahams faith is by the Apostle said not to be weak Rom. 4.19 20. 2. If it had been given as a badge of honor to Abrahams Faith as I have seen it affirmed in a piece or C. B. as a strong faith then it should have been given to Adam and Noah who had as strong faiths as Abraham and less Gospel-light then Abraham had to work it 3. There was no necessity to have Abrahams justification sealed more then Adams Seths Noahs or any of his predecessors especially if it be considered what M. P. himself grants that he was justifyed twenty four years before this seal was given therefore 4. Had it not been a seal to Isaac as well as to Abraham and so not onely a seal of Abrahams faith it might have been given upon the birth of Ishmael and Abraham need not have staid for a son of promise for it would have sealed as much then to Abraham as it did after if it was not the covenant-seal 5. Had it not been a seal to Isaac and so a part of the covenant then Isaacs not being circumcised had been no breach of the covenant directly against that place Gen. 17.10 For a seal the Apostle calls it and a sign God calls it So that had it onely been a seal of Abrahams Faith the covenant had not come sealed to Isaac because the seal reacht onely the Faith of Abraham and when he dyed the seal was broken off Therefore 6. It is a cleer truth that as the blessings of the covenant were made to Abraham by Promise and to his seed so Gods main drift being to make those covenant-blessings sure to all the heirs of Promise Heb. 6.17 he therefore deals as a man that would be believed First he promiseâ— secondly he swears to confirm that Promise Thirdly he seals what he hath promised So the seal becomes the covenant-seal as the oath is the Covenants oath and what God promised to Abraham he promised to his seed and what he confirmed by oath to Abraham he confirmed to his
fault with them hee saith behold the day is come when I will make a new Covenant with the house of Israel and verse 13. In that he saith a new Covenant he hath made the first old now that which waxeth old is ready to vanish away By which tearms old and new first and second better and worse he would needs understand two Covenantâ— one of works the other of Grace Answ In this 8 Chap. the Apostle comes to apply what he had treated of before in the former Chap. verse 1 now of the things which we have spoken this is the summe â—n the former Chapter the Apostle had been speaking of the Levitical Priesthood and Law i. e. the Law of Ordinances and therefore verse 18. he tells us the Commandement going before i. e. before Christ came was disannull'd because of the weakness and unprofitableness of it and gives the reason in verse 19. because the Law i. e. the Law of ceremonies made nothing perfect in comparison but the bringing in of a better hope did by which we draw nigh to God by which he means the Gospel-Ordinances of worship called better because opposed to the Ceremonies of the Law which therefore are implyed to be wrote And that by this better hope is meant Gospel-Ordinances is evident because the Apostle useth it as an Argument to the Church of the Hebrews to perswade them to hold fast their profession which they were revolâ—ing from â—elling them If they should cast of the Ordinances of worship they could not then draw nigh to God because they would then cast off also the High-Priesthood of Christ so ch 3.6 Whose house are we if we held fast the rejoycing of the hope to the end And ver 14. We are made partakers of Christ if we hold fast the confidence to the end He here calls that the confidence which before he called the Hope and Confidence and ch 10.35 Cast not away therefore your Confidence As if he had said If you cast away the Ordinances of worship you stand no longer related to Christ as his house nor have you any hope or ground of hope to draw nigh to God So ch 7.19 the Law made nothing perfect but the bringing in of a better hope did by which we draw nigh to God So that the Ordinances of drawing â—igh to God under the Gospel are called a better hope as they stand opposed to â—he Ordinances of worship under the Law which albeit they did approach to God in them yet they were kept thereby at a greater diâ—â—ance ch 9.6 7 8 9. So Again let us review this chapter further because the cleering up of chap. 8. depends upon it And these Scriptures being fully answered we shall not have much to do with the rest we have already seen hat the O diâ—ances of the Gospel are opposed to those of the Law And hat this is so see v. 11. If perfection was by the Levitical Priesthood For under it the people received the Law what need was there of another Priesthood to rise after the order of Melchizedek What law â—as this the people received ver 12. 'T is such a law as was changed â—pâ—n the change of the Priesthood which cannot be meant of the Moral Law for this is still the sâ—me and not changed but the Law of the Altar which in ver 16. is called a carnal commandment which in ver 18. is disanulled by reason of the weakness of it and ver 19 for the Law made nothing perfect and the reason is given ch 9 9. Because iâ— was a figure for the time present in which were offered gifts and Sacrifices that could not make him that did it perfect And ch 10.1 The Law bring but a shadow of good things to come can never with those Sacrifices which they continually offered make the comers there to perfect for then they would not have ceased and in ver 8. when he speaks of Christ coming to be offered he draws this result from the premisses he takes away the first that he may establish the second Now in this 8 chapter he draws towards a conclusion and in the first verse of the things which we have spoken this is the sum he had before spoken of the Law of Ordinances and weakness thereof and therefore in this 7. v. of c. 8. he calls it the first Covenant for if the first Covenant had been faultless Why wherein was it faulty The Apostle had before told them it was faulty because it was weak and unprofitable and had it not been so that law of Ordinances would have made the worshippers perfect And then no place would have been sought for the second Covenant So then by the first Covenant 't is cleer is meant the Ordinances of the Ceremonial worship and therefore finding fault with them he speaks in the plural number them Ordinances not Covenants ver 8. unless Mr Patient will make two Covenants of works then he saith behold the day is come when I will make a new Covenant referring to Jer 31 3â— with the house of Israel i. e. new lâ—was of worship Not according to the Covenant I made with their Fathers c. And verse last in that he saith a new covenant he hath made the first old c. And therefore whereas Mr P. tells us that God gave Israel a Covenant of works to enjoy Canaan by It is most absurd as by their following particulars further apâ—ears 1. Had those typical Ordinances been a Covenant of Works given at Mount Sinai to Israel then it had not been put in the hand of a Mediator For where God gives a people a Mediator is supposed he intends them Grace thereby When Adam was put into a Covenant of Works he was left to stand or fall by himself without help since that no Covenant of Works was ever made Gal. 4. Moses is called the Mediator of the first Testament Now a Will or a Testament is an act of Grace purely 2. Had it been a Covenant of Works by which they were to possess Canaan there had not been one man that ever had entred into that rest For it was impossible for them to fulfil it because the power of doing so as to answer a Covenant of works was lost in the fall 3. What favour had this been to Abraham Isaac and so to all the seed of Promise to have such a flourishing promise to possess such a fruitful Land by a Covenant of Works when many of the Nations of the world did possess a more fruitful Country and were never put to such labour and toyle such difficulties and dangers that Israel were put to 4. 'T is against the Nature of a Covenant of Grace which God made with Abraham first to put him into a Covenant of Grace for spirituals and then twenty four yeers after should put him into a Covenant of Works for Temporals So that either believers must fall from Grace or else stand under two Covenants at one time 5. Had it been a
he will make them smart and cry out under the stroke of his hand how did David roar under the wrath of the Almighty the whole book of Psalms shews us so Heman and Ephraim Manasses yea all the examples in Gods word and the experiences of Gods people they all speak out the truth Heb. 7.2 that Christ is first a King of righteousness before a King of Peace Therefore let such as fear the Lord remember the covenant of grace hath conditions such as God will whip his people into and if the Rod will not do his shepherds crook shall be laid on with strong blows by this way had David comfort Psal 23. And therefore tells us Psal 89.37 If Gods people sin and transgress his Law he will visit their transgressions with a rod and their iniquities with stripes and though everlasting love is their portion yet that is the way he takes to breed them up to bring them to covenant conditions And though the Elect of God shall never finally fall away yet they may and do break and fall from the visible part of the covenant too often though they are brought in again and others fall off finally as did those primitive Apostates already mentioned So that place must be understood Joh. 15.2 4 5 6. which distinction Mr Patient must admit of and can never evade it All the rest of those scriptures by him brought to prove the absoluteness or sureness of the covenant or two covenanâ—s do bear the same interpretation take those two for instance Isaiah â—5 3 heaâ—ken to me incline your ear hear and your soul shall live and I will make an everlasting covenant c. So Heb. c. 17 18. wherein Gâ—d willing to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel confirmed the same by oath to Abraham that by two immutable things in which it was impossible foy God to lye we might have strong consolation And though Mr Patient from thesâ— places concludes the covenant-mercy of David to be sure and so iâ—mutable yet there must be an inclining the ear and hearkening to the voice of God even of such as are really within the covenant and to such onely the covenant is sure But now there were many of the Church of the Hebrews that we have ground to judge were but visibly in covenant and so onely pretended heirs of promise and such were they that wer falling from Ordinances that forsook the assemblies sold their birth-right as those also already mentioned So that we still see the distinction holds some are really some onely visibly seemingly within the covenant P. Pa. 24 He afterwards brings many places to prove that the condition of the covenant which before he denyed is faith and repentance and they are wrought in the soul by God Answ That the condition of the covenant is so wrought is by us confest but yet we may here see how whiffling erroneous spirits are sometimes he affirms the covenant to be absolute sometimes that it is conditional that so he might have a starting hole to flye out at and let me remind him here that if he keeps to this principle that faith and repentance is the condition of the covenant he must according to the Scriptures admit of a visible being in the covenant as well as of an invisible in order to the communion of Saints in the world for there are many pretenders to those conditions and qual fications which yet by vertue of their profession cannot be denyed the seals of the covenant because they visibly submit to the terms thereof as is before proved P. The next thing he grâ—sly errs in is page 37 where in his explaining that Text Gen. 3.17 of the seed of the woman he tells us it is meant of Christ That God would infuse or put into the womans seed his created gifts of holiness and purity Answ We may see what old Springs of error this book of hâ—s bubbles up withal For by this he makes Christ only a compleâ—t and perfect man as Adam before the fall with infused qualifications and by this made an unspotted Sacrifice by which the divine nature of Christ is taken away that he was not God as well as man and the Hypostatical union as Divines call it is by this dâ—stroyed contrary to the whole current of Gods word and directly opposing Joh. 1.1 2 3 10 14. And the word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us ver 18. So Heb. 1.2 3. 1 Joh. 4.14 15. ch 5.1.7 10 1. multâ—tudes o Texts might be added Arius thy error struggles to live whâ—n thâ—n â—rt dead 2. When God saith I will put enmity betwixt thy seed and her seed we are not to understand it meerly of Christ but of the Infant-Châ—rch seed For so Eve by faith understood the promise Gen. 4.5 when Sâ—th was born God hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel whom Cain slew Which Infant-seed of the Church is as truely in covenant was and shall be to the worlds end as Adult believers and Satans malice is as much against them as the other in all ages as appears by Cains bloody Murther with Exod. 1.10 16. Mat. 2.16 Rev. â—2 2.13.17 Therefore Mr Patient in his often endeavours to cast out this seed of the Church by confining the Church either to Christ personally or Adult believers which so often he cals the spiritual seed doth but strive to do that now which if he will but read those places cited He may know who it was that studyed the same practice in former ages P. The 28 page tells us that the new covenant was never entailed upon any fleshly line or generation as the covenant of circumcision was but was still confirmed of God in Christ and to such onely in Christ as you finde in the promises to Abraham Gen. 12.3 In thee shall all nations of the earth be blessed In which there is no respect of persons in their blessings to life but all Nations in Christ as well one as another are blest and all out of Christ are accurst Answ It hath been befo e proved that the new covenant or covenant of grace hath a twofold part or branch the one invisible the other visible and both are the covenant The one relates to the grace of the covenant the other to mans duty in the use of Ordinances And this second part hath from the beginning run upon intail to believers and their seed even from the days of Adam to Christ and so since yea the promise which relates to the spiritual seed runs for the most part upon intail also though I do not say that all the seed of believers are so children of the promise For as the intail visibly took in all the seed of Abraham Ishmael as well as Isaac so Esau as well as Jacob Cain as well as Abel Ham and Japhet as well as Shem yet the seed by promise comes in by way of intayl to the children of promise As the covenant was entayled from
did it was upon the like mistake of this Author who thought the law had been given them as a Covenant of works which was not so intended and by this means they came to rest in the law and are condemned for it by the Apostle Rom. 2.13 17. Gal. 5.1 2. 2. Consider that Baptism now binds as much to keep the law Moral and Gospel-Ordinances as Circumcision then did bind Israel to keep the same moral law with the legal Ordinances and he mâ—ght with as much evidence of truth argue That because Baptism binds to keep the law therefore the Churches of Christ now are under a covenant of works P. page 47 he winds up thus Abraham as if God should say I will be thy God and thy seeds God to protect defend deliver and bless thee with the blessings of Canaan in the fruit of the womb in thy basket and store and with all outward blessings upon condition that thou wilt be circumcised and keep the law as a covenant of works A. A poor Argument was it not to prevail with Abraham when he might have replyed Lord there are many that do possess a far greater portion in the world yea thou hast said that my son Ishmael shall have twelve Princes rise from him and that he shall be a great man in the earth yet none of them are bound up to such strict obligations And when thou gavest a covenant of works to Adam he should have had heaven and eternal happiness and glory And shall I be content with an earthly portion upon such hard terms And upon this account it is the Author to the Hebrews doth so argue That God would have been ashamed to be called Abrahams God which yet Mr Patient is not ashamed to tell the world in print that he was Abrahams God by a covenant of Works Horrid stuffe The like answer is to be given to that place Jer. 11.2 3 4 5. cursed be the man that obeys not the words of this covenant which I commnnded your Fathers When I brought them from Egypt saying Obey my voice so shall ye be my people and I will be your God that I may confirm the oath which I sware to your Fathers to give them a land flowing with milk and honey the Land was given by grace and the covenant he speaks of was a covenant of grace not of works but as faith leads to works so the covenant leads man to hâ—s duty in keeping the commands of God it was so then and so it is now and in this sense that place is true Psal 6. he rewardeth every man according to his works not for his works And we are at this day Gods people and be our God upon the same terms of works as then See 2 Cor. 6.17 18 come out from amongst them and be ye separate and touch not the unclean thing and then I will be your Father and ye shall be my sons and daughters so that God becomes ours upon conditions still and yet by no covenant of works P. Page 48. The last thing with which he concludes this first Argument if such it be is this Abraham had a covenant of Grace made with him twenty four yeers before that covenant of works and his happiness with all his spiritual seed was in that absolute covenant A. Had M. Patients memory been good he would not so have contradicted himself For first this covenant of works he hath made to begin from Adam and so descended to Abraham For he hath long before proved that the Law which was given from Sinai was in force before the days of Noah how then is that like to hold with this that the covenant of works was not given to Abraham t is twenty four yeers after that of Grace 2 If he make Circumcision the covenant of works that he means then it implyes that Abraham had two covenants of works one by descent and the other made afterwards 3 Where he tells us the happiness of his spiritual seed lies in the absolute covenant I answer what spiritual seed had Abraham if it was not Isaac And yet Isaac was the line in which the covenant of Circumcision was to run and not Ishmael Gen 17.21 So that look what happiness the promise gave him of Gods being his God was conveyed in that covenant and either Mr Patient must say it was no happiness to him to have God to be his God or else if it was a happiness then he must acknowledge it in that covenant Thus we see how sadly he is be error'd certainly had this Doctrine been brought in the Apostles days he would have lookt upon it as another Gospel â—nd it is a sad curse that he gives to the preachers thereof P. A second Argument though very improperly so called to prove circumcision a covenant of works is because it was a national covenant in the flesh A. The prudent Reader may easily observe what a poor shift this is to maintain Circumcision a covenant of works as if a covenant of Grace could not be national and though what hath been said to prove Circumcision a covenant of pure Grace be sufficient yet I shall briefly add If the promise made with Abraham was a Gospel promise in wh ch were contained national blessings in thy seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed If the Jews shall be re ingraffed as they were cut off If by the stone cut out of the mountains that shall fill the world be to be understood the Church and kingdom of Christ If the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth as the waters cover the seas If there shall be a new heaven and a new earth wherein shall dwell righteousness If the kingdom of God was taken from the Jews and given to another Nation If the Church now coming out of the wilderness holds parallel with the Church in the wilderness under the Law If the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of the Lord Christ if that Commission Mat. 28. in order hereunto be to teach all Nations c. If that Nation and kingdom that will not serve Christ shall be cut off Isa 60.12 Then are the blessings of a covenant of Grace national blessings and what God intended in Abrahams covenant was national I need say no more P. In pag. 49 50 51 52. he runs into a large field of discourse and over-runs the old Scriptures again as it is usual with him to prove that though the Jews had the covenant of Circumcision given them by entail yet as to matter of Justification they were as far off as Pagans and heathens and what Justification Abraham had was while he was uncircumcised and yet withal granting That the Jews had the advantage of other Nations by having those Eminent tenders of the Gospel held out amongst them And notwithstanding that covenant in the flesh yet they were all sinners and therefore there is but one way of Justification which is by faith in his blood therefore Circumcision
must needs be a covenant of works for if it had been a covenant of Grace it would have administred Justification with it This is the full sense as neer as I can collect out of such stragling discourses Though the Scriptures he brings in these pages to prove what he asserts were before omitted yet I shall here take them in as most fit in this place because the running over things so often would otherwise make the Answer so bulkish and therefore A. Though he saith Justification by faith was not given by Circumcision i. e. by the act done as neither is it now given by Baptism yet Justification was given in that Covenant of Grace which Circumcision sealed and so the Elect did obtain it Rom. 4.11 He received the sign of Circumcision a seal of the righteousness of Faith that he might be the Father of all that believe though they be not Circumcised So that Circumcision was the covenants seal and not the seal of his faith out of which the Gentile Nations were excluded till that Jewish Church was cast off so that the Jews were neerer then Pagans and Heathens notwithstanding any thing he affirms because the one was under the call of the Gospel and the tenders of Grace when the other was a far off Aliens and strangers Eph. 2.11 12 13. But when the Gospel came amongst them also then they were made nigh by the blood of Christ The Heathens in New England will any sober understanding Christian say they are as neer to a state of Justification as those that are born and bred up and dwell under the sound of the Gospel yea Mr. P. himself doth contradict what he in this affirms in acknowledging that the Jews were priviledged before other Nations in having such precious tenders of the Gospel p. 49. so that we see he doth not stick fast to his own judgement in any thing But wherein these precious priviledges should lye or how the Gâ—spel should be tendred if they were not visible under the covenant of Grace and so neerer then Heathens I cannot see nor I am sure he himself for had not Justification run in the Jewish Ordinances more freely then it did to the Gentiles that had them not they had instead of being priviledged been more in bondage and slavery then any Nation in the world 2. There is not any one place or Text or syllable in the 2 3. or 4 to Rom. or in 12 15 17 18 22. of Gen. or 3 4 5. Gal. that saith Justification by faith was not given in the covenant of Circumcision or that Justification by faith is opposed to Circumcision or that because Abraham was Justified before circumcised therefore Circumcision is a covenant of Works But this the Texts say that justification is to be had in the covenant of Circumcision which were it a covenant of works would not there be found Rom. 3.1 2 3 30. But 3. And because he tells us in pag. 55. That there is no Text in all the Scripture more cleer to prove the covenant of Circumcision to be a covenant of works then this 4. Rom. setting Faith and Circumcision in opposition shewing that Abrahams spiritual seed had their justification in another covenant and not in circumcision I have therefore taken it into this place because one answer will serve both To cleer this place therefore from this cloud of error cast upon it I shall stay some time to search into it The words are these What shall we say then that Abraham our Father as appertaining to the flesh hath found For if Abraham was justified by works He hath whereof to glory but not before God but Abraham believed God c. And how was it then reckoned when he was in Circumcision or in uncircumcision not in Circumcision c. A. By comparing this with the preceding chapter as also with ch 5 6 7 8. we finde the Roman Church that had imbraced the Ordinances of the Gospel were then falling back into the works of the Law and those legal Ordinances in them to gain justification And therefore they would be listening after those false Teachers that preacht up Circumcision after the manner of Moses which was the prevailing error in that Church and is at this day it being so fallen that they maintain good works do justifie Now the Apostle to bring them off from this error bids them look upon Abraham whom they acknowledged to be the father of the faithful and see how the case stood with him how he was justifyed secretly implying that if he that was the Father of all believers was not justifyed by works then it would be unreasonable in his children to think that they were and therefore it was their duty to follow him by which we see Abraham is held forth as a publick person in the Gospel to which Gospel-Churches are to have recourse to rectifie errors in doctrines of Faith and if upon search they found that Abraham was justifyed in urcircumcision then they should not think that Circumcision was of absolute necessity to justification and therefore tells them it was their mistake the Law was never intended by God to justifie any but ch 3.9 both Jew and Gentile are all under sin and ver 20. therefore by the deeds of the Law no flesh can be justifyed for all have sinned and are therefore justifyed freely by his Grace without the deeds of the Law ver 28. upon which the Romans make this Objection Rom. 4.1 What benefit or advantage then hath Abraham found to whom the covenant was made The meaning is because Abraham had not his justification by circumcision therefore they could not see any Gospel-benefit that came by that Ordinance at all so much is implyed in the words the like also ch 3. what profit then is there of Circumcision and it is the same objection in effect that M. P. makes onely a little changed For thus his runs If Abraham was not justified in the covenant of Circumcision then is Circumcision a covenant of works both which the Apostle answers that though Abraham and his seed were not justifyed by the Law as a law or covenant of works yet there was a considerable advantage the Jews had by circumcision and chiefly because unto them were câ—mmitted the oracles of God and ch 9.4 who are Israelites i. e a peculiar Nation inclosed by God himself from all the Nations of the world to them appertains the adoption and the Glory and the Covenants and the giving of the Law and the service of God and the Promises whose are the Fathers and of whom concerning the flesh Christ came As if he had said all this heap and bundle of benefits came in to the Jews and that Nation which no Nation under heaven had besides and yet for all this there were many that did not believe ch 3.3 For what though some did not believe shall their unbelief make the Faith of God without effect God forbid as if he had said The end for which
seed and what God therefore sealed to Abraham he sealed also to his seed All which was to shew the immutability of his Counsel to the heirs of Promise not only to such as were heirs under the Law but to the worlds end as the Apostle tells us before in the place quoted II. His next reason or Argument why it sealed onely to Abraham is because it is said he received it that he might be the Father of all that believe Which could not be said of Isaac because he was but a child A. Though Abraham was made the Father of the faithful by having that seal given him yet he could not have been such a father without such a son because they are relatives not onely in the natural relation but in the promise for though Ishmael was born thirteen yeers before Isaac was promised yet had God given him circumcision then Abraham had not been the Father of the faithful because Ishmael was not a faithful child So that that which was required to make Abraham a father of a faithful son was required in Isaac to make him such a son of a faithful Father Therefore that seal that was given to Abraham as a father was given to Isaac as a son III. His third Argument to prove it a seal onely to Abraham is Here is the spirit of God affirming the sealing use of Circumcision to Abraham onely upon a reason special to him therefore where the Scripture hath not a mouth to speak we must not have an ear to hear A. The spirit of God speaks no such thing but the spirit of M. P. for where is it said it was a seal to him onely no such Text is to be sound in all the Scriptures for as is before said what it sealed to him as a father it sealed to Isaac as a son of that Father for the covenant related to posterity I may therefore say of him as the Prophet said of the false Prophets who said the Lord saith it as here M P. doth when indeed the Lord hath not spoken therefore the Scripture hath a mouth to speak if he had an understanding heart to know when and what it speaks let such therefore who have ears to hear hear what the spirit speaks to the Churches IV. P. A fourth ground or reason he gives that Circumcision sealed onely to Abraham is drawn from Rom. 4.13 The promise that he should be the heir of the world was not to him and his seed through the Law i. e. saith M. P. through the covenant of Circumcision But through the righteousness of Faith For if they that be of the Law be heirs then Faith is made void A. 1. He here again supposes that which is denyed and the contrary proved i. e. That Circumcision was not a covenant of works 2. When it is said the promise of his being the heir of the world was not made to Abraham through the Law The Apostle means that it was not to be confined and shut up to the generations of the Law onely and so it was not to his seed through the Law onely but through the righteousness of Faith that is his Patrimony came upon such high tearms as would reach to a thousand generations Psal â—05 even to the Gentiles under the Gospel to the worlds end and that this is his meaning is clear by the following words For if they which are of the Law be heirs i. e. They and they onely but heirs they were Faith is made void That is the faith which Abraham had by which he did believe the multiplying of his seed in all Nations upon the grounds of the Promise that faith is quite frustrated because it went no further then the generations of the Law And therefore it is of faith that it might be by Grace to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed and then he fully explains what he said before Not sure to that seed onely which were of the Law where the word onely doth suppose it was sure to the legal seed therefore it cannot be meant of a covenant of works for so the promise was never sure to any from the Creation to this day or ever shall be 3. If the place were to be understood in his sense namely of a covenant of works Then it confutes in direct terms wâ—at he hath so much pleaded for in his book As that Canaan should be given by a covenant of works For the promise that he should be the heir of the world in which that land was included was not to him and his seed through the Law i e. saith Mr P not by the covenant of Circumcision but through the righteousness of faith And if the Apostle saith not by that covenant then why doth Mr P. so often affirm elsewhere it was Thus we see there is nothing in all he hath said that proves Ciâ—cumcision either a covenant of works or seal to Abraham onely but enough to prove it a seal to all the heirs of promise even whilst they are infants All ye therefore that belong to the covenant of Grace fear not to give your infant-seed that Ordinance which now is the seal of the covenant P. The last Scripture he here brings to prove Circumcision a covenant of works is Gal. 4. latter end where the Apostle compa es the two covenants to Sarah and Hagar the covenant of Circumcision is held forth to be the bondwoman ch 5.1.2 3. ch 6.13 whâ—ch place doth prove the covenant made in the fleshly line of Abraham is a covenant of Works And that which the Gospel is set in opposition to For the covenant of Grace is I will put my Law in their hearts but the covenant of Circumcision is not in the heart but in the flesh A. The diligent Reader may easily observe the palpable contradictions that are here to be found Hagar types out the covenant of works Sarah types out the covenant of grace and the flâ—shly covenant of Circumcision as he calls it which is typed out by Hagar is made in the fleshly line of Abraham which must be Ishmael And then he contradicts what he hath been all this while maintaining i e. that the fleshly line is Isaac and Jacob in which the covenant of Circumcision was to run and so also he opposeth the Apostle Gal. 4 23 But he that was born of the bondwoman was born after the flesh but he of the free-woman was by Promise so that what Paul calls the children by promise he calls the children of the flesh Thus men leaving truth making wise God leaves them to publish their own folly That place Gal. 1.2 3. is already answered they were such that were falling back from Grace to be justified by works through their gross mistake thinking as Mr P. doth that the Law had been given for a covenant of works Lastly Though God hath promised to write the new covenant in the heart yet the seals of that covenant are written in the flesh so it was then
unmoveable again CHAP. XIII The sixth and seventh Fundamentals maintained P. pag. 80 81 83. THis opinion destroys the doctrine and foundation of Gospel-Churches The matter thereof which is Saints by calling spiritual worshippers Ioh. 4.23 lively stones 1 Pet. 2.5 persons redeemed from a vain conversation 1 Pet. 1.18 brought out of darkness into his marvellous light 1 Pet. 2.9 Now this opinion brings in a whole Nation to be a Church all born of their body their seeds seed in their generations This is a setting up the partition wall again betwixt the natural branches and those that are wild by nature 2 The manner of gathering is destroyed and the Lords baptism neglected and a counterfeit baptism set up in the room thereof A. Though this head would require a larger answer yet I shall contract as briefly as I can therefore 1 As to the matter of a Gospel Church it is believers and their seed which I thus prove the Church of Christ is his kingdom in the world to which the tenders of Gospel-Grace and mercy belongs it is therefore called the Gospel of the kingdom Mat. 13.19 before toucht upon It was so before the coming of Christ and it is so since If Grace therefore once took in children to be subjects of this kingdom who then casts them out not Grace for that is unchangeable and therby they were taken in T is the Argument of Paul If God justifies who shall condemn Rom. 8.31 34. If God be for them who shall be against them If grace makes them holy by separating them to a holy use who shall make them unclean and cut them off And that the same bowels of Grace and tender affection remains in Christ to little babes is cleer under the Gospel for of such is the kingdom he doth not say of such was the kingdom For that indeed would have been quickly made use of as a plea against us But of such is the kingdom As if he had said My Kingdome is made up of the same materials as the Kingdomes of the World are not onely of men and women but of children also of such is the kingdome would it not be ridiculous to say there may be a kingdom without children and that this is a metaphorical allusion to the kingdoms of the world is cleer not onely from the words or phrase there us'd but also from other Texts The kingdoms of the world shall become the kingdoms of Christ And Abrahams covenant tells us how it should be namely by multiplying of Abrahams seed in all Nations so as that power at last shall naturally divolve into their hands as it is worthily observed by an eminent Minister of these times Mr Carter upon Abrahams covenant 2. Consider the foundation of this kingdom was laid in Abraham and his seed For though God had his worship before in families from the beginning upon the first promise of Christ yet it came not to a kingdom-worship till the promise was inlarged of multiplying the seed as the stars of heaven And so Isaac was taken in as a subject with his Father though but an Infant-subject and that covenant which took in them was the kingdoms covenant and the seal of the covenant was the seal of the kingdom which reaches as well Infant-subjects as their Parents If then the foundation of the kingdom were parents and children then the building upon that foundation must be also parents and children because it is not a new but a continued kingdom Mat. 21.43 This being duly weighed it will also reach to that other relation the Church stands in to Christ of being his house And so takes in the place quoted 1. Pet. 2.5 And ye as living stones are built up a spiritual house c. Look what materials therefore were laid into the foundation of Gods spiritual house of the same is it carryed up till the top-stone be laid with shoutings Grace Grace And that Gods house under the Law was a spiritual huuse and their worshippers spiritual worshippers is câ—eer because Israel were a sepa ated people from all Nations and were also to be separated amongst themselves from all moral and typical uncleanness either in persons or things in order to a spiritual injoyment of God in his worship they being then as we now to offer up spiritual sacrifices to God holy and acceptable Se 2 Cor. 6.16 18. câ—mpared with Lev. 26.22 Isa 52.11 Ezek. 37.27 ch 44.7 And the having children in that spiritual house did not at all diminish from the worship to make it the less spiritual Isa 56.7 the allusion of the spiritual house under the Gospel is drawn from the nature of Gods spiritual house under the Law My house shall be called the house of prayer of all Nations It was not so called from the walls and stones of the Temple though that also in a sense might be so called but from Israels meeting there who was the prayiâ—g people that God had then in the world and the children were also carryed up to be presented before the Lord Exod. 13.2 Levit. 12.2 6. Luke 2.22 23 24 27. Therefore what ranks or degrees of people there were in the house of prayer then the same was also the house of prayer under the Gospel in all Nations to consist of namely of men women and children therefore the Apostle calls the Church the houshold of faith in which are taken in believers seed this doth also answer that place Joh. 4. spiritual worshippers for such they were under the Law and yet their children also were included The word is there used in opposition to this or that place which they lookt upon themselves bound up to though Christ was come as also in opposition to their manner of worship which was then more carnal Heb. 9.10 Truth was also opposed to the Idol worship of the Samaritans but nothing at all can be gathered to take away the right of children or that imports children not to be fit matter for a Church kingdom or house of God especially considering it was the same covenant of Grace then that took them in as it is now and if it be an immutable covenant to believers and their seed as no sound Christian can deny then are believers seed still in the covenant And thus also children may be truely called Saints and sanctifyed persons holy because set apart to a holy use in the service of God 3 Whereas therefore he saith this opinion brings in a whole Nation of believers it is his mistake for till God brings them in the opinion and practice doth not for it is but the incorporating of the families of believers into Congregational Societies and Churches unless there be so many families as fill a Nation and then I think without offence they may be called a Nation of believers and for ought I can see not improperly a National-Church neither are we hound by Israels practice of Circumcising to their succeeding generations who had a command for it though I believe they were
order to their Justification the thing these Jews wanted so that Abrahams covenant conveyd in the bowels of it justification by faith to sinners so most suitable to the distemper The promise is to you and your children 2 Consider wherefore these words are brought in namely as a strong inducement to repent and be baptizâ—d and so it lyes in the â—orm of a Motive for the Promise c. As if he had said Let this incourage you to repent and be baptized for the promise is to you and your children i. e. you shall not onely injoy blessings but your children also if you embrace the Gâ—spel For the Apostle very well knew with whom he had to deal and what Arguments would be most prevalent with the Jews and had not this been the meaning of the Holy Ghost the putting in the word children had rather proved a rock of offence and a stone of stumbling For what could the Jews imagine upon a free tender of Grace to them and their children but if they did repent and were baptized the extent of Abrahams promise should be the same as formerly it was to them and their seed especially when it came in their own Scripture dialect The promise is to you and your children And to them afar off even as many as God shall call therefore 3 To cleer this latter part from this â—bsurd interpretation which M. P. gives that the promise is restrained in the whole v. when he saith Even so many as God shall call I A. With Mr. Sidenham we have in this verse an exact distribution of the world into two parts Jews and Gentiles and to these two â—â—rts the Apostle distributeth the promise Onely he restrains it â—â—en he speaks of the Gentiles afar off For so they are called Eph. â— 1â— 13. in bringing in these words Even so many as the Lord â—ur God shall call which words cannot be referred to the former â—rt of the verse for in that he applyes the promise to the Jews and â—heir children in the present Tense because they were then under the call of the Gospel as if he had said Repent and be baptized now whilst you have grace and mercy tendered for the promise is to you and your children but when he comes to speak of either the â—en Tribes as M. P. will have it or the Gentiles he turns the Tense in to the future because they were yet afar off and not called the promise is to them also as many as God shall call So that if this clause should limit the whole verse then to what purpose should the Holy Ghost bring in the word children for that had been superfluous because Jews and Gentiles comprehended the whole world And then the words must have run thus the promise is to you Jews and to them afar off as many as God shall call or if the word children be kept in as the Holy Ghost hath plac'd it then thus the promise is to you Jews when God shall call you and to your children when God shall call them and to as many as are afar off when God shall call them might not they have replyed why what need all this Tautology If the promise belongs to us upon our being called and to the Gentiles upon their being called you need not tell us it belongs to our children upon their being called for we knew that before But therefore the word children is kept in to shew the special priviledges God hath given them when the parent is converted And then the sense runs cleer Repent and be baptized For the promise is to you and your children and to them that are afar off even as many as the Lord our God shall call in a smooth Honorable stile becoming the Gospel thus we see that rather then he will make his sense stoop to Gods word he will make the Holy Ghost stoop to his Non-sense From which therefore we may gather notwithstanding his insinuating perswasions that this Text makes against us it is abundantly cleer that this promise here spoken of is that of Abrahams covenant which the Apostle Gal. 3. explains to be a Gospel-covenant and was confirmed by Christ 430 yeers before the Law so that still the result amounts to this That if it be Abrahams covenant it must convey the blessings of the covenant to all within the covenant that is to the spiritual seed spiritual blessings to the temporal seed external priviledges onely but still by one covenant IV. To come to the Scriptures before brought his intent thereby was to prove that the promise of remission of sins and the gifts of the Holy Ghost and so justification to life belongs to all those which God shâ—ll call A. He errs not observing the Scriptures nor the distinctions thereof Gods call is two fold External and internal yet so as that the latter is conveyed in the former and sure a man must needs grosly mistake to affirm that all that are called are justifyed and their sins remitted for then Judas had been justifyed and Simon the Sorcerer saved for they were both called and both baptized yea all that are called everywhere to repent would then be justifyed and all those Apostates that are in these days fallen from the truth would be all saved for they were all called so the foolish virgins were called 2. Let it be considered that the promise of Abrahams covenant is here held forth Now all that are visibly called to embrace the covenant are not effectually called though nevertheless all that are effectually called are within that covenant The Church at Rome Corinth Galatia Ephesus the seven Churches of Asia were all called visibly within the covenant but we know they were not all effectually called we may then still see how sadly M. P. mangles the Scriptures when he brings proofes that relate to an effectual call to prove that all that are called without any distinction shall be justified and saved so that if he can but finde out the word call in a Text t is enough no matter how it is applyed P. Pag. 130. This Text is cleer to prove that those Jews and proselytes that then heard him and their children also the ten Tribes and Gentiles afar off the promise did belong to so many of them as Gâ—d should call Therefore except souls be given up to a spirit of delusion will any dare to affirm that the promise of the spirit and remission of sins and eternal life do belong to any other or will they be so ignorant to judge those promises did belong to the generation of the Jews though they were called or not called c A. We never affirmed that remission of sins or eternal life belonged to any but such as are effectually called therefore the spirit of delusion and ignorance yea the spirit of impudence hath seized upon him so to affirm But this we say that all that are visibly called to embrace the tenders of the Gospel by a visible subjecting thereto are
within Abrahams covenant for we cannot imagine that all the Apostles baptized were really called for the Sorcerer before mentioned doth sufficiently confute it therefore still he mistakes the question which is thus whether all that are called are really justifyed 2 Neither can it be reasonably thought that there were no hypocrites amongst those three thousand mentioned and that they were all so called as he speaks of but the Apostles intention was to let them know by what way they might get in to Abrahams covenant again from which both they and their seed were cut off Therefore Repent and be baptized for the remission of sin and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost For the promise is to you and your children c. That is remission of sins and the gift of the Spirit comes still in the way of Abrahams Covenant as it did before Gal. 3.14 Therefore if you will get into the way of the Spirits working you must repent and be baptized he doth not say that all baptized do really repent for upon the ground Mr. Patient goes none should be admitted to baptism but such as really Repent and are really called and really justifyed when as yet he forgets his own ignorance That he is not able to discern thâ—m Thus we have sifted all his cavils brought against this Text as not to countenance Infant-Baptism And upon the whole we finde it to be a tender of Abrahams Covenant in all the blessings of it even to children of visible believers either Jews or Gentiles Therefore the seal of that Covenant is their due Right and Priviledge P. The next Text is 1 Cor. 7.14 which he saith we abuse to make it speak for Infant-holiness Else were your children unclean but now they are holy God takes persons into Covenant two ways either by an external typical Covenant of Works as he did Israel and so a people may be said to be holy by separation as the carnal Jew being separated from the world and thus the vessels of the Temple were holy and the Priest were holy 2 Secondly A new-Covenant holiness when God writes his Laws in the heart and sanctifies their Nature and there is no other kinde of holiness that relates to the new Covenant but this Hypocrites may have this in appearance but the Elect onely have it in truth therefore it is impossible that a believers carnal seed should be so holy by Birth And no other sanctification the Scripture speaks of belonging to the new Covenant The other was abolisht by the death of Christ A. Whereas he knows no other holiness belonging to the New Covenant but real holiness it is rather an Argument of his ignorance then any confirmation of the truth of what he saith for that New-Covenant had such a holiness of separation belonging to it from Adam to Christ And it is the sâ—me that we have onely the holy things are changed yet so as that whatever Ordinance God hath given his Church now is holy Israel as separated from the world was a holy people so is the Church of God now Act. 10 13 28. 2 Cor. 6.17 Therefore the Apostle writing to the Churches as separated people calls them Saints or holy ones at Rome Corinth Galatia c. Not that they were all holy by an internal work of sanctifâ—cation for the Romans had many that were fallen to Judaism and Corinth had many profane persons amongst them yet as they were a Chuâ—ch they all carry the denomination of holy ones so that the Church stands upon the same terms of separation now as then from the world Therefore the casting out of the incestuous person was as one polluted and unclean which is opposed to such a holiness as makes a person fit for Church-Communion Thus also it was with Israel when there was either a Moral or Typical uncleanness they were cast out as not fit for Communion thus the bread and wine in tâ—e Lords Supper and water in baptism are holy by vertue of separation or institution thus the function of the Ministery is holy or else every man might preach baptize and administer the Supper alike And notwithstanding ceremonies are abolisht yet a holiness of separation by vertue of divine institution remains still or else the word of God were no more holy then another Book Nor the Gospel-Sabboth more holy then another day thus are the Infants of a believer holy else were your children unclean but now they are holy yea let me add that it is impossible that any man can be found in the faith and amongst the rest Mr Patient for one either to Scripture Sabboths or Gospel-Ordinances except they grant a holiness of separation both in persons and things P. The words are grounded from Ezra 9. and Deut. 7. It being an express Law for a Jew not to marry with a stranger therefore they were to put away their strange wives because not lawfully marryed and the children that were born of them were to be lookt upon as illegitimate The Church upon this writing to the Apostle to be resolved whether such of them aâ— had unbelieving yoak-fellows might dwell together and whether it was not unclean or unlawful To this he ansâ—ers Let them dwell together bâ—cause now there being no Law against it the marriage was therefore justifyable and the unbelieving wife is sanctifyed to the believing husband that is set apart by the Law of marriage to him onely else were your children bastards but now they are lawfully born A. There is no such thing mentioned in either place that their children were Bastards Then had Moses son by Zipporah the Egyptian been a Bastard yea the contrary is evident because the Scripture calls them wives And is it not a wilde expression to call her whore that Gods word calls a wife And would it not be as strange to think that so many Priests and Levites should be whoremasters which yet must be if such an interpretation were true as Mr. Patient gives But therefore the ground of putting away their strange wives was because Israel was a separated people and so not to have any affinity with strangers And though it was Israels sin to many a stranger yet it was not their sin to match with an Israelite which had it been whoredom the very light of nature would have condemned it besides this scruple did not lye betwixt Jew and Gentile For this was a Gentile Church a people converted from heathenism to profess Christ They had therfore no ground to think that the marriage they had before conversion was unlawful And had the taking in of the believer into communion with the Church made the unbeliever a whore or a whoremaster and the children bastards or had any such ground of scruple been given it had been enough to have frightened the heathens from being Christians It cannot be therefore that any dis-satisfaction shâ—uld rise in their spirits from those Texts by him quoted considering also the nature of the phrase the wife should
that barest not the covenant of grace is become fruitful in all Nations and therefore Jerusalem which is above is free which is the mother of us all and that us or we i. e. members of the Primitive Church be formed â—rom above by faith in a promise From hence it is plain there were no carnal babes in the Church but when Christ the true seed of grace was persecuted by the Jews he seed of the covenant of works the Gospel doth plentifully hold forth the abolishing thereof and casting out those bond-children out of the Church of God Rep. To shew the vanity of all this we must track him by due parallel by which we shall see the mysterious depths of confusion he is un into after which I shall briâ—fly cleer up the Apostles intent from â—hat Scripture 1 If Abraham stands here as a type of God and his two wives as type of the two covenants then as Hagar bâ—ought forth Ishmael to Abraham a type of God So must the covenant of works bring forth by strength of nature children unto God and those children are as â—uely the sons of God as those born by promise as Ishmael was as â—uely son to Abraham as Isaac 2 As Abrahams affection was that Ishmael might be the son of promise so is it Gods desire that the seed of the covenant of works should be the seed of promise 3 As Hagar and Sarah lived together in Abrahams family a type of God till Ishmael scoft Isaac so shall the two covenants and their seeds dwell together in heaven till the covenant of grace be scoft at by Hagars seed P. Secondly When he comes to explain himself then saith M. P. God made a covenant of grace which proved barren and then a covenant of works which proved fruitful as Abraham had first Sarah then Hagar A. Did not God know the covenant of Grace would prove barren 2 Because that covenant proved barren therefore the other covenant was given to God that he might have seed as Hagar was given by Sarah to Abraham that was the type of God 3 To make Abraham a type of God here is to make him a creator tâ—at as God made the two covenants which were to be as his two wives so Abraham made Sarah and Hagar I hope when M. P. comes to review his work and to consider what gross wickedness follows in maâ—ing Abraham the type of God he will blush at his own boldness blindness and ignorance P. Thirdly When Christ the true Isaac was named i. e. came nto the Ministery then the Scribes and Pharises persecuted Christ â—pon which the free-woman or covenant cast out the bond-woman and her sons i e. the covenant of works and her children by nature which was the National Church of the Jews A. All this while he hath carryed on the parallel of the two covenants till he hath cast out all the Jews and their off-spring that pleaded a right to Abrahams covenant in the flesh but M. P. forgets that the Apostle tells us there was some never broken off nor never cast out when as some of the branches were broken off Rom. 11.17 and he forgets that the natural branches i. e. the Jews and their children shall be taken in again ver 24 25 26 27. which must be therefore into the oâ—d flock or root which remains P. Fourthly the free-woman or covenant doth now testifie that the bond-woman i. e. the covenant of works and her children shall never remain in Gods Church now but onely the children of the free-woman shall remain in Gods house A. By children of the free-woman he understands real and true believers so that the inference riseth thus that in the Gospel-house and Church of Christ there shall be none that belongs to the covenant of works that 's abolisht and the seed cast out that now thâ— Churches are all Saints are all heirs all free-born no hypocrites and thus what Paul writ to the Romans Galatians Philippians and tells us that in those Gospel-Churches there were many under that covenant and yet Church-members is by M. P. reproved for falshood for the free-covenant of grace had cast out the covenant of works and her seed long before P. Fifthly Now rejoyce then barren that barest not the covenant of Grace is become fruitful in all Nations therefore Jerusalem which is above is free which is the mother of us all i. e. of us the primitive Church born by faith in a promise A. The Reader may remember he hath often before told us that the spiritual covenant of grace as it did not run upon intail so was it made indifferently to all Nations and that it was not confined to the Jews For in that spiritual covenant all Nations had a like share and benefit in thy seed all nations are blest Now if that be true then this is false For what cause hath the barren covenant of Grace to â—ejoyce now more then it had of old for she had her seed in all Nations then according to the intent of promise or if this be true what he hath said before is false so that take it which way you will he is judged out of his own mouth 2 To that other part consider how many hypocrites there were in the primitive Church Judas with his followers ofâ—en mentioned were these born from above by faith in a promise thus then his own Conscience may by this time tell him he hath been deceived and deuded in the opening of Sâ—r ptures Abraham was no type of God in this Gal. 4. but held forth as the father of the Church-seed v. 22. And so Hagar brings forth children to Abraham as well as Sarah the â—ree intent of this place appears to be this The Apostle in this chapter brings this Allegory to convince those Galatians which having imbrac'd Christ were fallen back to the Law Ceremonial and to seek for justification by works And therefore he calls them fools and tells them they were bewiâ—ched to fall back from Gospel Oâ—dinances to the Law from the spirit to the flesh from liberty to bondage ch 3.11.5.1 2 3 4. and having used many pressing Arguments in the preceding chapter he at last comes in with this example of Sarah and Hagar to shew that as Hagar when she thought to mistress it was cast out of Abrahams family so So the Law ceremonial when made a covenant of works and the Law moral also in that abusive sense was to be cast out of the Church of God both under the Law and under the Gospel But as Sarah was contented to have Hagar dwell with her a servant so in that sense did the law ceremonial moral attend grace being in truth the Law of Christ But as a covenant of works it could not make one heir of promise Therefore it was but a foolish thing for the Galatians to think by works to merit heaven for there was never any man saved by works ch 3.11 But if your heart and affections be set that