The Online Library of Liberty

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• Introduction
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• The Divine Feudal Law Represented
• §1.
• §2.
• §3
• §4
• §5
• §6
• §7
• §8
• §9
• §10
• §11
• §12
• §13
• §14.
• §15
• §16
• §17
• §18
• §19
• §20
• §21
• §22
• §23
• §24.
• §25
• §26
• §27
• §28
• §29
• §30
• §31
• §32
• §33
• §34
• §35
• §36
• §37
• §38
• §39.
• §40
• §41
• §42
• §43
• §44
• §45
• §46
• §47
• §48
• §49
• §50
• §51
• §52
• §53
• §54
• §55
• §56
• §57
• §58
• §59
• §60
• §61
• §62
• §63
• §64
• §65
• §66
• §67
• §68
• §69
• §70
• §71
• §72
• §73
• §74
• §75
• §76
• §77
• §78
• §79
• §80
• §81
• §82
• §83
• §84
• §85
• §86
• §87
• §88
• §89
• §90
• §91
• §92
• §93
• §94

§30

The Particular Covenant of God with Abraham.But lest the Knowledge of this Covenant, and of a Saviour to come into the World, should in process of time be utterly lost from among the Nations dispers’d upon the Face of the Earth, it pleased God to continue the Memorial of it by some particular Covenants; by Virtue of which, the Race of which, according to the Flesh, the Messias was to come, was confin’d to a certain Nation and Family, and afterwards also the Place and Time of his Nativity was assign’d by the Prophets, that Men might be led as it were by the Hand to the Knowledge of him. The Covenant which God made with Noah after the Flood, that he would no more bring a Flood upon the Earth, does not belong at all to this, as being a thing out of the Compass of Religion, Gen. 9:9, &c. Therefore we Assign the first Place in this Matter to the Covenant which God made with Abraham, by Virtue of which he was bound to depart from his Father’s House and Country, that he might live separate from a Company of Idolaters, lest his Posterity being mingled with them might be infected with that Pollution, Gen. 12:1, &c. and 13, 14, 15, 16. The Conditions of that Covenant on the Part of God were, that he assign’d him the Land of Canaan for an Habitation to his Posterity, who were to be very Numerous, Gen. 15:18. and 28:3, 4, 13, 14, 15. and 35:11, 12. Exod. 2:24. and 6:4, &c. Deut. 4:31. And that the Saviour of the World should be Born of his Off-spring, from whom should come a Blessing upon all People, Gen. 18:18, 19. and 22:18. and 26:4. Gal. 3:8, 16. And a peculiar Favour of God, and as it were a Friendship with him, was to be afforded them, Gen. 18:17. On the Part of Abraham the Condition of the Covenant was the retaining the Doctrine of a Saviour to come, Gen. 12:8. Or the Preaching and Proclaiming the Name of God, Gen. 13:18. and 14:19, 20, 22. And indeed since Faith in a Saviour that was to come, was that which was requir’d by the Universal Covenant, it was incumbent upon Abraham, by the particular Covenant that he should publickly profess, and own, and endeavour to propagate, that Doctrine, Gen. 18:19. Rom. 4:13. And when his Faith of that was beginning to waver, by reason of the Barrenness of his Wife, God repeated that Promise, and renew’d the Covenant, Gen. 15:4, 5, 6, 18. Where we read that Sacrifices were applied to the Establishment of that Covenant, V. 9, 10. And there was added also to this Covenant that which is the general Condition of every Covenant with God, an earnest Endeavour after Piety, Gen. 17:1, 17, 18, 19. God instituted for a Monument and Sacrament of this Covenant the Rite of Circumcision, Gen. 17:10, &c. by which as a Mark and Character, also the Posterity of Abraham, from which the Saviour of the World was to spring, was distinguisht from all other People, and Salvation, and Righteousness, to be obtain’d by the Saviour was seal’d, Rev. 4:11. For it was without any Consideration of a Covenant that Circumcision was used among some other Nations, and as it is believ’d, because of the length of Foreskin; and perhaps those Nations were of the Posterity of Kethurah, or of Esau, who retain’d the Rite, altho’ this Covenant did not belong to them. This Covenant was to continue till the time of the Saviour’s coming into the World, by whose presence the force of it died of it self: Because in the Exhibition of him, and in his visible presence among Men, did consist the completion of this Covenant on the Part of God. Whence St. Paul says, Gal. 5:2. If ye be still circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing; for Circumcision respects Christ as to come. Therefore if any would after this make use of that Sacrament, he would therein deny that the Christ was already come: And so a Christian that should observe Circumcision would maintain an Opinion repugnant to his Profession as such. And therefore tho’ Circumcision might contribute something of Sanctity and Prerogative to that People before, 1 Sam. 17:26. yet after the coming of the Saviour there is no more Circumcision or Uncircumcision, no more Jew or Greek, Gal. 5:6. And the end and design of that Rite being accomplish’d and attain’d, it was also grown out of Use; nor is there any longer any Prerogative or Difference among the Nations upon the Account of that.