THE ALMIGHTY His Gracious Token of Love TO HIS Friend Abraham.  
OR A SERMON Preached in the Cathedral Church of BRISTOL, January 3. 1674.  
By RICH. TOWGOOD, B.D. now Dean of Bristol, and when time was, Chaplain in Ordinary to His late Sacred Majesty King CHARLES the First, of most blessed and most renowned memory.  
In Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature,  Gal. 6.15. 
LONDON: Printed by H.C. for H. Brome, at the Gun at the West-end of St. Panls, and are to be sold by Humphrey Dixon, Bookseller in Wine-street, Bristol. 1676.   

To the Right Reverend Father in God GUIDO, by Divine Providence Lord Bishop of Bristol.  
Right Reverend Father in God, and my much honoured Lord,  
YOur Desire I dare not deny, it is unto me instead of a Command; but I fear whatsoever it was that your Lordship approved of at the hearing, will not seem so approvable at the reading. Horace his Verse I may crave leave a little to change, and say,  
Soepius instibant animum dimissa per aurem,  
Quam quae sunt oculis subjecta fidelibus.  
That which may pass current out of a popular Pulpit, may not perhaps relish so well out of a public Press. However, that which may serve to edify a hundred, may serve also to edify a thousand. And the world, I hope, may hereby see, that our ordinary labours in Bristol (which intent to sound no further than the walls of the Church, in which they are delivered) are not so extremely contemptible, that our Hearers had need to keep up to themselves a company of Schismatical Teachers, fetched from far, to supply our defects. For I dare assure your Lordship, there are many Sermons frequently preached by my Brethren in Bristol which may challenge the light rather than this now presented to your Lordship; and yet I reckon this may pass without offence, having received the approbation of your Lordship's judicious ear; and that it hath made bold to prefix before it your Reverend Name. I humbly beg, and hope, you will be pleased, as being the occasion of it yourself, favourably to vouchsafe a pardon to  
Your Lordship's most obliged and most humble Servant. Rich. Towgood.   

A SERMON PREACHED In the Cathedral Church of BRISTOL, Januar. 3. 1674/ 5.  ACT. seven. 8. former part. 
And he gave him the Covenant of Circumcision.  
THESE words are part of a Sermon preached by St. Stephen the Protomartyr, before the Sanhedrim or Council at Jerusalem, not long after our Saviour's Ascension. What St. Stephen's scope is in this Sermon, contained in this Chapter, or what he aims at in this particular passage, I shall not now stand to inquire. I shall at present look upon the Words as bearing full and perfect sense in themselves without any reference to the occasion or coherence, further than doth concern the two Relatives or Persons here spoken of, He and Him. Only that ye may not stumble at the choice of this Text concerning an antiquated Ceremony, ye may be pleased to consider that according to the order appointed by the Church, the anniversary Commemoration of our Saviour's Circumcision is not quite over; as doth appear by the Epistle, Gospel, and Collect for this present Day, and therefore a Text concerning Circumcision is not unseasonable. Besides, from this time we reckon the beginning of the New year, and Circumcision was a sign of a New-heart, and of newness of Life. And lastly, the beginning of this month is the time wherein friends of the chief account do usually gratify one another with gifts of kindness, and tokens of love; And here the Text tells us of a special Gift that the Almighty God vouchsafed unto Abraham his friend, for these two are the He and the Him here spoken of, as is plain by the Verses foregoing: He gave Him, that is, God gave Abraham the Covenant of Circumcumcision; so that though I cannot say, here is a New-year's Gift, yet here is no small token of God's love to Abraham. And concerning this Token of Love (to come now to the Words themselves) we have four things observable in the Text.  

1. What it was.  
2. Of what worth it was.  
3. Who gave it.  
4. To whom it was given.   
Of these by God's gracious assistance and your Christian patience in their order; and first of the first, what it was. It was the Ordinance of Circumcision. God commanded Abraham this service; and what kind of service this was, and by whom to be observed, and at what time to be performed is fully declared by the Holy Ghost himself, and cannot better be expressed than in his own Words, as we find them, Gen. 17. from the tenth to the twelfth: This is my Covenant (saith the Lord to Abraham) which ye shall keep between me and you, and thy seed after thee; every manchild among you shall be circumcised; And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be a token of the Covenant between me and you; And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every manchild in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger which is not of thy seed. This was the service that God commanded him and all his posterity. And a hard service it was, as appeared in that when the Sechemites were by deceit persuaded by the sons of Jacob to be circumcised, their whole City by reason of their soreness after they were circumcised, was not able to defend themselves against two men; For it came to pass on the third day when they were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, simeon and Levi, Dinahs' brethren, took each man his sword, and came upon the City boldly, and slew all the Males, Gen. 34.25. So likewise it is said of the Children of Israel, when they were all circumcised at their entrance into the Land of Canaan, because they had not been circumcised by the way, That they abode in their places in the Camp till they were whole, Josh. 5.7, 8. But yet more fully doth the hardship of this service appear by that of Zipporah, who when she was enforced to circumcise her Son, said thus unto Moses her Husband not without bitterness, A bloody husband art thou to me; and doubled it, A bloody husband, because of the circumcision, Exod. 4.25, 26. A hard service it was, and yet to be laid upon their Infants when they were but eight days old: Surely, we may justly take up the words of the Apostle, which were uttered by him in another case, Heb. 11.40. God hath provided some better thing for us. Instead of that hard service (for abrogated now it is, Gal. 5.2.) God hath appointed unto us the Sacrament of Baptism, which as for the use is more perspicuous, so for the quality is far less painful; and yet see the fond tenderness of Parents, and the foolish niceness of people  is such, that they can scarce suffer a little cold water to be sprinkled on their Children; nay a few drops more than ordinary, shall procure as bitter words against their Minister, as Zipporah's were against her Husband.  
But (to pass by this) here we may take notice, that St. Stephen doth call this Ordinance the Covenant of Circumcision, and so it is also called in that place forementioned, Gen. 17.10. The Lord there thus speaking, This is my Covenant which ye shall keep between me and you, and thy seed after thee, every manchild among you shall be circumcised. Circumcision both there and here is called the Covenant, when indeed and in truth it was but the Sign of the Covenant. The Covenant was this, as it is plainly set down, Gen. 17.7. The Lord there saying unto Abraham, I will establish my Covenant between me and thee, and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting Covenant, to be a God unto thee and thy seed after thee. This was the Covenant on the Lord's part, that he would be a God unto Abraham and his Seed; and in the same words was included the Covenant on Abraham's part, that Abraham and his Seed should take the Lord to be their God, and should worship him, serve and obey him as their God. This was the Covenant, and of this Covenant, Circumcision was instituted to be the Sign, and so it is plainly declared, Gen. 17.11. Ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be a token of the Covenant between me and you: and so the Apostle speaks of it, Rom. 4.11. Saying of Abraham, He received the Sign of Circumcision, (i.e.) He received Circumcision, which was a Sign. It is the usual language of the Holy Ghost in Sacramental speeches to give to the sign the name of the thing signified. The Jews had two principal Sacraments, but more they had less Principals; and the truth of this, holds in both sorts. Their two principal and ordinary Sacraments, were Circumcision and the Paschal Lamb. Concerning the former it hath been already showed; yea may see it also concerning the latter. If ye look into Exod. 12.11, ye shall find these words concerning the Paschal Lamb, Thus ye shall eat it, with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste, it is the Lords Passover. The Passover was the Act of the Angel passing over the Houses of the Israelites, when he smote all the firstborn in the Land of Egypt; and yet the Lamb, ye see, is called by the name of the Passover. The like we may say of other of their Sacraments: I will instance but in one, and that is the Rock out of which, when Moses had smitten it with his Rod, water came forth for the relief and refreshing of the Israelites in the Wilderness, Num. 20.11. And this Rock, Saint Paul saith, was Christ, 1 Cor. 10.4. No man will say that Saint Paul meant the Rock was Christ in regard of the substance, but only by signification; and so Saint Augustine interprets it, Petra erat Christus, quia significabat Christum, Epist. 102. ad Euod. Neither is this kind of Metonymy and Figure used only in Sacramental Speeches, but in those Speeches also wherein there is no Mystery of Religion contained; as in the interpretation of Pharaohs Dream, Gen. 41. Pharaoh in his Dream saw seven fat-fleshed Kine come out of the River, and after them seven other lean-fleshed Kine, Verse 2. Joseph in his interpretation thereof doth thus speak unto Pharaoh, Verse 26, 27. The seven good Kine are seven years, and the seven thin Kine are seven years. The meaning is, the seven Kine of the one sort and the other do signify seven years; the name of the thing signified being attributed to the Sign, which ye see is a usual kind of speaking both in the Old and New Testament. And this may stop the mouths of the Papists about their Transubstantiation; who because our Saviour at the Institution of the Lords Supper, taking Bread in his Hand, said, This is my Body, do therefore think that the substance of Bread at the Sacrament must needs be turned into the Substance of our Saviour's Body: But seeing other Sacramental Speeches are Figuratively understood, Why should we conceive that our Saviour's Words are not so to be understood also? A real Presence of Christ in the Sacrament we acknowledge, for the Body and Blood of Christ, according to our Church-Catechism, are verily and indeed, taken and received of the Faithful in the Lord's Supper, verily and indeed, that is, really, yet not carnally, but Sacramentally, not Corporally, but Spiritually. For otherwise, how could Believers eat the Flesh of Christ and drink his Blood before his Flesh had any existence or being in the World? The Apostle doth tell us that the believing Israelites in the Wilderness did eat the same spiritual meat, and drink the same spiritual drink that we do, and that is none other but the Body and Blood of Christ, and yet Christ was not then incarnate, 1 Cor. 10.3, 4. Their Manna was the Body of Christ, and their water out of the Rock was the Blood of Christ; not in substance but in signification, they did signify the Body and Blood of Christ. And surely, in all reason those Propositions and Sentences of Scripture that are incongruous to reason when they are taken in a proper sense, but suitable to reason in a figurative sense; in all reason I say, they ought to be taken Figuratively. And this the Holy Ghost himself doth teach us. For when Saint John had seen seven Golden Candlesticks, And in the midst of the seven Candlesticks, one like unto the Son of Man, Rev. 1 12, 13. who had also in his right hand seven Stars, vers. 16. the Lord himself doth expound the meaning thereof, ver. 20. in these words: The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden Candlesticks. The seven stars, are the Angels (that is, the Bishops) of the seven Churches, and the seven Candlesticks which thou sawest, are the seven Churches. So in these two Propositions, The seven Stars are the Angels of the seven Churches, and the seven Candlesticks are the seven Churches, the Lord saith there is a mystery, that is, they are not literally, but mystically, or figuratively to be understood. Multitude of such speeches we find in Scripture, which cannot possibly be otherwise understood; as when Joseph interpreted Pharaohs Butler, and his Baker's Dreams: The three branches, saith he, are three days, Gen. 40.12. And again, vers. 18. The three Baskets, are three days, that is, they signify three days. So, Isa. 5.7. The vineyard of the Lord of Hosts is the House of a Isrel, that is, doth signify the House of Israel: So likewise, These bones are the whole House of Israel, that is, they signify the house of Israel, Ezek. 37.11. Look upon our Saviour's parable, Mat. 13.37. I will mention but a branch or two of it. The field is the world, the tears are the Children of the wicked ones, the harvest is the end of the world, and the reapers are the Angels, that is, they signify these things. I'll add but one instance more, and that is in Gal. 4.24. These (i. e. Abraham's two wives) are the two Covenants; the meaning is, they signify the two Covenants. Now when these passages of Scripture, and many others more, cannot be understood but by a Metonymy figuratively, why should our Saviour's words, This is my body, only be excepted from this general way of interpretation, and have another interpretation assixed unto them, which is contrary both to Scripture; and to Sense, to Reason and to the Interpretation of the Ancient Fathers. To Scripture, because the Scripture tells us that Christ's Body is ascended up into Heaven, and that the Heavens must receive him until the times of restitution of all things (i. e.) the day of Judgement, Act. 1.9. and 3.21.  
And if it must be in Heaven (as the words, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Acts 3.21. do plainly signify) than he cannot be here on Earth too; and this argument our Saviour himself doth elsewhere make good, Joh. 6.62. For whereas, when our Saviour preached at Capernaum and told them, except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you, ibid. verse. 53. the hearers were offended at it; and said, not only, how can this man give us his flesh to eat? but also, this is an hard saying, who can hear it? Our Saviour to take away this offence, and to give them the true meaning of his words, saith thus unto them, ibid. verse. 62. what and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? As if he should have said, when ye shall see my Body to be ascended up into Heaven, than I hope, you will understand that I speak not of this carnal eating of my flesh that ye dream of; for my Body will be then in Heaven, and there must continue. And this Argument holds good against the carnal eating of Christ's Body in the Sacrament also, though our Saviour doth not speak thereof in that place; so contrary to Scripture is this interpretation of our Saviour's words. And contrary it is to Sense; For that which we receive with our hands at the Lords Table, it is not flesh but bread, bread to our sight, bread to our feeling, and bread to our taste; contrary to reason it is also, and that in two respects; 1. In that, if the words were literally meant, our Saviour then at the Institution, when he took the bread and uttered the words, had his own body in his hand, and so he had there two bodies, one sitting at the table, and the other in his hand upon the table; and this is not very reasonable. Secondly, In that, if at the administration, the flesh of Christ in the very substance were there, it would stand us in no stead; for it is the spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing. Our Saviour saith, Joh. 6.63. My flesh is meat indeed, ibid. ver. 55. And why then doth our Saviour say here, the flesh profiteth nothing. Our Saviour doth not contradict himself; and thereby it is plain, his meaning is, that the carnal Capernaitical eating of his flesh, such as the Capernacies there thought he spoke of, was of no use at all. And lastly, Contrary it is to the interpretation of the Ancient Fathers I'll mention but two or three very briefly; Turt. lib. 4. against Martion, thus speaks, Christus acceptum panem & distributum discipulis, corpus suum illum fecit, hoc est corpus meum dicendo, i.e. figura corporis mei. Bread taken and distributed to his Disciples he made his body, by saying, This is my body, that is, the figure of my body Saint Ambrose to the same purpose doth use the same word, figura. Figura est corporis & sanguinis Domini nostri Jesu Christi. l. 4. de sacramentis, cap. 5. and Saint Aug. on the third Psal. saith, Dominus Judam ad hibuit ad convivium, in quo corporis & sanguinis sui figuram discipulis commendavit & tradidit. That is, The Lord entertained Judas at the feast wherein he commended and gave to his Disciples the figure of his body and blood. These three, to add no more, do agree in this particular, and they all use the same word figura, whereby they signified that the bread is nor turned into to the Body of Christ, but was a sign or figure of his Body, though called by the name thereof. It is the language of the Holy Ghost to give to the sign the name of the thing signified; so it is here in the Text, the Ordinance of the Circumcision is called the Covenant, which was but a sign of the Covenant. He gave him the Covenant of Circumcision. One thing more there is to be observed from this title, the Covenant of Circumcision, which I will touch but briefly; and it is this, That the Almighty God in his Sacraments doth make a Covenant with his people. Circumcision was a Sacrament, for there was a sign and a thing signified, as before was showed; and therein God entered into Covenant with Abraham, and his Seed, The Passover was a Sacrament, and thereby there was a Covenant made between God and his people. The Israelites, when Hezekiah sent abroad a Proclamation, exhorting the people to come to Jerusalem to keep the Passover, which had some years formerly been neglected, he thus bespeaks them, Now be not stiffnecked as your Fathers were, but yield yourselves unto the Lord; in the Original it is thus expressed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, give the hand unto the Lord, and so it is rendered in the Margin of our Bible's 2 Chr. 30.8. Now to give the hand, ye know, is a circumstance and sign of entering into Covenant; and by this expression is intimated, that by keeping the Passeover, they made a Covenant with the Lord. The like is to be said of our Sacrament of Baptism; for the Apostle Saint Peter, 1 Pet. 3.21. in respect of the inward part of it, doth calliit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and that word though it be by divers diverfly rendered, as by our translation, an answer, by the vulgar Latin, Interrogatio; yet it is generally conceived that the Apostle doth therein allude unto the questions and answers that were made at the baptising of people converted to Christianity; Such as, Dost thou believe? I do believe, &c, which had their beginning and use even in the Apostles time, as may be collected from Acts 8.37. And therefore by some, the word is rendered stipulatio, that is, a Covenant, a Bargain, or an Agreement between two, one ask the question, and the other answering. Such a thing is Baptism, a Covenant between God and us; and though those questions and answers were omitted, yet this Covenant is included and contained in the very words which by our Saviour are appointed to be used at the Sacrament of Baptism, that is, To Baptise in the Name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Matth. 28.19. Into the Name, or in the Name of the Three Persons of the Trinity, that is, into the Protection of the Father, into the Redemption of the Son, and into the Sanctification of the Holy Ghost. This is the Covenant on God's part; and these are the Promises that are made of God unto us in that Sacrament, whereof our Church-Catechism makes mention: And on our part the Covenant is, that we will be his Servants, and yield all obedience to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. And this Covenant we renew when we come to the Lords Supper; for the Lord doth offer us his Son to be our Saviour, and thither we come to acknowledge, that we wholly rely upon him and his Merits, and to yield up ourselves wholly to him and his service. Take we heed therefore, all of us, that have been baptised, and have received the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, (as for others, they are not in Covenant with God, nor can expect Protection or Salvation from him); take we heed, I say, that we carefully perform the Covenant. Our Covenant is, wholly to yield obedience unto God, and that we cannot do, without renouncing the works of the Devil, and the sinful lusts of the flesh: And if we fail on our part, God is not bound on his part. Besides, he will not take it well at our hands, if we break Covenants with him; he will have a quarrel against us for the breach of Covenants; nay, he tells us plainly, he will avenge the quarrel of his Covenant, Levit. 26.25. Well, ye see Circumcision was called the Covenant; ye see that there was a Covenant in the Circumcision, as there is also in all Sacraments; even, in the Sacraments of the New Testament. There is one thing more yet to be observed, before we proceed to the next Part. In all the Ceremonies of the Law, Divines say, there are three things to be observed, that is, 

1. That they were Memorials of some Mercy received.  
2. That they were Types of Christ.  
3. That they did signify some Moral Duty.    
Whether all these things are to be sound in the Circumcision, and how it was a Memorial of Mercy past, or how it was a Type of Christ, I will not now inquire, but pitch upon that which the Scripture shows to be undeniable, and that is this, That there was a Moral Duty signified by the Circumcision; that there is a Spiritual Circumcision yet remaining, still to be observed and practised by all the people of God, even now in the time of the Gospel: And this is nothing else but the cutting off of carnal affections, the making of a new heart, and the putting off of the oldman. This is that the Apostle calls, Circumcision made without hands, Col. 2.11. This is that the Apostle means, when he tells us, He is a Jew which is one inwardly, and Circumcision is that of the heart, Rom. 2.29. Nay, and even in the time of the Law, this was the Circumcision that the Lord chief required, and therefore doth Moses thus call upon the people, Circumcise the foreskin of your heart, Deut. 10.16. And so doth the Prophet Jeremy in the same words, Jer. 4.4. It doth not then a little concern us to consider, whether we are thus spiritually circumcised, yea or no. It was a fearful threatening that was denounced against all those of Abraham's posterity, if they were not carnally circumcised, That Soul shall be cut off from his people, Gen. 17.14. And if the Spiritual Circumcision, as hath been showed, be more regarded by the Lord, shall not the neglect thereof be as severely punished as the neglect of the other? Surely the Prophet Jeremy's words do make it good in that, Jer. 4.4. Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, and take away the foreskin of your hearts, ye men of Judah, and inhabitants of Jerusalem, lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your do. Consider then with thyself, O Christian, Hast thou cast off the works of Darkness? Dost thou mortify thy Corruptions? Dost thou deny Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts? If not, surely thou art not spiritually circumcised; but to use the Apostles phrase, art dead in sin, and the uncircumcision of the flesh, Col. 2.13. But to descend a little lower, the Scripture doth intimate to us, That there is a Circumcision of the Ear, and a Circumcision of the Lips, Acts 7. Jer. 6.10. and Exod. 6.30. Examine thyself then, O Christian, Doth thine Ear refuse to hear the Voice of the Charmer? Or hast thou an Itch in thine Ear to hearken after novel Doctrines? Doth it delight to hear evil Reports, and to receive false Tales? And is it not then uncircumcised? Doth thy tongue delight in scoffing, give itself to swearing, whispering, or backbiting? And is it not then uncircumcised? Briefly, three things there were observed in the Circumcision of the Flesh, all which may serve to give us some further help and direction in this self-examination.  
1. Circumcision could not be without dolour, without grief and pain. And certainly, forasmuch as there is no man living that sinneth not; nay, for as much as in many things we offend all, he who never felt any remorse of Conscience, that was never pricked at the heart whose heart, never smote him, can never reckon himself spiritually circumcised; and if it be but the corruption of our nature (and when Infants were circumcised, they were guilty of no more), yet had we need with sorrow of heart to humble ourselves, and to cry out, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? To borrow the Apostles expressions, Rom. 7.24.  
2. The ancient Circumcision did distinguish the Jews from other people. As the Grecians called all others Barbarians; so the Jews called all others besides themselves, as it were by a reproachful and contumelious word, the Uncircumcised, 1 Sam. 17.26. Yea, and they themselves were by others reproached for their very Circumcision. By the name of Judeus Apella, the Poet speaks of him; So likewise, if we would be sure that we are spiritually circumcised, we must see there be a difference between us and worldly minded and voluptuous men that are in the world; not in opinion, as the Pharisees thought well of themselves and despised others, but in practice; for if there be as much vanity on thy back, as much venom in thy tongue, as much pride and malice in thy heart, as in the worst of men, never think thyself to be spiritually circumcised. Judah and Israel, because in their practice they differed not from Egypt and Edom, from Moab and Ammon, are therefore ranked with them, and threatened with them, as being uncircumcised in heart, Jer. 9.26.  
The third thing observable in the Circumcision, was this; It was a Sacrament of Initiation, whereby they were as it were consecrated unto God. They did thereby enter into Covenant with God, it was a sign whereby they declared themselves to be Gods peculiar people. And so surely, they that are not dedicated unto God, and so live as persons that are dedicated and consecrated, can never reckon themselves spiritually circumcised; for the Apostle saith, We are the circumcision, that serve God in the spirit; that is; in purity of life, Phil. 3.3. He that is spiritually circumcised, and so devoted unto God, must yield no part of himself either of Body and Soul to any other service then to the service of God, site vovoris Deo, imitandus est tibi vitulus quem non licet humanis operibus deseruire, Origen. Hom. 14. in Num. A Bullock that is consecrated unto God, it is not lawful to put it to any humane service; and therein, saith he, must we be like him, if we have consecrated ourselves too God. But ah alas! how many be there, that so live as if they had bound themselves by Indenture unto Satan, as if they had made themselves by vow his Slaves, counting it there honour to be profane, and their greatest glory to stand at desiance with holiness. Is it not a great abuse for a consecrated Temple to be turned into a Stable, or into a Sty to hold Swine in? But how much greater is the abuse for the Body and Soul of a Christian, consecrated unto God, to become Satan's workhouse, for in such Children of disobedience he worketh, Ephes. 2.2. The sum of all is, then Mortify your members that are upon the Earth; if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off; cleanse yourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, for in this consists the spiritual circumcision (which neither is, nor ever will be abrogated) namely, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, Col. 2.11. Ye see what this token of God's love to Abraham was, both for the letter and the mystery. In the letter it was in the cutting off the foreskin of the flesh. In the mystery it was a sign of the Covenant between God and Abraham, and withal did warn and admonish him to cut off all vile and carnal affections. This is the first thing observable in the Text. I shall first be briefer in the other parts that are behind. Come we then to the second thing observed of what worth this token of love was, and that is employed in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, he gave, Saint Steven doth not say, he inflicted it as a punishment, or imposed it as a burden, he gave it as a token of love, out of his special faviour. God's Ordinances are special blessings, of singular worth. The Almighty God promised to this man Abraham the whole Land of Canaan, Gen. 13, 14, 15. a bountiful gift; and yet this gift here spoken of, the Covenant of Circumcision was of more worth than the whole Land of Canaan or all the Kingdoms of the world. It was a painful service, but of inestimable worth, it was a seal of the righteousness of faith. Rom. 4.11. and so consequently it was a seal to assure him of the Kingdom of Heaven. All Gods ordinances are precious gifts, and that may appear first by the time which the Donor chose for the bestowing of them. When a man is parting from his friends, he will leave behind him some special token of love and so the Apostle (saith when Christ Jesus ascended up on high he led Cativity Captive, and gave gifts to men, Eph. 4.8. and yet I confess the Apostle doth not allude so much to the parting of one friend from another) as to the custom of conquerors, who after their victories go up into their Cities in triumph carrying their captives bound, and then withal giving rich gifts to their friends; so Christ having conquered hell, and death, and sin, and the Devil, led them captive and gave gifts unto men; but as to our purpose, the question is, what those gifts were, and the Apostle tell us, ibid. ver. 11. he gave some Apostles, some Prophets, etc. these are the chief gifts that Christ Jesus thought good to give to his people (though the world doth not esteem them so) even at the time of his triumph when he was ascending into his greatest glory, as if he had no greater gifts to bestow upon them, and what is it for which they are reckoned by the Lord such singular gifts, but only because they are his messengers and the dispensers of his holy word and sacred ordinance? These are gifts of high esteem, and that doth thus appear, by the time when they were given, and that was at his ascension; For as the coming of the Holy Ghost was a fruit of Christ's ascension; so also is the fitting of his messengers and the committing unto them the dispensation of his sacred ordinances, the fruit of the same ascension. Secondly, the singular worth and excellency of God's sacred ordinances doth appear in that, they to whom they are vouchsafed, are dignified by them. What nation is there so great, saith Moses, to the Israclites, that hath statutes and judgements so righteous as all this law which I set before you, Deut. 4.8. and it is worth your noting, that whereas the land of Canaan was so highly dignified and commended; Dan 8.9. the pleasant land; the glory of all lands, Ezek. 20.6. the land of desire, Zech. 7.14. It was not for that there was such plenty of silver and gold there for there was none at all, Deut. 8.7, 8, 9 Solomon sent to Ophir for Gold, 1 King. 9.28. and so did Jehosaphat, 1 King. 22.48. but it was chief because the ordinances of God were there settled. In respect hereof it is said, that there the glory of God is seen in the sanctuary, Psal. 63.2. that is, at the Temple in Jerusalem, and his statutes and ordinances he gave unto that people which was a mercy that he shown not to any other nation, Psal. 147.19, 20. Thirdly, the worth and excellency of God's ordinances do appear in the end and effect of them, for to this end they are given, and this is the effect of them, to beget grace in us and to bring us to Christ, such is the excellency of the word of grace, that is of the Gospel, that it is able to build us up and to give us an inheritance among them that are sanctified, Act. 20.32. It is able to make us wise unto Salvation, 2 Tim. 3.15. and this wisdom cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, gold and crystal cannot equal it, Job 28.16, 17. It was the mystery of the Heathens, that they were without Christ, Ephes. 2.12. and it is the most blessed and admirable use of the Sacraments to make us partakers of Christ. For as many of us as have been baptised into Christ, have put, on Christ, Gal. 3.27. And the bread which we break (that is the other Sacrament) is it not the communion of the body of Christ? 1 Cor. 10.16. such is the worth thereof, it makes us partakers of Christ. All Gods ordinances are of estimable worth and excellency, and how comes it then to pass that these shored ordinances are by so many slighted and neglected? The word by some, the sacraments by others, both by most, and all the holy things of God, as if they were of no value. The things themselves surely are heavenly blessings, but it is the wretchedness of thy heart, O man, and it is thy misery thou dost not know the worth of them; What is the reason the sick man doth abhor all manner of meat; yea, the choicest dainties that can be provided? Is it not because his body is possessed with dangerous unwholesome malignant humours, which if not removed will inevitably bring death? So when thou canst not relish the food of thy Soul, what is the reason? Is it not because thou art desperately Soul-sick? The natural man, saith the Apostle, (and certainly the natural man is desperately Soul-sick) he receiveth not the things of the spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him: Neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned, 1 Cor. 2.14. And what will follow hereupon but inevitable destruction? The Baptism of John, was the Ordinance of God; The Pharisees refused to be baptised of him; What was the issue? They rejected the Council of God against themselves, against themselves, that is, to their own ruin, Luk. 7.30. Shall the Manna be loathed, or any of God's sacred Ordinances slighted? And shall not he be offended? Mark how he complains, I have written to him the great things of my Law, but they were counted as a string thing, Hos. 8.12. Neither will it be sufficient to pretend the meanness either of the things of the Institution, or of the Messengers that are employed about them; It is a vain thing to say, can a little water on my Body wash away the sin of my Soul? Or can a bit of Bread, and sip of Wine make me Partaker of Jesus Christ? No. It is not these things that do the Work; But the Almighty God upon our right use of these things according to his appointment. He doth the Work, he cleanseth us from our Sins, he makes us Partakers of his Son; It was not the sounding the of Rams Horns that threw down the Walls of Jericho, neither was it the Waters of Jordan that cured Naaman of his Leprosy, but the Almighty did both these Works upon the right using and observing what he had appointed. The like may be said of the Messengers by whom the Almighty doth send these Gifts, Are they mean in your sight? Be it so, Yet will a man refuse rich precious Treasure, because it is brought him in an Earthen Vessel? We are Earthen Vessels, but Treasure we bring you. 2 Cor. 4.7. The Prophet Elijah in the time of Famine, Had Bread and Flesh brought to him in the Morning, and Bread and Flesh in the Evening, the Ravens brought it to him by the Commandment of the Lord, 1 King. 17.4, 6. The Prophet knew very well that the Ravens were unclean Creatures, by the Lords own Verdict. Levit. 11.15. And yet he had more Wit and Grace then to refuse that which they brought him from the Lord, otherwise, besides the Lord's displeasure, he might have perished for want of Food. I have but one thing more to add touching this point. These Sacred Ordinances which are of such inestimable worth, the Lord hath vouchsafed to us in great measure, and all the days of our Lives we have enjoyed them. Let us now bethink ourselves of returning something unto him. The circumstances of New years day are not yet quite over, Let us present the Lord with a New years Gift. Perhaps you will say, (and well ye may) What shall I return to the Lord for all his benefits? Ps. 116.12. But is there nothing indeed? I remember a saying of Aeschines a poor Disciple of Socrates. Many brought to Socrates, many rich Gifts, poor Aeschines had nothing, but he comes to Socrates, and saith unto him, Nihil dignum te quod dare tibi possim, invenio. Itaque dono tibi quod unum, habeo me ipsum; that is, I have nothing in the World worthy to be presented to you, and therefore I bestow upon you all that I have, my very Self; In like manner let us give ourselves to God; So did they of Macedonia, 2 Cor. 8.5. And so doth the Apostle wish us all to do. I beseech you brethren, saith he, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, Rom. 12.1. and in the next verse he shows how it is to be done, Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind; So then, make you a new heart, let us begin to lead new lives, and this will be an acceptable Present unto God. For that is it, that God requires, Ezek. 18.31. But the time bids me hasten to the third and fourth things, observable in the Text, that is, by whom, and to whom this Gift was given. I shall be brief in both. He gave Him. He, that is the God of Glory mentioned in verse 2, He gave, and indeed Saint James tells us, that Every good gift, and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of Lights, Jam. 1.17. There is no mercy, no blessing that any man doth enjoy, but it comes from him; What hast thou, that thou hast not received? 1 Cor. 4.7. Are they natural mercies? Why he giveth to all life and breath, Act. 17.25. Are they temporal blessings? Why, Both riches and honour come of thee, 1 Chron. 29.12. Are they spiritual blessings? If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, Jam. 1.5. Is it eternal happiness itself? Why, The gist of God is eternal life, Rom. 6.23. Is it not strange then, and may we not marvel at it, that God hath no more Friends? Every man, saith Solomon, is a friend to him that giveth gifts, Pro. 19.6. And yet the Almighty God who giveth us all that we enjoy, may ask the question that Jehu once did, Who is on my side, who? 2 King. 9.32. All seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's, as the Apostle complains, Phil. 2.21. Every man is for himself, for his own profit, for his own pleasure, for his own will. But you perhaps may say, who is not God's Friend? For the answer of this, I shall but produce a Scripture or two unto you, as that in Ps. 139.20. Thine enemies take thy name in vain. Why then common Swearers, and all others that any way abuse the Name of God, are not his Friends; Again, Luke 19.27, Those mine enemies which would not that I should reign over them, bring them hither and slay them before me, Why then, they that will not suffer the Lord to rule them and reign over them, are not his Friends. I will add but one more, and that in Ps. 68.21. God shall wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of such a one as goeth on still in his trespasses. Why then, such as go on still in their trespasses are not his Friends. Those and many others may be declared to be such as God doth not take for his Friends. And would we be his Friends indeed? Our Saviour shows us the way, Joh. 15.14. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. But this we shall touch again in the next point to which therefore I come and shall but briefly touch it.  
The fourth and last thing observable in the Text, is, to whom this token of God's love was given. He gave Him, that is Abraham, as appears in the foregoing verses of the Chapter, Abraham, as Saint James tells us, was called the friend of God, Jam. 2.23. two places there be in the Old Testiment, where Abraham is called God's Friend, that is, 2 Chro. 20.7. and Jsa. 41.8. To him was this Covenant of Circumcision given, so God's special gifts are for his special friends. The Preacher Eccles. 2.26. divides the world into two sorts of people, and then he shows what gifts the Lord doth give to them both. God giveth to a man that is good in his sight, wisdom, and knowledge, and joy, but to the Sinner he giveth travel together and to heap up, etc. Wisdom and knowledge in this world, and joy with the righteous in the world to come (as some expound the words) are Gods special gifts, and these he giveth not to all, but to the men that are good in his sight, that is, such as he accounts his friends. The favourites of an earthly Prince, as they do always enjoy more of the prince's favour so do they always partake more of his bounty, and the special tokens of his inward affections are vouchsafed unto them, which are denied to others, especially to those that rebel against him: just so it is with the Almighty, and his friends or favourites. He give you but an instance or two. One is that of our Saviour to his disciples whom he esteemed his friends, Mat. 13.11. It is given unto you to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but to them (that is to those that are not his friends) it is not given. The other is that Prayer of the Psalmist, Psa. 106.4. Remember me, O Lord, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people, he doth acknowledge there that God hath a special savour for some more than for others, and out of that favour he doth bestow upon them special gifts, health, and wealth, and riches, and honour, and the like he doth bestow many times upon those that are not his friends; but those things that tend to the happiness of the Soul, as wisdom, and knowledge, and the Mysteries of the kingdom, and newness of heart, here signified by the Covenant of Circumcision, these are Gods special blessings, and these, ye see, are only for his special friends. And if we would have them (and surely of all things in the world, they are most desirable, as appears by that prayer of the Psalmist forementioned, Remember me, O Lord, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people) If I say; we would desire to have them we must become his friends; be we therefore such as Abraham was, and then we shall not miss of them. Such as Abraham was? why, what a one was he? why, sure in Abraham, if we would be like him, there are many things that we must take notice of.  

1. In his carriage towards God.  
2. In his carriage towards his neighbours.  
3. In his carriage towards his own family.   
1. In his carriage towards God, we may observe that wheresoever he came he built an Altar, such care he had of the Worship and Service of God, as Gen. 12.7, 8. and 13.18. etc. Whatsoever God commanded, he was ready to obey, though it were never so against flesh and blood: when he was called out of his Country from his kindred, and from his Father's house, he obeyed and went forth, not knowing whether he went, Heb. 11.8. when he was commanded to take his Son, his only Son, Isaac whom he loved, and to offer him up for a burnt-offering, he went about it without gainsaying, showing thereby both his readiness to obey, and also to part with any thing, though never so dear unto him, for God's sake; he had faith and confidence in God, and doubted not of his promises even then, when unto human reason there seemed little hope of them, as that he should have a Son, when he was an hundred years old, and his Wife not only ninety, but naturally barren, Rom. 4.18, 19, 20. And that in Isaac his seed should be called; and that all Nations should be blessed in him, though he had a command to offer him up for a  Offering, Heb. 11.17, 18, 19  
2. In his carriage towards his Neighbour, for there ye may see his Justice, his Mercy, and his Love of Peace, His Justice, in paying Tithes where they were due; Melchisedeck was the Priest of the most High God, and Abraham returning from the slaughter of the Kings, gave him the Tenth part of all, Heb. 7.1, 2. His Mercy, in that he prayed to the Almighty God that he would be pleased to spare the Inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah, with the three other Cities of the Plain, Gen. 18.23, etc. And in that when they were oppressed and carried Captive, he armed his Trained Servants, and rescued them, Gen. 14. And for his Love to Peace, when there was like to be a difference between him and Lot, he was contented to part with his own right, rather than that there should be any strife between them; For though he were the elder man, and Lot's Uncle, and though the Land of Canaan was given to him, and not to Lot, yet he gives Lot his choice, and wishes him to go into which part of the Land he pleased, that so there might be no danger of contention between them, Gen. 13.9.  
3. In his carriage towards his own Family; for though Abraham were a great man, so great, that the Children of Heth said unto him, Thou art a mighty Prince amongst us, Gen. 23.5, 6. Yet he did not count it a work beneath himself, to have care of his Family, both Children and Servants, and to teach and instruct them in the ways of Piety and Godliness, I know him, saith the Lord, that he will command his Children and household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, Gen. 18.19. These are the things that are eminent in Abraham, and in these things if we imitate him, as we shall be sure by doing the works of Abraham, that we are the Children of Abraham, Joh. 8.39. So we may hope, God will reckon us his friends and take us into Covenant with him, and be our God, as he was and is the God of Abraham, and that he will bestow upon us the choicest of his blessings, and bring us to sit down at length with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven. Which God of his mercy grant us, through the merits of his Son. Amen.  
FINIS.   

A Catalogue of some Sermons, etc. printed for Henry Brome, since the dreadful Fire of London, to 1676.  

A Guide to Eternity, by John Bona, useful for Families, and fit to be given at Funerals.  
Dean W. Lloyd's Sermon before the King, about Miracles, 6 d.  
— His Sermon at the Funeral of John Lord Bishop of Chester. 6 d.  
— His Sermon before the King in Lent, 1673. 6 d.  
The Seasonable Discourse against Popery, in quarto. 6 d.  
— The Defence of it, quarto. 6 d.  
— The Difference betwixt the Church and Court of Rome, in quarto. 6 d.  
The Papists Apology to the Parliament answered. 6 d.  
Mr. Naylor's Commemoration Sermon for the Honourable Col. Cavendish. 6 d.  
Mr. Sayers Sermon at the Assizes at Reading. 6 d.  
Mr. Tho. Tanner's Sermon to the scattered Members of the Church. 6 d.  
Mr. Stanhop's four Sermons on several Occasions, octavo, bound. 1 s. 6 d.  
Papal Tyranny, as it was exercised over England for some Ages, with two Sermons on the fifth of November, by Dr. Du Moulin, in quarto. 1 s. 6 d.  
— His Sermon at the Funeral of Dr. Turner Dean of Canterbury. 6 d,  
Bishop Lany's last Sermon, preached before the King, against Comprehension.  
Principals and Duties of Natural Religion. By John Wilkins, late Lord Bishop of Chester.  
Mr, Farindon's 130 Sermons, in Folio, in three Vol.  
Mr. Standish's Sermon preached before the King, an White-Hall, September 26. 1675.