, /, ' I 0k SAP 56144 ^ ^3^ .^" .5 i? * ID «3 J? 1 w of Phi m. *— * fe cd o s c t* o bfl r\ •25 E* C3 g Id 3 $ K E .^0 ■C* M «j *S ^S M CO & 3 f -a 0) ■*-< c s £ ^ CL 1 £ . rp II ■' FIVE DISCOURSES. CONTAINING A CAREFUL ENQUIRY INTO THE NATURE OF THE RELIGTON «OD ENJOINED ON THE CHURCH UNDER THE OLD TESTAMENT DISPENSATION. BEING An Attempt to Vindicate the BAPTISM of INFANTS, ON A PLAN IN SOME RESPECTS N E W. By the Rev. ELIPHALETkSIEELF, A. M. Paflor of the Firft Church in the tj.vn of Paris, [N. Y.] He that bath ears to hear let him hear. Jesus Christ. Thefe were more noble than thofe at Tbefaiotiica* in that they received the wordiu'ub all readinejs o) mind, and searched the scrip- tures DAILY WHETHER THESE THINGS . were so. St. Paul. Search the Scriptures. [JESUS CHRIST.* S H E R B U R N h\ (ChsnanH count* ) Printed ; By ABRAHAM ROMYEN Forthe A;:tk:r.—iBQ 5 . % OC and his feed aiTurance, that they fhould enjoy certain privileges, and Bleffings. The other part of the text afligns the reafon the Ceed of Abraham were deprived of prornifed bleffings, A compliance with the command would infure an accomplishment of the promife ; but a noncompliance would cut them oft from prom i fed good. In the 17 Chap, of Gen. there is a more clear, lull, and explicit exhibition of the cove- nant of grace, than had ever yet been made. Jn the following threatening denounced againfl Satan Gen. 3. 15. // (the feed of the woman) /hall bruife iky head> arid thou /halt brutfe his keel) which, no doubt, was delivered in the B a .hearing 4 hearing of our full parents, God gave them an intimation of his merciful, and gracious pur- pofe. But the gracious purpofe of God, in dealing with fmners, in a way of covenanted mercy, was never fo explicitly dated, altbo' often mentioned, nor fo clearly expreffed, as it is in this folemn, and important federal tranfac- lion with Abraham. The holy God was now about to fet up a holy church in a particular nation, which Hedefign- cd to cUftinguifh, greatly, and dignify, highly, above all other nations on earth : for to them Were to pertain, * The adaption , and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving the law, end the fervice of God, and the promifes. Abraham, therefore, who was the root of that nation, and of the church, God calls j| Fran his country, end his kindred, and from his jather s houje, and makes a covenant with him : t and his feed after him, in their generations. For the divine conduct in the call of Abra- ham, there is an obvious reafon. He was a man eminent for piety— -firong in faith* But in his days it is fuppofed, the corruption of mankind had become general : The world was almoft wholly over-run with idolatry. It '.here had not b.en fume extraordinary internofit|oQ of divine providence, the probability war, that, In a lew generations more, the true religion would have been, totally, extinct. That the true religion might he maintained, ard propo- <,;ated among mankind, the infinitely wile Gee! faw it was necelTary to adopt a mode of proce- dure, different from what had yet taken place. Toanfwer his wife, and gracious purpofe, lis faw fit to feperate one family from the re it of the world. That family from which, in due *Rom. 9. 4. |j Gen. 12. 1. t Gen. 17. time time, the faviour was to proceed. Abraham, who lived in the land of the Chaldees, a coun- try infamous for idolatry, is the perfon defig- nated by the eternal councils or God. In his fa- mily the true religion was to be fupported : place ncy, by God, any farther than there is a conformity B 3 °m inbim, to the infinitely pure, and holy nature of God. Religion, thcrefore,*Ptf>v religion and tin- defiled before God, and the Father, was required of Abraham ; and not any thing fhort of that. Evidence of this appears, if attention be paid to the promife God made to him. The promife is || [will be a God to thee. A promife of this nature, and importance is never made to the wicked. The promife itfelf, is, therefore, evi- dence that Abraham fuftained a pious, or holy character. The Land of Canaan is alfo pro- mifed, as a prefoutgood ; and alfo as a type of Heaven ; becaufe the covenant, which God was now flipulating with Abraham, was to remain in force forever. The following are God's own words, i And I will efiablifh my covenant between me and thee, — -fir an everlajl~ ing covenant : to be a God unto thee. Agreea- bly to this we rind, that God, long after Abra- ham was dead, calls him Self, % The God of A- b rah am. It is further to beobferved ; that God, in the preceptive part of the covenant, not only taught Abraham what he required of him and in the prom i (Tory part, what he might expect from God, if he were obedient ; but in this whole tra n faction, re fpect is had to his poflerity. For the fame is required of Abraham's feed, which is required of him ; and the fame is promifed to them, which is promifed to him. Did God require of Abraham, real religion when he faid to him, walk before me, end be thou perfect ? the fame he required of his feed, in ail their generations. In the Old Teftament, this command fn quently occurs : Be ye holy : or * Jan:. I. 27. || Gen. 17. 7. t Gen. 17. 7. $£**d promiled, might be enjoyed, without an obfervance of ceremonial inftirutioas. If not, then Abra- ham, Ifaac, and Jacob, and the pa'iiarchs ; & indeed all good people, who died before the perejnoaial law was enscie.l at Mount Sinai-, * Gen. in. 7. had 8 had no part in the God of Abraham : nor was God, the God of Abraham. After the God of Ifrael had exprefTed his mind refpedling pofitive inftitutions, it is gran- ted, that then the Ifraelitcs were under indif- pennble obligation to do, punctually, whatever God required But the ceremonial law was only an adjunct to the Abrahamic covenant : for it did not exilt until four hundred and thirty years after, as St. Paul tells us * The Sinai covenant, therefore, was not ellential to the exigence of the Abrahamic. This might ex« iff, and operate, and did, with, or without the Sinai covenant. When God promised to be a God to Abra- ham and his feed, it was uiderffood to be on condition that he, and they kept covenant with God : by miintainin^ a character really holy, in the practice of moral virtue : and a Deglecl of duty would amount to a forfeiture of prornifed good. To ratify the covenant made with Abra- ham, and hisf?ed, in all fucceeding generations, God faw fit to appoint circumcifion for its feal. 'ih's fea! was *o be applied to Abraham, and all his male Heed. To him God gave this di- r-f-ion: jj Every man-child among you Jhall be c'r::imcijcd. And he that %\ eight days old Jhall be cirenmcifed t *?nong you, every mii-child in your generations^ he thai is born in the hsuje^or boug'.t with mi*ky\ of any Rr anger ^ivhich is not of thy feed, I t jhall be a token of the covenant between vie and yvu. This was to be a mark, or token by which the church, or people of God were to be diftihgtiifhed Iron the world. Thk command i.i xht text is exceedingly tri>ad : Tne prothife is exceedingly y.reat and * G;/. 3. 17. . | GrW. 17. ic'. II. 12. precious 9 precious. The command enjoin* all moral virtue : in the promife all fpiritual good is in- cluded ; for more or better than himfelf, God Cannot prom ife. And the promise is, I ivill be a God to thee and thy feed after thee. From the call of Abraham, almofl: two thousand years roiled away before that event took place, which St. Paul mentions in the text. So long divine patience fpared that wicked na- tion, and means were ufed to bring them to re- pentance, before they were broken off far their unbelief. In all ages, the difpenfations of di- vine providence, towards the IfraeUtes, were wonderful. For a long time, by the ceremo- nial law, the gofpel was preached to them. — Frequently were they, as one exprtlTes it, ** miracles of mercy and judgment." Mercies, and judgments, were fent, to i.nftrucl, and varn, to convince, and reform them. For the fame purpofe God fent prophets, and John Bap lift, and Jefus Chritl, and his apodles. God ufed means with them abundantly, to keep them rear to himfelf, in the practice of his holy re- ligion. But all were ineffectual. They degen- erated, on the whole, more and more, thef wared worfe, and worfe. The axe, therefore, which had long lain at the root of the trees * God take? in hand, and hews them down, and cafli them into the fire. Or as it is expelled by the a polite, They wire broken off. !Ete UN- BliLiEF is aGi'ned, by the pen of infpiration, to be the reafoi they were broken off. If the Jews for their unbelief were broken off, it is hence certain, that faith, and conftqueutly, moral virtue, was required in that command, vjalk before me, and be thou per/eft. And not only Abraham > but a'.fo aii his pofterity were * Mat. 3. jo. bounder* 10 boundcn by that command, to the practice of real religion. And it was by a compliance with the precept, that they were to hold, and etijoy promifed blefllngs, and privileges. The Abra- hams covenant was the; charter by which they held all their privileges ; and if th-jy complied with the terms, or conditions of it, they were to hold, and enjoy them forever. Bleflings, the bed: in kind, and the grcatefr in degree. — Bat there was a forfeiture of promifed bleiTings. It is aYked, " what did God's people do, by which the forfeiture was mad:?" the anlwer is, they killed the pri'ice of life. Murdered God's own fo.n. After his refurrection, fome ot his murderers became his converts : and there were thousands of Jews which believed : || The christian church, therefore, con fitted, at firil, of Jewifti members. But the great body of the nation peril fled in rejecting Chrift, and his gofpel, urd wherever the apofdes of cur Lord travelled, if there were Jews, they, generally, united in oppofing, and perfecuting them : and the doctrines of the crofs preached by the a- pcftles, were rejected with pure malignity, — Perfiiltng in this conduct fo uniformly, and Co long, they formed a character, fo abominable in the fight of the holy ONE ot Ifrael, that di- vine patience could fpare them no longer ; wrath, therefore, came on them to the utter- moll: . They had rejected God, and now he rejects them. God fays, * Ye are not my people, and I will not be your God. The realon why God rejected them is affigned by the apoflle : tvell ; hecaufe of unbelief they were broken cff. The different fentiments embraced, by pae-lobapiilts, and antipxdobaptiits, refpect- inj; the baptiTm of infants, although they mav branch out into many particulars, do, ( Acls, 21. 20. * Hof. i, 9. however, XI however, originate from their underftandin*, differently, whit is the nature of, and what God required in, the Abrahamic covenant. It is the opinion of the Antipiedobaptifts that the A- brahamic covenant was a covenant of property : a religion, therefore, pure, & holy, was notyre- quired, as the condition of enjoying promif;-d blefllngs. And fay they, the church under the Old Teftament difpenfation, was civil, politic- al, or national : under that difpenfation, there- fore, holinefs was not required as a term of church-memberfhip. Nor were they required by God, to be really holy, in order to their be- ing his people or church. In oppofition to this fentiment, we believe the Abrahamic covenant was the covenant of grace : and the only covenant of grace, in ef- fence, that ever was, or ever will be exhibited to man. Moral virtue, or real religion, was, therefore, required, as the term or condition of enjoying the good promifed : and in order to Church-memberfhip : and the church under the Old Teitament difpenfation was the true church of God, and, therefore, holy : pfciTeiT- ing the fame character, in kind, which Abra- ham had, when God call'd him, from his kin- dred, and country. In the fn trod nation to the following dif- courfes, it was judged important tc attend par- ticularly, to the Abrahamic covenant, that in i lie outfet, we might get on Bible ground.— r Clear, and decided proof, it is believed, has been offered by which it appears with certainty, that ^he command, walk before me; and he thou psrfecfy enjoined on Abraham moral virtue, or real religion ; and that the promifes were made to him, in confideration of his maintaining an fculy eharaiter. And the covenant refpe&ed not 12 not only, Abraham, but alfo his feed, in all generations, in regard both to precept, and pro- mife : or duties and privileges. So that, their enjoying what was promifed, depended, whol- ly, on their doing what was required. These ftntiments, being the foundation of the following difcourfes, and the central point of difpute between the baptiils, and us ; in re- gard to the difference between the church un- der the Old Teftament, and the New : And in regard to the fubjecls of baptifm under the gof- pel ; it was thought neceitary to obtain accu- rate, and fcripTural ideas of the Abrahamic covenant, which was in operation thro' the Old Teftament difpenfation, is in operation, now under the gofpel ; and will operate fo long as the Sun, and Moon endures ; and the hzppy, and gloiious benefits of it will be enjoyed, by the redeemed when Suns, and Moons (hall ihine no more. In further profecuting the fubject before us, we (hall attend to the following things. I. The nature of the religion required of the Ifraelites under the Old Teftamcnt difpen- fation. II. Some of the privileges, and blefiings which God promifed them, will be brought to view. III. It will then be fhown, that the only condition of their enjoying the blefiings, and privileges promifed, was, their living in the practice of the religion God required of them. I. The nature of the religion required of the Ifraelites under the Old Teftamcni difpen- fation, will be examined. As the federal tranfaftion between God, and Abraham, is the foundation af the religion en- joined on ihe I fraelitts, in the public rtvclanon of '3 of it, in regard to dttty'i and enjoyment, or prf- ceps an J promifcs, this comprthenfive pre- cept, walk before me, and he thou perjecl, re- quires, as has been obferved, real holintis : or every moral duty. To WALK, is a term ufed in the Bible, when it has regard to character, denoting that "which is prevalent in the lite, and converfation. of a perf n : or that which is the leading «>bjc -fi ot his pnrfuit. It is ufed in reference, bo^h to virtuous, and vicious chara£trs. They who are in Chriji Jefus * WALK not after the fifth t hut after ihefpirit. The wicked Ifraeii'ts it is Paid, |] IVALKED every one in the imagina- tion of their evil heart. Oj Hofhea it is (aid, ■\ He WALKED in thefioiuiis of the Heathen, The good kings ot Judah WALKED in the ways of pious David : The wicked kings of Ifraei W A L K I D in the vva', s of impious Jereboam, — Enoch IVALKED with God ; fo alfo it is faiH ot Noah. The term perfect, in the general uCe of if, when applied to characters, means the fame as flficere, or upright. What is meant by it is, the perfoh fupoorts a religious character : or liv-tsin the practice of piety, or moral virtue. Ot Noah it is Lt\d, he was ajujl man, and per- feci in his generation. Oi Job, he zvas per/ eel , and upright. Mezekiah pra\s ; Remember, O L;rd, I befeech thee, how I have wcJked be- fore thee with a perfccl heart. Ain*, the rd'ure, exent, and imj-oitauce ot the command in the Aura- CD ha mi c * Rr:iu 8. I. J) Jcr. n.S. f 2 Kings, 17. 8 x 4 hamie covenant, Walk before me and he thm perfecl, is very obvious. Of Abraham and his feed, in all their generations Holinefs was re- quired : that kind of holinefs which is a con- formity to the moral perfections of God. Thus Mofes is directed. \ Speak unto all the congre- gation of the Children of Ifrael, and fay unto them : ye fhull he holy ;for I the Lord your God am holy* In taking a view of the religion enjoined on the Ifraelites by God, as the fole condition of their enjoying the privileges, & bleflings which be promifed, under the Old Teflament difpen- fation, it may be obferved, I. A real change of hrart was abfolutely ne- ceiTary, in order to having, and living in the practice of the religion God required or the Ifraelites. The moral Mate of the hearts of all men, fmce the tall, is fuch, that, in order to live in the practice of moral virtue, or true religion, there mult be a real change. This is equally true of one as well as another. It is true of all, Our Saviour, when converfing with N»c- odemns, obf< rves ; * Verily^ verily^ I fay unto thee except a man he born again, he cannot fee the kingdom of God. By this declaration Nicode- rnus is taught the neceflity of a real change of heart. He is furprifed at the fenument, and exclaims, * Hozv can thefe things be! For his ignorance, our Saviour gives him a very grave rebuke ; and lets him know, that his ignorance was owing to a criminal neglect of the fcrip- tures of the Old TeftamenU I J is obfervatlon is, # Art thou a majhr of Ifraei, and knoweth not theje things ?' As if our Saviour had faid ; What ! " y. u, Nicodcmus a teacher in Ifrael, and yet fo ignorant of your own fcriptures ! How X Lev. 19. 2. * John. 3. 3, * V. 9. . * V. 10. How can it be ?'» That the cloclrinc of re. generation is plainly taught in the Oid Terta- mem, is fuppofed, by the reproofejven to Nic- Odemus, by our Saviour ; it not, why is he bla- med tor his ignorance ? This doctrine was taueht the Ifraelites by M rfes, when he fai I, * And the LORD thy G*d will circumcife thin, heart and the heart of thy feed, fg love the LORD thy God with all thy heart, and with ail thy foul, that thou mayefi live. The fame fentimen* is exprdled by Da- vid when he prayed : t Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right f pi rit within me. The fame is taught in thefe words. * # > will pour out my fpirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. By the prophet I- laiah God fays : || I will pour water upon him that is thirfly, and foods upon the dry ground : / Will pour my fpirit upon thy feed, and my bleffinr upon thine offfpring. The dorit. A 'foundation for the ex 1- ence of" an holy character was hi.', only, in f.U ritual circumcition, or regeneration. 2. The religion enjoined on the Ifraelites in the old Teframent conuVletd in benevolent af- fection — difintereuVd love to God and .nan. What their mental exercifes muft be, in re- gard :.> himfelf, God taught them whtn hb raid * Thoujhah love the LORD thy G:d with all thine heart, and with all thy foul, and with all thy might. The command is addreifed to all ifrael. * Hear, O Ifrael, the LORD our God is one LORD. The duty of love to God is urged, and preifed, very abundantly, on the Ifraelites. |] And now Ifrael, what doth the LORD *\D'ut. to. 16. 3t. -f^Ezik. i3. 31 * Dtut. 6- 5. *v 4. j. Dent, ic. 12. ! l 7 LORD thy God require, of thee, but to love him. Again t Therefore •, thou Jh alt love the LORD thy God. — And to the fame effect frequently. In the following precept, God taught them •what the feelings of their heart muji be, tow- ards their neighbor. % Thou /halt love thy neighbor as thyfelf. In this, difmterefted love to their neighbor was required. They were required, always to exercife benevolence tow- ards others ; whoever they might be, or of what nation foever. § Thou jh alt not abhor an Edom- ite. Again, Thou /halt not abhor an Egyptian. The duty, contrary to hating, is implied. Thou fhall/owan Edomite : Thou fhaii tove an Egyptian. These two commands, which require love to God, and our neighbor, comprehend, fum- marily, all that God requires in the old Tefta- ment, in regard to moral virtue, as appears by the anfwer our Saviour gave the lawyer, who alked him, €\. Which is the great ejl command- ment in the law ? Jefus laid unto him, thou fljalt love the LORD thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy foul \ ana' with all thymight* This is ■the firfj and great command ment. And the fecond is like unto it. Thou (halt love thy neighbor as t\y- ftlf. Oar Saviour then obferves/o^ thefe two commandments hang all the taiu and the prophets. This is old Teftament religion the ^w.n of what Moies and the prophet's taught : nor does GoA make promifeSjto any kind of religion but this. All the prom.fes made to Ifrad, fuppofe the cxiftcnce o\ benevolent affection, Love to God, and their fjeighbor : they fuppofe the ex- istence of real religion. 3. Repentance is another branch of religion C3 required t. Deut.n 1. and 22. fee a If 9 iq. q. and 30. 6. %Lev 19.18. § Chut. 23, 7. % Mai. 2.2* 36, U 40, IS required of the Ifraeiites under the old Teft- ament difpenfation. We can form no confidant idea of a religion indituted purpofely, for firners, if repentance be nn an eiTential psrt of it. To fuppofea Tin- ner under the governing influence of fnch a tem- per of heart, as that is, in which his impe- W nitency confifts can maintain an holy character by living in obedience to G >d, is incompatible with revealed religion ; and the whole of the moral character of God. Accordingly we find when we read M ofes and the prophets, that, the Ifraeiites, in a view of their exceeding wic- kednefs, are exhorted, and directed, very fre- quently, to the duty of repentance. Sjch kind of commands and exhortations being fo frequent a few, only will be fpecifud. This is one. * VPafhyou make you clean, put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes ; ceafe to do e- vil : learn to do well. Again j| Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts ; and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him> and to our G, I for he will abundantly pardx>n. t Thus faith the LORD G;d y repent and turn your/elves from your idols, and turn your faces from all your abo- minations. One in ft a nee more, only, will b^ mentioned. \ IfraeU return unto the LORD thy God ; for thou haft fallen by thine iniquity. Take -with yon words, and turn to the LORD, an d fay unio hi m , take away all iniquity • and re- reive us graciou/ly. 4. Of the Ifraeiites God required faitb % as a- nothcr branch of religion, which-was to exil't under the Old Te.'tamenr. \Vh£N Goi revealed a faviour to our Rrft parents, * Ifoi. 1. 16. 17. H lfut\ 55. 7. t Eztk. 14. 6.% "Ho/. 14. 1. 2. ' parents, * it iv as their duty, by faith to embrace him. Dying Jacob prophecy! ng buncemtng the coming of Jefus Clirift faith, || unto him /ball the gathering of the people be. God by the prophet gives this command : t Look unto me and be ye faved all the ends of the earth. The prophet refolves, J Therefore I will look unto the LORD ; I will W zit for the God of my falvation. The fame is meant in the Old Tedament,by the terms waiting, looking and fruiting, and the like, when God is the object, waited on, looked tc, or trailed in ; as is meant in the New Teft- ament, by the terms believe, come, and cleave, when Jefus Chrift is the object to which the foul cleaves, or comes, and in which it believes. Where Jefus Chrift is revealed to Tinners, it is their duty, immediately, to believe in him. He was revealed to the Israelites : fo the apof- tle faith, § He was preached to them. He was preached in the pVornHfes, types, and prophecies and even the hiltories, and genealogies in the Qkl Teftament are full of Co nit ; ail hive an ultimate refpetd; to him. Then tt mud cer- tainty be true, that faith in our LORD jefus Chrift vvas a branch of Old T dhimni religion; The Ifraeiites were all under obligation to be- lieve in him. Sinners have not f:ich a character as Go J approves : nor do they do what Got accept, nor have they a title to the promhfes, uniels they are believing Turners : — (luful creatures ac- ting faith in the Mediator. By this raiih, they will form a character which G >d approves ; it will qualify the n for ferviu^; G > 1 acceptably ; and unire them t > Chrift — The confequence is, they have a title to the v proi:oifcs of the co ve- na:. I * Gen. 3. 15. i Gen. 4.J. 1?. t If v.. 45. zu % Mic. 7. 7. § H,b. 4. 2. "f 20 runt of grace. But there was no covenant of grace birde known to mm, if the Abrahamic covenant be fet aft le ; for we may with the fane propriety fet afide every thing in the Old Teltament, refp;Cti<»^ Chriit, and faivation, as the Abrahamic covenant. From this it will follow, that Abraham, I faac and Jacob, &all the patriarchs, and prophets are perijhed \ not one Ifraelite is faved, who lived, and died under that tlifpenfaticn ; if there were no covenant of grace, and if Jefus Chrift were not revealed to, and believed on, in the world. This fentiment is too extravagant for anv one to admit, who believes in divine revelation. 5. The Old Teltament required a religion of the heart. By heart religion is lrcrrt, a religion which confifts in right, or holy afFe£lions of herat. Accordingly, we have this command : * My fori) give me thine heart. And alio this jj My jfon, forget not my law : out let thine HEART keep my commandments-. Mofes fays to Ifrael,„t Only take heed to thy/elf, and keep thy SOUL diligently, leaf thou forget the things which thine tve; have feen, and left they depart from thy HEART all the days of thy life. But if from thence thou (halt feek the LORD thy GoJy/hou jh ilt find him ; if thou feek him with all thy HE 1RT, and with all thy SOUL. Jothua di- r^cls the Ifraelites in thefe words J Nozv there- fore fear the Lord, and ferve him in finceritv, and in truth. Salomon gives the following di- rection. J Let your heart therefore be perfect with the Lord your God, to walk in his Jhitzi'.ct, and to keep his ammandments y as at this day. King David addred'ed his fon Salomon with thefe * Pru 23. 26. |j Pro. 3. r. t Drif. 4. 9. a:id 9. 2. % JoJ\ 24. 14. yjl King. 8. 61. 21 thefe imprefltve words f Ahdthou, Salomon my fon, know thou the G od cj thy Father : andfeivs him w'tb i perfect HH'fl'ltT and w'tb a willing mind : for the LO R D fearcheth all heart s y and underftandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts r/jbju/eek birh he will be found of thee ; but if tkou~forfake him, he will cift thee off for eve/. D.ivid's prayer is * * Let integrity and upright* nefsp refe rvc m e . These mfl^ricfes.are but a few, of the ma- ny, which might be bro'f to vievv, in whicri G >d required htarr religion ot the Ifraelites un^ der the OM Telia men t cifpenfauon. It is as plainly required under that riiQ*enfatk>n, as it is un !er ihe gofpei. 6. It is eyi lent, (rom a view of the fcripfuries of trie O d Tedamsrv, rh t .t Q >d enjoined on the children or Israel i religion, which confide.! in holy obedience, to the mind of God mile known to them. To obey God ; ;s 'o do what he coratmnds with fuch a difpc/fitionb'f > hearts as he requires us to exereitV. This correfponds with what Solomon fay?, * Let us hear the conclujion of the whole matter : Fear God and keep his command- ments ; J or this is the whole duty of man. Tha", only is obedience to God, which proceeds iicm a iincere or holy temper of heart, Accord: ngliy God fays to Ifrael || Show therefore, if ye zvill obey thy voice, IN DEED, & keep my covenant then ;e fijo.il be a peculiar treafw, e unto me No covenant at this time, exided between Go i and tie Israel- ites, but the Abrahamic covenant, Thev are, however, required to obey God's voice ^ & keep his covenant It was that covenant* therefore, they were to keep,INDEED ; — in holy obedi- ence Jftry? Chron. 28. 9.** PfaL 25. 21. *Eck. ($ 13- 8 Exod - *9- 5- 22 ence. To the Ifraelites fays M jfes ; f Behold I jet before you this day a hi effing* & a curfe : a hlefftng, if ye obey ths commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day ; & a curfe, if ye will not ebey the commandments of the LORD your God. Mofcs fays lo them again, J And now, O Ifrael, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LO R D thy God to walk in all his Ways, ond to love him, and ta ferve the Lord thy God with all thy HEARTS zvith ALL thy SOUL, to keep the commandments of the LORD, & his jlitntes, wh':ch I command thee this day Again §. Thou (halt fear the Lord thy God, & ferve him. Or his ancient cove- rant people, God required holy obedience, &, therefore fays, concerning them, fl. Ye jh all be unto me a kingdom of priefts, and an holy nation. A fummarv view of the religion enjoined, by God, on the Ifraelijes under the Old Teliainment difpen fat ion, hafnow been taken. By fcrip- tyre decUr^tionsT^nd precepts, which hat^been adduced ; there is toll, and pofuive evidence fuf- ficient to convince any candid mind, that it was an holy religion : A Religion, which confided ia difenterefted love — in repentance, and faith * n holy obedience to the revealed mind of God, For the exiuVnce of all which, a foundation was laid in fpiritual circumcifion, or regeneration. Of Abraham's feed, God, therefore, required the farneeharacler as was the character of Abraham when God called him out of Qr of the Ch-aldees. For the riefigu of God in calling him evidently was, to fupport the true religion. And in the practice of this religion,5c on no other confidera- tion, the tribes of Ifrael were to enjoy promifed bleilings, As will be (hewn in its proper place. We now proceede, as was propofed. I£ t. Deut. ii. 2 6. 27. 28. X Oeut. 10. 12.13, §Dcut. 6. 13^. Exod.19. 6. . 2 3 II. To bring into view fomeofthe privileges & bltffin^s which were promifed, by God, to the Ifraclites. Some ot the leading, and more important promifes, only, will be mentioned, thefe, how- ever, in their confequences, will involve oth- ers. 1. God promifes to be a God to Abraham, & his fetd. These are the words ofpromife to Abraham # . And I willejlablijh my covenant between me & thee & thy feed after tbr>'n t) -ir generations ; to be a God to thee, tff thy jeed afier y hee Concerning the feed ot ^brah^m, G o fays, || I will be their God. When FL- is f|pe«kitig >1 tfrael, this ex- prcfiinn treqtun-.lv occurs, :/ run the LORD your God. Ser the ptaces reh rrd to in the mar- gin, f This pro i!ifc , in v\ bJch God makes over himlelf, to his people, in ihe infinite fulnefs, & fufficiency ot Ms perfections, is the moll won- derful, fweet, and e-Xtehfive promife, the Bible contain. It is the foul and life of all the prom- ifes ot the covenant of grace. It this be ex- punged, all other Bible promifes would be of (mall consideration, Ir involves in it all the fpiritual good, which G >d's people ever have, do now, or ever will enjoy ; in time, & thro* Ctern/'ty. 2. To the Ifraelites God promifed his pref- e nee. In the fctiptures, there is a three-fold pref- enceof God mentioned. In the firit place his immenfity, or omniprefnee This is an eife fi- lial perfection of the Deity. And in regard to this divine attribute, God is equally prefent in heaveii, earth and hell. His exi (fence is uni- verfai *. Gen. 17. 7. \Lev. 26. 12, i" Lev.u 44.5. 30. 23. 30 20 *4 Verfal and operative thro' all creation. Rut it W not recollected, that this prefence of God, is an object of Bible promtfe, in anv in fiance. Another kind of divine prefence, frequent- ly mentioned in the (cripn;rts, is the miraculous manner in which the God of Ifraei nianifefted himfeH to i hem in the wildtrncfs, in a pillar of cloud, and fire, which directed all their move- ments in their journey. This was Gods vifible preftnce with them. It refted over the mercy feat in the tabernacle : & in the holy of holies in the temple, after it was built. But this fen- fi ble, or vifible pre. f; nee of G >:l, alt ho' ii be fre- quently, an object of piomife to Ifraei, yet is by no means the main objeel of th- prooiifesin th^ Oid Teltament, which refpedt the pie fence of God with that people : For, after the deft i nat- ion of t he temple b. Nebuchadm-zz t, ihev w- re never favored with that vifible token ot G )J's prefence, asiheir own writers acknowledge. If this kind' ol the divine piefncc had bten the main obj $ pf the promife, it mutt have run paralh-l with the Old Ttitamerrt nifpenfan.'m : Ifr*ae I would s\ ways have enjoyed that fenfibie token ot God's or, rfence ; but it was not enjoyed under the fecond ttmple. It is believed, the retore, the prefence of God pronifed to the Iftaelnes, is the fame, in its tx- cellenct nature, and extent mentioned by our favior, when he fays * He that hath my com- mandments and kerpfth them, he it is that low th me : iff he th.it loveth me, {hall be loved of my Father^ and I will love him, and uill manifeji tnyjtlj to him Judas faith unto lirr. (net Ijca- riot) Lord how is it that thou wilt manifefi thy- Js!f unto us, and not unto the world f J e j us an ~ Jwertd and J aid unto him, 1] a man hve me, he will * John 14. 21. 22. 23. feeflmy wsrds, and my father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. We have here an explanation by our faviour of the nature of the promife. The en- joyment of God in Chriftj ^tHiil dm, is a fruit ©f the excrcife of holy love ;^is to enjoy the prdence of God, according to the nature of the promife. The divine promifes to the rfraelites, irv which they have affurance of the prefence of God, are too many to be mentioned, particular- ly. Two however, wHl be noticed. One is' tnat memorable promife made to Mofes for bis encouragement, and fupport, w ho, as I fraeJ's chief ruler under Gad, was to bring the people out of Egypt, and conduct them thro* the-wildcrncfs. To him God faith, * Certain- ly I will be with thee. The other promife in view is that made to J fhua, who wis to con- d'ift the tribes of the Lord, into the land of Canann. God fsys to him \ I will not fail thee nor forjo.he thee. That thefe declarations, in which God gave afTurrnee to the Ifraelites, that they mould en- joy his prefence, did refnedt the enjoyment of God in Chirff,, and Divine fupport, and fup~ plies in, arul thru' Jefus Chr.ilt,, is the fenfe in v/hich the Aportle undtrilood them : For he mentions them, as a. ground of comfort fupport and encouragement to the people of God, in all ages, t For he hathfciid,. God fain it to his people of old ; He faid h to Mof?g., and Jofh.'a / will never leave thee y nor forjake thee. He fays, it now. It is therefore, a go f pel promife involving in it fpirifual and eternal good. 3. God. proir.ifed the feed oi Abraham, that D they *£W. 3. 12. \.JJb, 1. 5, f.ifrf.. 13.5, 26 they fnould be his people : and he owns them as Inch. When God, in the covenant he made with Abraham, and his feed, a (lures them by prom- ife, he would be their God, and that they mould enjoy his prefence ; he, at the fame time, af- fures them, that they fhall be his people. They are therefore frequently reminded of the rela- tion, which exifted between them, and God. To them God fays, * Ye fhall he my people, He calls them, my people , (j / have jeen the affliclion #/ My People. tLet my PEOPLE go. The fame expreffion is ufed in the prophets, frequent- ly. They are alio called /£< 'people of God. + &, tiis people §. 4» God promifed them the land of Canaan, 8c that they fhould take poifeflion of that good land. This is the promife to Abraham. God fays, ^[ / will give unto thee and thy feed after thee, the lana I wherein thou art a Jzranger, all the land of Canaan. To the Ifraelites God fays, * # I am the LORD your Gid, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt , to give you the land of Canaan Jacob, not long before his death, repeats to Jofeph, what God faid to him at Luz. ^Beheld I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will make of thee a multitude ef people, and -will give THIS land to thy feed after thee. When Mofes flood on Mount Pif- gah viewing the land of Canaan, G d fays to him ; iifhis is the K land which I fwear un- ~td Abraham, unto Ifcac, and unto Jacob % faying 1 will give it untc thy feed. — Jofhtia, aftejr the conqueft of the land ot Canaan, and a fhdrt time *Levit. 26.12. \Exod.s%. t.EW.5.1. %Jitdg< 10 ,/, & 2. Scan. \X.l'^ §.£aW.i8. ^Geji. 1.7. 8, %Lev. 25. 38. |1!|GV«>; 4 8> 4. i±Deut. 34. 4. 1 7 / time before his death, in an affembly of the ru- lers of the tribes, jhe acknowledges the faithfnh nefs of God in accnmplilhing the promifes made to that people. §§te know in all your hearts, 1$ in all your fouls, that not one t hi tig hath failed of all the good things, which the LORD your Gcd fpake concerning you, all are corns tojafs unto you, and net one thing hath filled thereof. They had conquered, aud gotten ppflefliah of the land of Canaan, and hereby there was fo tar an accom- plishment of the divine promife. The feed of Abraham, it may here be ob- ferved, could not when they ftrft entered the land of Canaan, occupy all that exten-fiire tract of territory included in the promife ; becauie their numbers were, yet, too few. The ori- ginal grant to Abraham is in these words,*£/w/0 thy feed have I grot n this land , from the river if Egypt * unto the great river, the river Euphrates. The lands included in this pf.oaiMe are bounded en the one fide by the river oi Egypt , which empties into the Mediterranean Sea, and on i'aQ other fide, by Euphrates, which empties in- to the Perfian Gulf. Between thefe two riv- ers, a country, vaftly extenfive, and rich, was Included : and the whole, given by promt *e to Abraham and his feed. And they had, as Jofh- i;a cbferves, gotten poiu ilion according to pro- mife. And Mufes, tells the people, that in due time, they fhould occupy the whole, jj Every flace whereon the fobs of your feet Jhall t ready jhall be yours, from the wildernefs, and Leba^ non, from the rivgr, the river Euphrates, even unto the utter mofl fea, jhall your coafl he. This prornife, in the full extent, it is believed, re- mains, under God's holy and wife providence, vet, to be accomplished. a8 £. God promifed when they ftiall have taken poileffion of the land of Canaan, that they fhould enjoy great happinefs, peace, and profperity. God promiftd Abraham, iThat in : bl effing J will blefs thee % and in multiplying I will multi- ply thy feed, as the Stars of heaven, and as the /and which is on the fea-fhore, and thy feed pall f'ffefs the gate of his enemies. Their outward glory and profperity was to be exceedingly great. %Blejpd Jhait Hhou be in the citv, and kleffedfialt thou be in the field : Bleffed fhall be the fruit of thy body, a*:d the fruit of thy ground, etnd the fruit of thy cattle, the incrcafe of thy kine, end the flock* of thy jheep. This reprefentation of their profperity concludes with thefe words, The LORD fo ill make thee the heady and not the /a/7, ane) thou jh alt be above on}y, and thou fh alt not be beneath. But in order to the enjoyment cf fo.much profperity, it is neceffary t hey fhould have peace, it is therefore promifed, *And I will give peace in the land, and ye fhall. lie down, and none fhall make you erfraid. But if their enemies fhould at any time difturb their peace, 'they are allured, \The LORD fhall cauje thine enemies that rife up againfi thee to be f mitten be- fore thy face : they fhall come out againfi thee one way and flee before the f even ways. The Ifrael- ites were to have acharadler, the moft renown- ed, and honorable of any nation on the face ai ■the earth. iJnd to make thee high above all na- tions which he hatb made, inpraife, and in name, mnd in honor. At the three great annual feafts, all the males were required to attend at Jerufaiem. Jj^At this iGen 22- 17. %Deut. 28. 3. to 14. read the whole paffage. *Lev. 26. 6. | Deut. 28. 7. iDeat. 26 K).;%%Exod. 23, 15, 16, 17. 29 tliis feafon their families, and property would ' bcexpofed to captivity and plunder. But fee how fafe, and happy they were under the guar- dianfhip, of their God. ^Neither (hall any man defire thy land, when thou /halt go up to appear be- fore the LORD thy God 9 thrice in the year, ~ Nor is it found, that the hiitory of the nation gives one inflance, in which the enemies of If- rael captivated their wives, and children, or plundered the country, when the men were gone to attend on God, in his inftituted wor- ship. 6. To what has been observed it may be added, the children of Ifrael had afllirance by divine promife, that the privileges and bleifings which they mould enjoy, mould be perma- nent. That the promifes made to Abraham, and his feed, in the covenant God eftablifhed with them, fhould operate thro' a long period of time : and that the enjoyment of promifed blei- fings mould be permanent, they have alfuran?- ces by thefe words, *And I will eflablifh my covenant between me, and thee t and thy Jeed after thee in their generations for an EVERLASTING covenant, to be a God unto thee, and thy feed af- ter thee. And I will give unto thee, and thy feed after thee', the land ivherein thou art a ftranger p .ill the land of Canaan, for an EVERLASTING ptfeffion, and ' 1 WILL BE THEIR GOD. Again Gcd fays to Abraham, \For all the land which thou fe eft, to thee vjill I give it, and ts thy feed FO R E Vli R . W b e n A a ro n m ade t he gol- den calf, God threatened to deflroy the whole nation, but Mofes intercedes for Ifrael, and grounds his iutercedion upon ihh divine prom- D3 :fe. $*&*•? 6. g Row. 4. io. t Km. 4. .it* , 31- Si ntceflary a qualification for circurnciuon as it is now for baptifm. The obfervations here made are to apply, to the perfon only who is circumcifed. Faith in the fabjeel was a necefiary qualification : other- wife the feal of the covenant was Pet to a blank. But it is now further obferved : in the A- brahamic covenant, not only, is Abraham in- cluded, but alfo his feed. The words are * And I zvill ejiahlifh my covenant with thee y and thy feed after t>'ee y IN THEIR GENERATIONS Hence it appears, that the covenant included both him and them in regard both to duties, and privileges, The duties enjoined being pertor^ Wed ; the bleinn^s to be enjoyed were feeured by promife. Circumcifion, therefore, is en- joined on Abraham and his (Ged f In confiderati- on of the fame charadlerf' exiting in them, y*mcn kiHti&R ---'l when (jotf caiM ; and en-, tered, into covenant with him. To fuppofea consideration of the character fufinined by Abra- ham, v;hsn God called, and entered into cove- nant with him is wholly out cf view, and no regard paid to it, when his feed are mentioned, is a fupDofitioC; totally," without fcripture war- rant. For it appears on the face of the who's t -3rd then receive circum- cifion themftlves ; and then dedicate their in- fant feed to God, and then have the fign of the covenant, which was circumcifion, put on them, which was a feal of the righteoufnefs of ! faith. By the pr2Ceding obfervations it is eafily fcer,, that faith, the fame kind of faith which. j Abraham had, when it is f.?id, he believed God, i and it ibis accounted t* him for righteoufnefs, ' Was required of all the children of Ifraei, when they dedicated their infant Cczd to God, in cir- | cumeifion. Nor had they any right to have ) their children circumcifed, unlefs they were in i covenant with God. If they were, their faith if \ fuch as Abraham : had, give them a right both for themfelves, and their infant feed. If the parent were a believer, his infant [q^<1 had a right to trie feal of the covenant, but not other- wife. That God promifed to be a Ged to Abra- ham, and his fred, folely, in a view of their j perfonrl, holy obedience, in a conformity to I'this command, Walk before me and be thou per- \fecl, will now be particularly attended to. To ■ the tribes 'of Ifrsrl, God fai'b, * If ye walk in toyjRqtuU, and keep my commandments, and do them ■ I — I vnll walk timing you, and 1 JflLL BE \ your GOD. J am the Lord your God. Keep my commandments, * Read Lev. 26. 3. to 13. 3<* coirvmandments, and then I will be your G*f. It is faid again. | That ye may remember and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God I am the Lord your God y which brought ym rut of the land Egypt ', to be your God ; I am the LORD your God. The command is, Be ye ho- ly, and then the promife is, lam the Lord your God. But this is the language of God to Ifrael* not only by Mofes, but alfo by the prophets. God fays to them by Jeremiah. + But this thing I commanded, faying, Obey my voice , and I will be your God, This depended on thai. Again %. Obey my voice, and do them, according to all that I command you, fa /hall ye be my people, and I will be your God. By another prophet God fays to them §. I will put myfpirit within you, and caufe you to iv-dh in myflatutes, and hep my jud- ments and do them. The promife is then annex- *&:AND I WILL BE TOUR GOD, It hence appears, that the only condition propofed to the lfraelvtes, in confideraiion of which, God would be their God, was. their liv- ing in the practice of moral virtue \ and fuppcr- tin*: a character really holy.. Particular attention has been paid, to the promife now under cofifideration, becaufe,. by the precepts, and directions given by God, in the covenant t ran fact ion with Abraham, we learn, that it is the duty of man, in a folemn, covenant tranfjaion,. to give up, and dedicate himfeli to G^d, and his ftrvice, in a public manner. And from the fame fource we learn, that it is the duty of parents, who are believer? and therefore in covenant with God, to give up or dedicate their children to hi.n, and have r th« I Num. 15.40. 41. * J er 7- 2 3« %7' r - ll 37 t tie token or Teal of the covenant put or then:. No particular directions were given, previous to the exigence of the Abrahamic covenant, rcfpecling thefe things : but in that God eftab- 3i(hed a rule, by which the conduct of his church in all ages (hould be regulated. There the du- ty of believing parents ; is pointed out, both in regard to themfelves, and their infant feed ; which was to be a (landing, and univerfal rule in his church, (o long as God had a church in this world. In this way, God defigned to pre- ferve in his church, in every age, and difpenfa- tion, that fame religion, in kind, by which the character of Abraham was formed, before God directed him to leave his country , and his fathers houfe : and which qualified him to be a fubject of the feal of the covenant. 2. To the Ifraelites God promifed his prefence but it was to be enjoyed by them, on the condition, folely that they lived in the practice of moral viitue, and fuppcrteda character real- ly holy. PRo;jifKF.3, cf tbe enjoyment of the>pr?f~ ence of God, are predicated ibpon the exiilence of real holinefs, in the character of tbofe to whom they are made. God fays to Jcfhua : * / zvill never fail thee, nor forfalzi thee. The condition is then (fated : Qt\ly be thoujirong, sj very courageous, thai thou mayeftohferve to do ac- cording to ALL ike hit which Mofes my fervant e&mmand*d thee. The' folemn charge king D:i- vid add re ft to Solomon, is in thefe i n ft r active words jj. And thou Soloxjatii my fori, know thou the Gid of thy father, and ferve him voiih a per- - f:cl heart, and with a willing mind : for the LORD fear chelh all hearts, and underfandeth ell the imtnagi nations 6ftbe thoughts ; if thoufeek E him *Jcfh. 1.5.7. I- uChran. 28. 9. 3* him he will be found of thee ; lui if thou forf alt him, he ivill cajl thee off for ever, The propi cr fays i. Hear ye me Afa, and all Judah, and Benja- min, 1 he LORD is with you^ while ye be with him ; and if ye feek him he will be found of you hut if ye forfahe him, he willforjah you. The pre fence ot God is here prom i fed upon their feekingGod,ard ferving him with aperfecl heart and a willing mind. Contiary to this God tells Mofes, \ This people will rife up, and go a whor- ing after the Gods of the ftrangers of the land whither they go to be among fi ihem, and wilt for- fake me, and break my covenant ivhich I have made with ihem. Then my anger jh all be kindled again/} them in that day, I ivill forjake them and twill hide my face from them. G >d threatens to Hide his face from ihem, if they went off to idol- atry which event is here predicted. By the pro- phet God acdiefled the people in t His manner §. your, iniquities have Jeparated betiveen you, and your God j and your Jins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. Sin would feperate trum from their God,but if they were an holy people th« v would enjoy his prefence. 3. God promifed to take the feed of Abraham for his people, and continue them to be his peo- ple, folely, on the condition, that they li.ved in holv obedience, and ferved him with a perieft heart. The condition of their being the people of G 'd t is thus ftated. # If ye walk in myjlatute, and keeps my commandments, and do them — ye jh.il be MY PEOPLE. i> Know therefore that th> LORD thy God. he is God, the faithful God, which \eepelh t oven ant, and mercy with them that love him, and keep his commandments. And t. 2. Chron. 15. 2. % Dent. 31. 16 17. l8» %-Ifti. 59. 2.* Lev. 26. 3. and 12. tfDeut.']. 9, 39 And as God promik-d to take them for Us people, it they were obedient, (o he promifed, ou the fame confederation, to continue them to be his people. | The LOWD Jhall efiahVJb thee an holy people unto himjelf, as be hath fwor* unto thee, if thou fhalt keep the commandments if the LORD thy God, and walk in his ways* if all people of the earth Jb< ill fee that th§u art called h the name of the LORD. But il they did not fuftain an holy charact- er, they were threatened, with the molt diflref- fing calamities. One judgement mould follow another, until J. Their land lhould he defolate and their cities Wajle . The definition which G jd threatened to bring on them for their wick- ednefs is compared with the dcftruclion of Sod- em, and Gom^rab, Admah and Zeboim. §. It is iuppofed enquiry will be made ; wherefore hath the LORD done thus unto this land. The an- fwer is They have forfaken the covenant of the LORD God of their fathers. But is there evi- dence they have broken covenant with God? There is : For they went andferved other Gods and wsr/hipped them. This is the reafon. The anger of the LORD was kindled againji their land, to brit.g upon it all the curfes that are writ- ten in this book. And the LORD rooted them out of their land in anger, and in wrath, avd in great indignation. Tnis idolatry, procured ail thefs dreadtul judgements : They went &fer- ved other Gods. The fame reprcfenfation of the cafe is made by all the prophets. The inftances are too ma- ny, to be particularized, in which the wicked- nefs of the Ifraelites, is exprefsly mentioned as the fole reafon God rejected them. One or two E2 g. Deut.2%.<). io. %« Lev, 26. 33. §. Dent 29. 23, to 28. 4° ©nly, will be here noticed. This is one. # fFh9 gave yacoh fir ajpoil, and Ijrael to the robbers , did not the LORD, he againjl whom we have Jinned P for they would not walk in his ways, nei- ther were they obedient u nto his Jaws, therefore he hath poured upon them the fury *f his anger* On account of the fpiritual whoredom of Ifrael God fays, | / will ns more have mercy on the houfe of Ifrael, but 1 will utterly take them away. Thl t s it is fcen, that Mofes in the infancy of their nation, taught the Ifraelites, that if they continued .to love, and ferve the LORD, he would be their God, and they would conti- nue to be his people ; but if they forfook God, and his fer vice, he would caft them off — His being their God depended, wholly, upon their living in the practice or moral virtue, and fup- porting a chara&er really ho'y. The fame Is taught them by the prophets. When we look into the New Teftament, we find, that moral evil, — their abounding wic- ked nefi, is the reafon they were difowned, and rejected by God. This will be more particular- ly attended to in another place. What' St Paul fays in the text will now, only, be mentioned. IVdl t becGvfe of VtsBELlEF they were broke* 4. To the Ifraelites Gad promifed the land of Canaan, and that they mould take pofTtilion of ir, and dwell in it, folely on condition of their having a character really holy, and lir- in^ in the practice of moral virtue. When God made this promife to Abraham, i I will give unt/t the*, and ihy feed after thee — all the land of Canaan, the condition is ftattd in thefe words, Walk before me, and be thou f erf eft. Ec f I/cri. 42. 24. 25. ( Hof. 1.6, t Gen. 17. 8. 4* Be an holy people, be obedient to me : love & ferye me. Accordingly we find Mofes add re fling the tribes of Ifrael in thefe words ; * New therefore kearktn, Ifrael, unto the flat utes, and unto the; judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that thou mayefi live, and go in, and poffefs the land which the LOR D God of your fathers giv- eth you, ye fljall not add unto the words which I command you , neither /hall ye diminijh aught from it, that ye may keep the commandments of thz LORD your God which I command you. To the fame etFeft are the fe words \ Therefore fh all ye keep all the commandments which I command yon this day, that ye may be flrong, and go in and poj- fefs the land, whether ye go to poffefs it ; and that ye may prolong your days in the land, which the LORD j ware unto your fathers to give it un- to them, and to their feed. This text is alfo v\ point, t Thou /halt keep therefore, his flatates, The great profperitv, and happinefs, which God promifed the Ifraelites, was to be en- joyed, only, on condition they were an holy people. Promises of great profperity, and happinefs were made to Abraham, and his feed, ofvvhich mention has been made. tThefe promifes are predicated upon their living in the practice or moral virtue : and judgements, and calami- ties, very great indeed, are threatened, if they vcre deftkute of it. t M<>fes addrefling the fame people fays, J behold I fet before you ihh day a lUfjing % and a eurfe x a blefjing if ye ibey the tvnmandments of the LORD yjurG:J. And a cutje if ye will not obey ihs CMmmandaunts of the LORD § fkb. 3. 17. I?,. 19. * Jude. v. 5. |f Text, page 31, i" Dent. 28, through? -it. J Dent, llj 2,6, 27, 28. and chap. 4. 6 to l r. 43 LORD your God. Solo -non in hU pravrr at the dedication of rhe temple, fupp r s that Ifrael would fin a gain ft God an^l then judgments and calamities, exceedingly diftrefiingj would take place, to correct them tor their wick.dnefs. Ja a view of thefe things his prayer is § IVhat prayer or fuppllcatton focver, be made by any mm or by all tky people IJr icl.---Then hear tbsu in heaven thy dwelleng placet and forgive, and do, Solomon pleads for mercy for them if they mould repent, and pray. And this is the lan- guage of God to Ifrael by his ptophets. fl If ye be willing) and obedient , ye flail eat the good of the land. But if ye refufe, and rebel, ye (hall be devoured by ihefivordfor the mouth ofthe LORD hathfpohen it. The inftancesin which God, by Lis prophets, calls tho people to repentance, & an holy life as the only way to peace, and prof- perity,sre too many to be cited, particularly. Such exhortations, and directions are difperfed thro* all their writing?. But one or two inflan- ces may be produced. Qod by the prophet Jeremiah fays, * O/Jerufalem, vjafh thine heart fr*m wiekednefsy that thou mayeji be faved, Sa- ved rrom threatened jid^ments, as is plain from the connection* Mother inflance iff the follow- ing, jj For thus faith the LORD to the houfe of Ifrael, Jeek ye me, and ye jhall live. If the fins of Ifraei did not prevent the manifeftation of divine good lefs, they have a.Turances that they fffould be the mo't renowned, and honourable, and happv people it) the whole world. Theex- prefli ".is are ftrong. t And the Lord Hith a- Wichedthee this day to be his PECULIAR PEO> PLE as he hath ffnomijed lh,:e y and that thou Jhould keep ill his commandments. And to m ike thee $.1 A~/V/?8 33. to ±0. %Ife* *• 1 9- 20. *Jer. 4.14. j) Amas 5.4. ipeut. 26. 1^.19. .44 thee high ahove all nations which he hath mads, inpraife and inname, and in honor : and that thou mightejl be an holy people, unto the Lord thy God, as he hatbfpoken. By thefe fcripture declarati- ons it is eafily feen, that the nation of If. rael, had no reafon to expecl they fhould be profperous, and happy, unlefs they were obedi- ent and holy : but if they were obedient, and holy they fhould be profperous and happy. 6* If the feed of Abraham fupported the char- after of an holy people, God allures them that their prolperity, and happinefs fhould be pirmanent, and they, and theirs, fhould, for a long time, enjoy the land of Canaan, and all the blcflings, and privileges, tempor- al, and fpiiitual, which were promifed. If one generation after another, they fup- ported an holy character, God affured them that they ihould £ Dwell in the land infafety. § They fhould Inherit it forever. Again. ^ You /hall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may le well -with you, and that ye may prolong yiur days, in the land which ye /hall pofj'efs. They mud live in the practice ot moral virtue. * For it is not a vain thing for you : hecau/e it is your life : and through this thing ye /hall pre- /; rig your days in the land whither ye go over Jor- dan ttp/fefs it. God faid to Abraham, jj Ft r nil the land which thou feeft, to thee will I give it and to thy feed FOREVER. By Jeremiah G:nl calleth the people to rcpen'ance, and connects this promife with their repentance \ flhenw'J I c a ufe you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, for ever and ever. The Xlev.2$.\%. §£Wi«32 13. %Dcut. 5. 33. *£)euh 32 47. 8 7- 7* 4S The covenant God made with Abraham, it is clear, was to operate thro' a long period : thro' time, in the enjoyment of temporal an 1 fpiritual ok (Tings, and privileges, which God promifed to him and his feed : and thro' eter- nity in its glorious fruits, and confequences. Hence it is with propriety called an EVER- LASTING covenant. % But the enjoyment of what was promifed depended on their b^ing an holy people ; and living in the practice of ho- linefs. But if they did not live in the practice oi moral virtue, deftru&ion would come upon them. §ffv* be willing and obedient ye (hall eat the good of the land. But if ye refufe> and rebel \ ye Jhall be devoured with the fwcrd ; fer the mouth ff the LORD hath fpoken il. It they were an obedient, and holy people, they fhouli enjoy all that God promifed them, by Mo fer,- and the prophets ; the glory and fplendour of the nation of Ifrael mould excel all others, FOREVER. But their fin, and difebedience would be their ruin, in time, and eternity, As is evident from what is faid in Lev. 26. 14 to the end of the chapter, Deut. 28. 15. to the end. Luk. 13, 3. 5.. Mat. 21. 33. to 45. By obfervaiions which have bcua made, in the preceding pages, and fcripture precept?, & promifes, and declarations, which have been brought into view ; evidence, it is believed, clear, full, and explicit, has been laid before the mind, from which it muft be concluded, that the accomplishment of the promifes, which God made to Abraham, and his feed, depend- ed, folely upon the exiftence of religion among them : a religion pure, and holy • a religion which confuted in a conformity to God's moral chara&er. A religion of this kind was requi- red Il %Gen. 17.7.8. §If*t\ 1. 1 9.20. 4 6 red, in order, not only that God might be their God, but it was a!fo rendered, by the c;'vme requirement?, abfolutely neceflarv, in order to their entering the land of Canaan, and enjoy- ing the blellings, and privilege's which God juomifed. In a few inftances, the fenfe of fome texts lias been attempted to be given by the writer : but, generally, his aim has bo en, only, to col- lect, and arrange, under diftincf. heads, and branches, thofe divine declarations which lie fcatrered thro' all the writings of Mofes, and the Prophets : and he leaves the Bible to fpesk for nfelf, without comment, or expofition of his own. The reader, then, when he reads, fhould fee! that he is reading God's declara- tions, and not opinions of human invention. In attending to the ftibjecl before us, it has been (hown, that the religion God enjoined oa the Jfraelites, was an holy religion — the prac- tice of moral virtue. — That he made promifes to them, exceedingly great, and precious. — & it has been proved by God's own declarations, that the accomplishment oi his promifes, de- pended folely, upon their fupporting a charac- ter really holy. The truth of this appears by divine promifes, and threatnings, by divine commands, and exhortations. The fubjed being difculVed by way cf doc- trine, it will now be further attended to in the APPLICATION. I. From our fubjeft it is evident, that God has enjoined on man, fince the tall, no reli- gion, but that which is called the Chrijiian JReligion. Between the religion taught in the Old, and New Teltameut, tiieie is a perfect harmo- 47 BY : vea a complete r an«enefs. The fame mo*- al virtue, which God enjoined on man by Mo- ftSy and the Prophets, .itt the O'd Teftament ; is enjoined bv J fus Chriit, and bis ApohMes, in the N--W. When we compare the two TclU- m dts totje'her, and obfe'rve what is faid in both of them, refpeclins* a real change of heart, in regard to the nature, and caufe, and confe- rences ot it ; and when we attend ro what is laid in both Trlhmcn's refpeclin- love to G)d f and our neighbor, repentance, taith, and obe- dience to God, we find a perfect agreement. — Regeneration, or a real change ot heart is as ne- ceifary to practice, to the divine approbation, and acceptance, t'.ofe duties which G:d en- joined in the OM Teftament, be they what they may ; as it is ro practice the duties enjoined in thf- New. Nor could love, r- pentance, f.ith, ami holy obedience exift among human k ; nd, under the Old Teftament difpenfation, any more than it can under the New, if the heart be not renewed by the grace ot God. And this change was as necelTary, under the Old T< (tame t difpenfation, in order to term fuch a character, as the holy God approves, as it is under the New. The New Teftament, it is acknowledged, contains a more clear, ard explicit revelation of the nature of moral virtue, and chriftian ex- crcifes, than the Old. But this, it is judged, is no evidence that the two Teitaments teach two religions, efTentially different from each o- ther ; any more than the more clear, full, ex- tenfive, and glorious difplay of the divine char- acter in the New Teftament, than there is in the Ol I, is evidence, that there are two Gods* The religion taugh», and enjoined on the Ifraeiuesis thsfame, which is taught, and en- joined 4« joined on ma* at this cky : God is the fame, and man is the fame. There never was nor will there ever be, but one way in which God will be worshipped and ferved, and that is * With reverence and Godly fear. If man has not the fear of God, he cannot hep his atn- mandmenti.\ What refpects pofhive institutions, and the ceremonial law, will be attended to in an- other place What has been now obferved re- fpects the nature of that religion, which runs thro' the whole Bible, and was always binding on man, fince the fall, and ever will be. a. From what was obferved refpecting the na- ture of the religion enjoined on the children of Ifrael, we learn, that God required the fame character of them, in order to poflefs the land of Canaan, and enjoy promifed blef- fings ; which he required of them, or now requires, or ever will require of man, in or- der to the pcfTefiion of the heavenly Canaan, and the enjoyment of eternal life, and hap^ pinefs. If the promifes in the word of God con- nect eternal life with any kind of character an human being may fuftain, it is, certainly, fuch a character as God required of the Israelites, in every part of the old Tcftament. The whole is fummarily contained in this command, wnlk be- fore me and be thou per] eel. It is a plain cafe, that but one religion is taught in the Bible : hohY.efs of heart is enjoined in both Tefta- mentF, by the fame divine authority. The pro- mifes of good, to Ifrael, and the thrcztenings cf evil, are, both, predicated upon their hav- ing, or not having an holy character ; and their character was formed by obedience, or difobe- ciierce •Nth.^i8. \\Eccl.i2. lz . 49 rfierrce to the divine commands, *1 he promif- es, had for their object, natural, and fpiri'ual good, to be enjoyed in this li'e. And they look further ; for they look forward, to the world to come ; ana 1 in this view, ihcv have for their object an eternal life, in the enjoyment of God. And all this in con fide rat ion of the fame holy character. On the other hand ; the threaten- ings have for their object, judgments, and ca- lamities, and a train of natural evils to be en- dured in this lire : and 'hey look foiward to the world to come : and in this view, they have refpect to eternal death i — fuifVrwvg. ne wrath of God ; and all this in consideration of the fame unholy character. If,, therefore, the He- brew nation fupported (wen a character as was required ; — an holy character, they had reafon to expect the iccompli foment ofpromifec, but in no other way. It fuch were not their char- acter, they had affuranee from divine declara- tions, that evils, and calamities, the moll dread- fid, would pur fue them until they were utterly deltroyed trom the land of Canaan,, and depri- ved of promifed biefSngs.. Is regeneration- neceilaiy Frr order to r afva- tion ? Our Saviour ahfwers the queftion whet* he fays, * Except a man be born again , he can- not fee the kingdom of God. Ls love to God and our neighbour ;. are repentance, and faith,obedi- ence to God, and real hoi i net's required in order to fa I vat ion r it certainly is the cafe jj Follow peace with ail men, and HOLINESS, without which- no man [hall fee the Lord. It is hence evident,, that what God now requires of us he then re- quired of the Ilr.ael-ies ; of which abundant proof has been given. And ihofe exercifes ; or fuch a ten per of heart, or character, \s nozu ne- F ce -Su r,y # ?*&' 3' 3* I H eb. 12. 14* 5° ecffary to falvation, and fo it was under the Old Teftament. And fuch a temper of heart, — fuch a character, God required of the children of Ifrael, as necetfary to their entering into the land of Canaan, enjoying his prefence & all that happpiiiefsy and thofe privileges, and bleftings, which lie in the divine promifes. The divine promifes are made, in Old Teftament, & New to a character of the fa r ne kind. It is a char- acter which God approves ; becaufe it confifts rn a conformity with his own. + Speak unto all tie congregation of the children of Ijrael, and Jay unto them, Ye Jhall be holy ; far I the Lord your God am holy. This is the Old Teftament lan- guage. The following we find in the New-Tet- lamer.t, + Be ye holy ; For I am holy. 3. We learn from the Doctrine, that an obfer- vance of the-Sinai covenant ; or the poiitive in- ftitution of the ceremonial law, was not the condition on which the children of Ifrael were to poflefs the land of Canaan, and enjoy promi- ftd privileges, and bleftings. From the fall of man to the clofe of divine revelation but one religion, is taught. That there are different external modes of admlnift- ration is admitted. But that the religion re- vealed in one part of the Bibls is eflTentially dif- ferent from that which is revealed in another, is denied. Th« Old Teftament, and New do not claih ; but are perfectly harmonious, in every point of view, when they fpesk of moral virtue or real religion. The fame temper of heart — the fame chrrader is uniformly required. Under the Old Teftament difpenfatu on, the adminiftration of the covenant of grace was burdened with a great variety of cere- monies : but thefe did not come into the eftencc of t Lev. 19. 2. % l. Peter 1. 16. of religion; norwrsanobfervanceof tin pi ne fary.to the exigence of the church of Cu.d , For if an obfervance of thofe various ccrem i wereelfentially nectffary to trie exigence Of the church then at certain feafons the church was extinct : as will be (hewn in another place. The gofpel enjoins ceremonies : not fo many, however,as were enjoined under the Old Teila- msnt. All external conduct, all we act: or do with the body, is ceremony. la mental exercife, enly, doesthe nature,andefTenceof real religion con fift. To partake the elements made ufe cf in the Lords ftty>per,is a ceremony as really as it was for an Is- raelite, to offer hisfacrificesat the altar. Ceremo- nies, adjuncts, or appendages to religion there will be fo long as we are in thefe bodies. And our doing thofe things, externally, is the way by which we yield obedience toGod,andgi^e vifible evidence of friendship to him. This is vifible fruit. Still hmvever, whoever reads the Bible at- tentively will fee that the heart is mainly reqiii- rc VFiie l^art God regarded, in the Old Telia- ment,as well as in the New. The word ol God leaches us uniformly, in every part of it, that as the heart is,fo she conduct is, good, or bad. la the fight of God, that whichproceeds from a good heart is good ; and that which proceeds from an c- vil heart, is evil. Thus our faviour obterves t * For a good tree hringeth not forth corrupt fruit ; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit . For every tree is known by his ovjn fruit ; for of thorns men do not gather figs,nor of a bramble bufh gath- er they grapes, A her ufing thefe figurative ex- prcflions, our Saviour informs us, plainly, what his meaning was, S.iys He, A good man oit of the good treafure of his hearty bringeth forth thai tuhich is good : and an evil man out of the evil treafure cf his heart , bringeth forth that * Liik. 6. 43. 44- 45-] F a p •ufcichis evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth fpeaheth. Having made thefe preliminary obfervati- ons, the inference now before us will be more particularly attended to. j. By the Sinai covenant is meant thofe pofitive precepts, delivered by G >d to Mofes, which he delivered to the people for their obferv- ance ; to be continued during the pleafure of the law- giver. By pofitive precepts are meant, thofe laws, or inftitutes refpeeling ceremonial worihip, bind- ing on the ifraeliies, as thev are an exarrilion of the divine mind, only ami not from tliss- nature, oiT intVinfic wor.'h, or the fitncfs of things. But the divine will being expreffed lo them refpedling thefe things, they were under indifpcn-fable obli- gation, ieiigiouily, to do whatever wa? required. No other nation, or people, but 'he IfraHite' ,on ]y were bounde.i by thefe inftitutes, unlefs I hey were proselytes to the religion ot the Hebrew na ■tion.When this occurred, as it frequently did, it then became their dtn-y to cbferve the cere.'no- atial law. The ceremonial law, or Sinai covenant, had no immediate, or neceflary ■conneclion with the Ahrahamic, in point of the exigence of real rc- li^ion. Not was the Si' ai covenant neceflary ho the operation and exigence of the Abraha- jriic ; for this exifted, and was in operation, # Four hundred and thirty years before that wij, i ilablifhed with the children of Ifrael. Be fides the religion enjoined in the Abrahamic covenant might be practiced ; and the fpiri'ual bleflings promifed might be enjoyed, by thofe whojived before the ceremonial law was enacled. If not then, Abraham, Ifaac, an I Jacob, the patriarchs .and prophets, and other ^ood people, woo died * Gal. 3. 17. before 53 before the Jaw was given at Mount Sinai, had no religion : G<>d w*s not their God ; nor did thev enjoy his pre fence. Further. If the <\brahamic covenant could not exiil, and operate but in connection with the ceremo- nial lavv,ard an obfervance of its requirements even at the time the Old Teftament difper.fi- tion was in being, what (hall we think of Dan- iel, Hananiah Mifhael, Azeriah, and Ezekiel ? Thiv were men famous for religion, and a life of communion with God. But their religious jcharacter was not formed by an obfervance cf the ceremonial law ; fcr they were in Babylon and could not ohferve the law of Mofes. ' But perhaps it may be fa id 4 "They were in, fuch circumitances that it was imp ;(Iible for them to obferve the rites of the ceremonial Jaw, and in fuch cafes God will difpenfe with it.* The obfervation is undoubtedly true, & re- allv in favor of what is now urged., viz. that an obfervance of the ceremonial law, is not necef- fary to the exigence of religion ; and therefore not neceflary to the exigence and operation of the Abrahamic covenanr, and, confequently, not neceflfary to the exiilence of the church : as will be confidered in its place. God may difpenfe wjth ceremonial, but cannot with re- al religion : He can releafe moral beings from ceremonies, but cannot confidently, releafe them from an obligation to be holy. To prove that an obfervance of the rites of the ceremonial Maw was not necelTary to the exigence of the religion enjoined in the Old Teftament, and forming fuch a character as that the ifraelHes 'forfeited prom'ifed blefiings, not by a-neglec^ afcceremoniai inttitutes, but bv a violation eft ■moral precepts. j2. Some obfervatlons will now 'be made uppn the nature, ufe* anddeii^n of the ceremonial tlaw« It mav'hc'here dbferved : The moran a w Is $ooJ .ia liSklL What it command:., or forbids, 55 0U2,ht, therefore, to be done, or avoided, for Its ova fake. Nothing bat moral goodnefs is re- quired, and nothing bur moral evil is forbidden. It is a tranfcript or the moral peifecllons of God. And therefore 1 , one who is conformed to the moral law, is conformed to God. And the more he is -conformed to that, the mc.e he is conformed to HIM. But in regard to the ceremonial law it is different. This law is good, not in itff-lf, but as it is made ufe of toexprefs, or typify fome- thingbefide, and beyond what the livs confid- errd in itfelf, contains. In i>s own nature, therefore, it is not binding : but obligation to obedience arifcR, wholly, from '.he authority of the law-giver : and not from the nature, and fitnefs of the things required. It wUl hence follow, that an obfervance of the ceremonial law, with ever To much punctuality, and zeal, and ever [o long, will not alter the moral ftats of a perfon ; becaufe he does not thereby alter his character, — an holv chara&er will not be formed. But by the fifft, and low-oil ?ct of conformity to the moral lavv, the moral ftate of the perfon is altered .; becaiife a new,, and holy moral character is formed. The ufe, and defigh ot the ceremonial law mav be compr'rfed under thefollowmg heads. n. One defi?n of it was ro teach the Ifraelites the neceffiiy of purity ot life, and con.verfa- tion, and holinefs or heart. To this he id belong all the laws refpecSling 'diverge warnings, and purifications. The di- rection? given them rofpe&ing cleanlinefs ia the camp during their journey in the wilder- nefs ; and in their boofe^ after they were Set- tled in Canaan : and alfo.refiie&iog 'their -ciosths -and bodies. And many othsr Ihiugs of this n&- liuse, £» 56 2. The Apoftle calls it *A wall of partition. By bbfervfng, particularly, what God en- joined on them, they were to diftinguifh them- felves from the nations round rhem ; and by their peculiar forms, and modes of religion be feparated from the gentile world, which was then funk into the moil abominable idolatry. 3. It was defigned to typify Jefus Chrift, and the falvation of (Inners thro' his atonement. The ceremonial law is an hiftory to the eye, of the redeemer, and the work, which he was tofinifh on th crofs. No one thing could clearly jep r efet;t the perfon, character, work and offi- ces of Chrift, and teach the nature of the atone- ment, and the way of falvation thro' him. A variety of rites and ceremonies, were therefore inrtitnted and all centering in, and defigned to prefigure Jefus Chrift, and the way of falvati- on by him. To this may be referred all the bloody faerifices appointed under the Old Teft- ament ; as well as fome other things. The a- poftle therefore fays, t The law (the ceremoni- al law) was our fcboolmaJUr^ io bring us U Chrift. 4. To preach the gofple, \ was the defign of the whole. The ceremonial law is full of gofpel in all partsofit. Bv it was fhaciowcd forth thofe things, ; which God defigned in the fullncfs of time, clearly and fully to .nanifeft, without a veil, to the wo^ld. The fame kind of inftruc- tt >n was afforded to ihe church then which it itiow enj >ys : communicated, however in regard to fome thing*, in a different mode. A mode., •which infinite wifdom faw fit to *dopt ; fuited no doubt, to anfwer the divirte purp >fes, in the heft manier, in the then infant ftate of the church. Having *Eph. 2.14. If Cal.p 3,4- J Reb, 4. Z+ 57 Having mentioned (ome things refpe£Hng the nature, ufe and defign of the ceremonial lav/. 3. £mquiry will now be made, concerning the manner of attending on the pofitive precepts of that law. The queftion to be attended to in this part of our fubje6t is this. Was it neceflary the If- raeliies mould polTefs a character really ho!y,& perform the rites of the ceremonial law, in the exvrcife of an holy temper of heart, in order to the divine acceptance ? Or could ihey perform, tolhe divine acceptance, and truly yield obedi- ence to the divine will, in thofe things enjoin- ed in the ceremonial law, under die prevalent power, and reigning dominion of a finful tem- per of heart ? 'He who is filled the holy LORD God ; and the holy ONE of Ifrael, it is believed, requires of moral agents nothing fhort of real holincfs, And they are bounden, by his exprefs com- mand, to perform whatever they do in an ho.!^ mrnner,— ■ out ot love to him. This it is con- ceived is flriclly true, in regard both to.ceremo- nial, and mora! precepts, or laws. Tne.com- mand in both Teftaments is the fume. In the Old it is thus exoreOVJ, * Te fiidll be holy. In the New thus, j| Be ye holy. And in both God affig'ns the fame reafon ; / am holy. THATGod required of the I ir elites, moral virtue, or real holme 3 in order to their enjoy- ing what was promifee!, much fcrip'ure tefti- niony has been adduced, under ' he doclrine in proof. And it plain fcript'jre declarations may be admitted in this cdCc y in evidence ; the fentiment is eftablilhed beyond controverfv, or doubt * Lev. 11. 44. and 19. 2. £? 20. 7. || I. Pe.t. I- 1.6. 53 «Joubt. It isneedlefs to repeat what has been ©bferved. The reader may, if he plcafes, look back on whai has been obferved under the doc- trine, on this fcripture fentiment. * But altho' the fentiment be exprefTed with "fo much precifion, and clearnefs, it is objected to by the Baptifts we will now meet the objec- tion, fairly : and as fairly, attempt an anfsver : keeping our eye on the word of Gad, for our guide. The Baptifts afiert with a great degree of aflfurance, and pofnivenefs, "That the God of Ifrael required of them, AN EXTERNAL OBSERVANCE OF EXTERNAL DU- TIES ONLY, as the condition of their en- joying the land of Canaan, and other promifed bleiiings. H-Minefs of heart, or heart religion Was not required under the Old Teftament, as the condition of enjoying what God promifed to Abraham, and his feed ; becaufe the church nntbr the QUI Teftiment difpenfation was a civil, political, or national church. One kind of religion was required as the condition of en- joying the earthly Canaan, and its blefiiogs, which con fi (fed in an obfervance ol rr.od^s and forms, and ceremonies, externally performed, without any regard to the difpofition of the heart* This is the religion enjoined on the children of Ifrael in the Old Teiiament. But a religion pure and holy is required in order to the enjoyment of the heavenly Canaan. This is New Teftament religion. The exigence of the church, therefore, under the Old Tefta- ment depended on an external obfervance of ceremonial inftitutes ; but the exiftence of the church under the gofpel depends upon a con- formity to moral precepts. It is hence evident that holindfs oi hiiart was not then required .but 59> but is now. Hence it will follow, that the church, under the Old T; fitment difpenfation, and the New is elTentially different," The above is a general (ratement of the fentiments of the Baptilfs, by way of objecti- on to the arguments of Psdobaptifts : It is the ftrong hold to which they constantly rcfort. Feeble however,in irfelf, and eafi'y demolilhed, when attacked with the fivord of the Jpirit which is the ivord of God. In the objection we had two kinds of reli- gion, eirentially different, and yet but one God. Two kinds of rel'gion er joined, and approved by the fame God : and both necetfary to the ex- igence of the church or C -ri f t ; and yet, thefe two kinds of religion are throughout, wholly unlike each other, and totally at variance. How abfurd ! How unreafonable ! How un- fcriptural ! and reproachful to Gv:d ! fuch in- confi(tency, pleaded in fupport of any caufe, is evidence the caufe is not fupportable ; is not founded on the bible. God required of the ffraelifes, -an obfervanc? of external duties only, and not holinefs of hearty as the condition of their being his church, and enjoying promifed hlejfings % This polhion of thebaptifts will now be at- tended to : and it is thought, that, if it be pro- perly tried by the word of God, it will be found to contradict the whole tenor of the bihle. To alTert that God required of his church, under the OKI Teftament, nothing more than the externals of religion, is, in plain terms to plead for the rel'gion of the Pharifees. A re- ligion reprobated by our Saviour, and they were pointedly reproved for living in the prac- tice of it. A religion which was nothing but palpable wickednefs, and the moft egregious hypoency 6o nvpocricy, and di {Emulation, againft them, for their hypocritical religionjthc faviour denoun- ced woes. # Woe unto you, fcribes and Phari- fees, hypocrites, for ye make clean the out fide of the cupy and of the platter , but within they are full of extortion and excef\ Thou blind Phari- fee f clearfe frft that which rs within the cup, t$ platter, that the out -fide of them may be clean al- fo. In another place we read, || Now do ye pha- rifees make clean the outfidt of the cup and platter but your inward part is full of ravining and wick- ednefs. Ye fools ! did not he that made that which is without, make that which is within afo. Now it is well known, tor it is evident from what we find in the New Yeftament, that the Phuri- fees were great (ticklers for the externals of re- ligion ; and the whole of their religion confid- ed in punctilious, and zealous obfervance of the ceremonial law, in all itsouiward rites, & forms. If then it be true, as the baptilts fay, that God required externals only,, without re- gard to the temper ot the heart, the reproof given to thefe Pharifees by our faviour, was ve- ry unfuitable, and without any juft ground; beeaufe they had, according to the baptilts, and did truely live, m the practice of that leligion, which God enjoined on them. When our fa- viour called them hypocrites, he greatly abufed them ; for he rnifcalled them, and put them into an odious name, which they did not de- ferve. Our faviour reproves the Pharifees again, and lays to them, iBut woe unto you Pharifees ! for ye tithe mint, and rve y and all manner of herbs andpafs over judgment, and the hve of God: t-hefe ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other * Mat. 23. 25. 26. || Luk. x:.. 39. 40. t Luk. !>!.. 42. 6i other lindane. Here it is fcen, that our faviorsr prefers moral duties, to pofitive inftitutions ; ani that a compliance with the latter is of no worth in his account; it the former be neglec- ted. But the baptifls, perhaps, will fay, "Thtfjr texts do not apply with any force againft our opinion, re r r>ecYmg an external performance of duties enjoined in the ceremonial law, becaufe the gofpel difpenfation was now fet up, the ce- remonial law, was, therefore, abolifhed." In reply to this it may be faid ; He who gave the law on Mount Sinai, fays that, in the lad mentioned text, which is pefuive proof that the ceremonial law was not abolidicd, but was ftill in full force, and operation — Paying tithes was enjoined by that law ; and our Savi- our is fo far from blaming them for doing it, that he fays it was a duty they ought not to leave undone But he blames them tor paying tithes in a wicked manner : doing it wtthout the Icue of God. There is the blame. Further. Our Saviour paid tribute. * this was not paid to the Romans for the purpofe of civil go- vernment ; that tax was (triilly exacts by the publicans. But he paid tribute, in this inf-ance, in obedience to a (landing law of the Jewilh nation. God required, |j that at the a^e of twenty years old, when they were numbered, and enrolled, each one mould pay half a fhe- kel, this tax was irrpoftd on them b\ God, ta defray the expences ot his worfhip in the ta- bernacle, while that was ffandirig ; and a('< in- wards, when the temple was buih, it was ap- propriated to the fervfee of the temple, arc! to O'.nay the public charges of 'he temple v. or- fliip ; which cider t ■ • at difpenfation were , r vy G cWntiderable * Mat. 17. 24. bTf, J' Excd. 30. i2. CjV, 02 c*qtifi friendly way, to allien a re*- fen, if one they have, why it is more nectifary G a to . 6 4 t© have faith in Chrift, when we are perform* ing an action in which his death, and fuffer- ings are commemorated : than it was when *o action was perlormed which was deiigned to typify his death and fuiTerings. The great difference, it is confeiild, is not (een. But they will fay, perhaps, the difference is here* *f under the gcfpel taith is required in order to partake of the facramental elements, in a pro- per manner : But under the Old Teftament, faith was not a prerequifite to offer facrifices acceptably." Should a Bapt iff fay thus, what the apoftle aliens will be mentioned in reply. * By faith Ate! offered unto God a more excellent facrifce than Cain, by which he obtained a Wit- tiffs thai he was righteous , God tejiifying of his gifts : And this example is deiigned to be a pat- tern to others, to offer their facriftces in faith, as he aid. Sv) faith the holy Ghoft. He being dead, yet Jpeaksth; And then the Apoftle af- ferts, Without faith it is impofjible to pieaje God : which is true, in regard to every age, every rr.an, and every thing we do. To fay, there- ipr ; e, that unbelieving I fraeliies offered facrifi- ces to God acceptably, is flat*e*y, to contradict the infpired Apoitle. l±f To proceed in anfwering the main objection row under consideration, it will, tor once, be .admitted tor truth, that the chinch under the ■old Tedament., was national, or political ; and all thai Gui\ required of the Ifratlites was, f**l outward performance of the lites of the cere- monial law: holinefscf" heart was not requi- red. On this ground let us make this fuppo- fition ; and it is a cAz fufpofabk , in a view of the depravity of the human nature, that all tl-ie es of Ii'rael to a man had become drunk- *Hd. ii. 4 5.6. 65 anis, or whoremongers, or adulterers ; or that they had indulged themfelves at times, in the molt criminal fcenes of debauchery, profane- nefs, and wickednefs, and then, with the fame difpofition of heart, they vvafh their clothes, & bathe their fbfh in water, and bring their fac- rifices to God's altar ; and with all apparent zeal, folemnity, and punctuality, attend every rite, and ceremony of an offerer, as the law di- rects would God accept them ? Yes according to the fentiments of the Baptifts, he in lift accept their worfhip, their fervices, their offerings ; for they have done all that God required. lie muft be their God ; — afford them his prefence ; Own them for his people or church ; — mud give them Canaan ;-^-grant them the greater!: happinefs that any people ever enjoyed, and the mod excellent privileges and bleilings ever conferred on any nation : and they muft be, notwithftanding all their wickednefs, *Higb above all nations, in praife, and in name, and in honor ; and all this they muft.be, .and enjoy , forever. This by fame, may- be thought to be a mcft extravagant reprefentation ; but it is connect- ed with, and will follow from the fentiments of the Baptifts. For the vileft .debauchee* and tie moft abandoned firmer in the world, can, if he be fodifpofed, perform, with exadtnefs, all the externals of religion. And that, according to the BapiUts is.all that was required of the ■ifraelite.f. When we read -the prophets, it Is evident that the Jews are frequently mentioned as be- ing very e.xa£fc in -cbfeiving th& in dilutes of the ceremonial law ; but all they did was an abom- ination unto the Lord, There are many fuch G3 repjefeuutio^f 65 reprefentations. Two or three, only, will be recited. This is one. |j To what purpofe is the multitude ofyourfacrifices unto me ? faith the LORD. I am full cf the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed be a (Is, and I delight not in the blood of bullocks , or of iambs, or of he goats. When ye come to appear before me, zvho hath re- quired this at your hands, to tread my courts f Bring no more vain oblations, incenfe is an abom- ination unto me, the new moons, and fab baths, the calling of affembiies, I cannot aivay with, it is iniquity, even the fohmn meeting. Tour new moons, and your appointed fee ft s, my foul hateth ; they are a trouble unto me, I am weary to bear them. And when ye fprecid forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you ; yea when ye make many prayers, I will not hear ; your hands are full of blood. Wickednefs was Co prevalent a- inong them, that God tells them, altho' they offered their facrifices, yet, iHe lhal killeth an ex, is as if he flew a man ; he that fucrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog's neck : he that offer - eth an oblation, as if he offered f wines blood : he that burneth inceife, as if he -buffed an idol. 7ea they have chofen their own ways, and their f-Ail delight eth in their abominations. By a- nother prophet is reprefemed the conilancv of the Jews in attending the rites of the ceremo- i.ial law, and God, nolwhhftanding, hating, 2!,j rejc£lin°, all their fervice, and pretended xvorfftip.* God fav€, */ hate, 1 .defpife your ffeafi-days, and I will not fmell in your fo.-emn nfjtmbUes. 'Though ye. offer me bwrt.t offerings, . md your meat offerings, I will not accept (kern ; r.cilhsr will I regard the peace- off'-: rings of your fat leafs. In .a view of ttfeft^ and Hir/ilar fcripture rc- p re full ations, 1 1 [iu. ioj. to *5* ,t/. r c7:\66 . 3. tkmosj.zi *22- ^7 prefentations, how can it be, that the Baptlfrs, with a bible before them, can fay, " That God required or the Ifraelites an external ob- fervance of the precepts ut the ceremonial law, only, €*5 the condition of their being his church. And that holinefs of heart was not required." Here we fee them abounding in ceremonial re- ligion, and yet all is reprobated by God, They and their worfhip are odious to him. And the jeafon affigned, in every inftance, was, the want of holinefs : They had not that moral virtue, — that religion, internal and fpirkual, which was abfolutely neceifary, to qualify them, and their fervices, in an obfervance of the Sinai covenant, lor acceptance with God. The Baptifts, if they are difpofed, may confider this fcripture declaration, || The (acrifice ef the zvicked is abi»~ mi nation to the LOR.D. . It will be only jull mentioned in this place, having brought the idea into view before, and it will naturally fall in our way in an other place. When God doomed the murmuring If- raeliies to die in the w-ilderneis* the fentence was not predicated upon tht;ir negletl of the duties enjoined in the Sinai covenant ; altho' it is evident they were neglected : but their un- belief provoked God to cut them off. t When God finally rejected the jews, that awful ca- lamity wis brought on them, not becaufe the ceremonial law was laid aiicle by them, but for their UNBELIEF. * In the former inftance, the ceremonial law was negle£ltd, but that is not aiTigned as the reafon their car.cafcs fhouid fall in the wild&rwfs : in the latter initance there is no evidence it was laid a fide, and the duties .ot it neglected .,; tor when our Siviour was on earth I Prau. 21. 27. fjjtzde Q'rf*J» & &&• 2' l ^ ^9. * XexL 63 -earth, and afterwards in the days of the apof- ties, the Jews were zealous for the law of Mo- fes ; this, however did not fecure them ; they were broken off. In both inftances, moral evil reigning among them, is the reafon God fent fuch heavy judgments on them. |xxxxxx>ooc«)|( A Careful Enquiry &c. Difcourfe III. Gen. XVII I Wall before me y and be thou pcrfefi. Rom. XI 2o. IVELL ; Becaufe of unbelief they were broken off 'XXAVTNG difcuffed the dedrine in fome former difcourfes ; fome inferences have been made upon the fubjec"r. As 3. God has enjoined on man, fince the fall, no religion but that which is commonly called the chriflian religion. ,,£. God required of the I fra elites the fame cha- rafter, in oider to their ponVfiif\g the land of Canaan, and enjoying pronii fed bleflings, which he required. of them, or now requires-, or ever will require of man, in-order to the pofleilion ci the i eavcaly ^Canaan, ..and lbs t enjoyment pLejfcrnal iijs„ 6 9 3, An ohfervance of the Sinai covenant, or the pofitive inltitutes of the ceremonial law, was not the condition on which they were to pof- fefs the land ot Canaan, and enjoy promifed privileges, and bleflin^s. In difcuffing this inierence, what is meant by the ceremonial law has been, briefly, Rated. The nature, ufe and defign of it explained ; and alfo the manner ot attending upon the du- ties enjoined in it. Here was brought into view an objection of the baptifts to the leading flntiments dtfigned to be fup ported, The ob- jection is briefly this. "God requirjd of the If- raclites, an ohfervance oi external duties, only as the condition ot their being his church, pcf- ftfling Canaan, and er joying promifed bleffingss Holinefs, therefore was not required. The church confequently, under the OU Teitament and New, is, eifentiajly, diffeierH " To (hew that fuch feutiments are erroneous and without fcripluxe warrant, an attempt has b^en made, It will be rememberd that the inference now before is this, AN ohfervance of the infii- tales of the ceremonial law was not the condition en which the Ifraelites ivere to p r ffejs the land of Canaan, and enjoy promifed privileges, qnd blef- ftngs. With a view to -Uluftrate this idea further and at the fame time exhibit evi ..L-uceg? ot the miltaken fentiments of the Baptiits receding religion, and the church under the Old Ttfta- ment, it is obftrved. 4. A compliance with the precepts of the cere- monial law was not eiTentially necelfary to the exi {fence of religion, and the church un- der the Old Teftamenr. Observation* plight SllS be made re f~ peeking 70 peeling the church of Chrift as it exifled in the world, before the law was given on Mount Si- -nai, but t his would protract thefe difcourfes to an undue length. It will, -therefore, only be obferved. That the defign of God, in the call of Abraham, as has be?n mentioned before, was, to preferve, and continue in his church, that fame religion by which his character was formed. That his character was to be a pat- tern, and ilandard, to every one of his e.d in their generations, fo far as he was a believer, and a friend ot God. A character, which had exifted, always., in the church ; and was to ex- iit forever. That Jefus Chrift has had, and always will have a church, in all ages, is a given point among Chriflians. The promifes God hath made refpedting the perpituhy ot -the church, are fufficient evidence it fhall, at no time, be •xtincl. Taking this fcr. granted, our atten- tion, without any more, preliminary obferva- tions, will be turned to the proportion under jour immediate confideration . *It is this. A compliance with the precepts of the ceremonial law, was not effentially neceffary to the exiftence of religion % and ths church, under the Old Tejiament At mount binai the ceremonial law was giv- en. That the tribes of Ifrael were now under obligation to do all that God required, is ad- mitted. But in reading their hiitory, we find after the fecond year from their going out of Egypt, no mention vaS$ made of their keeping the patfover, until th y were come into the land ot Canaan. For the fpace ot about thir- ty-eight years, this ordinance was omitted : and fo were other parts of the ceremonial law, While they were travelling in the wilder nefs, as appeals 7 s appears from what G»»d favs hy the prophet. * //,/ ' ?n( ! ltn . derany circumftances, it the / ' r> # M ^ for, we, ana be tbWperfaa. A ^ mpUefJ with . But this will doubtbfs A f/uf bv ; , Vav of objection, hy the Bapti / (s . tt Th; / prutnir , 3 made to Abraham, and / h - ls ;]r tc d f refpeft prin- cipally, temporal thin A ^ .^^ ^ try: and tins is evm £; ^ . he ^^ ^ national, under ^ / Gi d Tellarnent, and tHt rcaj h I ! N,was ft^Ajt o\ n ert ot v he?: was pfoni fed, and to ciiality - , ' , ., . i } perions for church- men ber- I. To this ' . .. , T . , . o ^ is replied : I* is not ken, ncr <1o the Jsar ,, r ^, , . , , l ft? veil us w! v G d may not, i p!eak, cor . { iep f tn a way ot covenant, Of pmrr- of I hi-, if i >••;?, upon po^d p °pl ', Ijra6h r is r -ally h ')\ a s on v e ked fr;liofe character is totally f\.iv' It H tlicre tern: wbnfc people 74 there would be a degree of impropriety for God 10 conducl in fuch a manner the Baptifts would gain fome ftrength to their caufe, it they would fhow wherein the impropriety confifted. 2. In the infant (fate of the church, that the promifes of outward profperity, and great na- tional happinefs, are many, is admitted. But that thefe promifes are an evidence that the thurch under the Old Teftamcnt, was an un- My, and therefore a civil or national church, is 'enitd. For if this be admitted, the confe- queice is, the church in the militnium will be o.nly>\ civil, or national church. For all who tre lotVjng forward to that glorious (late of the church, expeel, and fully believe, that it will enjoy temporal profperity, and outward bappi- ntis, to a v^r greater degree, than ever it did before. Bu this idea will be adverted to in a- nother place. 3. Tiieprobifes which God made, to Jfrael of a fpiritual na«; re admitting they are not fo numerous yet in h e ir kind they far exceed eve- ry thing ot a temporal nature, which lies in the promiies. O what . promife this is ! * I will be a God to thee and ^yfeed after thee. How much it contains 1 this declaration alfo jj / am the Lord thy God 1 which frequently occurs. Kow } are all the promts, which God made to the children of Ifrael, rtfpeclirg the land of Canaan, and outward glor ;, profperity and riappinefs, equal to one fuch promife ? certain- ly they are not. To have God|or our God, if pf more, infinitely more worthAihan to have the uriiverfe tor our portion, without an inter- eit in the divine love and favour.lt is admitied, there are promifes ot temporal bleflSngs made to ihe Old Teitament church, and they a»e ma- *Gen, 17. 7, jj Exod. 20. 2> uy, and great, but this, does not, in the lea* prove that church was national, and that God did not enjoin on his people a religion, holy & pure : and that a religion, of that kind was not neceifaryjin order to the exigence of the church but it is evidence this was in fad the cafe. That God had refpecf. to h-art religion, in all his pre- cepts, and in all his promifes. There is failure fome where ; either the na- tion of I frael have not conduced as God re- quired, or elfe, if they did, God hus not been faithful to. accomplifh his promifes. Blame muff, and will fall on them or on God. Divine threatnings denounced againft that people, and promifes made to them, will no doubt, be, exadly, accomplished. God de- nounced, very fore, and awful judgments a- gainft the Israelites, if they did nc :? love him, and keep his commandments, and fratutes. And he promifed them great profperity, and the enjoyment of the belt bieffings, and pri- vileges, if they loved him and kept his com- mandments, and Jlat ate s y and judgments* On thefe obfervations we have enlarged, in fome former pages, when we read their "hiftory, we find divine threatenings have been, executed. The Jews have been, in many inffances, and they are at this time, overwhelmed with cala- mities, very diftinguifhintrin their nature. The hiftoryot no nauo.i records fuch amazing dif- plays of Divine wrath as have been made againft them. The divine difpleafure againft them it vulble, to this day, where ever They are. In the calamities with which they have groaned, ia one age and another, and in every country vrherc they have lived, are feen the full and ex- 7d promifej to do for them, all the good he promiftd to bellow on them, has lipt been e;.)oved. But vviiy,- it is allied, hava not promifes been as fully, and completely ac- cempllihecl, as fjhreateaings ? Their fin and Wtckedntfs ilood in the way. God could not perform his promifes, and conduct confidently, becaufe they had not obeyed his precepts. God, it is believed, will yet do that for bis ancient covenant people, in v»hLh the vvhot; world will fee,, as fail and comp'eie an accomplishment of the divine promillg, 25 there has been of tV.ts divinethreute-nings. Oi this, a view will La taken in another place. The bipiitts will object to this, perhaps, am! fay, 4t That the promifes, to Abraham and his feed, have ha I a full accomplhh me..t ; tor JoifiU 1 pa-vs * Y"e k>i :vj in all yvir heirt y and it all y mr/ouh that not o»e thing h'.th failed \ of all the good things which the LO \D your G>,d, fpuke concerni z* y&u : all ire cane in pafs^. a-iJ not one thing hath jailed there J ." Th;3 is c<.ct itn y to b UiwJeritood in a qua- lift • I h-nfe. and not according to the ftrengtli an l latitude of the exprcdi >n's. Fdi if we turn to 'he £rfl chapter of ens bosk of Judges, *z *J«f. ft. 14. 77 and that lome cf the (even devoted nations were not tullv conquered. And af'er this, tht/ frequently mafic head againit the Ifraelites, and gave them much trouble. There was an ac- compli (h men t of the divine prorniUs, but i i part only : God had begun to fulfil his prom I • Its to Abraham, and his feed as he had fpoks^ they were delivered from Egypt, conducted thro' the wildernefs, and had taken pu Hellion oi Canaan as was promifed. There was, there- fore, an accompli ftiment fo far, as was already done, but not a full and complete accomplilh- xnertt ; for many things remained, yet to be d me. A few particulars will be fpecined. 1. The promifes to Abraham refpccling the Biimero::f:iefs of his feed had not then,, no? have I hey yet been fully accomplished* G )>i fa\ s to him, jj I will make thy feed as ths 4 uft of the earth. Attain t Look now [award's heaven, and tell tbeftars if thou be able to nm- her tbeui ; and he f aid unto him fo [bail thy fee i he. Another promile is the following. J / w 11 multiply thy feed as the ft< rs of heave /?, and as the fand which is upon thefeajhore. Balaam under an imprefs of divine power delivers ma- ny interesting prophecies concerning them, ar.-i one refpe<9fci nej their -vail numbers He e:<- claims. § Who can count the duft efJatS, and the number of the fourth part of if rati. 2. The pro-rdfes reflecting the peace, ?x \ fuiety ot Ifrael, appear not to have had zn ac- compli tbment, in 'nil. ' The lira litts fornefimes had peacr, and fornetinus war : they were Comet ink's vicari- ous, but at otheT times, were cor que i .J and b;oig!u under ihe power ot their eiJftjiks. So H 3 rUt $ AfJlf, 27 IG. 7 8 that ft is evident they have nM enjoyed th« peace implied in the promifes, fome of which have been mentioned. This is intimated where the prophet fays f Q that thou (IJrael) had® hearkened to my commandments, then had thy feace been as a river, flowing on uninterruptedly^ and thy righteoujnejs as the waves of the jea - v hearing down ail oppojition. %* All the territory included in the promifes made to Abraham and his pofterity, have not yef been inhabited bv them. The promifed territory extended from the river of Egypt 'to the river Euphrates, and there- fore included a vait trail of land ^ and *s hai been obferved, all by promife g,iven to Abra- ham, and his feed : whirh yet they hav? not inhabited. If as is fuppofed by fome, mod, if not all the nations inhabiting thefe lands, w r ere under the dominion, and tributary to Ifrael, in the reign of David and Solomon ; yet this does r.ot, it is thought, come up fully, to the import and defign of the promife. Mofes referring to the promife, fays, •' Every place wherein the Joles of 'your feet Jh all tread, fhall be yours ;from the wider nefs and Lebanon : from the river the river Euphrates \ even unto the uttermojlfea fhall your coaji be. 4. The profperiry, and happinefs enjoyed by the children of Ifrael, appears, at no time, to be fo great as was promifed. In the reign of Solomon, the glory, and fplendorof the nation rofe to its height, at na period, before or after, were the Israelites f<* nappy or great, and famous. Yet if a compa- nion be made between their then happy and fplendid circumftances, and the promifes God made to them, it wiii be found, they are ac- compUfnci f Ifai. 48. 18c • Dent, II. t^ I 79 ♦ompUfliec! but in part. They never nave bee* fo rich, and happy, a-;d great as the promifel imported they lhould be. 5. In Ihewing t rraf the promifes which God made to Ilrael, have not had their Hili ac- CompliuVncTif, many moie fnftahces might be adduced ; only one, however will be men- tioned. It is this. The time in which they were to enjoy the land of Canaan, and pro- mifed bl . 3 (fings, and privileges. It is plain by the reprefentation made in the bible that they-were to enjoy Canaan and all which God prom"fed,fo long as time (h >uld lafl : temporal bleflings in time, and fpiritual, in their fruits, thro' eternity. For with Abra- ham God made an everlaltin^ covenant. That there has been an exacl accompUu'i- ment ot divine threa'enings is mar.tfeft ; but not fo in regard to promifes : and the reafon is, their wickednefs prevented the difplay of divine goodnefs in an accomplishment of promifes ; end it laid them open to an execution of divine ihreatenings. For the divine conduit, towards his people there were, certainly, reafons well founded. And the particular reafon, the divine threaten- ings were executed, and promifes were not ac- complished, is, fay the Baptifts, " they neglect- ed the duties enjoined oi them in the ceremo- nial law : for they were to hold, and enjoy what God promifed, if they were obedient to that law, but their npglccl, and difohedience, would amount to a forfeiture of promifed blef- fings. Much has been faid to {hew, that this Cen- timeni is not founded on fcripture, and that an obfervanceof the ceremonial law was not the condition of enjoying what G?d promifrd the children 9o children of* I Trie! : bin another cafe will nev* be adverted to. In the hifr.ofy of the church under the OlJ Tc.tament, there are accounts ol fcveral revi- vals of religion. One in Samuel's time J It is faid, * /'// the houje of Ij'rael lamented after the LORD. So in the r iyn ot (bnjc or the good kin 14s of Jtnfoh ; as-in t-h •* reign or Afa, and Joalh, ana Heztkiah, and Jofiah. Ths fame effedls were then vifsbh, which attend revivals in our day. People more generally at* tend the worihipof God : their minds are fo(- emnized ; their attention is awake ; So it was then, and fo it is now. The public wcrthip of God was ft t up, aid the people went unto ths temple, with tlitir offerings, and facrifioes, i;i vafi numbers. A id &s in lime, of awakening in our day, fome it is hffped become truly pi- ous ; yet it is to be teared many do not ; Fhe fame, no doubt, was the cS^ then. And as the church is now continued by thofe who be- come friendly to Chi iff ; fo it w as then. A d G >d Continued to blefs the whole nation, for the fake ot the pi ;us few. Wnat our Saviour fays concerning ">ne church was always true. |iV tire the fait of the earth. There may be a very great vifibie- •altera- tion in the chi.racler ot a people, when there is ■ofhing real, and interna!, fuch kind of out- ward religion is fb far trom bewig acceptable to God, that their hypocrifv is highly difpleaf- ing to Kim. In proof of this.,. let us fee w hat took place in the reign of Jofiah king of Ju- dah. He was an exceedingly good man, and very zealous in the cao-fe ot God, and religion; Manaifah his grandfather and Anion his fath- er were idolaters. Waen he came to tha throne * 1. Sam. f.$. Jl/«7. 5.13. Si ihrone the religious ftife of the nation was m a mod wretched poiture. He exerts hirnfelf, ft re nuo u fly, to effecl a reformation ; and a ve- ry t^rr at,viiible reformation was brought aboul« The Km^, and priefts, the Levitts, and peo- ple, all appear to i;o on with the ^reateit har- mony, in the great, and good work. Concern- ing the pafTover, which washolden in theei£;h- teenth year of Joliah's reian> it is Paid, \Surely there was not folders Juch a paffover\ from the days of the judges that judged If rati % nor in ali the days of the kings of 7/rael, nor of the kings of jfudub. Yet at trns very time, when the na- tion appeared ali alive in religion* if is faief, tNotwithflanding the LORD turned not from the fiercenefs of his great wrath , wherewith his anger was kindled again fi Judah t becauje of a li- the provocations that Manaffab hadprovoked hint withal. And .'he LOUD j'lid I will remove Judah out sf my fight s as I have removed I/rae/4 and I will caft off J;is city jfe rafale m t which £ have ch fen , ana the ho ye of which If aid. my name fhali- be there. In this representation w © fijid there is nor a connection between ceremo* nial religion, ami t|,e enjoyment ot promift.i blelfings. Ceremonial religion was, at .lis time, in a m dt fi » rilhing condition : bnt all did not avail to turn iw£y, or mitigate th"e fierce w rat rvoi God. F- t under the rtign of this pious kin/ ; and wht n the outward terms, and ceremonies oi this religion were attended in fucri a manner, a s to exceed i.i exrer al (how, and appearance, any thing, which hid take i pla< * under the judges, and ail the k; t-,s of J u.taa and Ifraei ; even now GrA onukes known his purpofe ot removing Judab out I 2. &tng§ id 22. 23. t i. Kings 23.26. 27, *ty.&ft{l 23.22.23. 82 •lit of Ms fight, and carting off Jerufalem.— This is a mytierioiis affair, wholly unaccount- able is the divine conduct, if, as the Baptifts fay, external conduct, in keeping the ceremo- nial law was all that qualified them to be the church of God. But up n the fentiment which is advocated in this little treatife, the divine conduct is eafilv vindicated : it is feen to be peHeclly confident ; for they had not heart religion : they had not that holinefs God re- quired. This idea is taken from the prophet, when fpeaking of what took place in the reign of Jofiah, he fays, \find yet for all this, her treacherous fifler Judah hath not turned unto me with all her heart, but feignedly, faith the LORD. They turned outwardiv, but not in- wardly, in their external conduct they turned to the LORD, but all was hypocritical, and falfe, and feigned. To humour their king, they went to Jerufalem, and kept the palTjver, but nottoferve the Lord : They turred, not with the whole hearty but feignedly, Wiiat is urged here is explained by another infpired penma^, in this manner ; t 'therefore the LORDfaid y For as much as this people draw near me with their mtuthy andwith their lips d$ honor me, but have removed their heart far from me y and their fear towards me is taught by the precept of men : Therefore behuldy J will proceed to. do a marvellous work amongfi this people; — for the wijdom of their wife men Jb all perifh* & the underjianding of their prudent men /hall be bid. Such was their hypociify, that no men, -or means could fave them ; they were deftitutt of that religion, which was neceffary to their fllvation from judgments. That the church under the O d Teftament difpenfatioa \7f real holinefs, was fufficient to fecure to it the enjoyment of promifed bleflings, appears, by obfervafion made under the inference to which we have now been attending, to be to- tally deftitute of fupport from tne word of God. And it is alfo evident, that an obfervance of Ihe inftitutcs of the ceremonial law, was not the condition of enjoying Canaan, and the great, and good things which were promifed. One more paflage of fcripture, only, will be laid before the mind of the reader, under this inference. It is this. * Wherewith Jhall I §ome before the LORD, and bow my/elf before the high Gad ? Jhall I come before him with burnt offerings, toith calves of a year old f Will 1 the LORD be pleafedwith thousands of rams •, or j with ten thoufands of rivers of oil ? /hall I give ! my firfi-bsrn for my tranfgreffion the fruit of m j body for the fin of my foul ? He hath /hewed thee, j O man, what is good : and what doth the LORD j require of thee y but to do juJUy and love mercy % j mnd to walk humbly with thy God ? Here it ia feen, that juftice, and mercy, and humility, are in the view of God, preferable to the moft | numerous, and cottly facrfices. Thoufands of rams, and ten thoufands of rivers of oil, do not jpleafe God, as doth the humble, mercitul, and j benevolent heart. ,4. From our fubjecl we learn, the reafon of the controverfy, which, at one time, and an- other, God hai with the children of Ifrael. I The ground of controverfy was, their difo- bedience. Not fo much on account of their [neglecting the duties enjoined by the ceremo- nial law i but efpecialSy on account of their neglecting W/V.6.6.7.I, H fc^forStfip Mv*i*al duties ; and being defttfote of maral virtue, nr real religion. The reafon God is an^rv with them, is fiated to he, their impeniteocy, and unbelief: the moral evil a- boundi&g among them, Jr we follow the Bi- ble- hiitory thro% as it refpecls the Jews we find this to be the cafe. Concerning that eenera'ion which came out of Eg'yp , as has been nbrerved, (JJod fa\s, *Yqm carctjes fhall fall in the 'wildertoejs. The rcif>n for is fervtence is, They murmured ; jnd Y bey rebelled againji the LO.tD the reafon afligned in the N-^\ Teftameni is rjtefo \Unhe» htf\ Nothi.ig'is /aid in their hiftory, 01 in the New Teftarrent, refpeB-ing l heir negUdl of ccrein-mia! inlliiute, as being the caufe of their fentence, aHno \\ he evident ibey were dilufed. But UNBELIEF is the neinous crime of which they w< n guilty, afed for which t! ev were doomed to di ■- in the \\ 'hi rnefs. When we r^an the h tok o| j dgts, we find the ifraelites, frequent!) , in verv greaj dijtr. fs. Their enemies are let lo f- Upon :iv. .... Some are kilUd, fome are carried captive ; the coun- try is plundered* and they are in fubj cVton to thole w ho hated therm N w it it be enqui- red, what is the controverfv jQod had with his people? The real >n is lilted \ ' efe w/>rds. i-7 hey did evil in the fight of the LORD - 7 hey fotj)ik the God 9J their fathers. And it is ob- fervahl ■, that 'he panicnlai kind ot wkkednefs of which they wtre fltuh'y, s fpecified. T ey are charged, not \\\ h a violation o\ (he cere- monial, hut the rsior 1 law. They ferved Ea- rl, and Afijt irolh. In a word, 'he* bcc. use i- c^ia'ers. \w s w s »h re tfon the anger of the L r r i w ixed hot againft Ffmel. * ^^14.32. '\H:&* 3.19. Jud.v.$. Ij'ud.i. S 5 Thi fame reprefentation of the cafe is made frequently, under the reign of their kings* The observations ab >ve are clearly in pomt. — The anger of the LORD was kindled againft his people ; judgments and calamities were fent on tltm : thereafon affigned is, they had fumed again/} the LORD; this is frequently mentioned. In regard, particularly, to the deMrudUcn of jerufalem by Nebuchadnezzar, the reafon that fore calamity was fent on the naiion is ft a ltd in thefe words, %And the LORD God $f their fathers Jen t to them by his meffengers, ri- sing up by times, and fending ; lecauje he hud companion on his people, and on his dwelling place : But they mocked the tmfjengers of God s end defpijed his words, and mJ/ufed bis prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arofe againfl his people, till there was no remedy. The follow- ing text ihevvs how they defpifed God's word, when they faid, *As for the word that thru baft fp:ken unto us in the name of the LORD, we will no! hearken unto thee. But we will certainly d$ whatj never thing goeth forth out of our own . mouth, to burn incenfe unto the queen of htaven y and to psur out drink offerings u ■•■it o her. How they mocked, and miiufed the prophets, and o- ther good people, the apofile tells us when he fays, \dnd others had trial of cruel mockings, if Jcourgings. yea moreover of bonil's, and imprfon- me ut. They were floyied, they wert 'fawn aj un- der, were tempted \ were fiain with the [word: they wandered about in Sheep Jkins, and Gvat- fkirts, being deftitute* dfflicled, tormented : (of whom the World was not worthy J they wan ie red in deferis, and in mountains, and in dens, and 1 caves %iChri.^(>. 15,15 *Jer. 44,16.17= \Heb,ii.ifi* 86 caves sf the earth. By fuch high-handed wick- tdnefs, they filled the meafure of their fin, and ripened themfelves for ruin. The prophet Jeremiah, in his affecting el- egy on the deftru&ion of Jerufalem by Nebu- chadnezzar, after giving a mod lively repre- fentation of the calamitous ftate of the nation ; affignsthe reafon of the controverfy God had wit h them . ^ For the multitude of her tranfgrpf- fionSy her children are gone into captivity before the enemy. Again he fays, i'Jerufalem hath grievoujly finned : therefore Is/he removed. He acknowledges, t The LORD is righteous, for I have rebelled a gat njl his commandment. In a* r.other«place he defcribe?, and in mournful lan- gau^e laments their wickednefs. *For the fins of her prophet s> and the iniquities of her priejls thai have fide d the blood of the jufl in the mlclfi of her. Thsy have wandered as blind men in the f teetSy they have polluted themfelves with blood, jo that men could not touch their garments. When we read the writings of the proph- ets, who lived, and prophecied under the reign of the kings of Judith, and Ifrael, we find they called, and directed, and exhorted kings and people, to tl>e duty of repentance : and they urge the duty with great warmth, and enga- gednefs, as a matter of the lad importance. — And it isobfervable, that the motives held out to their view, are, on the one hand, the cer- tainty that judgments, and calamities, would Ufce place, if they did not repent ; and on the other hand, judgments would certainly be a- vcrttd if they did repent. The people are ad- dfeflTec! by their prophets, fo frequently, in this manner, that a recital of part/culais would be to tranferibe, a great pcirt ot their writings. — T w o i£am.i-$iS. ttS. *Z*w 4.13.14, 8; T*vro paffages, only, wiil b^ mentioned. Thd following is one. \Tf ye he wiiiingy and obedi* ent> yc foall cat the gy$d sf the JunJ. B.ut if ye refoje, and rebel, ye /kail be deVtUred ■wit'" the /word ; for the mouth of the LORD hathjp>kl evil, attention. has been paid, to the Old Teftament, only, th« fcriptnres of the New Teitarnent will now be , .examined ; in which, the femimemt, it is thot', will find ample fupport, by the divine author of our holy religion. Jesus Chnli, when among the Jews, foaka many parables ; in which he taught them theif deitrnciion was near, and faft approaching : and that the ground ©f controversy betwepn them, and God, was their exceeding wicked- nefs. This, and this only, is the reason he wag about to fend fiich awful judgments on them. They may be called prophetic parables, becai)fr r tr ages, was evidently,, the deftgn oi G;d in calling Abraham. Accordingly we find this direction is given w him, Walk be/on me, and be thou perjeft : which was to be a rule of conduct not for himfelr only, but alfo for hi* feed. And by this command, he ix his poftcritv, were, in all their generation?, bounden to the practice of moral virtue or real holinefs. This, it is bel : eved,has btcn made fufficiently evident, from the fori ptures, both of the O'ci Teftamenr, anil New, Whoever, therefore, denies it mud reject, as ufeltfs, a large portion of the I ib'e, 3. Ho li ness always was, and always will be, the diftinguifhedcharaclenftic of the church. Holiness, only, is that by which the t\ nrch is diftinguifhed from the world. It the members of the church, be totally deftitute o( holinefs. There is nothing in their character fcy which they differ, r^allv, irom the members of any other fociety ; fo that on the fuppofiiion, there is no real difference between the church of Ciinff, and any other combination ot men. ji exirts in name, only. Nothing but the name diflingBi flies the kingdom of Ghfift, from the kingdom of Satan. For the efftntial difference of character, among intelligent creatures con- fines in i\ 1, and holinefs. There are but two Characters, and there are but twe kingdoms in the world : the kingdom of God,*Bd oi Satan : {Mid the fe eflent tally diftinel tn?m each otber. Tii' 1 ten per prev ilent in the fubjecls of tiiefe tv\ k. ; .l ) 1 s. is eifjniully different ; an i pointedly oppuiwd to each other. The difpoTi-. "tion 5T3 tfon of heart prevailing among tnofe who b«* long to the kingdom of Chriif, is LOVE. But the difpoittion of heart prevailing anions th«»fe who belong to fatan's kingdom, is ENMITY. Concerning thefe the apoftle favs * Ihcy are notfubjecfto the law$cf God, neither indeed can be. To fay, therefore, as t ie B pults do,*'that the church under the Okl Teitament Was un- holy, and that God did not require holinefs of heart as a term of church membeimVp," is the fame as faying that that church was Satin's— his vifiblc kingdom fet up in this,, werld by the fptcul appointment of God. Ornamented, however by 1 is particular direction, with fome gorgeous rites, and external ceremonies, and modes of worfhip to which if they a" tended with punctuality, God would own them for * is church, grant them h $ prcfence, .give them Ci- najn, beftow on them very^ great profperity,an* happinefs, and far • i :r blclfiiigs, and bet- ter privileges, than was ever- enjoyed by any other people in the world : and all thefe to bd enjoyed by them FOREVER ; for this is the promife to Abraham, and his fced, as has been obferved. All thefe excellent things were their* by the fpecial promife of God while at the fame time they belonged to the kingdom of Satan ; he had full dominion over their whole fouls, 6c t h e y wc re led captive by blm at bis u ill. W h a te- ther, can be more reproachful to the holy one of Ifracl, than to (ay, his church was unholy,. and God did not require holinefs as a term of church-member- f hip ? what fentirnent can be advanced fo pointedly contrary to the Old Tel- lament, and New r* it is faid, flh/inefs be- ccmeth thine fjQufe, O Lor d % forever. To cele- brate the gieatnefs, and holinefs of ChriitY *R**, 8.7. iPfah 93. 5. kic^donfr, 94 , kingdom, is the defign ot this Pfalm. For by houfe is meant the church. Thus the Apoftle fays to Timothy, J That thou may eft know how thou oughteft to behave thyfelf in (he houje if God, which is the church of the living God. So again* iMofes was faithful in all his houje. He man- aged the affairs or the church faithfully. The meaning oi the pfalmifr, therefore, is, HOLI- NESS becomes God's church forever. HOLI- NESS, it hence appears, was the diftinguidaing character': (tic of the church, under the Old Tertament difpenuuon : fd it is under the New. This will now be taken for granted : the church, therefore, is holy in time, & holy in eternity. The character of the church, it is hence evident, is ever the fa.ne ; and therefore the church is the fame. 3. Qualifications for church-member- (hip being always the fame, is evidence that the church is the fame. That die wicked mould be members of tbe church, under the Old Teftament uifpen- fation, was not agreeable to the mind ot G d. \But unto the wicked GW faith y what haft thou ti do to declare my ft Jktes % or that thou Jhouldft take my covenant into thy mouth P feeing thou. hat eft inftruclion, and cftejt my words behind thee. The wicked, as inch, t u^hi not to takt God's covenant into their mouth ; they ought not to be members of his church. But, contrary to this, the Jews did admit the wicked, who Were ttn-ircumejed in heart, as well as in licih, |0 communicate ai the altar, tor which they are bla md. And G >1 te.ls them expufflv, §## jtranger uncirenmajtd in hearty nor vn.inumci- jed in flejh jh all enter into my jancluary. They did I i I'm. 3. 15. t Htb. 3. 2. iPfai:$.l6.if> §£^.44.6.7.8.9. 95 ilid ac*mit them, snd tor admitting them they are blamed. Bat it may be faid, Grangers, on- ly, are here mentioned. Very true. But what lays God to them. *Onr law Jh all le to him that is home-born, and unto th; /hanger that fo- jourmth among you. Heart circumcifton was required, of Ifraelltes, and others, in order to offer their Sacrifices, and communicate at God's altar. Tmose who believe that holinefs, or grace is a ntcefiary qualification for church-member- fhip, and pradVce upon the fentiment, aim to have it exprefFed, diftinclly, in the covenant mad? ufe of, when members are admitted into the church. In the covenant tranfaclion be- tween God, and Ifraei in the plains of Moab, When they renewed covenant with God, the fentiment is clearly, and repeatedly, expretfed. | This day the LORD thy God hath commanded thee to do tkefe Jlatates, and judgments : thou /halt the refore, keep and do them ivith all thine heart) and with all thy foul. Thou hajl avouched the LORD this day to be thy God, and to walk in his way St and to keep bisjlatutes, and his com- mandments, and his judgments, and to hearken, tint? his voice. And the LORD hath avouched thee this day to he his peculiar people, as he hath promifed thee, and that thou jhouldfl keep all hit commandments : and to make thee high above all nations which he hath made, in name, and in praife, and in honor, and that thou mayeft be an holy people unto the Lord thy God, as he hathfpo* ben. Again it is written. iTe /land this da} all of you before the Lord yaur God; your cap- tains of your tribes, your elders, and your officers, with *Exod. 1 2.4.9.13 Lev. 24.22. \Deut. 26. 16. 17.18. 9. iDeut. 29 . 1 0. 1 1 . 1 2. 1 3. fee alfo 'fpfi. 24. 14 Iq 25. 96 miith all fhe men of lfrael. Your Vittle oner, y»ui wives , and thy Jlrangir that is in thy camp, from the hewer of thy wood, unto the drawer of thy xuater ; That thou fhouldjl enter into covenant with the Lord thy God, and into his oath, which the Lord thy God muketb, with thee this day, That he may ejlablifh thee to-day for a people untt himfelf, and thai he may be unto thee a God, as he hath faid unto thee* and as he hathfivorn un- to thy fathers, to Abraham, to IJaac, and to Ja- cob* When wereadthefe paiTagcs of fcripiure they (hew us the fenfe Mofes, and the people had of covenanting. They fell the tranis&ion to be folemn ; becaufe they were now dedica- ting themfelves to God by a covenant tranftc- -tion, in a public manner. In all this buiinefs they bind themfelves to live an holy life, as ex- prefily as words can, and devote theinfeives, Yolunrarily to the fervice o* an hol\ God. And this generation was remarkably religious. — - More is faid to their praife, anrHefs to their difpraife, than of any other ^ereratioo^ from their deliverance out of Egypt, until they were ddfroyed by the Romans. fneir pious difpo- fition appears not only in the covenant tranfac- ticn jaft mentioned, but alfo by their determin- ed resolution to cleave to God, and continue faithful to his caufe, and in his fervice. *G:d forbid that wt fhonld forfake the LORD.— Therefore will we afjoftrve the LOUD, for he is out God. — A>/y, but ive LP ILL Jerve the lOk&.—fhe Lord our God WILLweprve, end his voice tf ILL we obey. It is alfo faid, | Jjraelfervcd the LORD all the days tfjofhua, and all th'e days of /he elders thai outlived Jojh- ua. But, when all that generation was dead, at.d *^;/&.24.l6. and \%. ani 21. and 2|. \Jud, p7.10.il.i2.i3. . 97 •W tnother generation arofe y after them, They forfook the Lord God of their fathers, and fer- ved Baal and Afhtaroih. God, by the prophet, fpeaks in terms of high approbation, of the piety, and religious character of that generation, which covenanted with him in the plains of Moab. iThtfS faith the LORDy I remember thee, the hndnefs of thy youth , the love of thine efpoiifals, when thou tuenteji after me in the zvildernefs — Jfrael was holinefs unto the Lord and the frft jruiis of his increafe. By thefe obfervaticn?, and fcripture declara- tions is feen what character thofe njiift Curtain who covenant with God, and belong to hif church. Of, all fuch,an holy character wasrequ:^ red ; and none but luch had a right totuhe God's covenant into their mouth. They mvji have repent- ance toward God, and faith toward our Lord jfefus Chrifiy rn order to be fubjects, meet for church-memberihip. It was nor a lineal def- cent from Abraham, that gave them a right to a place in the church, but they muft be fpirhu- aliy ci-renmcifed, or regenerated. Saith St. Paul, \Hc is not a Jew, which is one outward!y 9 neither is that circumcijion which is outward in. the fie fh : But he is a Jew which is one inward- ly, and ci/cumc'fion is that of tie heart, in the Jfpirit, and not in the letter, whofe praife is not of men, but ef God. Under the gofpel difper.fation, we find the • pottle.* of our Lord Jeius Chril>, previoufly to admitting Jews or Gentiles into the church, required ot them a profeifion of their fai: •<. *Lj thru believejl with alUhine heart, fays Phil- ip to tht Etirtiich, thm maycfl be baptized, the fame qualifications it hence appears, were re- K quiiite ijer.2.23. + A\^.2 28,29 *Acl. 8. 37. ^uifite to be meet members of the church un- der the Old Teftament, which are required under the New. But the Baptifts may here object and fay, *< God required all the Ifraelites to circumcife their children : and all were required to keep the paiTover ; and bring their offerings, and facrifices to his altar : but there is no evidence they were all pious, and holy.'* In reply to this, it is, in the (ml place, gran- ted, that God did require them to circumcife their children ; and eat the paflbver ; and bring their facrifices to his altar. Thtfe things were required ot all the Ifiaelites. But i.Gud required that all this fhould be done in the exercife of an holy temper of heart ; and if it were not fo done, all they did was an a- bonnination unto the Lord. As has been made evident, not by the waiter, but by God's own declaration. j| 3. Cur fentiments concerning right, and Wrong ir; all matters which refpecl religion, inn ft be formed, not by the opinion ot any man, or number of men, but by the mind of God exprefled in his word. It was right for an If- raelite to be circumcifed, and to eat the pallo- ver, and to offer facrifices ; but to do thefe things with an unfar.ctified heart, was not right, but totally wrong. And it was no more right if all did it, than if only one, or two did it. Some churches, at this time, practice the halfway covenant, (fo called) does their uniting in that mode of practice make it right r cer- tainly not. Some churches believe that grace or holinefs is not a neceifary qualification for churchmemberlhip, and practice accordingly. But \U tl ' 1 W*l« t0 i5>andAmo* 2 J. 22. nnd Prov. 21.27. 99 But does their belief, and praflice evidence, fully, that it is not ? by no means. It wicked Ifraelites, as fuch, and known to be fuch, en- joyed the privileges of God's church, they en- joyed privileges, to which they had no claim, nor any warrant from the word of God : and thofe who admitted them were criminal for a breach of truft. For it was one part of the bufintfs of the priefrs to # put a difference be- tween bofy, and unholy t and between clean and unclean. For neglecl of duty in this point they "were reproved. $They have put no difference between the, holy, and profane neither have they Jljewed difference bei\vce7i the unclean, and the clean. Hence the degrn^racy of the church, as mentioned in the following verfes to the end of the chapter. They had no warrant, from any divine command, to circumcife the child of one who was vifibly unholy * they had no di- vine warrant, to accept an offering of fuch an one, and offer it on God's altar i nor had thofe who were vifibly unholy, and unclean in a moral fenfe, any right to eat the paflbven If perfons of fuch a character prefumed to do thefe things, their conduc"!: was an abomination in the fight cf God. The directions given by God to the Ifraeii;?s, are the rules by which we are to form our opinion of right and wrong, in thefe things, and not the mode of procedure they adopted. The covenant made ufe of by the Ifraelites in the plains of Moab, wricu has been men- tioned, was defigned, it is conceived, to be of conftant and perpetual ufe in that church. The people binding themfelves in a manner, fo fo- lemn, and devoting themfelves to God, and his fervice, it was fuppofed would be a ftrong bar- K 2. rbr * Lev. io. io. g, Ezek. 22. 20. . too Tier againft idolatry, arid all kinds of heart tvickednefs* Thefe are the exprtflions. \Lejl there Jhould he among you, man, or woman, of family, or tribe, whofe heart turneth away this day from the LORD our God, to go and jerve tht Gods of thefe nations, left there jhould be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood. 4. God held cc.mmunion with the church under the Old Teflament, To he does with rh« church under the New : which is evidence, thai the church is the fame, under both difpenfa* tions. The people of God, when they attend inflU tuted ordinances, agreeably to his appointment, exprefs their love, and evidence their friend- ship to Him, And when He affords them H\i prefence, agreeably to his promife, He then manifefls His graciors acceptance of them* This is the communion, or fellowship which exifts between God, and his church ; and be- tween Him, and every believer. This com- munion exifted between God, and his church under the Old Teftament. Evidence of this appears from many things faid by Mofes, and the prophets : but more plainly, and abundant- ly by what is faid in the book of Piaims, and in Solomon's fong. To each other, God, and the church, claim a mutual right, and projperrf/ "t-r. * My beloved is mine, and I am his. This agrees with what our Saviour fays. |) That they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they alfo may be one in us. Again.*;? In them, and thou in me that they may he perfeSi in one. Tois kmd of communion al- ways exifted between God, and his church. Ti»« a'pofUe fpeaking in the name ot all good peo- P U -\Deut. 29. 18. to 28 vtrje. • Song. 3U l$« |. Job. 17. 21. and 23. 101 rle faYS, t. And truly our felUwMf is uilb tcjt^andwUhhisfon Jefus Chrift And it always will exift, for to the church, /ejus Chrifl is the fame ycfterday, to day and forever. The church, then,' is the fame, in every age. But here it may be obferved til***" B*P" tifts fay, -the church under the O ^(lament yras unholy," and Go I, notwithftanding, had communion with it; then. \Ltght has communj ion with darhiefO and Chrifl hds c* ncord with Satan. And righteoufnefs has felhwpp with unrhhteoufnefs. \ , . . cf The charter by which the church is in- corporated, and holds all its privileges, and bleffings, is the covenant of grace : and tots is the fame in every age, and thereiore, is the church the fame. If there were a covenant in exigence, be- tween God and his church, from the creation until the gofpel difpenfatipn was fet up, after our Saviour's refurrefUon, it could not be the covenant of works, Upon man's apoftacy, that covenant ceafed, immediately. Being violated, it could pot g*ve life. Stnlefs, peneS, and perfevering obedience, and no\ faith, wasthe condition of that covenant. But,/^ in a mediator, if credit be given to the Bible, was thedifVin^imingcharaaeriftic of good people under the Old Teftamenf, as clearly as it is under the New. This confidervion is, oMt- felf, fumV.ent to prove that the d.fpenfation under which the IfracUtes were,, was not a le- gal difpenfation* On what account was Abraham 10 famous in his day ? It wis on account of hfc faith,, How was it the elders obtained a good report, as is mentioned b; the appljle * It was byf^th. A*am & 3- l H& -/ Thr Stnat covenant cannot be the character by which the church was incorporated, and held its priviledges, and bleflings. If it were, then it will follow, that if at any time the cere- monial law be difufed, and fo long as it was, the church would be extincl, as has been ob- ferved. But this can never be. Among the thoufands of Ifrrel, Elijah thought he was the only one who had not foiTaken the true God. But he tells hirn, $ / have left me/even thoufand in Ifraely nil the knees which have not bowed untt- Baal, and every mouth which hath net kijfed him* Further. It has been fhewn, that God Hated, Dt- fpifed and Rejecled a[\ the Cervices, and worfhipr of the Ifraelites, although performed with e- ver Co much apparent exa&nefs, if dene in the excrcife of a wicked, and hypocritical temper of heart. Faith in Chrift therefore, was necef- fary in order to their acceptance with God. An cbfervance of the ceremonial law, ever fo long or with ever fo much Zeal, or ever fo exactly, would not alter the moral (late, or charades of an Ifraclite. Befides. C€/ih I f the ceremonial law were the chara£ler of the church of I frael, and by an cbfervance of Its precepts, in external Cervices, only, they were to hold, and enjoy promifed Weflings, it is not feen, how God could, confidently with hie ewn declarations, and promifes reject them from being his people when he did. For it is- a clear cafe, from what we find in the New Teflament, that, that kind of religion which Con fills in external forms, and modes of wor- ship was pracT.fed, generally, by the Jews, in the times of our Saytour^and his apoftles. Bit "he fays unto them by way of reproof, * Ye pa ft over | i King, rj. i$. H*uhix* 42* T0 3 fner Judgment, and the love of God. Moreover, The carnal ordinances, as the apoftle calU the inftitutes of the ceremonial law, were impo» fed until the time of reformation \ But the cove- nant by which the church under the Old Tefta- ment was incorporated, is an EVERLAST- ING COVENANT, t The Sinai covenant was temporary ; but the Abrahamic is everlajl~ ingt and is therefore, the covenant of grace. The Sinai covenant was to wax old, and vanijb azvay, but the Abrahamic is always NEW. What has alreadv been obferved may be a giin noticed : viz. That God required of the Ifraelites in order to their enjoying promifed ble flings, the fame kind of religion, which he required of them, or now requires of us, in or- der to the enjoyment of eternal life. The re* ligion enjoined on Gods people in the Oid Teftament, confifted in difimerefted love-in re- pentance, faith, and holy obedience. And- m order to the exiftence, of exercifes of this kind> fpiritual circumcifion, or regeneration was tie- ceflfary. To thefe ideas particular attention has been paid. And from them it appears evi- dent, that the covenant which was in opfrati-^ en under the Old Teftament, was the covenant of grace j and the church under that difpenfa- tion, was incorporated by that covenant : ani by it held al! lis privileges and bleiftngs. tf thtf duty be performed, the good promifed wouhi be enjoyed. It is, therefore., the fame cove- nant, which now exifts between God and hi* ; church, and by which it holds and enjoys it* privileges, and bteflthgs under the gofpe! ; and- i into which the jews will be gathered in Pom© fuiuro J Heb. o,. to. fjn. 17. 7. fee alfo 2 ■ Sdm>* ! *}-5 l Ohna. 16. *;. tjiu 29. 5. ani Jen I J2. 40. T04 future period! if they bide not JIM in un$eVwf\ But this will claim our particular attention in another place. There it will be expedient to anfwer an objection to which attention will be paid in the fucceeding difcourfe. A Careful Enquiry &c* Difcourfe IV. Gzn, XVII I PValk before me, and is thm f erf eel. Rom. XI 20. WELL 1 Becaufe of unbelief they were broken off. WITHOUT recapitulating the obfer^ ations previoufly made, attention will, now, be paid to the objections- hinted at> in the clofe of the preceding diicoorfe. " The Abrahamic covenant," lay the bap- tills, '* is not the covenant of grace, nor was the church under ihe Oid Teflament incorporated by it ; for Goc" by the prophet fays, * Behold t he- days come^ faith the LO'RD, that I will make a neio covenant with the biwfe of Ifrael, and with the houfe 9/ Judab ' Not according to the cove- nant that I made with their fathers, in the day ttia* that 1 199$ them by the hand to bring them tut of the land of Egypt, (which my covenant they brake , rnlt hough I was an hujhand unto them, faith the LORD.) But this Jh all be the covenant that I Miill male with the houfe of Ifrael. After thofe days faith the LORD, I will put my law in their in- ward parts, and write it in their hearts, and will be their God, and they fhall he my people, God, therefore, will make, with the houfe of Judah, and Ilrael, in fome future time, a cove-, nant diftinft, and really different, from th* Abrahamic." To fuch an oje&ion, this may be faid by Way of reply, mention is made in this paflaga* of fcripturc, of two covenants. One is called a new covenant, the other is the covenant God made with the Ifraelites at mount Sinai, when he took them hy the hand t$ bring them out $f the land of Egypt, But the covenant, which God fays he will make with Ju- dah, and Ifrael, in fome future day, being called NEW, the term, to the minds of lome, brings up a difficulty. " For in what fenfe," they afk, i( can it be called a new covenant ; if it was tftablifhed, fo long tince, with Abraham, and had been in exigence, and operation from that time ? " To fuch a query this reply may be made. It may be called a new l ->venant,\r\ reference to tha manner of its difpenfeiion ; being ratified by the blood, and a&ual fuflferings of Jefus Cnrift ; of which the bloody facrifices, off-red bv tha Ifrielites were typical. Being freed from all the many rites, and ceremonies, which were impofed on the Ifraelites under that difpenfati- on, the adminiftraton of the covenant puts ot% •Kteraaliy, or vifibly, ^uite & new for ai. Sa that !o6 th At, although the fpiritual acts of -worfhip be the fame under both teftaments, yet the exter- nal part of worfhip under the new is fo diffe- rent from that appointed by God under the Old ; the covenant may with propriety be called NEW, It may be called a new covenant, although it has been in operation, fo long time, under the Old Teflament ; ^ecaufe under the New there is a more full and clear mafcifeftation, of the character, and perfections, and govern- ment of God ; and of the perfon and character, the work, and offices of Jefus Chrift, than there Wat under the Old Teflament* Thatdifpen- faCiod was glorious, but not fo glorious as the gofpe) difpenfation. Siith the apoffcle J For even thai which was made glorious, had no glory in this refpcSf) by reafon of the glory that excel- Uth. Fir if that which is done away was glori- ous, much more that which remaineth is glori- ous. Again, Tk E gifts and graces of the holy Ghoft, are bellowed, on human kind, much more copiouf- ly under the New Teftamcnt difpenfation, than they were under the Old. Beftdes, It is a covenant which will never wax old, or be abo!ifhed$ but the Sinai covenant is abo!*» iihed and done away. Ii is, therefore, called a new covenant in the fame fenfe the precept Squiring LOVE, is called a new commandment* He who commanded the Ifraelites, faying, *Thou [halt love the Lord with all thy heart ; and, t ThouJhaU love thy neighbor as thyfelf s and told the young man, jjOtf thefe tvjo com- mandments hang all the law, and the prophets • does, notwithstanding, tell his drfciples, J A ne iv commandment I give unto you* Well, what is §2.C?;r.3oio.n. * Deut- 6. 5. t. Lev. 19. 18. |. #£*/. 22.40. $. Jok. 13 34. ,0 7 is this new commandment f It is this, That y» love one another. And the apolMe lays, §Tbit is the meffage that ye heard from the beginnings that we Jhould love one another. The law of love, is a mefjage we have heard from the begin- fling, and yet our Saviour calls it a new com- mnndment. The reafon is eafily feen, it is a law of perpetual obligation, but under the gof- pel, renewed, and enforced, more clearly, and abundantly, and with forne new motives, and reafons. So the Abrahamic covenant, which is the covenant of grace, although in exiltence, thoufands of years before, may wiih propriety be called a new covenant, when it fliafl be re- telved, as to the Ifraelites, and renewed with them, and they, again, gathered in the church of Cl.rift, under the operation or trie fame cov- enant of grace, which had eXtft^d in all forme* ages. The paffage of fcripture new under confid- eration, looks forward to events yet to taks place, and has reference, no doubr-j to the mil- lennium. By God, the Jews are new rejecl-.-d : brOjkenoff, fays the apoltie, for their unbelief They are not his people, nor is he their God, But this we know, by promifes, and prophe- cies, in both TeftameiKp, that they are to bs again, Kis people, aid He will be their God. When this (hall be, God Will make With therti this new covenant, The covenant on their part and on God's part wiil be renewed, Aereeabiy to that folerurt covenant tra:'faction which took place between God and Ifrael in the plains of Moab, not long before they entered the prorn- ifed land : they avouch- 2. to 6. H3 but the apoftle!s fcntimcnt is, the fame houfe is now (landing, which was then (landing. Another pafTage of fcripture is the follow- ing * In that day will I ralje" up the tabernacle of David, that is fallen, and clofe up the breach, es thereof, an I I will rnifs up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days If dd. In the p re- fence of theapoft!e3 and elders, met in council at Jirufalem upon bufiuefs which rt fpe£ted the church, James mentions thisprophefy i|and ap- plies it to the calling of the Gentiles into the church. T.ie tabernacle of David, by whtcbjs meant the church of Chriftys not new rn.v.l^but on ly repaired. The breaches clofed up, and the ru- ins railed up. And it may be remarked, the church under the gofpel, is built as in tbe days of old : Built on the fame plan, the church was, under the Old TefUment. It is therefore not a new church, but the fame which had been in exig- ence. In tint parable, in which our Saviour calls himfel! the fhepberd, and believers his fheep, he fays, t Other Jheep I have 9 ivhich are not of this fold : them aifo I muft bring,and they Jhall hear v>y voice ; and there Jhall be one fold, and one Jhop- herd. This has reference to the cailingotths Gentiles into the church, which is here called ChrifVs fold. The JevMfh fold is not pulled' down, but the Gentiles were to be gathered into it. And the re Jhall be cne fold, and one fnepherd. Chrifl's Iheep among the Geniiles were to be gathered into the Jewifh fold, Our Saviour when he applies the parable of the houiholder to the purpofe for winch he had fpok:en,it favs, % Therefore 1 fay unto you, the kingdom of G^d Jhall be taken from you, and given L 3. to * Amn 9. 11. \ Act. 15, 14. to 17- i: Joh. ic, 16. % Mat, 21, 43» H4 to a nation Bringing forth the fruit thereof. Tht kingdom of God, is a phrafe, ufed, frequently,in the New Teftament, and denotes, if not al- ways, yet very often, the church. of Chrift in this world. This is the fenfe in which it is here r. fed. Among the Jews was this kingdom of God\ and it was not to be deftroyed, but ta- ken from them, and given to others ; mean- ing the Gentiles. The kingdom of God, in which the Jews were, is the fame into which the Geniiies will be admitted. Attention will now be paid, to what St. Paul faid to the Ephefian chriftians. * When they were Gentiles, they were without Chrift, being aliens from the commonwealth of Ifrael,and J} rangers from the covenants of promife, having no hope and without God in the world. They were afar off horn GoJ, and the church, and falvati- on. Thus lamentable was their fituation. But the cafe of the Jews was very different. One apoftle obferves to them, j| Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers. Another obferves con- cerning them • t To whom pert at net h the adopti- on, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the fervice of God, and the promifes. . Now with this highly privileged people the Gentile f.^nverts were united, and fo became one body, or church with them : for the Jews were not yet broken off. For this u- nion a fru" lation was laid by the death of Chrift, and an actual participation, ofgofpel bleu*ihgs, and church privileges, was in confe- quence o\ believing on Chrift. For through him, fays the apoftle, we both (Jews and Gen- tiles) have an accefsby onefpirit unto the father. From fEj$.2.l2. to the end of the Chap. \Acl.^2^. tivswr.9.4. From all which the apoftle draws this confe- quence ; Noiv therefore ye (Gentiles) are no more Jlrangers, and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the faints, (the church or' G:>cl anions the If-, n-lites,) andofthe houfhold of God, And are built 4 upon the foundation of the apojiles, and prophet s,Je- fus Chriji himfelf being the chief 'corner fione. In whom all the building fitly framed together (.he Old, and New Teftament church united into one) groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord. By what the apoftle obferves in the above ci- ted paftage, his deft 4a evidently was to teach us, that the Gentiles are incorporared into the church witli the Jews, and, therefore, the church under the gofpei, is but a continuation of it under the Old Teftament. So that it is the fame in every age. To that paiFa^e of fcripture, in which the apoftle, by a metaphor, calls the church, an Olive tree* attention will now be paid. By Olive-tree, h meant the church. By that name God called it. || The Lord called thy name a green Olive-tree, fair, and of goodly fruit. For itatelinefs, and be:mty, and fragrancy, the church is compared to an Olive-tree. \Hi$ branches /hall fpread, and his beauty (Jjall be as the Olive tree, and his fmell as Lebanon. This is fpoken of the church under the Old Tefta- ment. The apoftle make? ufe of the fame meta- phor, and tells the Gentiles to whom he wrote, that fome of the branches of ihn Oiive tree were broken off ; and the Gentiles were grafted in amingfl their branches, which ftili remained, and Uj partook of the root and futnefs of the O/- ive-tree, with the Jews. Tiie old Olive- tree Was not plucked up by the roots, neither was it fRom.il. IJer.ii. i6. t/fc/l4$. Il6 ft cut down, and deftroyed, but fome branches are broken off", and the Gentiles who are called a wild Olive-tree are grafted in , where the Jews were broken off. The unbelief of thefe was the reafon they were broken off ; and the faith of thofgwxs the reafon they were grafted in. The old. Olive-tree is (landing, and re- ceives an acctflion of branches from among the Gentiles. This proves the famenefs of the church, under both difpenfations. The apoftle, after informing the Gentiles that they were incorporated into the feme church, in which the Jews were ; tells the Jews that they afo if they bide not ft ill in unbe- liefs (hall be grafted in. If a bapiiit, or any one clfe fliouidafk the apoftle into what flock they fhould be grafted he would anfwer, Into their ewn Olive-tree ; not another, but the fame from which they had been broken off. They will, when they embrace the gofpel, be gath- ered into the fame church, from which they are now, on account of their UNBELIEF, re- Jeaetf. From thefe fcripture prophecies, and decla- rations, evidence appears, fufheient to corvince candtd minds, that the church is the fame, un- der the Old, and New Teflament difpenfations. The church, which now is\ is the farrie which always was j and will be. 8. If the moral duties enjoined by G^d, on the Ifraelites, and the prom'Jes which He made to them, be compared with the character and (late of the Jews, and the church general- ly, in the millenium, in regard both to holt- nefs of life, and the enjoyment of profpe.ity, we fltdl dlfcover a fuiprifing famenefs. If we carefully attend to the divine precepts, and fee what chara&cr God required the I f- radttes ii7 raelites to fuftain ; and if we attend to the pro- mi fes made to them by God, and fee how great their privileges, and happinefs thould be, if their character fcorrjfponded with the divine precept* and compare thefe with the character or the Jews, and the happinefs they will enjoy ; and alfo what will be the ehate&er, and happinefi of the whole church of God, through the world, in the millennial •, it will appear* that the God of Abraham, when he fird fet up a vifible church in the world, adopted a plan, which he has been purfuing, upiformly, in every age ; and will purfue, until his vail defigns are all accom- plifhed, andtiine is fwallowed up in eternity,, From hence it will appear that God ever had, and ever will have, but one church, in time and eternity ; on earth, and in heaven. I. God required the Ifraelites to know, and underltahd his revealed will : and provided means to make them a knowing, and under- ft mding people, in fpiriiual, and divine things. To this purpofe is the following direction, *And thefe words which I command thee this day, flail be in thine heart. And thou (halt teach them diligently unto thy children, and /hall talk of them when thou Jitlejl in thine houfe ; and when thou lualkefl by the way, and when thou liejl down, and when thou rijejl up. And thou (halt bind them for a fign upon thine hand, and they /hall be as/rontlets betiveen thine eyes. And thou /halt write them upon the pofls of thy houfe , and on tby gates. In things divine, what a knowing people they would have been, had they thus needfully attended to the word of God. And they had not only Divine revelation to read, and ftudy, but God provided for them, other alTiilances, Foi * Deut. 6. 6. to 9. 1 1 8 For one whole tribe was fet apart by Him, if not wholly for the purpofe of inftrucling the people, yet this was a part of their office work. # 'a he priefis lips JhouJd keep knoivledge and they fhouldfeek the Lnv &t his mouth ; for he . is the mejfenger cf the LORD of ho/is. In the things Of God, and religion, the Israelites would have been a wife and under ft an ling people if They hid well improved the advantages God gave them. In the rrjlljeriiurn, knowledge will prevail, Vs(y exceedingly, among the Jews, and gener- ally, in the church. It is faid f And they fijall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother faying, knoiv ye the LORD ; for they jhall all knoiv me, from the le aft of ' themu r.t§ the great eft of them. The great degree of di- vine light, which in that time will be prevalent in the church,is renu-fented by thefe metaphor- ical ex preinons. f. The light of the moon fiall he as the light ofihtjut, and the light of the fun foall he [even fold as the light of the fever, days, in the day that the LORD hinieih up the breach tfhis people, and healeth the ftrohe of their wound* t> God required them to live in the exer- cife of benevolent a&e&ion \ or difinterefled l0V€, Love to God, and their neighbor was en- j of tiied on them. And this benevolent difpofi- tion was to be the governing fentiment oi their hearts, evzn in the wars they might carry on. This is God's direction % When thou comeft nigh unto a city tofightagaiv.fi it, then proclaim peace unto it. By this they were to manifelt a peacahle difpofition. If the befieged manileft- td the fame the city was r.ot to be deftroyed. If ftich *. Mat. 2. 7. S fir. 31. 34- +• V ai ' 3°- s6 - f. QeuU 20. 1 >. II. ii9 •fiich a difpofition were univcrfally prevalent, in God in this inltanf, required of the Ifraelites, peace would foon extend her empire over ill the World, This, in the milteniurn, will be the cafe. *The nations flail beat their /word's int'j plow- fiares, and their /pears into pruning hooks ; na- tion "(ball not lift up fuord again/} nation, neither fid il they learn war any more. Again, \rfnd my people /hall awe! I in a peaceable habitation, and injure dwellings, in quiet rejling places. This univerfal peace, among all nations, will be the fruit of that benevolent temper, which God of old required his people to exereife, 3. God required his people to be holy. II ALK before me and be thou perfecl. An holy character was required of every individual. They were to be an holy people to the Lord ; as has been obferved. In the millennium, HOLINESS will be prevalent, t Thy people aljo (hall be all right- etas. Again, %ln that day [hall the LORD de- fend the inhabitants of ' fervjalem, end he that is feeble among them at that day (hall be as David \ and the hou/e of David flail be as God y as the Angel of the. Lord before them. And it is faid. §All iniquity flo all flop her mouth. 4. God promifed the Ifraelites great outward glory, and profperity, fuch as no people ev- er before enjoyed : of which notice has been taken. In the millennium, the outward glory and profperity of the church will be exceedingly grc^t, f<> that nothing before ever equalled ir. God will remarkably blefs his people. $\They flail build hbu/es, and inhabit than ; and they flail fl/ai. 2. 4. \lfaif 32. i2.il/ai. 60. 21. %'Zaeh. 12. 8 §Pjfcl, io 7- 4 2 - % (/<"- 65-21, 120 Jh all plant vineyards, and eat the fruit o+ them. They will live in perfect fafety. *#They jhall fit every one under his vine, and under his fig tree, and have none to make them afraid A remark- able bluffing will attend the labor of the huf- bandman. ||||^'" the feed (hall be prof per on s ; the vine Jhall give her fruit, and the ground Jh ill give her increafe, and the heavens Jhall give their dew, and I will caufe the remnant of this people to poffefs all theje things. So again, *And it Jhall be to me a name of joy, a prarje, and an honor before all the nations of the earth, which Jhall hear all the good that I do unto them ; and they J))ull fear and tremble for all the goodncfs, and for all the profperity that I procure unto it. Great, indeed, was the glory, and happi- nefs, and outward profperity of the Ifraelites under the reign of Solomon : it was, however, but a very faint fhadow of the outward happi- mfs, and glory, and fplendor, of that nation, and the whole church, in the millennium. If the promifes of temporal bielTmgs, and a very great meafu re of out ward profperity, be an evidence, as the Baptifts fay it is, that the chujeh under the Old Teftament difpenfai ion, was civil, or political; it will hence follow that the church in the millennium will be civil or political. For, it is the cafe certainly, that ihofe paflages of fcripfure which fpeak of the church in its millennial (late, give unequivocal evidence, that men will then be, not only emi- nently holy, or pious, but they will alfo be eminently happy, and profperous ; and enjoy, abundantly, the bleiTings ot divine providence, far beyond any thing, which ever had been in this world. Few are the promifes God has made \ Micah. 4, 4.|| lath. 8. 12. *Jer. 33. 9. a If 9 31. 10. to 14. and Amos 9. 13. 19. 15. 121 made to his church, under the gofpel refpeclin^ natural gpod, and the enjoyment of Outward -profperitv, is the fenthrterK of fume ; bin by the palfages of (criptnre mentioned above, it appears the ftmiirent is not correal. The line of condudt purfued by people generally, in the millennium, will have a tendency to in- creafe their profperity, and happinefs, greatly. An.i great profperity and happinefsispromifed, 5.CJ •-> ! required his people to have gladnefs of heart, and to rejoice, abundantly. The joy 'hey are called to exercife is not a cart d ; but an holy joy in God. \Thou jhalt re] LORD. Again. \Be glad then, ye children of Ziorj, and rejoice in the LORD your God. And, J Their hearts Jhall rejoice in the LORD. The Millennium is reprefented as a feafon of ytry great joy, and rejoicing in the church. Tnat hare • time is thus defcribed by the pro- pi et. *The ranfomed of the Lord Jhall ravrn and come to Xion with flhgs^and everlfifiing joy upon their heads ; they jhall obtain joy and glad- nefsy and jorrow, and fighing jhall fiee away. So again, |. For ye Jhall go out with joy , and be led Jorth with peace, the mountain!: and the hills fb ill break jorth before you zvli'h finging, and all the trees oftbe fie Ids Jhall clap their hands. This alfo may be added, t Therefore with joy Jhall ye draw water out of the wells offalvcttj&n. From the ofofervafions which hive been made it appears, that th*; church which now./V, Lithe fame which exifted under the Old Teila- went : and the fa ne which will be in the mil- lennium. Thai the fame chara&er exi'ted in the? church, under the Old Tetfamcnt, which M now j| If at 41.16. rj-jel. 2.23. % Zach . r o 7 . *-ljau IS 10. I I fat. 55- 12. 1 Ijai. \2. 3. 122 now exifts, and always will, in time, and etef* nity. That there is a difference in character 'in different periods, is admitted, but the differ- ence confids not in kind but degree. A fucceed- in^age of the church does not aiTume a charac- ter really new, or eiTentially different from the preceding age : there is only an ir.creafe of knowledge, and holinefs. There has been, is now, and always will be a continual advance- ment, on the whole, in the character of the church. Till as fays the apodle, £ We all come in the unity of the 'faith , and of ike knowledge of the f on of God, unto a perfeel man, unto the mea- fure of the jiature of the fulnefs of ChrifL As- an infant ii it lives, isconftahtly advancing to- wards maturity, in manhood. To reprefent the increa r e of the church in numbers and ho- linefs, it is by our faviour compared to muftard- feed § and to leaven, ^ In regard to externals, th -re is a great diverfity in the flare of the church in different periods of time, but as to internals, meaning hereby, that which is fpiri- tual, holy and divine, it is the fame, in nature, different only in degree. Resting on the truth of divine revelati- on ; we have reafon to believe, that the Jews will in fome future day, be, again brought in- to covenant with God. He will own them for his people ; and they will own him for their God. * Afterwards (hall the children of If r a el return and feek the LORD their God, and David their king % and jhall fear the LORD and his good- nefs in the latter days.- By David is meant, in this text, J.fus Chrift ; for fo he is c Hod fundry limes in the Old Teiiarnent. ||.. When they + Eph, 4. 13. $ Mat. 13. 31. 32. % Mat 13. 33. *. Hof. 3. 5 |. Ezek. 34. 23 24. and Jen 30. 9. and 37. 24. 25. I2 3 they (hiWfeek the Lord, and David their* lingy fuch then will be their character, that God can con fiftentty, with his own declarations, accom- pli fh the promifes made to Abraham, and his feed, in their literal and full extent. For this, by the merry, and grace of God, they will be prepared. And then the promifes will be com- pletely, accomplished, which God made to A- b rah am, and his feed. DiViNE threatening*, have been, and now are executing en the Jews, in their full extent. The natural evils they have ftjffered are in confjqur,ce of the ' lefs of their cha- racter. And the promifes, it is believed, will alio be acccmplifiied in their full extent, when their character Qiall fc; far correfYoncl with the divine precepts, as that God car. confidently, with his truth and hoUnefs bePcovv on them all thof. blefiiogs which lie in the promifes. Some of which, it lias been obferv- ed, yet remain, under the holy, and wife gov- ernment of Gad, to bo accompli filed. Which wiil bee -..;:, when they (hall Seek the LORD their God and David their hing, in the latter days, A few of thofe promifes wiil be taken notice o': before we proceed : remembering as we go along, that they are promifes made to A- braham and his (scd. Being fitted by the grace of God, and fuf- taining fjch a character as he always required of them, as will be live ca'e in refc muicniMwif,, I. They Will, it is believed, return to the land of Canaan^ and poiTefs the whole territory, agreeably, to the extent of *he promife. All that extenfive tract of land lying be- tween the river of Egypt and Euphrates, was by promife ^iven to the feed of Abraham.! M 2 UrJ$ tGen. 15. i3. 124 Unto thy feed [ays God tj him, have I give# this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates. Bar all this terri- tory the children of Ifrafcl never did inhabit, yet the prornifeS, and prophecies in the Bible, do, it is conceived, give fufBcient evidence, to induce us to believe they wftl actually, pof- his, and inhabit al! thefe lands, as their fathers once did 3 part of them. That the Jews will be brought scrum into fhe land of C ?n3an iii due time and poifefs the whole country promifed to Abraham, and his feed, s few palfages of fcr.tptt»re vv ill be brought in proof, anil left without a comment, J he reader may, if he pieafe, examine their im- ppfrt. What M-ofes fakl will be nrft taken no- lice or. In ftr^ng terms he describes the dread- ful evils, an.! calamities Go.l would inflicl on the Ffraelites (or their wickec'mefs. In many expreflions, he (lares their p r efet:t filiation, as inrhe following words. * The LORD jhall Jcatter thee among all people , from the one end of the earth even unto the other- 'AH this would come on them far their vvickednefs. Mofes then mentions their repentance, and yielding to God that pure and holy obedience, with all their heart tk foul, which he always required of them. This is fo expreifed as eventually to look forbad to a time, & toev?ntF, yet future. | And it pal. c.:ra>- t- '"'/- v:hsn all iheje tlings ere erne upon thee, the btfjjing and the eurfe, which j have Jet before thee, and thou (halt call them to mind amang ail the nations whither the LORD thy God hajth driven thee , and fh alt return unto the LORD thy God, and/halt obey his voice ac- co'rding to all that I command thee this day, thou ZJthy children, with a li thine HEART X & with ail *' D:i:t. 23. 64. |]. Dent. 30. I. to 5. 12 5 ell thy SOUL. Here tfre fee that the Jews ffl the latter days y when they (hail feel the LORD and David their king) will form their charac- ter, agreeably, to the moral rules, and precepts given by M'jfes, in the infant ftate of the church, when it was firft formed. When the character of the nation, in the millennium, (hall be formed agreeably to the moral rules, or pre- cepts God gave them by Mofes, the declarati- on is, That 'then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity, and have companion upon thee and will return and gither thee from all the nations whither the LORD thy God hath fcatte red theeX Their prefent difperfed ftate is then menti ontd again : If any of them be driven cut unto the out- viofl parts of heaven. Then follows what God will do for them, thence will the LORDth God gather thee ^and from thence ivill he fetch thee. The place to which Go 1 will brin^ them is then fpeciM. AND THE LORD THY GOD WILL BRING THEE INTO THE LAND WHICH THY FATHERS POS- SESSED, AND THOU SHALT POS- SESS I T. .Theyihali poffefs the land which their fathers -poll, if -d, the land of Canaan ; this is the promife The prophet, fperking'con- cernin;^ the f^ed of Abraham, looks forward in his pr and fays, * I n thofe dayH the houfe of Jud-ih fh ill walk with the houfe, of Ifracl, end they jhalt come, together out of the land, of t Ft north, to tfce land / have given for an inherit tance unto your fathers. The time here refer- ed to is \'-m reiller.nium, \ hen i-.l\ nations I jnto the church, to the name of'ths LORD, In another place, ■ L i j s iris written jj ■ >' "ere a Ij 7/ gather ' M3 ' him * jer. 3. 17. 18. Ij Jer.$u J0.ix.i2. 125 hlm t and keep him as a Jhepherd doth his foci/ For the LORD hath redeemed Jacob and ran- Jomed him from the hand of him that isfronger than he. Therefore flail they come, and fin g in the height ofZion, and fall foiv together to the good- nefs of the LO LID— And they jball not farrow a-. 77 y mere at all. In abundance fcripture pafTagss might be adduced, in proof of the fenfirneot now under confutation. In the margin the reader is re- ferred to a few. t Few events it is thought, which are yet to be aCv;omp! sfheid, are predicted with more clearncf>, than the return of the Jews to the land of Canaan, when their character (hall correfpond with directions and laws God gave to them by Mufcs, refpeclang their moral con- cilia. 2. The promifes refpecling the numcroufnefs of the feed of Abraham and their great prof- perity, and aifo refpecling the extent of ter- ritory they were to poi]efs,will it is believed, have an accomplishment in full. How vaftly numerous Abraham's feed (hculd be, we hive feen in the prcmifes which God made tu him. When they (hall return to the land of Ganaan, in the latter days, they will in- creafe in number, vaftiy beyond what they were, at any former period. God favs concerning If- jar 1, * Te are net my people, Yet immediately is added, what ill al 1 be in the latter days, refpedt- ing thefr i'ncreafmg according to the promife. Yet the number f the children of Ijrael /hall be as the fund of the j ei, which cannot be meafured, nor numbered ; and it Jhuil come to p'f } that in the i.Ezck 37. 21. to the end—and chapt. 39. 23. Jy the e-ft--- and chapt. 23. 24. 25. 2,6. 'dc.^C * Hof. 1. 9, u, . t2 7 fbe PLACE where it wit fur! mto them, ye etrt ii'jt my people) there it /hall them, ye are the f.ns of the livi?; will then be more profperous, and numerous than ever* they had been. This is the promil :. •! And the LORD thy God, will bring the into the land which thy fathers pojj'ejft. d ', and thou jhalt pcffejjt it, and he will do thee good, C5 multiply thee M or* than thy fathers. So vailly will they increafe, and multiply, that the country where they onc« Jived, and from which they are nyw rejedled f which is called the land of their dfcn ruction cannot contain them. This is the reprtfenta- ti >n given by the prophet, t For thy ivafte, and thy defolate plates, and the lend of thy defirutlio'n /Jo, ill even new be too narrow for thee by re af on of the inhabitants, and they that /wallowed thee uf /hall be fir away. The children zuhich thou/hall have after thou haft Uft the other, /hall fay again in thine ears', the place is too Jir ait for me ; give place to me that I may live. The proftiifes ref- peding the p'ofperity, and happinefs of the children of Ifrael, will then be accomplifhedi Their rjoryt and fplendor will far outfhine any thing of the kind they had experienced. A* ha? been obferved. 3. They will then enjoy more peace, and fafe- ty, than ever before, at any time. Peace, although enjoyed by the Ifrael ireg at certain feafons, w.-.s interrupted by internal dilfenfions or foreign enemies. But the time will be, when the implements of war, will be formed into utenfils for hufbandry. Says the prophet, # They (hall beat their fwords into plow- Jhares, and their f^ears into pruning hooks ; nation /hall not lift ujrfword again/? nation neither/hall they learn war any more. But they /hall fe: eve- ry J. Deutt 30,5. t. (/rf/,49. 19.20. "Jmc.+i&j, 128 fy man under his vine, and under his fig -tret, and none (ball make than afraid. Envy, fpite, revenge, and ail the rough, and barbarous,, and crusl pa (lions of tfie human foul will be laid, and men will live in love, and peace, and har- mony. This is represented, bv metaphorical expretlions, in the following manner j| The wolf al Jo /hall dwell with the lamb, and the leop- ard jh dl lie down with the kid : and the calf, and the young lion, and the fat ling together, and a lit- tle child /ball lead them. And the cow, and the bear fhall feed, their young tnes fhall lie down to- gether : and the lien fhall eat flraw like the ox, And the fucking child fhall flay on the hole of the afp, if the Weaned child fhall put his hand on the cockatrice- den : They fhall not hurt, nor deflroy, in all my holy mountain. 4. These happy, and profperou^anc 1 glorious times are to be permanent, and the {tt<\ of A- braham will be no more cad off by God, nor rejected from the land of Canaan, but they will inherit it forever. The following are a few of the declarations of facred writ refpecling the permanent refi- d'en'ce of the jews in the land of Canaan, when they 111 ill return there, after their long difper- fion. i For the people fhall dwell in Zion, at fe- n>fdeut,THOU SHALT IVEEP SO MORE % Thou /halt no more he termed FORSAKEN ; neither fh ill thy land be termed DESOLATE $ Whereas thou baft been fb'rfaken, and hated, fo that no man went through thee, I' will make the an eternal excellency •, a joy of many generations. Thy people fhall be all righteous : the v> 7 tnher- iffkela, EVER. One paffage more vJill be mentioned. * Moreover I will mod • ■ c v 'na>;' ef Peace with them, it (hall be an everlajlina t || . If at n.t. to 9. t (fat • :o. 19. % Ifai. 6$. 4- § (/*'• 60. 1 j. and Xi. * Ezt'n]. 2,5. 129 Hani with them, and I will place them, and muh tlph them x and willfet my , inci mry in the midjl ef them FOR EVER MOKE. We have now feen what charac! r God requJ*. ret! hi? church to fuftain in its infancy, li v»hat prcrnifis were made to it. Thcr- v*as foch a defect in character, that the promifts were nor, arid are not yet accomplished. But in the mil- lennium, the Jews will a£t up to th> dh'in: re- quirements more fully, and then there will be a more full, and complete accornpttfhment of the divine promifes. They will form a char- acter, not by a different fyftem of moral rules, and precepts, but the very fame, which God delivered to Mofes, ana he to the people; It will no: he, therefore a new chancer, eflen- tially different, bur the feme which the church ol r Gou f ftained under the Old Teftanienfj bui advanced to a greater degree of perfection. Ther? God w;U bellow on ttiem »U thofe pri- vileges, and ble flings which lie in the proni- fes. For the enjoyment of thefe, by divine grace j they, wilt be prepared* \hi ihofe days, and in that tlftie y jaiih ihsL'rc' y thi imfuity of Ijr«el jhall he fought for, and thtrejhall h none, and the fins of Jndah, and they fk all not be found) for I will pardon them whom / rejervc. If, therefore, the character or the Jews, and the whole church of God ia *he n illennium, wfli be the fame, which GoU required bis peo- ple to fuftain, under the Oid Tcftameftt-, as is evidently the cafe, the confequence is, lh» church is the fame, in every age. From what has come into view under the laft inference refpe&ing the famenefs of the church under the Old Teftament, and New, the wiidom, power, and goodnefs of God, dif- pla) etl 1/^.50.20. T 3° played, in fefting up, and preferving, and con- dueling his church, from age to agej claim our thankful praife. For althpugr) it has been un- der different modes of externa! ad mini ft ration : and although it has been, ?:r:J yet will be, in cjifFerent ptrioaYof time, under very different circumftanGeSj it is not with . the church, the fame holy feciety, Xncoi noratsd (rur the Jame ^norai — ctefrtes ; always saving the Jame character : animated with' fhe fame fp;rit : c::ercifing xhefame temper living by the fame f^l.h : and di united to the J :'. The Jarr^z church, then; /ore. i.i tirne, and *e tern Uy* The difference there may be in character, at different times, ir, £S before I, not in lina\ but degree* By Salmon this idea is ex- prcfVed. ^But the path of the ju'l is as ihe ftA- ning tight, that Jhineih nore and t.iore unto the perfect daw As it is with a particular believer, fo it is with the church : p'rogreftibg towards per feci ion. To 6m lies, more we will attend befors we pafj to another inference. T t is this. ■By what way Jefus Chrift will ever have gn hc.dy church on earth, < r in heaven, is not feen, if, as the BaptUts faj , the church under the Old Te (lament was an unholy church, end nothing more then a civil, cr political combi- ifperfoos. If:! : h-- really the cafe, cues u.s thr^t tne Gcn?tk* I into the Oid Teftament church before the Jews were rejected ; and that the Jews will again be grafted into the fame Olive- tree, from which they are now, tor their unbe- lief, broken off,' The confequence is, the church then will be unholy. It, therefore, G*v>d fet up an unholy church uader the Old Teftament *Pro.4 18. f 3 ! Teftamenr, he continues it, (till unholy under the New. For men, in fucceedihg genera- tions, are not incorporated into a new church, but into one which already had exiftence. If, then, this fentiment of the baptifts, be correc-i, God has not yet had, nor will he ever have, an holy church on earth; or in heaven. The fentiment* if tn:e, goes tar towards proving u- niverfal on. 9. From the fubjett before us -ve learn, that the church under the Old Teftament was not a type of the church under the New. "Ceremonial holinefs," fay the baptifts, "was all that was required of the Israelites in order to constitute them members of the church ; and lhatkind of hciir:cf>, being typ- ical or moral holinefs ; the church under the Old Teftanient was a type of the church under the New." I? this hypothecs be true, it is a matter of indifference with God, what the re al character of 311 Ifraelite was, in order to be a meet fub- jedt of cnurch*meraberfhip. If his heart were full of all uncleannefs, and abotr.inable hypoc- rify, and wicked nefs, yet if he was punctual in keeping up the forms, and attending the ex- ternals of (heir religion, had, in the fight of God, the requifite qualifications for church- memherfhip. The abfurdity of (nch a fenti- ment has bsen expofed. It is molt reproach- ful to the holy ONE. It ^s believed, that the church fet up in the family of Abraham, was the true church of Gr><\, fpiritual, or holy : as really fo, as is the gofpel church. The baptifts fay it w:\s typic- al of tlv3 gofpel church But their aiferiion is no proof. The i.: ! "> 'ring oar is in their hands : aiijd it is their bufintfs to orove, it thev can, ' That That the Old Teftament church was a txpe of 'the New. But this has not been made evident by them, and it is thought, cannot be ; becaufe it contradicts the uniform language of both Tef- taments. But although it does not belong to us, to prove a negative propofition, an attempt, how- ever, will be made, bv bringing into view fome thoughts on the fubj.cd, to prove, that the chufc^x, under the Olti Teftament, was not a type or the church under the New. 1~Hh Abrahamic covenant, which was the charter ot the church under the Old Teftament, and ft II 1 is, required real holinefs. It was ef- tablifh d, and in operation, four hundred >uv\ thirty years as S f . Puiil telis us, before the law o« ceremonies. He, therefore, fays, the Sinai covenant -did hot d.if annul the Abrahamtc, but it remained in force, not with (landing the Sinai covenant. The apoftles words are, *Jnd this I f ■■')'% he fpesk • with confidence, that the cov- enant zvhich was confirmed he/ore of God in Chrijij the luiv which ivas Jour hundred and thins years after? cannot dijannul* that it Jhould make the promt ft of none effeel, F:>r ij the in- heritance be of the law, it is no more of promlje : but G<.d gave it to Abraham by tromife. By prottiife here is meant, not the Sinai, but the Abraharnic covenant, A covenant, therefore, in which God required real holinefs. And this was univerfilly required of the Ifraclites, through the whole of the Old Teftament, as the only condition of their being his people, or church. And for want ot this, judgments were fent on them, one time after another : and they were, becaufe deliitute of it, finally, rejected by God. Well ; becaufe of unbelief they were broken off . That church, therefore, *Gal.3 1 7. 1 8 was *33 ?5us an holy church, and the character of it's real members — Thofe who were fo in God's fitjit, was formed, not by yielding obedience to ceremonial, but moral precepts. In the fame manner is formed the character of thofe who are the true members of the church, under the gofpel. The crnra&ei is the fame, and, there- fore, it cannot be true that the church under the Old Telhment, was a type of the church which was to exilt under the New. Befides, The church under the gofpel is a continua- tion of that which had exillcd in all ages be- fore. The fame Hmfe of God ; the fame king- dom of God ; the fame fold of Chrijl ; and the fame Olive-tree, under both difpenfations, Aolurd would it be to fay that an houfe, or a tree is a type of itfelf : or that a man is a type of himfelf. Rut not more abfurd than to fay, ss the baptills do, "that the Old Teftameht church was a type of the New." If the church under the former difpenfatior?, poflefled fuch a character, as is eiljntia! to the being of the church, it was not defigned to be a type of the church under the gofpel. And that it poflefled fuch a character, is evident, be* caufe God required the fame character of the Ifraelites, as the condition of their being his people or church, which will be univerfally prevalent, among the Jews, and all other peo- ple, in the millennium : and thepromifes made to the Ifraelites, involve the g'ory and happi- r,cfs of that time. In the millennium, the glo- ry and happinefs, the profperiry, and holintfs of the church, according to Bible reprefen- tatibn, will far exceed the ftate of the gofpel church, in regard to peace, profperity and pu- rity, until that happy time (hall commence. But there would be no propriety in faying, that N the x 34 the church now is typical of the church in the miflennium ; becaufetbe church, which will then cxift, is the fame which now exifts ; yet it might be fa id with a fairer claim to truth ; becaufe the diiference between the character of the church in the latter days, will be greater than is the difference between the character of the church under the gdfpel, previous to that time, and its character under the Old Tefta- ment. In the millennium, the church will have the fame character, which it will have in heaven. It has the fame character now, which it will have in ,jhe millennium. It had the fame character under the Old Teltament, which it now has under the gofpel. The dif- ference of character, at different periods, and under different modes of adminiftration, con- fills, as has been frequently remarked, in the eminency> or degrees, but not in the nature or kind of Holincjs. I f the church, which was in being under the Old Teftament, were a type, only of the church which now exifts ; we may with the fame propriety fay, that the church which is now in exiftence is typical of th A which will exifl in the millennium. And the church, which will exifl in the millennium, will be typical of the church in heaven. So that, according to this notion of the Baptifts, " That the church under the Old Teftament, was a type of the church under the New," we have, all fhadow and no fubitance, in regard to the church, from firfttolalt. Such a fentiment looks down with contempt on the church God fet up in this wur'.d ; it favours exceedingly, of a proud vain glorious fpiiit. Standby thyje/f, I am holier than thou. Chriiliars are cautioned, by the a- pollle, againit harbouring fuch a proud, and coiittmpuious *S5 contemptuous temper towards the Old 1 la- ment church. * Bji/1 not again/? the branches'. Baptifts are defired to think of this, and not viliry the ancient church of God, to fupport their own; As the church under the Old Teftament, was not a type of the church under the New, Co circumciiion, under that difpeafation, was not a type of haptifm under the gofpel. That the Abrahimic covenant is the cove- nant of grace, and is the fame for fubftance in every age ; and that it was to operate under e- very diTpenfation ; and under all the different circumftances in which the church might be, is clear from both teftaments. The fame reli- gion is enjoined^ uniformly, and ihejame cha- racter, and the fame terms of church-member- fhip, are required in the OA and New Testa- ment. In regard to external administrations, and the circumftances of the church ; and in regard to the influences of ihe holy fpirit being bellowed, lefs or more, abundantly, and the de* grees of real holinefs, there may be a diverfity ; the church is, notwithstanding, fubfhntially, the fame at all times. Hence it is eafily feen, that the church in one age is not typical of the church in another. And by reafoning thus, concerning it, which correfponds with the fcheme of the bible, it is obvious, that circum- cifion was not a type of bapiifm, but was a fealofthe covenant of grace, by which the church then ivas and ft ill is incorporated ; and it anfwered all the ends, and dtfigns, which are anfwered by baptifm. Circumcifion, and baptifm being Teals of the fame covenant, and facraments of the fame fignificancy, the former cannot be typical of the latter. N 2 It *Rom. ii. 18. 136 It is faid* Abraham believed God, and it %va$ counted to him for righteoufnefs. Circumciit- on, which was the appointed feal of the cove- nant, which God eftabli (lied with him, was, fey ?he divine direction put on Abraham. || And he received the ftgn of circumcijion, a feal of the righ:eoufnejs if the faith which he had yet being uncircdhicijed. Bv this it appears, that d-d appointed eiicumcifion to be a feal of the cove- nant on his part, by which Abraham, and his feed, had aiTurance of the accomplishment of di- vine promifes. On the part of Abraham, and his ke(% who »hou Id fubmit to this ordinance, it was an obligation 10 duty ; to believe in the Mciliah : to put cfT the old man, and put on the new, and in a word, to live in all holy obe- dience, as the command to Abraham, and his feed was fe'tlik before me and be thou perfecl. The reafon regeneration, in the Old Te (la- ment, is expreiicd by cinumcifion or being ciicumci fed, is here wbvious. Thus Mofes directs, t Circumcife therefore the forefkin of your heartland be no more ft iff- ne.hed. He fays ajjain. \7he LORD thy God will circumcife thine heart, and the heart of thy feed to lave the LORD thv God with all thine heart and with all thy foul, that thou mayefl live. By the prophet,, circumeifion is ufed in the fame fenfe. § CYr- cumcife yourfelves to the LORD, and take away the foreflin of your heart. By this mode of ex- preifion, Gxl f aught the Ffratlites, the fpi ritu- al meaning and import of circumcifion : the fign being ufeo andb ' »>°» Ron,. XI 2o. WELL ; Becau/e of unbelief they were broken off. J J U """"J WE I fliall not fpe„d time in recapitu!,. ting obfervations already trade but from a view of the fubfer* \„ r: S ? » » Wt been attending J ' ' *° Wh,ch VVe ccl X T;r EN r h •" fa l d ' lhat infants > "nder the gof- IJ>eI d.fpenfation, have a rteht to bant if m t) meaning is, the infant feed o , jS tt -members of the vifible church h i ? re thin ricrkr . r i r ? urch » hav « this right, i^-is right refults from th^ relation »i ■ F ' N 3 ri fl! trent ftands In, to the church, and the relation the church (lands in, to jefus Chuft, and the relation he (lands in, to God : He, by God the father, being constituted head of the church. * This relation exifts, really in no inftance, but where there is a characler truly holy ; but i: exifts, vifibly, where there is a 'character vifi- blyholy.^ And this vifible holinefs, is, tons all the evidence we can obtain of real holinefs of heart. By Faith, the relation, which exifts between God, and the btliever is formed. For thus it is written. I] But as many as received him> to them gave he power to become the SONS of God even to them that believe on his name. The faitii here mentioned is alwa)s confequent *upon re- generation, and is an evidence of it, but never is exercifed before regeneration. || IVhich were born, not of bloody nor of the will of the fe/h, nor of the will of man, but of God. ' This lays a foundation for a! I fucceeding holy exercifes. And according to thefcheme of grace, it is from hence, only that any one has a title to the pro- mi fes, and a right to fpecial ordinances. YVho- ever will attend with care, and candor to the mind of God, as it is expreffed in both tefta- ments, will find it is believed, thefe fentiments to be the prominent features of the religion of the bible ; and that a title to promifes made and privileges (o be enjoyed depends folely, on having a religion of this kind. If men would lay afide their prejudices and ihidytheOld Tef- tament they will find, that God [n every part of it, urges the necelfity of real holinefs, as the only qualification for the enjoyment of what, he promifed his people of old ; and for an ac- ceptable attendance on all his inftitutions ; and that 4 iifb, i. 2i. d requires of him. These prefatory obfervations being made,, a more critical and direct attention will be paid to the inference now before us. We fay that the infants of fuch as are mem- bers of the vifible church are to be baptifed, By baptiib, this is denied. But if the obferva- tions which have been made in preceding pages be agreeable to the revealed mind of God, as it is believed they are, and naturally flow from the fcriptures ; our feritfhVertt is eitabliftied beyond controverfy, and their's falls to the ground, The baptifm of infants, which is the fentiment meant to be eftablifhed, will, when diverted of fophiftical reafoning, appear to be perfectly conformable with the divine plan refpecling the church, and itrike the mini with clear, and irrcfidable evidence. I? it be afksJ/* Where fh ill we obtain fuch complete evidence in this matter V It is an- fwered, by taking into view the divine plan, generally, as it refpe&s his church, from full to lull, according lo the Bible representation : taking unto view aifothe character of the church as dv-fcribed in every part of Diviue revelation and X4-Q Snd the privileges and bieflings, it was to en- joy- In reafoning upon the fubjeft before us> if our aim be to difcover, what is really, the mind of God, no method can be purfued, properly, but one which will lesd us into a knowledge of the general, and great plan of God, under ev- ery difpenfation, and in every age- When we are thus examining the fubjedt we mud be care- ful to form our opinion by divine declarations and not prefs fcripture texts into our fervhe, by wrefting them to correfpond with our own fentiments, previoufly adopted. When we at- tend to the Bible, and fee the vaft plan of God, there revealed in reference to his church, and trace the pleafing, and wonderful fubject, flep by ftep, and view the church in different periods of time, and under different modes of divine adminiil ration, externally, and different cireum- fiances, from the time, in which the vifiblc church was fet up in the family of Abraham, to the confummation of ^11 things : we find the fame moral duties, uniformly,'enjoined by God, the very fame character, uniformly required; and \\\z fame church always exifting, Ira view of the church be taken, and par- ticular attention be paid to the divine com- mands, by conforming to which, a character was formed, and (till is which did qualify, and ft ill does qualify perfons to be meet fu ejects of church-memberfhip : If attention alfo be paid to the divine promifes refpe&ing privileges, & bieflings which were to be enjoyed, and ftiil are and the ground on which they were, and ftill are to be enjoyed ; it will be feen, that the in- finitely wife God, when He firft fet up a church ill the family of Abraham, adopted a .plan, in reference to his church which fhould run parallel with time, wuhaut any a-lential aUvation. 141 alteration in its conftit'ution, or character. Trie fame fpirhujl worfhip was and always will it necellary to its very exigence : and the fame divine communications neceffary to its happi- xcte. God therefore in this world, and in this way, was, and flill is, and will be forming thole who are the true members of his church, for heavenly glor", and happinefs. Into which, when the v fhal] be admitted, there will be, not an eifential alteration of character, but a per- fection, only of the irewt characT r v» hich before thty fiuhined. Agreeably to this the apoille fays, * But when that which is pe feci is come* then that which is in part Jkall he done away* The plan, therefore, which God at fhrft adopt- ed, in ugard to his church, he has been purfu- ing in all former ages, is ilill purfuing ; and will be putting into execution the very fame plan, until time lhall be fwallowrd up in eter- nity, And then the redeemed church, will", for ever and ever, be reaping the glorious fruits of of the fame divine plan. The happy confe* quences of it will run parellel with eternity. Forming our opinion, iefpecling the du- ties, and character, and privileges of the church, upon fuch a general, and extenfive view of the vaft plan of God refpecting it, a plan exhibited i:i both Tt (laments, we difco- ver a wonderful, and pleafing, and harmoni- ous uniform if y, running through the whole. In regard to external circumftances, and mode* of worfh'p, there is a variety : but in- regard to that which is internal, fpiritual and divine, ei- ther in worfhip or enjoyment, ever the fam2©. Hi •ovenant was to exift, an I be in operation to mong the fetd >f Abraham, and continue to be the (lancing covenant Between Go*!, and (le church in all ages, In the covenant God erta- blifhed with Abraham, every moral duty, and every gracious promife, were, furornariiy ex- prefsed. What the re fore, God enjoined on A- braham, and his feed ho eftjbit ed fuoftantiall j on his church, in adages. And the promifes God made to him and them, he made, in like manner, ro the church, in all ages, for faith the apoftle, \Bvt godlinefs Is profitable unto all things, having the promife of the life that now is, and *f that which is to come. And the term, or condition upon which the children of Ifrael were to enjoy what God promife \ them, is the fame to his church in every agp, yea in eterni? IN- SUFFICIENT reafons occur, from the fore- going obfervatibns, to mow us why tl.e Abra- harric covenant is ftierred to fo frequently, in both telliments : by that covenant the church was incorporated, and (till is,— it was, and is ftill the charter of the church, by which it holds all its immunities, and privileges. To this covenant Mary had reference when (hi faid, f He hath holpen his fetvant Ifrael in re~ \ membratice of his mercy; meaning $y this 1 , the I Abrahamic covenant, as her next words evi- ! dence : As hefpake to our fathers, to Abraham, I end his feed. To the feme coyenant, Zach'a- | nas the father of John Baptift, refered, when I he Czid, *To perform the merest prom fed to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant ; The ; oath which he fwear to our father Abraham, The apoftks frequently refer to the Abrabamic ■ rr- « . , . covenant J i Tinu 4.8. t Luk.u 54. 55. * Luk. +> ,72.73. * *44 •fcovenan*, in their epiftles, which are addrefled .- to c! rittian churches, gathered from among the poft -rify of Japheth. It is fometimes^.called, THE PROMISE : and iometimes, THE COVEN \NT.fl God entered into covenant with Abraham, gave him precepts, and made promifesto him, in a view of the piety, and holinefs of his .char- acter. A ' ' ground he required him 'ib ci nmcifion bt.ing the appointed i c v nant, which God had efl>.bli(h.ed n, Ir is, there- fore, called \A fealcj ^.leoufnej: cf the faith of Abraham, which he had before he was circiimclfed. Respecting the covenant God eftablifhed with Abraham, which is fo frequently menti- oned in the Old T< {lament, and New, the foregoing obferyations having now been made, it is afked, whether or not, rathe whole tranf- adtion of this important bufinefs, the fame was imderftood, and meant to be injoined on the feed of Abraham, that was injoined on him \ And, did not God require them to fuRain the fame character which he (Abraham) fuftained, before God called him, and entered intocove- nant with him, and alfo, afterwards r-And \vere not promises made to them upon the fame ,condi'ion they were made to him ? — And was not circumcifion defigned to be a feal of the fame covenant, and of the fame righteoufnefs of faith to the feed of Abraham, in all their generations, that it was to Abraham .himfelf I Whoever will undertake toanfwcr thefe queft- ions in the negative, will be driven, by una- voidable neceflhy; from confluences which will \ Gal. 3, 1 7. Ail. 3. 25. Rom. 4. 14. and 9. 8. Gal. 4. *8. t Rom. 4.1 1 * will certainly follow, to renruref, at orce, both the Old and NeW Tcfta'tntht. To fay as the bap'.ilts do, "Thai holinefs was require J of Abraham, but not of his Ltd, as the condi- tion of enjoying what God promifed,'* is ab- fiird & in plain terms contradicts clear &exprefi fcripture declarations. For were not tie fed of Abraham commanded to love, believe in, worfhip, and ferve, the fame God, and in the fame manner, and for the fame reafons, and from the fame motives, and con fi derations, on which Abraham was commanded to love, be- lieve in, worlhip, and ferve him ? certainly this is the cafe. It being fo, that command, fVaik before me, and be th:u perfect, was bind- ing, not only on Abraham, but alfo on all his feed, in all their generations. And the prom- ifes / will be a God to thy feed — And / will give them the land of Canaan, were made upon ths condition of their complying with the command fined in the Abrahamic covenant. Upon the fame confideration, and in a view of the fame character exifting in them, which Abraham had, all their male children were to be circum- cifed. If they had the fame faith which he had, when it is fetid, *He believed in the Lord, end it was counted to him for right eoufnefs, the Ifraeliies had a right, to the fcal of the crve- nant, for themfelves and their infant feed, but upon no other consideration. Obligation to circumcife, as it refpecltd themfelves or their infant (ec^ y yvas from the divine command : bnt a right to make uCs of the feal of the cove- Rant, depended, folely, on their chara&t r. An abreviate, of the leading fuitimenis con- tained in the preceding difconrfes, and which .Vic featured in all p.rts of them, has now been O presented *Gcn. 15.6 146 prefented to the reader, under the laft infer- ence. By which he may with more eafe, and elearnefs difcover the propriety, and connex- ion of the whole defign. And if, iri'thefc dif- Courfes, a fcriptnral (ialement, of the mind of Jefus Chrift has been given, the Baptifm of in* fanUy and the fentiments connected wi;h it, can be vindicated by clear, rational, and fcrip- ture evidence : and the fcheme oi the baptiits cannot be fupported. Before we clofe the fubjecl, anfvver will be given to feme objections, which, perhaps, the baptifis may make, to fome things which have b^en faid, and are believed by us, to fol- low from what has come into view in prece- ding pages. I. Cbj. " By the divine command all the Is- raelites were required to be circumcifed, and to have their male children, at eight days old, circumcifed : this certainly cannot ap- ply to us under the gofpei." Anf. It may apply perhaps, in regard to the detign of the command, if not in regard to the time fpecified. All who live in chriitian lands, are under obligation to be baptized ; for ail are under obligation to believe in Chrift-, and to attend all the ordinances of the gofpel. And it they do not, they are guilty of criminal negligence. The command, enjoining circumcifion on the liraelites, it is to be obferved, was fubfe- quent upon, not prior to the command, ffiaik pefsre me, and be thou per/eft. This taught them what their character muft be. The com- mand is not, Be circumcijed, and then form a (Character corfefponcling with the command. But be polIUied of the character, required in the covenant, and then receive the feal. h is not 147 not, be circumcifed, ami then believe ; but be- lieve, and be circumcifed* Having the faith of* God's elecl, was that, and that, only, which gave an Ifraelite, a right to the feal of the cov- enant. And having this faith, he had, accor- ding to the co'nftitutibn God had edabliihed, a ri^ht to the feal of the covenant, for himfelf$ and his chiklren. The Old, and New Te (la- ment difpenfation, are in this refpecl exactly alike. Under the Old Teftament difpenfation, all were required to be holy, and to be circum- cised. Sounder thegofpel, all are required to believe, and he baptized. What refpe£U the infant feed of fuch parents as fuftain the char- acter required by God, will be more particular- ly attended to, in another place. It will only be noticed, in this place, that the command en- joining circumcifton on all, in the manner ifa- ted, correfponds, exadlly, with the plan of the gofpel, in regard to baptifm* 2. Obj. "All that was rtquifite to inthfe the infant feed of the Israelites to the feal of the Abrahamic covenant was, their defcent from Hebrew parents. Being dsfcendents from Abraham, in the line of Ifaac, and Jacob, they had a right to that ordinance. Baptifm, there- fore, cannot come in the room of circumcif* ion, nor can \\\ty both be facraments, of ihe fame import, and ufe." Ans. To aifert, and to prove, are different* The above afiertion is eafily made, but not fo eafily proved. If the Baptifts make this objec- tion, it lies on them to prove it. But they have not yet made proof of it, and it is believed, no proof can be obtained, from arguments taken out of the Bible. And we mutt be careful in matters of fo much importance, not to §e fubfii- tute the opinions of men, and ahurches, in the place of divine trutb. Oz The 14$ The general defign of this fmall treatife fe Tneant to be a confutation of fuch a fentimenU and the ideas whichare difperfed in all partg of it, are a full anfvver, it is thought, to fuch an objection. A direct anfwer to this obje&ion, lies in vhat was obferved by way of reply, to the firft objection ; to which the reader is reicred. It was not parentage, or being born of Hebrew parents, but religion, or an holy character, on- Jv, which g~v?> according to the nature of the Abraham fc covenant a right to the feal of that coven an*. By way cf reply it may be further obferved. Circurr.cifion wns not confined to the nation of Jfrael : or the descendants of Abraham. The door was always open, to thofe of other nations for admiflirm into the church with the Ifrael- i:cs, and to the ordinance of circumciilon, if they de fired it. They were admitted to all the j- rivilegesof the Jfrael of God. If they efpou- fed their religion, and, fubmitted to its lavvs r and regulations. In this refpeel, ft was then S)S it is now. The heathen, if t hey embrace the religion of Chrift, will be admitted to bap- tifm, znd enjoy the piivileges ct the gofpei church. That circumciilon was not adminiftered to fo an Hebrew, or the male-children cf the He- brews, becaufe they were lineally defcended from Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob, is a clear cafe : it needs no lurther proof. Some particu- lar cuaJifiea'ions was requifite, to give right to the Teal of the Abrahumic covenant, niore than being born of Hebrew parents. -:. Obj. The children of Ifrael circumcifed a!! their males ; as in Jofhua's time : and af- terwards, this 3pptau to be the cafe even un- til H9 . ; T their definition by ihs Romans, r-rom this it appears evident, that hoiinefs of heart was not required of them as a condition of their being the people, or church of God : nor was it necelfary to their being proper fubje&s of the feal of the Abrahamic cove- nant. Ans. i. The conduct of Jofiiua in circumci- fing the children of ffrael, as he did at Gilgal, * was agreeable, it is conceived, to the fenti- ment advocated, generally, in thefe difcourfes, viz. that moral virtue or real religion was re- quired of the Ifraelites as the fole condition of their enjoying promifed blcffings, and privileges. - To be the church of God was one of thefe pri- vileges : and as a mark, or tok^n of their belong- ing to God's church, they were to be circum- cifed. %m While the children of Ifrael were travelling: through the wildernefs, circumcifion was omit- ted, *j When they were come into Canaan, Jolhua circumcifed them, Thofe who wera adults when they came out of Egypt, were, as- their hiitory informs us, a generation, exceed- ingly, preverfe, and wicked. For their unbe- lief th;y were doomed to die in the wildernefs ; and they were now all dead. Thofe who wero minors when they came out of Egypt, and thofe who were born in the wi!dernef%God was plea- fed, by his grace, to make a generation to hi«s praife ; the people were eminent for piety, as ; appears from many obfervatbns respecting tfotir character. Speaking concerning rhem at this ; lime God. fa vs, j] Ifraeh/. 5. % to 9 .f. Jof. 5. 4 v 5. iJer.-*. ■3, t. £>«*/.-& 2. y- I JO life Iiad on them. Jolhua, therefore, fays J Cleave unto the LORD your God, as ye have done unto this day. - Previous to the death of Mofes, the chil- dren of Ifiael renew covenant and in a folemn and public manner dedicated themfelves to God and His fervice of which notice has been taken §. In which tranfa£tion there is villble evidence of real religion. When thefe things are all laid together tn one view, their is evidence fufrtcient of the piety of that generation, to juflify the conduct of jofhua, when \\z ci re umri fed the chil- dren of ljracl. 2, But if if be admitted that the children of I frael did pracVice circumcifion, generally, in every age, until their deflru&ion by the Ro- mans, what docs it prove ? it proves juft nothing ?! all. To fay they did right, becaufe they did fj, is fotnewhatof a lingular way of reasoning upon the fu bject. In moral matters, we mult derive our fe.ntiments, not from the practice or ftntirftehts of men, or churches, but from the revealed mind of God. If that be examined carefully,- in reference to the fentiments now advocated, their is, ir is judged clear and abun- dant evidence, that God required real holinefs as a neceifary qualification for church-member- fhip, U, therefore, the wicked nak God's co- venant into their mouths, and under the preva- lence of fuch a temper of heart as their 's is, ]>rc fumed to dedicate themfelves, Or their cliii- c! en to God, it was f-.lemn mockery, and a fhameful abufe of the facratricnt of circumcif- i n : and therefore, an heinous affront to the God of Abraham. I in times of general cor- ruption anc! vvickedoefs, circumeifijn were u- niverfally prad\:ced, they did wickedly, in fo cblng t->/ 2-3-8 $•■/«** 77- 7*- I 5 I doing ; becaufe they bad no directi-otis nor any warrant, for their conduct, in ths covenant God eftabli:hed with Abraham, nor from any thing found in the Bible. If a church or the churches, generally, mould admit, to fpeciai ordinances, thofe who are not vifibly ehrifiians, would their doing it prove they did jight r cer- tainly not. Neither did the conduct of the If- r.ielites, when they put the fca! of the covenant i\ they evsr did, upon any who were vihbly un- holy, prove that they did what was agreeable to the mind of God. 4. Cbj. "The church under the Old Tefta- ment was national, circumcifion, therefore, was a feal of a national covenant, only, and rcfpecl.d national profpeniy, and efpecially the enjoyment of the land of Canaan." I. Anf. If this be true, this is one confe- rence which will certainly foliow ; The civ- il, or temporal circumftances of the Ifraelites, were in the divine view, of vaftly more im- portance, than thofe things which refpected their fpiritual, and eternal flate. Temporali- ties, according to the objection, w» the main obj 61 in the view of God, in all his dealings with the people. God was particularly care- ful about their temporal intereft ; and thofe things which refprctcd their civil polity were regulated, and eftablifhed in the bed manner, while little or nothing was done to regulate their conduct: in mutters of religion. Is not thisabfurd r Judge ye. 2 The covenant God eftablifhed with A- braham, is an affair of too much folemmty, and importance, to rjfpect, folely or even prin- cipally the grant of a certain portion of this earth, to a particular nation. Ojd, wbafe the earth is, has a right to give any particular fpot q{ this ^lobs to whom, he pleafcs, [Wng I*f3f With this folomn, and mod fublime ft vie, is the Abrahatnic covenant introduced. * I AM THE ALMIGHTY GOD. This in- troduction raifes our expectation. Well what does THE ALMIGHTY GOD fay to Abra- ham. The (ucn of" all he promifes Abraham is according to the Bapti(ts, / will give thee and thy feed after thee r the land of Canaan. The infinitely wife God, it is believed, mufl: have had, a defign, vaftly more important than this, in crfUbfrfrahg a covenant with Abraham* And for God to spppmt, as a feal of a national co- venant, only* the painful rite of circumcifiom. to be an afluiance of enjoying the land of Ca- naan, does -not, when compared with things of infinitely "more importance, which are con- tained in the Abrahamic ccvenant, appear compatible with the wifdom, and goodnefs of God'. For,- 3. How greats or good foever, irrtftemfe'lve* ihofe promifes are, which God male to Abra- ham, and his fetd, refpecling Canaan, ami WeffrngS of a temporal nature, to be enjoyed they are, notwithstanding, of ftfiail confiderati- on, very fmall indeed, when compared wit' fpri ritual Heffings promifed in that covenan' This one promife, / zvill be a God to thee, an thy feed after the e ,exceeds,in real worth, and im portance, all the promifes made to Abrahan 2nd Ids feed, which have for their objecl, t'. land of Caaaan, and temporal profperity. Ti things of this world are nothing, and lefs.tfr? nothmgj and vr.uhy, when compared wi with (pii-itual things. The polfeiiion and e. jovment of this wosLl, in all its glory, is n thing, when compared with the enjoyment >hs prefenec of Gfcd in Chrift. And tills * GVtfo 17. i v 'S3 Tvliat is promifed in the Abrahamic covenant That the Ifraelites were not under obliga- tion to obferve the ceremonial law, is not pre- tended to be intimated, but what is urged, ancl is thought to be fupported, is, that a character formed by the practice of moral virtue which confiPis in yielding obedience to moral pre- cepts, was that which con diluted them th< church of G^d, and gave title to prom i fed LlefTings. Nor is it faid, that God made no promifes to them which refpccled tempo- ral blefiings, and great outward profperi- t) ; that there are many fuch promifes, ha* been through all the difcourfes, admitted. L'ut what has been, snd ftill is infilled on, is, that the promifes, made to Abraham and hie feed had for their principal objtel fpiriuial, and eternak things. Such a view of the divine plan puts a clue into our hands, which will conduct us falcly, and confidently] through the won- derful, and various feries of events which have taken place, and are (till taking place, under the holy, and wife providence of God, respec- ting the Jews. And it is believed, the divine conduct can no otherwife be vindicated, in e- vents that have taken place refpe&ing that na- tion. But if, as the Baptifts fay, the land of Ca- naan, and great outward happinefs in the en- joyment of of temporal bLfiings, were the principal objects of the promifes made by God, to Abraham, and his iced : and thefe were to be enjoyed in confequence of an obfervance of the ceremonial law : the divine conduct, in or- dering events refpe&ing his ancient covenant people as they h^ve, and are at this day taking place, is wholly unaccountable. Reafon aflift- ci by divine reflation, cannot difcern the propriety propriety, and rectitude, or goodnefs of the c?i- vinc conduct, in rejecting the Jews when he did, for they had, even at the time G x d rejected them, that religion, which, according to the baptifts, God required of them. They w^.-e xealous tor the ceremonial law, even until their deftru&ion by the Romans ; as appears by ma- ny things which occur in the New Ttltametit, It therefore, circumcifion was appointed bv God, and made ufe of by the people ot Ifrael,aa the feal of a national covenant, and what gava them a title to the land or Canaan, it is not ken how God acltd confiftenity with his own promifes when he rejeelecl them : tor they liv- ed in the d/iiy praclice of the religion He requi- red, according to the bap;i(vs, and they had, in their fLih, the feal appointed by God, by which they were to be entitled to, and to hold, and enjoy, that good land for ever. God was therefore, hoMen, by his own folemri promife, to continue them in it. It :?- fay, circumcifion was a feal of a national covenant, then national bit (lings muft be granted, f<> long as circumcifion was obferved \ God mull conti- nue them in Canaan. The Jews are brilen cff\ are rejected. I would thank the B^ptiiis, to give a rational, and confident, and fcriptural vindication ot the Dfvine conduct in this matter. On their own principles, it is believed, it cannot be clone. If it can, it will throw great light upon the fubjccl, which as it now (lands is as to them involved in impenetrable darknefs, and wholly unaccount- able. The character and government of God, it is believed is very highly injured by them. Not through defign, it is conceived, but thro* inattention to the great fchemc of God refpett- Lng his church* A, 4. For an admifli ->u into the church, nn- «Jc; the )id teftament", th« door was always <>- pen, to thofe of other nations. Tuey muff howeverown the God of ITracl, efpoufe their religion*, and be eircurncifed. But to what we're they intitled by this ? not to a lot of land Id Cm-..'i), bin to fpj ritual bleffings, which Were - ■ Knifed in the Abrahamic covenant : G • would be theii G >d. It they believed in the G )d ex Abraham, and had the fame faith which ^e had, they had a right to the leal of the covenant, which God eftablifhed with him. And thus they became * Abraham's feed, and heirS) according tg prjm'fc Heirs of fpiritual ble flings. Heirs> not of the earthly, but hea» venly Canaan. 5. The controverfy winch the God of Ifra- cl had with his people at one time and another, was not on account of their neglecjing ceremonial, but moral duties j as has been noticed ; circumcifion, therefore, refpefted fomething more than the title to the land ot Canaan; and was detlgned to be fome- thing,more than a feal or a national, or civil cove- nant ; becaufe,by reading the hiftory of the chil- dren of Ifrael, we find, that a punctual obferv- ar.ee of the ordinance of circumcifion, in the out- v»ard tlgn, was no fecurity agaiuft the judg- ments oi God. Hence appears another mi (ta- ken nction of the baptiffe, and by thefe ob- fer vat ions their fcheme is feen to he very wide from the bible plan. If circumcifion were a part of the ceremonial law, and only typical of of baptifm, as they fuppofe, and an outward observance of the externals of their religion were all which was necelfary to conftitute the liiradius the church of God, and feiure pro- nit fed * Gal, 3. 29. *5 6 ShiTei! bteflings, whence was if, God was fre- quently, fo exceeding difpleafed whhthem f whence was it, they were fo frequently over- whelmed with fuch dreadful calamities ? and whence is it that they have.now almofl tor two thoufand years groaned under the diftin^uiih- ing tokens of the divine anger ? No nation under heaven, ever fuff-ring fuch evils as they have. Their fufferings are without parallel in the annals ot the hiftory of any other nation. 6. Outward cm 't muiH, «* circumcifion, it is hence obvious, iealed no covenant bUffings to the ifratlites, and was not of //{^ lcaft account in the fi^ht of God, unltfs there was alfo inward, or fpiritual circumcifion. The apoftle fav?, jj -They are not all Ifrael y which arc of Ijrael. And again. * He is not a Jew, which if one outwardly* neither is that circum- cifion which is outward in the fiefj* but he is a Jew which is one inwardly ; and circumcifion is that of the heart* in the Jpirit not in the letter^ whofe praije is not of men but of God, And to this may be added the following, t I know the hldfphemy of them which fay they are Jews y and *re not* but are the fynagfgue affatan. From the foregoing obfervrtions it is evi- dent, that circumcifion was not a feal of a na- tional covenant, nor was it appointed by God, to be applied to the Ifraelites, as a token or af- furance only, that they fhould enjoy the land of Canaan. It was a feal of a covenant compre~ bending, greater, and more excellent blellings. For outward circumcifion was of no worth at all, in the fsght of God, unlefs there was in- ly ard circumcifion ot the heart. 5. Obj. Females could not be fubjedls of the feal of the covenant under the Old Tefta- ment I Rom. 9, 6. * Rm, 2. 28. 29. t Rev, 2. 9. ! J7 tr>ettt infpenfation : but under the New fucH is the feal, that females, as well as males, may be the fubjecls of it. This by b^ptilis is (aid to be an evidence that the covenant, operating under the two difpenfations arc different : and that circumcifion, and bap- tifm are facraments, not of the fame nature, and defum." Anf. i. From the apcftaCy of our ruff, pa- rents, to the nativity of our Saviour, females were under a particular mark of the divine dif- pleafure. The woman firlt finned. From the creition to the time in which Malachi, the laff. Old Tellament prophet, lived, is compu- ted to be almofl: four thoufand years. In all that lo.^g period, few pious women are m n* tioned : fome, however, who were very emi- nent for religion ; The hiitory of the NeT Teftament is (hort, of one hundred years, vet many more pious women are mentioned in that fhnrt period, than in the long period under the Old Teftament. So was the will of God, thai f.ich fhonld be the feal of the covenant under that d\ fpenfatioir, rhat it fhould be a conftant admonition to the fex of His difpleafure a^ainfi them. H^ly women of ol 1, n:nwith(tandin<» this, were not cut off from the blcflln.d aoaJ?.(l the fex is removed. Under the gofpel, it is generally believed, there are more pious women than men. In churches frwre arc generally, more fitters than brothers, P 7, 2. Women, under that difpenfation, were in- cluded with the men, as they now are in the civil law, and many concerns of life. When the command, enjoining circumcif- ion, was obferved agreeably to the divine ap- pointment, females were confidered, and treat- ed as if they, perfonally s were circumciied : becaufe they eat of the paifover as well as men. But this was the law, *No uncircumcijed per/on Jhall eat thereof. They covenanted, as did the males. || From the different fituation in which fe- males are placed : in regard to their being fub- jecls of the feal of the covenant, under the two difpenfations, it cannot be proved, that cir- cumcifion, rnd baptifm are ieals of two cove- nants efTemially different ; nor that their na- ture, ufe and defign, are really different. All ruuft grant, that the head of the church may al- ter circumftantial things which appertain to the covenant, without altering the nature of the covenant. 6. Obj. "There is no command, or exam- ple, in the New Teftament, fay the Bap- tifts for the baptifm of infants, it is not, therefore warranted by the Bible." That there is not a command in the New TeftameM in thefe words, Tkcu {halt baptize the infant feed of believers, is conceded. But in a view of the religion which runs through the Bible, and the character God always requi- red the members of his church to fuftain : and in a view ol the ufe, and defign of circumcif- ion, and who were, according to divine ap- pointment, proper fubjeels of the feal of the covenant under t.he Old Ttftament, and as it appears, from a careful examination of the fcriptures *Excd. 12.48. |] £>^7. 29. 1 0.1 1.12. 1 59 fcriptures, that it was the divine dcfign that whatever was elTential to the being, and exifl- ence of the church, mould proceed in one uni- form, and etlablifhed mode, through time: there is evidence, it is believed, tantamount to fuch a command. And indeed, when the whole of the divine plan, as it is laid before us in the Bible, is taken into one general view, the command enjoining infant circumcifion, is a command, which, as to the fubjeets, is bind- ing under the go (pel, and does t therefore, en- join the baptifm of infants. This exhibits a uniform, and confiftent plan refpecting the church, under different external modes of ad- ministration, ami all the different circunpttan- ces in which it may be, in this world. Nor is it (lcu ,that any other confident, and uniform plan can be drawn from divine revelation. In giving an ar.fvver to the above objection, it will be obferved, I. Between the precepts, and promife?, in the covenant God eftablimed with Abra- ham, when he was about fetting up a viiible church under the Old Teflameht. fAnd the directions, and promifes of our Saviour, whe*i he commifTicned, and Tent forth his apoftles to build the gofpel church, fj there is a ftriking a- greement. The Abraham?*: covenant is prefaced with this folemn, and pleafing declaration, I ATvI THE ALMIGHTY GOD. In like man- ner the preface to the commifTion of the apof- ties is folemn, and pieafing. ALL POWER IS GIVEN UNTO ME IN HEAVEN AND IN EARTH. Such important tranf- actions are worthy of fuch fclemn introduc- tions. P 2 Ik * Cs)u 17. 1. 7di2. I) Mzi. 28, 18. jo. 20. t6o In thefe words God directs Abraham, IValk before me> and be thou perfccl* The lot- lowing are the directions ^iven, by our Savi- our, to his apoflles. Go ye therefore and teach all nations — Teaching fibem to obferve all things, whatficver I hava commanded you. By thefe directions the people, or church of God may fee, what their character muft be, in every agc» Abraham, being initrucled, and being a believer, is in covenant with God. God fees fit to appoint circumcifion a ftal of the cov- enant, and directs him to be circumcifed, and to eircumcife bis houfhold , and that ail their i-nen-chiid-it-n, (hould be crictirn£tfed> in Their general ions. Our Saviour dsre&s his apoHfts j Go ye therefore and teach all naticns, baptising them in the name of the father , and of the fen* and of the holy gbajl. To Abraham and his feetl, God promifed his pre fence, / will be a God to thte and thy jced dfler thet. The promise ot uur Saviour to his Etpofties, and 'iheir fucceifors, either in office or character, \$ in ihtfe words. Lo I an tuithyoii alwdy even aula tie end 'J the WvrU. Jesus Chrlii fcnt'his apoflles abroad among the : iiaiious, to propagate the fame religion , gud fupport the farne caulc, and. build up the fame church, which had tliftcd under the Old Tcttaftttnt. The great \ ian of God, rtfpcct- fyig his church, was in progrefflQU :. And oup Saviour, de&gruci to foakc ufs or the a pottle?* and their fuccedors in office, tora.ife the fpirU Ui'il building higher, and higher, by an ad- vancement vi the lire ut the church, in know U edge, and hoiintfs, * It'll we ad come as the upvltle fay&i fpcak.ing or the church, in the uni- ty :f the full by and of the kntikUdfp efftbejon f ■ m. 4 hi i6i God, unto a perfect man y unto the meafu>-e oftm Jlaturc cf the fulnefs of ChriJ}. Our Saviour, therefore, when he commiflioned his apnftlea brings into their view, many of the fame fenti- menis, which he exprefTed to Abraham when he eftablifhed his covenant with htm, to remind them, that the fame glorious work, ho\yzx\d ^fci'n^c ■ I ' Lh'gioiio was CL ill progrefllng, which was ex- preflVdin the Abrahamic covenant : the chri(U- an church mui\ practice the fame religion, which he in that covenant required of Abra- ham, and his feed. The baptifts will here object perhaps, and perhaps fay, fi Our Saviour when he fent his apoftles to preach the go/pel to every creature 9 and buildup the chriflian church, did not en- join it on them, nor fo much as give them li- berty to baptize infants, but, as he was now giving them directions, refpecling their future conduct as officers in the church, he, certainly would have informed them, had it been his mind, that the infants of fuch as are members of the vifible church Jhould be, baptized t he d«e& not, however, dire-it them, ^baptize the infant feed of believers, there is therefore, no war- rant for it." To fuch an objection it is replied. If before this time r Jefus Chrift had had no church in this world, and no covenant of grace had been made with it and in operation ; and no feal of Vhat covenant appointed by God; and if the proper fubjects of it had not been fpecified,and their character, and fit n»» to ft, parti u'arly defirr- fed, by God, in the Old Tefbment, it is rea- fonableto fuppofe he would have given expli- cit directions to his apouies ~ and informed them that the infant feed of thofe who a?e members of the vifible church, lud, or lud not, P3 s 1 62 a right to be baptized. But many thou fan ds of years, before our faviour fent his apoltles to f reach the go/pel to every creature, the' church of Chrift had been in exigence, — the covenant of grace had b?en in operation, — a Teal of it ap~ pointed by God, — by him, who were the pro- per fubjecls of the feal had. been dated, —and the proper qualifications for church rr.ember- fliip had been defined, fufficiently, plain, and decided, Our Saviour, therefore, when he fent his apofldes to chriftianize the nations, ieaves the matter, in regard to infants, juft as it al- way had been. The apoftles well knew what bad been the practice of the church, all along, in reference to the eircumcifion of infants,, and what were the divine directions upon this fub- je6t ; and therefore, they would, naturally con- clude what their practice, in regard to infants. mud be under the gofpel ; ina&nuch as the head of the church had given them no dire&ions, contrary to thofe, which were eflablifhed by himfelf, under the Old Teftament. Under that difpenfation, infants were included with their parents, thee , and thy feed, and as they were not feparated from their parents by any thing faid by Jefus Chrift, they would infer, that un- der the gofpel it Is yen and your children. And that the apoftles fo underftood the matter w ill appear when it is obferved. 2. What Peier fald to his hearers when he preached, and baptized, the firft time, as a mi- nifter of [efiis Chrift, under the gofpel difpen- fi)tton, agrees, ega-Aly, with what God faid t3 Abraham when he eflabliuHed the covenant with him. In the Abrahamic covenant, God prom i fed tobe a God to Abraham, and his feed. His fevd are as, really included in the covenant, as Abraham Abraham himklf. If they had Abraham's character, they were Abraham's feed ; and fo the character, and pomife was to run on from one generation to another. Agreeably to this, God gives him this direction. * He (bat is eight days oldjhall be circumcijed among you every man-child in your generations. The children of believing Abraham are included in the cove- nant with him, and on account of his faith, God directs him to put the feal of the covenant on them, and fo according to the plan fixed b-y God under the Old Teftament, it was to pro- ceed one generation after another,, through that difpenfation : thofe who were in covenant with God, their children alfo are confidered, a»d treated as in covenant. Thus it continued to the time when the gofpel difpenfation was let up. To this we are now come, On the day of pentecoft, v/hen the apoftles were filled with the holy Ghoft, Peter preach*- ed. The effect of his fermon on his audience was, j| They were pricked in the heart, and /aid unto Peter and the refi of the ap-fiies, Men, and bretheren zv hat flail we do ! An anfwer to this queflion is made by Peter in thefe words. Re- panly end be baptized every one of you., in the name of J ejus Chrij}. The realon he affigns is, — For the promife is to you and your children. Peter in thefe words,, ftates this matter to be in the Jitu- ation as it was fixed by God in the Abrahamic covenant : and to that he, evidently has refer- ence, in this ftatement. There it is thee and thy feed. Here it is, Tou and your children. That Jewifh parents, anxious for the fpiritual wel- fare o\ their children, and now mire fo than e- ver before, would wifli to know what their il- UiAttpn would be, in this new difpenfation, is very *Gen.. 17. 12 il i;7. 2. 37. 38- 39. 1 64 very nattifaT Jo fuppofe. And by what Peter fays there is reafon to believe, enquiry was made npon the fubje&. He tells them, lt they would be iu the fame fituition under the new difpen- fation, they were under the old. They were then included id the covenant with their pa- rents, and To they will be now. Their right to the Teal of the covenant, under that difpenfati- on, refulted from the character of the parent, and this will (til! be the cafe under the gofpel ; for it is the fame covenant, ar.d the fame church ; the feal only is altered. The duties are the fame, and fo are the fpiritui), privi- leges, and bleilings. The religion is the fame, aad To are its comforts, its enjoyments, and its fruits. In the external* adminidraticn, con- fiits the piir.cipal diTcrenc, as to thefe things, between the two difpenfations. The appen- dages of the covenant are altered, but the inter- nal, and fpiritual part is the fame. The chil- dren of believing parents then had a right toths feal of the covenant, and fo they have now. The promife is to you, and to your children, as it al- ways was, fo it always will be. The feal of the covenant is, therefore to be applied to per- sons of the fame defcription, to which it was- applied under the Old Teflament. That the apoitles did baptize infants, no £mall degree of evidence lies in the following obfervations. Some well authenticated faciei will, however, be first mentioned. This is one. The Jews, generally, were bitter enerr.ies to the apoftles : they puifued them from place to place, with a perfecuting fpirit, and were al- v/ays watching them, that they might find fume- thing whereof to aceufe tl.em. The Jevv-^ were exceedinly prcud of their priviledges z' < advantages. IVe be Abrahams feed, [dy they, and were never in bondage to any man. An- other well known f&& is. ths following i65 To perfuade people to renounce habits, to which they have been long accullom- cd, is, extremely difficult. Thefe things being premifed : it will now be fuppofed,that if the a- pofiles as they travelled about the country, teach- ing, and baptizing, had uniformly, refufed to baptize infants, have we nut reafon to believe it would have made an uproar among the peo- ple ? certainly we have. The Jews hated > moft bitterly the apodles and the religion they taught, Now if thefe men, fo hated, and def- pifed, as were the apoliles, had made fuch an innovation, on the ancient, and un'tverfal prac- tice of the church, refpe&ing infants, which hid been in ufe nearly two thoufand years, the Jews, it is p/efumed, would not have pall it over in (Hence. They would have animadverted on the conduct of the apoftles, feverely i they, no doubt, would have differed perfeculion on this account. But there is not one folitary inftauce, in the acts of the apoftles, nor in the epifllcs, in which their conduct, in this matter \3 repre- hended'even by their word enemies. And the teafon is obvious. Peter took early opportuni- ty to prevent any uneafinefs in the minds of people, on the fuhjecf. In the audianceofa large concourfe of people, on the day of penti- coau, when he firft. officiated as a m'.niiter of Chrift, Peter determines the matier as to infants by declaring, The pram:fe is to you and your children \ under the prefent difper.fation, as it was under the Old Ttftament. In the epif- lies, in the New Teflament, we find there ! were altercations about circumcifion, whether \\ ought, or ought not to be adminiferec , » Bui I there are no altercations about the baptizing, I or r.ot baptizing of infants. Which concludes 1 ftrongly in favor of their being baptized, inas~ gK&has infants were by dtviae crdcr pforjLL i66 fubje&s of the feal of the covenant, under the former difpenfation. And had they been ex- cluded in the new difpenfation, we, moft cer- tainly /hould have heard fomething about it, from the quarrelfome Jews. But further attention will be paid to this text * For the promife is to you, and your chil- dren, a nd to all that are ajar off. The pro- mife in the covenant is not now confined to the Jewifh nation, but it is extended to all that are afar off. By this phrafe the apofile means the Gentiles. So he defcribes their (late before they embraced chriftiantty. .j Ye ivho were forne- times afar ofl\ are made nigh by the blood of Chriji. To the Gentiles, as the apoftle rep re- fen ts the matter, is the promife extended, un- der the gofpel, ami to their children, if they bz called by the grace of God. Thus keeping up* the idea through the whole, that children in confequence or the character of their parents, and their (landing in the church, have a right, and the; fame claim to baptifrn under the gofpel, which they had to circumcifion under the Old Telcament. If the parent be by the grace of God, called, and then unites with Chrift's vifi- ble church, the promife is to his children : his character and (landing being what it is, his in- fant feed have a right to be baptized. 3. God directed to circumcife houlholds, un» der the Old Teftament. under the New, the the apoftlcs baptized hou Avoids ; in this ref- pect under the two difpenfations, there is an agreement, in regard to applying the feal of the covenant. Mo us hold circumcifion was injoined on Abraham. 4[ He that is born in thy houje, and he that is bought with thy money, mujl needs be circumcijed * Ad. 2. 30. J Eph. 2. 13. % Gen. 21. 13. i6y tircumcifed. Abraham, therefore, agreeably to this direction, circnmtifed, the J elf -fame day, all the males in his family. || It a ftranger would keep the pafTover, he mult be circumcifed, and alfo his ho!ilh'>! I. t Housholds were baptized bv the apof- tles. The jailor's. % A. id Lydia's. § And the houJJjold of Stephanas. <] Circumcision and bap'.ifm, it hence ap- pears, are adminiftered on exactly the fame plan : both were adminiftered to houthcids. It may hence be concluded, thrt they are feals of the fame covenant ; becaufe applied to per- sons of the fame description, & under like cir- cumftances. They are therefore facraments of the fame nature, ufe, and defign, For, 4. The fpiritual meaning, and import of circumcifion, and biptifm is the fame : they a- grce in their fpiritjiaJ fenfe, and meanirg. Under the Old Teftament, when circumcifion was the feal of the covenant of grace, regene- ration is (XprefTed by the term circumcifion ; as has been already noticed. Thus it is faid, ** Citcumcife therefore the forefldn of your hearts, and be no more fiiff-necked. Again, ]| j|. The LORD thy God will circumcife thy heart, and \ the heart of thy jeed y to love the LOUD thy God \with all thy heart. — By the word circumcifion, 'as the apodle nfes it, is meant, regeneration. Iff PFe are the circumcifion, (the regenerate) [who worfhip God in the /pirit. S:) alfo Tt is ufc ed in thifj place. §§ In whom alfo ye are cir- cumcifed with the cir umcifion made without \handsfn putting off the body of the fins ofthefefh, by \ Gen. .17, 23. t Ezod. 1 2. 48. 49- % dels. 1 6. 33, § Acts. 16. 15. |i 1. Cor. 1". 16. ** Deut. 10. (|. I) Deut. 30. 6. tt Phil. 3. 3. §§ Col. 2. 11. i68 hffo rircumclfion of Ch rift. The term uncir* cumcifion is fomerimes ufed tor a ftate of un- r^generacy. As in the following places *f Ye have brought into my fan&uary Jlrar.gers uncir- eumcifed in heart. Thus faith the LORD, rj§ Jlranger uncircumcifed in heart ,-jhdl enter into tnyfancluary. Stephen the fir ft chriftian mar- tyr, in his defence before the council, makes life of the word in the fame fenfe. *Yefliff-neck» ed> and uncircumcifed in hearty and ears, ye do always refift the holy Ghojl — Thus it is feen chat the ftgn, circumciiion, is ufed for the thing fig- nined by it, which was regeneration. It is thus dfe«i in the Old Teftament ; and in the New too, fomctimes, when reference is had to the Jewifti inftitutions, or in fpeaking to the Jews. Baptism or to be baptized, is ufed in trie New Tefbment for regeneration, baptifm be- ing under this difpenfation, the leal of the co- venant of grace. This manner of ufing the word baptifm, in the New Teflrament is not unfreqnent. Two inftances, onlv, wil! be noti- ced. One is the following |j Know ye nst, that fo many of us as Were baptized intojefus Chrijly vjere baptized into his death ? Therefore we are buried uith him by baptifm into death; that like as Chrijl was raifid up from the dead by the glory of the father, even fo alfo we jhould walk in ttewnefi of life ; for if we have been planted to get her in the like nefs of his death we (hall be alfo in the likenefs of his rejurreclion. The other text is the following, t Buried with him in bap- i'fm, vjhrrein alfo ye are rifen with him (JeO'S Chr-fty through the faith of the operation of ' G'.d who hath raffed bin: from the dead. The baptifts, greariji abufe thefe p.lsg^s of ^ Ezeh. 4. 4. 7. antr) * A l.-j. rr. I Rom, 6. 3. 4. 5. 1 QjL 2. 12. i6c> of fcripturc, it is believed, by attempting .TO prove from them, that ioimerfion is theonly proper mode of ad mini fieri ng baptifm under the gofpeh That the at oftle has reference wholly tofpintualbapufmorregencratiori/and not at all to water baptifm, is esfy to he fee n when we enter into the fpirit, of the clefign, of ihea- poftk ; for he is here, not teaching tbofe chris- tians, who were, once heathens, how they mult be baptised, but how they became ehnftians. nor does he fay one word about water bapulm, ineitherot thefe parages, but be is treating wholly, on fpiritual baptifm, or regeneration, and a new and holy Hie, Four inftar.ces have now been adduced out of the Old Teftaoient, which have been com- pared with what we find in the New. All which conclude, ftrongly, in favour of the bap- tifm of infants. The initrucVions ar.d directi- ons our Saviour gave to his apoftles, when he fent them to teach all nations, and build up the gofpel church, compare very particularly, with the dlreaion God gave to Abraham, when be faid tValk before me, and be thou pftfeB^ which is descriptive of the charader he, and his fee*', weretciudainin all their generations. A.fo what Peter faid to his hearers whtn he preach- ed, and officiated the full time, under his new commillion ; telling them; The 'pr off tip isU you and to your children, compares exactly Wii h what God faid to Abraham, / uiilve a Godts thee, and thy feed after thee. So alfo the bapti- zing hoi:m:U!s, under the New rdtamei t riifpenfation, is conformable to circumciflng houfliolds under the Old Teftament, which d;^ reaion God gave to Abraham. And the Fpi- ritual meaning of baptifm, and ajrjumcifion is the fame. _ O By 170 By thus comparing thef'e things together, the connexion between the two Teframems is feen, in regard to the fubject before us. And it is hence obvioufly clear that the New Teftamsm takes up, and proceeds upon, the very fame plan, which God eltablimed in the Old, in re- gard to the character of thofe who ate mem- bers of his vifible kingdom : and in regard, al- fc? to thofe who are the proper fubjtcls of the feal of the covenant. The fame character was then required, which is now, and the fame per-* fons are now fubjecls of the feal of the cove- nant, which were then. It hence appears that God, who firft: fet up a vifible church, fo con- certed the plan refpecling it, that the necefTity of any new order, command or law, refpecling qualifications for church-memberihip, and alio refpecling infants being proper fubjecls of bap- tifm, under the gofpel, was foreclefed. When God ei'tablifhed the covenant with Abraham, and appointed a feal of it, his infant ized were included in the covenant, and mentioned, par- ticularly, as proper fubjecls of its Seal, and it appears to have been the defign of God, that the ktd of believers, fhould, in all ages, as was then fixed by the divine order, be included With their parents in the fame gracious cove- nant. If not, why is not the mind of God, in this matter, plainly exprelled ? why are not in- fants, in as plain terms cut off, by God, from aright to the feal of the covenant, under the New Teilamenr, as they are placed, by him in actuation, under the Old Tegument, to be the proper fubjecls of the feal of the covenant ? But this is not done. If it were the mind of Chrift, (hat the in- fant feed of thofe who are members ol the vifi- ble Church, thourd not be fubjecjs of the feal of the I 7 I the covenant of grace, under the gofpet, his fi- lence, in this matter, when he was /peaking to his apoftles of the things pertaining to tic kingdom of, GW, and giving them directions tor their future conduct, is altogether unaccount- able. If fo great a change were to be made, in the church, as to the fubjecls of the fealiog or- dinance under the gofpel, as the baptifts plead for, it is reafonable to fuppofe that our fa v sour would have not barely given fome bints of it, to his apoftles, but expresTed his mind in terms p!ain,and explicit. But nothing is fait! by him from which they conclude, that the infants of fueh as are members of the church ihould not be baptized. That they were to be baptized, was the fenfe in which the apoftles underdood our Sav- iour, and the mind of God, generally made known, is evident by v. hat Peter faid. 1 he prcm'fe is to you, and your children, now under the gofpel as it was before the new difper.fatton "was fet up. And the promife extends to tf e Gentiles, alio and their children, if, by the fpeciai grace of God, they be called, and unite with His church. It is hence evident, that it was the defign of God, that the duty, and the privilege, and the promife, as they refpe£fc be- lieving parents, and their children, fhould pro- ceed parallel with each other ; and go on uni- formly in every ac^e, through all ages, and all circumftances, and under different difpehfations of the church, before Ciirift came, and after- ward. Is it w, t, then prefumption, high handed pre-* fumption, indeed, for man, ignorant man, to repeal, or fet a fide a law, enacted by the author- ity of JEHOVAH ? To dy that is wrong, which Gad fays is right, i 3 not this charging Q.3 Gc'4 I 72 (yd fooliuV.y f God did command the circura- cifion of infants, and the law is not repealed, in reference to the fubjecls of the foaling ordinance &nd God, only has a right to repeal i r . The command, therefore, in its genuine ciefign, is full in full force, If the baptifts w^ll fhevv Ly the Bible, that God has revoked the order, as to the fubj?c~ls, we will give op the difpute i rrv- mediate!/. D i t this they cannot do. In the New Teftarr.ent, there is nothing faid, refpecting thofe who wers the fuhje<9ta of the feal of the covz^mi Gad made ivhh Abraham, contrary lo what He then eitablifliad, as a rule of pro* reedure for Abraham, and his feed. The com- mand, therefore, is (till binding, and will be, uniH the head of the chnrch (hill order it other- wife. We muPi receive and practice upon re* } ; gious infUtutiorts as 1 he y are eftabliuhed by God. And until we are taught of her wife by Him, we /my? believe. That the Infants ofjuch as are members of the vlfble church are to be baptized. 7. Obj.' 174 tame walk, the lepers are cleanfed, and the deaf kear> the dead are raijed up, and the poor have the go/pel preached to them. O.ir Saviour by this refers thefe difciples to the Oid Teftament, for evidence of his Mefliahmip. What they now faw, asd heard, they mull compare with the propecies which fpake of the character, and woiks oi the Mcfinh, and hence gain evidence ■who He was they were then converting with, v/ho faid, and did thofe things, thty now iavr and heard. From hence they were to learn that KE was the perfon repreiented by prophe- cy in the Oid Teftament, that fhould come, in the character o^ the Mefliah, and they were to look for no other* In thefe words our Saviour directs the Jews *| Search thefriptures. By St. Paul the Here- sns are commended, becaufe they, t Searched whom thou lovefi, and get thee info the land of Moriah, and offer him there for a burnt offering. What a command, from God to a father, ! But Abra- ham, by way of objection did not fay ; "Lord what good will it do ? I cannot conceive what advantage there can be from facrificeing my teloved Ifaac, and therefore, I flii.ll not do it." Many objections, might the pious patri- arch have made, againft a command, apparent- ly, fo unjuft, and barbarous. But inftead of making obje&ions, becaufe he cculd not fee what good it would do, He rofe up early in the morning, and fuddled his a fs, and took ivjo ofhif you 'g men with him, and Ifaac his fon, and clave 178 elave the wosd for a burnt offerings and rofe up, and zvent unto the place of which God had told him. 3. The apoftle afked, \JVhat advantage then hath the J civ f or what profit is there ofcircum- cif.on. To which he anfwers, Much every tuay : chief y, becivf thai unto them were com- mi tied the oracles of GccL li the baptiils do not difcern them, there may be, notwi.hilanding, many advantages, and great profit ot the bap- tiTm of infants. Circtimompu was inftituted by God, fo was baptin-n. The apoftle fays there was profit of circin:icifon y and we believe there hproft s/biptifin. This fenthnent would be attended to par- ticularly, had not the foregoing difecurfes, greatly exceeded in length, what was at fir (I propofed. 4. The baptsfts are reijuefted to inform us what good it :ife infants. They were cirCumcifed e qnence of a divine command. W was there in it ? Let baptifrs aniw-ev tl Is, "it they be able. It Wns ;ive them a title to the land of Ca- naan : for thres generations were born, and died before the feed of Abraham pofit lied that land. Betides, if their inheriting that land was fealed by cirrumcifion, God did reject them before they rejected him : the promise failed, when they were performing the conditions of it. This abfurdity has been, already expoftd. The baptiffjri,aud [the circumcifum of infants is connected with exactly, the fame advantages ; the fame end is anfvvered in one cafe, as in trie other ; and both are appointed to be ac'mimflc .;- ed on the very famegrounds. Infants are fttbjecfcs as capable of all the benefits, and advantages oj bantifm, \Rcm. 3.1.2. 179 baptifm, as are adults. There is, therefore, the fame propriety in the baptifm of infants, as there is in the baptifm of adults : as there w.;s the fame propriety, and reafon fo I le circum- cifion of infants, as there wasfor the circum- cifion of ariul's. 5 Man has no right to demand of God, a reafon for his conduct, or His mffitutions. If he, in any inftance affigns reafbns, it is an a£l ot condefee ruling goodnefs. li the divine mind be exprtfTed, we are under obligation to yield obedience to it, whether we can, or cannot fee any advantages r-: fulling from it. It is the pre- rogative of Gcd to command, and obligation lies on us to obey. One idea more will be attended to. The bapiiils ittftft on, what they call, believers bap- tifm. So do we. The queilion between us is not, whether faith be necetfary in order to be bap:; zed ; but whether none but fuch as have actual faith ; or ere fubjecls capable of exer* cifing faith, are meet fubjects of baptifm. This I bey affirm, and we deny. When adults are addretfed, who are capable of exercifing faith, it is uniformly required of them, in order to their being baptized. Neither in the Old Teftament, or New, can it be found, that any quality which might exifl in the character of an aduh, fhort of real holinefs, was confidered by God, or admitted, to be a qualification for church-memberfhip : If a perfon had real ho- linefs, God required he mould be circumcifed, but not otherwrfe. Walk before me and be thou perfecl. Then every man- child among you jh all be circumeifed. This is the rule eflablifhed by the head ot the church, under the Old Tefta- ment. Hie fame rule is eflablifhed, under the New. If thou believejl with all thy heart thou , mayefi ffidyefi l.e baptized, faid Philip to the eunuch, Tf^e -matter is fixed as to adults, on the fame p-ian, exactly, in buth Teftaments. And if we attend, carefully, to the ftatement made in the Bible, we mall find, it is judged, that the in- fanis of thofe pofTelling the above character, had, in confequence of the holinefsof their pa- rents, a right to the feal of the covenant, under both Teftaments. Under the Old Teftament, the promife included the feed of believers: / Will be a God to thee, and iky feed after thee, J nil the fame is it under the New ; tor the a- poftlefays The promife is to you, and your chiU dren. And it extends to the children of all whom God fhall call : as in the Old Tefta- ment it extended to all their generations, and to thofe of other nations if they efpoufed the God, and religion of the Hebrews. It was then believers circumcifion, as really as it noiu is believers baptifm. And as circtim- cifmg their infants was then enjoined by God, fo it is evident that the infants of thofe who are members of the vilible church are to be baptized Becaufe the covenant which was in operation under the Old Teftament, is in ope- ration under the New : the fame religion was then required which is new. Then, the fame church was in exiftence, which exifts now ; God required the fame qualification for church memberfhip of the lfraelites which he requi- red of us Gentiles : and promifes, wh'ch have for their object fpiritual bledings, and privi- ses, sre through the whole Bible, made to per- forms of the fame character : rnd perfons of the fame defcription are uniformly included in them. In regard to thefe tilings, as it was un- der the Old Teftament, (o it is now, and fo it will be in the millennium. One uniform, and infinitely i8.i infinitely wife plan, rcfpe&ing the church, has been, now is, and through time, will be purfu- cd, by the head of the church. And when he fhaW prefent it to hi mf elf a glorious church vjith* cut f pot cr wrinkle, or artyfuch thing. The re- deemed church will reap the b!eifed fruits of the Abrahamic covenant for ever and ever. AMEN. CONCLUSION. The Importance of attending, carefully, to the fcriptures of the G!d Teftameni appears, from a genera! view of our whole ftfb}e£i. The apofH'e fays * All fcripture is given by infpiratien if -God, and is profitable for doclrine 9 for reproof, far corrector,, for inflruclion in righ- teoufnefs. If ad fcripture be given by infpiruti- on of God ; and ally as the apoftle here fays, is profitable, we are then certainly, under obliga- tion to attend, with care, and diligence to eve~ ry part of the Bible. The Old Teftament, as well as the New, claims our particular, and careful attention. Many confederations might be adduced to prefs on the minds of people, the importance of fearchingthe fcriptures of the Old Tefta- ment ; but the following, will, at this time, be principally attended to. viz. In the Old Tefta- ment the covenant of grace is brought to view", and in operation ; we fee in this part of revela- tion, the infinitely holy God, fetting up a via- ble church among fallen, fihful creatures : here we fee alfo, the nature of the religion he en- joined on man, after the fall ; and what his du- ty was, and what his comforts, and erjoyments fhould be, if he were obedient to the will of R God. * 2. Tim, 3. 16. I?2 God. God alio in the Old Teftament ftateg the nature of the church he had fet up, and ex- plains, with clearnefs, and precifion, the cha- racter of thofe who were meet fubjecls of church-memberfhip, and many -things in re- gard to his providential government of the world, as it rcfpe&ed his church, under that clifpenfation. Befides, The Old Teftament looks forward to the New, and the two difpenfations are connected together, indiftblubly, in refpecl to duty, and enjoyment, religion, and character, in a word, every thing that is fpiritual, and holy ; and fo exhibits but one church, thro' all the Eible. For a knowledge of the nature of the reli- gion required by God, of fallen man ; the character of the church, which he defigned fhould ex id in this world ; and what qualifica- tions were requifite to conftitute perfons meet iubjeds of bis fpiritual kingdom ; we are rot indebted, in the firft inftance, to the fcripturcs of the New Teftament. No ; Jefus Chrift re- vealtd, to h ? s church, thofe important truths, in the Old Teflament, And if people were not guilty of criminal negligence in pafiing by the fcriptyres cf the Old Teftament, they would difcern an heavenly, and d/vine beauty, and gi-jry in the writings of Mo'fes, and the prophets, which is now: becaufe they fcarch not thofe fcriptures, hidden from them. If the fcriptures of the Old Teftament were iu\y attended, and deeply ftudied, it will be feen, that God, when he let up a church in this world, among fallen men, was doing a moft ftu- pendoys work, in effecting which, the moft af- toniftting fcenes wo^M open-to th<. view of the whole intelligent fyftem, in the execution of the and it will be feen, that none of the infpired pen-men of the Old, or New Tellarnent, labored more earncftly, in their writings, than did Mofes, to iroprefs on the Ifraelites the abfolute neceiTiiy cf holi- r.efs : He urges the duty of love to God, In wore particular inftances, than any other writer, we do not except even the apoftle John. And it is plain to be feen, that the duly was urged on the Ifraelites apon this interefting idea, that their being the people of God, and enjoying promi fed bladings depended folely, on their be- ing holy ; or complying with the great law of LOVE. R3 I«! i86 t'' lI r the true character of God be rightly umr- erftood, we mould not need a revelation front heaven, to teach us that it would be totally incompatible for a b.jing whofe character was Infinitely holy, to fet up, and hold communion with an unholy church. But we know what the character of God is, and we know what character he required his church to fuitain when he faid, Be ye holy , for lam holy. If it be admitted by the Baptifts that the church under the Old Teftament was holy, and that holin ,'fs of heart was there required, and neceiTary to church-mtmberihip, they know that thiscjonfequence will follow, unavoidably, viz, That the church under the Old, and New difper.fation, is the fame. This is according to Bible reprefentation. Their particular fcheme then is, totally, overthrown. For when God laid to Abraham, / will be a G:d to thee, and thy jeed after thee, it refpeitcd, not in a limited fenfe, the natural pollerity of Abraham only ; in the line of Ifeac, and Jacob, bat in an exten- sive fenfe, including all, thofe who were to be believers, under that difpenfation, as was Abra- ham, and their feed ; and thus to proceed for- ever. And therefore as Peter fays the promife is (till in operation. It is, to you and your chil- dren. Thefe confequences the Baptifls know mull follow if they give up their ideas about an unholy church, and then their caufo is ruined Beckufe the* infants of fuch as are members of the vifible church, wi!!, upon this ground, have according to the whole Biole plan, a ri^at to be baptized. To the law, and the tejlimony : That is t\ ftandard, by. which every religious fcheinc, a Sentiment will be reded. The plan adopte arid curiae!, by the writer of ihtfc diicourf 187 is in fome refpccls, new and different fro^fc thofe who have written in defence of infanx Baptifm. It he has kept on Bible groan!,:? has ben his aim, what is now pre fen ted to the public, will, it is hoped, aid the caufe of re- ligion, by ftrengihening the feeble minded, bv confirming; the doubting, and exciting ali \o SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES. In every part of divine revelation, the fame character of God is brought to view. Man, in every part of the Bible, is reprefented under the fame character, fince the tall. A covenant of grace, G^d was plejfed to leveal to man, foon alter the fall, in which he prorriifed i fav- iour, and Salvation to finners through HIM. Which covenant was in operation under the whole of the Old TefUmtnt difpenfation ; is Rill operating, 6c will be through time Sc the confequenccs and glorious fruits of it will be enjoyed in eternity, forever, and ever. A church we find has beer, fet up among finful creature^ in this world, by the particular direction of God. f Hmfdf forming l& co I'litution of the church ; God was pleaf-d to include the feed of believers, with themfelves. Which was the cafe under the Old, and is the cafe under the New Teftamenf. This church has exUled, and does, and v.illexift through litrie, and eter- nity. Oh what important difcoveries G ;J his made in \\h word ! What giorioas thing's are fpokentf the city of: Mr Gcd ? £ he more we know, the more we<&ill a.dmire : auunaafetty we drink the waters of the fancl'uary, the m re happinefs, we fhoulJ enjoy; The more fre- quently we fade the Jir earns, which make gJnd tie city of our G^d, the more, the glory of Godjs chaniiur, aud w^iko ; the glory, and beauty of ib.e ■ 83 gbe church ; the Glory and excellency of divine Truth, will warm, and animate our fouls, and fill us with joy and peace in believing. Let us then, as did the Bereans, Search the fcripturcs daily. Whether thefe things be/o. May God give us eyes to fee, and ears to hear, and hearts to underhand. A M E N. I p#- ■': . 4