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tion, it was a seal of all the Gospel promises, made to them by their Lord; and was therefore itself a gospel ordinance.

I define circumcision to be, a sacramental seal of the covenant of grace, as administered under the Old testament dispensation; wherein, by cutting off the foreskin, from, the male infant, or male adult; they were introduced into the church of Christ; and their being cut off from the law, as a covenant of works, and from the relation to the first Adam as their fœderal head; and all the effects of that relation through Christ, was thereby, signed, sealed and signified.

We shall now endeavour to establish our proposition by proving its different parts.

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1st. It was a seal of the covenant of Grace. That the covenant to which it was appended was the covenant of grace, we think is already shewn at length, but more is necessary on this point of the subject; we observe, first; That the apostle so explains it, Rom. 4. 11. 'And he received the sign of circumcision; a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had, yet being uncircumcised; that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed to them also."

2nd It is granted, that it was a seal of that coyenant, God. made with Abraham, mentioned in the 17. chapter of Genesis; called the covenant of circumcision; but the blessings there designated we have proved to belong to the covenant of Grace alone; therefore circumcision was a seal of the covenant of Grace.

3rd. The covenant of grace is the testament, of which Christ Jesus is the testator, and the church the alone heir, then if by circumcision they were

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Circumcision ceased in the manner of its administration, with that dispensation, because all the ordinances of Old testament, wore the same character: uniformity and consistency, is the character of all Divine ordinances-they must all be adopted to the dispensation under which they are administered. The change of dispensation will, therefore require a change of all the ordinances. This observation is equally true, both as it respects those rites, which were to be entirely abolished, and those which only underwent an external change. Sacrifices which had no other, than a typical existence, of course, ceased to be when the Great antitype was offered, but the office of the ministry, which in general had a miraculous appointment, under the New testament, exists by regular ordination.

It was ever necessary, that the covenant of Grace should have a seal; under the former administration of it, a seal suited to that time, was instituted: the same necessity of it continues, the seal is accordingly varied to suit the present dispensation of Grace.

That it was a Gospel ordinance, will appear by observing,

1st. That regeneration was one of the leading privileges emblematically set forth in this rite. Deut. 10. 16. Circumcise therefore the foreskin, of your heart, and be no more stiff-necked. Also chap. 30. 6. "And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.' So also the New testament writers understood it. col. 2. 11. 'In whom also, ye are circumcised, with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the ho

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dy of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ.'

2nd. That this seal was confined to a holy seed. For while it was the privilege of his servants and also of all his children to receive the administration of this rite, yet with none of these was it to be continued as a divine ordinance, but with Isaac. The reason why the other members of his family were entitled to this privilege, was because they were raised according to, the laws of the covenant of Grace, possessed its privileges, and thereby became entitled to its seal; this is amply taught when God speaks of Abraham. Gen. 18. 19. For I know him that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham, that which he hath spoken.'*

*It appears that the Arabs the posterity of Abraham, by Ishmael, yet circumcise, with all the punctuality of the Jews, with this difference, that indeed of the eighth day, they perform it, on the eighth year. This unhappily for the Baptist, cuts off their position that circumcision was a national distinction, because it does not distinguish them from the Jews. Mr. Riley our fellow citizen, observes that the Arabs in the deserts circumcise to prevent disease. But however accurate he is in most of his observations, he is mistaken in this; because Doctor Parks found them observing the same rite in Affrica, among settled nations, who did not attend to it, it is also found that the Arabs circumcise in Asia and in Europe, where they live among christian nations, who pay no attention to circumcision.

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I infer that it was to be confined to his posterity by Isaac in particular, not only from the fact as it afterwards appeared, but also from the covenant. being confirmed with his seed by Isaac at the time circumcision was instituting. Gen. 17, 19. 'and God said Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant, with him, for an everlasting covenant and with his seed after him. Why was this secured to Isaac? It was because he was a son; not of the flesh; but of promise.' They who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.' Baptists grant that the covenant of circumcision did secure a seed; let them now submit to the divine difinition of that seed just quoted, and there can remain no dispute. They were to be a spiritual seed-the be a children of God.'

3rd. The very covenant of which circumcision is the acknowledged seal, secured the continuation and spread of the everlasting gospel, Gen. 19 7, and I will establish my covenant between thee and me, and thy seed after thee, in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and thy seed after thee.' We find A 'similar declaration made from Mt. Sinai. I am the Lord your God. So in the New testament we have it recorded of Thomas, that he expressed his faith'appropriating this precise promise with others of the same import. "My Lord and my God." I would now ask the weakest believer, or even of Mr. C's. followers would they desire a more comfortable gospel promise, than this mentioned in Gen. 17. I will be a God unto thee and thy seed after thee! The attempts of men weaken or

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