was the same that is now presented to believing heathens, read the passage again and you will find, that the righteousness sealed to Abraham was the same righteousness which is imputed to those who are uncircumcised. It follows by the most natural consequence, that circumcision was a seal of that righteousness which is now presented to us in the everlasting gospel, as the ground of our justification and acceptance with God.

3rd. Look at the historical facts to which the apostle evidently alludes. Abraham had firist received the promise, as Mr. C. grants, mentioned in Gen. 12, afterwards he had the same confirmed by sacrifice chap. 15. But in the 17th. chap. he received a more full revelation of the blessings of the same covenant. All this revelation was made prior to the affixing of any permanant seal. Among other revelations made before this institution, this was one, that God would multiply his. seed. The apostle therefore argues, that the heathens, who, with the Jews, are his seed, were included in that covenant; now of all these promises circumcision was given as a seal. I am persuaded that such is the evidence of this passage that no honest mind can prevent the conviction, that circumcision was a seal of the covenant of grace.

This view of the passage startles Mr. C. and, afraid of its mortal consequences upon his system; he thinks it best to deny the very being of seals under any dispensation, even baptism, and. the Lord's supper.-P. 175. This is indeed, a universal disposal of the doctrine to which in a little we shall attend. But first of all, he attacks the sentiments of the apostle. Rom. 4 11. P. 17, 18. I know of no passage, more evidently a

any change of expression, or variation of sentiment, HE is said to be both the God of Abraham and of his seed. I know of no blessing promised to Abraham, which was not also promised to his seed. In all those blessings promised to Abraham in Gen. 17. Abraham and his seed, stood on the same covenant footing, and therefore the same seal was equally applied to both.

Either Ishmael or Isaac, were as fit subjects of the righteousness possessed by Abraham as he was himself. Any infant by the special grace of God, may be regenerated and Justified, and thereby, may be made a partaker of that righteousness, which believers, by faith, claim. Mr. C. must either agree to this, or believe that all infants are condemned, for without this righteousness, neither infant, nor adult, shall ever see heaven.

Neither activity nor consent is essentially necessary to the imputation of Christ's righteous ness: because regeneration and justification are the acts of another; the subject is passive; on. which more afterwards. What I have said is sufficient to establish the assertion, that the righteousness of which the apostle spoke was the same to both Abraham and his seed. I do not say, all the generations of his seed: but all his seed by promise, Ishmael, Isaac, his sons, and all his servants were to him promised blessings, were to be raised under his particular inspection, and were therefore, fit subjects of this sacramental seal. But in 'Isaac shall thy seed be called,' and therefore such of his posterity alone, as were included in the covenant of circumcision were in their generations the fit subjects of this rite. Hence it was that the Edomites and Ishmaelites, stood in no

other covenant relation to Abraham, than the Ca naanites or Moabites.

The revelation, of this circumstance, that Abraham possessed this righteousness before he was circumcised, which Mr. C. takes as the ground of his assertion, afford no justification to his opinion. Would Mr. C. say, that all the Israelites born in the wilderness, during the forty years of their travel, were unbelievers? I think none will say so. But I observe that every one of them converted during their journey, Abraham-like, possessed this righteousness before circumcision; it was not until they come into the land of Canaan, any of them were circumcised, that were born in the wilderness. Joshua 5. 5. Now all the people that come out were circumcised, but all the people that were born in the wilderness by the way as they come forth, them they had not circumcised.' Yet Mr. C. asserts that circumcision was to Abraham, what it never was to any of his posterity. But all his posterity, who were justified before they were circumcised, had the blessings of that Covenant sealed to them, precisely as Abraham had; but the states of persons are the same, and the righteousness the same, whether it be subsequent or antecedent to circumcision. A person who by faith was a partaker of this righteousness, before he was circumcised, enjoyed it in the same sense, he did, who was not made partaker of it until he was circumcised. This circumstance with respect to the time of being justified, is the alone ground of Mr. C's assertion: yet I think the intelligent reader will say, that it matters not when Justification takes place; that the righteousness to Abraham and his seed was the same, although the one was justified antecedent to cir

cumcision, and the other subsequent to it. But Mr. W's reasoning on this subject (says Mr. C.) is a sophism of the first magnitude; because it is drawing a general conclusion from a particular premise.' I reply, that my conclusion is no more general than my premise; because Abraham engaged to the duties of this covenant, as the church, or as the father of the faithful. Therefore that which may be predicated of Abraham sustaining this character, may also be predicated of all his represented seed.

Indeed, if the premise of my argument had been particular, it would have cut off, the chief source of all the comfort of the church .ever since; for if the promise, or blessings of the covenant, had been particuliarly to Abraham, as Mr. C. supposes; then none of his spiritual seed, could ever have appropriated these promises or claimed these blessings; no individual could warrantably claim a promise, never addressed to him. Reader, view the difference between the faith of Abraham's seed, and Mr. C's opinion. Ex. 32. 13. 'Remember Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom thou swearest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land, I have spoken of, will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it forever.' But if Abraham, exclusively had been made a possessor of any of the blessings of that covenant, how was it possible for the Jews four hundred and thirty years after that time, to claim the blessings made to him. But common sense will say, that every part of a testament, covenant, or contract to which a seal is affixed, that all their items are equally sealed. But the apostle in the 4th. of Rom. only mentions one of these items, viz.