144 Of fuf ?cation by Faith. S ER M. fees him who is inviable, is the fub/lance of VI. things hoped for, and the evidence of things not feen, and worketh by love. Farther, St. Paul argues not from the example of Abraham only, but from the tenor of the declarations which were made to him. The promife was given him, that he íhould be the heir of the world, the father of many nations, and have a numerous feed: Which the apoftle interprets, not of his natural offspring, tho' they were as the fars of Heaven for multitude, for thefe were not all heirs of the promife in the fpiritual fenfe : But fo as to extend to all who fhould walk in his Reps ; that is, imitate his faith, and his virtue. Now the promife was made to him while he was yet uncircumcifed, and therefore as the text fays, is fure to all the feed : Not to that only which is of the law, but to that alfo, which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all. And more fully at the loth ver. How was it (righteoufnefs) then reckoned? When he was in circumcifion, or in uncircumcifion ? not in circumcifion, but in uncircumcifion. And he received the jign of circumcifion, a feal of the righteoa fnefs of the faith, which he had being yet uncircumcifed : That be might be the
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