Chap.t. Secl:.3. Lo11king MJto :jefns. Book III. this fpeakes the duration of it , of which anon; I fuppofe it intends alfq the confirmatio:1 of it; we findc tbJt the Lord had be-· fore made a Covena.nt wtr'- .Af,r.tb.m-; , Cjcn.l 5·4-S· And now Gen. r 5·4,5· he doth not abolifh the fo rmer, ar.d make anotLer, but rather he renewes , confirmes , and efhollfheth the former. It may be there was (orne bditation or doubtmg in Abraham, fo 1-ve fee qen. I 5. I ,2. But now God would <!ifure.him infJllibly ofh!s will Grn,I ;.1, ~,Jr and purpofe ~ 0 when a man heares that God will vvuchfafe fo much favour as to enter into a Covenant wirh h1m;he is ready to fay as Gideon did, 11/as m)'f.tmi!y is poor in t:_JJ,{an..fl es , ana' I am the leilft in all my Fathers houfe; andrvh~ am I that 1./hould be rai- Judg.6.1 'i• Jed up hitherto ? that qoJ flm·!d 1.~a1 ~ [t.tel; promifes as tfx[e to me? And hence to prevent fuel• OlHcctions, t:1e Lord will confirme and eftablijh his Covenant; as fonecimes by hi$ promifes; [ornetimes by an oath; fomet nnes · y the blood of Chri£1: himfelf ; fometimes by feales. So here in this very place , God addes the feale ofCircumcifion, -ye fball circumcif: the jlefb ofyottr fore-skf.n Gen.>7 , r ,; (faith God) and it jha!t be .t tok.fn oftheCcvrn.mt betwixt me & JOU. / · As fo!Iletimes he faid of the Rainbow,! dofet my Bow in the cloud, Gen 9 13 & itfbal be for a token ofa Covenant between meand the e~~~rth;--. /J• That the waters fha!t no more become aflood to deft roy all Jlefb.- · For I ~illlook,.upon the Bow, that I may remember the everlafting (oven.1 11t. Afrer this manner are the fignes and fcales ofthe Covenant; Circumcife your felves faith God, and when I fee , the circumcifion , I will remember my Covenant, and I will make good to you all the promifes thereof. - But what is circumcifion to the Covenant? much every way; circumcifion was not without fhedding of blood, becaufe the Covenant was not yet efl:ablifhed in the blood ofthe Meffiah; fure there was much in this; howfoever the rite of it felfwa~ nothing; yet as it lead · the faithful Patriarch~ to the blood of (hrift , and as it allured the purging away offinne by the blood of Chrift, and as it figned the circumcifion of the heart by the Spirit ofChrift; fo it found acceptance with God; no fooner he lookes on it; but he remem.- bers his Covenant,and confirmes it,and makes it good to Abraham,and to his feed after him. 3. Betwixt whom is the Covenant to be efl:ablifhed? betwem me and thee, (faith God) and thy feed after thee. The two .heads of this Covenant are God and Abraham ; on Gods part U ara i. i,.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=