186 The Old and New Covenant. Chap. 2 6.1 Proteftant truth 04 well a Fapifh, as Apolog. page 134 he afrmeth. Secondly, If Circumcifion have refpeet to.thofe Promifes that were no Gofpel- mercies, but civil, domeítical,reffrained to Jews, and not appertaining to Chriftians; How could it be adiftinftion between Jew and Gentile refpeive to Religion it might have made a civil diftindion , and the want of it have been an evi- dence againft other Nations, that they bad been none of the mul- tiplied feed of Abraham according to the flefh, and that their in- tereft had not been in Canaan. But how it could have concluded them to have been without Chrift, ftrmngers from the Covenant of Promife, having no hope, and without God in the World, as the Apoftle determines upon their uncircumcifion, Ephef. 11,1 t. cannot be imagined. Thirdly,How is it that we hear fo much in Scripture of Circum- -cifion of the heart,Jer.4.4. Rom.2.28. Deut.Io.16.))eut. 30.6. Ezek: 44 g: And the circumcifed to have this charatler that they worfhíp Godin Spirit and in Truth ; if Circumcifion have not relation to Promifes that are fpiritual? When complaint is made -óf uncircumcifion in heart,, is it not (as it is ordinarily under- ftood,that their minds were carnal, 3z not taken up with fpiritual things ? or is it that they were not fixt on their civil and dome- flick interefts? and they are faidto be uncircumcifed, 7erem.6. t o. not upon that account that 7eren¡.y there gives, that they could not hear the Word of the Lord, that they had no delight in it, bot that it was a reproach to them s but becaufe they could not fuckin Promi -' fes of meer civil, home, and felf- interefts. So it muff needs be if Circumcifion be fuch a Seale when they improved it for the ufe to which it was inftituted, they kept the right ufe of it and were not worthy of reproof concerning it. Fourthly, What Sacraments had the Jewes of any Gofpel-rela- 1 tion, if this refpe&ed alone their Paíeovertetof Carry?t to peculiar be more fpoken to that of National- mercies, then to this of Circumcifion. See .Exod. i 3. 14, I7. And it (hall be When thyfonne asketh thee in time to come,fay ing, What is this? that thou fhalt fay unto him , By f¢rengt:h of hand the Lord brryightsu out from .Egypt,fromthe bouleofHonda -e. And it came to pa ffe when Pharaoh would hardly let wo go, that the Lord flew all the firfì -borne in'the land of Egypt; both the firft.bone of man, and
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=