C11.34 of the iiie of Beleevers. I. Chrifl ù called the feed ofAbraham by excellency, Gal. 3. 6. 2. All the Elea, Rom, 9. 7. all Beleevers, Rom. 4. It, 12, 1 6., 7, 18. are called the feed of Abraham, that ii, the fpirituall feed. 3. There way a natural feed of Abraham to whom the inheritance did accrue, this mar Ifaac, Gen. 2I. i z. 4. erf natural feed, whether lawful, as the font ofKeturah,or bate, as Iíhmael, to whom the inheritance belonged not, Gen. 15. 5. Here by the way Mailer Tombes miilakes himfelf. (t,) In calling Ifhrnael out of Covenant in that manner that all the time of his Circumcifion he had not title to it; as afterwards be more fully explaines himfelf, to that end that he might maze (were it poßîble ) the Covenant and the Seale di flinc`t ofthemíelves without any relation one to the other con- ceiving force to be fealed, that were never in Covenant; and force to be in Covenant , that were never fealed. Ifhmael was in Co- venant, as was Ffau, at his Circumcifion , and his Circumcifion (were there no more arguments) doth witneffe it, Gen. i7. ir. Te ¡hall circumcife the flesh of your fore -skin, and it !hall be a tokn of the Covenant between me and you. Circumcifion was bottomed on the Command we grant, had there been no infli- tution, no man might have prefumed to have figned it with fuch a Seale , but the Command had relation to the Covenant ; Men in Covenant were the adequate Subjeil of Circumcifion, and are of Saptifine, Gen. 17. 9, io. God faid to Abraham , Thou!halt keep my Covenant therefore, thons, and thy feed after thee in their generations. This ù my Covenant which you (hall keep be- tween me and you , and thy feed after thee , every man- childe a- mong you (hall be circumcifed. He was indeed after call out with his feed,as was Elan; not by a Church - cenfure (as Mailer Cotton affirmes Holine ffe of Church- Members, pag. ) Church -cen- lures fall not fo heavy as to reach all poflerity; but by divine pre- rogative as the Apoftle, Rom. 9. abundantly declares. His caft- ing out (which MaflerTombes obferves -, Apolog. page i 13.) fuf ficiently argues he was once -in , and in Covenant when he recei ved the token of the Covenant. (z.) Mailer Tombes does ill, inlaying upon him the brand of baflardy, as though he were a fonne of whoredomes to fait Hull Abraham ; Concubines in Scripture have the wile of wives, and their feed was ever accounted legitimate; neither will this. ferve bis 2 4.7 Mr. Torabes his diflinetion of the feed of Abraham exa- mined._
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