Ch. 4. of the áffite of Beleevers. of the fdefb thefe are not the children of God; but the children of the Eromife are counted for the feed : Where children of God is taken in the fame latitude as Adoption, verf. 4, compri zing all the vifible body of the Jewes, as it is alfa taken, Dent. i 4. a . only thofe that are borne by Promife are included , and fo all the fonnes of Ifhmael and Keturah, though their parents were once in Covenant , are by Gods fpecial command flint out; neither are all thefe included ; for as God caft off Ifbmael and his feed, fo all() Efau and his pofterity ; therefore the Apoftie having brought the former diftinftion of feeds , refts not there, but addes, Verf io, i r, 12, .13. eflnd not only this, but when Rebecca alfo had conceived by one , even by our Fatber Ifaac ; for the children being not yet borne , neither having done any good or evil, that the purpofe of God according to Elec`l ion might fl and, not of works, but of him that calleth. It was laid unto her, the elder fhall ferve the younger , as it is written ; Jacob have I loved hut Efau have 1 hated. And therefore the denomination of the feed is in Jacob, firnamed Ifrael; Therefore when the head, or ifyou will, root of the Covenant is mentioned; ufually in Scripture it is not barely Abraham, but Abraham and Ifaac, to exclude all Abrahams feed of any other line; not barely eílbraham and Ifaac , but A- braham, Ifaac and 7acob. The natural feed of 7acob then (not according to ours, but Gods own limits) is included in that Co- venant in the full latitude and extent of it. Secondly, We do not fay that this Covenant was entred with Abraham as a naturali Father, nor his feed comprehended as na- turall children ; we well know that qua tale is omne then all na- tural parents were in Covenant, upon that account that they had . naturali children, and all natural children were in Covenant, be- , caufe they were the natural iffue of their parents.Abrah4msFather was a natural father,andAbraham was his natural Son,yet neither upon that account were in Covenant; we fay it was entred with Abraham, accepting the termes ofit from God for himfelf and his n-tturall iffue, all his naturali iffue not by God himfèlf exclu- ded. He that made the Covenant ( according to his good plea - fure) might put limits to it; Abraham may be confidered as a man, the Son of Ter ah, of the race of Adam. 2. Awaccepting of Gods call , and receiving his tender for him and his. 3, As a fairlCal and an upright man, regenerate and ftedfaft in Covenant. K k It 349 The Covenant was entred of God with A- braha>n as ac. cep ting the termes ofit f r himfaf and his naturìil iilùe. --°---_
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