In the Eptle to the HEa Evv s: the Churchbuilt on the Covenant, whereuntoas we faid, they do all appertain. On this account the Church before the dayes ofAbrabam though fcatteredup and down In the world, and"fubje unto manychanges in its worfhip by theaddition of NewReve- lations, was (till but one and thefame ; becaufe founded in the fame Covenant, and in- trufted thereby in all the Benefits or Priviledges, that God 'had given or granted, or would do fo at any time unto his Church. In procefsof time, God was pleafed to confine this Church, as unto theordinary vi- fibledifpenfation of hisGrace, unto thePerfon and Pofierity of Abraham. Upon this reftri&ion of the,Church, Covenant, and Promife, the Prot of oldmanaged a Plea in -their own Jufliftcation againftthe Doárine of the Lord Chrift and his Apoftles. We are the children, the feed ofAbraham, was their contiuualcry; on theaccountwhereof, theyprefumed that all the Promifes belonged unto them, and upon the matter unto them alone. And this theirperfwafionhash call them, as we fhall fee, upon a, woful and fatalmiftake. TwoPriviledges did God grant unto Abrahamupon his Separation to a fpeciaf intereft in the Old Promife and Covenant. Firfl, That according to thefleib, he fhould bethe Father of theMepiah; the pro- mifed feed, who was the very Lifeof theCovenant,the Fountainand Caufeof all the Blef legscontained in it. That this Priviledge was temporary, having a limited feafon, time and end appointed unto it, the verynature of the thingit Pelf dolls demonftrate. For upon this aftualExhibition in the fief', it was to ceafe. In purfuit hereof, were his poflerityfeparated from the tell of the world, and preferved a peculiar people, that through them the promifed feed might be brought forth in the fulnefs of time , andbe of them according unto the flefh, Rom. 9. 5., Secondly, Together with this, hehad alfö another Priviledge granted unto him,name- ly that his faith whereby he was perfonally interefted in the Covenant fhould be the Pattern of the faith of the Church in all generations, and that none fhould ever come tobe amember of it, or a fharer in its Blelfngs, but by the fame faith thathe had fixed on thefeed that was inThe Pròmife, to be brought forth from him in the world. On theaccount of this Privlledge, he became theFather of all them that do believe; For they that areof the faith," thefame are the children of Abraham, Gal.3. y. Rpm. 4.11. as alfo Heirs of the World; Rom. 4. 13. in that all thatfhould believe throughout the world, being thereby implanted into theCovenant made with him, fhould becomehis firitttal children., Anfwerableunto this twofold endof the feparation ofAbraham, there was a double feed allotted unto him. A feed according to thePO, féparated to the bringing forth of the Mefah, accordingunto the flefh: and a feed according to the Promife, that is, fuch as by faith fhould have intereft in the Promife, or all the Eletï of God. Not that thefe twofeeds were alwayesftbjeFtiveÿdivers ; fo that the feed fe arated to the bring, ing forth of the Meah in thefleJh, fhould neither in whole or irart be alto the feed according to thepromifé; or ónthe contrary, that the feed according to thepromifi, fhould noneof it, be his feed after the flefh. Our Apoftle decllies the contrary in theinftances ofIfaac and Jacob, with the remnant ofIfrael thatChan be Caved, Romans Chap. g, ío,11. But fometimes thefame feedcame under divers confederations, being the feed ofAbrahamboth according to the fief' and according to the Promife ; and fometimes the feed it felt was- divers, thofe according to 'the fief' being not of the Promife,. and'fo on the contrary. ThusIfaac and Poohwere the feed ofAbraham ac- cording unto the flefh, feparated unto the bringing forth of the Mefah afterthe flefh, becaufe they were his carnal Pofterity, and theywere an ofthe feed of the- Promife, becaufe by their owri perfonal faith they wereinterefted in the Covenant of Abraham theirFather. Multitudes afterwards were of the carnal feed of Abraham, and of the number of the people feparated to bring forth the Mefah in the flefh and yet were not of the feed according to the Promife, nor interefted in the fpiritual bleffings of the Covenant,becaufe they didnot perfonally believe, as our Apoffle declares, Chap. 4. of this Epifile. And many afterwards, who were not of the carnal feed ofAbrabani, nor interefted in tfie priviledge ófbringing forth the Mph in the flefh, were yet defigped to be made his fpiritual feed by faith, that in them he might become heir of theworld, and allNations of the Earthbe bleffed in him. Now it isevident, that it is the feond Priviledge and fpiritual feed, wherein the Church towhom the Protmfes are made, isfounded, and whereof it doth confift ; namely in them, who by Faith are interefted in the Covenant of Abraham, whether they be of the carnal feedor no. And IS 4.
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