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PART 1.

Circumcifion not Officially Administered.

59

tion of the divine fpirit, renewing and tranfplanting the foul, from Nature to Grace, from Death to Life; in order to falvation. And also established it, as a Token of his fpecial and gracious PRE

SENCE.

But though circumcifion was an effential Sacrament, and perhaps has generally been fo efteemed; yet neither that, nor the Paffover, the Sacraments previous to Chrifts paffion, appear to have been officially administered, as the Sacraments of the New Teftament, are exprefsly inflituted. Doubtless there was an important wife reafon for their not being official. Circumcifion appears to have been given to Abraham, as a family duty, and by all the inftances we have recorded, it appears plainly to have been fo conducted. Saving what is faid in Jofhua 5th Chap. God commanded Jofhua to circumcife the children of Ifrael. And he did circumcife them. But this can mean no more, than that, as Jofhua was the commander of Ifrael, the orders were given to him to revive the primitive inftitution. And he gave orders, and took care that they were executed. Joshua to circumcife them all, with his own hand was impoffible. For there were, at the moft mod. erate computation, at leaft a million then to circumcife; and it would undoubtedly take five minutes each perfon, to circumcife them, one with another which would have taken Joshua above nineteen years to perform, working twelve hours every day, without intermiffion. Should any here fay Jofhua might appoint deputies to affift him : That gives up all the argument that he did it him. felf ; and he might juft as well, appoint ev. ery head of a family, to do it in his family, according to its originial inflitution. Which I have

But for

Abraham offering up Ifaac.

PART I. no doubt he did. So that notwithflanding what is faid about Jofhua; or any thing elfe; it will appear, that circumcifion was a family inftitution; and not official. So alfo as to the Paffover; it never appears to have been officially adminiftered, This Sacramental Token of Circumcifion, we find Abraham punctually practifed, according to the divine command: and his children after him. Such of them as were heirs of the promises. And we find alfo that Abraham practifed the other Sacramental Token, which was then promulgated, of offering burnt offerings of living creatures flain, and offered to God. And Abraham and Ifaac his fon, were called to a moft trying fcene, literally explaining the meaning of facrifices, and burnt.of. ferings; when the life of Ifaac was peremptorily required, and he to be offered for a burnt offer ing Abraham without hesitation obeyed; and did every thing to the fatal ftroke, and his hand ftretched forth with the knife to flay his Son! When Lo; God ftopped him, and commuted the life of Ifaac for a ram. This muft undoubtedly imprefs their minds, with a moft lively fenfe of their relation to God, that they had forfeited life, that he had a right to require it, that they deserved death, and the divine wrath at the fame time, frike their minds, with most exalted apprehen. fions, of the infinite, unfpeakable Grace of God; in accepting the life of another, fo as to fpare and fave the man. Here was reprefented, in a very fenfible and affecting manner, the wonderful Grace of God, in his fcheme of the Salvation of mạn; by a glorious and wonderful commutation. So that God is juft, and yet the juftifier of the ungodly, who believe in Jefus, even the lamb, the facrifice, that God himself has provided. And this

PART I.

The Pafover a Sacrament.

61

of Abraham's offering up his fon Ifaac; is no doubt left upon record, to explain to believers, the children of Abraham in all ages; the true meaning, and importance, of God's Sacramental Sign or Token, between him and man, in the prefent ftate.

We find a like sign or token much enlarged, and inftituted by God, for Ifrael in Egypt, for a Token of Salvation to them, when the Egyptians were fmitten. And to be by Ifrael, obferved throughout their Generations, as a Sign or Token of their falvation from death, and deliverance from bondage. At the fame time, as their manumiffion from Egyptian bondage, was a type of the freedom, and falvation of the foul from fin and death; fo this was fitly confidered as a Sacramental Token : fignifying the liberation of every foul from the bondage of fin, and falvation from death; carrying in it, all thofe marks of a Sacramental Sign, or Token, fitted to excite and maintain in them a proper fenfe of God, and of their relation to him, in this fallen flate; and of his gracious commutation. Here alfo by their eating of it, was a proper token, to excite and maintain in them, a fenfe of their conftant dependence on that fame fource, which faved them from death; for fupport in life. This then was a compleat and full Sacrament for them in their condition.

Thus I have confidered the two effential Sacraments, as God inftituted them to be obferved, previous to the death of Chrift; viz. Circumcifion and the Paffover. Circumcifion I have denominated incidental, as being occafioned by man's apoftafy. And a few remarks here, may help to illuftrate the nature, and importance, of this incidental Sacrament. In which it may be noticed; that from

F

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Salvation by Tranfplanting.

PART I.

the fall, whenever God made any fpecial overtures for the falvation of perfons; they must undergo more or lefs trouble or diftrefs, and make a local transition from their native, or original place and condition. Thus it was with Adam. Thus with Noah. Thus with Abraham. Thus with Ifrael, in their falvation from Egypt.

Thus God refcued Adam in a local fenfe, from the Devil, who had intruded himself into the Garden, and fet up his dominion there; God tranflocated Adam; and vouchfafed to him, his fpecial prefence. Thus God rescued Noah from his enemies, and tranfplanted him, from the old world to the new. Thus he faved Abraham from being fwallowed up in the Idolatry and wickedness of the times, in his native place. Thus alfo God liberated Ifrael from the Egyptians.

In all thefe cafes, it appears, that God took in children and pofterity, into the fame vifible condition, and relation to himself, with their parents.

Thus as to Adam; it is plain that his pofterity were taken into the fame vifible or external relation to God, with Adam himfelf: for it appears evident, that Cain and Abel were in the fame vifi. ble relation to God, that their Father was; enjoy. ed the fame religious privilege, viz. The divine prefence. But Cain feparated from it ; Gen. iv. 16 Cain went out from the prefence of the Lord. Thus without any comment, it appears as to Noah, and Abraham; their chlidren and poflerity were taken into the fame visible relation to God, that they were themselves.

Thus alfo it exprefsly was as to Ifrael, when God took them out of Egypt into his own gracious prefence, to ferve and worship him. He by Mo fes, demands of Pharaoh, to let his people go to

PART 1.

God requires old and young in bis fervice.

63

ferve him, to do facrifice to him. At length Pha raoh afks; who they were that fhould go? Mofes anfwered, we will go with our young, and with our old, with our fons, and with our daughters; for we muft hold a feaft unto the Lord. But Pharaoh faid not fo; go now ye that are men and ferve the Lord, Exod. x. 8, 9, 11. Here we fee God required all, old and young to go and be in the fame condition and relation to himself, and to be all baptized. But Pharaoh, propofes that only the men, the heads of families should go and ferve the Lord. This of hard hearted Pharaoh, is the only inftance I recollect to have found in all the Bible, of either God or man, propofing to have parents in a dif. ferent condition and relation to God, from their children; or for parents, or heads of families, to come to Baptifm, without their children and families with them!

We find that in all these cases above mentioned, the fubjects of Salvation, had travel and hard labor to undergo. Thus Adam had to leave the Garden, and travel to fome diftance, and labor hard for a living. Thus Noah had to build the Ark, which must be a long and arduous work; was confined in it above a year; and had to undergo the fhock of the flood. Thus Abram had to travel a long journey, from his native country, kindred and connections. Thus Ifrael had to undergo fevere dift refs, previous to their liberation from the Egyptians; and then to make a long and tedious journey through the fea, and wildernefs.

All these, are a series of Figures, fignifying and certifying the real neceffity, of an abfolute paffing from our native or original ftate; and of hard conflicts therein, in order to Salvation; and that

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