became proper on account of it, fo the fovereignty of divine grace was fignally displayed by admitting Abraham to join in this duty af ter that fall. Divine fovereignty must come over multiplied provocations after, as well as before converfion. nants. 3. THIS Covenant was made with Abraham after he had received a partial accomplishment of a distinguishing promife in former coveGod had affured him, that the juftification and falvation of his foul depended, in some measure, on the fruit of his body. He faw meet, however, to make a 'confiderable interval between the making of the promise and the accomplishment of it; but that interval was now elapfed. Now the accomplishment of this promise, respecting a Seed, was an earnest of the accomplishment of all the reft: The birth of Ifaac was a certain prelude of the birth of the Meffiah, in the fulness of time; the miraculous circumstances of the former refpecting the still more miraculous circumstances of the latter. 4. THIS transaction took place after Ishmael, the fon of the bond-woman, had perfecuted Ifaac, the fon of the free-woman. This perfecution feems to have commenced when Ifaac was weaned, which was about the fifth year of his life; and also at the beginning of that four hundred years which had been mentioned in the fecond tranfaction with this patriarch, which we have confidered above. Prior to the birth of Ifaac, Abraham, was afflicted for the want of feed; after that period he was afflicted in his feed. In this affliction the patriarch was chaftifed for his adultery with Hagar: By this covenant he was enabled to bear it unto the glory of God, and the benefit of his own foul: By it he was affured, that the fon of the free-woman fhould not be caft out of the covenant; but, on the other hand, confirmed in the enjoyment of the privileges of it: As he had faid, on a former occafion, covenant will I establish with Ifaac, whom Sarah fhall bear unto thee." "But my 5. THE more immediate occafion of this tranfaction was, the amazing trial and triumph of Abraham's faith, when he received the extraordinary command to offer up his fon Ifaac. Every thing about it is remarkable, therefore it deferves to be minutely furveyed on all fides. The person whom he is commanded to offer is Ifaac, a fon, an only begotten fon in lawful wedlock! It would coft many, who suppose themselves faints, much reasoning in their own minds, to give their fubftance to the Lord at his call: But, without the smallest hefitation or delay, Abraham gives up his fon. It would have been much to have demanded Ishmael, but the mandate pitched on Ifaac,that fon with whom the covenant had been A a 2 established, established, and from whom the Meffiah was expected. How hard is the command, in every point of view! Does it not at once crush the feelings of natural affection, and cross the promife of falvation?-The defign of this moft wonderful mandate was, at once to try, and advance the faith of the patriarch, as well as that of his fons in after ages. There was fuch a weight of affliction in this dispensation, that one might well imagine it would draw fuch a flood of tears from his eyes as might be fufficient to blind him: But it had the very oppofite effect; it ferved as a typical glass, in which he beheld the work of falvation. If Abraham was fo ftrong in faith, and love to God, as not to with-hold his only begotten; God fo loved the world, that he gave his only begotten fon, that whofoever believeth on him fhould not perish, but have everlasting life. Had Abraham heard that another had got the commiffion to facrifice Ifaac, it had been hard indeed; but, which makes the cafe ftill harder, the awful mandate is directed to himself. He muft act the priest in this dreadful facrifice! and he proceeded without repining, or difputing, that he might, at once, reprefent him who was infinitely pleafed to bruife his own fon; and alfo evidence his faith in him who was able to raife Ifaac from the dead, even although he had been facrificed.It muft not be forgotten, however, that every typical reprefentation, even the most glowing, comes comes fhort fome where, when compared to the glorious fubftance. Though Ifaac was a type of Chrift, as bound with the cord and laid upon the altar, prefiguring his being bound with the cords of love; yet he was alfo a type of the elect, in refpect of his release. As God fubftituted a ram, for a burnt offering, of his providing, in the room of the type; fo he substituted a ranfom, of his own deviling, in the room of elect finners, the antitype *. -Should it be enquired, How this act of obedience made way for this covenant-renovation? The Angel of the Covenant accounts for it in the following manner: "Because thou haft done this thing, and haft not with-held thy fon, thine only fon: That in bleffing I will blefs thee †," &c. The Jefuits make a mighty noife about merit, when explaining this teftimony of the angel: But Paul, who understood it infinitely better, finds no merit in the patriarch's obedience at all; whether in this particular act, or in all the parts of it *The analogy between the type and the antitype might have been minutely fifted, and copiously unfolded; but the reader will obferve, that a full confideration of the types is befide my defign. This province has already been occupied by others: Witnefs Ainfworth on the Pentateuch, Dr Owen on the Hebrews, Mather on the Types, and alfo M'Ewen, who have all handled them in our own language; and Witfius, who has been tranflated into it, whom fee for this type in particular, Lib. IV. chap. vi. § 26-29. Gen. xxii. 16, 17. taken taken together: "What fhall we fay then that Abraham, our father as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? For if Abraham were juftified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what faith the fcripture ? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness *." The truth is, this act of obedience was the fruit of faith, and Abraham fetched all his fupplies of grace and ftrength from God himself for the performance of it. God was alfo graciously pleased to reward these noble difpofitions, which his own grace had excited, with farther manifeftations of his mercy. Is not the reward then all of grace? Where then is the place of merit? I SHALL now offer fome REFLECTIONS On what has been advanced on the Abrahamic Covenant. 1. THOUGH there were many things in it peculiar to the Old Testament oeconomy; yet, the greater part of it is addreffed to, and of perpètual obligation in the Gospel Church. To fet this matter in an easy point of view, it may be obferved, That, as Abraham was at once a type and a faint, fo there are promises made to him, and duties enjoined him, in the former respect as well as in the latter: Such as, the promife of an heir of his own body; a Rom. iv. 1-3 multitude |