Redeemer's kingdom among men.- God who quieeth the dead, and The child of promise is, therefore, an calleth those which be not as heir of God through Christ. The pro- though they werho, against hope, mise of such a seed is fulfilled in those believed in hope, that he might beonly who are born again, who are not come the father of many nations, acleft under the dominion of man's nat-cording to that which was spoken, so ural temper; but are renewed in the shall thy seed be." The apostle very spirit of their minds, and are transform-carefully and pointedly distinguishes ed into that divine and heavenly dis-between the true seed, the children of position, which the promise is design-promise, and those, who can only say, ed to encourage and reward. There they have Abraham to their father, would have been nothing peculiarly ||without doing the works of Abraham. sweet and cheering in God's promise The blessedness of the man, unto to Abraham, had it merely ensured whom the Lord will not impute sin, him a natural posterity, which might comes upon the circumcision and the not have exceeded, in point of recti- || uncircumcision also, when, and only tude and purity of character, the peo-so far as, they walk in the steps of that ple from whom he was required to sep-faith of Abraham which he had being arate himself. A promised people, yet uncircumcised. The children of must therefore, be a peculiar people, or a holy nation. Accordingly, the apostle, in tracing the promise down to its large and extensive fulfilment, says, "Therefore sprang there of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of heaven in multitude.These all died in faith." God's promise to Abraham was not merely that he should have children; but that he should have faithful children, imitators of his piety, standing in the same near relation to God, in which he stood. Such are the only ones, comprehended in the promise; on which account they are eminently styled, children of promise. Peter evidently had this view of the subject, when ad- Thirdly. That Christ, as the seed dressing the people in Solomon's of Abraham, has a promise of being porch, consequent upon healing a man the heir of the world through the rightthat had been lame from his birth, he cousness of faith. "Now to Abraham expressed himself thus, "Ye are the and his seed were the promises made. children of the prophets, and of the He saith not, And to seeds, as of macovenant which God made with our ny, but as of one; and to thy seed, fathers, saying unto Abraham, " And which is Christ." The grand truth in thy seed shall all the kindreds of which God revealed to Abraham for the earth be blessed." Unto you, first, his consolation, and which is denomi God, having raised up his Son Jesus,nated the gospel preached to him, was, sent him to bless you, in turning away that in his seed all the nations of the every one of you from his iniquities." This "promise is sure to all the seed: not to that only which is of the law, but to that also, which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, before him whom he believed, even promise are counted for the seed; and the promise is verified in those, who are called from darkness into marvellous light, and are turned from sin to true holiness. That promise, which was made to Abraham, produces him a seed, who are the children of his faith, because the promise is grounded upon his faith, and is fulfilled according to it. If this position can be taken in reference to the Mediator; if it can be shown, that a seed has been promised him, as rewarding his fidelity and zeal in the cause of righteousness, our doctrine will be free from difficulty and objection. We proceed, therefore, to state, earth should be blessed. This pro mise was giving to Christ the heathen for his inheritance. It was constituting, or appointing, him heir of the world.— Abraham himself is no otherwise personally respected in this great provis ion of sovereign grace, than as a repre- the great doctrines of salvation: and sentative of the Saviour, until the time as Mediator, he shrunk from no part of of his incarnation, and a distinguished the arduous service allotted him.partaker of the blessedness and glory," And Moses verily was faithful in all which are derived from Christ, as the his house as a servant, for a testimony fountain of life and salvation to man- of those things which were to be spokind. As the faithful progenitor of the ken after; But Christ as a Son over incarnate Redeemer, and as a distin- his own house, whose house are we, if guished pattern, among men,of that ho- we hold fast the confidence and the liness, in which the Son of God shines || rejoicing of the hope firm unto the with most unparalleled pre-eminence, end." As the seed of Abraham, he Abraham could claim the honor and imitated the faith of that great patridistinction of being the father of all arch, that firm believer in God, and them that believe, and of communicat- stedfast friend of his cause in the ing blessedness to all the nations of world. The faith of Christ is the same the earth. But Christ, the appointed, with the faith of Abraham, and this is and predicted seed, is the grand dis- the faith, or righteousness of God, to penser of blessings to mankind; the declare which, the Son of God “took giver of every good and perfect gift; not on him the nature of angels; but and to him, ultimately, were the pro- he took on him the seed of Abraham.” mises made. Him hath God raised God's righteousness was manifested up, according to the terms of his cove- under the empire of the Redeemer, nant, and the confirming testimony of and by virtue of sanctifying grace, all the prophets, and sent him to bless when faithful men, such as Abraham, mankind by turning them from their were raised up. But in these instances iniquities. He is the child, born, the only the dawn of the morning appearSon given, on whose shoulder the gov-ed. The brightness and splendor of ernment is laid, and who will not fail, noon are realized in Christ, whose nor be discouraged, until he hath set faithfulness far outshone all former judgment in the earth, and the isles examples, though he kept the path, shall wait for his law. And as Abra- which had before been trodden by all ham, his father, as pertaining to the the saints and holy men of antiquity. flesh, enjoyed the privilege and hon- His life was a justification of the piety or of inheriting the world by promise, of all former ages. His faith, or his through the righteousness of faith; so principles and practice, being in unison is this inheritance given to Christ, the with those of the church in the earseed, on the same conditions. At the lier ages of the world, prove the gencoming of the seed, to whom the pro- uineness and excellence of religion, as mises were made, who is no other exhibited by the patriarchs and prophthan the Son of God, in the form of a ets. As the smaller and fainter lumiservant, made in the likeness of men, naries of heaven, are of use to adminhe avowed his determination to fulfil ister a portion of light, to extricate us all righteousness. Being made of a from complete darkness, and to help woman, made under the law, he re- us to some valuable discoveries consolved to act the part of a faithful and cerning the way, in which we should obedient subject, that he might mag-go, even before the great lamp of day nify the law and make it honorable.- makes his appearance; so the faith of His whole life accordingly, measured the saints, under a more ancient disby the most perfect rule, by the ut-pensation, presents a view of real, evanmost strictness of that law, which is gelical righteousness; but the most holy, just, and good, was without a de-perfect sample, the standard of all is ect. As a man be was without fault; brought forth by Immanuel, who is as a prophet, he made a full disclosure God with us. Christ is in every imof the truth, a perfect revelation of all portant respect, before Abraham, and superior to all the prophets. His faith, shall not fail, though heaven and earth his purity, his devotedness to God, pass away. The promise, which enhis benevolence towards men, and all sures this vast accession to Christ from his acts of righteousness, transcend, to the river to the ends of the earth, this an inconceivable degree, the most no wonderful increase of the church by ble and shining patterns of uprightness the success of the gospel among Jews that have appeared among men; so and gentiles, is often introduced and that, though, in a true sense, he was a dilated upon in the writings of the profollower of Abraham's faith, when he phets. And his conquests over idolappeared in character as bis seed; yet atry and sin are ever represented as is be entitled to give law and example the victories of his faith, as the fruit to Abraham, and to be honored as the of that obedience, which he performed sun among all the luminaries, by even to the death of the cross. The which the church has been enlighten- apostle, after stating, that he, "being ed since the commencement of time. in the form of God, thought it not robAnd if Abraham's faith, though sobery to be equal with God-and bemuch below the faith of the Son of came obedient unto death," proceeds God, has obtained him the honor of to add; "Wherefore, God also hath being a father in the church, of stand-highly exalted him." This is the same ing, in a manner, at the head of a great thing in effect, which had been taught community of believers; how emi-by the prophets, especially by Isaiah nently deserving of such honor must in chapter xlix. 5-12. and liii. 10.he be, who is glorious in holiness, and By exhibiting an unexceptionable patfearful in praises, in whose life no ble-tern of submission and obedience, mish was ever seen; who never, for Christ has proved himself worthy of a moment, lost sight of, nor neglected, the exaltation he has acquired, in behis Father's business? Connected ing crowned as Prince and Saviour, to with this pre-eminent and untarnished whom it belongs to give repentance fidelity, he enjoys, on the ground of and forgiveness of sin. "And being covenant promise, supremacy in his made perfect, he became the author of own kingdom, and is head over all eternal salvation to all them that obey things to the church. All the faithful him." There is a connection between among men are reckoned his. He the faith of Christ, between his obediclaims them as his children. He has ence and sufferings, and the redemppurchased them with his own blood, tion of sinners, like the connection and has brought them near to himself there is between cause and effect, beby his death. His prerogative of ex-iween an antecedent and its conseercising universal dominion, of taking quent, between procreation and the all authority into his own hands, and after existence of children. As Abraof subordinating the universe to his ham's believing in God and obeying own will, and especially of enlarging his commands, produced him a suc his own kingdom by having mercy on cession of many generations, resemwhom he will, is abundantly admitted bling himself in moral temper, and and established in the scriptures. By like him, looking for a city which hath the same authority, it is also attested, foundations, whose builder and maker that he attains this dignity and exalta-is God, who all died in faith, and sealtion by the merit of his righteousness, ed the genuineness of their religion by by the faith, which he exemplifies maintaining it, in its strength and puabove all others. The promise that he should be the heir of the world, was through the righteousness of faith. The terms of this promise are," in thee shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;" and the inviolability of it VOL. 2. S. rity, to the last; so Christ has gained for himself a multitude, which no man can number, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation, who are made kings and priests unto God and the Lamb. This inheritance is his on the score of his righteousness, born of God overcometh the world, of his being faithful in the good cause and this is the victory that overcometh he had espoused, because he tri-he world, even our faith." The chilumphed over the adversary and all his dren of Abraham must be partakers temptations, and persevered in his op of his faith; and this will constitute position to the powers of darkness, to them the children of God. Christ is the shedding of his own blood. Out the person, in whom Godhead is to be of his faith, out of his strict adherence seen by men. He is therefore Abrato the cause of righteousness and truth, ham's Father, as truly as he is his a kingdom has grown up, consisting of seed; just as he is the root and offpenitent, meek, and humble souls; de-spring of David. He was before Abravout and upright men, who fear God ham, and from him Abraham derived and eschew evil, are the friends of the and learnt his faith. Abraham was cross, and are ready unto every good one of those, that were given to Christ work. These owe their salvation, their as a reward of faith, and of mediatorial interest in the favor of God, their re-desert, as truly as Christ was promis covery from sin to holiness, and their ed to Abraham, as a recompence of standing in the household of faith, to his faith. Faith in Christ is, therefore, that distinguished and blameless vir-the prolifie parent, and, the great origitue, by which the Redeemer, the illus-nal fountain of all the faith there is in trious seed of Abraham, procured his creatures. Abraham, and all his spiritcrown of glory, and his right to sway ual offspring must make Christ their the mediatorial sceptre, until all ene-pattern, must take his example for their mies are subdued under his feet. On rule of life; as it is acting according to this account, as we have seen, they are his will, and doing as he did, that deterall the children of God by faith in mines them to be his seed, or children; Christ Jesus. The faith by which he as also his Spirit, infused into them, is manifested and known to be the brings them into this relation. There true seed of Abraham, has placed him are two things ever implied, where perat the head of all the children of God, sons sustain the relation of children. In who live, because he liveth in them, the first place, they are begotten, and and has imprinted his own image upon then, secondly, they have the image of them. This appears to be the senti him that begat them. All this applies iment, which the apostle is so solicit to the children of God. They are beous to impress, and which the Judaiz- gotten of God. The faith of Christ has ing teachers that had sprung up, had brought them forth into the kingdom well nigh effaced from the minds of of grace, to make them sons in the the Galatians by representing, that true Spirit of adoption; the effect of by the works of the law, and not by which is, that they purify themselves the righteousness of faith, religion had even as he is pure, and they are rightbeen planted in the world and nurtur-eous as he is righteous. Would we ed up to the growth it had acquired. The doctrine will lead to the foilowing inferences. 1. That being the children of God, implies faith, and that faith consists in imitating the Saviour in the great excellencies and beauties of his character. Abraham was a child of God, because the Spirit of God wrought in him both to will and to do of his good pleasure, and the work of faith with power. His walking before God, evidenced his beng born of God; "for whatsoever is then indulge the hope, that we are the children of God; not to be deceived in this hope, our faith must be like that by which we have been begotten again. It must be an imitating of Christ, who is holy, barmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners. As he was faithful in all sincere and holy obedience, so must we be also, that we may be conformed to the image of him, who is the first-born among many brethren. As Christ, to be like the children, took flesh and blood, so the children, to be like their head and parent, must purify themselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. one Spirit to renew and sanctify them, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, or initiation into Christ. Who or what then, should separate them from each 2. We infer, that what has been call-other? And how can they rend themed the covenant of redemption, is con-selves asunder, and still profess to have tained in the Abrahamic covenant, or but one hope of their calling? to in the gospel, as preached to Abra- stand on the same eternal Rock? to ham, that in his seed all the nations of eat of the same spiritual manna? and the earth should be blessed. The co- to be alike partakers of Christ, by venant, here stated or defined, is Gad's whose Spirit they are sealed unto the covenant with the seed, even with day of redemption? Brethren, let F. AN HISTORICAL VIEW OF THE FIRST (Continued from Page 111.) Christ, that, he should be the heir nothing so much engage your attenof the world, through the righteousness tion as vitality in religion, rememberof faith. Can any covenant of redemp-ing that "ye are all the children of tion, containing other explicit, or im- God by faith in Christ Jesus." plicit, stipulations and provisions, be April 14, 1814. imagined? If it be thought, that a covenant of redemption, must have existed from eternity, to lay the foundation of such covenant transactions, as the present subject respects; it may be observed, that all things are eternal in God's counsels. Any thing more formal, earlier than what was revealed No man was ever more justly entito Abraham, need not be supposed.-tled to that noble appellation, Father Whatever was covenanted with Christ of his country, than gov. Winthrop. He was covenanted with him as Abra- was the Washington of his time. Like ham's seed, seeing that in this capaci- Washington, he possessed the undividty his work was to be done. A coved confidence of every class of people, enant, prior to this, cannot be supposed, since nothing of it is found in the scriptures. All the promises to the seed are contained in this covenant, which was confirmed of God in Christ four hundred and thirty years before the Jaw. and, like him, his talents for war and peace, his public and private virtues, always equalled the confidence and the expectations of his country.Like Moses, he led a numerous people from a land of plenty to an unexplored wilderness, in times of difficul3. We infer, that, since we are made ty and danger he bore the burden of children and heirs by the faith of every expectation and every comChrist, faith is the only proper bond of plaint, he gave them civil laws and diunion between christians, and that rected then to the oracles of unerring whatever else intervenes to separate truth for their religion, he appeased them, must be a blot upon the name popular commotions and appalled the and character of the christian world. machinations of enemies, and having The children of Abraham are the chil-surmounted the evils of the desart, dren of God, and the children of pro-and seen his people on the confines of mise; promised to Christ the seed, in plenty and peace, he was taken to the whom all nations are, or shall be, bles-approbation of his God. With the sed. They are brought into one fam-great prophet of the Hebrews, guided ily, or household, by being of the faith by the light of heaven, no uninspired of Christ, or, as it is sometimes stated, lawgiver is to be compared. But of the faith of Abraham. Their character is one; one in nature, and one in origin. They have all ore Father, with Minos, Lycurgus, Numa, Solon, Alfred, and the famed founder of Petersburgh, the New-England Win |