be confidered as one body. If I mistake not, when the Apostle fays, the promises were made to Abraham and to his feed, he points to the formula of the covenant, which we have Gen. 17. 7, I will be a God unto thee and to thy feed after thee, On this occafion the Apostle declares, that feeing all the families of the earth were, in their proper time, to become partakers of this blffing, it was neceffary, they should be accounted to the feed of Abraham, and united to him in one body, and, as he speaks Eph: 1. 10, gathered together in one in Chrift. But this is not done by circumcifion, or the other jewish ceremonies. For befides that the promise was made to Abraham, while he was yet uncircumcifed, and 430 years before the giving of the law; thefe ceremonies are the middle wall of partition, which feparate the Ifraelites from the Gentiles, and therefore cannot be the band of union. But this incorporation or coalition is effected by the fpirit of faith, which indiffolubly unites believers to Chrift the head, who is the principal feed, and with one another mutually: and thus they all form together one spiritual feed of Abraham, a whole Chrift, with his mystical body. For, here we take the word CHRIST in the same sense, as 1 Cor. 12. 12. Seeing therefore, as is evident, the promises were made to the fpiritual feed of Abraham alone, exclufive of all others; but that spiritual feed ought to have alfo the fame fpiritual ftock and origin; it must needs form one mystical body, whofe head undoubtedly is Chrift, from whom all the other members have the honour to be called. Well therefore did the Apostle urge, that by the appellation feed, an union was intended, not precifely of perfon, but of fome myftical body, united by faith under the head Christ. See on this place Drufius, Cameron. Gomarus, Diodati and others, who explain it of Christ and his myftical body. XIX. But we are not to overlook a notable diver- The blef fity of expreffion, that occurs here. God feveral fing in times Abraham times repeats to Abraham, in thee in differ ent ref. pects. shall be bleffed and Chrift all families of the earth, Gen. 12. 3 and Gen. 18. 18 But of the feed of Abraham it is faid, and in him ball all nations of the earth nam bless themselves, Gen. 22.18, which is repeated, Gen. 26. 4, of the feed of Ifaac But furely, we are one way bleffed in Abrabam, and another in his feed, Chrift. In Abraham as the type and exemplar; in Chrift, as the merit orious caufe land real beflower of the bleffing, Eph3 1. 3. We are not only bleffed, but alfo blefs our felves in Chrift, acknowledging and praifing him, as the fountain and fource of the bleffing, flowing down to External that befoko אשר המתברך כארץ יתברך באלהי אמן : us bleffeth himself in the earth, fball bless himself in ber God of truth, Ifa. 65. 16. | 1 o alun enter adi botimor XX. The corporal or external promises made tol promiles. Abraham are chiefly three (1) The multiplication of bis feed by Ifaac, Gen. 13:16, 2and Gen5.5, and Gen. 17. 2. and Gen. 22. 16. (2). The inheritance of the land of Canaan, Gen. 127, Gens 13.815, Gents 15. 17, and Gen. 17.7 which was fulfilled in the 12 tribes of Ifrael, especially under David cand Solomon; and afterwards, during the fecond temple, when all Palestine and Jdumea were conquered and fubdued by the Jews. (3). The deliverance from the Egyptian bondage, Gen. 15. 13 14. But we are to i obferve, that thefe external promifes were types of fpiritual and heavenly things. For, the multiplication of the carnal feed denoted the great number of fpiric ual children, both from among the Jews and the Gentiles, that was to be brought to the faith, Rev 7.9. And Canaan was a pledge of heaven; and the deliverance from Egypt, fignified the deliverance of LOUST* yd zaw mndarda + Or in the God AMEN; fo that our author, with great pró- J priety, quotes this paffage, as it is very evident that, the bleffed. feed is called amen, even the AMEN, the true and faithful witness. Rev. 3. 14. the the church from fin, from the world, the devil and Babylon. .faith. XXI. But we ought not to omit the fundamental Abraham doctrine of justification by faith alone, which, at that juftified by time, was very much illuftrated by the example of Abrabam, and the divine declaration concerning him. For, thus it is faid, Abraham believed in Jehovah, and be counted it to him for righteousness, Gen 1 5.,6. This teftimony is the more to be obferved, because the Apostle frequently ufes it, in order to affert the righteousness of faith, Rom. 4. 3. Gal. 346. fra Da XXII. The faith of Abraham had, for its general The obobject, all the promifes made to him. He gave glory ject of that to God, and was fully perfuaded, that what be bad faith. promifed he was able alfo to perform, Rom. 4. 20, 21. He therefore believed, and, by faith, embraced the promifes of the heavenly and eternal bleffing, of the birth of a fon from his barren wife, of the multiplication of his feed, both the fpiritual and carnal, of the calling of the Gentiles, &c. But more especially he believed that promife, whereby God engaged to be bis fbield and exceeding great reward, Gen. 15. I. That is, the relied on God, as the averter of every evil, and the bestower of every good. But in a molt especial manner, he believed the promife concerning that feed, who was to be the repofitory and the caufe of the bleffing, and he expected, that the Son of God would manifeft himself in the flesh, which he would affume from his pofterity, and thus his faith was in Chrift: for, he rejoiced to fee Chrift's day, and he faw it and was glad, John 8. 56.2 12 191 nefs. XXIII. But this faith, this believing, was imputed Imputed unto him for righteoufnefs. Not that the faith of to him or Abraham was by a gracious eftimation, accounted righteous. by God in the room of perfect obedience, which the covenant of works required: but that by his faith, he laid hold on, and fpiritually united or appropriated to The doc predesti nation. to himself, the promised feed, by virtue of which union, all the righteoufnefs of that feed was reputed to be his righteoufnefs. Thus in the book of God's accounts, the great bleflings of God are written on one page, as fo many talents bestowed on men; and the fins of men, not rendring to God the thanks due for fo great benefits, as, fo many debts: and laftly, the condemnatory fentence, by which they are declared guilty of eternal death. But as man's own righteoufnefs could not ftand on the other page, the fatisfaction and merits of Chrift for the elect are infcribed, and likewife their faith, as the gratuitious gift of God, and that by which the elect are united. to Chrift, and become partakers of all his righteoufnefs. And thus upon balanceing the account, from their faith it appears, that all their debts are cancelled, and that they have fufficient to give them a right to eternal life. Thus faith is imputed for righteoufnels. See what we have confidered at large book III. chap. VIII. Se&t. 42. XXIV. The promises made to the father, and trine of especially that concerning the feed, in which all nations of the earth were to blefs themselves, were not only confirmed to ISAAC the fon of Abraham Gen. 26. 4, but alfo the doctrine of gratuitious reprobation and moft free election, was evidently published in the oracle concerning his fons, Jacob and Efau. For, Jehovah faid to Rebeccah, when with twins, two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people, AND THE ELDER SHALL SERVE THE YOUNGER, Gen. 25. 23. The hifto XXV. We find, in fcripture, that this prophefy rical ful- was two ways fulfilled, the one hiftorically the other fillment of myftically; both regarding as well the ftocks themthe pro- felves, as the nations, which were to arife from them. phefy concerning A's to the ftocks and heads of the nations, the elder Jacob and ferved the younger, that is, Jacob appeared more Efa. worthy worthy than Efau (1). In refpect of the birth right, XXVI. But these things had likewife a further And the profpect; for, as the inheritance of the land of Canaan mystical, was a type of the heavenly inheritance, and the nati, onal covenant included the fpiritual covenant of grace; fo alfo the exclufion from the national covenant and typical inheritance, was a fign of the exclufion from the covenant of grace and the heavenly inheritance. So that Efau and Jacob are here inftances of the most free reprobation, and gratuitious election of God. And that this was the myftical fenfe of this prophecy, the Apostle fhews Rom. 9. 1c and following verses. Judah. XXVII. God renewed the fame promifes made to Promifes the father and grand father to JACOB Gen. 28. made to 13-15 Tho Jacob declared his twelve fons, the Jacob and patriarchs, to be the heirs of thefe promises; yet, by the inspiration of the Spirit of God, he gave the tribe of Judah fuch prerogative above the reft, that not only kings, but alfo the prince of kings, even the Meffab, was to defcend from it, Gen. 49. 10, the VOL. IF D d Scepter |