"thee. This is my covenant which ye shall "keep between me and you, and thy feed after "thee. Every man child among you shall be circumcifed; and it fhall be a token of the 66 covenant between me and you."

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The children of Abraham were certainly included with him in the covenant. It is impoffible that words fhould be more explicit. Thus Mofes, and Jofhua, and the Prophets, understood this covenant in their day, and practifed accordingly ; as it appears from Deut. xxix, 10, "Yeftand this day

before the Lord-all the men of Ifrael; your "little ones, and your wives, that thou shouldft "enter into covenant, that he may be unto thee "a God, as he hath fworn to Abraham." Ezekiel xvI-7, "I entered into covenant with "thee, and thou becameft mine." And in the

20th verfe, he complains thus, "Thou haft "taken thy fons and thy daughters, which thou haft born unto me, and thefe thou haft facrificed. Thou haft flain my children."

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It is readily granted that the Abrahamic covenant included temporal bleffings. In this refpe&t, the Ifraelites once enjoyed pe culiar advantages; but they were principally diftinguished by religious and fpiritual privileges.

Thus it is under the Gofpel. Godliness has the promife of the life which now is, and efpecially of that which is to come.

Circumcifion was principally a feal of fpiritual bleffings, and fo is Baptifm. The ceremonies are different, but the ends propofed are fimilar. They both fignify the neceffity of inward renovation and fanctification by the word and spirit of God, and of juftification by the blood of Chrift.

Thefe different rites were conftituted the external tokens of initiation into the covenant a badge of diftinction, and an obligation to obey God's requirements.

Baptifm has evidently fuperceded circumcifion, and rendered it unneceffary. Thus the Apoftle reasoned in his Epiftle to the Coloffians, when he found the Jewish converts endeavouring to enforce circumcifion on the believing Gentiles, with an intention to make ufe of it as a plea for incorporating with chriftianity the whole ceremonial law, as being effential to justification and falvation.

He faw their object and refufed to comply. Although he had, for prudential reafons, circumcifed Timothy, he would not confent to circumcife Titus; but informed them, that Baptifm was the chriftian circumcifion, and that being already baptized they were of course circumcifed to all intents and

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purposes. "Beware left any man fpoil you through philofophy and vain deceit, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Chrift; for ye are complete in him, in whom ye are

"circumcifed with the circumcifion of Chrift, "being buried with him in Baptifm." &c.

The feal is changed, but the covenant is effentially the fame. Saint Peter, when addreffing the Jews, fays, "Ye are the children

of the prophets, and of the covenant, which "God made with our fathers, faying unto A"braham, and in thy feed fhall all the kindreds "of the earth be bleffed; or, in thee, and in "thy feed, fhall all families of the earth be bleffed.

The bleffing here promifed is not merely a perfonal, but a family bleffing; and as believers are children of the promise, the bleffing extends to their natural feed, in the fame fenfe, that it extended to the natural feed of faithful Abraham. As the children of Abraham had a right to circumcifion, the former appointed feal, fo the infant children of chriftian parents have now a right to Baptifm, the prefent appointed feal of the fame covenant.

I am, &c.

LETTER IV.

SIR,

IN the former Letter, I endeavoured to

fhow, that the covenant made with Abraham, of which circumcifion was the

feal, was properly the covenant of grace. The alterations which have taken place under the New-Teftament difpenfation, are merely circumstantial. The covenant remains fubftantially the fame; but it is of the greatest importance, to diftinguifh correctly, between its outward adminiftration in Chrift's vifible kingdom, and its inward efficacy and fanctifying effects, upon the hearts and lives of its members.

It is e

qually neceffary to apprehend rightly the nature and import of the promife, or bleffing promifed, in this gracious covenant. Mifapprehenfions, in thefe particulars, have already occafioned a ftrange confufion of ideas, and difficulties which are almoft infuperable.

"I will be a God to thee and thy feed." There is nothing in this promife, which implies abfolute and unconditional falvation. The bleffing promifed is not unfuitable to the age and capacity of children.

The

promife might therefore be made to them, with as much propriety as to their believing parents. "I will be a God to thee and to thy feed." That is, I will be and do, in the way of mercy and grace, all that, to and for thee and thy feed, which a Being of infinite power, and wifdom, and goodness, can be and do, confiftently with my character as moral Governor of the moral world. The faving benefit of those bles

fings here promised and bestowed, depends ultimately upon their being rightly ufed and improved.

We have, under the covenant of grace, various talents and privileges, intrufled to our care and management; and we are commanded to occupy and improve these bleffings and privileges, until our Lord come and reckon with us. If we suitably and profitably use and improve these bleffings, we fhall be accepted and rewarded accordingly; but if we neglect and abufe them, we fhall be juftly punished for our negligence and wickednefs.

It has always been God's method, in all his covenant dealings and tranfactions, to include children with their parents. Thus he conducted in the covenant made with our first parents; in the covenant made with Noah; in the covenant made with Abraham, and in the feveral renewals of this covenant, under the various fubfequent difpenfations.

We very often read of God's bleffing families, houfes, and households. The If raelites were bleffed on the account ofAbraham, Ifaac, and Jacob, and other pious ancestors; and the Apoftle tells us that they are ftill beloved for their Father's fake. "The "Pfalmift lays, The mercy of the Lord is from "everlasting to everlasting, upon them that fear “him, and his righteoufnefs unto children's chil