keep the law." 3,1: "What advantage hath the Jew? or, what profit is there of circumcision? Much, every way; chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God." Covenant promises, instituted ordinances, and appointed means of salvation, are called, Acts 7, 38, "The lively oracles." These, ordinarily, were accompanied by the influences of God's spirit, and were channels in which his grace flowed freely, and copiously, to his people. It was then profitable, and a blessing to be born within the limits of God's visible church, to be born under that gracious covenant promise: "I will be a God to thee and to thy seed." "I will pour my spirit on thy seed, and my blessing on thine offspring."

These privileges and blessings, are rarely appreciated, by christians at the present day, as they ought to be. In the scriptures, however, they are set forth in their proper light. Luke 15, 31: "Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.” Rom. 9, 4: "Who are Israelites to whom pertaineth the adoption and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises. These were for substance, the oracles committed.And rightly improved, were of unspeakable advantage to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile : but misimproved, were an aggravation of their sin.

SECTION XV.

CIRCUMCISION NO PART OF THE CEREMONIAL LAW.

Baptists are exceedingly troubled with the covenant established with Abraham. They have sometimes said it was a covenant of works; but not being able to maintain that ground, they have said, it was typical; and finding no scripture to support them in this, they have then endeavored to make it appear, that it was annexed to the ceremonial dispensation, and incorporated with it. And if they can get rid of the seal, they seem to think they can get rid of the covenant al

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denomination, says, page 67: "It is hence plain, that the ceremonial law was to continue no longer. The covenant of circumcision appears to be annexed to this law." Page 68: "It is hence plain, that the ceremonial law is no longer in being, and that the covenant of circumcision, which was incorporated with it, hath passed away." The law of ceremonies, we all know, was designed to continue only until the death of Christ. We have no dispute here. But to say, that the covenant, of which circumcision was the seal, was annexed to that law, was incorporated with it, and with it hath passed away, is, to say the least, palpably absurd. When two things are spoken of, which are distinct in point of order, or distant in point of time, nothing is more inconsistent than to say, that the former is annexed to the latter, or incorporated with the latter. Concerning the typical dispensation, we know it must end in the death of Christ. When the antitype had come, the type could be of no longer use, and the apostle expressly tells us, Eph. 2, 15, that it is "abolished." Colos. 2, 14, that "it is blotted out, taken away, nailed to the cross of Christ." A great part of the Epistle to the Hebrews, is taken up in shewing the end, the full accomplishment and removal of the typical dispensation. In the course of this and his other epistles, the apostle mentions in particular every thing of a typical nature, as the passover, the offering of beasts, the sprinkling of blood, the legal purifications, the priesthood, &c. But, in the clearest manner possible, the apostle decides the point now under consideration. Gal. 3, 17: "And this, I say, that the covenant which was confirmed of God in Christ, the law which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect." Here is positive testimony that the covenant which God established with Abraham, of which circumcision was the seal, was confirmed of God in Christ; that the ceremonial or typical dispensation was another thing distinctly, was four hundred and thirty years after, could not disannul, nor change, nor alter, nor in the least degree affect the covenant which was the same after as before the giving of the law, or the typical dispensation. If, then, the giving of the law of ceremonies could not affect the covenant, nor its seal, most clearly the taking away of the law could not. This would only leave the covenant, with its seal, as it was

before the law was given. We have no intimation, in any part of the scriptures, that this seal of the covenant was typical, or a part of the ceremonial law, or that it signified more to the Jews, than baptism to the Gentiles. The Bible informs us, that it was

"A token of the covenant;"

"A sign of circumcision ;"

That is, of the circumcision of the heart, or regeneration; "A seal of the righteousness of faith," &c.

But, we say, the Bible never even intimates that it was typical of Christ. And, what is perfectly conclusive, is this: If it had been ceremonial, or typical of Christ, it could not have been continued, in the christian church, under the new dispensation.

SECTION XVI.

CIRCUMCISION AND BAPTISM, EXHIBIT EQUAL BLESSINGS, AND CONFER EQUAL OBLIGATIONS.

To the circumcised, God proposed himself as their su preme good-their covenant God. "I will be a God to thee and to thy seed." But the Gentiles, as well as the Jews, Gen. 12, 3, are the promised seed. Rom. 9, 8: “Are counted for the seed." Rom. 4, 16; Gal. 3, 27; 4, 28: "Are the seed, to whom the promises are sure. It is, then, easy to understand, that baptism succeeds circumcision, and is to the Gentiles, the sign, token, and seal, of the same coveenant-being baptized, in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. God is, if possible, exhibited to us, in a manner still more luminous and glorious, as our Supreme Good, our Creator, our Redeemer, and our Sanctifier-in a word, our covenant God. Hence, the obligation to the circumcised, and to the baptized, to receive and acknowledge God as their Supreme Good, their covenant God. 2. Another blessing, exhibited in circumcision, was cove

nant relation to God. The blessed God takes us, guilty, unworthy creatures, into a near and visible covenant relation with himself. The circumcised were the Lord's people. Levit. 20, 26: "And ye shall be holy unto me; for I, the Lord your God, am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine." Ezek. 16, 8: "I sware unto thee, and entered into covenant with thee, saith the Lord, and thou becamest mine." Abraham, and his seed, were re

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quired to use circumcision, as the visible token that God was their covenant God, and they his covenant people. He their father, and they his children. And, by this token of the covenant, they were under obligation to perform the duties correspondent to such a relation. Baptism also signifies the same covenant relation to God: "God is not the God of the Jews only, but of the Gentiles also." Baptizing them, said the Saviour, eis onoma, into the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." So the same word, Rom. 6, 3, Gal. 3, 27, is rendered into. "Baptized into Christ," &c. It clearly and evidently imports the same covenant relation, with God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and brings us under the same obligation, to perform the duties correspondent to such a relation. Or, in other words, we stand in the same union and cover:ant relation with God by baptism, as the Jews by circumcision, and have the same encouragement to "cry, Abba, Father."

3. Circumcision was the visible sign of grace, wrought by the special agency of the Holy Spirit, in renewing and cleansing the heart, and in taking away corrupt propensities, vile affections, and every thing offensive in the sight of God—in a word, regeneration. Deut. 30, 6: "I will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God, with all thine heart, that thou mayest live." Ezek. 36, 26 : "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you." Rom. 2, 28: "For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God." Baptism, also, signifies the same. He is not a christian, who is one outwardly; neither is that baptism, which is outward, on the flesh. But he is a christian, who is one inwardly; and bap

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tism is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter, whose praise is not of men, but of God. External baptism is a sign of grace in the heart. John 3,5: " Except a man (tis any one) be born of the water, and of the spirit, he cannot see the kingdom of God." 1st Cor. 12, 13: "By one spirit, we are all baptized into one body." And Titus 3, 5: According to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost, which he shed on us abundantly, through Jesus Christ our Saviour." These, and other passages, so clearly exhibit baptism as the symbol of the operation of the spirit in the renewing of the heart, that the ancient Fathers often call it paliggenesia, regeneration, only because it is the sign or symbol of it. Both ordinances signify in this respect the same thing.

4. Circumcision signified the obligation that every circumcised person was under, to repent of his sins, to circumcise his heart to the Lord. Deut. 10, 16: "Circumcise, therefore, the foreskin of your hearts." Jer. 4, 4: "Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, and take away the foreskin of your hearts." This is repentance, which the covenant seal signified, and bound them to. Baptism signifies and obliges to the same. Every display of divine goodness obliges a sinful creature to repentance. Rom. 2, 4: "The goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance." And the greater the display of divine goodness and mercy is, the greater is the obligation to repentance. And as in circumcision, so in baptism, is held forth and exhibited the greatest possible display of divine goodness, of mercies, and of blessings; they must therefore, each of them, oblige to a disposition corresponding thereto. Therefore, it is said, Mark 1,4: "John did preach the baptism of repentance. "That is, the baptism which conferred on the baptized an obligation to repentance.

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5. Another important blessing, signified by circumcision, was the outpouring of the spirit of God. God says, Deut. 30,6: "I will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed." In a parallel passage he says, Isaiah 44, 3: "I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground. I will pour my spirit on thy seed, and my blessing on thine offspring." Baptism signifies the same. Hence, spiritual baptism is so often spoken of, by the pouring out, shedding forth, shedding down, &c. of the holy spirit.