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covenant.

2. As the parties paffing between the facrifices thus divided, imprecated fuch a divifion on themselves, fhould they deal falfely in this Hence God threatens the Jews, faying, "The men who have not performed the covenant which they made before me, when they cut the calf in twain, and paffed between the parts thereof.-I will even give their dead bodies to be meat for the fowls of hea ven *." The birds of prey should perch on the dead bodies of the Jews, as they would have done on the bodies of the facrifices, had not Abram driven them away; and, like these facrifices, they fhould be cut affunder. It muft be obferved, however, that God could neither fail nor fuffer for it: But, in condefcenfion to the weakness of his friend, he pledges his life and happiness, for the accomplishment of his faithful promife, to bring him to the full af furance of faith.

3. CHIEFLY as thefe facrifices prefigured the true facrifice of the Son of God, for the full and final confirmation of the covenant of grace. But this ufe of facrifice has been explained above, and what has been obferved already needs not be here repeated †.

* Jer. xxxiv. 18. 20.

See the Introduction.

PART

HEI

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ERE it will be proper to confider,—I. The Mofaic account of the Parties in this Tranfaction.-II. The Parts of it.-III. Its Confirmation. And, IV. The Occafions of it,

FIRST, I am to confider the MOSAIC DESCRIPTION of the PARTIES Covenanting: Which are Abram and his Seed.

1. THE great author and chief party in this tranfaction announceth himself to be the Great God, GOD ALL-SUFFICIENT; or, as others render it, THE ALMIGHTY GOD *. From the fcope of the place, it appears, that the former tranflation is more appofite than the latter, though it is readily granted, that there is a manifeft coincidence between them; for

So our tranflators render it. But it has always been confidered as one of the divine names; and many have left it untranflated: The original word is, SCHADDAI, T. The Hebrew linguists are as much divided about its derivation as its fignification. Buxtorf enumerates no fewer than five or fix different derivations, Diflert. De nominibus Dei Hebraicis, § 48. That which approves itself most to me is from w pro w who, and SUFFICIENT: That is, HE WHO IS SUFFICIENT; or, as it is usually rendered, ALL SUFFICIENT,

all

all-fuficiency comprehends the idea of omnipotence, as well as that of many other perfections. God, even the Son, is ALL-SUFFICIENT unto his own bleffedness, as well as unto the happiness of his creatures. Of confequence, he is abundantly able to accomplish his promifes, and enable his people to obey his precepts. How comfortable is it to covenant with fuch a party! One who needs nothing at our hand. Hence, this covenant is all evangelical,-all in favour of Abram and his children.

2. THE other party is Abram and his feed. Said God to Abram, "I establish my covenant between me and THEE, and THY SEED AFTER THEE, in their generations." God confidered Abram as already in covenant with himself. This is evident from the terms in which this covenant is propofed: Said he, "I will ESTABLISH my covenant between me and thee*." It deferves alfo to be noticed, that God caufed the name of the principal covenanter to be changed: "Neither fhall thy name any more be called ABRAM: but thy name thall be ABRAHAM; for a father of many nations have I made thee †." Accordingly, his

See the foregoing Differtation, Part I.

name

+ The patriarch's first name was : His last name 2. The former imports an high father; the lat

ter,

name carried in it a continual reprefentation of God's promife, given for the perpetual confolation of the Church. Again, this covenant was made with Abraham; and alfo with his SEED after him, in their generations. More particularly, This covenant was made with Abram, as a type of his extraordinary Seed: "Now, to Abraham, and to his Seed, were the promises made: He faith not and to feeds, as of many, but as of one; and to thy feed, which is Chrift." Once more, This covenant was made with Abraham as the principal member of the vifible Church; and his Seed, reprefented by him, as the infants of the members of the vifible Church are reprefented by

ter, as explained by God himself, means a father of many nations. Sundry Jews, and fome Chriflians, reckon, that is taken from the name JEHOVAH; but this compofition is not fo agreeable to the infallible expofition just now mentioned. The proper derivation of that name which was impofed on him, appears to be from N FATHER, and 2 A MULTITUDE. And is retained from: And the fignification may be expreffed thus, The FATHER OF A MULTITUDE. Taken in this point of view, it contains a folemn reprefentation of the implantation of Gentile believers into the covenant of Abraham: For, as Calvin obferves, with great propriety, he became the FATHER OF MANY NATIONS, not by his iffue fpreading through many nations (though he had many fons); nor did they ever incorporate with any other people: But by the adoption of strangers to be fellow-citizens with him and his feed, and their joint admiffion into the houfhold of God.

their parents in baptifin*. By the law of nature, and the wife appointment of God's word, parents may receive grants for the behoof of their children; and alfo bind for their children's performance of certain duties. Such things obtain every day in all focieties under heaven: And why should it not obtain likeways in the Church, the most perfect of all focieties? Thus, all who fprang from Abraham were externally holy, till they cut off themselves by

* Vide Calvin. Inftitut. Lib. IV. cap. xvi. Thef. 4—14. Ball's Treatife on the Covenant of Grace, p. 50-526 F. Turretin. Loc. xxix. Q. 20. Thef. 5.-From this text, thefe divines have established the right of infants, born within the visible Church, unto the benefits of the Covenant of Grace; and particularly unto the initiating feal of it, with a degree of evidence not to be refifted. The laft mentioned author ufeth the following topics: "At "ad infantes pertinere fœdus patet ex claufula fœderis, "Gen. xvii. 7. Act. ii. 38. Fateor quidem Fœdus Dei "primario, et præcipue adultos refpicere, quia omni "tale pactum reciproca conventione conftat, quæ utro "bique voluntaria effe debet, et fapientiam Dei decet "Fœdus pafcifci cum hominibus perfectis, qui poffumt "exercere operationes facultatum moralium. Sed hoc "non obftat, quominus pertineat quoque ad infantes."1. Ex Dei ordine, quia ita voluit gratiam fuam pro "tendere a parentibus ad liberos.-2. Ex rei natura, "quia liberi funt pars parentum, et ejufdem cum iis "conditionis.-3. Inter homines pacta ad liberos con"trahentium complectuntur, Ergo et in fœdere Dei.—

4. Quia ad infantes pertinet res fignificata, puta re"miffio peccatorum, regeneratio, regnum calorum. "Ergò etiam fignum, namı fi quid majus eft illis commu "nicatur, qua ratione poffet illis denegari quod minus "eft fic argumentatur Petrus Act. x. 47.

unbelief

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