God says, This shall be the covenant, that I will make with the house of Israel, after those days saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts. In Ezek. xxxvi., the same things are expressed in the following manner: Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean; a new heart also will I give you; and I will put my Spirit within you; and I will cause you to walk in my statutes; and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. The same things are also repeated in similar language, in the 37th Chapter. From these passages, it is unanswerably evident, that this Covenant, as well as every other, made by God with mankind, is a Law, requiring absolutely their obedience; annexing to it rewards; and threatening disobedience with the merited penalties.

Still, it is not merely a law; it is also a covenant. In it God makes engagements to mankind; and those in the highest degree gracious. He engages, on the terms proposed, to be their God; and promises that they shall be his people. These engagements involve all that is meant by grace; and admit of no additions. They may be branched out, endlessly, into particular promises, included under them but they involve all gracious promises whatever. The Covenant made with Abraham, therefore, is not only a Covenant of grace; but includes all other gracious covenants, which can be made with mankind while it is also a law, absolutely obligatory upon all to whom it is proposed.

In accordance with its character, as a covenant, men are made parties to it. In accordance with its character as a law, they are required to become parties to it, and are punished for their refusal with the most distressing evils.

From these observations it will be seen, that a seal, when annexed to this covenant by God, the Author of it, is a solemn sign, and proof, that this is his covenant, and contains the terms on which he has chosen to act towards those, to whom he has published it, whom he has involved in it, and whom he has required to become parties to it. It is His seal, annexed authoritatively by Himself. It is a seal, also, put upon mankind. It is, therefore, to be placed upon all those, whom he has included in the covenant; so far as he has directed them to be thus sealed. Every one of these is a proper subject of the seal. No question can be asked concerning the fitness of such persons to receive the seal; because that point is already decided by Himself, in the direction which he has given to seal them.

It has been often supposed, that the seal of this covenant was annexed to it by man; to wit, by every believer, when acknowledging the obligation, under which he was placed, he took the covenant upon himself in making a public profession of Religion. Formerly, this was my own opinion, but, upon examining the several things which are said in the Scriptures concerning both the covenant and the seal, I have become convinced, that it was a groundless opinion. VOL. IV.

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cumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith, which he had, being yet uncircumcised. A seal, as you well know, is an instrument, used to make an impression upon wax, annexed to some writing, containing the pleasure, determination, or engagement, of him, whose seal it is. The intention of annexing a seal to such a writing is, solemnly to make known, that the writing is his writing, or the act, his act; and that it contains and communicates, his pleasure. Thus, Bonds, Deeds of gift, Indentures, Commissions, and other Instruments, are sealed, to authenticate the instrument itself, and to furnish an obligatory proof of the engagements of the Sealer.

In the present case, it will be necessary, in order to understand the import of the seal in question, to examine the nature of the transaction, to which it is annexed. This transaction is the Covenant, which has been so often mentioned in these discourses concerning Baptism. A Covenant between men consists universally of two promises, or engagements: one, made by each of the parties. The fulfilment of each of these promises is the condition, alternately, on which the performance of the other is engaged. Both promises are voluntarily made; and neither party, originally, was under any obligation to the promise, actually made.

These observations, however, are only in a partial sense applicable to a covenant, made between God and man; particularly to the covenant now under discussion. This covenant is a Law, published by God, directing, in an absolute manner, the conduct of men with respect to the subjects of the covenant; and annexing penalties to their transgressions, and rewards to their obedience. Thus the man-child, which was not circumcised on the eighth day, God says, shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant. Thus also, in Lev. xxvi., He says, I will walk among you and be your God, and ye shall be my people; but if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments, but that ye break my covenant, I will also do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart. In Deut. xxvi. Moses says to Israel, Thou hast avouched the Lord this day to be thy God, and to walk in his ways, and to keep his statutes and commandments, and his judgments, and to hearken unto his voice; and the Lord hath avouched thee this day, to be his peculiar people, as he hath promised thee, and that thou shouldest keep all his commandments. In the 89th Psalm, which contains a full and remarkable promulgation of the Covenant of Grace, or more properly, perhaps, of the Covenant of Redemption, speaking of Christ, God says, If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments, then will I visit their transgression with a rod, and their iniquity with stripes. Nevertheless, my loving kindness I will not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail: my covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. In Jer. xxxi. quoted Heb. viii.

God says, This shall be the covenant, that I will make with the house of Israel, after those days saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts. In Ezek. xxxvi., the same things are expressed in the following manner: Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean; a new heart also will I give you; and I will put my Spirit within you; and I will cause you to walk in my statutes; and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. The same things are also repeated in similar language, in the 37th Chapter. From these passages, it is unanswerably evident, that this Covenant, as well as every other, made by God with mankind, is a Law, requiring absolutely their obedience; annexing to it rewards; and threatening disobedience with the merited penalties.

Still, it is not merely a law; it is also a covenant. In it God makes engagements to mankind; and those in the highest degree gracious. He engages, on the terms proposed, to be their God; and promises that they shall be his people. These engagements involve all that is meant by grace; and admit of no additions. They may be branched out, endlessly, into particular promises, included under them: but they involve all gracious promises whatever. The Covenant made with Abraham, therefore, is not only a Covenant of grace; but includes all other gracious covenants, which can be made with mankind: while it is also a law, absolutely obligatory upon all to whom it is proposed.

In accordance with its character, as a covenant, men are made parties to it. In accordance with its character as a law, they are required to become parties to it, and are punished for their refusal with the most distressing evils.

From these observations it will be seen, that a seal, when annexed to this covenant by God, the Author of it, is a solemn sign, and proof, that this is his covenant, and contains the terms on which he has chosen to act towards those, to whom he has published it, whom he has involved in it, and whom he has required to become parties to it. It is His seal, annexed authoritatively by Himself. It is a seal, also, put upon mankind. It is, therefore, to be placed upon all those, whom he has included in the covenant; so far as he has directed them to be thus sealed. Every one of these is a proper subject of the seal. No question can be asked concerning the fitness of such persons to receive the seal; because that point is already decided by Himself, in the direction which he has given to seal them.

It has been often supposed, that the seal of this covenant was annexed to it by man; to wit, by every believer, when acknowledging the obligation, under which he was placed, he took the covenant upon himself in making a public profession of Religion. Formerly, this was my own opinion, but, upon examining the several things which are said in the Scriptures concerning both the covenant and the seal, I have become convinced, that it was a groundless opinion. VOL. IV.

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My former apprehensions were, as, I believe, those of others frequently have been, not a little influenced by the nature of covenants between men. In these, the parties, antecedently to the transaction, have no moral interest, and are under no obligation to make them. Their only obligation to perform that which they engage, arises from the engagement itself. If, then, both parties do not engage; the covenant can have no existence. By both parties, also, it must be sealed: and a seal, set to it by one of them only, stands for nothing.

To the covenant, under discussion, these considerations are wholly inapplicable. It is proposed to us as a law and our obligations to conform to its terms arise solely from the command of God; and are binding upon us absolutely, whether we consent to them, or not. We are in no sense at liberty to consent, or not consent: but our compliance is required by Infinite Authority. The seal of this covenant, therefore, is not set by us; but by God upon us; and that, whether we voluntarily comply with its terms, or not; and is set upon such persons, as he has thought proper to direct.

According to this exhibition of the subject, the Circumcision which is declared to be a seal of the righteousness of faith, and the Token or proof of the covenant of grace, made with Abraham, was placed by the command of God upon him, and upon all the males in his household. Of these, some were Infants, and some were servants. The consent, either of Abraham, or of his family, was not asked. The compliance of some of them, to wit, such as were Infants, was impossible. That of many others in his household, was probably never yielded, either knowingly, or voluntarily. Yet upon all these was the seal placed by the divine command, under a penalty, for omitting it, no less than excision. In the same manner was it placed upon the whole nation of Israel, and upon all the strangers, who were within their gates.

To the existence of the opinion which I have rejected above, the fact that Circumcision is styled a seal of the righteousness of faith, has probably not a little contributed. The righteousness of faith denotes two things. One is, the faith itself, which is counted for righteousness. The other is, the righteousness, in the proper sense, which springs from faith. In the former of these senses I consider the phrase as used in the passage, so often alluded to. For it is said, that he received this seal, that he might be the father of all them that believe, whether circumcised, or uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed, or counted unto them also: in other words, that their faith might be counted to them for righteousness, even as his was. If this explanation be admitted; Circumcision is here styled the seal of the faith of Abraham; that is, it was a seal, put upon Abraham, as a believer, by the appointment of God. In the same manner was it put upon his Infant offspring; upon his servants; upon all the people of Israel, being infants; upon all the

strangers, who dwelt with them; and upon their infant offspring. In every one of these cases, it was a token, or proof, that the covenant of God was upon them, as in the case of Abraham and his family. The covenant was the same; and the seal was the same. The import of the seal was, therefore, the same to them all. But it is perfectly plain, that Abraham's family were not all Believers, in the Evangelical sense; nor indeed in any sense; at the time, when this seal was affixed to them: for some of them were Infants. It is equally plain, that the great body of his descendants were, also, not Believers, when they were circumcised: they, too, being almost all infants. The conclusion is, therefore, irresistible; that Circumcision was not, and could not be intended, to be a seal, set by God upon the actually existing Evangelical faith of those who were circumcised; because a part of those who were first circumcised by the immediate command of God, and almost all those who were circumcised afterwards, were, at the time of their circumcision, unpossessed, and incapable, of this faith. Neither was it intended to be a seal, set by the person circumcised, of his own faith: for, in most instances, he did not possess this faith; and, in no instance, set this seal. He merely received it from the hand of God, as a religious rite, both ordained, and affixed by him.

Here it will reasonably be asked, What, then, is the import of circumcision? I answer, It is what it was at first declared to be. God said to Abraham, Ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you. The covenant was a covenant of grace, in these terms: I will be your God, and ye shall be my people. The conditions of it were, on the part of man, that he should believe in God, especially in the Redeemer, with an Evangelical faith; and on the part of God, that this faith should be counted to the Believer for righteousness. Of this covenant circumcision was originally the seal.

To mankind this covenant is, as I remarked above, a Law. All persons, to whom it is published, are required thus to believe. The Israelites, and the strangers who dwelt with them, were expressly placed under it; and expressly required to receive circumcision as a token, seal, or proof, that the covenant of God was placed upon them by his authority; as a proof, that He was the God of Israel, and they his people; as a proof, also, that they were required to believe in him, and that he would count their faith to them for righteousness.

In conformity to this view of the subject, they were required, as was observed in a former discourse, publicly, and universally to swear into His name; that is, to make a profession of religion, or to covenant that they would be his people, in the manner already specified; to wit, by faith in him. This, they were universally required to do, whenever they arrived at such an age, as to be capable of doing it with the heart and the understanding, united. In this transaction, and not in circumcision, man may, in a remote