11. On the covenant itself, and the apoftolic comment thereon, to make the following observations. What in the original grant is called a covenant, is by St. Paul termed a promife. "If the " inheritance be of the law, it is no more of pro"mife; but GOD gve it to Abraham by promife." Hence

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• under the curfe: for it is written, "Curfed is every one that " continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the << law to do them." But that no man is juftified by the law in the • fight of GOD, it is evident: for "The just thall live by faith."

And the law is not of faith: but "The man that doeth them "fhall live in them." Chrift. hath redeemed us from the curfe of ⚫ the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, " Curfed "is every one that hangeth on a tree :" that the bleffing of Abra• ham might come on the Gentiles through Jefus Christ; that

we might receive the promife of the Spirit through faith. • Brethren, I fpeak after the manner of men; "Though it be but "a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man difannulleth, " or addeth thereto." Now to Abraham and his feed were the ⚫ promises made. He faith not, " And to feeds, as of many:" but as of one," And to thy feed," which is Chrift. And this I fay, that the covenant that was confirmed before of GoD in • Chrift, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, ⚫ cannot difannul that it fhould make the promise of none effect. • For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promife; but God gave it to Abraham by promife. Wherefore then ⚫ ferveth the law? It was added because of tranfgreffions, till the feed should come to whom the promise was made: and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. Now a mediator

⚫ is not a mediator of one; but GOD is one. Is the law then against the promises of GOD? GOD forbid: for if there had ⚫ been a law given which could have given life, verily righteouf⚫ nefs fhould have been by the law. But the fcripture hath con⚫cluded all under fin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.' Gal. iii. 9-22. And again Cometh this bleffedness then upon the circumcifion only, or upon the uncircumcifion alfo? for we fay that

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Hence we learn, that what God calls his covenant, is not properly of the nature of a mutual agreement or contract between him and Abraham, but a free and fovereign grant of the chief good to the unworthy and helpless creature. The existence of the covenant did not depend on Abraham's acceptance

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faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteoufnefs. How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcifion, or in uncircumcifion? Not in circumcifion, but in uncircumfion. And he ⚫ received the fign of circumcifion, a feal of the righteousness of the faith which he had, yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe though they be not circumcifed, that righteoufnefs might be imputed to them alfo; and the father of circumcifion to them who are not of the circumcifion only, but who alfo walk in the fteps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcifed. For the promife that he should be the heir of the world was not to Abraham, or to his feed, through the law, but through the rightcoufnefs of faith. For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: because the law worketh wrath, for where no law is, there is no tranfgreflion. Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be fure to all the feed, not to that only which is of the law, but to that alfo which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, (as it is written, "I have made thee a father of many nations,") before him whom ' he believed, even GOD who quickeneth the dead, and calleth thofe things which be not as though they were. Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations according to that which was fpoken, " So fhall thy feed "be" and being not weak in faith, he confidered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, ⚫ neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb. He ftaggered not at the promise of GOD through unbelief: but was strong in faith giving glory to GOD. And being fully perfuaded that what he had promifed, he was able alfo to perform. And therefore it

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of terms, any more than the existence of the gospel depends on our manner of hearing it; or the existence of the fun on men's thoughts about it. Abraham was felected from among his cotemporaries, and addreffed in these astonishing words: "Fear not, Abram, I am thy shield and thy exceed"ing great reward. I will be a GOD unto thee, "and to thy feed after thee." But,

§ 12. No law or rule of right, was fufficient to effect the recovery of fallen finners. "If there "had been a law given which could have given

life, verily righteousness fhould have been by the "law." The apostle elsewhere fays, That "the "law is become weak through the flesh;" that is, the impotence of the law to make us righteous and happy arifes from our defect. Let it have a fub

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' was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written ❝ for his fake alone, that it was imputed to him, but for us also, ✦ to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up • Jefus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered for our offences, • and was raised again for our justification. Rom. iv. 9-25.

And elsewhere he faith: When God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, faying, "Surely bleffing I will bless thee; and multiplying I "will multiply thee." And after he had patiently endured, he • obtained the promise. For men verily fwear by the greater; and ⚫ an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all ftrife. Wherein 'GOD willing more abundantly to fhew unto the heirs of promife the immutability of his counfel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it was impoffible for GOD to lie, we might have a strong confolation, who have fled ' for refuge to lay hold upon the hope fet before us." Heb. vi. 13-18.

ject free from defect, as the man Chrift Jefus was, and it is no longer weak. To increase the number of precepts, to fhew their excellency and reasonable. nefs, and to enforce them with the most awful and tremendous threatenings in cafe of difobedience, are utterly unable of themselves to effect our recovery, on account of our moral weakness. Therefore, "what the law could not do, in that it was "weak through the flesh, GOD fending his own "Son in the likeness of finful flefh, and for fin, "condemned fin in the flesh." Hence "the scripture hath concluded all under fin, that the promise by faith of Jefus Chrift might be given to "them that believe." Yet,

§ 13. The rational creature being accountable for its ufe or abufe of all moral means, GoD condefcends to fhew what he requires as the effect of this proclamation and grant of his promife. Walk before me and be thou perfect. "If I reveal to thee

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my everlasting counfel of love, and affure thee of

my unfearchable riches of grace towards thee and "all the families of the earth; If I declare and "exhibit to thee a divine righteoufnefs as the "ground of thy juftification, and future obedience, "and which thou art to receive by faith; see that "thou receive it for thy fafety and comfort, and

improve it for the purpose of universal godli"nefs." And thus the prophet many ages after: "He hath fhewed thee, O man, what is good; and "what doth the Lord require of thee? but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with "thy

"thy GOD." As the foundation of acceptable obedience, GOD fhews us what is that good, that mercy, pardon, righteousness, and happiness we need; and then points out the required effects of those favours, as our most reasonable service, justice, mercy, and humble dependence on our covenant God. When GOD fays to Abraham, "Be thou perfect," he intends that his walk before or with GOD fhould be without any allowed fin. Moreover,

$ 14. The covenant or promife in its exhibition, belonged not only to Abraham, but also to his feed; and not only to the Jews, but also to the Gentiles. "I will bless them that blefs thee; and in thy feed " shall all families of the earth be blessed. That the "bleffing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles, through Jefus Chrift. Cometh this bleffednefs then « upon the circumcifion only, or upon the uncircum"cifion also ? He received the fign of circumcision, a "feal of the righteousness of the faith which he "had, yet being uncircumcised: that he might be "the father of all them that believe though they be "not circumcifed." Here, it is plain, a free grant was made, in the Abrahamic promise, to all men, Jews and Gentiles; that thereby they might have an inducement to believe, and receive righteousness, bleffedness, and the chief good. The language of the moral Governor virtually was, and continues to be, "You have by free gift and grant, the effect "of my fovereign pleasure and mercy, all neceffary means fet before you, and I folemnly charge you "not to reject them as you value my favour, or "would

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