cifion alfo? For we fay that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. 10 How was it then reckoned? when he was in cir την ακροβυσίαν ; Αεγομεν γαρ 10 Πως εν ελογίσθης εν cumcifion, or in uncircum- περίλομη ονι, η εν ακροβυσία; εκ εν περίζομη, αλλ' εν ακρο βυζια cifon ? not in circumcifion, but in uncircumcifion. II And he received the fign of circumcifion, a seal of the righteoufnefs of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcifed: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcifed; that righteoufnefs might be imputed unto them alfo : 11 Και σημείον έλαβε πε ριζομης, σφραγίδα της δικαιό συνης της πιςεως της εν τη απ κροβυσία. Εις το είναι αυτον πατερά παίζων των πιστευοντων δι ακροβυσίας, εις το λογίσ θηναι και αυτοις την δικαιοσυ νην Ver. 9. Cometh this blefednefs then, on the circumcifion only, or on the uncircumcifion alfo? The circumcifion are the Jews, the members of God's vifible church, and the uncircumcifion are the Gentiles, who are out of the vifible church. See Eph. ii. 11, 12. In this question, the juftification of those who are out of the vifible church, but who believe and obey God, is implied : for the apoftle proves, that fuch are jufti fied, by appealing to Abraham's juftification while in uncircumcifion ; We affirm that faith was counted to Abraham for righteousness. How ihen was it counted? &c. Ver. 1o. Not in circumcifion, but in uncircumcifion. Abraham was not circumcifed till he was ninety-nine years old, Gen. xvii. 24. At that time Ifhmacl was thirteen years old, ver. 25. But before Ifhmael was born, Abraham had his faith counted to him for righteoufnefs, Gen. xv. 6. compared with Gen. xvi. 16. It is evident therefore, that Abraham was juftified in uncircumcifion, more than thirteen years before he and his family were made the visible church and people of God by circumcifion. Heathens therefore, who believe and obey the true God, as Abraham did, will, like him, have their faith counted to them for righteoufnels, though no members of any vifible church. Praifed be God for his mercy to heathens! Ver. 11. - 1. As a feal of the righteoufnefs of the faith, &c. Circum. cifion is called a feal, in allufion to the custom of affixing feals to written covenants, to render them firm. God ordered Abraham to put, σημείον, the mark of circumcifion on his own body, as God's feal, whereby the counting his faith for righteousness, and the conftituting him the father of all believers, were confirmed to him. Hence, Gal. iii. 14. faith counted for righteoufnefs, is called the bleffing of Abraham, and is faid to come on the Gentiles through Chrifl. For the fame purpose, God God ordered all Abraham's male defcendants to be circumcifed on the eighth day after their birth. The Ifraelitifh children being thus early initiated into God's covenant, their parents were thereby affured, that if, when grown up, they followed Abraham in his faith and obedience, they were, like him, to have their faith counted to them for righteoufnefs, and be entitled to all the bleffings of the covenant: or, if they died in infancy, that God would raise them from the dead, to enjoy the heavenly country, of which the earthly was the type. But the covenant with Abraham being in reality the gofpel covenant, fet forth in types and figures, according to the manner of ancient times, may we not, from the ufe and efficacy of circumcifion, believe that baptifm, the rite of initiation into the Chriftian church, is, like it, a feal of the gofpel covenant, and a declaration on the part of God, that he will count the faith of the baptized perfon for righteoufnefs? And that like circumcifion, it may be administered to infants, to affure the parents that their future faith fhall be counted and rewarded as righteousness: or, if they die in infancy, that they shall be raised to eternal life? In this view the baptifm of infants is a reasonable rite, and must afford the greatest confolation to all pious parents. 2. In order to his being the father, &c. Abraham, while uncircumcifed, had his faith counted for righteoufnefs, that he might be the father of all them who believe, whether in or out of the vifible church. Ac cordingly, 12 And the father of circumcifion to them who are not of the circumcifion only, but alfo walk in the feps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcifed. 13 For the promise that he fould be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his feed through the law, but through the rightoufness of faith, 14 For if they which are of the law, be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect. 15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no 14 E зад Εκ νομε, κλη govoμo, neneva)α & 1515, a κατηργήθαι ή επαγγελια 15 Ο γαρ νομος οργην και law is, there is no tranfgref. Tegralar & yag en est vous, εδε παράβασις. fion. cordingly, in the covenant which God made with him, he conftituted him the father of all believers, fo that, whatever promises were made to him and to his feed, were in reality made to believers of all nations. Ver. 12. Who alfo walk in the footfleps of the faith, &c. That is, who, like Abraham, exercife a continued faith; and who, from faith, obey God, through the whole courfe of their life. See ver. 3. note 1. Ver 13.-1. Befides, not through a righteousness of law. Here law fignifies, not the law of Mofes, which did not exift in Abraham's time, but law in general; and the meaning is: the promise made to Abraham and to his feed, that they fhould be heirs of the world, was not made to them on the fuppofition of their attaining a righteoufnefs, confifting in perfect obedience to any law, moral or ceremonial, but on the fuppofition of their attaining a righteousness of faith; fo that they received the promife of the inheritance, not as a debt, but as a free gift, See ver. 16. 2. To Abraham (n) and to his feed. The disjunctive particle hath here the fenfe of the copulative, and is for tranflated in the Syriac verfion. 3. Heir of the world. By this, Beza and Locke, following the Greek fathers, understand Abraham's being made the father of all believers throughout the world. But they forgot, that the inheritance of the world was promised to Abraham's feed likewife: See Gen. xv. 18. And that in the renewal of the promise, Gen. xvii. 7, 8. fome cir cumstances are added, which fhew that although in its firft and literal meaning, the country promised was the earthly Canaan, yet that first and 12 Alfo the federal head of the circumcifed, that is of those who are in the vifible church, to affure us that righteoufnefs fhall be counted to them, who do not reft contented with being of the vifible church only, but wha alfo walk in the footsteps of that faith and obedience which our father Abraham exercifed in uncircumcifion; that is, while he was no member of God's vifible church. 13 Befides, from the fcripture, (ver. 3.) it is evident, that not on account of a perfect cbedience to any law whatever, the promife was made to Abraham, and to his feed, that he fhould inherit the world, but on account of a righteoufnefs of faith. How then can the Jews expect to obtain. the inheritance of heaven, on account of a righteousness of law? 14 For if they who are righteous by works of law, are heirs of the world, their faith (ver. 11.) is rendered useless, and the promise, by which they become heirs as a matter of favour, is made of no effect:-it does not, in reality, convey that bleffing. 15 Farther, instead of conferring a title to the inheritance, the law worketh out punishment, even to the heirs who, by receiving the inheritance as a free gift, are declared to be tranfgreffors of the law written on their hearts; because where law is not, there no tranfgreffion is, nor treatment of perfons as tranfgreffors. and literal meaning, being itself the fign of a higher or fecond meaning, a better country, even an heavenly, was promifed to Abraham and his feed by faith, under the type of the earthly country. See Rom. ix. 8. note, where the propriety of making the earthly country an emblem of the heavenly, is fhewn. See alfo 2 Pet. iii 13. note 1. Ver. 14. For if (o ex voue, fee Rom. iii. 26. note 3.) they who are righteous by law, are heirs. The propriety of fupplying the words who who are righteous, is evident from the foregoing verfe, and from the nature of the argument, which ftands thus: If Abraham and his feed were made heirs of the world through a righteousness of law, their faith is rendered ufelefs in this tranfaction; and the promise by which they became heirs through favour, had no influence in procuring that bleffing, they having merited the inheritance by their works. Ver. 15. Where no law is, &c. Beza fays the reading here ought to be, where law is, there tranfgreffion is. But this is an alteration of the text without authority. Ver. 16.-1. For this reafon it is by faith, that it might be by grace. A righteoufnefs of law, being unattainable by men, the inheritance is by a righteoufnefs of faith, and not of law, that, being a free gift, it might be bestowed in the manner and on the perfons God faw fit: namely on believers of all nations, whether the objects of their faith be more or lefs extenfive, and whether their good works be more or fewer. For in the faith and works of believers, there must be great differences, according to the mental endowments and outward advantages beftowed on each. In this paffage, by the most just reasoning, the apostle hath overthrown the narrow notion of bigots, who confine the mercy of God within the pale of this or that church, and by a noble liberality of fentiment, he hath declared that all who imitate that faith and piety, which Abraham exercised while uncircumcised, shall, like him, obtain the inheritance, through the free favour of God by Jefus Chrift. 2. Sure to all the feed; not to that only which is by the law, &c. Here the apostle teaches that Abraham had two kinds of feed; one by natural defcent, called his feed by the law, and another by faith. See Gal. iii. 26. note. To the natural feed, the promife of the earthly country, called Ganaan, was made: but to the feed by faith, the fpiritual feed, the promife of an heavenly country, typified by Canaan, was |