The Infants Advocate of Circumcision and Baptism, Chapter 3
CHAP. III. Of the ſeveral Acceptations of the Seed of Abraham in Scripture.
THe ſeed of Abraham as it occurs often in Scripture, ſo ſeverall are the ſences thereof, and all of them worthy of our eſpecial notice: But before and above all other Acceptions, know firſt it is taken eminently and tranſcendently for Jeſus Chriſt, in whom all Nations ſhould be bleſſed.
Even this ſeed of Abraham was Circumciſed, Luke 2. 21. Meerly out of conformity, that Chriſt might ſhew himſelf born under the Law, as ſent not to deſtroy, but fulfil it. Indeed thoſe few drops of bloud, preſumed ſhed by our Saviour at his Circumciſion, might both in their own Preciouſneſſe, and Gods Appreciation of them, have been ſatisfactory for the ſins of al mankind. But a Teſtament was intended, by Divine Providence; and that could not be made without the Teſtatours Death, and therefore the very heart Bloud of Chriſt, on the Croſſe, was adjudged neceſſary for mans ſalvation.
So much for Abrahams extraordinary, come we to his ordinary ſeed. This either was immediately, or mediately begotten by him. We find eight ſons of the firſt ſort, namely, Iſmael begotten of Hagar, Iſaac of Sarah, and ſix more, (ſee their names, Gen. 25. 2.) of Keturah.
Object. How cometh it then to paſſe that the Apoſtle Paul, Gal. 4. 22. ſaith, Abraham had two ſons, the one by a Bond-maid, the other by a Free-woman, omitting all the reſt, as if no ſuch perſons in Nature.
Anſw. Theſe two are mentioned eminently, but not excluſively of others. I will not ſay, becauſe Keturah (though ſometimes called the wife) is elſewhere, 1 Chro. 1. 32. ſtiled but Abrahams concubine; therefore his Iſſue by her is left out by the Apostle; but becauſe (though there was Hiſtory of more, yet) there was Myſterie but in theſe two ſons of Abraham, whoſe two Mothers repreſented the two Teſtaments. Had Abraham afterwards begotten an hundred ſons, they all had not amounted to the making of one Teſtament, (but were all reducible to one of the former Teſtaments, compleated in Iſmael, and Iſaac.)
As for Iſmael, *In his Cō ment on Geneſis, chap. 17.Luther is peremptory and poſitive, that, (though the type of a carnal people) yet, in truth, his own perſon was ſaved; grounding his charitable opinion on that expreſſion, becauſe it is ſaid of him, Gen. 25. 17. After death that he was gathered to his Fathers. A phraſe in the ſame chapter ſpoken of Abraham, and not applied in Scripture to wicked men; though it is ſaid of Ahab, 2 Kings 22. 40. (which amounts to the ſame effect) that he ſlept with his Fathers. I will interpoſe nothing to the contrary, but had been more confident of Iſmaels final happineſſe, had it been ſaid of him that he was gathered to his father Abrahams boſome being a noted place, Luke 12. for bleſſed repoſe.
Abrahams immediate ſeed were either ſuch as were begotten, by him,
1. In his life, or
2. After his death.
Of the former were Eſau, and Jacob, both of them, being 15. years old, whileſt Abraham was yet ſurviving, as may be demonſtrated by the following Computation.
1. Abraham was an hundred years old when Iſaac was born, Gen. 21. 5.
2. Iſaac was fourty years old, when he took Rebeccah to wife, Gen. 25. 20.
3. Iſaac was threeſcore years old, when Eſau and Jacob were born, Gen. 25. 26.
4. All which years caſt up together, amount to an hundred and threeſcore years.
5. Abraham, when he died, was an hundred threeſcore and fifteen years old;
6. Ergo, Eſau and Jacob were fifteen years old before Abrahams death; an Age capable of Inſtruction. Therefore when God ſaith of Abraham, Gen. 18. 19. I know that he will command his children, &c. to keep the way of the Lord. Eſau and Jacob, his Grand-children were literally intended: The latter, no doubt, being as willing to learn, as his Grand-father Abraham was able and induſtrious to inſtruct him.
Abrahams ſeed mediately begotten from him after his death, were either
1. Literally and ſpiritually, as the believing Jews.
2. Literally, and not ſpiritually, as the unbelieving Jews, of whoſe foederal right, largely in the next chapter.
3. Spiritually, and not literally, as Proſelytes, and believing Gentiles.
Proſelytes, or Advenae, were Aliens by extraction, and Jewes by profeſſion; and theſe again were either the Primitive Proſelytes, or their ſucceſſours in all Ages.
By Primitive Proſelytes I underſtand, thoſe of Abrahams family when Circumciſion was firſt inſtituted therein. Theſe I may call the Founders of that Order, and the firſt ſtock wherewith that Society began.
Amongſt the ſucceeding Proſelytes, we may take notice of two moſt memorable …nd conſpicuous acceſſions to their company. The one, when Iſrael came out of Egypt, and Gods miraculous hand made many Converts to their Religion; when beſides the ſix hundred thouſand Iſraelites, and their children, Exod. 12. 38. and a mixed multitude, went up alſo with them, and although this mixed multitude, Numb. 11. 4. afterwards fell a luſting, infecting alſo the Iſraelites therewith; and probably many of them then periſhed; yet certainly a competent Repreſentation of Pious proſelytes ſtil continued in the congregation of Iſrael.
The other remarkable Addition of Proſelytes was Joſhua 9. 27. When the Gibeonites were condemned by Joſhua to the ſervile work of the Temple, hewing of wood, and drawing of water; Whereby no doubt, thouſands of them got the knowledge of the true God; and were therefore called Nethinims, people given over to divine ſervice. Yea, what an eſtimate God ſet upon them, plainly appears, by his careful counting them, after their Return from the Captivity of Babylon, Ezra 2. 43. (with the children of Solomons ſervants) in all three hundred ninety two.
Beſides theſe two grand and conſpicuous Additions of Proſelytes, there was ſcarce any Country confining on Canaan, (as ſome, a good way diſtanced thence) but now and then did drop in a Proſelyte into the congregation of Iſrael; Rahab, the Hittite, Ruth, the Moabite, Naaman, the Aſſyrian, &c. And, (to ſhow God ſtands as little on the difference of colours as Countries) Ebed-Melech the Black-more, the Treaſurer of the Queen Candace the Ethiopian.
Indeed theſe Proſelytes amongſt the Jews, were divided into two ſorts; ſome Proſelytes of the gates, admitted only into civil ſociety, and cohabitation with them: others call'd Proſelytes of Juſtice, who did profeſſe, and undertake all the Law, and theſe only we account the ſeed of Abraham.
Secondly, believing Chriſtians are the ſpiritual ſeed of Abraham, and are ſo generally reputed in the Scripture. Theſe to be true born on both ſides, muſt have,
1. Abraham to their Father.
2. Sarah to their Mother.
When we ſee a child like unto his father we uſe to ſay of him, Thy father will never be dead whileſt thou art alive: ſo Abraham ſurviveth, and Sarah is ſtill alive in thoſe, which John 8. 39. do the works of Abraham. What theſe works are, muſt be collected out of Abrahams life, who was, faithful to God, loving to his wife, tender to his children, equal to his ſervants, kind to his nephew, courteous to his neighbours the children of Heth, juſt in his bargains, valiant to his enemies; in a word, worthy in all his relations. Sarah likewiſe is exemplary for her duty to her husband and other feminine vertues, and all thoſe are her daughters, 1 Peter 3. 6. which imitate the ſame.
I need not be longer in ſo plain and pregnant a point; that believing Gentiles are Spiritually Abrahams Seed, ſo frequently inculcated by the Apoſtle in his Epiſtles to the Romans and Galatians, who were as meer Gentiles as we Engliſh-men are. Come we now to ſhow, how far the Seed of Abraham Naturally, though not Spiritually, participate of the covenant in Circumciſion, conceiving the clearing thereof, of concernment to our preſent controverſie.