A Discourse of the Covenants (eBook)

by Nehemiah Coxe

in epub, .mobi & .pdf formats

Formatted, modernized, corrected, and annotated by William H. Gross www.onthewing.org Mar 2021 Original page numbers omitted; Am. spelling. Guesses as to illegible text are in [brackets]

In which The Covenant of Circumcision is more largely handled, and the Invalidity of the Plea for Paedobaptism taken from there, is revealed.

The usefulness of all divine truth revealed in the holy Scriptures, with the great importance of what particularly concerns those federal transactions 1 which are the subject of the ensuing treatise, will not leave me without an apology for an essay towards the discovery of the mind of God in them.

As for that part of the discourse which is most controversial, concerning the Covenant of Circumcision, I have been further engaged in it on the occasion of Mr. Whiston’s Treatises about Baptism ─ especially his last, entitled Infant Baptism plainly proved.2 For, observing that the main hinge of the controversy about the right subjects of baptism turns on Genesis 17, I concluded the only way to clear this great point, must be to make a diligent search for that account which the Scripture gives us of the nature and ends of the covenant recorded there. I have declined handling these things in a polemical way. And therefore I have not undertaken to return a particular answer to everything that has been asserted in opposition to my sentiments. I hope that the judicious Reader may observe such a regard to what has been urged against those principles which I proceed upon, that they will excuse me from the charge of crudely re-asserting those things that have already been answered or refuted. This is done without giving any new enforcement to them, or endeavoring to remove the ground and occasion of those mistakes which I suppose in others.

I refer myself to the holy Scriptures for the trial of what is written, and sincerely desire that nothing may pass for Truth, except upon their testimony. If I sometimes walk in an untrodden path, it is not from any affectation of novelty, but in pursuance of that light which they afford me. And possibly seeing that those things which at first may seem new, are for the most part deduced from a plain record of matters of fact, they may, on second thoughts, gain an assent to their truth sooner than opinions arising from more foolish speculation.

That notion (which is often supposed in this discourse) that the Old Covenant and the New differ in substance, and not in the manner of their administration alone, does indeed require a larger and more particular handling to free it from those prejudices and difficulties that have been cast upon it by many worthy persons, who are other-minded. Accordingly, I designed to have given a further account of it in a discourse about the covenant made with Israel in the wilderness, and the state of the Church under the Law. But when I had finished this, and also provided some materials for what was to follow, I found my labor for clearing and asserting that point, happily prevented by the distribution of Dr. Owen’s 3d Vol. On the Hebrews. There it is largely discoursed; and the objections that seem to lie against it, are fully answered (especially in the Exposition of the 8th Chapter). I now refer my Reader to that for satisfaction about it. There he will find it corresponds to what might be expected from so great and learned a person.

That the publication of this little tract has been so long delayed, was partly occasioned by those perplexities which the restless plots of the Papists, and their bold attempts to overwhelm us with the worst of miseries, have caused. I thought they would scarcely give leisure for the consideration of what might be offered in this kind. And it was partly delayed by my own aversion to anything that looks like promoting any controversy with those who love the Lord Jesus, and sincerely espouse the Protestant interest, though they differ from me in principle and practice in some controverted point. There is nothing that my soul more longs for on earth, than to see an entire and hearty union of all who fear God, and hold the Head, however differing in their sentiments about some things of lesser moment. And together with these things, a sense of insufficiency to perform my undertaking with that advantage to truth as is to be desired, had its share. However, after I weighed all circumstances, I am satisfied that no man is provoked by me, by any indecent reflections, nor is any occasion given to uncharitable and unchristian contention. With the hope that what is offered here may inform some, and give others occasion for more accurate thoughts in a further disquisition of the truths pointed at, these things prevailed with me at length to cast my mite into the Public Treasury.

I will add only this, that on the whole, my aim has been to speak the truth in love; and to take my notions from the Scriptures, not grafting any preconceived opinions of my own upon them. Where the evidence of truth appears, let it not be refused just because it is offered in a plain dress, and presented under the disadvantage of a rude and 

The usefulness of all divine truth revealed in the holy Scriptures, with the great importance of what particularly concerns those federal transactions 1 which are the subject of the ensuing treatise, will not leave me without an apology for an essay towards the discovery of the mind of God in them.

As for that part of the discourse which is most controversial, concerning the Covenant of Circumcision, I have been further engaged in it on the occasion of Mr. Whiston’s Treatises about Baptism ─ especially his last, entitled Infant Baptism plainly proved.2 For, observing that the main hinge of the controversy about the right subjects of baptism turns on Genesis 17, I concluded the only way to clear this great point, must be to make a diligent search for that account which the Scripture gives us of the nature and ends of the covenant recorded there. I have declined handling these things in a polemical way. And therefore I have not undertaken to return a particular answer to everything that has been asserted in opposition to my sentiments. I hope that the judicious Reader may observe such a regard to what has been urged against those principles which I proceed upon, that they will excuse me from the charge of crudely re-asserting those things that have already been answered or refuted. This is done without giving any new enforcement to them, or endeavoring to remove the ground and occasion of those mistakes which I suppose in others.

I refer myself to the holy Scriptures for the trial of what is written, and sincerely desire that nothing may pass for Truth, except upon their testimony. If I sometimes walk in an untrodden path, it is not from any affectation of novelty, but in pursuance of that light which they afford me. And possibly seeing that those things which at first may seem new, are for the most part deduced from a plain record of matters of fact, they may, on second thoughts, gain an assent to their truth sooner than opinions arising from more foolish speculation.

That notion (which is often supposed in this discourse) that the Old Covenant and the New differ in substance, and not in the manner of their administration alone, does indeed require a larger and more particular handling to free it from those prejudices and difficulties that have been cast upon it by many worthy persons, who are other-minded. Accordingly, I designed to have given a further account of it in a discourse about the covenant made with Israel in the wilderness, and the state of the Church under the Law. But when I had finished this, and also provided some materials for what was to follow, I found my labor for clearing and asserting that point, happily prevented by the distribution of Dr. Owen’s 3d Vol. On the Hebrews. There it is largely discoursed; and the objections that seem to lie against it, are fully answered (especially in the Exposition of the 8th Chapter). I now refer my Reader to that for satisfaction about it. There he will find it corresponds to what might be expected from so great and learned a person.

That the publication of this little tract has been so long delayed, was partly occasioned by those perplexities which the restless plots of the Papists, and their bold attempts to overwhelm us with the worst of miseries, have caused. I thought they would scarcely give leisure for the consideration of what might be offered in this kind. And it was partly delayed by my own aversion to anything that looks like promoting any controversy with those who love the Lord Jesus, and sincerely espouse the Protestant interest, though they differ from me in principle and practice in some controverted point. There is nothing that my soul more longs for on earth, than to see an entire and hearty union of all who fear God, and hold the Head, however differing in their sentiments about some things of lesser moment. And together with these things, a sense of insufficiency to perform my undertaking with that advantage to truth as is to be desired, had its share. However, after I weighed all circumstances, I am satisfied that no man is provoked by me, by any indecent reflections, nor is any occasion given to uncharitable and unchristian contention. With the hope that what is offered here may inform some, and give others occasion for more accurate thoughts in a further disquisition of the truths pointed at, these things prevailed with me at length to cast my mite into the Public Treasury.

I will add only this, that on the whole, my aim has been to speak the truth in love; and to take my notions from the Scriptures, not grafting any preconceived opinions of my own upon them. Where the evidence of truth appears, let it not be refused just because it is offered in a plain dress, and presented under the disadvantage of a rude and unpolished style. But rather, consider the reason of what is said. And with the noble Bereans, search the Scriptures to see whether these things are so or not. And the Lord give you understanding in all things.

-----

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The Preface to the Reader.

CHAP. 1. Covenant-Relation to God in General.

§1. A general introduction to the following discourse.
§2. God initiates a covenant with Men.
§3. The general notion of a covenant as proposed by God.
§4. God has always dealt with men about their future state by way of covenant.
§5. His covenant always transacted with some head or representative.
§6. Some directions to rightly understand Covenant-Transactions.

CHAP. 2. God’s Transactions with Adam.

§1. The importance of this inquiry.
§2. The original state of man.
§3. Man had a promise of reward.
§4. The sanction of the Law is most expressly mentioned by the curse.
§5. The consequent of Adam being a public person.
§6. The transaction with Adam was of a federal nature.
§7. The general nature of this Covenant.
§8. The sin of our first parents.
§9. The state and condition of fallen Man.
§10. The mercy of God to fallen man.
§11. The Promise of Redemption by blood sacrifice.
§12. The state and condition of Adam’s posterity after the fall.

CHAP. 3. God’s Covenant with Noah.

§1. The Children of God are brought into a new relation.
§2. The Word of God is the Rule of Faith and Obedience.
§3. Enoch’s Translation by faith.
§4. The ordinary propagation of the Church in those times.
§5. The nature of the Ark as a type.
§6. The Covenant of God with Noah.
§7. God’s federal transaction with Noah.
§8. Regard to the Messiah in Shem’s Blessing.
§9. Babel and the confusion of tongues.
§10. The evils in confusion of language removed by gift of tongues.

CHAP. 4. The Covenant of Grace, as revealed to Abraham.

§1. God honors Abraham by his Covenant-Transactions.
§2. Abraham’s seeming incapacity for a Covenant-Relation.
§3. Abraham as both Father of Believers and Root of Israel.
§4. The Covenant of Grace revealed to Abraham.
§5. The time of this Covenant-Transaction.
§6. Abraham is made the Father of the Faithful by it.
§7. This Covenant is confirmed by God in Christ.
§8. Abraham as a Root of Covenant-Blessings.
§9. An eternal settlement of salvation by faith in Christ.
§10.This Covenant precedes the Covenant of Circumcision.

CHAP. 5. The Covenant of Circumcision (1).

§1. Covenant of Circumcision summed up the promises to Abraham.
§2. The promise also made of Abraham’s carnal seed.
§3. Abraham builds an altar.
§4. Making good the promise of the land of Canaan.
§5. The promise renewed and enlarged.
§6. The Seed of Abraham intended in the promises.
§7. Why it is called the Covenant of Circumcision.
§8. The promise of the New Covenant repeated.
§9. The first intimation of a distinction of tribes in Israel.
§10. The word Everlasting applied to this Covenant.
§11.The Church-State of Israel according to the flesh.

CHAP. 6. The Covenant of Circumcision (2).

§1. The general design of this chapter.
§2. All of Abraham’s seed included in the Covenant of Circumcision.
§3. Confirmation from Ezekiel 16.20-21.
§4. The current of sacred history.
§5. The Church-State of Israel built on this Covenant.
§6. Circumcision is the entrance and boundary of Jewish Communion.
§7. How Levi paid Tithes in Abraham.
§8. Israel delivered from Egypt by virtue of this Covenant.
§9. Some of the immediate seed excluded.
§10. The instance of Esau, Act 7.8.
§11. Not all have an interest in the Covenant.
§12. Seal applied to all, but not all are subjects of the Covenant.
§13.Some inferences from the foregoing discourse.

CHAP. 7. The Covenant of Circumcision (3).

§1. The meaning and extent of the Great promise in Gen 17.7-8.
§2. Several premises to rightly understand it.
§3. Israel was a typical Church state, and a spiritual Church.
§4. Israel remained under the Law till Christ came.
§5. The promise was God’s engagement to fulfill the Covenant.
§6. This promise added both to the Old and New Covenant.
§7. A brief history of its accomplishment for Israel.
§8. The Fleshly Blessings of Israel fall short of the New Covenant.
§9. Covenant of Circumcision was not the NT Covenant of Grace.
§10. Patriarchs uncircumcised, yet interested in Covenant of Grace.
§11. Infants Church-membership.
§12. Five proposals: none argue for paedobaptism.

CHAP. 8. Mutual Respect of the promises made to Abraham.

§1. The general design of this chapter.
§2. The intermixture of spiritual promises with temporal blessings.
§3. Abraham’s Faith in the promise of Isaac’s birth.
§4. Abraham’s Trial in offering up Isaac.
§5. The Covenant of Peculiarity as a Type of the Covenant of Grace.
§6. Colossians 2.11 proposed and explained.
§7. Abraham’s family a type of the future Church State.
§8. Further observations and inferences from this.
§9. The Key to many prophecies and promises in the Old Testament.
§10. Romans 4.11 proposed, and the terms explained.
§11. How circumcision became a Seal of the righteousness of faith.
§12. The Conclusion of the Treatise.


 

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