Secondly, You affirm with like confidence, That the covenant of circumcision is also the same; viz. the covenant of works made with Adam in paradise.
This I utterly deny; and will try whether you have any better success in the proof of your second, than you had in your first position. And to convince you of your mistake, let us consider what the general nature of this ordinance of circumcision was; what its ends were; and then prove, That it cannot be what you affirm it to be, the very same covenant God made with Adam before the fall, but must needs be a covenant of grace.
(1.) Circumcision, in its general nature, was, (1.) An ordinance of God’s own institution, in the 99th year of Abraham’s age; at which time of its institution, God renewed the covenant with him, Gen. 17:9, 10. (2). That it consisted (as all sacraments do) of an external sign, and a spiritual mystery signified thereby. The external part of it (which we call the sign) was the cutting off the foreskin of the genital part of the Hebrew males, on the eighth day from their birth. The spiritual mystery thereby signified and represented, was the cutting off the filth and guilt of sin from their souls, by regeneration and justification, called “the circumcision of the heart,” Deut. 10:16. And though this was laid upon them by the command, as their duty, yet a gracious promise of power from God to perform that duty, was added to the command; Deut. 30:6. “The Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart to love him,” &c. just as promises of grace in the New Testament are added to commands of duty. (3.) Betwixt this visible outward sign, and spiritual mystery, there was a sacramental relation; from which revelation it is called the “token of the covenant,” Gen. 17:12. “The sign and seal of the covenant,” Rom. 4:11. Yea, “the covenant itself,” Acts 7:8.
(2.) Next, let us consider the ends for which circumcision was instituted and ordained of God: Of which these were the principal.
(1.) It was instituted to be a convictive sign of their natural corruption, propagated by the way of natural generation: For which reason, this natural corruption goes in scripture under the name of the uncircumcision of the heart, Jer. 9:26.
(2.) It also signified the putting off of this body of sin, in the virtue of Christ’s death, Col. 2:11.
(3.) It was appointed to be the initiating sign of the covenant, or a token of their matriculation, and admission into the church and covenant of God, Gen. 17:9, 10, 11.
(4.) It was ordained to be a discriminating mark betwixt God’s covenanted people, and the Pagan world, who were strangers to the covenant, and without God in the world. And accordingly both parties were, from this ordinance, denominated the circumcision and the uncircumcision, Col. 3:11.
(5.) It was also an obliging sign to Abraham and his seed, to walk with God in the uprightness and sincerity of their hearts, in the performance of all covenanted duties; in which duties, Abraham, and the faithful, walked obediently, with God, looking to Christ for righteousness: but the carnal Jews resting in, and trusting to those duties and ordinances for righteousness and justification, made it a covenant of works to themselves, and circumcision itself a bond of that covenant.
(6) Now, forasmuch as circumcision prefigured Christ, who was to come of this holy circumcised seed of Abraham, and his death also was pointed at therein, Heb. 2:16. Col. 2:11. of necessity this ordinance must vanish at the death of Christ: and accordingly did so.
These things duly pondered, how irrational is it to imagine this covenant of circumcision to be the very same with the paradisical covenant? Did that covenant discover native corruption, and direct to its remedy in Christ, as this did? Surely it gave not the least glimpse of any such thing. Did that covenant separate and distinguish one person from another, as this did? No, no; it left all under equal and common misery, Eph. 2:3.
Had Adam’s covenant a seal of the righteousness of faith annexed to it, as this had? Rom. 4:11. “He received circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of faith.” The righteousness of faith is evangelical righteousness; and this circumcision sealed. Say not it was to Abraham only that it sealed it; for it is an injurious restriction put upon the seal of a covenant, which extended to the fathers as well as to Abraham, Luke 1:72. But you admit, however, that it sealed evangelical righteousness to Abraham: but I hope you will not say, that a seal of the covenant of works ever did, or could, seal evangelical righteousness to any individual person in the world. So then, turn which way you will, this truth still follows you, and will fasten upon you, that the covenant of circumcision was not a pure covenant of works, but a gospel-covenant. Which I thus prove:
Arguments
Argument I
If circumcision be a part of the cermonial law, and the ceremonial law was dedicated by blood, and whatsoever is so dedicated, is by you confessed to be ho part of the covenant of works; then circumcision is no part of the covenant of works, even by your own confession. But it is: ergo,
That it is a part of the ceremonial law, was never doubted, or denied by any man: that it was dedicated by blood, and therefore no part of the moral law, you yourself not only acknowledge, but vehemently plead for it, page 148, where you blame Mr. Sedgwick with some sharpness, and unbecoming reflection, for making no distinction betwixt the ceremonial covenant, which was dedicated by blood, and the law written in tables of stone; which was not so dedicated, and therefore could not be the same with the moral law, which you make the covenant of works; telling him, that this dedication by blood ought to distinguish it from the moral law, or Sinai covenant of works, as you say it doth, and ought to do; how then can circumcision be the same with, and yet quite another thing from the Sinai covenant? Was the ceremonial law dedicated by blood? Yes, the apostle plainly asserts it, (Heb. 9:18, 19.) from Exod. 24:7, 8. ‘Moses took the book of the covenant, and read it in the audience of the people; and took the blood, and sprinkled it upon the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord hath made with you, concerning these things.’ But what kind of covenant then was this covenant that was sprinkled with blood? You tell us, p. 147, it could not possibly be the law written in stones, (which you make the covenant of works;) but was indeed another covenant, delivered at a distinct season, and in a distinct method. What covenant then must this be, seeing it could not possibly (as you say) be the Sinai covenant written in stones? It must either be the covenant of grace, or none. No, say you, that it was not, neither; for it was of the same nature with, and is no other than a covenant of works, p. 151. It was the same, and yet could not possibly be the same.
Mr. Sedgwick, that learned and grave divine, is checked, p. 148. for confounding the ceremonial law that was sprinkled with blood, with the moral law (which you call the covenant of works) that was not sprinkled with blood; and say you, p. 147. It could not possibly be the same. And then, p. 151, you say, It is clear, these two, viz. the moral and ceremonial law, were both of the same nature; that is, no other than a covenant of works. How doth this hang together? Pray reconcile it if you can. You say, It is an ungrounded supposition of Mr. Sedgwick’s, that that covenant which was so confirmed by blood, must of necessity be confirmed by the blood of Christ also: p. 148. But, sir, the truth you oppose, viz. That the book of the ceremonial law was sprinkled by typical blood, and therefore confirmed by the blood of Christ, for the time it was to continue, shines like a bright sun-beam in your own eyes, from Heb. 9:14, 23. Was not the blood that sprinkled this law, the figure or type of Christ’s own blood? Whose blood was it then, if not Christ’s? How dare you call this an ungrounded supposition? Was not that blood typical blood? And what, I pray you, was the antitype, but Christ’s blood? And did not the Holy Ghost signify the one by the other? Heb. 9:8. I stand amazed at these things! You distinguish, and confound all again. You say, it could not possibly be the same with the law written in stone; and you say, it is clear both were of the same nature, no other than a covenant of works. At this rate you may say what you please; for I see contradiction is no crime in your book.
Argument II
If circumcision was the seal of the righteousness of faith, it did not pertain to the covenant of works; for the righteousness of faith and works are opposites, and belong to the two contrary covenants.
But circumcision was the seal of the righteousness of faith; Rom. 4:11. “He (i.e. Abraham) received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of faith.” Therefore it pertains not to the covenant of works, but grace.
A man would think it impossible to evade so clear and scriptural an argument as this is. The major proposition is even self-evident and undeniable; the minor, the plain words of the apostle.
And what is your reply to this? Certainly as strange a one as ever I met with; p. 105. you say, It is true, circumcision was a seal of the righteousness of faith to Abraham; but it was so to him only in his extraordinary circumstances; but it was not so to any of his natural seed in its ordinary use.
I cannot deny but I have met with such an assertion before in Mr. Tombes; and I can tell you too, that Bellarmine invented it before Mr. Tombes was born, and that Dr. Ames fully confuted it in his third tome, p. 27. proving, that there was no extraordinary cause on Abraham’s account, why God should justify or seal him more than any other believer; and that Abraham had nothing to glory in before God. But to restrain as you do, the public seal of a covenant, that comprehended and equally concerned the whole church and people of God, to one single person; so that neither Isaac nor Jacob, who were by name enrolled in that great charter, should have any right to the seal of it, is such a conceit as amazes an intelligent reader. We know Abraham was the first that received it, but utterly deny that he received it only for himself; but he received it as the father of all them that believe, whither Jews or Gentiles, as the very next words tell us, “He received it, that he might be the father of all them that believe;” that is, for himself, and all his spiritual children. One half of this sacrament of circumcision you allow, p. 205. to the rest that were under it, viz. to be a sign of the covenant; but the other half you cut off, and say, it was only a seal to him. What good vouchers have you for this exposition of the text? Have you the concurrence of orthodox expositors? Or is it the rash and bold adventure of your own head? I am sure it no way agrees with the drift and scope of the apostle’s argument, which evidently is to prove, that both Jews and Gentiles are justified by faith, as Abraham was; and that the ground of justification and blessedness is common both to the uncircumcised Gentiles, and circumcised Jews; and that Abraham and all other believers, have but one way of justification, and salvation, and that how great soever Abraham was, in this case he hath found nothing whereof to glory, ver. 1, 2. And is not your exposition a notable one, to prove the community of the privilege of justification, because the seal of it was peculiar to Abraham alone? Rectify it, and better consider it.
Argument III
In the covenant of circumcision, Gen. 17 God makes over himself to Abraham and his seed to be their God, or give them a special interest in himself.
But in the covenant of works, God doth not, since the fall, make over himself to any, to be their God by way of special interest.
Therefore the covenant of circumcision cannot be the covenant of works.
This is so plain and clear, that none can doubt or deny it, that understands the nature of the two covenants. And now, sir, what course do you take to avoid this argument? Such a one sure as no man that ever I met with took before you, and that is this; you boldly cut Abraham’s covenant, Gen. 17 into two parts, and make the first to be the pure covenant of grace, which is the promissory part, to the ninth verse; and the restipulation (as you call it, p. 205.) to be as pure a covenant of works. What hard shift will some men make to maintain their opinion! You say truly, p. 205, that at the seventh and eighth verses was their restipulation: why then do you say, p. 224, that at ver. 7th he proceeds to speak of another covenant than what he had been speaking of before? Does the promise and the restipulation make two covenants; or are they just and necessary parts of one and the same covenant? You also tell us, that the covenant, Gen. 17:1, 2, 3, 4 was a plain transcript of several free promises of the gospel under the denomination of a covenant. But why then don’t you take the restipulation, ver. 7, 8, 9, 10 to be a part of it? O no; there is something required on Abraham’s and his posterity’s part; they must be circumcised, and that spoils all. Why but, sir, if the requiring of circumcision alters the case so greatly, as to make it a quite contrary covenant; how comes it to pass, that in the covenant to Abraham, he himself was first required to be circumcised? Why, this is the reason; here is somewhat required on their part as a condition; and a condition quite alters the nature of the covenant. Very well; but tell me then why you say, p. 223, and in many other places, that the covenant made with Abraham, in Gen. 12 was a gospel-covenant; and yet there Abraham is obliged to walk before God, and be perfect? Does not that also there alter the nature of the covenant, as well as here in the seventeenth chapter? You also grant, the covenant made with Abraham, Gen. 22 was a pure gospel-covenant; or if you deny it, the apostle proves it, Heb. 6:13. And yet there is more appearance of respect to Abraham’s obedience in that covenant, than is in submitting to circumcision: see Gen. 22:16, 17. “By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord; for because thou hast done this thing, &c. That in blessing, I will bless thee; and in multiplying, I will multiply thee.”
I will trouble you, on this head, but with one query more: if the four first verses of the 17 of Genesis contain a pure gospel-covenant, as you say, and the restipulation in the following verses make a covenant of works, because it thereby becomes conditional; then tell me, if you please, whether what God graciously granted to Abraham in the former verses be not all nulled, and made void again by their restipulation? Does not this seem harsh? Here you have brought Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all the believers of Abraham’s race, just into the same case you brought Moses and all the Israelites before, under two opposite covenants, where one cuts off all that the other granted.
But there is a stronger reason urged than the conditionality of the covenant, to prove it a covenant of works; and that is, circumcision is made the condition of Abraham’s covenant; and that is the worst of all conditions, for it obliges a man to keep the whole law, Gal. 5:3 it is the yoke of bondage, and to whatsoever covenant it be so annexed, it makes it become a bondage legal covenant. “If we be circumcised, Christ shall profit us nothing.” Thus it was in the covenant, Gen. 17.
Great use is made of this in many parts of your discourse. But, sir, you are greatly mistaken in applying these texts to the purposes you do; for the apostle all along in that epistle to the Galatians, argues against the false teachers, who taught and pressed the necessity of circumcision, as a bond obliging them to the strict and perfect obedience of the law, in order to their justification thereby, or at least to join it with the righteousness of Christ, as a con-cause of justification; see Gal. 2:4, 5 and 3:1. Now against this abuse of circumcision, it is that the apostle argues thus, and tells them, that in submitting to it on that account, they made the death of Christ of no effect, and obliged themselves by it to the whole law; for circumcision did not simply and absolutely in the nature of the work or action, oblige men to the whole law in the way of justification by it, but it did so from the intention of the worker, and the supposition of such an opinion of it, and design in it; for in itself, and with respect to God’s design in the institution of it, it was to be a seal of the righteousness of faith, Rom. 4:11 and so it was an excellent, useful, instructive ordinance to all believers, as long as the ceremonial law stood: and even when it was expiring, as the gospel began to open more and more clearly, there was yet some kind of toleration of it to such as were born of Jewish parents: Thus Paul himself circumcised Timothy, his mother being a Jewess, Acts 16:1, 3 but Titus, being a Greek, was not circumcised, and that because of these false teachers, that would make an ill use of that their liberty, Gal. 2:3, 4. This Paul could never have done, in case circumcision, in the nature of the act, had bound Timothy to keep the law for justification. By which it appears, that the action in its own nature did not oblige to the keeping of the whole law, but from the intention of the agent; and therefore, as the apostle rightly argues, if a man be circumcised with a design to be justified by it, he would thereby bind himself to the whole law, and frustrate the death of Christ to himself; but it was now to have its funeral with all other parts of the ceremonial law, which vanished, and were accomplished in the death of Christ; and it falling out that such a vile use was made of it at that time, the apostle thus thunders against it. Had this been observed, as also the like abuse of the moral law, you would have known how to have reconciled the apostle’s encomiums of them both, with his sharp invectives against the one and the other. But being ignorant of these two great and necessary distinctions of the law, according to God’s intention in the promulgation of it at Sinai, and the carnal Jews sense of it, as a pure covenant of works, against which the apostle so sharply inveighs in the places by you cited, all your 23 arguments from page 183, to page 187, fall to the ground at one stroke; your medius terminus having one sense in your major proposition, and another in your minor; and so every argument had four terms in it, as will easily be evinced by the particular consideration of the respective places from whence you draw them.
So in like manner, in your arguing here against circumcision, as a bond to keep the whole law, and as such vacating the death of Christ, is a stumble at the same stone, not distinguishing as you ought to have done, betwixt an obligation arising out of the nature of the work, and out of the end and intention of the workers; and this every learned and judicious eye will easily discern.
John Flavel | The Whole Works of the Reverend John Flavel, vol. 6 (London; Edinburgh; Dublin: W. Baynes and Son; Waugh and Innes; M. Keene, 1820), 340–46.
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