Looking unto Jesus a view of the everlasting gospel, or, the souls eying of…

2. What is the establishing of this Covenant? Some say, this speaks the duration of it, of which anon; I suppose it intends also the confirmation of it. We find that the Lord had before made a Covenant with Abraham, Gen. 15.4, 5.¹ And now he doth not abolish the former, and make another; but rather, he renews, confirms, and establisheth the former. It may be there was some hesitation or doubting in Abraham; so we see Gen. 15.1, 2.² But now God would assure him infallibly of his will and purpose: O when a man hears that God will vouchsafe so much favour as to enter into a covenant with him; he is ready to say as Gideon did,³ alas, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in all my Fathers house; and who am I that I should be raised up hitherto? that God should make such promises as these to me? And hence, to prevent such Objections, the Lord will confirm ⟨p. 65⟩and establish his Covenant; as sometimes by his Promises; sometimes by an oath, sometimes by the blood of Christ himself; sometimes by seals. So here in this very place, God adds the seal of Circumcision, Ye shall circumcise the flesh of your fore-skin (saith God) and it shall be a token of the Covenant betwixt me and you. ⁴As sometimes he said of the Rain-bow, I do set my Bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a Covenant between me and the Earth; — That the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh —For I will look upon the Bow, that I may Remember the everlasting Covenant. After this manner are the signs and seals of the Covenant? Circumcise your selves saith God, and when I see the Circumcision, I will remember my Covenant, and I will make good to you all the promises thereof. — But what is Circumcision to the Covenant? much every way; Circumcision was not without shedding of blood, because the Covenant was not yet established in the Blood of the Messiah, sure there was much in this, howsoever the rite of it self was nothing, yet as it led the faithful Patriarchs to the Blood of Christ, and as it assured the purging away of sin by the Blood of Christ, and as it signed the Circumcision of the heart by the Spirit of Christ, so it found acceptance with God; no sooner he looks on it, but he remembers his Covenant, and confirms it, and makes it good to Abraham, and to his seed after him.