[The axe laid to the root, or, One blow more at the foundation of…[The ax laid to the root, or, One blow more at the foundation of…

Obj. 12. Circumcision in the very direct and primary End of it, teached Man, the Corruption of his Nature by sin, and the Mortification of sin; therefore […] Covenant of Works, or Condition of it. (to this purpose Mr. Flavel speaks, pag. 231.

Obj. 12. Circumcision in the very direct and primary End of it, teached Man, the Corruption of his Nature by sin, and the Mortification of sin; therefore 〈…〉 Covenant of Works, or Condition of it. (to this purpose Mr. Flavel speaks, pag. 231.

Answ. I answer, though it should be granted, that Circumcision had such an End, yet that, that was the direct and primary End of it, he proves not; for the direct and more immediate End and Design thereof (we have proved) was something else, although we grant it was a dark Sign, Type or Figure of that they speak of, viz. to discover the Corruption of Nature by sin, and the Mortification thereof, and so also did most of the Ceremonies of the Law: but doth it therefore follow, those Ceremonies (and so Circumcision) did not appertain to that Ministration of the Covenant of Works God gave by Moses to the People of Israel, which is abrogated and done away. Must the Shadow or Sign be part of the Substance, or belong, or appertain to the Substance?

Wherefore, (as Mr. Cary well saith,) until they can prove the Sinai Covenant and Ceremonial Law, &c. not to be in their own Nature a Covenant of Works, this which they object here, has nothing in it; since Sacrifices, the Passover, &c. as well as Circumcision, were Types of Christ, and other Gospel-Mysteries likewise: and indeed Mr. Flavel seems to me to run upon a Mistake all along in his Answer to Mr. Cary, as if the latter makes no distinction between Adam's Covenant of Works, and those after Administrations of the same Old Covenant: for Mr. Cary, I am satisfied, means no more than what I have said, viz. That they agree in Nature and Quality, tho' Adam had Life and Justification by his own perfect Obedience unto that Law or Covenant, while he stood, and it was given to him to that end; yet God gave not the Sinai Covenant, which required perfect Obedience, to the end Man might be thereby justified; nor was it possible he could, since he had sinned, and lost his power to obey: but that Law contains a clear Transcript of the first Law, and so of the Holiness of God, and of that Righteousness Man originally had, and lost; and of the Impossibility of his being justified, without such a complete and perfect Righteousness: but the Law as written in the two Tables, was given in Mercy (upon the Score or Account I have mentioned) to Israel, in Subserviency to the Gospel, and to it was annexed the Ceremonies, to show that a plenary Satisfaction must be made for the breach of God's Holy Law, and that this must be by Blood, tho' not by blood of Bulls or Goats, but they might have