[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…

for, in him, he first espoused them as a National Church, and People, and gave them the Covenant of Circumcision, as the Sign, or Token thereof, with many Ecclesiastical and Civil Rites. And this is further confirmed by a Reverend and Learned Writer: Howbeit from the strict Connection of this 7th. verse with the 6th. and the Assurance here given, that God will establish his Covenant with Abraham's Seed, to be their God: It is evident (saith he) that the Number of Abraham's carnal Seed and the Grandeur of their Civil State, is not all that is promised, nor yet the Principal Blessing bestowed on them therein, but rather the forming them into a Church State, with the establishing of the Ordinances of public Worship among them, wherein they should walk in Covenant Relation to God, as his peculiar People: Understand it still (saith he) of the Old Covenant, wherein they had their peculiar Right and Privilege, no less can be intended in this, I will be a God unto them, in their Generations; and it is also made more evident by the following Account that is given of this Transaction, with respect to Isaac and Ishmael, Gen. 17.18, 21. When the Lord had promised unto Abraham a Son, by Sarah, whose Name should be called Isaac, he thus prayed, O that Ishmael might live before thee! which the Chaldee Paraphraseth thus, i. e. Might live and worship before thee. No doubt, his Prayer was, that Ishmael might also be an Heir of the Blessing of this Covenant; but that was not granted to him; for the Lord would have his Covenant Seed called by Isaac only: With him God would establish his Covenant, having appointed and chosen ⟨p. 8⟩him alone, to be the Heir thereof, who was to be the Child of the Promise, and Son of the Free woman; and yet for Ishmael, in special Favour with Abraham, whose Seed he was: Thus much he obtained, i. e. That he should be made Fruitful, and multiply exceedingly, Twelve Princes, or Heads of great Families, should spring of him; which imports some Analogy to the Twelve Tribes of Israel after the Flesh, and God would make him a great Nation; and yet, all this fell short of the Blessings of Abraham's natural Off-spring, by Isaac, from which Ishmael was now excluded: It is plain therefore, that the Privilege of the Ecclesiastical, as well as the flourishing of the Civil States of Israel, did arise unto them out of the Covenant of Circumcision.

for, in him, he first espoused them as a National Church, and People, and gave them the Covenant of Circumcision, as the Sign, or Token thereof, with many Ecclesiastical and Civil Rites. And this is further confirmed by a Reverend and Learned Writer: Howbeit from the strict Connexion of this 7th. verse with the 6th. and the Assurance here given, that God will establish his Covenant with Abraham's Seed, to be their God: It is evident (saith he) that the Number of Abraham's carnal Seed and the Grandeur of their Civil State, is not all that is promised, nor yet the Principal Blessing bestowed on them therein, but rather the forming them into a Church State, with the establishing of the Ordinances of publick Worship among them, wherein they should walk in Covenant Relation to God, as his peculiar People: Understand it still (saith he) of the Old Covenant, wherein they had their peculiar Right and Privilege, no less can be intended in this, I will be a God unto them, in their Generations; and it is also made more evident by the following Account that is given of this Transaction, with respect to Isaac and Ishmael,