the oracles of God. Rom. iii. 1, &c.; these oracles by which that ordinance was appointed, and by which it was explained. The outward sign, which went no farther than the flesh, the apostle will not allow to be circumcision, i. e. it has no connection in that person with the blessing signified by it. But as he goes on with his argument, what if some did not believe? to them circumcision was no more than a scar or a blemish; yet, shall their unbelief make the faith of God of none effect? Were there none who knew, what had been done to them and for them? What if Ishmael, who had the mark upon him, could be guilty of mocking at the covenant? He was a son merely after the flesh, but there are children by promise.

To those that believe this righteousness, Christ is precious. They feel the need of it, and see a glory in it. Thus in baptism is he held forth to be a propitiation for our sins, through faith in his blood, to declare the righteousness of God in the remission of sins that are past, to declare at this time his righteousness, in the very moment and article of remission, Rom. iii. 25, 26. Ex T v nasp; that when he freely forgives our iniquities, he does it with regard to the justice of his nature. There would be a discord in his attributes and a flaw in his glory, if they did not all come in for equal shares.

Secondly, There is another thing to which both circumcision and baptism gave a sort of visible testimony, and that is the righteous

ness of faith. The Holy Spirit has so delighted in this language, that the Church has it, with great variety. Sometimes we read that Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness: Rom. iv. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. at other times it is said, to him who works not, but believes in him, that justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. And again, Ver. 9. David, describes the blessedness of the man to whom the Lord imputes righteousness without works. After this he saith that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness; and, he is the father of all them that believe, that righteousness may be imputed to them also. Thus again it is said, that the promise is made to Abraham and to his seed, through the law, but not through the righteousness of faith. Ver. 13.

We might have hoped, that this happy variety, in which the Holy Spirit has turned the phrase, would have made it very easy to see what the righteousness is, that is imputed to us, and accepted for us. It cannot be a principle of faith within us, or any acts or operations that are performed by us, for his is no more our righteousness, than charity or jus

tice is.

1st. That which is in us can scarce be said to be imputed or reckoned to us. I apprehend that such a manner of speaking signifies that one thing is to pass for another: as it is said of the person who offered his sacrifice in an unappointed place, blood shall be imputed to that man. Lev. xvii. 4.

The

meaning is, that his shedding of blood in a wrong way, should make him as guilty as if he had taken it from a wrong creature. He that kills an ox, is as if he slew a man: he that sacrifices a lamb, as if he cut off a dog's neck. Is. lxvi.3. And so when a righteousness is imputed to us, it is supposed by the sound of the words, that antecedent to the imputation, it was not in us. Phil. iii. 9. Our own righteousness which is of the law, is distinguished from the righteousness which is of God by faith. Then

2ndly. The whole design of this doctrine, and those seals that gave it a solemnity, was, to advance the free goodness of God.

It is

of faith that it might be by grace, and therefore if it is put upon any thing in ourselves, the whole design of the covenant is defeated. Boasting is excluded, not by the law of works, but only by the law of faith. Rom. iii. 27. For to him that works, the reward is reckoned not of grace, but of debt: and therefore David speaks of the man to whom the Lord imputes righteousness without works. For if our own actions are that upon which we are justified, faith is made void; nay, according to this notion, faith makes itself void. If Abraham was justified by works, he has whereof to glory, Rom. iv. 2. but he has no such thing before God.

3dly, The whole employment of faith upon this occasion is going out to another, and relying upon him. It supposes a total diffidence in the creature, and it can have no confidence in itself. Abraham's faith led him off from every thing in himself, that might either

help it or hinder it. He considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old; that never made him stagger at the promise of God through unbelief; but being strong in faith, he gave glory to God; Ver. 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25. being fully persuaded that what he had promised he was able to perform, and therefore it was counted to him for righteousness. What was so counted to him? his own action? did that make him righteous? did that fulfil the law? no; but the seed which he had his eye upon, with whom the promise was made; and the obedience of Christ which Abraham saw with gladness, this is what he reached to as a righteousness, and it was counted to him for it. Now this is written not for his sake only, that it should be imputed to him: that he should have a son when he was an hundred years old is all personal; that was for his sake only. Therefore it must be something else that is imputed to us, if we believe in him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered for our offences, and rose again for our justification.

4thly, Upon the whole, it appears that faith is the instrument of receiving this privilege. It is a grace that God has implanted, by which a believer looks after this righteousness, takes hold of it, and feels a comfort in it. Therefore, we read of being justified by faith as an instrument of receiving; Eph. ii. 8. and in another place, that we are saved by grace, Gen. vi. 9. through faith, as a medium of conveyance. Thus it is said of Noah, that he was

a righteous man in his generation. You may understand it of his upright walking with God; but there is something else attending upon that character, and indeed superior to it; and that is believing God concerning things not seen as yet, Heb. xi. 7. by which he became an heir of the righteousness that is by faith.

You mean the same thing by Baptism, that this holy man did by preparing the ark. The apostle has brought them together from a long distance of ages. 1 Pet. iii. 20, 21. It is said that the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah whilst the ark was preparing, wherein few, that is eight souls, were saved by water, the like figure whereunto baptism does now save us, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who is gone into heaven. What do we learn by his going into heaven, but the doctrine that he himself taught us? the spirit shall convince you of righteousness, because I go to my father, and ye see me no more. John xvi. 10. Therefore,

A person who is either baptized himself, or knows what he is doing for his infant, does by that action declare that salvation is come to the Gentiles; that sinners are made righteous with God; the law has no more to say, and justice has no more to do against them. But then this righteousness is not in themselves; they behold it in another, they fetch it from him. We through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. Gal. v. 5.

6. Being baptized into the name of our God signifies that we depend on him for the parti