Abram and hie Reed. Hence the inference which Paul drawa (Gal. iii. 14-18) was deaigned to be deduced by the patriarch,-that the true and proper recipients of the covenanted merciea were not to be his natural, but spiritual descendants. See the pro• rninence in respect of clearness of revelation which God assigns to things spiritual. III. THE COVENANT ATTESTED. 1. The imposition of a. new name. (1) Its signifi• cance.· Instead of high-father, a peraonal appellation descriptive of the eleva.tion of his rank aa a chieftain, or of his .character a.a a man, he was henceforth to be styled father of a multitude, a federal or representative designation, defining his relation to both his natural and apiritual descenda.nta. It were well if narnea alwa.ys were thus suggestive and symbolic; but only names aasigned by God, directly or indirectly, can be relied on as expressive of reality, (2) Its intention. ' This was to indicate that God's covenant waa made not with Abram the Cha.ldrean chieftain, but with Abraham the believer.. •It was thus a symbol of the new position before God which Abraham occupied, and the new nature which as a believer in God Abraham possessed; i. e. of. Abraham's justification and regeneration. It was also a reminder that God's covenant was made not with the offspring of Abram as a man, i. e. with his natural descendants, except, indeed, provisionally and typically; but. with the children of Abraham the believer, i. e. with his spiritual posterity, all of whom, like himself, must have new names, i. e. occupy new positions and possess new natures, in other words, be justified and regenerated children of God by f(l.ith in Jesus Christ. 2. The attach- ment of a new sign. (1) Its nature. Circumcision. On the origin of the rite of circumcision see Exposition. (2) Its import. As regarding the grand blessing of the covenant, the promise of a seed, it was designed for a sign that that seed was to be'not a- child of the flesh, but a child of the promise; not the offspring of nature, but the gift of· grace. Hence it served as nn adumbration of the sinless humanity of the Lord Jesua Christ, and an intimation of the holy character of his seed. Then, a..~ administered to the patriarch, it was intended as a practical declaration of his faith in the coming seed, and a symbolic representation of his personal devotement to holiness. In every one of these respects its place has been supplied by the Christian rite of baptism, with only this difference, that baptism is a visible token of faith not in a coming, but a crucified end risen, Saviour. (3) Its incidence. The cere- mony was appointed to be administered first to Abraham, and then to all bis household, including Ishmael and his male domestics, and subsequently to all his posterity through the promised son. So the obligations of the covenant rest on all within the Church, encl descend from nge to age upon believers.
'HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Ver. 1.-God's call to believers. "And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect." In what sense are we to take this? None can keep God's law perfectly (Ilom. vii. 23). And why at this point in Abram's history the emphatic "I am?" &c. The character of his life was faith (cf. Heb. xi. 6) resting on the promises made him (Gen. xii. 7; xiii. 16; • xv. 5). The last of these was a special instance of faith. But the triumph was followed by a fall-impatience, would not wait God's time (cf. Ps. uvii. 14; mi. 15). An instance of a common fault -partial faith (cf. Matt. iv, 4; xiv. 28-31). The result was disappointment. Thirteen years passed. Must we not connect this with his fault? Want of faith delayed the blessing (cf. Num. xiv. 33). Then came the word of the Lord-a gentle rebuke ( cf, Matt. viii. 26), and a precept: "Walk before me," &c. Return to thy first faith; let it be perfect, not partial ( cf. Prov. iii. 5; Matt. xvii. 20). I. A LESSON FOR DELIEVERS. Watch lest faith grow cold. Some like not to retain God in their thoughts. They hide themselves from him amid the v11nities of the world, But his people, who have known his love (1 John iii. 1), why should they ever shrink from opening their whole heart to him? Yet, imperceptibly perhaps, there is a change, The faith is held, but the sunshine is gone. The desire to tell all to God is not there, Why? The man has set his heart upon something, and cannot trust God's love; or he is drawn to something he cannot approve, nnd listens to TH~ BOOR OF GENESIS. [tl!. :n'11. 1-14.