Romans 4:11 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

And he received the sign of circumcision— Hence it appears, that the covenant established with Abraham, Genesis 17:2-14 is the same with that, Genesis 12:2-3 and Genesis 15:5; Genesis 15:21. For circumcision was not a seal of any new grant, but of the justification which Abraham had received before he was circumcised; and that justification included the Gospel covenant, in which we are now interested: for the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify us heathens through faith, preached before the Gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed, Galatians 3:8. Genesis 12:3. The whole of the Apostle's argument in this chapter proves, that we believing Gentiles are the seed of Abraham, to whom, as well as to himself, the promise was made; consequently it is the Abrahamic covenant in which we now stand; and any argument taken from the nature of that covenant, and applied to ourselves, must be good and valid. It is also undeniably evident from this verse, as well as from Genesis 17 l-11 that circumcision was a seal or sign of the covenant of grace, and not merely of temporal promises; which consequently obviates the most considerable objection that has ever been urged against Infant Baptism. Mr. Locke observes, that the Apostle's sense, at the close of this verse, properly runs thus: "That he might be the father of the Gentiles who believe, though they be not circumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also." Romans 4:12. "And the father of the Jews, that righteousness might be imputed, not to them who have circumcision only, but to them who also walk in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham, which he had being uncircumcised."