Fifty Sermons, Sermons · Sermon 49
SERMON XLIX.
A Sermon Preached at Saint Dunstan's upon New-years-day, 1624.
GEN. 17. 24.
Abraham himselfe was ninety nine yeares old, when the foreskin of his flesh was Circumcised.
THis is the place where Circumcision began, and this is the Day, when Circumcision ended; in this Scripture it was Instituted, in the person of Abraham; and upon this Day it was perfected and consummated in the person of Christ Iesus: for, though Circumcision were admitted in a few cases, in the Apostles time, after Christ, yet that was, as dead berbs are re-admitted into medicines in the winter, when fresh and green herbs cannot be had of that kind: So Circumcision was sometimes admitted for peace, and to avoid scandall, and the better to propagate the Church,Divisio. after the vertue thereof was extinguished in Christ. In the Institution thereof in this Text, we will consider Abrahams ready, and exact obedience: In the Consummation thereof, in the person of Christ, we will consider that, to which, this Circumcision had relation, that is, the spirituall Circumcision of our hearts. It is a Text well handled, and it is a Day well spent, if the Text teach us to obey God readily, and immediately, what inconveniences soever present themselves in the way, and if the celebration of the Day, teach us to come this Day, to that which is the true Circumcision, the Circumcision of the Heart. In the first, in Abraham's example, we shall passe by these steps: First, that though there be allowed to us an Omnia Probate, a Triall of all things, and a spirit to discerne spirits; yet when once it appeares to us, to be a comman dement of God, there's a fine leavied, all Titles concluded, no more claime to be made by our under standing, our reason, but a present, and an exact obedience must be given to it. Secondly, that in particular Men, and in particular cases, there may arise tentations, objections, reasons, why a Man might forbeare altogether, or at least differ the execution of such a commandement, as there may have done in Abraham's case, as we shall see anon. Thirdly, that though such tentations doe arise in us out of our infirmities, yet God gives his Children strength to overcome those difficulties, and to oppose stronger reasons against those reasons, and so to come to a willing obedience to his will. And then lastly, the triumph that belongs to this victory; which we shall find, in considering what benefit Abraham received by this obedience in his Circumcision: And these will be the branches of out first part, rising out of the Institution of Circumcision, in the person of Abraham at that great age, First, that Gods manifest will must not be disputed, nor reasoned upon: Secondly, that Mans corrupt nature will offer reasons against it: Thirdly, that God will give the issue with the tentation, reason above that reason: And lastly, he will accompany that victory, with other blessings too.
First then,1 Pa…t. Obediendum. for our exact obedience to that which God exacts of us, it is well said by Luther, Depuerascendum est, cum agitur de obedientia Dei: when the question is, whether this, or this be commanded by God or no, when traditions and additions of men, are imposed upon us, as commandements of God, here's no Depuerascendum in this case, this is no Childs-play; then viriliter agendum, (as the Apostle speaks) we must quit our selves like men, we must dispute like Men, (like learned men) preach like Men, (like Zealous Men) pray like Men (like devout Men) resist like Men, (like valiant Men) or at least, (in cases where we may not resist) suffer like Men, (like constant Christian Men.) But when the question is, De obedientia Dei, that this is agreed to be the will of God, and all the question is, whether God might not be content to accept an obedience to some part of it, or to all of that hereafter, but not now, whether God would not forgive the debt, or at least give day for the payment of it; either when we are old, or by legacies to pious uses, when we die, when this is the question, Depuerascendum est, we must grow Children again; we must not onelyonly, not argue, not dispute against it (which are acts of men, of strong & able understandings) but we must return to the first weaknesse of Children, to be speechlesse, to be thoughtlesse; we must not utter a word, not conceive a thought against it, Periculosa & pestilens quaestio, Quare; saies Luther also, It is a Dangerous and Infectious Monasillable, How or Why: If I will aske a reason, why God commands such a thing; first, Periculosum est, It is Dangerous; for, I have nothing to answer me, but mine owne reason, and that affords not Lead enough, nor Line enough, to sound the depth of Gods proceedings, nor length enough, nor strength enough to reach so farre, and therefore I may mistake the reason, and goe upon false grounds. So, Periculosum est, It is a Dangerous question, and a lost question, because I can have no certaine answer; and it is an infectious question too, for here is one coale of the Devils fire, of his pride, kindled in me; as the Devil said, Similis ere Altissimo, I will be like the Highest, and see whether I may not stand by my selfe, without any Influence from God, without any Dependance upon God: so, in our case, I will be so farre equall to God, as that I will measure his actions by my reason, and nor doe his Commandements till I know why he commanded them: And then, when the infection is got into a House, who can say, it shall end here in this Person, and kill no more; or it shall end this weeke, and last no longer? So if that infectious inquisition, that Quare, (Why should God command this or this perticular? be entred into me, all my Humilitie is presently infected, and I shall looke for a reason, why God made a world, or why he made a world no sooner then 6000. yeares agoe, and why he sayes some, and why but some, and I shall examine God upon all the Interrogatories that I can frame, upon the Creed (why I should believe a Sonne of a Virgin without a Man, or believe the Sonne of God to descend into Hell) Or frame upon the Pater Noster, (why I should worship such a God, that must be prayed to, not to leade me into tentation) Or frame upon the Ten Commandements, why after all is done and heapt, for any sinfull action, yet I should be guilty of all, for covering in my heart another mans horse or house. And therfore Luther pursues it farther, with words of more vehemence, Odiosa & exitialis vocule, Quare, It is an Execrable and Damnable Monasillable, Why; it exasperates God, it ruines us: For, when we come to aske a reason of his actions, either we doubt of the goodnesse of God, that he is not so carefull of us, as we would be; or of his power, that he cannot provide for us, so well as we could doe; or of his wisdome, that he hath not grounded his Commandements so well as we could have advised him: whereas Saint Augustine saies justly, Qui rationem quaerit voluntatis Dei, aliquid majus Deo quaerit, He that seekes a reason of the will of God, seekes for something greater then God. It was the Devill that opened our eies in Paradise, it is our parts to shut them so farre, as not to gaze upon Gods secret purposes. God guided his Children as well by a Pillar of Cloud, as by a Pillar of Fire, and both, Cloud and Fire, were equally Pillars: There is as much strength in, and as safe relying upon some ignorances, as some knowledges; for God provided for his people, as well in this, that he did Moses body from them, as that he revealed other Mysteries to them, by him. All is well summ'd and collected by Saint Augustine, Dominus cur jusserit, viderit; faciendum est à serviente, quod jusserit: Why God commands any thing, God himselfe knowes; our part is, not to enquire why, by to doe what he commands.
This is the Rule:Tamen temamur. 'Tis true, there should not be: but yet is there not sometimes, in the minds and mouths of good and godly men, a Quare, a reasoning, a disputing against that which God hath commanded or done? The murmuring of the Children in the Desert, had still this Quare, Quare eduxisti, Wherefore have you brought us hither to die here, Num. 20.in this miserable place, where there is no Seed, no Figges, no Vines, no Pomegrantes, no Water? Saul had this Quare, this rebellious inquisition, upon that Commandement of God against the Amalekites,1 Sum. 4. Slay both Man and Woman, Infant and Suckling, Oxe and Sheepe, Camell and Asse: And from this Quare, from this disputation of his, arose that conclusion, That it were better to spare some for Sacrifice, then to destroy all: But though his pretence had a religious colour, that would not justifie a slacknesse in obeying the manifested will of God; for, for this, God repented that he made him King, and told him that he had more pleasure in Obedience, then in Sacrifice. But, to come to better men then the Israelites in the Wildernesse, or Saul in his Government, Iob, though he, and his Friends held out long, (They sate upon the ground even daies and seven nights, and none spoke a word) yet at last fell into these Quares, Why did I not die in the birth? or, why sucked I the breast? Peter himselfe had this reluctation; and though that were out of piety, yet he was chidden for it, Quare lavas, saies he,Joh. 13. Lord, doest thou wash my feet? thou shalt never wash my feet: till Christ was faine to say, If I wash thee not, thou shalt have no part with me.
Upon this common infirmitie; inherent in the best men that may (and not unlikely) be, that when God commanded Abraham, at that great age to circumcise himselfe, there might arise such Quares, such scruples and doubts, as there, in Abrahams minde, (for, as Saint Paul saies of himselfe, If any man thinke he hath whereof to trust in the flesh,Phil. 3. much more I, Circumcised, an Hebrew, an Israelite, a Pharisee, a Zealous Servant in the persecution, and in righteousnesse unblameable: So if any man might have taken this libertie to have disputed with God, upon his precepts, Abraham might have done it; for, when God called him out to number the Starres, (which was, even to Art, impossible) and promised him,Gen. 15. that his seed should equall them, (which was, in Nature, incredible) for all this Incredibilitie and Impossibilitie, Abraham believed, and this was accounted to him for Righteousnesse: Heb. 11.And Abraham had declared his easie, and forward, and implicit faith in God, when God called him, and he went out, not knowing whither he went: And therefore when God offered him a new seale, Circumcision, Abraham might have said, Quare sigillum? What needs a seale betweene thee and me? I have used to take thy word before, and thou hast tried me before: But Abraham knew that Obedience was better then wit or disputation; for, though Obedience and good works, do not beget faith, yet they nurse it; Per ea augescit fidei, & pinguescit, saies Luther, Our faith grows into a better state, and into a better liking, by our good works.
Againe, when Abraham considered, that it was, Mandatum in re turpi, That this Circumcision, in it selfe, was too frivolous a thing; and, in that part of the Bodie, too obscene a thing, to be brought into the fancy of so many Women, so many young Men, so many Strangers to other Nations, as might bring the Promise and Covenant it selfe into scorne, and into suspicion, that should require such a seale to it as that was, he might have come to this, Quare tam turpe, quare tam sordidum? why does God command me so base and uncleane a thing, so scornfull and mis-interpretable a thing, as Circumcision, and Circumcision in that part? Againe, when he considered, that to Circumcise all his family in one day, (as by the Commandement he must) which could not be (in likelyhood) of lesse then 400. (for he went out before, to the rescue of Lot, with 318. borne and brought up in his House) he must make his House a Spittle of so many impotent Persons, unable to helpe one another for many daies, (for such was the effect of Circumcision,Gen. 14. as we see in their Story, when Simeon and Levi came upon the Sichemites three daies after they had beene, by their perswasion, circumcised, the Sichemites were unable to resist or defend themselves,Gen. 34. and so were slaine: Yea the sorenesse and incommodity upon Circumcision was so great, as that the very Commandement it selfe of Circumcision, was forborne in the Wildernesse, because they were then put to suddaine removes, which presently after a Circumcision, they could not have perform'd) Might not Abraham have come to his Quare tam molestum? Why will God command me so troublesome and incommodious a thing as this? And (to contract this) when he considered, That one principall reason of the Commandement of Circumcision, was, that that marke might be alwaies a remembrance to them against intemperance and incontinency. Might not Abraham have come to his Quare mihi? What use is there of this, in my Body, which is now dried up and withered by 99. yeares? What Quares, what reluctations Abraham had, or whether he had any or no, is not expressed; but very religious and good men, sometimes, out of humane infirmities, have them: But then, God brings them quickly about to Christ's Veruntamen, Yet not my will, but thine be done; and he delivers them from the tentation, and brings them to an intire obedience to his will, which is that which we proposed for the next Branch in this part.
Tu qui vas figuli, sayes the Apostle; whensoever any disputation against a commandement of God,Liberat Deus. arises in Gods children, the Spirit of God smothers that spirit of Rebellion with that, Tu qui vas figuli, wilt thou who art but the vessell, dispute with the potter, that fashioned thee? If Abraham had any such doubts, of a frivolousnesse in so base a seale, of an obscenity in so foule a seale, of an incommodiousnesse in so troublesome a seale, of a needlesnesse in so impertinent a seale; if he had these doubts, no doubt but his forwardnesse in obeying God, did quickly oppose these reasons to those, and overcome them: That that part of the body is the most rebellious part; and that therefore, onelyonly that part Adam covered, out of shame, for all the other parts he could rule: Ad hominis inobedientiam redarguendam, suâ inobedientiâ quodammodo caro testimonium perhibet, August.to reproach Mans rebellion to God, God hath left one part of Mans body, to rebell against him; for though the seeds of this rebellion be dispersed through all the body, yet, In illa parte magis regnat additamentum Leviathan, sayes Saint Bernard, the spawns of Leviathan, the seed of sinne, the leven of the Devil, abound and reignes most in that part of the body; it is sentiva peccati, saies the same Father, the Sewar of all sinne; not onelyonly because all sinne is deriv'd upon us, by generation, and so implyed, and involv'd in originall sinne; but because, almost all other sinnes have relation to this: for, Gluttony is a preparation to this sinne in our selves; Pride and excesse is a preparation to it, in others, whom we would enveigle and assure, by our bravery; Anger and malice inclines us to pursue this sinfull and inordinate love, quarrelsomly, so, as, that then, we doe not quarrell for wayes, and walls in the street, but we quarrell for our way to the Devil; and when we cannot go fast enough to the Devil, by wantonnesse in the chamber, we will quarrell with him, who hinders us of our Damnation, and find a way, to go faster in the field, by Duells, and unchristian Murder, in so foule a cause, as unlawfull lust. In this rebellious part, is the root of all sinne, and therefore did that part need this stigmaticall marke of Circumcision, to be imprinted upon it. Besides, (for the Jewes in particular) they were a Nation prone to Idolatry, and most, upon this occasion, if they mingled themselves with Women of other Nations: And therefore, Dedit eft signum, ut admoverentnr de generatione pura, saies Saint Chrysostome, God would be at the cost even of a Sacrament, (which is the greatest thing that passes between God and Man next to his Word) to defend them thereby against dangerous alliances, which might turne their hearts from God; God imprinted a marke in that part, to keep them still in mind of that law, which forbade them foraigne Marriages, Theodor.or any company of strange Women: Custodia pietati servandae, ne macularent paternam Nobilitatem, left they should degenerate from the Nobility of their race, God would have them carry this memoriall about them, in their flesh. And God foresaw that extreme Idolatry, that grosse Idolatry, which that Nation would come to, and did come to, when Maachah the Mother of Asa worshipped that Idol,1 Reg. 15. 13. which Saint Hierome calls Belphegor, and is not fit to be nam'd by us; and therefore, in foresight of that Idolatry, God gave this marke, and this mutilation upon this part. If Abraham were surprized with any suggestions, any half reasons against this commandement, he might quickly recollect himself, and see, that Circumcision was first, Signum memorativum, & monimentum isti faederis, it was a signe of the Covenant between God and Abraham; Gen. 17.the Covenant was the Messias, who being to come, by a carnall continuance of Abrahams race, the signe and seale was conveniently placed in that part. And that was, secondly, Signum representativum, it represented Baptisme, In Christ you are circumcised, saies the Apostle, in that you are buried with him,Colos. 2. through Baptisme: And then, that was Signum Distinctivum; for, besides that it kept them from Idolatry, as the Greeks called all Nations, whom they despised, Barbares, Barbarians, so did the Jewes, Incircumcisos, Uncircumcised: And that was a great threatning in the Prophet,Ezek. 28. Thou shalt die the death of the Uncircumcised; that is, without any part in the everlasting promise, and Covenant. But yet, the principall dignity of this Circumcision, was, that it was Signum figurativum, it prefigured, it directed to that Circumcision of the heart; Circumcise the foreskin of your heart, for the Lord your;Deut. 10. God is God of Gods, and Lord of Lords. And for all the other reasons that could be assigned, of Remembrance, of Representation, of Distinction, Caret ubique ratione Iudaica carnis Circumcisio, (sayes Lactantius) Nisi quod est Circumcisionis figura, quae est Cor Mundum: The Jewish Circumcision were an absurd and unreasonable thing, if it did not intimate and figure the Circumcision of the heart: And that is our Second part of this Exercise: But before we come to that, we are to say a word of the fourth branch of this part, That as there is no Quaere to be made nor admitted against God, (which was our first part) If Man, out of his infirmity, doe fall into that, (which was our Second) God provides and furnishes them with Reasons against those Reasons, (which was our third.) And then, God rewards their fighting of that battaile, (which is his owne worke) with victories, and crownes, and blessings here; (which must be our fourth branch.)
Of Examples of this,Retributio. the Booke of God is full: but we contract our selves onelyonly to that, which God did to Abraham at this time, in contemplation of this obedience. We consider Abraham at the end of one Age, he was almost one hundred, ninety nine when he was Circumcised; and now was entring into another age, (for he liv'd seventy five yeares after this:) this therefore was as the Eve of his New-years-day, and God presents him thus many New-years-gifts: First, he gives him a new Name; in which change of his Name, from Abram, to Abraham, (besides that he was chang'd from Pater Magnus, to Pater Multudinis, from the Father of a great possession and family, to the Father of a great successession and posterity, for that diminishes any Greatnesse, to have no posterity to leave that to) this also arises to be noted, that Gods Name Iehovah, having in that two Letters of one kind, two H H, God divides with his Servant, God affords one of those letters to the dignifying of Abrahams name, he adds an H of his owne Name to his: Iehovah is his essentiall name; and in communicating any beame of that Essence, any letter of that Name, we become semen Dei, the seed of God; and filii Dei, the Sonnes of God; and participes divinae naturae, Partakers of the Divine nature; and idem spiritus cum Domino, the same spirit with the Lord; and Hearers of that voice; Ego dixi Dii estis, I have said you are Gods: If we were carefull to answer our old name, the name of Christians, in our conformity to Christ, and performance of Christianly duties, that were well, and other Names needed not, as remembrancers unto us: But God does give us new Names and additions of Offices, and Titles in Schoole, or Court, or Common-wealth, as new testimonies of his love, and rebukes of our former negligences, and Remembrancers of our present Duties in those places, and Encouragers to a more carefull proceeding in them. Secondly, God gave Abraham a new Wife: in which, the blessing was, that he tooke not from him that virtuous and obedient Wife which he had before, Sara, but now he made her a Wife unto him, and he supplied that onelyonly defect which was in her, Barrennesse, and so made her fully a Wife, a Mother. Thirdly, he gave him a new Sonne; for, God who purposed to blesse all Nations in Abraham's seed, would not onelyonly repaire and furnish his old house, (that is, blesse Ismael with temporall blessings) but he would build him a new house, raise him up a new Sonne, Isaac: He would not onelyonly fulfill that petition of Abrahams, Oh that Ismael might live in thy sight! not onelyonly preserve Ismael, which signifies, Exauditionem Domini, that the Lord had heard that prayer, in the behalf of Ismael; but he would give him an Isaac, which signifies, Risum, laetitiam, that is, he would give him a new, and true occasion of joy. Fourthly, he gave him a new promise; that as in Adam he had promised a Messias, in semine mulieris, in the seed of the Woman; now he contracts that promise to Abraham, in semine tuo, in thy seed shall all Nations be blessed; and so makes Abraham, not onelyonly a Partner with his other Children, in the Salvation of that Messias, but he makes Abraham a meanes to derive that Salvation upon others also, In semine tuo, thou shalt not onelyonly be blessed in the Seed of the Woman, but all Nations shall be blessed in thy seed. And lastly, he gives him a new seale; not onelyonly that seale, under which he was wont to deale with him, not onelyonly an inward seale in his heart, but he gives him a new seale, a visible seale, the seale of Circumcision. This being then the Dignity of Gods precepts, that they require a present, and an exact obedience, without any counter-disputing; this being the infirmity of mans nature, that he is ever ready to object and oppose reasons, according to flesh and blood, against Gods precepts; this being the overflowing measure of Gods mercy to his Children, to give them the issue with the tentation; Reason above that Reason, victory at last, and alacrity in the performance of that precept; and this being his infinite bounty, to give us such rewards and retributions for those victories, of which, onelyonly his goodnesse, and his strength, was the Author in us, when we doe performe those duties, (all which we have seen in Abrahams obedience to a fleshly Circumcision) that Circumcision being come to an end in the Circumcision of Christ, performed this day: Let us come to this Circumcision, of which, that was but a Figure, a Spirituall Circumcision, the Circumcision of the heart, and God shall give us new Names (new Demonstrations, that our names are written in the Booke of life) and new Marriages (refresh his promise in the Prophet, that he will marry himselfe to us for ever) and new Sonnes, new Isaacks (assurance of new Ioyes, Essentiall and Accidentall, in the Kingdome of Heaven, and inchoative here in the way) and new promises, and new seales (new obligations of his Blessed Spirit) that that Infallibility of salvation which we have conceived, is well grounded.
We have done with our first part,2 Part. with that which was occasioned by the Institution of Circumcision in Abraham; we passe to that, which is occasioned by the celebrating of this Day, in which this legall Circumcision taking an end, in the Person of Christ, we come aptly to consider Spirituall Circumcision, by which onelyonly we can be made conformable to our patterne and example,Divisio. Christ Iesus: In which, we will charge your memory but with these two considerations; First, Quid sit, what this spirituall Circumcision is, (for in that is implyed the Quomodo, how this Circumcision is to be wrought and effected) And Secondly, the Ubi, what part of a Man is to be circumcised in this Circumcision, for that implyes Integritatem, that it is the whole Man in every part.
Briefly then,Quid. Spirituall Circumcision is to walke in the spirit; for then, saies the Apostle,Gal. 5. ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh; no Circumcision can bring us to this, that we shall not have them, for they are borne in us, and they will live in us, whilst we live; but this is this Circumcision, not to fulfill them. Neither was Abraham's race, which was to be circumcised, more numerous, more plentifull, more manifold, then is this issue of the flesh, Sinne: How suddaine, and how large a pedigree! A Child, at the first minute, when the soule enters, is as good a Sinner, that is, as absolute a Sinner, and hath as good title to Damnation, by being conceived in sinne, as the eldest man; nay, he is as old a Sinner as the eldest man that is; nay, as the eldest man that ever was; for, he sinn'd in Adam, and, though conceived but this night, sinn'd 6000 yeares agoe. In young Men, vanity begets excesse; excesse; licentiousnesse; licentiousnesse, envy, hatred, quarrels, murders; so that here is generation upon generation, here are risen Grandfather and Great-grandfather-sinnes quickly, a forward generation: And then they grow suddainly to be habits, and they come to prescribe in us: Prescription is, when there is no memory to the contrary; and we cannot remember when that sinfull custome begun in us: yea, our sinnes come to be reverenced in us, and by us; our sinnes contract a majestie, and a state, and they grow sacred to us; we dare not trouble a sinne, we dare not displace it, nor displease it; we dare not dispute the prerogative of our sinne, but we come to thinke it a kinde of sedition, a kinde of innovation, and a troubling of the state, if we begin to question our Conscience, or change that security of sinne which we sleepe in, and we thinke it an easier Reformation to repent a sinne once a yeare, at Easter, when we must needs Receive, then to watch a sinne every Day.
There is scarce any sinne, but that in that place of the Apostle to the Galatians, it comes within the name of workes of the flesh; for, though he names divers sinnes, which are litterally and properly workes of the flesh, (as Adultery, fornication, uncleannesse, wantonnesse) yet those sinnes that are against a mans owne selfe, (as Gluttony and Drunkennesse) those that are against other men, (as Contentions and Murders) those that are directed upon new Gods (as Idolatry) those that are Contracts with the Devil (as Witchcraft) those that are offences to the Church (as Heresy) are all called by Saint Paul in that place, workes of the flesh: So that the object of this Spirituall Circumcision is all that concernes the flesh, the world, the Devil, or God, or man, or the Church; in every one of these we may finde somewhat to circumcise. But because abundance and superfluity begets these workes of the flesh, (for though vve carry the Serpent about us, yet he does not sting, nor hisse, till he be warme: As long as poverty and vvretchednesse freezes our Concupiscences, they are not so violent) therefore spirituall Circumcision is vvell expressed by Saint Bernard; Moralis Circumcisio est, victum & vestitum habentem, esse contentum; A cutting off of these superfluities, is this morall, that is, this spirituall Circumcision.
Novv for some understanding of these superfluities,Medus. vve must consider, that sometimes a poore man, that hath no superfluity in his estate, is yet vvastfull in his minde, and puts himselfe to superfluous expences, in his diet, in his apparell, and in all things of outvvard shevv and ostentation: And on the other side, a covetous man, that hath a superfluous estate, yet starves him selfe, and denies himselfe all conveniences for this life: Here's a superfluous confidence in the one, that he cannot vvant, though he throvv avvay money; and here's a superfluous feare in the other, that he shall vvant, if he give himselfe bread; and here's vvorke for this spirituall Circumcision on both sides: But then the Circumcision is not necessarily to be applied to the riches of the rich man, so as that every rich man must necessarily cast away his riches (a Godly man may be rich) nor necessarily applied so to all outward expences of the free and liberall minded man, as that he should shut up dores, and weare ragges; for, a Godly man may fare in his diet, and appeare in his garments, according to that Degree which he holds in that state: But the superfluity is, and (consequently the Circumcision is to be) in the Affection, in our Confidence, that whatsoever we wast, by one meanes or other, we shall have more; or in our diffidence, that if we lay not up all, we shall never have enough. These be the inordinate affections that must be Circumcised: But how? for that's intended in this part. We need enquire no farther, for the meanes of this spirituall Circumcision, then to the very word which the Holy Ghost hath chosen for Circumcision here, which is Mul and Namal; for that word hath in other places of Scripture, three significations, that expresse much of the manner, how this Circumcision is to be wrought: It signifies, Purgare, to purge, to discharge the Conscience: (and that is, by Confession of our sinnes) It signifies, Mundare, to cleanse and purify the Conscience: (and that is, by Contrition and Detestation of that sinne) And it signifies, Succidere, to cut downe, to weed and root out whatsoever remaines in our possession, that is unjustly got (and that is) by Destitution.
Now for the first of these,Putgare. the purging; the proper use and working of purging Physick, is, not that that Medicine pierces into those parts of the Body, where the peccant humour lies, and from which parts, Nature, of her selfe, is not able to expell it: the substance of the Medicine does not goe thither, but the Physick lies still, and draws those peccant humours together; and being then so come to an unsupportable Masse, and burden, Nature her selfe, and their owne waight expels them out. Now, that which Nature does in a naturall body, Grace does in a regenerate soule, for Grace is the nature and the life of a regenerate man. As therefore the bodily Physick goes not to that part of the body that is affected; we must not stay till out Spirituall Physick (the Iudgements of God) worke upon that particular sinne, that transports us: That God should weaken me with a violent sicknesse, before I will purge my selfe of my licentiousnesse; Or strike me with poverty, and losse of my stocke, before I will purge my selfe of my usury; or lay me flat with disgraces and dis-favours of great Persons, before I will purge my selfe of my Ambition; or evict my land from me, by some false title, that God, in his just Judgement, may give way to, to punish my sinnes, before I will purge my selfe of my oppression, and racking of Tenants: But before these violent Medicines come, if thou canst take Gods ordinary Physick, administred in the Word and Sacraments; if thou canst but endure that qualme of calling thy selfe to an account, and an examination; if thou canst draw all thy sinnes together, and present them to thine owne Conscience, then their owne waight will finde a vent, and thou wilt utter them in a full and free Confession to thy God, and that is Circumcision; as Circumcision consists in the purging of the Conscience, to be mov'd upon hearing the Word preached, and the denouncing of his Iudgements in his Ordinance, before those Judgements surprize thee, to recollect thy sinnes in thine owne memory, and poure them out in a true Confession.
The next step in this Circumcision,Mundare. (as they are intimated in that word, which the Holy Ghost uses here) is Mundare, to cleanse; and this is a Contrition for those sinnes, and a Detestation of those sinnes, which I have thus gathered in my Memory, and poured out in my Confession. A house is not clean, though all the Dust be swept together, if it lie still in a corner, within Dores; A Conscience is not clean, by having recollected all her sinnes in the Memory, for they may fester there, and Gangreen even to Desperation, till she have emptied them in the bottomlesse Sea of the bloud of Christ Jesus: and the mercy of his Father, by this way of Confession. But a house is not clean neither, though the Dust be thrown out, if there hang Cobwebs about the Walls, in how dark corners soever. A Conscience is not clean, though the sins, brought to our memory by this Examination, be cast upon Gods mercy, and the merits of his Sonne, by Confession, if there remaine in me, but a Cobweb, a little, but a sinfull de light in the Memory of those sins, which I had formerly committed. How many men sinne over the sinnes of their youth again, in their age, by a sinfull Delight in remembring those sinnes, and a sinfull Desire, that their Bodies were not past them? How many men sin over some sins, but imaginarily, (and yet Damnably) a hundred times, which they never sinned actually at all, by filling their Imaginations, with such thoughts as these, How would I be revenged of such an Enemy, if I were in such a place of Authority? How easily could I overthrow such a wastfull young Man, and compasse his Land, if I had but Money, to seed his humours? Those sinnes which we have never been able to doe actually, to the harme of others, we doe as hurtfully to our owne Souls, by a sinfull Desire of them, and a sinfull Delight in them. Therefore is there a cleansing required in this Circumcision; such a cleansing as God promises, I will cleanse their bloud, Joel 3.that is, the fountaine, the work of all corrupt Desires, and sinfull Delights. Now there is no clensing of our bloud, but by his bloud; and the infusion, and application of his bloud, is in the seale of the Sacrament; so that that soule onelyonly is so clensed, as is required in this spirituall circumcision, that preserves it selfe alwayes, or returnes speedily, to a disposition of a worthy receiving of that holy and blessed Sacrament: He that is now in that disposition, as that, in a rectified Conscience, he durst meet his Saviour at that Table, and receive him there, (which cannot be done without Contrition, and Detestation of former sins) hath admitted this spirituall Circumcision, so far, as is intended in the second signification of this word, which is, To clense.
But then there is a third action,Succidere. which is, succidere, to cut up, to root out all, from whence this sinne may grow up againe, as the word is used in Iob 18. His root shall be dryed beneath, and all his branches shall be cut downe. In this Circumcision, we must cut the root, the mother-sinne, that nourishes all our sinnes, and the branches too, that if one sinne have begot another, there be a fall of all our woods, of our timber wood, (our growne and habituall sinnes) and of our under-woods, (those lesser sinnes which grow out of them.) It is a cutting downe, and a stubbing up, which is not done, till we have shak'd off all, that we have gotten by those Sinnes: It is not the Circumcision of an Excessive use of that sinne, that will serve our turne, but such a Circumcision, as amounts to an Excession, a cutting off the root, and branch, the sinne, and the fruits, the profits of that sinne. I must not think to bribe God, by giving him some of the profit of my sinne, to let me enjoy the rest: for, was God a venturer with me in my sinne? Or did God set me to Sea, that is, put me into this world, to see what I could get by Usury, by Oppression, by Extortion, and then give him a part to charitable uses? As this word signifies Excedere, to cut of all that is grown out of sinne, so from this word Namal, comes Nemâla, which is Formicae, an Ant, which the Hebrewes derive from this word, out of this reason, That as an Ant doth gnaw all the Corne it layes up, upon one side, so that it may never grow againe, so this spirituall Circumcision must provide, that that sinne take no new roote: but as long as thou makest profit, or takest pleasure in any thing sinfully gotten, thy sinne growes; so that this Circumcision is not perfected but by restitution and satisfaction of all formerly damnified. These then be all the waies that are presented in these significations and use of this word,Ubi which the holy Ghost hath chosen here, purging by Consideration and Confessing, clensing by Contrition and Detesting, preventing of future growth by Satisfaction in Restoring. A little remains to be said (though it be also implyed in that which hath been said) of the Ubi, the place where this Circumcision is to be applyed. The Scripture speaks of uncircumcised hearts, and uncircumcised lips, and uncircumcised eares; And our eyes in looking, and coveting, and our hands in reaching to that which is not ours, are as farre uncircumcised as eares, or lips, or hearts: Therefore we are to carry this Circumcision all over; we must Circumcise, sayes Saint Bernard, In carne, peccatum, the flesh, the body, the substance of the sinne, in cute, operimentum, in the skin, all covers, and palliations, and disguises, and extenuations of the sinne; and, in sanguine incentivum, in the blood all somentations and provocations to that sinne: the sinne it self, the circumstances of the sinne, the relapses to or towards that sin must be circumcised: Iudaeus ut parvulus, congruum accepit mandatum, exiguae Circumcisionis, saies the same Father, The Jew was but in an infancy, in a minority, and God did not looke for so strong a proceeding from the Iew, as from us, but led him by the armes, by the helpe of Ceremonies and Figures, and accordingly required but a Circumcision in one part of the body: but God lookes for more, at the hands of Christians, to whom he hath fully manifested and applied himselfe. As Christ said to the Jewes, Except your righteousnesse exeeed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees, it is nothing: So except our righteousnesse exceed them that exceeded the Scribes, it is nothing; and therefore, Toto corpore baptizamur (saies Bernard) quia totius hominis integra Circumcisio; to shew, that it is the whole man that is to be circumcised; we are baptized, we are washed all over, (for so long, even to Bernards time, it seemes, that manner of Baptizing, by Immersion of the whole body, and not by Aspersion upon the face onelyonly, continued in the generall practice of the Church.) So that if it be not an entire Circumcision of the whole man, that will fall upon us, which God threatens in the Prophet,Jer. 9. 25. I will visit all them which are circumcised, with them which are not circumcised; If we circumcise in part, leave some sinnes, and cleave to others, we shall be, in the sight of God, altogether uncircumcised; Adam was not the lesse naked in Gods sight, for his Figge-leafe; halfe-repentances are no repentances; either we are in a privation, or in a habit; covered over with righteousnesse, or naked.
When therefore the Lord and his Spirit cals thee to this spirituall Circumcision, remember that Abraham did not say when he was call'd, Lord, I have followed thy voyce, in leaving my Country; Lord, I have built thee an Altar, what needs more demonstration of my obedience? Say not thou, Lord, I have built an Hospitall; Lord, I have fed the poore at Christmas; Lord, I have made peace amongst thy people at home; I have endowed an Almes-house; but persevere in doing good still, for, God takes not the Tree, where it growes, but where it fals; for the most part, the death of a man is such, as his life was; but certainly the life of a man, that is, his everlasting life, is such as his death is. Againe, Abraham did not say of this, that it was a Commandement in a flight, and frivolous, and uncivill matter; doe not thou say, that it is an impertinent thing in this spirituall Circumcision, to watch thy eating and drinking, and all such indifferent actions, and to see that all they be done to the glory of God; for, as the Apostle saies, That the foolishnesse of God is wiser then the wisdome of man; so we may piously say, that the levity of God is graver then the gravity of all the Philosophers and Doctors of the world; as we may see in all his Ceremontall Lawes, where the matter seemes very light in many places, but yet the signification very important; and therefore apply this Circumcision, even in thy least, and most familiar action. So also Abraham was not diverted from obeying God, by the inconvenience of having all his family diseas'd at once; he did not say, I am content to circumcise my Sonne, but would spare my Servants yet, for necessary uses; doe not thou say, thou art content to circumcise thine eldest Sonne, to abate somewhat of that sinne which thou beganst with in thy youth, but wouldst faine spare some serviceable and profitable sinnes for a time, and circumcise them hereafter. To pursue this example, Abraham did not say, Cras Domine, Lord, I will doe all this to morrow; but, as the Commandement was given in that phrase of expedition, Circumcidendo circumcides, In Circumcising thou shalt circumcise; which denoted a diligent and a present dispatch; so Abraham did dispatch it diligently and presently that day. Doe not thou say, Cras Domine, to morrow, some other day, in the day of mine age, or of my Death, or of affliction and tribulation; I will circumcise all, for age, and sicknesse, and t…ibulations, are Circumcisions of themselves; a Feaver circumcises thee then, or an Apoplexy, and not thy Devotion; and incapacity of sinning is not sanctification: If any man put off his Repentance till death, Fateor non negamus quod petit, saies Saint Augustine, I dare not deny that man, whatsoever God may be pleased to grant him; Sed non presumimus, quod bene erit; I dare not presume to say, that that man died well, Non presumo, non vas fallo, non presumo, saies that Father, with some vehemency, I dare not warrant him, let me not deceive you with saying that I dare, for I dare not: And, Beloved, that is but a suspicious state in any man, in which another Christian hath just reason to doubt of his salvation, as Saint Augustine doth shrewdly doubt of these late Repenters, Sicut ejus damnatio inoerta, it a remissio dubia; As I am not sure he is damned, so I am not sure he is saved, no more sure of one then of the other. It is true, we have the example of the Crucified Thiefe, but it is but a hard case, when a Thiefe must guide us and be our Example; we suspect wills that are made of temporall goods in that state, at the last gaspe, and shall we think a Man to be compos mentis, of a perfect understanding for the bequeathing of his Soule at his last gaspe? non presumo, non nos fallo, non presumo, I should deceive you, if I should say it, I dare not say it, sayes that Father. Come therefore to this Circumcision betimes, come to it, this Day, come this Minute: This Day thy Savior was Circumcised in the flesh, for thee; this Day Circumcise thy heart to him, and all thy senses, and all thy affections. It is not an utter destroying of thy senses, and of thy affections, that is enjoyned thee; but,Deut. 21. 11. as when a Man had taken a beautifull Woman captive in the warres, he was not bound to kill her, but he must shave her head, and pare her nailes, and change her garments, before he might marry her; so captivate, subdue, change thy affections, and that's the Destruction which makes up this Circumcision: change thy choler into Zeale, change thy amorousnesse into devotion, change thy wastfulnesse into Almes to the poore, and then thou hast circumcised thy affections, and mayest retaine them, and mayest confidently say with the Apostle,Phil. 3. 3. we are the Circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoyce in Christ Iesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. Doe this to day; as God this day gives thee a New yeare, and hath not surpriz'd thee, nor taken thee away in the sinnes of last yeare; as he gives thee a new yeare, doe thou give him a New-years-gift, Cor novum, a new and a Circumcised heart, and Canticum novum, a new Song, a delight to magnifie his name, and speak of his glory, and declare his wondrous works to the Sonnes of men, and be assured that whether I, or any other of the same Ministry, shall speake to you from this place, this day twelve month, and shall aske your consciences then, whether those things which you heard now, have brought you to this Circumcision, and made you better this yeare than you were the last, and find you under the same uncircumcision still, be assured that God will not, God cannot be mocked, but as he wil receive us, with an Euge bone serve, Well done my good and faithfull Servant; so he will say to you, Perditio tua ex te, Your destruction is from your selves: Enough hath been done for you by me, enough hath been said to you by my Servants, Quare moriemini, Why will you die ô house of Israel? And after a long despising of his graces, he will come to a finall separation; you shall come to say, Nolumus hunc regnare, we will not have Christ Jesus to reigne over us; and Christ Jesus shall come to say, Nescio vos, I know you not, nor whence you are. Hodie si vocem ejus, If you wil heare his voice this day, Hodie eritis, This day you shall be with him in Paradise, and dwell in it all the yeare, and all the yeares of an Everlasting life, and of infinite generations. Amen.