The Figures or Types of Christ, Typological category 4
THE GOSPEL OF CIRCUMCISION.
October 30. 1666.Acts 7.8.
And he gave him the Covenant of Circumciſion, and ſo Abraham begat Iſaac, and circumciſed him the eighth day: and Iſaac begat Jacob, and Jacob begat the twelve Patriarchs.
THis excellent Sermon and Apology of Stephen, the firſt Martyr of the New Teſtament; the Scope of it, is to ſhew them the variety of Gods Diſpenſations towards his people, together with the various Rebellions and Oppoſitions of the Sons of men againſt him, and ſo to convince them that the ſcope and tendency of them all was to lead to Jeſus Chriſt: and that as former Diſpenſations had been deſpiſed, ſo was this, which was the Glory of all the reſt. He goes over the Hiſtory of the Church, from Abrahams time to the time of Chriſt, in ſundry moſt eminent and principal Diſpenſations of God towards his Church. In this Verſe he is ſpeaking of the Diſpenſation of God to Abraham. He had ſhewed before how he had called Abraham out of his own Country, how he had promiſed him a Poſſeſſion, the Land of Canaan; how he had foretold the affliction of his Seed for four hundred years, and their Deliverance afterward; how the Lord had given him the Covenant of Circumciſion, and how (under the influence of this Covenant) Iſaac was born, and Jacob, and the reſt of the Patriarchs.
And he gave him the Covenant of Circumciſion.
I ſhall give you no other Doctrine but the words themſelves.
Doct. That God gave to Abraham the Covenant of Circumciſion, that is the Doctrine.
That which I do deſign and intend, is a little explanation of Circumciſion, and of the Covenant thereof, (for that is the Phraſe here) and that in reference to our attendance upon God in this Ordinance of the New Teſtament Circumciſion, which we are now to wait upon him in.
To open to you the nature of Circumciſion.
You know there is an outward, and an inward part of it, as there is in all other Signs and Sacraments whatſoever.
Something muſt be ſpoken.
1. Of the Sign, the nature of the external Ordinance.
2. Of the Covenant that it relates to, and
3. What thoſe reſpects are wherein it doth relate to that Covenant.
1. For the external part of this Ordinance of Circumciſion.
It was the cutting away the Foreskin of the fleſh of Abraham, and his Male ſeed upon the eighth day.
The firſt inſtitution of this Ordinance, is recorded Gen. 17.10, 11. This is my Covenant which ye ſhall keep between me and you, and thy ſeed after thee, every man child among you ſhall be circumciſed. And ye ſhall circumciſe the fleſh of your foreskin, &c.
The Lord did appoint the Seal of this Covenant to be in that part of the body, in his infinite Wiſdom and Soveraignty, a thing which carnal Reaſon would deſpiſe.
There ſeems to be two principal accounts of it.
1. Becauſe thoſe Members of the Body are ſo much abuſed to ſin, in the way of uncleanneſs and filthineſs; therefore the Lord would now ſanctifie them, and ſeparate a Seed and Generation to himſelf: and uſually the greateſt Wrath of God to the Souls of men, is expreſſed by giving them up to abuſe thoſe parts of the Body.
The World was grown very degenerate, and the Lord was reſolved to leave a Monument, an everlaſting Monument of his Wrath for thoſe ſins in all Ages, and therefore deſtroys Sodom, Gen. 18. and before this Deſtruction, he appoints this Seal and Ordinance.
2. Another account of it is this, that it might be a ſure and a ſtrong Wall of Partition, between the Jewiſh and Gentle Nations of the World. It made the Partition Wall the ſurer, becauſe carnal Reaſon could not but deſpiſe ſuch an Ordinance.
Thoſe that know not God have no ſpiritual ſenſe of the thing, therefore we find the Heathens ſcoff at it: as Horat.
—Curtoſque Judaeos. &
—Credat Judaeus Apella.
becauſe by their carnal Reaſon they could not ſee the reaſon of it. Therefore when the Lord would have both united to Jeſus Chriſt in one Body, he aboliſhes Circumciſion.
This Ordinance was diſpenſed to the Males, the Females were included and comprehended in the Males, and as fully and clearly comprehended in them, as the Land and the Trees are ſaid to be Circumciſed: ſo are all the Daughters of Abraham, as they came of circumciſed Parents, and married to circumciſed Huſbands: and their Sons were circumciſed, ſo that it was a circumciſed Nation and People.
It was to be done upon the eighth day after the Birth of the Child; and ſo in this Text, He gave him the Covenant of Circumciſion, and ſo Abraham begat Iſaac, and circumciſed him the eighth day.
The reaſon of this limitation might be, partly becauſe of the Infant ſtate of the Church in thoſe times; therefore the Lord teacheth them, and limiteth them even in ſuch ſmall particulars, which are now left to be determined only by the general Rule of the Word, even the particular time and ſeaſon of our Circumciſion.
Its thought alſo this might have ſome further myſtery in it, in reference to the Chriſtian Sabbaoth, which is the eighth day in one reſpect, the firſt in other ways of numbering; and to reſpect a new ſtate and life, after that the compleat and full number of the days of this life here are gone through; after the Week is ended, (the Week of this life here) we come to Heaven and Glory, which was one thing intimated in Circumciſion, as you will hear afterwards. But ſo much for the external part of this Ordinance, the cutting off the foreskin of Abraham and his Male ſeed, and that upon the eighth day.
2. To ſpeak a little to the myſtery of this Ordinance, the meaning of it, the ſpirit of this external Diſpenſation. For beſides the Shell, there was a Kernel; beſides the letter of the Law of the Ordinance, there was much ſpiritual myſtery intended and aimed at in it. Now then what is the myſtery of Circumciſion, the inward part of it, that is the Covenant. And he gave him the Covenant of Circumciſion. So that Circumciſion is the Covenant, and it is the ſame expreſſion where this Ordinance is firſt inſtituted: You ſhall have my Covenant in your fleſh, Gen. 17. It is called a Covenant, as other Signs and Sacraments are: it is a ſacramental Phraſe: the Lamb is called the Paſſover, the Bread the Body, the Wine the Blood of Chriſt: ſo Circumciſion is the Covenant of it.
But what Covenant is it that Circumciſion doth relate to?
This is the great Queſtion.
You know there be two Covenants, that of Works and Grace.
Now Circumciſion was not the Covenant of Works, but the Covenant of Grace.
That it was not a carnal Covenant, and a Covenant of Works; take theſe five Conſiderations to make good that ground, before we proceed any further: for if it be the Covenant of Works, it cuts off all that is to be ſaid, as to the ſpirit and myſtery of this Ordinance: all that you will hear afterwards, will be things belonging to the Covenant of Grace; therefore let us prove that it is not a carnal Covenant that Circumciſion doth relate to.
Argum. 1. Jeſus Chriſt is not the Covenant of Works, but Chriſt is the Covenant of Circumciſion; and therefore it is not Works, but Grace. He is ſo called in Iſa. 49.8. I will give thee for a Covenant to the people. Now Chriſt was in Circumciſion, he was the Miniſter of Circumciſion, he is the Seed which Circumciſion relates to, I will be the God of thy Seed. This Seed is Chriſt, Gal. 3.16. Now to Abraham and his ſeed were the promiſes made. He ſaith not, and to ſeeds, as of many; but as of one, and to thy ſeed, which is Chriſt. Chriſt is the ſum and ſubſtance of the Covenant of Grace: now this was the Covenant that God made with Abraham, and ſealed in Circumciſion, that he would give him a Seed, which Seed is Chriſt.
2. The Goſpel is Grace and not Works. The Covenant of Abraham was the Goſpel, and therefore it is Grace, but not Works. It is the Apoſtles expreſſion that the Goſpel was preached to Abraham. Gal. 3.8. The Scripture foreſeeing that God would juſtifie the Heathen through faith, preached the Goſpel before to Abraham. There is no Goſpel of Works, for Works is Law, and bad tidings: if it be the Goſpel, it is the Covenant of Grace.
3. If it was a Covenant of Works, it will follow, that Abraham and all the Old Teſtament Saints either were not ſaved, or elſe were ſaved without Chriſt, neither of which can be admited. The truth is, if it were Works, it will follow, they were all damned, for by works ſhall no fleſh be juſtified and ſaved. If they were ſaved, and yet by Works, they were ſaved without Chriſt, but without Chriſt there is no ſalvation. In him, in this Seed ſhall all the Nations of the World be bleſſed, that is, by Jeſus Chriſt: no bleſſing and ſalvation without him, and therefore he and his Seed were ſaved by Chriſt, for Grace was in this Covenant.
4. To be a God to any man, this is not carnal, this is not Works, but Grace. It is true, God was a God to Adam before he fell: but to be a God to Sinners, this is Grace: he was a God to Adam in innocency by virtue of the Covenant of Works, but he is not a God to any Sinner but in a way of free Grace. Now that was the Covenant, I will be a God to thee and thy ſeed, Gen. 17.7. Abraham was a ſinner, and a Child of Wrath by nature, as well as others; yet God was his God truly. For God to be a God to thoſe that never ſinned, there may be merit: but for God to be a God to thoſe that have ſinned, this is Grace indeed. Angels are ſaved by Works, Sinners cannot be ſaved but by Grace. That ever the Lord ſhould condeſcend to engage in ſuch a Relation, as to give a Sinner intereſt in him, and propriety in him as his God, this is Grace; they that do not think this is Grace, they do not need Arguments, but pity and prayer.
5. Conſider that it was the fatal error and miſcarriage of the carnal Jews, that they did underſtand Circumciſion and all the reſt of thoſe ancient Types and Ceremonies, they did underſtand them all as a Covenant of Works, and herein they loſt Chriſt and their Souls. It is every where charged upon them as their ſin; it is that which all the Prophets and Apoſtles do endeavour with all their might, to beat them out of thoſe miſconſtructions of Circumciſion, and the Covenant of God in thoſe times.
The Apoſtle proves it at large in Rom. 4. that it was Grace and not Works, that Abraham was juſtified by. Now this was the error that all the carnal Jews fell into, that they took it to be a Covenant of Works: as the Phariſees they had a Righteouſneſs of their own, they were all of that Spirit; they took it all as Law, even the Goſpel and the Grace that was in the Covenant, and ſo fell ſhort of the bleſſings of it: therefore if our New Teſtament Circumciſion be practiſed by any as the Covenant of Works, as the Jews did when the Apoſtle preached to them, they will fall ſhort of Heaven. Now if they took it to be a Covenant of Works, ſhall we juſtifie their errors and miſcarriage againſt the whole preaching of the Goſpel?
This is enough to ſhew that it is the Covenant of Grace, that Circumciſion doth relate to.
Now briefly what is this Covenant of Grace? And what is the Grace of the Covenant that Circumciſion doth relate to?
This is a very large Field. There were three parts of this Grace of the Covenant that the Lord made with Abraham and his Seed.
1. To be a God to him.
2. To give him a Seed.
3. To provide an Inheritance both for him and them.
And theſe three general Heads will comprize and take in the whole myſtery of Circumciſion.
1. The firſt part of the Covenant is this, that God would be a God to him and his Seed: and this indeed is moſt comprehenſive, and includes all the reſt. I will eſtabliſh my Covenant, and be a God to thee and thy Children after thee. Gen. 17.7.
And what is it for God to be a God, to be a God to a man? thy God, or a God to thee?
It is, when he gives to a poor Creature a ſpecial intereſt and propriety in himſelf: ſo that God in his alſufficiency and efficiency is ours, and we are his. All his Attributes and Works are ours, for our good. I will be thy God, that is, all my Attributes ſhall be thine, and for thy good, as really as they are mine for my Glory. The infinite Wiſdom of God ſhall contrive their good, whoſe God he is; the infinite Power of God ſhall effect it: the infinite Love of God is theirs; his Mercy, Truth, and all his Attributes are theirs. As his eſſential Power: ſo his working Power, or his actual Power. As he will be all to them: ſo he will work all for them. Now this, as I ſaid, includes and infers all the reſt: this is the firſt and moſt general.
2. That he would give him a Seed, that was another part of the Covenant. Gen. 17.5, 6. Thou ſhalt be a Father of many Nations, thy name ſhall be no more called Abram, but Abraham. I will make Nations of thee. As God did lengthen out his name: ſo he would lengthen out his Poſterity, even to length of time.
But now what is this Seed the Lord promiſed to Abraham? The queſtion is, whether it be a meer natural Seed, or a ſpiritual Seed?
Certainly it was not meerly a natural Seed; it is true, that is one thing that was the Shell and outſide of it; but the Kernel of this promiſe was a ſpiritual Seed.
There was a fourfold Seed promiſed to Abraham above a natural Seed, and I ſhall prove each Particular out of plain Scripture.
1. That great Seed, that was not only the Seed of the Woman, but the Son of God: this was the firſt and chief Seed here intended, Gal 3.16. He ſaith not as to Seeds, but to thy Seed, which is Chriſt, ſuch a Seed in whom all Nations are bleſſed. Now it is in Chriſt only that all Nations are bleſſed, therefore he was this promiſed Seed.
The Lord had not before limited the Seed Meſſiah to any particular Family, but left it at large (ſo far as appears) among the whole Race of Mankind. It was ſaid to Adam, the Seed of the Woman, there was then no further limitation till Noahs time, and then in Abrahams time, the Lord limits the Covenant to his Seed.
It was afterwards confined to Judah, one of the twelve Tribes: at laſt the Lord went further to one Family in Judah, namely, Davids: but here he limits it to Abraham, that of him ſhould come that great and bleſſed Seed: This was the main thing indeed, as without which all other Promiſes could never be beſtowed and fulfilled; but through him they are Yea and Amen. Abraham ſaw my day and rejoyced, he ſaw the Meſſias was to come of his Loyns; this was the Seed in whom he believed, and by which he was ſaved.
2. There was a Church-ſeed promiſed; the meaning is this, That the Church of God ſhould be continued in his Race and Poſterity, the true Religion ſhould be ſetled there.
There were other godly perſons before and after: we read of Melchiſedech and Job and his Friends, and it is very like there might be others: and when God had ſetled Salvation to Abraham, it was the duty of all others to joyn themſelves to that Church. The Lord entailed by Covenant all his Ordinances to Abraham and his Poſterity. He gave them his Statutes and Judgments, he choſe them to be a peculiar People, a People to the Lord; and that is a Church, a Society intruſted and inveſted with the Ordinances: and thus he dealt with them, he ſhewed his Statutes to Iſrael: this is no ſmall priviledge and mercy to enjoy the Ordinances: this is called the Kingdom of God.
This Chriſt threatned the Jews, that it ſhould be taken from them and given to other people, Mat. 21.43. that is God would ſettle his Church among the Gentiles, and give them his Ordinances. And that this is a Priviledge, we ſee by that expreſſion of the Apoſtle to the Epheſians, wherein he mentions it as a part of the dreadful miſery of the Epheſians, that they were Aliens to the Common Wealth of Iſrael.
3. There was a third thing intended, and that is a believing Seed, ſuch as ſhould be truly Godly: and of this the Apoſtle ſpeaks in Gal. 3.7. Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, are the Seed of Abraham: ſo that all true Believers are his Seed in that ſenſe. He is called the Father of the Faithful, all Believers are his Poſterity. There were Multitudes that were truly Godly of Abrahams Seed, and all that are Godly are his Seed; they walk in his ſteps, they are the Seed of the Covenant, they are ſpiritually related to him. He was the Pattern and typical Head of that Covenant, in which we do all believe, the Pattern of Faith to us: He is called our Father. It is ſaid of him, that he believed againſt ſenſe and reaſon, this was not writen for his ſake alone, but for us alſo that we might follow his ſteps.
4. There was included in this Covenant an ingrafted Seed: it is the Apoſtles expreſſion in Rom. 11.17. I mean, a Seed not only of the Jews, but of the Gentiles God did not only engage to Abraham that there ſhould be Church of his own natural Seed, and that there ſhould be Saints of his natural Seed, but that the Gentiles ſhould be ingrafted into his Covenant, and ſo become his Seed. Thou being a wild Olive Tree wert grafted in among them, and partakeſt of the root and fatneſs of the Olive Tree.
God did above and beyond the ordinary courſe of things, ingraft the Gentiles into that Covenant that he had once made with Abraham.
And thus you ſee what the Seed is which the Lord did promiſe in the Covenant, whereof Circumciſion was the Seal. He did promiſe to give to Abraham that Seed, firſtly and chiefly that Seed, who was the Son of God; and a Church Seed, and a believing Seed, and not only a Seed of the Nation of the Jews, but a Seed ingrafted into that Grace and Covenant from among the Gentiles.
We have gone through two Branches of the Covenant: the third is this.
3. That God would give an Inheritance to him and them; this was the third part of Gods Covenant with him.
It is the greateſt deſire in nature to have Children, and it is a good deſire, it is of God. And what do Parents deſire next? a comfortable Inheritance for them: and this did the Lord promiſe to Abraham. And in that Text which hath been ſo often alledged, God firſt promiſes to make him exceeding Fruitful; and then, I will give to thee and thy Seed after thee, the Land wherein thou art yet a Stranger. The Lord promiſed an Inheritance, and that Inheritance was the Land of Canaan.
Now the Queſtion is, whether this was a temporal or ſpiritual Inheritance?
Doubtleſs the Lord did not promiſe to Abraham Canaan meerly as a temporal Inheritance, but as a ſpiritual Inheritance. Canaan was not as other Lands are, a meer outward thing; but it was a typical Land, it was the Land of Emmanuel, it is the Land of Glory. Canaan was a Type of Heaven, and in that reſpect it was that they did ſo earneſtly prize it, and look upon it as being Heaven in an earthly Shadow, therefore Jacob and Joſeph muſt needs be buried there: therefore the Apoſtle aſſures us, they did ſeek a better Country, they profeſſed themſelves Strangers and Pilgrims here upon Earth; They that ſay ſuch things declare plainly, they ſeek another Country which is an heavenly one; wherefore God is not aſhamed to be called their God. It is a heavenly City, whoſe Builder and Maker is God: ſo that under that Shadow the Lord did promiſe Heaven to Abraham, and this was the third part of this Covenant. This Land of Canaan is called the Mountain of Holineſs: what expreſſion can be higher? Dan. 11. and therefore the Saints did look beyond that to another Country.
You ſee what the Covenant was, and what were the principal things and Branches of it: That God ſhould be his God, that God ſhould give him a Seed, and that God ſhould give an Inheritance to him and them.
You ſee what the Covenant is that Circumciſion doth relate to.
Now the laſt thing that was propounded was this, what reſpect it is that Circumciſion hath to this Covenant? He gave him the Covenant of Circumciſion. For this, Note theſe five things.
1. Circumciſion reſpects the Covenant as the Seal or Sacrament of Initiation into the Covenant.
The reaſon of this laſt queſtion is, becauſe that all the Ordinances and Inſtitutions of thoſe times, they did all relate to the ſame Covenant. Every Ordinance did, but with ſome peculiarity, with ſome ſpecial reſpect, and in a peculiar manner.
Now Circumciſion hath this peculiar reſpect, it was the Sign of Initiation. The Scripture uſeth all thoſe words, and they are fitly uſed Rom. 4.11. it is called a Sign and Seal of the Righteouſneſs of Faith: and all the fixed Signs of the Covenant of Grace are Seals alſo; there are no nuda Signa. As they are Signs to repreſent: ſo they are Seals to ratify and confirm the Covenant of Grace, and the bleſſings of it, and alſo means to exhibit them, as you know the nature of Sacraments is ſo.
So then Circumciſion it was a Seal and a Sacrament, in the way of a Type: it was a typical Sacrament. We have Sacraments now, but ours are not typical, are not ſhadows of good things to come, and of the Goſpel and Meſſias yet to be exhibited, but it is paſt and done in our times: but Circumciſion was ſuch a Sacrament, as was to be a Type of the future exhibition of the Covenant and bleſſings of it: and it was the Type or Sign, or Seal and Sacrament of Initiation: or of entrance or ſolemn admiſſion into the Covenant: for it was to be the firſt, preceeding the Paſſover, as you know it was appointed and ordained in Exod. 12. Circumciſion was firſt to be adminiſtred: not that perſons were admitted by Circumciſion into the Covenant or Church of God; no, they were in the Covenant before, elſe they were not to be admited to Circumciſion; they have no right to the Seals of the Covenant, that are not firſt in the Covenant.
It is a common miſtake in our times, that many think that Baptiſm doth make a perſon a Member of the Church of God, it doth ſeal memberſhip, or elſe they have no ground to have it adminiſtred to them: this is the firſt.
2. As holding forth the ſuffering of Jeſus Chriſt: he is the principal Seed whereof the Covenant ſpeaks.
Circumciſion was a bloody Sacrament, and the firſt blood that Jeſus Chriſt ſhed, was in Circumciſion: you know he was circumciſed the eighth day, and ſo it had a reſpect to that, to ſhadow forth that, and the whole ſtate of his humiliation: and ſo it was ſome part of that attonement and expiation that Chriſt made for our ſins.
It is not only the laſt act and the laſt ſuffering, the ſeparation of his Soul and Body; but all his ſorrow he underwent from the Cradle to his Grave: all theſe were parts of the price paid to Gods Juſtice for us. Now Circumciſion did foreſhew this, for it was a Sacrament very painful to the fleſh, and a Sacrament wherein ſome blood was ſhed in the circumciſed part.
3. It did in a ſpecial manner, ſhadow forth the great and glorious Righteouſneſs that we do receive by Faith, the Righteouſneſs of Jeſus Chriſt for our Juſtification. The Apoſtle is expreſs in Rom. 4. He received the Sign of Circumciſion, a Seal of the Righteouſneſs of Faith. Circumciſion was not a Seal to Abraham before he did believe, that were a ſtrange thing indeed: but in the true nature of the thing, and in the deſign and intendment of the Ordinance, it was a Sign and Seal of the Righteouſneſs of Faith.
We are juſtified by Chriſts Righteouſneſs, and that Righteouſneſs we believe in, is imputed to us for our Juſtification: therefore the Apoſtle diſputes very clearly and ſtrongly, That Abraham did receive Circumciſion after that he did firſt believe unto Righteouſneſs; and ſo Circumciſion was a Seal of that Righteouſneſs which he was poſſeſt of, before his Circumciſion: Rom. 4. for they were all to look to Chriſt by Faith, by virtue of their Circumciſion; and if they did not, it was their great ſin, and folly, and error, as indeed the carnal Jews did not: that is the third.
4. Circumciſion had a ſpecial reſpect to another great bleſſing of the Covenant, and that is, Mortification, or the cutting off the ſuperfluity of Naughtineſs and Corruption: therefore the Lord promiſes to Circumciſe their hearts, or to cut off the Foreskin of their hearts, Deut. 30.6. therefore he often blames them, that they were not circumciſed in heart. That ſhews that Circumciſion did look at the work of Mortification in the heart: and not only at Mortification, but alſo at Holineſs or Regeneration of the heart, life and whole man: it looks at the cutting off of the ſuperfluity of ſinful Corruption, therefore Corruption is expreſt in that way of Uncircumciſion: the unſanctifiedneſs of any part, is in Scripture expreſt by the uncircumciſedneſs of it. I am a man of uncircumciſed lips: you know his complaint, that is, corrupt, not ſo mortified as I ſhould be. Act. 7.51. Ye ſtiff-necked, and uncircumciſed in heart and ears.
This is called the Circumciſion made without hands; Col. 2.11. In whom alſo ye are circumciſed with the Circumciſion made without hands. What doth he mean by this? but putting off the body of the ſins of the fleſh, through the Circumciſion of Chriſt: this is the fourth.
5. It had a ſpecial reſpect to ſhew and ſhadow forth, the New Teſtament Ordinance of Circumciſion. And what is the Ordinance in ſtead of Circumciſion under the New Teſtament? It is Baptiſm: therefore the Apoſtle makes an expreſs parallel between Circumciſion and Baptiſm. Col. 2.12. he makes them to be the ſame: Buried with him in Baptiſm, and circumciſed with ſpiritual Circumciſion. For look as Circumciſion was the initiating Seal then, ſo Baptiſm is now.
As in Circumciſion there was cutting off the ſuperfluity of the fleſh: ſo in Baptiſm, there is a waſhing away of the filth of the body: they both reſpect Mortification. Thus you ſee in what particular ways and manners Circumciſion doth reſpect the Covenant: and ſo you have ſeen both what the outward part is, what the inward part is, what the Covenant is, and in what particular manner it doth reſpect the Covenant: He gave him the Covenant of Circumciſion.
And now all that I ſhall add, ſhall be this: Look as there was a groſs abuſe of the Ordinances under the Old Teſtament, of this Ordinance of Circumciſion: ſo there is of our Goſpel-Circumciſion: look as this Ordinance of Circumciſion might be made of none effect, and might be turned into a nullity, their Circumciſion might become Uncircumciſion: ſo it is with many in their Baptiſm, their Baptiſm is no Baptiſm.
It is the Apoſtles complaint in Rom. 2. If thou art Circumciſed, it profits thee, if thou be a keeper of the Law; but if thou be a breaker of it, thy Circumciſion is become Ʋncircumciſion. Rom. 2.28, 29. For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly, neither is that Circumciſion, which is outward in the fleſh: but he is a Jew which is one inwardly, and Circumciſion is that of the heart, in the ſpirit, and not in the letter, whoſe praiſe is not of men, but of God. The ſame holds concerning this Ordinance which Circumciſion doth hold forth. He is not a Chriſtian which is one outwardly, neither is that Baptiſm which is outward in the fleſh: but he is a Chriſtian that is one inwardly, and Baptiſm is that of the heart, in the ſpirit, and not in the letter, whoſe praiſe is not of men, but of God. The Apoſtles Scope, is to depreſs the external part of the Ordinance as of no worth and value, ſeparated from, or compared with, the ſpiritual part: ſo it is with our Ordinances, that we do enjoy under the New-Teſtament. What is the waſhing away of the filth of the body, if the heart be not waſhed? But it is, as Circumciſion was to them, an aggravation of their ſin and condemnation. I will puniſh (ſaith God Jer. 9.25, 26.) all them which are circumciſed together with the uncircumciſed. Egypt and Judah and Edom, and the Children of Ammon and Moab, and all that are in the utmoſt Corners, that dwell in the Wilderneſs; for all theſe Nations are uncircumciſed, and all the houſe of Iſrael are uncircumciſed in heart.
So God will puniſh the Baptiſed with the Unbaptiſed together. For many people are unbaptiſed in the fleſh, and many of the houſe of Iſrael, many profeſſing Chriſtians are not baptiſed in heart. They have the Circumciſion, but not the Covenant of Circumciſion; they have the Water, but not the Spirit of Baptiſm. Therefore take heed of ſeparating the outward part from the inward part of the Ordinance, do not reſt in the external priviledg, but look after the ſpirit and bleſſing of every Ordinance: get God to waſh thy heart, and the heart of thy Seed. 'Tis not enough to have thy body waſhed, if thy heart and ſoul be not waſhed from its filth.