Moses and Aaron, Treatise · Chapter 18
CHAP. XVIII.
Circumcision, a Type.
Herein
1. What it is.
2. How it figures Christ.
3. Observations.
1. CIrcumcision was a sacred rite ordained by God; Definition of Circumcision expounded in parts.wherein, by cutting off the fore-skins of all the males of the Jewes in the eighth day, the Covenant of God, made to Abraham, was sealed up to him and all his posterity.
1. A sacred rite ordained by God: God is the Author. For, 1. He onelyonly that can promise and give the grace, can seale the Covenant. 2. Abraham received it of God, Rom. 4. 11. therefore God gave it. 3. The institution is in Gen. 17. Where is the word of institution, 1. In commanding, 1. Mandato. 2. Promisso.2. In promising.
2. The subject of Circumcision were all the males of Israel descending of Abraham. For these must be destinguished from all families of the earth, Gen. 17. 4. Neither may we think that women were excluded out of the Covenant of Grace, for they were comprehended under the Circumcision of males. And God spared the weaker sexe; becaese it was enough to bring them within the number of Abrahams posterity, to be born of the males circumcised. Besides, as the males carry a speciall type and resemblance of Christ (as 1 Cor. 11. 3.) in order to the female: so was it fit they should have the thing and ceremony of Circumcision, and the female onelyonly the virtue and efficacy, Junius.
3. The part must be the part generative. Gen. 17. 13. My Covenant shall be in your flesh; and vers. 11. Circumcise the fore-skin of your flesh. The very place shewes that Circumcision aymed to remedy the corruption and uncleannesse of mans nature, whereof it admonished Abraham and his posterity. For neither Abraham nor any of his were chosen into the Covenant, because they were cleaner or holier than other; but that they might be holier. Gods election is free, who maks choyce of them that need Circumcision as well as any other.
4. The time, the eighth day: Because 1. The Lord had a mercifull respect to the tendernesse of infants. 2. Not to distinguish, but that those infants also were within the Covenant that died within that time. 3. Because whatsoever was born of man or beast was Legally impure, and in their bloud till the eighth day, and therefore no beast must be offered to the Lord till the eighth day, Ex. 23. 19. and ch. 34. 26. No nor men of other nations, servants or other must be circumcised but upon the eighth day from their comming in. 4. This precise observation of the eighth day was not without a mistery, either pointing to the resurrection of Christ on the eighth day, or leading beyond the week of this present life (in which we cannot be perfectly circumcised) unto that eighth day in the life to come, when all our corruption shall be cut away, and perfectly and at once abolished.
5. The end of Circumcision was to seal up Gods Covenant made with Abraham. This Covenant had three clauses.
1. Of the multiplying of his feed in Christ.
2. Of the inheritance of the land of Canaan, being a type of Heaven.
3. Of the blessed seed, the Messiah, that was to come of him typified in Isaac, and so was Circumcision a seal of the righteousnesse of Faith, Rom. 4. 11.
II. Circumcision figures Christ.Circumcision a figure of Christ.
I. As it was a Jewish Sacrament, wherein Christ shined out clearly; who was and is the substance of all Sacraments both Jewish and Christian; for Christ is the substance of the whole Covenant, and all the seales of it. In this sence the Apostle calls it a seal of the Righteousnesse of faith.Rom. 4. 11. How a seal of righteousnesse.
Namely, 1. A seal of secresie, that locked up the Covenant onelyonly to that people.
2. A witnessing seal, whereby (as by a visible, perpetual, and sensible signe in their flesh, which they could never lay off) the Lord would still hold in their sences, his own promise of grace made unto them in the promised Messiah, and their promise of obedience made back againe unto God to become his people. Which promise of theirs, howsoever they were to endeavour in; yet could it not be fully performed for them but in the promised seed, in whom their imperfect obedience and indeavours were to be covered & accepted. And thus is every Sacrament a signe. 1. Of grace. 2. As every Sacrament is likewise.Of duty, and a religious signe binding God to man, and man to God. 3. A strengthning and confirming seale by which the Lord pleased to ratifie the promise of grace, and seal up to them the inward and invisible circumcision of the heart; called the Circumcision of Christ, Col. 2. 11. Because he onelyonly by his spirit can work it, Deut 30. 6.
II. Circumcision figures Christ, as it was a signe.
1. Memorative of the Covenant of God made with Abraham and his seed, Gen. 17. 11. which mercifull Covenant was founded in Christ Jesus, out of whom God never contracts Covenant with any man. He onelyonly slayes hatred, and makes God and man to walke together as friends.
2. Figurative, or representative; foreshewing,
1. That the Messiah should be born of Abrahams seed, 3. Things foreshewed. Rom. 15. 8.and not of the uncircumcised nations, who being to be a Minister of the Circumcision, was also to receive Circumcision himselfe, which was shadowed in all their Circumcisions.
2. In their shedding of bloud by Circumcision, was represented to their eyes the shedding of Christs bloud; not onelyonly in the first fruits of his bloud-shed in his Circumcision (which was a part of his humiliation, and a parcell of the price paied for our sinns) but also the full powring out of all his bloud in Sacrifice upon the Crosse, wherein the Circumcision of Christ was fully accomplished.
3. Was shadowed their duty also; that having shed the first fruits of their bloud in Circumcision in obedience to God, they should be ready to shed all their bloud for him whom they expected to shed all his bloud for them.
3. A distinguishing signe of the Jewes from all other people who were without God, without Christ; and they onelyonly a chosen seed, in that blessed seed in whom all their prerogatives were conferred and established.
4. A demonstrative signe, 1. Of the naturall sinne and Demōstrats wound and cure.disease of man; and therefore it was placed in the generative part, to admonish Abraham and his posterity of their uncleannesse; for things clean need no Circumcision nor ablution. Abraham and his seed must be led out of themselves. 2. To demonstrate the cure and remedy by the Messiah to come, cleansing our natures two waies.
1. By bearing upon himselfe the imputation of our impurities.How Christ cures us.
2. By healing them in us, partly by his merit and bloudy death bestowing a perfect righteousnesse upon us; partly by his Spirit daily sanctifying and circumcising our hearts: thus hath this Sacrament preached Christ unto us.
Now the observations to make it usefull.
1. Take notice of our own estate to humble us, both in Use. 1. Be humbled for naturall corruption.state of nature, and in state of grace.
1. In our nature, we are all sprung out of a corrupted seed; which although we would forget, yet the Lord in this Sacrament took care that his people should carry upon their bodies the signe of sinne and death, seizing upon their whole nature. In place of which comes our Baptisme presently after our birth; shewing, that a man in his very first frame is filthily polluted, and goeth astray even from the womb. Psal. 58. 3. Whence also it is called, Originall sin.
1. Because it hath been from the beginning of the world.
2. Because it is the originall and beginner of all sinne in us; it is the first of all our sinnes.
3. From our beginning, even from our conception. Psal. 51. I was conceived in iniquity; and we from it called the childeren of wrath, that is, laid under wrath even from our childhood, Eph. 2. 3.
2. After grace received see the weaknesse of our faith. And for imperfections of grace.Abraham the father of the faithfull, needed this pledge and seale to support his weak and shaking faith. Who can say, my faith is strong enough, which is ever imperfect in the best, who know but in part, and believe but in part? Why else did the Lord appoint the use of Sacraments to the strongest believers, and that all their life long; but to put them in mind of the weaknesse of their faith, which needeth such continuall props and supports? Neither is it marvel that men are so heavy to the reverent receiving of the Sacrament, because they see no want, no need, no benefit of faith; they feel not the weaknesse of faith, which would breed desire of strength, and drive them to the diligent use of the meanes.
II. If Christ be the truth of Circumcision, then every Use. 2. Be circumcised spiritually.Christian in the new Testament must be circumcised as necessarily as the Jewes in the old. And though the ceremony and act of Circumcision be worn out: yet the truth of circumcision as neerly belongs to us now a dayes, as of old it did Col. 2. 11.unto them. In whom we are circumcised through the circumcision of Christ, speaking of the Gentiles converted unto Christ. In which words, the Apostle plainly distinguisheth between Jewish circumcision and Christian, between Legall circumcision and Evangelicall, between Moses his circumcision and Christs.
Here 1. What this Evangelicall circumcision is.
2. The difference from Legall.
3. The marks and notes of it.
4. The motives.
This Christian Circumcision is described (Col. 2. 11.) to What the Evangelicall circumcision is.bee a putting off the sinfull body of the flesh; that is, in plaine tearmes, the mortification of the body of sinnes that are in the flesh. For the truth and kernell of Circumcision never stood in the cutting off a piece of skin (that was but the shell of it) but in cutting off the lusts of the heart & life, & parting from corruptions of nature, which rebell against the Spirit. And this we have in Christ alone, being as farre beyond the Circumcision of the old Testament, as the truth useth to excell the type: as farre as Christ is beyond Moses, or heaven above earth. This renovation of mind was. 1. Signified by that Ceremony. 2. Promised by every Circumcised person.
The difference between this Evangelicall and that Legall Difference from legall circumcision.Circumcision, is,
1. In the efficient. That was appointed by God to be made with hands: but this is a wonderfull work without hands, done by the finger of God himselfe. The mortification of sinne is so honourable a work, as the hand of man and Angels cannot do it.
2. In the subject. That was wrought upon the seed of Abraham according to the flesh: this onelyonly upon Abrahams seed according to the faith, upon believeres and members of Christ. That upon the Jew without: this upon the Jew within. That upon Ismael as well as Isaac: here no Ismaelite is circumcised. That was Circumcision of the naturally born, and males onelyonly, of Jewes onelyonly: this is of the supernaturally Nascentium Renascentium.born againe, male or female, Jew or Gentile, for in Christ all are one.
3. In the proper seat. That was ceremoniall in the flesh, this morall in the heart. In that a natural part was wounded: in this the very corruption of nature. That dealt with flesh in substance: this with the body of flesh in quality.
4. In the end. In that, every man was circumcised in himselfe, and his bloud shed to fulfill the rite of the Law: In this all believers, men and women are in Christs bloud once circumcised to fulfil the rigour of the Law.
5. In the effect. By that, the person was received into the society of Gods people according to externall profession: by this, the sinner is received into inward and eternall fellowship with God, and into communion with Gods people.
6. In the latitude or extent. In that, the Priest circumcised in one part of the body: in this, Christ our high Priest circumciseth the whole man. In that, one beloved part was cast away with griefe and sorrow: in this, the whole corruption of nature, and all beloved sinnes; with no lesse griefe and sorrow of heart for them.
7. In the durance and continuance. That was temporary, but till the coming of Christ; who razed the type, and raised Qui signum destruxit, veritatem induxit.the truth: but this is to continue for ever, till the second coming of Christ; and is most perfectly finished and consummate in heaven.
The notes or markes to know inward circumcision attained Notes of inward and spiritual circumcision.by Christ, are these.
1. The party to be circumcised was presented and offered to this ordinance of God, as willing and contenttd to part with his flesh and bloud in obedience to God: so here thou hast begun thy circumcision, if thou hast offered up thy soul, body, and all, a reasonable sacrifice to God, Rom. 12. 1. willingly mortifying all the deeds of the flesh, and denying and renouncing all fleshly lusts and affections, which are as neat and as dear unto thee as the parts of the body. So Col. 2. 11. it must be a putting off the sinnefull body; implying, not a suffering it onelyonly to be violently taken and cut away: but a voluntary putting away, and parting with it. Indeed in legall Circumcision the infant could not cut away the flesh of his body: but in Evangelicall Circumcision thy selfe must put off this sinnefull body of flesh, and be more than a meer patient.
2. As there the whole body was wounded in one part: so see the whole body of sinne be wounded in all parts, not one member spared, Col. 2. 11. put off the sinnefull body. Speciall parts to be circumcisedNo sinne must raigne, none unresisted. And therefore,
1. Labour for an heart circumcised. There the Lord begins this work, Deut. 30. 6. and Chap. 10. 16. there see thou hast begun. See thy desires be sanctified; that the thoughts of thy heart and inward affections be watched and guarded; not suffered to be earthly, wanton, impious, disordered, or unfruitfull. This purging of carnall affections, and fastning them on the right object, is a note of inward circumcision, Deut. 30. 6.
2. See thine eare be circumcised. Act. 7. 51. the Jewes are reproved for uncircumcised eares. All sinnes of the eare must be circumcised; and that is done in opening them to hear God and good instruction, and shutting them against slanders, false tales, wicked counsels, doctrines of liberty, and the like.
3. Circumcise thy lips; which then are so, when they are able to speak for God. Moses (in Exod. 6. 12.) complaines that his lips were not enough circumcised. All the sinnes of the tongue must be cut off. This circumcision admits not a lie, an oath, a slander, a deceitfull, or filthy, or unclean speech unmortified.
4. All sinnes of the eye must be circumcised, by making Covenant with this member; not suffering the eye to be envious, covetous, wanton, scornfull, adulterous. And so examine all the parts, that no sinne be peaceably admitted, without drawing bloud upon it, as was in circumcision.
3. As in that Circumcision was sence of much paine and True mortification is painfull.griefe in the body; as we see in the Shechemits, Gen. 34. 25. So in this (where ever it is) is affliction of conscience, pain of spirit, pricking in the heart; as in the Converts, Act. 2. 37. which makes the circumcised mourn, and cry out of himselfe; judging himselfe, and breaking his heart with godly sorrow for sinne. The Priest could not take the knife, and cut off the piece of flesh without paine and sorrow of the child: Neither can the Minister take the sharpe weapon of the Law to wound and cut the body of flesh in any part, but it will be painfull and sorrowfull to the child of God; who will judge and condemne himselfe, and dares not stand out the threats of the Law, as many contemptuous rebels do. An hard and secure heart is an uncircumcised heart: good Josiah will tremble at the word; but all Gods words and plagues stirre not Pharaoh.
4. As that part cut off was never set to the body againe, but was taken quite away for ever: So in this circumcision of Christ is not a parting with sinne onelyonly for a time, but a ceasing of sinne, that is, a constant endeavour to forsake all sinnes, inward, outward, secret, open: A parting from pleasing, profitable, deare, and bosome sinnes; saying to them (as Ephraim to his idols. Hos. 14. 9.) get ye hence; what have ye to do here? with resolute purpose never to give them entrance, or entertainment more. Those that fall to their former sinnes, as who forget they were washed (like dogs and swine) were never circumcised. The skin once cut off died for ever: such a dying to sinne must be in this circumcision.
5. In that was a joyning to Gods people, and a receiving of the party into the Church and family of God: See if thou beest joyned to Gods people not in outward profession, but in sincere affection; embracing them that feare God, delighting in their society, giving them the right hand of fellowship, and with the hand the heart; separating from the fellowship of the uncircumcised and prophane, as the Jewes medled not with the Samaritanes. Doest thou professe circumcision and grace by Christ, but oppose and pursue the professours of Christian religion, as Ismael him that was born after the promise? A plaine signe, all thy circumcision was made with hands. Thy body was washed with water of Baptisme: but thy heart is unwashed, untouched with any water of saving grace.
6. In that was a joyning and admittance to the outward worship of God, and externall communion in all holy things: so here thou art become a true worshiper; not outwardly in the letter and ceremony, but inwardly in spirit and truth: A Jew within, Rom. 2. 29. Phil. 3. 3. We are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit. He that worships formally, for fashion, for Law; and in the mean time can contemne the power of godlinesse; cannot away with inward watchfullnesse, sincerity, strictnesse: though by Baptisme he be brought to the externall communion of the Church in holy things; all is but in the letter, without all circumcision of the heart.
7. In that was much rejoycing as in a great priviledge; and the Jew did much boast, and beare himselfe upon this prerogative; partly upon the externall worke; partly on their distinction by it; partly because it manifested them sonnes of Abraham according to the flesh: and much was their praise among men: But true circumcision rejoyceth not in Abraham, but in Christ; hath no confidence in the flesh, but renounceth all outward things, and settles his rejoycing in Christ alone and his merits: counting all other things dross and dung in comparison of him. Let the Jew trust in Circumcision by the work wrought, as our Judaizing Papists do in their Sacraments; Let him glory of Abraham his father, Joh. 8. 33. that he is beloved because the seed of Abraham: We are chosen in Christ not in Abraham. In him we have atonement and become a beloved people, and not in Abraham. In him we come boldly to the Throne of grace, and speed in our suits: In him we glory all day long. We trust not in good meanings, as simple ignorant persons; nor in merits, as wilfull blinded Papists; nor in any thing within us, nor without us, nor without Christ. All our joy and trust is in himselfe alone. And this is the true inward Circumcision, Phil. 3. 3.
The Motives are. 1. All outward service and Ceremony Motives to get the spirituall circumcision.without this, is rejected; as preaching, hearing, praying, fasting, weeping. All thy service and labour is lost, if by the Spirit of God thy mind be not renewed, and faith and conversion wrought in the heart. For as the Jewes (being circumcised) were chalenged to be uncircumcised (though they had the fore-skinne of the flesh cut off, and had the circumcision made with hands) and were so farre unworthy of Abrahams seed, as that they are called, Witches children, seed of the whore, Isai. 57. 3. and Act. 7. 51. So art thou not circumcised, which art onelyonly outwardly, Rom. 2. 28. A Jew without, or outward, is as good a worshiper as thou.
2. If We cannot say truely that now not the Jewes, but we are the circumcision, Col. 2. 11. our persons are no better before God, than an uncircumcised person in the Law. Therefore if thou art not thus circumcised, thou art,
1. An exceeding hatefull person. So David of Goliah by way of reproach and contempt: This uncircumcised Philistime.1 Sam. 17.
2. Thou hast no part in the promised Messiah no more than he.
3. No portion in Canaan, not a foot in Heaven: all thy portion is in Earth.
4. No member of the true Churth, but without the Communion of Saints.
5. As he was in state of death and judgement, Deut. 30. 6. Jer. 4. 4, 14. so thou shalt be condemned as surely for want of a sanctified and circumcised heart, as he for contemning circumcision of his flesh. Col. 2. 13. Ye were dead in the circumcision of the flesh; without the life of God in grace, without hope of the life of glory.