The Infants Advocate of Circumcision and Baptism, Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. Circumciſion conſidered as a ſigne, and what Myſteries were ſignified therein.
THe Principal Myſteries couched under Circumciſion, as a ſigne, are reducible to ſeven particulars, 1. That our carnall corruption may be ſpared. 2. Cannot be cured. 3. Muſt not be covered. 4. Muſt be cut off. 5. This cutting off muſt be timely. 6. Muſt be totall. 7. Will be painfull.
1. May be ſpared. Liſten not to the ſuggeſtions of Satan, perſwading us, that ſinne, by long cuſtome, is grown ſo eſſentiall to our ſouls, as if our mindes ſhould be maimed, and faculties thereof be cripled, ſhould corruption be taken from us; Wherefore laying aſide (ſaith James 1. 21.) all filthineſſe and ſuperfluity of naughtineſs, not that we may ſtill retain in our hearts ſo much wickedneſſe, as ſhall fill them, (onelyonly parting with that which runneth over) but all naturall filthineſſe is ſuperfluity, it may be ſpared.
2. It cannot be curred. What is capable of Cure, muſt have ſome ſoundneſſe (though more ſickneſſe) therein; for Nature diſtreſſed, but not wholly deſtroyed, is the ſubject of Art, which muſt have a ſound bottom, or foundation to work upon. If therefore there were any thing good in our naturall corruption, there were ſome hopes of amendment in the reſt. But what ſaith S. Paul, Rom. 7. 18. For I know that in me, (that is in my fleſh) dwelleth no good thing. It cannot be cured.
3. It muſt not be covered. The onelyonly way to make God hide his face from our ſins, is for us to open, and not to hide our ſins from him.
4. Muſt be cut off. Dream not of curing a gangrean with a lenitive plaiſter. Hophni and Phinehas are too incorrigible to be amended with a few fair words. Say not to thy corruption, as Eli to them, 1 Sam. 2. 23. Why doſt thou ſuch things? Nay my corruption, it is no good report I hear of thee, &c. All this is uſeleſſe, no way but one, cut it off.
5. The cutting off muſt bee timely▪ Abels ſacrifice had 3. excellent qualities; Of what was firſt, *Gen. 4. 4.fat, and *Heb. 11. 4.faithfull. Our ſervice of God ought to be early; deferre it not above eight dayes, that is, do it as ſoon as it is do-able without danger. Indeed the longer Circumciſion is delayed, the greater will be the pain thereof. Witneſſe the Shechemites, circumciſed in their full ſtrength, Gen. 24. 25. And diſabled by the Arrears of their pain, to defend themſelves though three dayes after.
Too blame they, who put off the circumciſion of their hearts, and on frivolous pretences deferre their Repentance. We read of*Harpsfield in his Eccl. Hiſt. ſaec. dec. 5. p. 625 Thomas Bourchier, Arch-Biſhop of Canterbury, that the Pope diſpenſed with him by reaſon of his ſtate Avocations, and other impediments, to performe his prayers (which ought to be in the morning) in the afternoon, on condition they were done before night. But many men through their lazineſſe, give liberty to themſelves to put off their ſetentance, which ought to be in their youth, to their declining Age, conceiving all will be well, if it be but done before their Death. Whereas indeed ſoul-Circumciſion ought to be timely.
6. Muſt be totall. Jewiſh Circumciſion, ſay the Rabbins, conſiſted of two principall parts.
1. foreign. The cutting off
2. foreign. The caſting away
of the forekin.
The ruines of the latter Cuſtome, remain in Zipporahs behaviour, Exod. 4. 25. though diſtempered with paſſion, ſhee might over act her part, when caſting her ſons foreskins at her husbands feet, and both are ſpiritually united in our Saviours Precept, Matth. 5. 30. If thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and caſt it from thee.
7. Will be painfull. Such therefore as indulgently hope of themſelves, that they have circumciſed their ſouls, and yet can never remember that they offered any violence to their own Nature, never put their ſelves to any pain in curbing their corruption, may juſtly ſuſpect their ſpirituall condition. Had ever any a Tooth drawn, and was inſenſible thereof? Surely ſuch Inciſions into our ſouls, with the lancers of true repentance, leave an indeleble impreſſion behind them, and that pain too probably, was never at all indured, which ſo ſoon is wholly forgotten. It is to be feared rather; the pain will prove inſupportable unto us, ſome counſell therfore wil be good to mitigate the ſame. Surgeons, when forced to cut off a limb, generally uſe two wayes to eaſe their Patient. One by caſting him into a ſleep, lately diſuſed becauſe dangerous, ſleep being ſo immediate a donative of God himſelf, (Pſal. 127. 2. For ſo he giveth his beloved ſleep) that humane receipts for the ſame, either under, or over-do the work. The other by ſtupifying, and mortifying by degrees the part to be cut off, ſo to render the party leſſe ſenſible thereof. The ſame way is preſcribed us by the Apoſtle, Col. 3. 5. Mortifie therefore your members which are upon the earth, fornication, &c. The torture will be intolerable to have our ſouls circumciſed, and corruptions cut from us whileſt we are in the full feeling thereof, and therefore ought it to be our endeavour by dayly mortification to dull our ſenſe of the ſame.
So much of Circumciſion; and now let us briefly recollect with the Reader, what progreſſe we have made in the preſent controverſie; and by what degrees we have proceeded. Firſt, we have proved the Covenant made with Abraham at Circumciſion and Evangelical Covenant. Secondly, that the ſame deſcendeth on all the children of Abraham. Thirdly, that all believing Gentiles are Abrahams children. Fourthly, That eight-dayes-old-Jewiſh-children were accepted of God as capable to covenant. Come we now to ſhew that Baptiſm with Chriſtians, is what Circumciſion was to the Jews; whence this will naturally and neceſſarily follow, that Chriſtian children at the ſame age, have as much right to the one, as Jewiſh infants had to the other.