3. GOD commanded Abraham to obferve the ordinance of Circumcifion: But we shall speak of this ordinance when the ratification of this covenant is confidered. UPON the whole, In this covenant both privileges and duties are exprefsly propofed by the all-fufficient Jehovah: And the former declared to be the foundation of the latter. God's all-fufficiency is the caufe of Abraham's walking before him, and of his perfection; while the rite of circumcifion is enjoined from the confideration of all thefe grants which were made on this occafion *. Abraham's engagement to obedience is ftrongly implied, in his humble proftration before the Lord: He fell on his face; and God talked with him. THIRDLY, I am now to offer a few things concerning CIRCUMCISION, the confirming feal of this covenant. Here I fhall-1. Offer a Remark or two, concerning the Nature of this ordinance.-2. Show how it Confirmed the co venant. I. I fhall make a Remark or two concerning the nature of this ordinance. 1. IT did not originate in the wifdom of men; but in the fpecial inftitution of God, as * Gen. xvii. 9. the the King and Head of the Old Teftament Church. The inftitution is registrated at length in the facred volume *. Some who fuppofed themselves to be Chriftians, imagined, indeed, that the Seed of Jacob borrowed this rite from the Egyptians; but, from the institution juft referred to, it is plain, that it WAS NOT OF MEN, BUT FROM HEAVEN. It is alfo much more rational to suppose, that the Egyptians might have borrowed this rite from the children of Jacob, than the reverfe; if we confider Jofeph's interest and administration among that people. As he was Pharaoh's prime minifter for the space of eighty years, and provided corn for them in a moft deplorable famine, it is but natural to conclude, that the people would be inclined to imitate the man who preferved them. It were easy to fhew, that it is the fole prerogative of God to appoint ordinances in his own worship: That he exerted it on this occafion has been demonftrated, with fuccefs, by others †. * Gen. xvii. 9. 2. THE + Vide Witf. Egyptiac. Lib. III. cap. vi. Leidekk. de Repub. Hebræorum, Lib. II. cap. iv. Heidegger. Hiftor. Patriarch. Tom. II. Exercit. vii. § 28. One would imagine, that the ghoft of a SPENCER, and of a MARSHAM, would have been effectually conjured by the reasons which thefe learned men have adduced: But, ftrange to tell! the fouls of one or both of thefe gentlemen seem to have been tranfmigrated into good Bishop Warburton: For their exploded dreams have been re 2. THE fubjects of this ordinance were Abraham, with all the males in his houfe, and their male children after them, in their generations." And ye fhall circumcife the flesh of your fore-fkin: He that is eight days old fhall be circumcifed among you, every man-child in your generations: he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy feed. He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, muft needs be circumcifed." The fubjects of this ordinance, then, are reducible to the following claffes Abraham, the head of the family, that he might be both the pattern and minifter of circumcifion to all the rest of the males who were under his roof.The Male Servants of Abraham's family who were adults. All the men of his house, born in the house, or bought with money, were of this defcription. It has been enquired, How Abraham's fervants could be proper fubjects of circumcifion; feeing it is probable they were ftrangers to the true religion? Some have also imagined that it feems to favour compulfory measures in matters of religion; as masters maintained a defpotic power over their domeftics at that time. To both difficulties it may be answered, That ceived by his genius, and defended, after a way, by his pen. Happily for the Church of God, however, an an, tidote for his poifon was provided before he was born. *Gen, xvii. 11-13. Abraham's PART 3. II.' 169 DISSERTATION II.' Abraham's family had the benefit of a religious education, and were, therefore, capable of making a public profeffion of the true religion: For God bore this honourable teftimony unto him. “I know him, that he shall command his houfhold after him; and they fhall ferve the Lord." Hence we may conclude, that the males of his family were profelytes of righteousness; and entitled to circumcifion as well as all other ordinances which belonged to the Church in her domeftic ftate.With respect to fuch as fhould be bought in after times, they were either perfons who made a voluntary renunciation of idolatry, and profeffion of the true religion as the foundation of their right to circumcifion: Or, if they retained their idolatrous and fuperftitious fentiments, it behoved them to do it only in private; nor were they admitted to dwell in the Hebrew families, although they might perform certain fervices in them. For the divine law permitted none to dwell in thefe families but fuch as were fit to partake of the passover; while the uncircumcifed were incapable of being admitted to that ordinance.Another clafs * It does not appear that ever God appointed any to be forced to embrace the true religion, even after the Mofaic System was completely established; though he prohibited them from outward acts of falfe worthip. All who joined with the Jews did fo voluntarily, without violence or constraint in the fmallest degree: Exod. xii. 48." And when a ftranger fhall fojourn with thee, and clafs of perfons to be circumcifed was, the feed of thefe profelytes, and alfo Ishmael. The promifes refpected the children as well as the adult; and it was the will of God, that the feal fhould be adminiftred to both. May we not obferve, that the admiffion of Abraham's fervants, with their feed, unto the feal of the Abrahamic covenant, was a folemn prelude of the admiffion of Gentile finners, and their feed, unto gofpel privileges: and they were the first fruits of that glorious harvest. -But though Ifhmael and the profelytes were, at this time, taken into covenant with God, and admitted to partake of this feal of it; yet was it defigned to continue in the line of Ifaac, whofe birth and prerogatives were, at this time, announced. Other persons shared of covenant privileges by coming in along with him: "But my covenant will I eftablish WILL keep the paflover to the Lord, let all his males be circumcifed, and then let him come near, and keep it." The manner of admitting profelytes can be learned but in a very imperfect manner from the Rabbinical writers, they have added fuch a world of ceremonies to the facred rubric. The Mofaic account juft now quoted, taken in connection with the inftitution of circumcifion, furnisheth us with the only certain means of information in this matter. The curious reader may confult, for a fwatch of the Rabbinical rites refpecting profelytes, what has been gleaned by Leidekker, De Repub. Heb. Lib. VI. cap. vi. and vii. By Hottinger, Thefaur. Philolog. Lib. I. cap. i. The principal queftions which have been agitated concerning them have also been confidered by Leusden, Philolog. Heb. mixt. Differt. XXI. |