Mather - Houston-Packer Collection BS478 .M3 1705

The Gofpel of Circumcifion. 193 But putting off the Body of the Sins of the Flefh, thro' the Circumcifion of Chrift 5. It hada fpecial refpeel to jheco and fhadow forth, the New Teftament- Ordinance ofCircumcifion. And what is the Ordinance inftead of Cir- cumcifion under the NewTelfament ? It is Baptifm : Therefore the Apoftle makes an exprefs parallel between Circumcifion and Baptifm, Col. 2. I I, t2.-he makes them to be the fame ; Buried with him in Bap- tifm, and circumcifed withfpiritual Circumcifion. For look as Circumcifion was the initiating Seal then, fo Baptifn is now. As in Circumcifion there was cutting off the fuperfluity of the Flefh : So in Baptifm,there is a wafhing away ofthe Filth of the Body, they both refpe&Mortification. And fo you habe Peen both what theoutwardpart of Circumcifion is,what the inward part is,what the Covenant it relates to is, and inwhat peculiar manner it doth refpe& theCovenant : Hegave bim the Covenant of Or- curncifion. And now all that I fhall 'add, Ihall be this ; look as therewas a grofs abufe ofthe Ordinances under the Old Teftament, particularly of this Ordinance of Circumcifion ; fo there Is of our Gofpe1Circumcifion Look as this Ordinanceof Circumcifion might be made of none Effe&, and might be turned into a Nullity,. their Circumcifion might become Vn- circumcifion : So it is with many in their Baptifm, their Baptifm is no Baptifm. It, is the Apoftle's complaint in Rom. 2. If thou artCirsumci- fed,it profits thee, ifthou be a'keeper of the Law ; but iftbou be a breaker ofit, thy Circumcifion is become Vncircumc:lion, Rom. 2. 28, 29. For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly, neither is that Circumcifion, which is outward in the Flejh; but he`is.a Jewwhich is one inwardly, and Circurnon is that of the Heart, in the Spirit, andnot in the Letter, whole Praife is ,not ofMen, but of God. The fame holds concerning this Ordinance which Gircum cifion doth hold forth. He is not a Chriftian who is one outwardly., nei- ther is that Baptifm which is outward in the Flefh ; but he is a Chriítian that is one inwardly, and Baptifm is that of the Heart, in the Spirit, and not in the Letter, whole Praife is not of Men, but of God. The Apo- file's Scope, is to deprefs the External part of the Ordinance as of no Worth and Value, feparated from, or compared with the Spiritual part; fo it is with our Ordinances, which we enjoy under the New Tefta- ment. What is the waffling away of the filth of the Body, if the Hears be not waffled ? But it is, as Cireumcifion was to them, an Aggravati. on of their Sin and Condemnation. 1 will punifh (faith God Yer: 9 25, , 26.) all them which are Circumcifd together with the uncircumcifed. Egypt and Judah and Edom, and the Children of Ammon and Moab,, and all that are in the utmoft Corners, that dwell in the Wildernefs ; for all theft Na.. tions are uncircamcifed, and all the Houfe of.:Ifrael are uncircumcifed in . Heart,.

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