which others do not enjoy. This truth is unquestionable. But how is circumcision connected with it? This was not an ordinance exclusively for the children of the righteous: several hundred persons of other families received it, by Divine appointment, at the same time with the only child of Abraham. The children of the wicked, who suffered through their parents' sins, and the children of the righteous, who profited through their parents' piety, were alike the posterity of Abraham, and were alike circumcised. It is not possible that the rite administered to the tribe of many hundred men, of which the patriarch was the chief, should be the sign of any blessing of which then Ishmael was the only object. It is not possible that a service in which the children of the most wicked shared equally with the children of the most holy; to which not only the posterity of Abraham, but all their slaves, and foreigners of every race were in common admitted, should be a sign of the spiritual blessings which are the peculiar portion of the children of those who love and serve the Lord. If it be said, that the covenant made with the Israelites, and all its advantages, resulted from their remote connexion by birth with the friend of God, and that of this fact circumcision was a sign; it may be replied, that even then it could not thus be the sign of a general truth, since there is no case parallel to that of Abraham and his posterity. The connexion now existing between Christians and their children, is not supposed to be like that which existed between the patriarch and the nation which for many ages after was blessed for his sake; but it is compared to the connexion which existed between the servants of God and their own children in former times. Now with this connexion and its blessings circumcision had no concern. Nor, secondly, was circumcision the means of effecting any special change in the minds of the children or of the adults by whom it was received. Such rites could have no natural tendency to influence the mind, except by the common character of signs of truth, and occasions for faith and obedience. The proof that any sacred preternatural influence accompanied them, must be drawn either from the statements of the Bible, that this would be or was the case; or from the knowledge of effects following its administration which can only thus be accounted for. Now, there are no promises recorded in the Bible to lead to the expectation that the minds of men would be changed by circumcision, nor are there any facts there related to lead to the belief that they ever were thus changed. The recipient was thereby introduced to the social and political privileges of the Jews. The change effected by the rite was external and not internal. It altered the relation of the child or adult to the people of the Jews; but did not affect his relation to their God. It was a civil, and not necessarily a religious advantage. The uncircumcised could not join in the national festival, the passover; nor participate in the social and political advantages, which, either by law or custom, were restricted to the Jews. Circumcision was the condition enjoined on foreigners who wished to become a part of the Jewish nation. It was the means by which naturalization was conferred upon them. It has been supposed, that because circumcision was the token of a covenant which promised both civil and religious advantages; that its observance was necessary or proper to any participation in that which was promised. But this is not a just inference. Circumcision being not only the token of the covenant, but the specified condition of some of its promises; its observance was necessary to a participation in those benefits of which it was an appointed condition; but not to a participation in the others with which it was not thus connected. The observance of circumcision was necessary to the possession of the political advantages of the Jews; but that it was necessary to the possession of any of the religious privileges of the Jews, though often assumed, is not proved, but disproved by the sacred Scriptures. The land of Canaan was promised to the descendants of Abraham. Others could not share their possession without lessening the inheritance of the chosen people. They, who for the neglect of circumcision were, by the sentence of God, separated from the Jews, could not have the least claim on any share in their temporal possessions, nor with propriety participate in their political advantages. The country was given by a grant from heaven to the Israelites. To admit men who, by refusing the badge of an Israelite, made themselves foreigners, would have been to infringe on the rights of the Jewish nation, and to violate the law of their Divine Ruler. But where are the Jews directed to keep to themselves the knowledge which they received of His character and will, whom they worshipped, not only as the God of their nation, but as the God of all the nations of the earth? Where are they told to hinder the Gentiles from perusing their sacred law? Where are they ordered to drive, as profane, from the precincts of the temple, the foreigner who should presume to offer to their God sacrifices, supplications, and songs of praise? Where are they taught that circumcision made them more holy, and more acceptable to God? We confidently answer nowhere.* That such notions and practices did exist in later times we learn from the New Testament; but they are mentioned there only to be condemned.-Epistle to the Galatians. There is nothing in the Old Testament to prove the supposition, that by circumcision a man was made in any wise better, or that on this account he was more approved by God. The spiritual privileges bestowed upon the Israelites were, in fact, but not by the law of God, the peculiar inheritance of the Jewish nation; other nations had them not. But these privileges were neither in fact nor by law the peculiar inheritance of individual * See Michaelis' Commentaries on the Laws of Moses, vol. iii. p. 65. Jews. Many of other nations shared in them. This portion of their promised inheritance was not lessened when they received others to participate with them. To have attempted to confine to the circumcised the knowledge, the favour, and the service of God, would have been disobedience to him and injustice to the world. St. Paul declares in the fourth chapter of his epistle to the Romans, that the favour shown by God to Abraham on account of his faith, when uncircumcised, was intended to teach men of all ages and nations, that it was only by trusting to God they could obtain his favour; and that they who were uncircumcised, not less than they who were circumcised, if they trusted to him, would be accepted. The first promise made to the patriarch was sufficient to teach him that the spiritual blessings conferred on him and his posterity were to be extended to other nations. This is the covenant which the law could not annul, the advantages of which were enjoyed by all who trusted to God. "And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would accept the heathen on account of faith, proclaimed before the glad tidings unto Abraham, saying, With thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they who believe are blessed with believing Abraham."-Gal. iii. 8. 9. The Jews were to be the first, but not the sole partakers of these blessings. That foreigners were admitted to their religious privileges, appears most clearly from the law given, Numb. xv. 14:-" And if a stranger sojourn with you, or whosoever be among you in your generations, and will offer an offering made by fire of a sweet savour unto the Lord as ye do, so he shall do. One ordinance shall be both for you of the congregation, and also for the stranger that sojourneth with you, an ordinance for ever in your generations: as ye are, so shall the stranger be before the Lord. One law, and one manner shall be for you, and for the stranger that sojourneth with you." "You shall have one law for him that sinneth through ignorance, both for him that is born amongst the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them." ver. 29. It is also evident from the reference made to them in the dedicatory prayer of King Solomon, 1 Kings, viii. 41, 42, 43:-" Moreover, concerning a stranger, that is not of thy people Israel, but cometh out of a far country for thy name's sake; (for they shall hear of thy great name, and of thy strong hand, and of thy stretched-out arm,) when he shall come and pray towards this house: hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for that all people of the earth may know thy name, to fear thee, as do thy people Israel; and that they may know that this house which I have builded is called by thy name." The same lesson is taught by the declaration of St. Peter, "Of a truth I perceive that God is not partial to any, but, in every nation, he that feareth him and doeth what is right, is accepted by him."-Acts x. 34. And also by the reasoning of St. Paul, "If, therefore, the uncircumcised keep the commandments of : : the law, shall not their uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision?"Rom. ii. 26.* St. Paul states that the chief advantage possessed by the Jews, was the knowledge afforded by the sacred Scriptures; but this, though peculiar to them as a nation, was enjoyed by many per sons of other nations also. "What then is the advantage of the Jew, and what the profit of circumcision? Much assuredly. For, as the first, they were intrusted with the oracles of God."-Rom. iii. The value of circumcision in respect to things spiritual, religious privileges, and the favour of God, is emphatically taught by the same apostle when he says, “Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God."-1 Cor. vii. 19. Circumcision was the token, the appointed sign, of the covenant which God made with Abraham and his posterity. It was a sign of the fact that this covenant was made, that certain blessings, both political and religious, had been promised to the people, of whom the patriarch was the head. As the rainbow was appointed to be a token of the covenant made with Noah, respecting the whole human race, so was circumcision made the token of the promises given to Abraham in respect to his descendants. It would also, naturally, become a sign, of whatever was constantly, or most generally associated with it, either antecedently, or subsequently; but it could not be a sign, of what was not even commonly connected with it. Whatever advantages were universal, though not peculiar to the circumcised, of these circumcision was a sign, as well as of those which were both universal and peculiar. But it never was, and never could be a sign, of any good, which was not possessed by Jews in general, whether possessed by men of other nations, or confined to Jews. The only advantages universal to the circumcised, were civil rights, religious instruction, opportunities of attending on the services of religion, and of associating with the servants of God. These advantages were unquestionably great. Some of them might be antecedent, some consequent to circumcision; the civil rights could not be shared by the uncircumcised; to the religious privileges they were admitted. But of all alike circumcision was the sign, because they were possessed by all the circumcised. The forgiveness of sins, the favour of God, purity of heart, and eternal life, were not the common possession of the circumcised, and, therefore, circumcision * See also Lev. xxii. 18; xxiv. 22. Deut. x. 18; xxiii. 8; xxxi. 12. Joshua viii. 33. 2 Chron. vi. 32. Ps. cxlvi. 9. Mark xi. 17. Acts x. 34, 35. To those who were by law prohibited from ever entering the congregation of the Israelites, it was said, "Even unto them will I give in my house and within my walls, a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters. I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off." And to those who were in the condition of aliens, it was said, "Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all people."-Deut. xxiii. Is. lvi. could not be the sign of the possession of these blessings, even if they were never given to the uncircumcised. But that they were not, at any time, restricted to the circumcised, every part of the word of God clearly testifies. That religious advantages were promised by God to the nation of the Jews is most certain, from the words of the covenant, "I will be their God." He did not in these words declare that all the descendants of Abraham should be faithfully his servants, and possess his favour and everlasting blessedness. But he did declare that he would reveal himself to them, as the object of their worship, their reverence, gratitude, and trust, that he would make known to them his service, and reward all who in confidence and obedience sought his favour. By the grant of worldly possessions only, he would be the benefactor of the people, but he could be their God only by revealing himself to them as the object of those sentiments, which are appropriate to God alone. Such privileges were given to the Jews, "For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things, that we call unto him for? And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?"-Deut. iv. 7. All the Israelites participated in these advantages, and, on account of them especially, were they designated the people of God. "For the Lord's portion is his people. Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.”—Deut. xxxii. 9. "And the Lord God of their fathers sent to them, by his messengers rising up betimes and sending, because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place; but they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, till there was no remedy."-2 Chronicles xxxvi. 15.* It appears from these passages, that the Jews were designated the people of God, irrespective of their character, on account of the external religious privileges conferred upon them. As the part of the covenant which contained the promise, "I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger," was fulfilled to the nation of the Israelites, so also was the other part of the covenant accomplished, which said, "I will be their God"-" He showeth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel; he hath not dealt so with any nation."—Psal cxlvii. 19. Such were their privileges, and as these privileges were enjoyed by all the circumcised, although, as it respected individuals, not by them alone, circumcision was the sign of these privileges, the sign that they would be, or had been, possessed. The promise "I will be their God," ensured to those who trusted to * See also, Psalm 1. 5; cvi. 40. Isaiah i. 3; lviii. 1. Jeremiah ii. 13. Exodus xxix. 45; xxxii. 11. Lev. xxvi. 44. |