The infants advocate of circumcision on Jewish and baptisme on Christian children. By Thomas Fuller, B.D.

CHAP. VI. Circumcision considered as a signe, and what Mysteries were signified therein. (Book 6)

THe Principal Mysteries couched un∣der Circumcision, as a signe, are re∣ducible to seven particulars, 1. That our carnall corruption may be spared. 2. Can∣not 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 essen∣tiall to our souls, as if our mindes should be maimed, and faculties thereof be crip∣led, 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, (onely parting with that which runneth

over) but all naturall filthinesse is super∣fluity, it may be spared.

2. It cannot be curred. What is capa∣ble of Cure, must have some soundnesse (though more sicknesse) therein; for Nature distressed, but not wholly de∣stroyed, 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 onely 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 cu∣ring 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,* 1.1 fat, and * 1.2 faithfull. Our service of God ought to be early; deferre it not a∣bove eight dayes, that is, do it as soon as it is do-able without danger. Indeed the long∣er Circumcision is delayed, the greater will be the pain thereof. Witnesse the Sheche∣mites, 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 cir∣cumcision of their hearts, and on frivo∣lous pretences deferre their Repentance. We read of* 1.3 Thomas Bour∣chier, Arch-Bishop of Canter∣bury, 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-Cir∣cumcision ought to be timely.

6. Must be totall. Jewish Circumcisi∣on, say the Rabbins, consisted of two prin∣cipall parts.

• 1. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. The cutting off
• 2. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. The casting away

of the forekin.

The ruines of the latter Custome, re∣main 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 Sa∣viours 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 offer∣ed any violence to their own Nature, ne∣ver 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 lan∣cers of true repentance, leave an indele∣ble 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 Pa∣tient. One by casting him into a sleep, lately disused because dangerous, sleep be∣ing so immediate a donative of God him∣self, (Psal. 127. 2. For so he giveth his be∣loved 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 A∣postle, Col. 3. 5. Mortifie therefore your members which are upon the earth, forni∣cation, &c. The torture will be intolera∣ble 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 pre∣sent controversie; and by what degrees we have proceeded. First, we have pro∣ved 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 chil∣dren. Fourthly, That eight-dayes-old-Jew∣ish-children were accepted of God as capa∣ble 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.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Gen. 4. 4.
• * 1.2

  Heb. 11. 4.
• * 1.3

  Harpsfield in his Eccl. Hist. saec. dec. 5. p. 625