The Circumcision of Christ. GOD'S LAW SPIRITUAL. ST. LUKE ii. 21, When eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the Child, His Name was called JESUS, which was so named of the Angel before He was conceived in the womb. DIVINELY does it happen that the first day of the year should be a festival in honour of our Blessed LORD; that we should begin the year with Him; and that He should be presented to us as suffering pain for our sakes, even in Infancy. The record of His Circumcision is preserved by only one Evangelist; and it is contained in a single sentence: When eight days. were accomplished for the circumcising of the Child, His Name was called JESUS, which was so named of the Angel before He was conceived in the womb.' So concise is the record, that the Gospel for the day is made to comprise the history of the adoration of the Shepherds as well; or it would be as brief as that appointed in the Prayer-Book for the Communion of the Sick. Now, the teaching of Jewish Circumcision resembles the teaching of Christian Baptism. Both exhibit the putting away of the filth of the flesh; the first, by a wounding of the body, (which aptly recals the severity of the elder dispensation;) the second, by an outward washing. This, which may be called the practical bearing of the present Festival, is brought out in the Collect for the day; wherein we beseech GOD to grant us the true Circumcision of the spirit.' And it is worth observing that this was seen, from the very first, to be the mystical teaching of the rite of which we are speaking. Thus Moses, in the book of Deuteronomy, (which abounds in the loftier class of doctrine,) speaks plainly of circumcising the heart; and the prophets use the same expression. St. Stephen's language when he addressed his countrymen for the last time, ('Ye stiffnecked, and uncircumcised in heart and ears',') seems to shew that this continued throughout the whole history of the Jewish people to be the well-understood meaning of this sacred rite; while St. Paul's witness on the subject is express: He is not a Jew, which Deut. x. 16. and xxx. 6. b Jer. iv. 4. Acts vii. 51. is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: but he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.' It is interesting to observe how closely this observance was connected with Holy Baptism, besides being typical of the Christian Sacrament, and indeed a kind of anticipation of it: a rite performed in infancy, and made the occasion of bestowing a new name. Circumcision was the seal of the Gospel covenant made by GoD with Abraham; which the Law, 'added,' (as the Apostle teaches,) 'four hundred and thirty years after,' could not disannul'. This was a covenant of Faith, quite distinct from the covenant of works, made through Moses; an Evangelical, not a Legal covenant. And it foreshadowed what was to be in the latter days; though the people knew it not, would not know it. They relied on being naturally descended from Abraham, and gave no heed to our SAVIOUR's declaration that if they were indeed Abraham's children, they would do the works of Abraham"; in other words, that God's promise to the Patriarch's d Rom. ii. 28, 29. • Gen. xvii. 2, 4, 9. 'Gal. iii. 17. St. John viii. 39. 'seed' was a spiritual promise, fulfilled to as many as shewed the like faith with himself. Know ye therefore,' (says the great Apostle,) 'that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham... And if ye be CHRIST'S, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise'.' While therefore our SAVIOUR'S submission to be circumcised, (whereby, in one respect, He ' fulfilled all righteousness,') conveys an obvious lesson of obedience, and conformity to the laws of the Church to which we belong; and thus suggests one of the most valuable lessons which it is possible to bring before the heart and mind of Man; the Gospel fulfilment which our SAVIOUR gave to that sacred rite, and to the Covenant with Abraham of which it was the seal and pledge, brings to mind the high spiritual teaching of all His other ancient laws; the design of which was to guide man's heart to the future MESSIAH. And we cannot, as it seems, do better at the commencement of a new year, than remind ourselves that the Law of GOD proves to have been throughout of this lofty spiritual character: no dead letter, but a living reality, trying the very heart and reins. i Gal. iii. 7, 29. The promise which God gave to Abraham was, that He would give the Land of Canaan to his descendants; and that in his seed all the nations of the earth should be blessed, that is, that the SAVIOUR of the World should be descended from him. He promised him also that his seed should be as numerous as the stars of heaven: and 'Abraham,' (it is added,) believed GOD, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.' Surely therefore when Solomon reigned over all the country 'from the river of Egypt unto the river Euphrates',' and when the Holy Land had become densely peopled, it must have seemed as if it only remained for MESSIAH to appear, and all GOD's promises would have been fulfilled. Nevertheless, we behold the nation straightway declining from its prosperity, and the extent of the royal sway from that moment becoming gradually less and less. In process of time, the Jews go away into captivity; and in the eyes of an ordinary observer, the glory has departed from Israel for ever. In the end, their land becomes tributary to the Romans. At this, the lowest stage of their degradation, GOD makes His faithfulness to appear. A hea Gen. xv. 6, as quoted in Rom. iv. 3." 1 Gen. xv. 18. Compare 1 Kings iv. 21. |