ed 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 seed. He that
is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs
be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an
everlasting covenant. And the uncircumcised man-child, whose flesh of
his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his
people; he hath broken my covenant."[684] This rite, thus described,
having been instituted on the occasion of a renewal of God's covenant
with Abraham, signified at least God's acceptance of the patriarch in
this service, and the acceptance of all who, when suitably called to it,
should, in renewing their engagements to the Most High, imitate his
example. And hence obviously, all who should submit to this rite or its
equivalent, were encouraged thereby to seek privilege, by endeavouring
individually and socially to renew their vows to the Lord.

Benefit was to be enjoyed through the reception of this sign. The
reception of it did not imply the attainment of grace; but as a sign, it
was appointed to denote grace received. Abraham "received the sign of
circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had, yet
being uncircumcised."[685] To the enjoyment of all other privileges of
the visible Church of God, it was introductory and necessary:--"And when
a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the
Lord, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and
keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no
uncircumcised person shall eat thereof."[686] To the Hebrew people, as
an inestimable privilege, were committed the oracles of God. "For what
nation," said Moses to them, "is there so great, who hath God so nigh
unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him
for? And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments
as all this law, which I set before you this day?"[687] And to them was
delivered the command, so indicative of good,--"Three times in the year
all thy males shall appear before the Lord God."[688] Thus access to all
the means of spiritual advantage was secured, and opportunities of being
fully addressed by the most varied and powerful motives to duty, were
provided.

That the efficiency of this rite as a sign might be most complete,
attention to it was enjoined under the greatest penalty. An