“Circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter.” Romans 2:29.
1. It is the melancholy remark of an excellent man, that he who now preaches
the most essential duties of Christianity, runs the hazard of being
esteemed, by a great part of his hearers, “a setter forth of new
doctrines.” Most men have so lived away the substance of that religion, the
profession whereof they still retain, that no sooner are any of those truths
proposed which difference the Spirit of Christ from the spirit of the world, than they cry out, “Thou bringest strange things to our ears; we would know what these things mean:” — Though he is only preaching to them “Jesus and the resurrection,” with the necessary consequence of it, — If Christ be risen, ye ought then to die unto the world, and to live wholly unto God.
2. A hard saying this to the natural man, Who is alive unto the world, and
dead unto God; and one that he will not readily be persuaded to receive as
the truth of God, unless it be so qualified in the interpretation, as to
have neither use nor significance left. He “receiveth not the” word “of the
Spirit of God,” taken in their plain and obvious meaning; “they are
foolishness unto him: Neither” indeed “can he know them, because they are
spiritually discerned:” — They are perceivable only by that spiritual sense, which in him was never yet awakened for want of which he must reject, as idle fancies of men, what are both the wisdom and the power of God.
3. That “circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the
letter;” — that the distinguishing mark of a true follower of Christ, of one
who is in a state of acceptance with God, is not either outward
circumcision, or baptism, or any other outward form, but a right state of
soul, a mind and spirit renewed after the image of Him that created it; — is
one of those important truths that can only be spiritually discerned. And
this the Apostle himself intimates in the next words, — “Whose praise is not
of men, but of God.” As if he had said, “Expect not, whoever thou art, who
thus followest thy great Master, that the world, the one who follow him not, will say, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant!’ Know that the circumcision of the heart, the seal of thy calling, is foolishness with the world. Be content to wait for thy applause till the day of thy Lord’s appearing. In that day shalt thou have praise of God, in the great assembly of men and angels.”
I design first, particularly to inquire, wherein this circumcision of the
heart consists; and, Secondly, to mention some reflections that naturally
arise from such an inquiry.
I. 1. I am, First, to inquire, wherein that circumcision of the heart
consists, which will receive the praise of God. In general we may observe, it is that habitual disposition of soul which, in the sacred writings, is termed holiness; and which directly implies, the being cleansed from sin, “from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit;” and, by consequence, the being endued with those virtues which were also in Christ Jesus; the being so “renewed in the spirit of our mind,” as to be “perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect.”
2. To be more particular: Circumcision of heart implies humility, faith, hope, and charity. Humility, a right judgment of ourselves, cleanses our minds from those high conceits of our own perfection, from that undue opinion of our own abilities and attainments, which are the genuine fruit of a corrupted nature. This entirely cuts off that vain thought, “I am rich, and wise, and have need of nothing;” and convinces us that we are by nature wretched, and poor, and miserable, and blind, and naked. “It convinces us, that in our best estate we are, of ourselves, all sin and vanity; that confusion, and ignorance, and error reign over our understanding; that unreasonable, earthly, sensual, devilish passions usurp authority over our will; in a word, that there is no whole part in our soul, that all the foundations of our nature are out of course.
3. At the same time we are convinced, that we are not sufficient of
ourselves to help ourselves; that, without the Spirit of God, we can do
nothing but add sin to sin; that it is He alone who worketh in us by his
almighty power, either to will or do that which is good; it being as
impossible for us even to think a good thought, without the supernatural
assistance of his Spirit, as to create ourselves, or to renew our whole
souls in righteousness and true holiness.