From this second meaning of circumcision, it follows, as
St. Paul says, that circumcision is of use if a man keep the
law ; if Hot, that circumcision becomes uncircumcision. And
as those who do not fulfil the conditions of the covenant have
no part in its verbal promises, so also are they excluded from
participation in the embodied promise which, in another aspect,
is an embodied engagement. The necessary consequence of
this, St. Paul says, Gal. v. 3, is that every one who is cir-
cumcised is a debtor to do the whole law. The circumcision
given to Israel was a solemn declaration that a man would
circumcise his heart, and that, denying his own inclinations,
he would serve God alone. Whoever made this declaration
in the form prescribed under the Old Testament dispensation,
thus declared himself a member of that covenant, and ready to
seek after righteousness in the Old Testament form : the trans-
gression of the least of the Old Testament commandments
then became a violation of his engagement. Circumcision is
related to the mere promise of purity of heart, as the Mosaic
law to the divine law generally. Both meanings of circum-
cision lie close to one another, and are not unconnected ; or
rather, the second follows from the first. Just as every gift of
God at the same time imposes an obligation, so the necessary
.sequence of "I will purify thee," is, "I will purify myself."
Whoever has declared the contrary to " I will purify myself,"
is either outwardly deprived of circumcision, as in the march
through the wilderness, or at least it ceases to be circumcision
for him.
