Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench [it], because of the evil of your doings.
Ver. 4. Circumcise yourselves to the Lord.] There is a twofold circumcision, corporis et cordis, outward and inward: that without this availeth nothing. Gal 6:15 See the inward described Colossians 2:11. It is the putting off the old Adam with his actions. It is purgatio animae et aliectio vitiorum, saith Origen; the cleansing of the soul, and the casting away of sin, that filthy foreskin, that "superfluity of naughtiness." Jam 1:21 It is a wonderful work of the Holy Spirit wrought by the Word upon the saints at their first conversion, whereby corruption of nature is wounded, beloved sins cast away with sorrow, and the sinner received into an everlasting communion with God and his saints. Those that are not thus circumcised are not Israelites, but Ishmaelites; whereas Jether, though by nature an Ishmaelite, 1Ch 2:17 yet, being thus inwardly circumcised, he was, for his faith and religion, called and counted an Israelite. 2Sa 17:25 See Philippians 3:3,5 .
And take away the foreskin of your heart.] Not of the flesh only, see 1Pe 3:21 as the carnal Israelite, who rests in the work done, glorious in outward privileges, neglects the practice of religion and power of godliness, pursueth him that is born after the Spirit, the Israelite indeed, &c., and is therefore disprivileged, hated, and defied by God, as Goliath, that uncircumcised Philistine, was by David, "dead in sins and the uncircumeision of the flesh," Col 2:13 subject to utter excision, Gen 17:14 as having no portion in Christ nor in Canaan. Take away therefore the foreskin of the heart; stick not in the bark, pare not off the foreskin of the flesh only, off with the whole "body of sin"; Col 2:11 begin at Adam's sin, bewail that; then set upon the beloved sin, out with that eye, off with that hand, "cast away all your transgressions" with as great indignation as angry Zipporah did her child's foreskin. Take unto you for this end the sword of the Spirit, the Word, sharper than those stones that she made use of; Exo 4:25 consider the threats - these will work faith, and that will work fear - apply the promises, Deu 30:6 Ezekiel 36:26 ; Eze 36:28 doubt not God's power, but pray him to thrust his holy hand into your bosoms, and to fetch off the filthy foreskin that is there. Lo, this is the way, walk in it.
And burn that none can quench it.] When once it hath caught your thorns. Jer 4:3