First, There was that great Circumcision after Israel §1came out of the wilderness, when God rolled away their reproach, from whence it had the name Gilgal. For we are to know that all the forty years wherein Israel was in the wilderness, none of their children were circumcised, God was so indulgent to his people for that time, because they were to remove up and down according as God should require, they knew not how soon, now if their children should then have been circumcised they could not have carried them up and down so readily. But yet it see•s it was an affliction, for God saith he would roll away the reproach of Egypt from off ⟨p. 182⟩them and therefore commanded that they should be circumcised. Now when they came over Jordan, as soon as ever they came to set foot upon the land of Canaan, or presently upon it, then God required them to circumcise their children. And if we observe it, it was a strange command, for they were now come into the very mouth of their enemies, and all the people of C•n•an, all the Kings and Princes of the Country were gathered together to fight against them, and yet now they must circumcise even their fighting men, those that had been in the wilderness so long, all those that were under forty years old must now be circumcised, and though they were even in the very mouth of their enemies and by reason of their forenes• after their circumcision they could not be able to stir out against them, yet they mu•• come to it. Thus we see God will have his worship regarded rather than our own safety when he pleaseth.1 And upon this the place was called Gilg•l, the text gives the reason, Josh. 5.9. This day (saith God) have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you, wherefore the name of the place is called Gilgal unto this day. The word is from [Greek or Hebrew] that signifies to roll, the Hebrew letter Gimel being doubled and interposed, it is Gilgal. That is the first thing observable of this place, that there was the great circumcision.
First, There was that great Circumcision after Israel §1came out of the wilderness, when God rold away their reproach, from whence it had the name Gilgal. For we are to know that all the fourty yeers wherein Israel was in the wilderness, none of their children were circumcised, God was so indulgent to his people for that time, because they were to remove up and down according as God should require, they knew not how soon, now if their children should then have been circumcised they could not have carried them up and down so readily. But yet it see•s it was an affliction, for God saith he would roll away the reproach of Egypt from off ⟨p. 182⟩them and therefore commanded that they should be circumcised. Now when they came over Jordan, assoon as ever they came to set foot upon the land of Canaan, or presently upon it, then God required them to circumcise their children. And if we observe it, it was a strange command, for they were now come into the very mouth of their enemies, and all the people of C•n•an, all the Kings and Princes of the Countrey were gathered together to fight against them, and yet now they must circumcise even their fighting men, those that had been in the wilderness so long, all those that were under fourty yeers old must now be circumcised, and though they were even in the very mouth of their enemies and by reason of their forenes• after their circumci•ion they could not be able to stir out against them, yet they mu•• come to it. Thus we see God will have his worship regarded rather than our own safety when he pleaseth.1 And upon this the place was called Gilg•l, the text gives the reason, J•sh. 5.9. This day (saith God) have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you, wherefore the name of the place is called Gilgal unto this day. The word is from 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 that signifies to roll, the Hebrew letter Gimel being doubled and interposed, it is Gilgal. That is the first thing observable of this place, that there was the great circumcision.
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