The Lord saith in the prophet, " In the hearing of the ear they obeyed me." '° And again He saith, " By hearing, those shall hear who are afar off; they shall know what I have done." " And, " Be ye circumcised in your hearts, saith the Lord." '^ And again He says, " Hear, O Israel, for these things saith the Lord thy God." '^ And once more the Spirit of the Lord proclaims, "Who is he that wishes to live for ever? By hearing let him hear the voice of my servant," '•* And again He saith, " Hear, O. heaven, and give ear, O earth, for God '5 hath spoken." ^^ These are in proof. '7 And again He saith, " Hear the word of the Lord, ye rulers of fhis people." '^ And again He saith, " Hear, ye children, the voice of one crying in the wilderness." '^ There- fore He hath circumcised our ears, that we might hear His word and believe, for the cir- cumcision in which they trusted is abolished.^" For He declared that circumcision was not of the flesh, but they transgressed because an evil angel deluded them. ^' He saith to them, "These things saith the Lord your God" — (here ^^ I find a new^^ commandment) — "Sow not among thorns, but circumcise yourselves to the Lord." ^'* And why speaks He thus : " Cir- cumcise the stubbornness of your heart, and harden not your neck ? " -5 And again : " Behold, saith the Lord, all the nations are uncircumcised ^^ in the flesh, but this people are uncircumcised in heart." -7 But thou wilt say, "Yea, verily the people are circumcised for a seal." But so also is every Syrian and Arab, and all the priests of idols : are these then also within the bond of His covenant?-*^ Yea, the Egyptians also practise circumcision. Learn then, my children, con- cerning all things richly, -^ that Abraham, the first who enjoined circumcision, looking forward in spirit to Jesus, practised that rite, having re- ceived the mysteries 3° of the three letters. For [ the Scripture ] saith, "And Abraham circum-