He speaks moreover concerning our ears, how He hath circumcised both them and our heart. The Lord saith in the prophet, "In the hearing of the ear they obeyed me." ^[1548] And again He saith, "By hearing, those shall hear who are afar off; they shall know what I have done." ^[1549] And, "Be ye circumcised in your hearts, saith the Lord." ^[1550] And again He says, "Hear, O Israel, for these things saith the Lord thy God." ^[1551] 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." ^[1552] And again He saith, "Hear, O heaven, and give ear, O earth, for God ^[1553] hath spoken." ^[1554] These are in proof. ^[1555] And again He saith, "Hear the word of the Lord, ye rulers of this people." ^[1556] And again He saith, "Hear, ye children, the voice of one crying in the wilderness." ^[1557] Therefore He hath circumcised our ears, that we might hear His word and believe, for the circumcision in which they trusted is abolished. ^[1558] For He declared that circumcision was not of the flesh, but they transgressed because an evil angel deluded them. ^[1559] He saith to them, "These things saith the Lord your God"—(here ^[1560] I find a new ^[1561] commandment)—"Sow not among thorns, but circumcise yourselves to the Lord." ^[1562] And why speaks He thus: "Circumcise the stubbornness of your heart, and harden not your neck?" ^[1563] And again: "Behold, saith the Lord, all the nations are uncircumcised ^[1564] in the flesh, but this people are uncircumcised in heart." ^[1565] 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? ^[1566] Yea, the Egyptians also practise circumcision. Learn then, my children, concerning all things richly, ^[1567] that Abraham, the first who enjoined circumcision, looking forward in spirit to Jesus, practised that rite, having received the mysteries ^[1568] of the three letters. For [the Scripture] saith, "And Abraham circumcised ten, and eight, and three hundred men of his household." ^[1569] What, then, was the knowledge given to him in this? Learn the eighteen first, and then the three hundred. ^[1570] The ten and the eight are thus denoted—Ten by I, and Eight by E. ^[1571] You have [the initials of the, name of] Jesus. And because ^[1572] the cross was to express the grace [of our redemption] by the letter T, he says also, "Three Hundred." He signifies, therefore, Jesus by two letters, and the cross by one. He knows this, who has put within us the engrafted ^[1573] gift of His doctrine. No one has been admitted by me to a more excellent piece of knowledge ^[1574] than this, but I know that ye are worthy.