A14216:2091
The Sum of Christian Religion
The sum of Christian religion: delivered by Zacharias Ursinus in his lectures upon the Catechism authorised by the noble Prince Frederick, throughout his dominions: wherein are debated and resolved the questions of whatsoever points of moment, which have been or are controversed in divinity. Translated into English by Henry Parry, out of the last & best Latin editions, together with some supply of wa[n]ts out of his discourses of divinity, and with correction of sundry faults & imperfections, which are [sic] as yet remaining in the best corrected Latin.The summe of Christian religion: deliuered by Zacharias Vrsinus in his lectures vpon the Catechism autorised by the noble Prince Frederick, throughout his dominions: wherein are debated and resolued the questions of whatsoeuer points of moment, which haue beene or are controuersed in diuinitie. Translated into English by Henrie Parrie, out of the last & best Latin editions, together with some supplie of wa[n]ts out of his discourses of diuinitie, and with correction of sundrie faults & imperfections, which ar [sic] as yet remaining in the best corrected Latine.
Oxford: printed by Joseph Barnes, 1587Oxford: printed by Ioseph Barnes, 1587
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
7 In place whereof baptism succeeded.
7 In place whereof baptisme succeeded.
1Baptism succeeded in the place of circumcision, which is proved, first, by the word of the Apostle before alleged: For he saith, That we are circumcised in Christ, with circumcision made without hands, by putting off the sinful body of the flesh, through the circumcision of Christ. The Apostles purpose is by this speech to show, that there is no fruit or use now Of the circumcision which was made with hands, because that was accomplished & fulfilled in christ, which was by it prefigured and shadowed. Now to declare & expound these words he presently addeth, that they are buried together with christ by baptism: by which words he showeth that the complement & truth of baptism is the complement & truth of circumcision, seeing baptism signifieth one & the self same thing to us, which circumcision signified of old time unto the Fathers: which is, that spiritual circumcision, which christ accomplisheth ⟨p. 731⟩& performeth in us. This only is the difference: that baptism is the sign of the thing exhibited, which circumcision prefigured when it was yet absent & not exhibited. Wherefore we are taught by this place of Paul, that baptism is the same to Christians, which circumcision was before to the Jews. 2. That baptism was substituted in the place of circumcision, this also convinceth, for that as circumcision, so also baptism is a sign of admission and receiving into the Church. For as the infants of Jews and Proselytes, being borne citizens of the church, were thorough grace circumcised: but those who were of elder years, were then first admitted unto circumcision, when they professed Judaism: so also the infants of christians are presently baptized, but the elder sort are not, until they have made profession of true christian doctrine, instead of which profession it serveth the infants that they were born in the church. There are other reasons also besides the testimonies of holy scriptures, drawn especially from the use of Baptism, whereby it may be confirmed, that Baptism succeeded circumcision. Now to succeed any sacrament, is, the former being abolished, to be substituted in place thereof, and that so, as to have the same use and end, which the former sacrament had, and to have also the same thing signified. So is there the same thing signified by baptism, which was before by circumcision.