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.

2 What are the endes of Baptisme.

THE ends of Baptisme are, 1. That it should be a mark, whereby the church maie be discerned from all other nati∣ons, and sects, Goe and teach all nations baptizing them: as if hee should say, Gather the church by baptisme and the word and whom ye shal make my Disciples beleeuing with their whole hart, al them & them alone baptize, & separate vnto me. Act. 10.47 Can anie man forbid water, that these should not be baptised, which haue receiued the holie ghost as wel as wee?

2 The chiefe and proper end of Baptism is, to be a con∣firmation of our faith, that is, a testification, when Christ te∣stifieth that he washeth vs with his bloode, that he bestow∣eth

on vs remission of sins, iustification and regeneration. Or, the chief end of Baptism is, to be the sealing of god, & also the sealing or obsignation of the promise of grace, and a testimonie of gods wil, that hee giueth vs these giftes at this present: and will giue them euer hence forwarde. For hee baptizeth vs by the hands of his minister, and by him signifieth vnto vs this his wil. That Baptisme is a testimonie and confirmation of this will of god concerning his bestowing saluation on vs, appeareth by this also which followeth, namely, because wee are baptised in the name of the father, and the sonne, and the holy ghost: that is, wee are assigned and deputed to God the father, the sonne, and the holy ghost, and are claimed to be his owne. 2. Be∣cause god hath promised saluation vnto him who shal beleeue and shall be baptised. 3. Testimonies of Scripture also confirme the same. Act. 22.16. Why tariest thou? Arise and bee baptised, and wash away thy sinnes in calling on the name of the Lord. Mat. 16.16. He that shal beleeue and shall bee baptised, shall bee saued. Roman. 6.3. Know yee not, that al we which haue beene baptised into Iesus Christ, haue beene baptised into his death? We are buri∣ed then with him by Baptisme. Tit. 3.5. According to his mercie he saued vs, by the washing of the new birth, and the renuing of the holie Ghost. 1. Pet. 3.21. To the which also the figure that now sa∣ueth vs, euen baptisme agreeth. By this end of baptisme it ap∣peareth, why baptisme is not reiterated or vsed againe: namely, because baptisme is a signe of our receiuing into fauour, and the couenaunt, which is euer firme and ratified to them who repent, seeing it dependeth not on the person of him that baptizeth. Moreouer regeneration is wrought but once onelie: For hee who is once truely engraffed into Christ, is neuer cast out: and therefore it is sufficient, that baptisme, which is the washing and signe of regeneration, bee receiued but once onely: chiefly, seeing regeneration or saluation hath not a necessary dependance on baptisme.

3 Baptisme is instituted to bee a testification of our dutie to∣wards God, and a binding of vs and the church to the knowledge and worshippe of God, into whose name wee are Baptised. Wee binde our selues in Baptisme to thankefulnes: namelie, fi••s•• to faith, that is, to receiue the promised benifits with faith, and then withall vnto repentance and amendment of life. Rom. 6.3. Wee are Baptised into the death of Christ. 1. Cor. 9.11.

Such were some of you: but ye are washed. To bee baptized into the death of Christ, is 1. To be partakers of Christes death, no otherwise than if our selues were dead. 2. To die also our selues, which is, to mortifie the lustes of our fleshe. This mortifi∣cation god promiseth vs in baptisme, & bindeth vs vnto it.

4 Baptisme is instituted to be a signification or an aduertise∣ment vnto vs of the Crosse, and of the preseruation of the church therein, and of the deliuerance of the Church from it. Mat. 20.22. Are ye able to be baptised with the baptisme, that J shallbe bap∣tised with? Deliuerance from the Crosse the verie ceremony it selfe of Baptism doth shew. For we are dipped in deed, but we are not drowned or choked in the water. Moreouer in re∣spect of this end, Baptisme is compared vnto the floud. For as in the floud and diluge, some were shutte into the Arke, the rest of mankind perishing; so in the Church, they who cleaue vnto Christ, although they bee pressed with calami∣ties, yet at length in their appointed time they are deliue∣red. Hither also belongeth that place of Paul, where he cō∣pareth the passing ouer the red Sea to Baptism. 1. Cor. 10.2. Al were baptised vnto Moses, in the Cloud, and in the Sea.

5 Baptism is instituted to signifie the vnity of the Church, & therfore is a confirmatiō of this article, I beleue the catholike church. This end neuerthelesse may be contained vnder the first, as also that, that Baptism is a binding of the mēbers of the church among thēselues to mutual loue. Because when Baptism seuereth the members of the church from others, it doth also ioine and vnite them among themselues.

6 It is instituted to be a token & Symbole of our receiuing & entrance into the Church, like as in the first end of Baptisme, which is a distinguishing of the Church, from al others. For these are opposed & contradictory, to be, & not to be in the Church: to enter, & not to enter into the Church. Hither appertaine all those places, in which those who were be∣come Christians, are said to haue bin presently Baptized. Wherefore the Supper also is giuen only to them who are baptized: for they onely are receiued into the church.

7 Jt is instituted to be a means of preseruing & propagating the doctrine of the free promise through the death of christ: that the baptised may haue occasiō to teach & learn who is the autor, & what is the meaning or signification of Baptisme.

Notes

• 1 To be a discer∣ning badge of Christians.
• 2 To confirme our faith.
• 3 To bind vs to be thankful vnto God, and to be a testimony of this our duty.
• 4 To aduertise vs of the Crosse, & of our preserua∣tion and deliue∣rance.
• 5 To signifie the vnitie of the Church.
• 6 To be a token of our entrance into the church.
• 7 To be a means of preseruing & publishing more largely the Do∣ctrine of Gods free promise.