Institutions of Christian religion framed out of Gods word, and the writings of the best diuines, methodically handled by questions and answers, fit for all such as desire to know, or practise the will of God. Written in Latin by William Bucanus Professor of Diuinitie in the Vniuersitie of Lausanna. And published in English by Robert Hill, Bachelor in Diuinitie, and Fellow of Saint Iohns Colledge in Cambridge, for the benefit of our English nation, to which is added in the end the practise of papists against Protestant princes.

What was Circumcision?

The Latines called it Praeputium the foreskinne, of a word that signifies to cut off, because the Iewes did prune off that skin, that is cut off, or loppe off: Aristotle cals it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that is the vttermost little skinne that couereth the priuie member, & Paul somewhat changing the word, called it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 vncircum∣cisiond 1.1. Whereupon 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is called as it were a cutting round a∣bout, of a word that signifieth to cut round about, to cut off, and to cut off that which is before: which is also called externall Cir∣cumcision,

and Circumcision of the Letter, or literalle 1.2, which was committed to Letters by Moses, at Gods commaundement, or else as it is considered alone from the spirituall end thereof.

But as it is considered consisting of a signe and a thing signified it was a Sacrament of the Old Testament, instituted by God, wherin by the visible signe to wit, the outward cutting off of the foreskin in the males, which were receiued into the societie of the people of god, or of the Church, the thing signified, namely. 1. Our fellowship in the Couenant of God. 2. Our acceptation and a∣doption to be the people of God. 3. The inward Circumcision or spirituall (which the Scripture calleth the Circumcision, that is, the purifying of the heart by the spiritf 1.3, and by a Synecdoche, and partly a Metonimie, of the eare which moderates the hearing,g 1.4, and of the mouth or the lips which prescribes a meane to the speach ^h, but Paul Col. 2.11. cals it the Circumcision of Christ, not made with hands, whereby Christ doth Circumcise vs inward∣ly) that is the inward paring off of the corruption of nature, or the cutting off of sins & vices by iustification and regeneration. 4. Our ingraffing into Christ also, and the communicating of all his benefits: also the promise of Messias, the blessed seed to come of the posteritie of Abraham: and the remission of sins through his bloud; and so, by the promise of the land of Canaan, the inheritāce of the heauenly life was signified, and was sealed vp in the faith∣full, by this ingrauing as with a seale. And further it was as a so∣lemne obligation, wherby those which were Circumcised were boūd to perform the whole lawa 1.5. Ga. 5.3. I testifie to euery man that is Circumcised, that he is bound to keep the Law, setting before their eyes the Ceremony of Circumcision, & the punishment of cutting offb 1.6, if they committed the least sin against the Lawc 1.7. For which cause Circūcision by a Metonimy is called the couenāt, & the cōpact or condition. Ge. 17.10. Act. 7.8. And by a Synecdoche it is taken for the whole law. Gal. 5.2. ƲƲhat were the causes of Circumcision? 1. The Efficiēt, was God the Author therof, who in his secret Coun¦sel, by special grace chose Abraham, & his stock, that he might re∣nue the Couenant of saluation with him, & might seale it with the signe of circūcisiond 1.8, wherby also it came to passe, that the people of Israel, as the flock of god, were receiued into his own sheepfold: the rest of the Gentiles being strangers from the Couenāt, like wild beasts might wander in mountains, woods, or deserts, vntil the pub¦lishing

of the gospel: wherby the partition wal being brokē down, God made the Gentiles equal to the naturall sons of Abrahame 1.9.

The matter wherein it was, or the subiect of Circumcision, were all the malesf 1.10, & indeed none but they, for although the promise was giuen indifferently to men & women, which was ratified by circumcision, yet notwithstanding did God consecrate the whole people to himself in the one sexe, because the women were not capable of this signe. Again, because that seing the man is the head of the woman, of whom also the propagation doth depend, in the male kind the female was comprehended, & was also then at the same time sanctified: For the couenant of God was ingrauen in the bodies of the males vpon this condition, that the women also might be made partakers, & cōpanions of the same faith.g 1.11 For Sara is called the mother of beleeuers, as Abraham is called their father. 1. Pet. 3.6. But after that the Gentiles also by spiritual regeneration were adopted to be the sons of Abraham, that signe being chāged, there was another placed in the stead therof, both more manifest & cōmon to both sexes, & that without bloud, that therby might be more fully expressed the benefit of Christ, & this applying of him to all. 2. Circumcision was made in the member of genera∣tion, that is, the cutting off of the skin, to signifie that the seed of man was altogether vncleane, & that no clean thing could spring from the vncleane seed of man, but that whatsoeuer is begotten of man is vicious, & therfore that the nature of man is infected with originall sin & hath need of regeneration. Therfore Christ was borne of a virgin, & conceiued by the holy Ghost, to the end he might be free from al sin. Also, that it might be made manifest, that saluation proceedeth out of the blessed seed of Abraham, which is Christ. 3. God would haue Infants to be circumcised, to the end that being once receiued into fauour, through the Coue∣nant, & being made copartners of the Couenant, together with faithfull Abraham, they might as it were, be sealed vp by the signe of the couenant euen as their faithfull Fathers were, accor∣ding to the promise, I will be thy God & of thy seed after thee Gen. 17.7. yet for the beginning of the calling of the Gentils, the Gen∣tiles also were taken in the fellowship of gods people, if they wold so be circumcised.

Notes

• d 1.1

  Rom, 2, 26
• e 1.2

  ver. 17
• f 1.3

  Deut. 10 16. & 30.6 Ier. 4.4 Rom. 2 29 Ier. 6.10
• g 1.4

  Exod. 6.11
• a 1.5

  Rom. 4.11 Deut. 30.6 Gen. 17.13
• b 1.6

  Gen. 17.14
• c 1.7

  Col. 2.16
• d 1.8

  Gen 17.1
• e 1.9

  Eph. 2.11 12.13
• f 1.10

  Gen. 17.10 11
• g 1.11

  Eph. 5.25