第三节 洗礼替代割礼
674# 洗礼被设立以代替割礼，因为包皮的割礼表象心的割礼；其目的在于使内在教会接续外在教会，而外在教会在整体与细节上，无不预表内在教会。
在基督教世界，人所共知的是：人有内在之人与外在之人；外在之人即属世人，内在之人即属灵人，因为人的灵居于内在之人。又因教会由人构成，故亦有内在教会与外在教会。若按其次序考察众教会自古至今的承续，便可看出，先前的教会皆为外在教会；也就是说，其敬拜在于外在事物，而这些外在事物乃表象基督教会的内在事物。这基督教会，是主在世时所奠立的，如今才由他亲自首次建造。
使以色列教会区别于亚细亚世界其余教会，并且后来区别于基督教会的首要标志，乃是割礼。又如前所述，以色列教会的一切外在事物，皆预表基督教会的一切内在事物；故前一教会的首要标志，在内在上便与基督教会的标志相似。因为割礼表示弃绝肉体的私欲，因而表示从恶中得洁净；洗礼也表示同样的事。
由此可见，洗礼被命令用以代替割礼，其目的有二：一是使基督教会区别于犹太教会；二是使内在教会因此更切近地被认识。而这一点，可从洗礼的功用中得知；关于这些功用，下文即将说明。
674# 在基督教界，众所周知，有一个内在人和一个外在人，外在人与属世人是一样的，内在人与属灵人是一样的，因为人的灵在它里面；而且，由于教会是由人组成的，所以有一个内在教会和一个外在教会。如果按照从古代到现在的接替顺序来考虑教会，就会发现以前的教会是外在的，也就是说，他们的敬拜是由代表基督教会的内在的外在构成的，主在世时创立了基督教会，现在开始建立它。把以色列教会和亚洲的其它教会，以及后来的基督教会区分开来的主要仪式是割礼。由于如前所述，以色列教会的一切都是外在的，预示着基督教会的一切，而基督教会的一切都是内在的，所以以色列教会的主要标志从内在就像基督教会的标志；割礼表示弃绝肉体的欲望，因而从邪恶中洁净，洗礼具有同样的含义。由此清楚可知，经上吩咐洗礼，以取代割礼，有两个原因：（1）将基督教会与犹太教会区分开来；（2）使人们更容易认识到，基督教会在性质上是内在的，这从稍后（TCR 677-687节）论述的洗礼的功用清楚看出来。
674. Baptism Was Instituted as a Replacement for Circumcision Because Circumcision of the Foreskin Symbolized Circumcision of the Heart; the Intent Was to Create an Internal Church to Replace the External Church, Which as a Whole and in Every Detail Was an Allegory of That Internal Church
It is well known throughout Christianity that we have an inner self and an outer self, that our outer self is the same as our earthly self, and that our inner self is the same as our spiritual self, because it contains our spirit. It is also known that because the church consists of human beings, there is such a thing as a church that is internal in nature and such a thing as a church that is external in nature.
If we conduct research on the succession of churches over time from ancient times to our own, we see that the former churches were external in nature. Their worship consisted of external actions that symbolized the internal practices taught by the Christian church, whose foundation the Lord laid when he was in the world, and which he is now building for the first time.
Circumcision was the main practice that differentiated the Israelite church from the other churches in the Middle East (and differentiated it later on from the Christian church as well).
Since, as mentioned before [], all the rituals of the Israelite church (which were external in nature) prefigured the practices of the Christian church (which are internal in nature), the primary sign that someone belonged to that church was inwardly similar to the primary sign that someone is Christian. Circumcision represented rejecting the cravings of the flesh, and therefore being purified from evils. Baptism means the same thing.
Clearly then, there are two reasons why baptism was commanded as a replacement for circumcision: (1) to differentiate the Christian church from the Jewish church; and (2) to make it more easily recognizable that the Christian church is internal in nature, which is something the functions of baptism (soon to be covered here [677-687]) make clear.
674. III. Baptism was instituted to take the place of circumcision, because the circumcision of the foreskin was a representation of the circumcision of the heart. The purpose of baptism was so that the internal church should take the place of the external, which in every detail prefigured the internal church.
It is well known in the Christian part of the world that there is an internal as well as an external man; that the external is the same as the natural man, and the internal is the same as the spiritual man, for his spirit is in this. Since a church is composed of people, there can be an internal and an external church. If the churches which succeeded one another in due order from ancient times down to the present day are examined, it will be seen that the former churches were external churches, that is, their worship consisted in externals representing the internals of the Christian church, the foundations of which were laid by the Lord when He was in the world, and which is now for the first time being built by Him.
The outstanding characteristics which distinguished the Israelite church from the others in Asia, and later from the Christian, was circumcision. Since everything in the Israelite church, being external, prefigured, as has been said, everything in the Christian church, being internal, therefore the outstanding sign of the former church was inwardly similar to the sign of the Christian church. For circumcision meant the rejection of the lusts of the flesh, and so purification from evils. The meaning of baptism is similar. It is obvious from this that baptism was enjoined in place of circumcision, in order both that the Christian church should be distinguished from the Jewish, and that the internal church should thus be more closely known. This results from the uses of baptism, which will be discussed later.
674. III. BECAUSE CIRCUMCISION OF THE FORESKIN REPRESENTED CIRCUMCISION OF THE HEART, IN THE PLACE OF CIRCUMCISION BAPTISM WAS INSTITUTED, IN ORDER THAT AN INTERNAL CHURCH MIGHT SUCCEED THE EXTERNAL, WHICH IN EACH AND ALL THINGS PREFIGURED THE INTERNAL CHURCH.
It is well known in the Christian world that there is an internal and an external man, and that the external is the same as the natural man, and the internal the same as the spiritual man, because man's spirit is in it; also, since the church consists of men that there is an internal church and an external church. And when churches are viewed in the order of their succession from ancient times to the present, it will be seen that the former churches were external, that is, that their worship consisted of externals which represented the internals of the Christian church which was founded by the Lord when He was in the world, and which is now for the first time being built up by Him. That which primarily distinguished the Israelitish church from the other churches in Asia, and afterward from the Christian church, was circumcision. And because, as before said, all things of the Israelitish church, being external, prefigured all things in the Christian church, which are internal, so the especial sign of that church was interiorly like the sign of the Christian church; circumcision signifying the rejection of the lusts of the flesh, and thus purification from evils, and baptism having the same signification; from which it is clear that baptism was commanded in the place of circumcision, in order that the Christian church might not only be distinguished from the Jewish, but also might thus be more clearly recognized as an internal church; which is clearly seen from the uses of baptism, of which presently.
674. III. CIRCUMCISION OF THE FORESKIN REPRESENTED THE CIRCUMCISION OF THE HEART; AND BAPTISM WAS INSTITUTED IN PLACE OF CIRCUMCISION BECAUSE OF THE [DIVINE] PURPOSE THAT AN INTERNAL CHURCH SHOULD SUCCEED THE EXTERNAL, WHICH IN ALL THINGS, IN GENERAL AND IN PARTICULAR, REPRESENTED THE INTERNAL CHURCH.
In the Christian world it is well known that there is an internal man and an external man; and that the external is the same as the natural man; and that the internal is the same as the spiritual man, because man's spirit is in it; and also, as the Church consists of men, that there is an internal as well as an external Church. If the Churches are considered in the order of their succession from ancient times to the present, it will be seen that former Churches were external, that is, that their worship consisted in external things, which represented the internal things of the Christian Church, which the Lord founded when in the world, and which He is now beginning to build up. The primary rite which distinguished the Israelitish Church from the other Churches in the Asiatic world, and later from the Christian Church, was circumcision; and since, as was just stated, all things in the Israelitish Church, which were external, represented all things in the Christian Church, which are internal, therefore, the primary sign of the Israelitish Church was interiorly similar to the sign of the Christian Church. For circumcision signified the rejection of the lusts of the flesh, and thus purification from evils; and Baptism has a similar signification. From this it is evident that Baptism was commenced in place of circumcision, with this in view, namely, that the Christian Church might be distinguished from the Jewish Church, and also that it might thus be more readily understood that it is an internal Church. This is known from the uses of Baptism, which will be described in what follows.
674. Quod loco Circumcisionis institutus sit Baptismus, quia per Circumcisionem praeputii repraesentata est circumcisio cordis, propter finem, ut Ecclesia interna succederet Ecclesiae externae, quae in omnibus et singulis figurabat Ecclesiam Internam.
In Orbe Christiano notum est, quod sit Internus et Externus homo, et quod Externus sit idem cum Naturali homine, et Internus idem cum Spirituali homine, quia in hoc est spiritus ejus; et quia Ecclesia consistit ex hominibus, quod detur Ecclesia Interna et Externa; et si indagantur successiones Ecclesiarum in suo ordine ab antiquis temporibus ad hodiernum, 1 videbitur, quod Ecclesiae priores fuerint Ecclesiae externae, hoc est, quod Cultus illarum constiterit in Externis, quae repraesentabant interna Ecclesiae Christianae, quae a Domino, cum fuit in Mundo fundata est, et nunc primum ab Ipso aedificatur. Primarium, quod distinxit Ecclesiam Israeliticam a reliquis in Asiatico Orbe, et postea a Christiana, fuit Circumcisio; et quia, ut dictum est, omnia Ecclesiae Israeliticae, quae fuerunt Externa, figurabant omnia Ecclesiae Christianae, quae sunt Interna, ideo primarium signum illius Ecclesiae fuit interius simile cum signo Ecclesiae Christianae, Circumcisio enim significabat rejectionem concupiscentiarum carnis, et sic purificationem a malis; simile etiam significat Baptismus: ex quo patet, quod Baptismus loco Circumcisionis mandatus sit, propter finem, tam ut Ecclesia Christiana distingueretur ab Ecclesia Judaica, quam ut Ecclesia interna sic propius cognosceretur, et hoc cognoscitur ex Usibus Baptismi, de quibus sequitur.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: hodienum.