9. But after the announcement of the mystery of Christ’s nature, and our assumption, that is, the fulness of Godhead abiding in Christ, and ourselves made full in Him by His birth as man, the Apostle continues the dispensation of human salvation in the words, In whom ye were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the stripping off of the body of the flesh, but with the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with Him in baptism, wherein ye were also raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead469    Col. ii. 11, 12.. We are circumcised not with a fleshly circumcision but with the circumcision of Christ, that is, we are born again into a new man; for, being buried with Him in His baptism, we must die to the old man, because the regeneration of baptism has the force of resurrection. The circumcision of Christ does not mean the putting off of foreskins, but to die entirely with Him, and by that death to live henceforth entirely to Him. For we rise again in Him through faith in God, Who raised Him from the dead; wherefore we must believe in God, by Whose Working Christ was raised from the dead, for our faith rises again in and with Christ.

9. Deus idem auctor regenerationis nostrae et Christi resurrectionis.---Demonstrato autem et naturae suae, et assumptionis nostrae sacramento, cum in eo plenitudine divinitatis manente, nos in eo per id quod homo natus est repleamur: reliquam dispensationem humanae salutis exsequitur, dicens, In quo et circumcisi estis circumcisione non manu facta in exspoliatione corporis carnis, sed in circumcisione Christi consepulti, 0288B ei in baptismate, in quo et conresurrexistis per fidem operationis Dei, qui excitavit eum a mortuis (Coloss. II, 1, 12). Circumcidimur itaque, non 265 circumcisione carnali, sed circumcisione Christi, id est, in novum hominem renati. Cum enim consepelimur baptismate ejus, mori nos necesse est ex vetere homine; quia regeneratio baptismi resurrectionis est virtus. Et haec circumcisio Christi est, non exspoliari carne praeputii, sed totos commori ei, et per id totos postea ei vivere. In eo enim resurgimus per ejus Dei fidem, qui eum suscitavit a mortuis. Credendus ergo Deus est, cujus operatione Christus excitatus a mortuis est: quia fides ista conresurgit in Christo.