Chapter VII
How all this, both the support of our faith and our justification by Christ s
resurrection, is sealed up to us in baptism. The conclusion. How faith may make use of Christ s resurrection in its pleas to God.
And all this our communion with Christ in his resurrection, both in
respect of sanctification, which the 6th of the Romans holds forth, and of
justification, which this place in the.Colossians holds forth, is lively (as both
places declare) set out, and sealed up to us, in the sacrament of baptism. Romans vi. 3, 4, we are said to be
* buried with him in baptism, &c. ; and Colossians ii. 12,
* buried with him in baptism, wherein also you are risen with him. The eminent thing signified and represented in baptism is not
simply the blood of Christ as it washeth us from sin ; but there is a farther
representation therein of Christ s death, burial, and resurrection, in the
baptized s being first buried under water, and then rising out of it ; and
this not in a bare conformity unto Christ, but in a representation of a com munion with Christ in that, his death and resurrection. Therefore it is
said, we are buried with him in baptism ; and wherein you are risen with him. It is not simply said, like as he was buried, and rose, but with him. So as our communion and oneness with him in his resurrection, is
represented to us therein, and. not only our conformity or likeness unto him
42 THE SUPPOKT OF FAITH [SECT. III.
therein. And so baptism representeth this to us, that Christ having once in
himself sustained the persons of all the elect, in his burial and resurrection, that now, upon the party himself who is baptized, is personally, particularly, and apparently re-acted the same part again, in his baptism ; thereby shewing what his communion with Christ before was, in what was then done to Christ ; that he then was buried with Christ, and rose with him ; and upon that ground is now in this outward sign of baptism, as in a show
or representation, both buried and also riseth again.
And moreover, hence it is, that the answer of a good conscience, which
is made the inward effect of this ordinance of baptism, 1 Pet. iii. 21, is
there also attributed unto Christ s resurrection, as the thing signified and
represented in baptism, and as the cause of that answer of a good con
* Even baptism, saith he, doth now also save us, as being the ordinance that seals up salvation,
science.
* not the putting away of the filth of the
* but the answer of a good con
flesh, or the washing of the outward man;
science towards God, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. To open these words : Our consciences are that principle in us which are the seat of the
guilt of all the sins of the whole man ; unto whose court they all come to
accuse us, as unto God s deputy ; which conscience is called good or evil, as the state of the man is. If his sin remain unpardoned, then as his
estate is damnable, so his conscience is evil. If his sins be forgiven, and
his person justified, his conscience is said to be good ; conscience having
its denomination from the man s state, even as the urine is called good or
bad, as the state of the man s body is healthful or unsound whose urine it
is. Now in baptism, forgiveness of sins and justification being sealed up to a believer s faith and conscience, under that lively representation of his communion with Christ in his resurrection ; hence this is made the fruit of
baptism, that the good conscience of a believer, sealed up in baptism, hath wherewithal from thence to answer all accusations of sin that can or do at
any time come in upon him ; and all this, as it is here added, by virtue
of the resurrection of Jesus Christ ; namely, in this respect, that his com munion with Christ in his resurrection hath been represented in his baptism as a ground of his faith, and of that answer unto all accusations. So
that indeed the same thing that Paul says by way of triumph and de
fiance to all accusations, Who shall condemn ? Christ is risen ; the
very same thing Peter here mentions, though not by way of defiance, yet of a believer s answer and apology, that if sins do come to condemn or
accuse, a good conscience is ready to say, Christ is risen, and I was then
* justified in him. There is my answer, which nothing in heaven or hell
is able to reply unto. This is the arsw^r of a good conscience, by the
resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Now to crown this second pillar of faith with this coronis or conclusion, by way of application or direction to a believer s faith, how to make use of
Christ s resurrection in point of non-condemnation. You heard before, out
of Romans vi., that in respect of mortification (as the apostle there
reasoneth) we may be truly said to have been perfectly dead to all sin in
Christ s dying unto sin once; and through his representing us therein as
dying unto sin, in and with him. So as although we be for the present but imperfectly mortified in ourselves, yet when corruptions arise, the
apostle bids us help ourselves against them by faith, reasoning ourselves
to stand wholly dead to sin, when Christ died; and so to conclude from
thence, that we shall one day be fully dead to sin, because we then did
perfectly die in Christ unto it ; which kind of reasoning also God would
CHAP. VII.] FROM CHRIST S RESURRECTION. 43
have us use as a motive (and of all motives that are in the gospel it is the
* Shall I that am dead
strongest) against any corruption whenas it ariseth.
to sin in Christ, and so am freed from it,
* shall I live any longer therein?
ver. 2. Now as God would have our faith make this use of our communion with Christ in his death, in point of sanctification, just so, when guilt of
sin ariseth in thy conscience to accuse or threaten condemnation, reason thou thyself (as the apostle s word in that other case), or reckon thyself
(as our translation hath it) justified in Christ, in his justification, which was done at his resurrection. Yea, and seeing God would have thee use thy communion with Christ in his death, as an argument to move thee to
mortify sin, bidding thee to reckon thyself dead to sin in Christ, do thou
desire him, in like manner, to reckon thee as justified at Christ s resurrec
tion (for the ground of both is the same), and return that as an argument to him to move him to justify thee. And this is that answer of a good conscience which Peter speaks of ; this is the meaning of Paul s challenge, Who shall condemn ? Christ is risen. And should thy heart object and say, But I know not whether I was one of those that God reckoned justified with Christ when he arose ; then go thou to God, and ask him boldly, whether he did not do this for thee, and whether thou wert not one of them intended by him. Put God to it, and God will (by virtue of Christ s resurrection for thee) even himself answer
thy faith this question ere thou art aware. He will not deny it. And to secure thee the more, know that however Christ will be sure to look to that for thee; so as that thou having been then intended, as, if thy heart be drawn to give itself up to Christ, thou wert, shalt never be condemned.
44 THE TRIUMPH OF FAITH [SECT. IV.
SECTION IV.
FAITH SUPPORTED BY CHRIST S ASCENSION, AND SITTING AT GOD*S
RIGHT HAND.
Who is he that condemneth ? It is Christ, . . . who is even at the right hand of God. BOM. VIII. 34.