Christ Set Forth, Book III: How Christ's Resurrection Supports Faith

Yea rather, that is risen again, Rom. viii. 34

Christ’s Resurrection snpporteth faith two ways: First) by being an evidence of our Justification; Secondly, by having an influence into our Justification. The necessity of Christ’s Resurrection, for the procuring our Justification.

THE next thing to be looked at in Christ, as he is the object of justifying faith, (and from whence our faith may seek and fetch support and comfort in the matter of Justification) is Christ’s Resurrection; upon which we see here, the Apostle putteth a rather. Yea rather that is risen again. There must therefore be some special thing in the Resurrection of Christ, which it contributes to our faith and justification, for which it should have a rather put upon it, and that comparatively to his death. Now to shew wherein this should lie, consider how the Resurrection of Christ aerveth to a double use and end, in the matter of Justification.

First, as an evidence to our faith, that God is fully satisfied by Christ’s death: his Resurrection may give us full assurance of it.

Secondly, it had, and hath an influence into our Justification itself; yea and as great an influence as his Death had. In both these respects it deserves a rather to be put upon it, and Paul had them both in his eye, when he wrote these words. So as first, if you ask an account of his faith, and a reason of his so triumphant assurance, he alledgeth his Resurrection to confirm it, Christ is risen.

Or, secondly, if you would have a reason of the thing, how it comes to pass, that we who are believers cannot be condemned; Christ is risen, says he: he alledgeth it as a cause, that hath such an influence into Justification itself, as it makes all sure about it.

1. By way of evidence: altho’ Christ’s obedience in his life, and his death past, do alone afford the whole matter of our Justification, and make up the sum of that price paid for us, (as hath been shewn) so as faith may see a fulness of worth and merit therein to discharge the debt: yet faith hath a comfortable sign and evidence to confirm itself in the belief of this from Christ’s Resurrection after his death: it may satisfy our faith, that God himself is satisfied, and that he reckons the debt as paid: so that our faith may boldly come to God, and call the bond in, as having Christ’s Resurrection to shew for it, that the debt is discharged. And hence the Apostle cries Victoria over Sin, Hell, and Death, upon occasion of (and as the coronis and conclusion of that) his large discourse about Christ’s Resurrection, 1 Cor. xv, 55, 56, 57, O death, where is thy sting! that is, Sin, in the power of it: for so it follows, the sting of death is sin: and O grave, where is thy victory? Thanks be to God who hath given us victory, through Jeans Christ our I^ord: namely, as risen again; for of his Resurrection, and that chiefly, had he spoken throughout that chapter.

2. But surely this is not all, that it should only argue our Justification by way of evidence: this alone would not have deserved such a rather to be put upon it, if Christ’s Resurrection had not had some larther real causal influence into Juscification itself, and been more than simply an evidence of it to our apprehensions. Therefore, secondly, in Justification, although the matter of it, be wholly the obedience and death of Christ; yet the act of pronouncing us righteous by that his obedience, which is the ground of Justification, doth depend upon Christ’s Resurrection. Ordinarily there hath been no more expressed concerning this dependance, than that the Resurrection of Christ justifies by working actual faith, to lay hold upon what Christ hath done in his life and death, which is called the applying of it, of which more anon. But that speech of Paul, 1 Cor. xv. 15, 17, seems to import more, I,” Christ be not risen again, ye are yet in your sins, and your faith is in vain. That is, although you could suppose faith to be wrought in you upon the merit of Christ’s dying, yet it would be in vain, if Christ were not risen again; for your Justification itself would be void: You were yet in your sins. Which is said, because his Resurrection was it, whereby sins, though satisfied for in his death, were taken off, and they acquitted from them; which I take to be the meaning also of that 4th Romans 25th verse, He was delivered J or our sins, and rose again for our Justijication. When the Apostle says, for our sins he was delivered, he means, his laying down that which was the price for them, a satisfaction for them, which his death was; and in that sense, //e died for our sins; that is, his death stands in stead of our death, and so satisfies for sin. But yet still that upon which the act of God’s justifying us, and his discharge given us from our sins, and whereby he reckoneth us justified, that depends upon his Resurrection, He rose again for ‘our justification. Mark! that Justification there imports the act of imputation, and reckoning us just, which he had spoken of in the verses immediately foregoing, verses 22, 23, 24.

In a word, to the full discharge of a debt, and freeing the debtor, two things are requisite: first, the payment of the debt: secondly, the taring or cancelling the bond, or receiving an acquittance for the freeing of the debtor. Now the payment was wrought by Christ’s death, and the acquittance to free from the debt, was at, and by his Resurrection.