Exposition Upon 1 Peter, Biblical exegesis · Chapter 3 · Verse 21
Verse 21. The like figure whereunto, even Baptism, doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience towards God) by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
HEre the Apostle sheweth, That those of old had Types of their Salvation as well as we; for the preservation of Noah in the Ark from the flood, when the world was drowned, was a Type and Figure of their eternal Salvation from the flood of Gods wrath, by the Messiah to come: To which Type of theirs, we have another correspondent answering Type, or Antitype, a Type fitly answering, and like theirs, even Baptism, which is a sign and seal of our eternal salvation, and so is said to save us. It saveth us, that is, sealeth up our salvation; not that the outward Baptism, that is, the washing of the body with water, doth save (for that Hypocrites may have) but the inward, that is, the pardon of our sins in Christs blood, and purging our nature by Sanctification; whereof being assured by Faith, we have a good conscience, and hereby have boldness to make demand, and challenge of God eternal Salvation, which God cannot deny, having so covenanted in Baptism to the believer; and hereunto we attain, not by the work wrought, or our being Baptized, but by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, his death purchasing it, and his resurrection witnessing the same; whereof this last, which is the complement and finishing of the other, is onelyonly expressed in this place.
The like figure whereunto, &c.] Here note, That
Throughout all ages the godly have been saved by the same means that we be;The godly throughout all ages are saved by the same means. we by faith in Christ who is come, as they in him to come: They are the same spiritual meat, and drank the same spiritual drink, onelyonly we have a more fuller and clear revelation of him.
Even baptism, 1 Cor. 10. 3.doth also now save us, &c.] This is the first Sacrament of the New Testament,Baptism what it is, &c. and is ordained in the room of Circumcision, as the Lords-Supper in the room of the Passover; as Circumcision did precede the Passover, so doth Baptism the Lords-Supper; that being a sign of our ingrafting, this of our growing in the Church; and as amongst the Jews, even Infants were to be circumcised; so amongst us Christians, are Children to be Baptized: Hereof the outward sign is water, whereby the blood of Christ is fitly resembled, which is that effectual water which doth wash and cleanse our souls: It must be pure, not mixt water, in respect of great personages, neither must any thing be added thereto, as salt, oyl, &c. And the person Baptized, must neither be marked with an hot iron, as amongst the Ethiopians, nor Circumcised, as its the practice of others: In ours, though some things be retained, which some good men have stumbled at, yet they that be so shie of them as to forsake the Church, as the Separatists do, or neglect and omit Baptism, or break the peace of the Church, by seeking to have their Children Baptized elsewhere, they are too bird-eyed, and I think its ignorance and weakness in them; if they were retained, as the Papists used them, putting holiness in them superstitiously; yet if there were no other cause but this, we should not forsake the Church, nor refuse Baptism; much less seeing our Church doth altogether protest against superstition in them, and retains them for order only: The thing signified, is the inward cleansing of the soul, which being impure through sin, is filthy before God, till it be washed by the blood of Christ, and Spirit of Sanctification; yet as there are some which will see no filthiness therein, so are there others, which are so far from seeking to be purged, that they wallow still in the mire of their lusts. By this Sacrament also, theres an inward and Spiritual thing sealed, and grace conveyed, though an unbeliever seeth it not, contrary to the opinion of the Katabaptists, which teacheth it to be a badge onelyonly of a Christian profession, and no further; yet are not the sign and the thing signified always and necessarily tyed together, and so Baptism doth not save by the work wrought, as the Papists would: Even Reprobates may have the outward Baptism, which yet doth them no good, but rather is a witness against them.
For not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience towards God doth save us,] The uses of Baptism.To believers indeed, both sign and thing signified go together, and they may receive much comfort from their Baptism; as by it make a confident demand of Salvation from God, for they believing and desiring to obey God, there was sealed up in their Baptism, the pardon of their sins and sanctification, both which they may confidently challenge at Gods hand, and therewith eternal life: This Sacrament also is our badge and livery of God, and of our holy profession, whereby we differ from Pagans, Turks, Jews, &c.
This is also an instruction to us,Use. to lead a holy life,Rom. 6. 4. as we did profess and promise when we were Baptized: This is an help to keep us from sin for the time to come, being provoked thereto, we may answer, that we cannot in respect of our Baptism; yea, this also is useful to raise us up to repentance after we be fallen; and as no doubt it did Noah good every time he saw the Ark, so seeing Baptism saveth us, that is, is a sign to us of our Salvation, we should often meditate thereof,Who is to Baptize, and who to be Baptized. and be glad to be put in minde of the same.
For those which are to Baptize, they must be lawfully called hereunto, and for those which are to be baptized, they are not all men, but they that be within the pale of the Church, neither are beasts, or dead things to be Baptized: The Popish Baptizing of Bells, is an horrible prophanation of this Sacrament: Baptism is a sign of Regeneration, neither doth it profit without Faith, therefore none may have it, but they which be capable of Regeneration and Faith: but of these particulars, as also of the Baptism of Infants, the time of Baptism, who are to be present thereat, who to present the childe to Baptism, the witnesses, the name, the form and maner, whether Baptism be of absolute necessity to Salvation, whether Johns Baptism, and Christs were all one, or diverse, with divers the like; I have largely spoken by way of Catechizing.
By the resurrection of Jesus Christ.] See Rom. 4. 25. and 8. 34.Here he sheweth that we are not to rest in one Baptism, to finde Salvation in it, but to look to the death and resurrection of Christ, whereby our Salvation is purchased and procured, though it be sealed up by Baptism: He puts one for both, his Resurrection, being the accomplishment of our Salvation, and Testification thereof, containing his death under it.