of Christ, then the little ones also, who are baptized into Christ, are baptized into His death. For it is said without exception, 'so many of us as are baptized into Christ Jesus, are baptized into His death.' And this is said to prove that we are 'dead to sin.' Yet to what sin do the little ones die, by being born again, but to that which they contracted by being born? And thereby also pertains to them what follows (vv. 4–11.), 'that their old man is crucified with Him—that they are dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.'—He saith then to those baptized into the death of Christ, into which not the elder only, but the little ones also are baptized, 'Likewise do ye,'—i.e. as Christ,—'reckon yourselves dead unto sin.'"
In the union also with Christ, in whose death and life they were through Baptism engrafted, the elder Christians saw with the Apostle the pledge of their resurrection. "Hast thou believed," says Chrysostom[1], "that Christ died and rose again, believe then thine own. For this is like to it, since the Cross and the Burial is thine also; for if thou hast shared with Him in the Death and the Burial, much more shalt thou in the Resurrection and the Life. For since the greater, that is, sin, has been destroyed, we may not hesitate about that which is lesser, the destruction of death." And St. Basil[2], in an exhortation to Baptism,—"What can be more akin to Baptism than this day of Easter? for the day is the day of the resurrection, and Baptism is a power to resurrection. On the day then of the resurrection let us receive the grace of the resurrection. Dost thou worship Him who died for thee? Allow thyself then to be buried with Him in Baptism. For if thou be not planted in the likeness of His death, how shalt thou be partaker of His resurrection?" Even Calvin[3], forgetting
- ↑ Hom. 10. in Rom. § 4.
- ↑ Hom. 13. in S. Bapt. § 1, 2 t. ii. pp. 114, 115.
- ↑ Ad loc. add Bucer, de vismi Bapt. (Script. Angl. p. 596.) "There are in this place attributed to Baptism, death and burial of sin, newness of life, certain assurance of a future resurrection to a blessed life." And Zanch. de
