that I will powre out my Spirit vpon all flesh and your Sonnes and your Daughters shall prophesie your old men shall dreame dreames your young men shall see visions And also vpon your seruants and vpon the hand-maides in those dayes will I powre out my Spirit And it shall come to passe that whosoeuer shall call on the name of the Lord shall bee deliuered for in Mount Zion and in Ierusalem shall bee deliuerance as the Lord hath said and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call And againe Isaias 44. vers 3 4. I will powre water vpon him that is thirsty and Flouds vpon the dry ground I will powre my Spirit vpon thy Seed and my blessing vpon thine off-spring And they shall spring vp as among the grasse as Willowes by the Water-courses The first words of this later Prophesie were literally and historically fulfilled in the baptisme of Iohn the later part of it is as it were an Euangelicall explication of the mysticall sense of the former words And Iohn Baptist might from this place alone easily collect that although hee might powre water vpon mens bodies though hee did plunge or wash such as are compared to dry Land in the waters and by this externall Sacrament ingraft them in the stocke of Abraham yet he could not powre out the Spirit of God or bestow the blessing of increase vpon them This hee knew must be the worke of him that sent him who had bestowed some portion or measure of the Spirit or blessing here mentioned vpon him as a sure pledge or experiment of the like blessing to bee bestowed on others specially on such as had beene partakers of his Baptisme From the same place likewise Iohn might easily gather that the baptisme of water wherewith hee himselfe baptized was in order of time to goe before the baptisme of the Spirit which was mystically prefigured by it and fore-told by our Sauiour in the fore-cited place Iohn 7. vers 38. though as we said before in a figuratiue or allegoricall sense which Saint Iohn in the next words after vers 39. hath expounded vnto vs This spake hee of the Spirit which they that beleeue on him should receiue For the Holy Ghost was not yet giuen because that Iesus was not yet glorified Iohns meaning is the Spirit was not powred out in such plentifull measure as this place of Isay and that other of the Prophet Ioel did import For after our Sauiours glorification all such as were baptized with water were likewise baptized with the Holy Ghost most of them filled with the Spirit of Prophesie or gift of tongues enabled to conuey the words and waters of life vnto the soules of others All this was fore-signified by the holy Ghosts descending vpon our Sauiour at his comming out of the water For his baptisme was a prefiguration of his death and resurrection and by his resurrection he was really declared to be the Sonne of God and fulfilled the Psalmists prediction Thou art my Sonne this day haue I begotten thee Psal. 2. Which prediction was further ratified and the meaning of it determined by the voyce from heauen This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased The same truth thus often declared aswell by predictions as by matters of fact or reall euent was finally testified by the descending of the holy Ghost vpon his Apostles and Disciples So that another Branch of Saint Iohns meaning or if you will another shoote of the former branch is That the holy Ghost at the time when our Sauiour vttered those words Hee that beleeueth in me c. did not appeare as an authentique witnesse to ratifie his Doctrine His testimony concerning our Sauiour was reserued till our Sauiours glorification after which it was publique frequent and visible Iesus saith Saint Peter whom ye slew and hanged on a tree Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Sauiour for to giue repentance to Israel and forgiuenes of sins Act. 5. v. 30 31 32. And we are his witnesses of these things and so is also the holy Ghost whom God hath giuen to them that obey him This giuing of the holy Ghost in visible maner was that baptisme of Christ which was opposed to the baptisme of Iohn and that the world might know and beleeue it came immediately from Christ and not from Iohn nor from the Apostles or from the Sacrament which they administred it was giuen to some and these by condition Gentiles before they had beene partakers of Iohns baptisme or any Mosaicall rite or Sacrament Act. 10. 44 47. While Peter yet spake these words the holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word Whence he concludeth Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized which haue receiued the holy Ghost aswell as we Saint Peter tooke more special notice of our Sauiours words from this experiment in Cornelius and his family than hee did from the holy Ghost descending in clouē tongues vpon himselfe and his fellow Apostles which had beene baptized And as I began to speake the holy Ghost fell on them as on vs at the beginning Then remembred 1 the Word of the Lord how that hee said Iohn deed baptized with water but yee shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost Acts 11. 15 16. Saint Peters beliefe in this point was grounded vpon our Sauiours words and confirmed by this experiment Iohn Baptists beliefe of the same conclusion was grounded vpon the Prophet Isaias predictions Iohn did foretell the same truth which our Sauiour did before he was acquainted with him or knew him by face and yet Iohns knowledge or beliefe of this mysterie was confirmed by a visible signe by the descending of the holy Ghost Concerning which and the maner how Iohn came to know our Sauiour before he baptized him with the signes of the time that did accompany or ensue vpon his baptisme we are in the next place to make enquirie 48. From the former Dialogue betweene the Priests and Leuites and Iohn Baptist concerning his office and ministery of Baptisme you may obserue that Iohn was carefull to preuent two inconueniences First the false opinion which the people had conceiued of him as if he had bin the Messias himselfe and secondly to preuent all suspition of compact or collusion betweene Iesus of Nazareth whom he afterward proclaimes to be the Messias and himselfe And vnto this suspition both parties had beene more lyable if they had beene aswell acquainted before our Sauiours baptisme as afterward they were Not to speake of our Sauiours knowledge who knew all things for Iohn the Baptist hee had a true prenotion or distinct beliefe of these generals or indefinites 1. That the time wherein the Messias was to bee manifested vnto Israel was now approaching 2. That the Messias was to repaire vnto the place where hee baptized there to bee declared or manifested vnto Israel 3. That the Messias after his manifestation was to
baptize others with the holy Ghost These generals he beleeued and knew from the predictions of the Prophet Isay expounded to him by the internall reuelation of the Spirit and the signes of the time immediately preceding But of these particulars following he was ignorant vntill the euent and the signes immediately following did vnfold them 1. The day and houre wherein the Messias was first to be manifested when he first begun to baptize he distinctly knew not 2. The day and houre of the Messias comming vnto him being knowne yet he knew not how to distinguish the Messias from other men by face or sight 3. After he had knowne seene him face to face yet he knew not whether he should baptize him with others or no but rather presupposed it as a matter vnfitting that the messenger whose Commission onely was to baptize with water should baptize his Lord and Master whom he knew to be sent of purpose to baptize others with the holy Ghost This last point is euident from Saint Matthew chap. 3. vers 13 14 15. When Iesus came from Galilee to Iordane vnto Iohn to be baptized of him Iohn forbade him saying I haue neede to be baptized of thee and comest thou to me And Iesus answering said vnto him Suffer it to be so now for thus it becommeth vs to fulfill all righteousnes Then he suffered him 49. That Iohn Baptist before this time did not know our Sauiour by face is euident from Saint Iohn chap. 1. vers 29 30 31 32. The next day not the next day after our Sauiours baptisme but the next day after the Priests and Leuites had questioned Iohn or the next day after our Sauiours returne from the wildernesse Iohn seeing Iesus comming vnto him saith Behâ—ld the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinne of the world This is he of whom I said After me commeth a man which is preferred before me for he was before me And I knew him not but that he should be made manifest to Israel therefore am I come baptizing with water And Iohn bare record saying I saw the Spirit descending from heauen like a Doue and it abode vpon him And further to preuent all suspition of compact or collusion betwixt them or rather to stirre vp the people to admire with him the sweet dâ—sposition of the Diuine prouidence in all this businesse He repeateth againe what he said before And I knew him not but he that sent me to baptize with water the same said vnto me Vpon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining on him the same is hee which baptizeth with the holy Ghost And I saw and beare record that this is the Sonne of God But whilest I am a twisting these two Euangelicall narrations together you haue perhaps already espied or may hereafter espie a knot or riuell where with your beliefe one time or another may bee entangled specially if the Iew Atheist or Libertine should draw it faster or a weake Interpreter of Scriptures haue the handling of it That you may the better know whensoeuer occasion shall be offered how to loose or vntwist the knot giue mee leaue first to cast it For as the great Philosopher telleth vs No man knoweth rightly how to assoile or resolue a question vnlesse he first know how to frame it The right making of any obiection as the same Philosopher tels vs is more then halfe the solution of it The doubt or knot which ariseth out of the two narrations of the Euangelists Saint Matthew and Saint Iohn is framed thus First it is euident out of them both as also out of the other two Euangelists that the Holy Ghost did not descend vpon our Sauiour vntill Iohn had baptized him It is euident againe out of Saint Iohns words fore-cited cap. 1. ver 33. That the descending of the Holy Ghost vpon our Sauiour and his resting vpon him was giuen by God himselfe vnto Iohn Baptist for a signe whereby to know or distinguish the Messias or him that was to baptize with the holy Ghost from all other men Now if Iohn knew him by face from all other men before the Spirit did descend and rest vpon him what needed this signe And if he knew him not by face before the descending of the holy Ghost what construction can we make of Saint Matthews words before recited chap. 3. ver 13 14. where he saith That when Iesus came to be baptized of him Iohn replyed I haue need to be baptized of thee and commest thou to me For to whom could the Baptist himselfe in good earnest say I haue need to be baptized of thee saue onely vnto him whom hee knew could baptize him with the holy Ghost and with fire And if Iohn Baptist knew Iesus of Nazareth at his first comming to him to be the man which was to baptize with the holy Ghost before he had seene the holy Ghost descending vpon him as out of Saint Matthew it plainly appeareth that he did so know him How is it true which Saint Iohn saith in the person of Iohn the Baptist I knew him not that is in ordinary construction as if he had said I had not knowne him but by the descending and resting of the holy Ghost vpon him 50. The seeming contradiction betwixt these two Euangelists hath occasioned some of the Ancients to conceite that the Holy Ghost did twice descend vpon our Sauiour once before his baptisme of which descension Iohn onely or some few more were spectators and by this signe in priuate Iohn did know him before hee came in publike to bee baptized of him and againe immediately after his baptisme But a man cannot more strengthen or confirme a weake crasie or vnsound obiection than by giuing it a lame vnsolid or vnsatisfactory answere The one part of this distinction consisting meerely in imagination would serue as a foile to giue some tincture or colour of truth vnto the obiected Contradiction which if it be well examined and better looked into consists onely in appearance Iansenius seekes to salue this obiected contradiction in this manner The Baptist in the words fore-cited saith no that hee did not know our Sauiour before the Holy Ghost did point him out by descending vpon him but that he had receiued a reuelation from God concerning the holy Ghosts descending vpon him The solution is borrowed in part from Saint Chrysostome perhaps sufficient enough to blanke a forward disputant that would vndertake to prooue a plaine contradiction betweene the Baptists Words as they are related by Saint Matthew chap. 3. and by Saint Iohn But many speeches which cannot legally be conuinced of falshood are often apparently delusory or impertinent and imply some morall inconuenience albeit they cannot easily be drawne to a Logicall impossibility or irreconcileable repugnancie If we take the Baptists words as Saint Iohn relateth them chap. 1. ver 33. And I knew him not c. according to the ordinary standerd of Ciuill Dialect in matters
what reason had Iohn to deny he was Elias when he was asked this Question seeing our Sauiour after his denyall hath twice affirmed it Non male respondit malè enim prior ille rogauit The fore-man or speaker of the Priests and Leuites did propound this Question amisse and in such a sence as Iohn could not answer affirmatiuely to it For the meaning of the Interrogatory was Whether he were that very Elias the Thisbite which was taken vp into Heauen in the fiery Charriot and Iohn knew himselfe not to be this Elias nor did our Sauiour euer affirme that he was this Elias 39. But some men happely will reply That albeit they were mistaken in this particular to which Iohn did well to giue a negatiue answer yet Iohn hauing so faire an occasion to rectifie the error of the Priests and Leuites might haue done better if hee had more fully expressed himselfe and answered with a distinction that he was not Elias the Thisbite but yet that Elias which the Prophet Malachy had fore-told the Lord would send chap. 4. For Iohn could not in all probability be ignorant of the Prophet Malachy his meaning seeing the Angell Gabriel had expresly expounded it to his Father Zachrias Luke 1. vers 17. Hee shall goe before him in the spirit and power of Elias to turne the hearts of the Fathers vnto the children and the disobedient to the wisdome of the iust to make readie a people prepared for the LORD But this perhaps was more than Iohn had occasion to call to minde He might be ignorant without offence whether Elias himselfe was not to come after him For euen the best of Gods Saints and Prophets as was obserued before knew no more of Gods will concerning things to come than it was his will and pleasure to impart vnto them Each of them knew his Cue the the signes of the time when hee was to begin and when to end each had the part which God had appoynted him to vtter or act perfectly by heart Each knew the tenor of his owne Commission but none or few of them did so well vnderstand anothers Commission vntill they had seene it sped or the meaning of it vnfolded by the euent Now although the words of Malachy were literally meant of Iohn Baptist yet were they a kinde of Riddle vntill our Sauiour did vnfold them And it seemeth by the phrase which our Sauiour vseth Matthew 11. vers 14. that their true meaning was a mystery which he himselfe or Iohn onely knew and was to bee reuealed onely to such as were already true Disciples For the word receiue is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a terme of art amongst the Hebrewes and imports some such mystery as the Iewes imagine to be contayned in their Cabalisticall art The like force hath the same word in that of the Apostle 1. Timoth. 1. 15. This is a faithfull saying and worthy of all reception or Cabalisme Not that he approues that Art at least as since that time it hath beene vsed but rather that this was a mystery of greater worth and consequence than all the mysteries which the Cabalists can imagine to be in their Art contayned The manner of importance or the Apostles speech is much-what like to that answer of his in the Poet who when they sought to terrifie him from fight by the ill-aboding or sinister flying of Birds made answere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It was the best Augurium or south-saying for a man to fight for his Countrey 40. Finally although Malachy did prophesie of Iohn Baptists comming before Christ in the power and spirit of Elias yet Iohn Baptist did not receiue his instructions from this Prophet nor had hee his Commission for being Christs fore-runner or his warrant for baptizing from Malachy but from the Prophet Isay. And therefore when the Priests and Leuites prest him further saying Who art thou that wee may giue an answere to them that sent vs What sayest thou of thy selfe He said I am the voyce of one crying in the Wildernesse Make straight the way of the Lord as said the Prophet Esaias This was the peremptory answer which he meant to stand vnto This and other passages of the same Prophet being ioyned with the internall testimony of the Spirit which did interpret their true meaning vnto him was his warrant for doing what he did for baptizing or for preparing the way of the Lord which was to come But whether the Lord would send Elias or some other greater messenger than himselfe was more than he durst take vpon him to resolue the Priests and Leuites in specially seeing they were of the sect of the Pharises and more perhaps than hee in his religious modesty or sobriety did question or inquire after But when the same Priests and Leuites did by way of demand or Interrogation seeme to vpbraid him with arrogancy in taking more vpon him than was befitting him vnlesse he were eyther the Christ or Elias or the Prophet like to Moses to some of which so great a worke as the administration of baptisme did solely belong hee modestly answeres distinguende I baptize with water but there standeth one among you whom yee know not He it is who comming after mee is preferred before mee whose Shooes latchet I am not worthy to vnloose Ioh. 1. 26 27. In which words the Euangelist Saint Iohn doth intimate as much as is expressed by the Euangelist Saint Matthew to wit That Christ should baptize them after another manner than Iohn did that is with the holy Ghost and with fire chap. 3. 11. I will not trouble you but rather request you not to trouble your selues with that needlesse Question and for the most part as ill stated by such as haue most medled with it as it is needlesse how Iohns baptisme did differ from Christs baptisme or Whether they were two baptismes altogether distinct 41. Thus much you may euidently conceiue out of what hath beene now deliuered First that the Priests and Leuites at least the Sect of the Pharises of which Sect the Priests and Leuites which questioned Iohn concerning his Baptisme were did not erre in their prenotion or beliefe in generall that the Messias his comming or manifestation to the world should be solemnized by Baptisme nor did they fayle in their coniecture that the Christ or Messias himselfe was to baptize but with what baptisme hee was to baptize they were ignorant Secondly you may perceiue that Iohn Baptist had not onely a prenotion but a distinct beliefe or knowledge in particular that as he himselfe did baptize with water so the Christ or Messias whose fore-runner hee was should baptize with the holy Ghost and with fire The onely vsefull or pertinent questions which remaine to be resolued or discussed are but two The first 1. Whether the Priests and Leuites or the Pharises had their prenotions or beliefe in generall that the Messias his first manifestation to the world should be solemnized by baptizme from
for the plaine literall sense accords with the Prophet Isaias words He turneth the wildernesse into a standing water and dry ground into water springs And there hee maketh the hungry to dwell that he may prepare a City for habitation Psalm 107. vers 35 36. Yet because this is but probable or coniecturall wee will make it no ground of our intended inference Supposing then that these predictions were as meerely figuratiue or metaphoricall as the former they might not withstanding truely and prophetically prefigure or by way of Embleme fore-shaddow aswell the internall comfort of the Spirit wherewith Christ baptizeth vs as the externall baptisme of water which Iohn administred The water you know hath two naturall properties from which many metaphors vsuall in sacred Writers are borrowed by which the true intent and meaning of the Prophet Isaias figuratiue or emblematicall expressions of the waters in the wildernesse is to be valued The first naturall property of water specially in hotter countries where thirst is more vehement and waters more pleasant is to refresh or comfort the wearie soule The second to bee the Nurse or Mother of fruitfulnesse aswell in the trees or grasse of the Field as in plants hearbes or flowres of the garden According to this latter property the Prophets prediction of springs bursting out in the wildernesse was a true Poeticall Embleme or shaddow of Iohns baptizing with water who was to be by his office as the Gardiner to water and cherish those fruitfull trees and plants of righteousnesse with which God had promised to adorne the wildernesse For euen the Publicans and sinners Aliens by nature from the Common-wealth of Israel beeing made partakers of the baptisme of Iohn were ingrafted into Abrahams stocke made fruitfull branches of that Vine which GOD had planted in Iewrie and heyres of that heauenly Kingdome which Iohn did preach whilest Abrahams seede according to the flesh were dis-inherited All the people that heard him and the Publicans iustified God being baptized with the baptisme of Iohn But the Pharises and Lawyers reiected the counsell of God against themselues beeing not baptized of him Luk. 7. ver 29 30. vide Matth. 8. ver 11 12. According to the first naturall property of water which is to refresh the weary or such as are ready to faint for thirst the same predictions of springs or waters bursting forth in the wildernesse did prefigure the internall comfort of the spirit wherewith Christ alone baptizeth vs. For though Iohn did plant and water those plants of righteousnesse yet was it Christ alone that gaue the increase And this internall baptisme was really fore-shaddowed not onely by figuratiue or Propheticall manner of speech but by historicall and reall matter of fact And so likewise was the externall baptisme by water literally foretold by the Prophet Isaias that it should be a type or signe of Christs baptisme with the Spirit This internal baptisme to omit other instances was really fore-shaddowed by the waters which issued out of the rocke in the Wildernesse when the people murmured against Moses Aaron as if they had brought thē forth out of Aegypt to haue killed them with thirst in the desart Now this wee take as granted that euery miracle which God wrought in the Old Testament was a true shaddow or picture of some great mystery to bee fulfilled in the New Testament or after the manifestation of Christ. In this the Iewes agree with vs onely they expect that the miracles which their Messias should worke should be more glorious to the eye of sense than those which Moses wrought But wee say they are not onely greater but of another kinde otherwise they shold not be true miraculous mysteries but meer miracles Now that the waters issuing out of the rock were a type or shaddow of this mystical baptisme of the Spirit wee haue the testimonies of the Prophet Esay Chap. 48. verse 28. before cited and of the Apostle 1. Cor. 10. vers 1 2 3 4. Brethren I would not that you should be ignorant how that all our Fathers were vnder the cloud and all passed thorow the Sea and were all baptized vnto Moses in the cloud and in the Sea and did all eate the same spirituall meate and did all drinke the same spirituall drinke For they dranke of that spirituall rocke that followed them and that Rocke was Christ. How was it Christ not literally not identically Christ according to the God-head was not so present in or so vnited to the rocke as he is now to our flesh yet was it Christ the second person in Trinity the Sonne of God which made the water wherewith the Israelites his people were comforted and refreshed in the extremity of their bodily thirst to issue out of the rocke when Moses smote it The mystery portended or fore-shaddowed by this miracle herein consists That the same Sonne of God who was truely God which gaue them plenty of water out of the rock should afterwards become the Rocke of our saluation the Fountaine of life vnto the thirsty and weary soule This internall baptisme which was thus really fore-shaddowed by the waters in the rocke was literally fore-told Psalm 36. vers 8 9. They shall bee abundantly satisfied with the fatnesse of thy house and thou shalt make them drinke of the Riuers of thy pleasures For with thee is the Fountaine of life in thy light shall wee see light 46. Amongst other senses in which the Scriptures of the Old Testament are said to bee fulfilled in the New one and that an especiall one as is elsewhere obserued is when such speeches as are by the Prophets most of all by the Psalmist indefinitely vttered of God but cannot be attributed to the Diuine nature otherwise then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is by manner of speech borrowed from the customes or fashions of men doe imprint their strict and proper character vpon God made man and fit his actions as the Seale doth the print in Waxe The Diuine nature is life it selfe an Ocean of liuing waters which we cannot approch but the Diuine nature in Christ is as a Fountaine or Well of life from which euery thirstie soule may draw the water of life without stint without any danger of drowning himselfe or drawing it dry For it is more calme and placid than any Fountaine or Spring though more inexhaustible than the Sea According to this sense is that other place of the Psalmist fulfilled in Christ that is in God made man The Lord shall reigne for euer euen thy God O Sion vnto all Generations Psal. 146. v. 10. That the God of Sion as God should reigne for euer was no new thing no matter of wonder or worth notice-taking to any Inhabitant of Ierusalem or man of Iudah All of them from the least vnto the greatest knew well that Hee which had made the World had no beginning no end of dayes or soueraignety But that this God of Sion who was Lord likewise of
point then hitherto I haue thought or can perswade my selfe to thinke And better then flat Apostafie from Christ I neuer thought it since I was able to reade the Trent Councell Bellarmine Valentian or other defendants of the Popes absolute and plenarie power My soule shall blesse him whether Protestant or Papist that shall conuince my vnderstanding there can be any more pestiferous foundation laid for the erection of Antichrists Kingdome then the Iesuites and Canonists haue laid by making the present Pope the virtuall Church or the visible Church of Rome the sole Catholike Church vnto which God in his Word hath promised the infallible assistance of his Spirit As for the latter point that their exorcismes are but inchantments or feates of sorcery it hath beene laid vnto their charge by some of good place and greater worth in the Church of England who are able enough to proue their Allegations so their Aduersaâ—ies would be willing to make their defence or submit themselues to any lawfull tryall The second Branch of the second Member proposed in the former Treatise Parag. 24. Containing an explication of the particular Prophesies on which Iohn Baptists faith was grounded as also of the signes of the time by which it was confirmed before he sent his message vnto our Sauiour §37 AMongst other things before deliuered this was one which I must request you to call to mind That there may be a true prenotion or stedfast beliefe of some promise or prediction concerning Christ and yet the parties which doe no wayes distrust the indefinite truth or fulfilling of such predictions or prefigurations might oft-times erre in the application of them to some partie or in some other circumstance vntill the euent it selfe did teach them rightly how to apply Euery errour presupposeth some branch of Ignorance but Ignorance doth not alwayes include errour Whence it will follow that if the best of Gods Saints might erre in partculars concerning themselues as Abraham did there is no question but they and others might be ignorant of many particulars which became manifest to posterity Thus the Pharises or the Priests Leuites which were sent froÌ„ Ierusalem to question Iohn Baptist had a true prenotion or beliefe in generall that God in latter ages would raise vp an extraordinary Prophet like vnto Moses But whether this extraordinary Prophet should be the Christ or Messias himselfe or rather his fore-runner his attendant or companion they were ignorant They had againe a true prenotion or beliefe in generall that God would send a solemne Messenger to prepare the wayes of the Lord or the Messias whom they did seeke but whether this Messenger should be Elias the Prophet the same indiuiduall person which was taken vp in a fiery Chariot into heauen or some other in power and efficacie of spirit in zeale to Gods true worship and Religion like vnto him they were ignorant And to haue beene meerely ignorant had beene no fault or at least no dangerous fault but this their ignorance declined to errour and stiffe presumption that this Messenger foretold Malachy 3. vers 1. should be Eliah the Tishbite himselfe They had a true prenotion or beliefe in generall that the Messias his comming into the world or manifestation to it should be solemnized with some extraordinary Rite or Ceremony to bee performed by water as by washing or baptizing but whether this solemnity of baptizing or washing should bee performed by the Messias himselfe or by Elias whom they lookt should be his messenger or by the Prophet like to Moses who as they expected should bee a person distinct from Christ In all these points they were ignorant at least doubtfull Howbeit their prenotion of this indefinite or generall truth did most incline vnto the first point to wit that this solemnity of baptizing should be performed by the Christ or Messias himselfe Thus much may probably bee gathered from Iohns emphaticall deniall that he was the Christ or Messias This is the record of Iohn when the Iewes sent Priests and Leuites from Ierusalem to aske him Who art thou And he confessed and denyed not but confessed I am not the Christ. Ioh. 1. v. 19 20. Thus much he confessed voluntarily as may be gathered from Saint Luke And as the people were in expectation and all men mused in their hearts of Iohn whether hee were the Christ or not Iohn answered saying vnto them all I indeede baptize you with water but one mightier than I commeth the latchet of whose Shooes I am not worthy to vnloose hee shall baptize you with the holy Ghost and with fire Luke 3. vers 15 16. This voluntary acknowledgement of his was in effect to deny that hee was the Christ but what hee here intimates by way of denyall or preuention of the people that doubted whether hee were the Christ or no he plainely expresseth being solemnely and formally asked the same Question by the Priests and Leuites which the people tacitly made I am not the Christ. Now his answer to this first interrogatory being so full and plaine they frame a second What then Art thou Elias And hee saith I am not And not satisfied with this answer they presse him with a third Art thou the Prophet And he answered No. And he had good reason to answer negatiuely to this third Interrogatory because hee had answered negatiuely to the first for that Prophet which Moses fore-told the Lord would rayse vp like vnto himselfe was to bee the Christ the promised Messias and no other 38. Of the exact proportion and similitude betwixt Moses and Christ you may reade elsewhere or heare more at large hereafter as occasion shall require His answer to the second Interrogatory being negatiue might well administer matter of new quarrell or dispute vnto the captious of those times and some occasion of scruple vnto the curious amongst vs for hee seemes to deny that which our Sauiour in this very Chapter auoucheth of him But what went yee out for to see A Prophet Yea I say vnto you and more than a Prophet For this is hee of whom it is written Behold I send my Messenger before thy face which shall prepare thy way before thee And againe vers 13 14. For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied vntill Iohn And if yee will receiue it this is Elias which was for to come And againe Marke 9. vers 11 12 13. When the Apostles asked him saying Why say the Scribes that Elias must first come to wit before the consummation of the hopes of Israel or their redemption by the Messias He answered and told them Elias verily commeth first and restoreth all things and how it is written of the Sonne of man that hee must suffer many things and bee set at nought But I say vnto you that Elias indeed is come and they haue done vnto him what soeuer they listed as it is written of him This hee spake of Iohn Baptist after hee was beheaded And
vnwritten traditions of the Ancients onely or whether it were grounded vpon the expresse testimony of Scripture or the written Word of God The second 2. Whether Iohn Baptists firme beliefe of Christs baptizing with the holy Ghost and his owne baptizing with water were grounded onely vpon the internall reuelations made to him in priuate by him that sent him to baptize with water or whether they were grounded likewise vpon expresse testimonies of the written Word interpreted and made knowne vnto him by the same spirit by which the Word was written To both these Questions the answere must be affirmatiue as well the ones prenotion as the others distinct beliefe were both grounded vpon the expresse testimonies of the written Word The onely search or inquiry then to be made is vpon what expresse testimony the one or other was grounded and how our beliefe may be grounded vpon the same testimonies 42. I must request you to remember that God in the Old Testament did fore-shew things to come two wayes eyther by expresse testimony or prediction or by matter of fact or reall representation One and the same future euent is oft times declared or fore-signified both wayes Now predictions merely propheticall are of two sorts Sometimes the Prophets fore-tell things to come in proper and literall termes so as euery man at the first hearing may vnderstand their meaning As the Prophet spake to Ahab 1. Kings chap. 20. vers 42. Because thou hast let goe out of thy hand a man whom I appoynted to vtter destruction therefore thy life shall goe for his life and thy people for his people Sometimes they fore-tell future euents of greater consequence as truely as certainely but by way of parable embleme or allegory Now this kind of prediction and the types or figures of the Law or reall euents haue the same proportion as Poetry and painting It was wittily said Poema est pictura loquens pictura est Poema silens Euery Poem is a kind of speaking picture and euery artificiall picture a kinde of mute and silent Poem And so likewise euery type or ceremony of the Law euery historicall euent portending mysteries Euangelicall is a tacit and silent prophesie and euery propheticall parable was a kind of speaking type or picture of the like euents The euents fore-told or represented by Gods Prophets are alwayes reall and substantiall more than morall more than naturall mysteries truely celestiall and supernaturall Howbeit the representation of such euents or mysteries is oft times merely literall or verball but conceyued in such termes as suppose a feigned metamorpâ—osis in the workes of nature to make the picture more fresh and liuely And this kinde of propheticall expression of things to come we call the emblematicall sence or literall Allegory so that although euery Poet bee not a Prophet yet euery Prophet of the Lord was a true Poet not in faigning euents which neuer were nor neuer should be but in framing pictures of future euents in themselues contingent as exact and fresh as any Painter can make of the man whom hee seeth with his eyes or whose picture hath beene drawne to his hand Now if a Painter could make exact pictures of Children which shall not bee brought forth till the next yeere following we would say he wrought by inspiratioÌ„ of his spirit in whose bookes all their members are written or that his pencill was guided by his hand who found out the birth of man 43. The Prophesies in speciall concerning the manifestation of the Messias and Iohns office or attendance are for the most part conceiued in termes not proper but parabolical or Emblematical that is consisting of literall or verball Allegories Howbeit some of these Prophesies perhaps some passages in all of them point out future euents in literall proper and historicall termes And of euents thus literally and punctually fore-shewed some came not to passe vntill the Messias was reuealed Others were historically verefied long before yet so as the euents which then hapned were by Gods institution true types or shaddowes of mysteries reuealed in the Gospell or to bee reuealed during the time of grace So that one and the same Prophesie is sometimes or in respect of some part of its totall obiect fulfilled according to the plaine literall sense sometimes or in respect of other parts of its obiect it is fulfilled according to the literall Allegory sometimes or in some respect it is fulfilled according to the mystical sense or reall Allegory Amongst other sacred passages which by the confession of the Ancient and moderne malignant Iew haue speciall reference to the dayes of their Messias his reuelation these following are more remarkable Isay cap. 35. cap. 40. of which hereafter And againe I will open riuers in high places and fountaines in the middest of the valleys I will make the wildernesse a poole of water and the drie land springs of water I wil plant in the wildernesse the Cedar the Shittah tree and the Myrtle and the Oyle tree I will set in the desart the Firre tree and the Pine and Boxe tree together That they may see and know and consider and vnderstand together that the hand of the Lord hath done this and the Holy one of Israel hath created it Isaiah 41. vers 18 19 20. Remember yee not the former things neither consider the things of old Behold I will doe a new thing now it shall spring forth shall yee not know it I will euen make a way in the wildernesse and riuers in the desart The beast of the Field shall honour mee the dragons and the owles because I giue waters in the wildernesse and riuers in the Desart to giue drinke to my people my chosen This people the seede of Abraham according to promise haue I formed for my selfe they shall shew foorth my praise But thou hast not called vpon mee O Iacob but thou hast beene weary of mee O Israel That is the seed of Abraham according to the flesh or such as gloried in their carnall prerogatiues of their birth or progeny Isaiah 43 vers 18 19 20 21 22. Goe ye forth of Babylon flee yee from the Caldeans with a voyce of singing declare ye tell this vtter it euen to the end of the earth say ye The Lord hath redeemed his seruant Iacob And they thirsted not when he led them through the desarts he caused the waters to flow out of the rocke for them he claue the Rocke also and the waters gushed out Isaiah 48. vers 20 21. For yee shall goe out with ioy and be led forth with peace the mountaines and the hills shall breake forth before you into singing and all the trees of the Field shall clap their hands Instead of the thorne shall come vp the Firre tree and instead of the bryer shall come vp the Myrtle tree and it shall be to the Lord for a name for an euerlasting signe that shall not be cut off Isaiah 55. ver
12 13. 44. From these the like particulars in this Prophet we may obserue this generall That in all or most places wherein the manifestation of the Messias or propagation of his Kingdome is mentioned there is still foretold some strange miracle or wonder to be wrought in the desart and in particular the bursting out of waters The question is in what sense these and like places haue beene fulfilled or whether the predictions were plainely literall or rather by way of Parable or Allegory Whatsoeuer may bee said or thought of some of these predictions certaine it is that others of them were neuer verefied or fulfilled according to the literall plaine or natural sense of the words either before or about our Sauiours manifestation in the wildernesse That is as much as to say The mysteries heere truely foretold vpon Iohns baptisme were not fore-shaddowed or prefigured by matter of deed or fact or by any such reall representation as these words properly imply or by any naturall or visible alteration of the soyle or trees in the wildernesse Onely the manner of the Prophesie or prediction is Emblematicall or Allegoricall that is the mysteries heere fore-told were such in respect of mens soules bodies or affections as these alterations in the soile or trees of the wildernesse if they had literally falne out might haue beene true shaddowes or pictures of them To begin with that place whence Iohns Commission tooke his beginning Isaiah 40. vers 3 4. The voyce of him that cryeth in the wildernesse Prepare yee the way of the Lord make straight in the desart a high way for our God Euery Valley shall bee exalted and euery Mountaine and Hill shall be made low and the crooked shall be made streight and the rough places plaine We are not hence to beleeue as some later Iewes foolishly dreame that all the Hils in the wildernesse or place where the Messias was to be maÌ„ifested were to be leuelled with the Valleys or lower ground or that all the high-waies for men to come vnto him should be made as plaine smooth as a bowling-Alley or Garden walke The intent or purport of the Prophet was that this Cryer in the wildernesse was so to prepare the hearts the affections and dispositions of mens minds that they should not bee offended in Christ or the Messias when he should be reuealed that they should remoue all stumbling blockes of pride arrogancy couetousnesse peruersnesse hypocrisie or the like which did hinder them from comming vnto him with all their soules and all their hearts So when it is said The Lord would turne the thorne into the Firre tree or the bryer into the Myrtle tree in the wildernesse we must not imagine such a reall or corporeall transmutation vpon our Sauiours approach For if this Metamorphosis had bin made Iohn should not haue been a Cryer in the wildernesse but in the garden What then doe the words according to the Prophets naturall meaning and intention import As true as reall and strange an alteration in mens soules and affections which thus harkned to the Cryers voice as the supposed change of the thorne into the Firre tree or the bryer into the Myrtle tree or the change of the wildernesse it selfe into a garden if that had beene really and miraculously wrought could haue fore-pictured or fore-shaddowed The Metapâ—â—â— or Aâ—â—gory is no other then that of the same Prophet Isaiah 5. vers 7. The Vineyard of the Lord of Hosts is the house of Israel and the men of Iudah his pleasant Plant and hee looked for Iudgement but behold oppression for righteousnesse but beheld a cry Thaâ— this is the intent and meaning of Isaiahs poeticall manner of prediction or figuratiue kinde of speech on the fore-cited places may bee gathered from Iohn Baptist himselfe whose Interpretation of them in this place is liâ—erall though his speech be metaphoricall and suteable to the former Allegorie For the tenour of his proclamation or crying in the wildernesse was Repent for the Kingdome of God is at hand Now Repentance according to the strict and proper sense of the originall imports a mutation of the mind And Iohn in the very next words expresseth wherein this change of mind whereto he exhorts them doth consist Bring foorth fruites worthy repentance Math. 3. vers 8. This he spake vnto the Pharises and Sadduces when they came vnto his baptisme whom he termeth a generation of vipers more barren vnto all good workes or fruits of the Spirit then the thornes in the wildernesse or the Brambles in the desart and yet as proud that they were Abrahams sonnes as the bramble in the parable of Iotham Iudges 9. vers 15. which sought to bee anoynted King ouer the trees of the Forrest All of them expected to bee heires of the Kingdome of Heauen which they rightly beleeued should bee established in the dayes of the Messias or Christ. Howbeit they thought the chiefe glory of this Kingdome should consist in their tyrannizing or domineering ouer the Gentiles like Lords and Kings For quelling this humour and working that change of mind wherein true repentance consists Iohn admonisheth them Thinke not to say within your selues We haue Abraham for our Father This proud conceit was as a Mountaine which was to be remoued ere they could come to Christ For I say vnto you that God is able out of these stones to raise vp children vnto Abraham Matth. 3. This last clause in its literall and proper sense imports a more miraculous change than the turning of the bramble into the Myrtle or the thorne into the Firre tree than the exalting of valleyes into mountaines And yet rather then Gods promise should not haue beene accomplished this speech of Iohn must haue been fulfilled in its strict and proper sense Howeuer literally fulfilled it was in the adoption of Publicans and sinners of whom it was meant by Iohn to be Abrahams seede and heires of promise But the Baptist continueth his former Allegory or parabolicall speech according to the Prophet Esaiah's intent and meaning Now also the Axe is laid to the roote of the trees therefore euery tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewne downe and cast into the fire vers 10. None are excepted no not the Of-spring of Abraham for vnlesse vpon the baptisme of water which Iohn administred they become fruitfull like the Vine or Oliue they must be accounted amongst the thornes and brambles and be sentenced vnto the fire 45. But what shall we say of the waters bursting forth in the Wildernesse so often mentioned by the Prophet Isaias Were these predictions as meerely figuratiue as the former and not at all fulfilled according to the literal plaine historicall sense It is probable that they were thus fulfilled and that God had shewne some wonders in the wildernesse in causing springs of water to burst forth in dry and barren places betweene Isaias and Iohn Baptists dayes perhaps before the 107. Psalme was penned which
Heauen and Earth should be as visibly enthronized in Sion as Dauid had beene and that hee should begin to erect a Kingdome which was neuer to haue an end this was a wonder worthy to bee taken notice of by all the world Now that this God of Sion by whose protection Moses had led Israel out of Aegypt vnder whose conduct Iosuah brought them into the Land of Promise that hee who had anoynted Dauid King should himselfe be anoynted King ouer Sion was the true and literall meaning of the Psalmist in this and the like places of which hereafter Of this ranke is that Prophesie of Isaias chap. 40. vers 5. with which Iohn Baptist was well acquainted for hee had his Commission from it The glory of the Lord shall be reuealed and all flesh shall see it together for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Such an open distinct and full sight as these words literally import supposeth an obiect truly visible and within ken of ordinary and common sight God in his glory is altogether inuisible to flesh and bloud and though he had taken visible shape vpon him in the Heauens yet so hee had still remayned inuisible to men that haue their habitation here on earth That vnto them hee might become visible and that they might see his glory together so see it as they were seene of it that hee might see them and they see Him with the eyes of flesh He tooke vp our flesh for his Tabernacle and walked and talked amongst vs in more visible and audible manner than Hee did in the Campe of Israel than He did with Moses in the Tabernacle of the Congregation This which Isaias heere speaketh from the mouth of the Lord the Lord himselfe did after vtter with his owne mouth and yet with the mouth of man to wit that hee which had seene him had seene his Father because the glory of God was manifested in Him And when the Prophet saith That the glory of the Lord should bee reuealed and that all flesh shall see it together it is in this speech included that this glory of God should bee reuealed or manifested in the flesh The best interpretation of the Prophets words that I can commend vnto you must bee from Saint Iohn chap. 1. v. 1 14. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God And the Word was made Flesh and dwelt amongst vs and wee beheld his glory the glory as of the onely begotten of the Father full of grace and truth This blessed Apostle might perhaps say of himselfe and some few others in a peculiar sort Wee saw his glory and the glory which wee saw was as the onely begotten Sonne of God for hee with Peter and Iames had seen him transfigured on the Mount But all that saw the man Christ Iesus at his Baptisme with their bodily eyes did so see the glory of God reuealed from Heauen And he was so seene of all flesh Some of all sorts though not all of euery sort did see him baptized and heard him declared from Heauen to be the Sonne of God Some then present were Pharises others Sadduces some Iewes others Gentiles some Publicanes some Priests and Leuites some Samaritanes others Galileans Not at that time onely though the Prophets words be especially meant of that time but euer after all flesh might haue seene the liuely characters of those glorious attributes of Saluation which the Prophets and Psalmist had appropriated to the God of Sion to make distinct and reall impression in the man Christ Iesus These two attributes of glory and saluation are of so neere alliance of such equiualent vse that whereas the Prophet had said All flesh should see the glory of God Saint Luke expressing his meaning saith All flesh shall see the saluation of God chap. 3. vers 6. He supposeth as the Prophet meant that the glory of GOD should bee manifested in the saluation of men This glory or saluation of God was then reuealed and became visible to flesh and bloud when God became man and tooke his generall attribute of saluation as his proper name being called Iesus Finally that saluation of God which Simeon saw with such delight at our Sauiours Circumcision all flesh did or might haue seene at his Baptisme 47. But to returne vnto the Testimony of the Psalmist With thee is the Fountaine of life which containeth the mysticall signification of the waters which miraculously issued out of the rocke The best Interpretation of both places is deliuered by Saint Iohn by way of Comment vpon our Sauiours words Iohn 7. 38 39. Hee that beleeueth on mee as the Scripture hath said out of his belly shall flow Riuers of liuing water This intersertion or parenthesis as the Scripture hath said stands like the tongue in a ballance doubtfull to whether part of the Sentence wherein it is contayned it inclineth Some Interpreters would draw it to the first part Hee that beleeueth in mee as saith the Scripture that is in such wise such sort and measure as the Scripture requireth out of his belly shall flow Riuers of liuing water Others would draw it to the later part and render it thus Hee that beleeueth in mee out of his belly shall flow Riuers of liuing water as the Scriptures hath fore-told Though both interpretations may be true though both may stand with the generall Analogy of faith yet the later in my opinion is more pertinent and more consonant to the true intention of this place But then it will be questioned What Scripture hath said that which our Sauiour here doth to wit that riuers of liuing water should flow from such as beleeued in him The very expresse words are no where else to be found in Scripture for they are as most of our Sauiours are when hee speakes of greatest mysteries parabolicall Their importance or reall sense is expressed by Saint Iohn in the same place This hee spake of the Spirit c. Now if by the riuers of liuing water our Sauiour meant as Saint Iohn telleth vs hee did this plentifull effusion of his Spirit the same Scriptures which fore-tell the plentifull effusion of the Spirit whether in termes plainely literall or emblematical fore-tell likewise the riuers of Liuing water which were to flow from true beleeuers The manner of our Sauiours expression of the Spirits effusion by riuers flowing out implyeth it should be powred out in such a plentifull measure as would be not onely sufficient to satiate the soules of them that thirsted after it but in a measure ouer-flowing to the Saluation of others And such were these admirable gifts of the Holy Ghost which after our Sauiours Ascension were bestowed vpon his Apostles and Disciples The Scriptures which particularly fore-tell this plentifull effusion of the Spirit are many these following are if not the principall yet the most apposite to our present Argument Ioel 2. vers 28 29 and 32. And it shall come to passe afterward
of serious conference or commerce they import thus much at least That all the knowledge which Iohn Baptist had of our Sauiour before he baptized him was suggested from consideration of the signe which God had giuen him not from any new internall reuelation of the Spirit altogether distinct from that reuelation by which the signe was giuen vers 33. But he that sent me to baptize with water the same said vnto me Vpon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining on him the same is he which baptiseth with the holy Ghost And I saw and bare record that this is the Sonne of God His record had not been authentique vnlesse hee had seene the Spirit descend vpon him And his coniecturall knowledge of him as of the Sonne of God before the Spirit did descend vpon him had beene altogether groundlesse without some iust presumption that this was the man vpon whom the Spirit was to descend 51. Maldonat hauing framed the like answer in effect as Iansenius doth seekes to illustrate it thus by example Albeit Iohn Baptist did no more know our Sauiour by face from other men than Samuel did the sonnes of Iesse one of which he was appointed to anoynt King in Sauls stead ouer Israel yet when our Sauiour came to bee baptized he might know him to be the Messias by some such Diuine instinct or reuelation as Samuel knew Dauid whose face he had neuer seene before to be the man whom God had appointed him to anoynt King ouer Israel But of this otherwise iudicious Commentator in his expositions of Prophesies or of the manner how Scriptures are said to be fulfilled that may bee truely said which the French Mathematician did of Cardanus his writings Ingeniose semper rarò perfectè His Expositions in this kind are alwayes acute and witty seldome exact or fully satisfactory And the very instance which he bringeth for illustratiō of this point is very vnfitting very vnlike For it is euident out of the Historie mentioned 1. Sam. cap. 16. ver 3. That although Samuel knew none of Iesse's sonnes by face yet he had distinct reuelations from God some negatiue and expresse Looke not on his countenance nor on the height of his stature because I haue refused him vers 7. Others againe as expressely assertory For when Dauid was brought before him The Lord said Arise anoynt him for this is hee vers 12. Samuel had no visible signe giuen from God whereby to know the man whom he was to anoynt from his brethren but was meerely to rely vpon such reuelations or instructions as God had promised to giue vnto him in the very act or businesse Call Iesse to the Sacrifice and I will shew thee what then shalt doe and thou shalt anoynt vnto mee him whom I name vnto thee 1. Sam. 16. 3. But God as you heard before had giuen to Iohn Baptist an expresse visible signe whereby to distinguish the Messias or him that was to baptize with the Holy Ghost from all other men God did not promise him any such new reuelations or instructions whereby to know him before his Baptisme or in the act of baptizing as he expresly promised to Samuel Nor doth the Euangelist eyther mention or intimate any such reuelations as the History saith were giuen to Samuel to haue beene giuen or made vnto Iohn Baptist before the Holy Ghost did descend vpon our Sauiour So that such reuelations or instructions as Maldonat supposeth were on Samuels part altogether necessary because hee had no visible signe giuen him but in this businesse of Iohn Baptist altogether superfluous The exhibition or production of the visible signe which God had promised him was the onely new reuelation which he was to rely vpon 52. I will not trouble you with the variety of opinions or expositions of seuerall Commentators from none of which I haue receyued any full satisfaction my selfe All of them haue omitted one poynt which in euery controuersie ought in the first place to be enquired after And it is this Whether there be not a Meane betweene the opposite or controuerted opinions The opposite opinions in this argument are two The one That the holy Ghost did descend vpon our Sauiour in Iohns presence before he was baptized by Iohn The other That Iohn did know our Sauiour before his baptisme by some speciall immediate reuelation of the Spirit Now it is not necessary that Iohn should know him by eyther of these two waies There is an apparant meane or middle way betwixt them by which Iohn might come to such knowledge as he had of our Sauiour before the Holy Ghost did in the sight of the people descend vpon him And this meane wee may suppose to bee the opening or vnfolding of some Propheticall passage whose meaning before Iohn had neyther occasion in particular to obserue nor opportunity to discerne Howbeit this knowledge of Scriptures may be called a reuelation but ordinary and mediate such as the Ministers of the Gospell may at this day haue by the helpe of Commentaries by collation of Scripture with Scripture or of historicall euents with Prophesies precedent the signes of the time being in all ages the best Commentators and as it were substitutes to the spirit of Prophesie or Reuelation Now although the Euangelist neyther mention any speciall reuelation made vnto Iohn after God had giuen him a signe whereby to know our Sauiour nor intimate any probable ground for such coniectures yet they Saint Marke especially relate such circumstances of our Sauiours comming to Iohn as might well occasion him to call to minde a peculiar passage concerning Christs Baptisme mentioned by the Prophet Isay which otherwise perhaps had not beene thought of or whose meaning although hee had thought of it Iohn could not for the present haue vnderstood without such Comments or Expositions as the manner of our Sauiours comming to Baptisme did make vpon it Now the testimonies of the Scripture long before written especially the Propheticall testimonies or predictions of things to come are no way superfluous eyther where new reuelations though made by God to following Prophets viua voce or visible signes are giuen or promised but rather subordinate and concurrent that is to speake more plainely as well all new reuelations made by the Spirit whether viua voce or otherwise as all visible signes or wonders which God doth promise or worke are to be examined and authorised by his Word already written specially by the predictions of the Prophets And all new reuelations or visible signes or wonders which haue beene are or shall be if they proceed from God or the spirit of Truth are alwayes true Commentaries or expositions of some part or other of the written Word and pledges withall of some greater Mystery to come afterwards to bee fulfilled for their good to whom such reuelations or signes are giuen and made 53. The historicall relation of Saint Marke whose circumstances might leade Iohn and now may leade vs vnto
the right meaning of the Prophet Isaias Testimony concerning the descending of the Holy Ghost is in the 1. of Marke v. 9. And it came to passe in those dayes to wit in those dayes wherein all the Land of Iudea and they of Ierusalem went out and were all baptized of Iohn in Iordan confessing their sinnes that Iesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized of Iohn in Iordane Now yee are to conceiue that as no Bishop or inferiour Minister amongst vs doth or may at any time administer Baptisme saue onely to such as hee knoweth to be borne of Christian Parents whose names and place of dwelling hee knoweth so neyther did Iohn the first Minister of Baptisme admit any to the Baptisme of water saue onely such as did professe their names their condition of life or place of dwelling And our Sauiour onely excepted all that were baptized of him did confesse their sinnes All this is euident from the Euangelists especially from the Euangelist Saint Luke chap. 3. For Iohn bestowed a distinct Sermon or exhortation vpon euery distinct sort or profession of men that came to bee baptized of him Vnto the Pharises and Sadduces which came to his Baptisme amongst other multitudes of people hee said O generation of Vipers who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come Bring forth therefore fruites worthy of Repentance and begin not to say within your selues Wee haue Abraham to our Father For I say vnto you that GOD is able of these stones to rayse vp Children vnto Abraham And now also the Axe is layde to the roote of the Trees Euery Tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewne downe and cast into the fire Luke 3. vers 7 8 9. The people hearing their Teachers or Masters thus sharpely checked by Iohn asked him saying What shall wee do then Hee answereth and saith vnto them Hee that hath two coates let him impart to him that hath none and hee that hath meate let him doe likewise And as it followeth in the same Euangelist Then came also Publicans to be baptized and being taught as it seemes by the example of the people of Iudea which had beene baptized before them They sayd vnto him Master What shall wee doe And hee sayd vnto them Exact no more than that which is appoynted you And after they had beene baptized the Souldiers likewise demanded of him saying And what shall wee doe And hee said vnto them Doe violence to no man neyther accuse any falsly and bee content with your wages vers 10 11 12 13 14. Now after all these were baptized yet all these being still present with Iohn that all flesh as the Prophet fore-told might see the glory or as Saint Luke saith the Saluation of God our Sauiour came to be baptized of Iohn And inasmuch as Iohn before this time did neyther know him by face or by name there is no question but he would require both his name his profession and place of dwelling before he would admit him vnto Baptisme vnlesse our Sauiour happely did in both preuent him Howeuer after Iohn had once heard his name and the name of the place Towne or Citie from whence hee came hee might easily prognosticate or diuine without any speciall extraordinary reuelation that amongst al the multitudes of men which resorted vnto his Baptisme this was the man on whom the holy Ghost was to descend according to Gods promise and the prediction of the Prophet Isaias And vpon this prenotion or presumption Iohn might in modesty say vnto Him as you heard before I had need to be baptized of thee and commest thou to be baptized of mee 54. But I know you expect to know the place of the Prophet Isaias wherein the descending of the holy Ghost vpon our Sauiour is fore-told and how the name of Iesus and of the Towne or City whence he came might call this place vnto Iohns minde or expound the distinct meaning of it before vnknowne vnto him The place is Isay 11. vers 1 2. And there shall come forth a Rod out of the stemme of lesse and a Branch shall grow out of his rootes And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest vpon him the spirit of wisdome and vnderstanding c. This prediction or Propheticall testimony is of the same ranke or kinde that all or most of this Prophets predictions which concerne the mystery of Iohns baptizing our Sauiour were before obserued to be that is a prediction not giuen in literall plaine Grammaticall termes but in termes allegoricall or emblematicall such as was Iothams prediction of Abimelechs and the men of Sechems ruine by the Parable of the Trees of the Forrest or such as Isayes fore-picturing the destruction of Iudah and Ierusalem by the Parable of the Vineyard which was to be layed waste by its Lord and Owner because in stead of Grapes it brought forth wild grapes The Prophet Isay in the later end of the tenth Chapter and in the words immediately preceding to the late-cited Testimony had said Behold The Lord the Lord of Hoasts shall lop the bough with terrour and the high-ones of stature shall be hewne downe and the haughtie shall bee humbled And hee shall cut downe the thickets of the Forrest with Iron and Lebanon shall fall by a mightie one vers 33 34 By the fall of Lebanon a Forrest famous amongst the Nations for tall goodly Cedars hee fore-pictures the extirpation of Dauids Royall Race by Salomon and his Successours or the pulling downe the mighty from their seates By cutting downe the thickets of the Forrest with Iron hee fore-shaddowes the destruction of this people by the enemies sword and the low estate whereto the House of Iudah and of Dauid should bee brought before the comming of Shiloh or of him whom they so long expected In the later part of the Prophesie which is the beginning of the eleuenth Chapter the Prophet fully expounds himselfe That the intent or purpose of the Prophesie was to instruct the people that when the Off-spring of Dauid and hope of Iudah should seeme in a manner vtterly cut off as it was to all mens thinking in the dayes of Herod the Great yet then there should spring a Rod out of the stemme of Iesse and a Branch out of his roote which should rayse the House of Dauid now ruined vnto greater height than euer it had By this Rod or Branch the Prophet vnderstands a man for hee termes him the Rod or Branch of Iesse who was Dauids Father But a man that should be better able to rule and feede the people of Israel than Dauid himselfe the chiefe stemme of Iesse or Salomon his sonne or any other King of Iudah had beene The extraordinary gifts or qualifications which the Prophet fore-telleth that the Spirit of the Lord which was to rest vpon him would bestow vpon this Rod of Iesse are such as can appertaine to none saue onely to the Messias himselfe that is to the Lords
Iesus the King in their hearts his first comming had beene as dreadfull to the whole Land as the vnworthy receiuing of his body and blood was to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 11. God in his wisedome as some of the Fathers very well obserue had so ordained that the same Element by which the old world besides Noahs Family were destroyed should bee consecrated as an especiall meanes for preseruation of the new world The baptisme of water which Iohn administred was as a renouation or ratification of the promise which God had made to Noah a visible signe that GOD had freed the earth or Land of Iewry from that curse which Malachy speaks of and was withall a visible pledge or sacrament of a new blessing Whatsoeuer the curse or anger was which hanged at this time ouer the peoples head the Doue which descended vpon our Sauiour at his baptisme did bring to this generation a more expresse release from it and a more soueraigne pardon for all their sinnes than Noahs Doue did bring of Noahs and his families deliuerance from the curse of waters or from the danger of the Floud when she came with an Oliue branch in her mouth Now inasmuch as Iohns baptisme by water was as the medius terminus or as the way and passage betweene Noahs Arke and that holy Catholike Church which our Sauiour Christ was now to erect whereof Noahs Arke as you heard before was the expre type it is no maruell if that which was literally fulfilled or verefied in the dayes of Noah were fulfilled according to its emblematicall importance or mysticall sense in the dayes of Iohn or at his baptisme The congruity betweene Noahs Arke and the holy Catholike Church or new Ierusalem which was now to descend from heauen doth herein partly consist First not onely Noah and his Family but the Beasts as well cleane as vncleane which entred into the Arke were all preserued from bodily destruction So not onely the Off-spring of Abraham which was pre-figured by Noahs Family nor such Proselyâ—es onely of the Gentiles as were made visible members of the Iewish Church which answered in proportion to the cleane Beasts in Noahs Arke but euen the worst sort of the Gentiles such as had most oppugned the Children of Abraham in their Religion so they will be admitted into the Holy Catholique Church or mysticall body of Christ shall be as vndoubtedly preferued both in body and soule from the curse of Hell-fire as the vncleane Beasts which entred into Noahs Arke were from the curse of waters 58. That the admission of the Heathens which had been no Proselytes of the Iewish Church before into the Catholique Church now erected by Christ was prefigured by the vncleane beasts is more than probable vnto vs from the Vision which Saint Peter saw Acts 10. vers 10 11 12 13 14 15 16. Peter after his prayer became very hungry and would haue eaten but while they made readie he fell into a trance and saw Heauen opened and a certaine vessell descending vnto him as it had beene a great sheete knit at the foure corners and let downe to the earth wherein were all manner of foure-footed beasts of the earth and wilde beasts and creeping things and Fowles of the Ayre And there came a voyce to him Rise Peter kill and eate But Peter said Not so Lord for I haue neuer eaten any thing that is common or vncleane And the voyce spake vnto him againe the second time What GOD hath cleansed that call not thou common This was done thrice and the vessell was receyued vp againe into Heauen The opening of Heauen and the letting downe of the vessell wherein were all manner of beasts as well vncleane as cleane did signifie that the Kingdome of Heauen or gates of the new Ierusalem were now set open to all beleeuers and the way to true beliefe manifested to all of what Nation soeuer they were the one as open and the other as manifest to the Italians or Romanes which neuer had beene Proselytes as to the seed of Abraham or the Proselytes which they had made That matters of fact or emblematicall representations by vision or apparences are as truely doctrinall as words vttered and vnderstood according to the literall sense wee neede no further proofe than Saint Peters application of this vision vers 28. And hee said vnto them vnto Cornelius and his Italian friends and attendants Ye know how that it is an vnlawfull thing for a man that is a Iew to keepe company or come vnto one of another Nation but God hath shewed mee not in expresse words but by vision or representation emblematicall that I should not call any man common or vncleane Nor did Peter in expresse termes or conceit deem any man vnclean Onely hee had said whether in expresse words or in thought onely I haue neuer eaten any thing that is vncleane Yet when answere was made What God had cleansed that call not thou common hee knew by the circumstances of the time and by the tenor of Cornelius his message vnto him that God in this answer did not meane beasts or things edible but men represented by vncleane beasts whose vse the Lord at this time had sanctified vnto his people in token that men or Nations before vncleane were now capable of sanctification The mystery included in this vision was fulfilled in the baptisme with the Holy Ghost and was prefigured by the admission as well of Publicans Roman Souldiers as of Pharises Iewes or Proselytes vnto the Baptisme of Iohn Now S. Peters owne interpretation of this vision will warrant our former Interpretation of the Prophet Isay cap. 11. vers 6. as also of most other places in this Prophet which as you heard before were to bee vnderstood not according to the literall plaine and Grammaticall signification of the words but according to their poeticall or emblematicall importance Howbeit when we affirme that the aforesaid Prophesie Isay 11. vers 6. was specially fulfilled according to its poeticall parabolicall or emblematicall sense we no way deny that it might in part be verified or exemplified according to the plaine literall or historicall signification of the words Certainely it was so verified in our Sauiour whilest hee remained after his Baptisme in the Wildernesse And immediately after his Baptisme the Spirit driueth him into the Wildernesse And hee was there in the Wildernesse fortie dayes tempted of Satan and was with the wilde beasts and the Angels ministred vnto him Mark 1. ver 12 13. Wee doe not reade that any wilde beast or noysome creature of which the Wildernesse had plenty did eyther annoy our Sauiour or attempt any violence against him whilest hee was with them Wee doe not reade that Satan did euer tempt Him to encounter with a Lyon or a Beare as his Father Dauid had done or to tread on Serpents or Scorpions to see whether they would sting him or no because he saw by experience that this Iesus of
work any As indeed hee did worke no miracles besides the turning of water into wine at the marriage feast at Cana in Galilee which as Saint Iohn the Euangelist â—elleth vs was the beginning of miracles or as a proofe or assay of his ability to worke miracles when his houre was come which was not till Iohn was imprisoned But immediately after Herod had imprisoned Iohn our Sauiour left Iudea and went into Galilee where by Gods appointment the Kingdome of heauen whose approach Iohn at his baptisme had fore-told was to bee proclaimed and established The matter of fact to wit his going into Galilee vpon Iohns imprisonment is expressely related by Saint Iohn cap. 4. vers 1 2 3. When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharises had heard that Iesus made and baptized moe Disciples than Iohn though Iesus himselfe baptized not but his Disciples he left Iudaea and departed againe into Galilee not so much for feare of the Iewes as to accomplish that for which he was sent into the world The end of his going into Galilee at this time after Iohn had performed his office of baptizing and was now to decrease is more expressely noted by Saint Matthew chap. 4. vers 11 12 13 14 15 16. Then the Diuell leaueth him aâ—d behold Angels came and ministred vnto him Now when Iesus had heard that Iohn was cast into prison hee departed into Galilee And leauing Nazareth hee came and dwelt in Capernaum which is vpon the Sea-coast in the borders of Zabulon and Napthaly That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaias the Prophet saying The Land of Zabulon and the Land of Napthaly by the way of the Sea beyond Iordane Galilee of the Gentiles The people which sate in darknesse saw great light and to them which sate in the Region and shaddow of death light is sprung vp In particular to shew you the whole manner how this Prophesie was fulfilled by our Sauiours going out of Iudaea into Galilee by his leauing Nazareth and repairing to Capernaum would require a longer discourse than is fitting for the Pulpit Some touch of it perhaps I shall giue you in the conclusion of our Sauiours answere to Iohn as it concernes the first place of Isay whereto he referreth him That which I would now haue you to obserue out of the Euangelist Saint Matthew is this First that this Prophesie was fulfilled in our Sauiours promulgation of the Gospell in those places Secondly albeit our Sauiour was anoynted King of Iudah and inaugurated to the Kingdome of heauen at his baptisme yet hee did not take actuall possession of his Kingdome or giue Lawes vnto his subiects he did not fully exercise his Regall authority ouer Satan and the vncleane spirits his angels nor establish the Kingdome of Grace by signes or wonders vntill the time of Iohns imprisonment Thus much is euident from the words of Saint Matthew Chap. 4. vers 17. From that time to wit from Iohns imprisonment Iesus began to preach to say Repent for the Kingdome of Heauen is at hand From the same time he did choose his twelue Apostles and gaue Authority to them and to the seuentie Disciples to preach the Kingdome to heale all manner of diseases and to deliuer the people from the tyranny of Satan From the same time our Sauiour began to make that excellent Sermon vpon the Mount whereof you may reade Matth. 5 6. which is the fundamentall Charter by which the Kingdome of Heauen heere on earth is established Now albeit Iohn did worke no miracles himselfe nor had seene our Sauiur worke any before his imprisonment yet hee had ingaged his credit and reputation with the people who tooke him for no lesse than a Prophet that Iesus of Nazareth whom he baptized in Iordane should worke such miracles as Isaias the Prophet had foretold the Rod or Branch of Iesse should worke and accomplish all which the said Prophet had foretold should ensue vpon the voice crying in the wildernesse That Iohn had thus far ingaged himselfe for winning reputation to his Lord and Master is euident from the fruites or effects of this his ingagement manifested in the people Iohn 10. v. 39 40 41 42. After our Sauiour had escaped out of the hands of the Iewes hee went away againe beyond Iordane into the place where Iohn at first baptized and there hee abode And many resorted vnto him and said Iohn did no miracle but all things that Iohn spake of this man were true And many beleeued on him there Now albeit Iohn after hee had seene the holy Ghost descend vpon our Sauiour did neuer doubt whether he was the promised Messias or no yet what greater comfort or satisfaction could Iohn receiue being now imprisoned than to haue an acquittance from his former Ingagement for our Sauiour sealed by such visible and sensible euents as are heere related and solemnly acknowledged and deliuered by him for whom Iohn stood ingaged who had fully discharged whatsoeuer Iohn had promised on his behalfe That this answer of our Sauiour did really discharge Iohn of his former ingagement and fully acquit him from all suspition of collusion or compact with Iesus of Nazareth whom he baptized and proclaimed to be the Messias might easily haue appeared to the most malicious Iewe then liuing that would but haue compared the miracles heere related with the predictions of the Prophet Isay laying both of them to heart and weighing them with the circumstances of the seuerall times The testimonies are two The first prediction of the Prophet Isay whereto our Sauiour in this answere referreth Iohn and all such as should seeke satisfaction from him is Isay 35. but especially vers 3 4 5 6 7. Strengthen yee the weake hands and confirme the feeble knees Say to them that are of a fearefull heart Bee strong feare not behold your God will come with veâ—igeance euen God with a recompence he will come and saue you Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened and the eares of the deafe shall bee vnstopped Then shall the lame man leape as an Hart and the tongue of the dumbe shall sing for in the Wildernesse shall waters breake out and streames in the desart And the parched ground shall become a poole and the thirstie Land springs of water in the habitation of dragons where each lay shall bee grasse with reedes and rushes 69. The Testimonies before cited out of Isay albeit they were abundantly sufficient to beget faith in Iohn himselfe and others that did vnpartially consider and compare them with the signes of the time and other circumstances of which you haue heard yet were they not so apt or effectuall to conuince the froward and partiall hearers as this last cited Testimony was and is Against the former places and the expositions which Iohn made of them to himselfe and to his Disciples pride malice or fretting iealousie might haue made these or the like exceptions plausible enough to discontented minds or