the Inward baptism of the spirit I have need saith John to be baptized of thee 4. When Christs excellency and his low dismission of himselfe are compared it is a wonderfull thing to the beholder therefore saieth John by way of wondring Comest thou to me Vers. 15. And Iesus answering said unto him suffer it to be so now for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness Then he suffered him Christ will have John to consider the time of his Lords humiliation and what belonged to them both in regard of their office Doct. 1. Some things were necessary to be done by Christ in the time of his humiliation which otherwise was unbeseeming the dignity of his person Therefore saith Christ suffer it be so now 2. It is a thing both right and comely for each man to do what his calling requireth for It becometh us to fulfill all righteousness saith Christ. 3. When the Lord maketh his will clear unto us we should renounce our wil and follow his whatsoever blind zeal or carnal humility shall speak to the contrary for when John was informed of Christs mind then he suffered him Verse 16. And Iesus when he was baptized went up straightway out of the water and lo the heavens were opened unto him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting upon him As Baptism was the figure of death unto Christ so his speedy coming upon dry land did fitly foreshadow that he could not be holden long of death Therefore it is marked That straight way he went up out of the water Now after his Baptism three wonders do appear The first a vision of the opening of the Heavens towards Christ and to him to shew that as he came down from Heaven so he should return unto it and that Heaven closed against us is made open through him unto these for whom he presented himself upon Baptism The next wonder is The Spirit of God descended like a dove and lighted unto him by this visible sign of his presence shewing that Christ is that meek and gentle One that innocent and harmlesse One that most loving and lovely dove in whom the Holy Spirit hath his constant residence in and through whom alone we are to receive of the gifts of the Spirit and out of his fulness grace for grace of this wonder it is said that he meaning John Baptist saw this to wit in a more speciall manner then the rest of the multitude for this was the sign promised unto John Iohn 1 31 32 33. whereby he should be certified of the person of the true Messiah Ver. 17. And lo a voyce from heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Now followeth the third wonder unto the observation wherof we are stirred up by a new Lo or Behold for we are dull to conceive heavenly things 2. Beause we cannot conceive what the Lord doth except he declare his mind by his word A voyce speaketh from Heaven 3. Of this man now baptized and demonstrated by the glory of the opened Heaven shining on him and by the residence of the holy Ghost upon him in the similitude of a dove the Father saith This is my Son to wit my Son properly so called my native and only begotten Son by eternall Generation This is he who from all eternity was with God the Father and was God John 1. 1. and who Heb. 1 2 3. is called The brightness of the Fathers glory and the expresse image of his person 4. The Father testifieth of this person that he is his beloved Son beloved in a singular way as his Native Son Beloved for himselfe and for his proper worth being God and Man in one person 5. God loveth Christ and is well pleased with him as he standeth in our room for as he stood now in his office of the Mediator and surety for us offering himself for us unto death in Baptism the Father was well pleased and satisfied with him as with a perfect ransome for our redemption beside or above which he craved no more but rested so fully contented with the Son and with all these in whose name he did offer himself that he made open proclamation of it from Heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased The demonstrative particle in the originall twice repeated importeth as much as he is that Son that beloved One by way of Excellency to wit that Son spoken of in Paradise shadowed forth in the sacrifices and other figures of the Law prophesied of by the Prophets and declared by them to be Iehovah our righteousness and waited for by all the Faithfull before his coming as the consolation of Israel namely the consolation of such as were baptized by John for salvation in him and thus we have the glorious mystery of the Trinity most clearly revealed for the eternall Father the first Person by a voyce from heaven speaketh of his eternall Son now incarnate the second Person and the Spirit of God the third Person proceeding from the Father and the Son descendeth in the similitude of a Dove all three thus distinguished remaining One infinite and undivided God blessed for ever Amen By this also we have the covenant of Redemption laid open to us for The Son incarnate offereth here himself Redeemer and suerty for the Elect to be baptized unto death The Father accepteth the offer and declareth himself well pleased in him and so it resteth that wee being unable to pay our debts by our selves or to do any thing of ourselves which may please God or profit our souls betake our selves unto Christ who is surety for all those who come unto him CHAP. IIII. Our Lord prepares himself for his publick Ministry by a conflict with Satan to vers 12. Then returning unto Galilee he taketh up his dwelling at Capernaum and preacheth the Gospel vers 17. calleth four Apostles vers 23. and manifesteth his power in the miraculous manner of relieving all sort of miserable persons Vers. 1. THen was Iesus led up of the spirit into the wildernesse to be tempted of the divel AFter that our Lord is baptized and publickly installed in his office he is moved by the spirit to enter the lifts with Satan and his temptations Doct 1. The experience of temptations is a fit preparation for a profitable discharge of the holy Ministry for this exercise was a sitting of Christ unto his office 2. All men are subject to temptations and no man needeth to be discouraged for them for even Christ our Lord was tempted and that to the end he might conquer Satan who had overcome us and might give us also the victory over him and comfort in all our temptations while wee behold the power of holinesse in him who neither had sin in him nor could be drawn by temptation unto sin 3. Whatsoever exercise we go about especially where hazard and danger appeareth we should be sure to have warrant for our ingaging
warrantably for Matthew here sheweth the warrant of John his calling out of Isaiah 2. A called preacher should labour that the heart of the hearers be prepared for more and more lively receiving of Christ for this is Johns scope to prepare the way of the Lord. 3. He should not keep silence but in open audience discharge his commission plainly not in obscure or high termes fully keeping back nothing of the Lords revealed counsell and boldly not fearing what flesh can do unto him for this much is imported in Johns crying voyce 4. He should labour to bring down the pride of impenitent hearers and to lift up the dejected soul of such as in the sense of their sin and unworthines dare not beleeve for this is to make the Lord his pathes straight injoyned by John Vers. 4. And the same Iohn had his raiment of camels haire and a leathern girdle about his loyns and his meat was locusts and wild honey He sheweth the austerity of Johns way and manner of living fitted for his extraordinary commission Doct. 1. Such as the Lord doth call to the Ministry he fitteth them unto the work and unto the times wherein he doth imploy them such austerity was fit in a Nazarite sent forth to waken a world besotted in security 2. Ministers in their outward manner of living should so behave themselves as loast exception may be taken against them and as their work in their hand may be most advanced for so did John Baptist. Vers. 5. Then went out to him Ierusalem and all Iudea and all the region round about Iordan 6. And were baptized of him in Iordan confessing their sins As for the successe of Johns Ministry there is no small confluence of the people unto him Doct. 1. When the Lord mindeth to fish soules he can make them swim thick about the net of the gospel for all Judea went out to Johns Baptism 2. It is not unusuall to the Scripture to take All for all sorts and ranks of people all Iudea and all the Region for all sorts of people out of Judea and the Region about Jordan 3. Ministers in receiving in of members of the church must be content with the profession of repentance and faith joyned with submission to the ordinances and not pry in narrowly on their hearts and consciences for John did not take auricular or particular confession of sins it was impossible the multitudes coming to baptism being so great but such as confessed their sins in generall and desired Baptism were admitted by him and baptized in the river whether by sprinkling water on them or dipping them the word doth not determine for it is so large as to give room to either but that it was sprinkling is most likely for thus most conveniently so great multitudes could be baptized of John confessing their sins Vers. 7. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadduces come to his baptism he said unto them O generation of vipers who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come This is a speciall Sermon in the peoples audience directed by John to the Pharisees the most precise sect among the Jews who sought to be justified by their works and to the Sadduces the most licencious sect of the whole who beleeved neither resurrection of the body nor immortality of the soul wherein John exhorteth them to uprightness and bringing forth of good fruits by five reasons The first is Ye have been hitherto wicked vipers and it is a wonder that ye are fled from wrath therefore now bring forth good fruits verse 7 8. Doct. 1. How powerfull is the preaching of truth when the Lord is pleased to blesse the same for here many even of the Pharisees and Sadduces came to Johns Baptism 2. Such as professe to beleeve the word and to repent of their sins to submit to Gods ordinances cannot be excluded from entring into the society of the church for John doth not exclude these Pharisees and Sadduces the worst of men from entring into the christian church by Baptisme of whom he could have no more but profession of faith and repentance 3. Notorious sinners may and should in their receiving into the church after any pollution by scandal be put in mind of their former evill life that they may be humbled the more and be more holy for time to come for John doth not stand to call these Pharisees Generation of Vipers which is the name of the worst sort of serpents 4. It is a rare thing to see sectaries converted for John wondereth at their coming and saith Who hath forewarned you to flee 5. Wrath doth follow on all the wicked who either live Belly-gods and Epicures as the Sadduces or do seek to be justified by their own works as the Pharisees for who hath forewarned you saith he to flee from the wrath to come 6. Coming to Christ and subjection to his ordinances is the way to eschew wrath for that here is called Flying from wrath 7. When Gods glory peoples edification and salvation do require that publick faults should be publickly rebuked then the credit of the party to be reproved is not to be stood upon for John doth not stand in this case to brand these too much esteemed sectaries with the stile of Generation of Vipers to the end they may be humbled and the people drawn off the following of their former erroneous courses Ver. 8. Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance John having admitted these Pharisees and Sadduces into the church by Baptism now he instructeth them as disciples Doct. 1. The severity of the faithfull pastor should be mixed with love and care to have men saved for John so reproveth what is by-past as he giveth them direction for time to come saying Bring forth fruits 2. Men must not be secluded or suspended too long from the society of the visible church but upon their profession of repentance and faith in Christ and subjection unto his ordinances must be admitted and then commanded to prove themselves sincere by such fruits as may evidence the truth of their repentance for so doth John saying Bring forth fruits worthy of repentance Verse 9. And think not to say within your selves We have Abraham to our father for I say unto you that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham The second reason I assure you least you deceive your selfe that the prerogative of being Abrahams children will not avail you except you be sincere children carefull to do good works therefore Bring forth fruits Doct. 1. Carnall confidences are great impediments unto true repentance and must be renounced by such as would be found sincere Therefore saith John Thinke not to say within your selves we have Abraham to our Father 2. Gods promises unto the children of Abraham may be fulfilled and yet all such of the children of his flesh as are profane may be cut off for John saith Think not to say Abraham is our father 3. Rather
then God should not perform his promise he will work miracles he will convert such as there is no more hope of then of stones for John saith God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham Verse 10. And now also the ax is laid unto the root of the trees therfore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen down and cast into the fire A third reason If you be barren or bear ill fruits you shall be cut down and perish Therefore bring forth good fruits Doct. 1. When the Gospel is preached as mercy is offered so destruction should be most severely threatned if use be not made of the Gospel this is Johns way saying Now also is the ax laid to the root of the trees 2. The preaching of the Gospel of Gods mercy requireth of such as imbrace the faith necessarily a holy life and good fruits 3. Such as professe to receive the Gospel and do not study to bring forth good fruits shall perish for it is written Every tree that bringetth not forth good fruit is hewen down and cast into the fire Verse 11. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance but he that cometh after me is mightier then I whose shoes I am not worthy to bear he shall baptize you with the holy-Ghost and with fire A fourth reason Beside this outward Baptisme of water by me you must have another Baptism of the Spirit by Christ Therefore seek after it that you may bring forth good fruits wherin John abaseth himself and cryeth up Christ. Doct. 1. Outward Baptism is indeed Gods ordinance yet it is not to be rested on but a further baptism is to be sought after therefore saith John I baptize indeed with water but c. 2. The more a man be in estimation for his office or gifts the more need had he to keep him within his own bounds in a due distance from Christ and not to incroach upon his Masters glory for so doth John here understanding that some of the people had too high estimation of him I baptize you with water saith he but he that cometh after me is mightier then I. 3. The proper element of Baptisme is not oyl salt or spittle but onely water and no other thing therefore John saith I baptize with water 4. One of the ends of baptism is to seal up the covenant of repentance whereby the party baptized may be obliged to follow the course of repentance and may also have the promise of God for furnishing grace to repent sealed unto them also therefore saith John I baptize you UNTO REPENTANCE 5. The more knowledge a man hath of CHRIST the lower will he abase himself before him and exalt Christ the higher this moveth John to say He that cometh after me is mightier then I c. 6. The most excellent of men are not worthy of the meanest imployment of service to Christ that is it which John saith Whose shooes I am not worthy to bear 7. There is a two fold baptism one of water poured upon the body by the Minister another of the Spirit poured forth upon a mans soul by Christ and these two may be in time distinguished for John saith I baptize with water but he shall baptize with the holy Ghost 8. Whosoever are baptized inwardly by the Holy Spirit are also baptized with fire that is by a more penetrative power and vertue then what water at first doth show which vertue must go through the whole man unto through mortification of sin that is it which by way of explanation is imported when he saith with the holy Ghost and with fire taking baptism by fire here not for any extraordinary gift of miracles but for that which is common to the Regenerate Vers. 12. Whose fan is in his hand and he will throughly purge his floor and gather his wheat into the garner but he wil burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire A fifth reason Though now the fruitfull and unfruitfull be joyned one with another in the visible church as chaff and corn are mixed on the floor yet Christ will sever the one from the other and will take the Fruitfull to Heaven and will cast the unfruitfull in hell Therefore Bring forth good fruits Doct. 1. The visible church is like a corn floor wherein good and bad as chaff and corn are mixed together for so doth the comparison import 2. Christ as the perfect Husband man will so sever the one from the other that not one of the wicked shall be in company of the Godly for He will throughly purge his floor 3. Christ hath means at hand to make the separation he hath his word and church-censures and afflictions and trials by persecution and death and the day of judgment when he shall fully perfect the separation for his Fan in his hand and he will thoroughly purge his floor 4. The upright and Fruitfull shall be gathered unto heaven the unfruitfull as chaff e cast in hell not one of the Godly shall perish not one of the wicked shall escape perdition for he will gather his wheat and burn the chaff Ver. 13. Then cometh Iesus from Galilee to Iordan unto Iohn to be baptized of him The second part of the chapter concerning Christs baptisme wherein first we mark a providence of Christs education in another part of the country then John Baptist lived in where Johns commission to baptize in the name of Jesus appeareth to be divine so much the more that our Lord and he had never seen one another in the face before now not till now Christ cometh from Galilee to Jordan 2. Our Lord was pleased to be baptized for his own reasons namely that he might countenance and blesse his ordinance unto us as he did circumcision unto the Jews and that he might present himself among sinners as our surety and offer himself to the father to be baptized with the baptism of affliction for our ransome Ver. 14. But Iohn forbad him saying I have need to be baptized of thee and comest thou to me This offer of Christ to be baptized astonied John so far as he forbade Christ to be baptized in regard he knew Christ needed not baptisme Doct. 1. The clearest sighted of Gods Servants do not see the deep of the Lords work till he reveal it therefore was it that at first John refused to baptize Christ. 2. Albeit it be sufficient to be once baptized outwardly yet baptism of the spirit must be renewed frequently for John already indued with the holy spirit in an eminent measure saith I have need to be baptized that is yet again to receive a larger measure of this baptism yea the more of this grace is bestowed upon any man the more is he sensible of his need and desirous of a further measure of it for none more holy then John and none more desirous to be more holy then John I have need to be baptized saith he 3. Christ is the despenser of
every christian resolve to endure for Christs cause therefore iâ— trouble for Christ called by the name of the crosse while he saith He that taketh not up his crosse 3. The weight of the crosse cannot be born except Christ be looked unto be followed and adhered unto therfore he commands every Beleever both to take up his crosse and to follow him 4. If this condition please not a man to have Christ and a crosse both Christ will reject him for â—f such he saith He is not worthy of me that is He is not fit for me I wil not own him Ver. 39. He that findeth his life shall lose it and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it The fifteenth reason If any shall seek to save his life with disadvantage of my Gospel he shall lose his life and if any shall not regard his life to do me service he shall save his life Therefore fear not to avow the truth of my Gospel Doct. 1. Christs truth should be dearer to us then our life for so doth Christs words import 2. Whosoever do find out or follow a way to save his goods or his life with the disadvantage and losse of Christs cause he bringeth eternall perdition on himselfe for Christ saith here He that findeth his life shall lose it 3. Whosoever shall hazard or in the hazard lose his life temporall for Christ he shall know by experience that he hath made a good bargain and preserved his life for ever for it is said He that loseth his life for my sake shall find it Ver. 40. He that receiveth you receiveth me he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me 41. He that receiveth a Prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a Prophets reward And he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous mans reward 42. And whosoever shal give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple verily I say unto you he shal in no wise lose his reward The sixteenth reason Whatsoever respect or kindnesse is done to any of my Disciples for my cause I will take it as done to me and will reward it Therefore Fear not to profess the truth of my Gospel upon all hazards Doct. 1. Receiving the message of salvation from Christs servants or kindnesse shown unto Christs servants is reckoned by Christ as done to himself and done to the Father in whose name the preacher doth come for he saith He that receiveth me receiveth 〈◊〉 thaâ— sent me c. 2. The cause for which a man doth any respect to Christs servants is mainly looked unto by God whether it be done to a preacher because he is a Preacher to a righteous man because he is such to a Believer in Christ or Disciple how little or despiseable soever he seem because he is a Disciple therefore saith he In the name of a Prophet in the name of a Disciple for what good is done to any of Christs followers for other respects as for friendship hope of receiving gain by it or such like doth not come in 〈◊〉 3. The smalness or meanness of the benefit wherby any of Christs followers are helped or refreshed shall not diminish Christs estimation of the mans good affection for Even a cup of cold water shall not want a reward 4. This doctrine how hardly soever it be beleived is worthy to be received for Christ confirmeth it by a verily and that to purchase unto this saying the more credit CHAP. XI After closing up of the Apostles commission we have John Baptists message to Christ with Christs answer and testimony of John to vers 15. Then Christ upbraideth these cities which did not receive or make use of the Gospel to vers 25. And inviteth needy sinners to come unto him Ver. 1. ANd it came to passe when Iesus had made an end of commanding his twelve Disciples be departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities IN closing the commission of the Apostles Learn 1. That the Apostles had no unlimitted commissions but were aâ—â—icâ—eâ— to commandments for the former directions given to them are here called Commanding of them 2. Acts of base fear or witlesse impudency done in a perillous time to the dishonour of the Gospel or disadvantage of any point of the truth belonging to the Gospel are breaches of Christs command for here all Christs exhortations to his servants wisely and stoutly to bear out the profession of his truth in all points are likewise called Commanding of them 3. Christ so employeth his servants in teaching and preaching that he will also go about the worke himselfe for having commanded his Disciples to preach He departed to preach and to teach in their cities Vers. 2. Now when Iohn had heard an the prâ—son the works of Christ he sent two of his Disciples 3. And said unto him Art thou he that should come or do we look for another John being in prison setteth himselfe to confirme his Disciples in the faith of Christ and to this end he sendeth them to Christ with a question wherein he knew Christ would give them solid satisfaction Doct. 1. The world will readily reward the labours of the most excellent Saints of God with injuries for Iohn Baptist here is in prison for his pains 2. The news of the prospering of the Gospel Christ can cause to be carried to the prisons where his servants doâ—ly thereby to refresh them Therefore John must hear of Christs works Iâ— the prison 3. A faithfull servant of Christ should stâ—â—y to make Christs name known by whatsoever means he can and to have all those who belong unto him acquainted with Christ for John even in prison taketh course to have his disciples to know Christ better then they did 4. Beside what we can do in solving the doubts of others we shall do well to send the weak in faith to propone their doubts to Christ himself Therfore John commandeth his two disciples to propone their questions to Christ saying Art thou he c. knowing that he was most able to satisfie them Ver. 4. Iesus answered and said unto them Go and shew Iohn again those things which ye do hear and see 5. The blind receive their sight and the lame walk the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear the dead are raised up and the poor have the Gospel preached to them From the answer learn 1. That Christ despiseth not the weaknesse of the saith of his own for here he answers Johnâ— doubting disciples both with words and deeds saying Go shew what you hear and see 2. Our Lord deals prudently with weak ones for as John covers the Disciples doubting with a question proponed as it were in his own name So Christ covers their doubting also by giving the answer as it were unto John rather then to them Go shew Iohn again saith he albeit it is sure John had no doubt