The Kings Bath, Section 2

The Kings Bath · Section 2

p. 37Vers. 14.Vers. 14.

But Iohn put him backe, saying, I hauehave need to be baptized of thee, and commest thou to mee?

Sect. 2.

THis is a part of the dialogue betweene Christ and Iohn: Iohns Repulse of Christ.For Iohn seeing Christ come to him, and his Baptisme, would hauehave hindred him in his purpose, foreign, verbis vrgendo obnixè prohibebat; forbad him, that is, instantly vrged him to forbeare, and refused to admit him, and that with some contention.

Why did he so?Quest.

First, in respect of Christ.Answ. 11. Hee considered his Maiesty and greatnesse aboue himselfe, the Lambe of God, the Sonne of God, into whose name and faith all others are baptized. p. 382. Hee considered the purity of Christ, who had no need of the Baptisme of repentance; he not onelyonly had no sinne to be washed away, but also was the Lambe that tooke away the sinnes of the world: where there is no sinne (thought Iohn) there is no need of repentance, nor remission, nor the sacrament of it.

2Secondly, in respect of himselfe: 1. He considered his owne basenesse, I am not worthy to loose his shooe. 2. His own vncleannesse, and that hee was a sinner, and needed to be baptized of him; and thought it vnmeet, that a sinner should wash him that was no sinner, and more fit, that himselfe should be washed by him.

3Thirdly, in respect of the people, lest (seeing him baptized) they should mis-conceiue of him: as, to be a sinner, and as p. 39one of the multitude, needing the Baptisme of repentance, especially seeing before the people were baptized, they came confessing their sinnes: for this (in Iohns conceit) might both wrong Christ, and the people, and weaken the testimony that himselfe had giuen of him.

Whether did Iohn erre inQuest. prohibiting Christ, or no?

He did:Answ. for 1. well might he know, that Christ would not hauehave offered, or attempted, or made so tedious a iourney for any thing, either vnlawfull or inconuenient, but what was most holy, most necessary, both in respect of his owne calling, as also others saluation. 2. Our Sauiour in his answere implieth, that Iohn knew not all that belonged to his owne vocation. 3. In suffering Christ, hee reuoked p. 40his errour.

Whence we see,Doct. that men of great vertues and excellency may erre, and be good men for all that. Iohn was an excellent Baptist, of admirable holinesse; of whom Christ gaue testimony, that he was not a reed shaken, but more than a Prophet; than whom a greater was not borne of women; and yet he erred in that, which was neerly ioyned with his calling. This we see in Moses, the seruant and friend of God, Exod. 4. 13. who being called by God, at first (in humility) disabled himselfe; and not that onelyonly, but after God had giuen him satisfaction to all his doubts, vponupon his foure refusals: 1. His owne insufficiency, and the greatnesse of the businesse, chap. 3. 11. 2. Because they might enquire after Gods name, p. 41ver. 14. 3. The incredulity of the people, who would not beleeue him. 4. His owne imperfection of speech: yet after all this he refused, and shewed so much infirmity, as God was very angry, euen so angry as a father could with a child. How did the Apostles at the Ascension of Christ still dreame of an earthly kingdome, Act. 1. 6. Whē wilt thou restore the kingdome to Israel? And Peter, Act. 10. 14. being bid to rise and eate of things ceremoniall forbidden, said, Not so, Lord; for no vncleane thing hath entred into my lips.

1. Because God reueales not all at first to his children,Reason 1 who must of weake ones grow stronger; wee know but in part till that perfect come; God wil hauehave his strength knowne in weakenesse.

p. 422. That being stil in combat, they might watch so much the more, awake out of drowsinesse, shake off security, not triumph before victory, nor suffer their weapons to rust, as fearelesse of the enemy, but still be in subduing naturall corruption. Paul himselfe needed a prick in the flesh. This is the reason why all the Canaanites were not presently subdued, Deut. 7. 22.

33. To humble vsus, and keepe vsus lowe in our owne eyes, when we see what a gulfe of iniquitie we are wholy drowned in by nature, that euen the best by the best meanes and watch cannot be free; and consequently, seeing herein the greatnesse and foulenesse of sin, we might also behold the infinite grace of God for his, Christ remitting it.

44. That neither themselues p. 43should be puffed vp with their owne great gifts, nor that others should entertaine too great an opinion of the best, as being aboue the nature of man: nor yet bee discouraged too much by indwelling corruptiō, seeing the best are in the same conflict against it as we are: nor lastly to feare the preuailing of it, or our finall falling away by it, seeing the best hauehave been preserued by the power of God to saluation, notwithstanding their owne weakenesse.

5. That it might make for 5Gods greater glory, and Satans greater confusion, by reseruing some enemies against the day of triumph.

But seeing the best & dearestQuest. Saints hauehave erred, how may we trust their writings? &, doth not this call the truth of the Scripture p. 44into question?

No:Answ. for the Penmen of Scripture, while they were in their worke, were directed by infallible assistance of the Spirit both in speaking and writing. 2. Pet. 1. 21. The holy men of God spake, as they vvere moued by the Holy Ghost: though the same men as men, & out of that vvork, did faile in iudgmēt & practice. Ionas in his prophecy could not erre, but as a man vvas impotēt in anger, vvhen he savv Niniue vvas not destroyed. Nathan, 2. Sam. 7. as a priuate man vvas deceiued, in giuing Dauid aduice touching the building of the Temple. Peter erred as a man, and went not with a right foote, and vvas vvorthy to be blamed, Gal. 2. 11.

First then,Vse 1. seeing in the best, who vvere mirrors in the world, p. 45we hauehave a mirrour of our frailty, let vsus denie our own strength as being priuie to our owne weaknesse, and acknowledge that as farre as we be exempted in any thing from errour, it is by the grace of God, by which wee stand: and hence will follow, that wee must apply God by prayer, that he would not leade vsus into tentation.

Secondly,Vse 2. beware of abusing this doctrine, which wicked men peruert to their owne destruction: Oh (say they) the best man aliue may erre:Prou. 24. 16.Prov 24:16 The iust mā sinneth seuen times a day. And so they make light account of foule sinnes: but 1. the place in the Prouerbs is abused: The iust falles seuen times a day, namely, into affliction, as the other part of the opposition sheweth. 2. The godly indeed doe fall into p. 46sinne, but keepe not a course in it, they goe not on as profane ones doe. 3. Wee must looke both at their falles and rising, as they doe not: Iohn continued not in this errour.

Thirdly,Vse 3. wee see that there is no iust cause to refuse the word, because man shewes weaknesse in any thing; for then Christ might hauehave refused the Baptisme of Iohn, and we the Scriptures, because of our Ministers frailties: but wee must consider, that many good Ministers know not all poynts, and none hauehave all perfections: what Iohn saw not at first, hee saw afterward; and so may they.

I hauehave need to bee baptized of thee.]Iohn knew Christ, whom he had neuer seene before. Some hauehave thought, that Iohn did not know Christ to bee the Sonne of God, and the Messias; but onelyonly by his speech, p. 47gate, and habite, tooke him to bee some worthy and excellent man. But 1. it is vnprobable, 1that this worthy Witnesse of him, who in the wombe sprang at his presence, as if then he had knowne him, who had immediatly before preached him to be so farre aboue himselfe, as that hee was not worthy to vnloose his shooe, that hee should not now know him to be him whom he preached. 2. If he had conceiued 2him to hauehave been onelyonly some worthy man, hee would hauehave thought him fitter to hauehave been numbred among Gods people in their Baptisme, rather than hauehave forbidden him. 3. He must needs know him in 3his greatnes of Deity: for none could bee greater than not to need Baptisme, except the Son of God. 4. He confesseth that p. 484he knew him to bee more, and greater than a meere man, euen the Sonne of God, the King and Sauiour of his people, who only washeth them with the holy Ghost, and giueth them life eternall, I hauehave need to be baptized of thee.

How is it then,Obiect. that Iohn saith, chap. 1. 31, 33. that he knew him not, but by that signe giuen him by him that sent him, VponUpon whō thou shalt see the Spirit rest, that is he: the which signe was not yet accomplished, vntill after the Baptisme of Christ?

Iohn was filled with the holy Ghost,Answ. and by the same Spirit which caused him to acknowledge him in the wombe, before he had seene his face, was admonished that this was hee whom he preached. But in that he said, hee knew him not but by that p. 49signe, hee must bee thus vnderstood: 1. He knew him not by face before; for hee had neuer seene him, for the reason before alleaged. 2. Though hee had in some sort knowne him when hee came to Baptisme, yet hee knew him not so fully and cleerly as hee did afterward by that signe: yea, that former knowledge compared with the latter, is scarce worthy the name of knowledge, but of ignorance: for as it was with the fathers and beleeuers of the old Testament, so is it heere; Christ was after a sort known to that ancient people, but yet so obscurely, as compared to that knowledge in his appearing, it still carryeth the name of ignorance, Ephes. 3. 9. Paul speaking of Christs manifestation in the flesh, saith, that now that mysterie was p. 50brought to light, which was hid frō the beginning of the world. The former was a darke knowledge, as in a glasse or picture, this is face to face, at lest a knowledge by present. 3. Though Iohn knew him before the signe by a speciall reuelation, whereby he was after a sort manifested vntounto himselfe, yet was he not so inwardly confirmed, as that hee durst preach him to be the man, though he had preached much of such a one; and therefore, Ioh. 1. 34. As soone as hee had seene the Spirit rest on him, hee saith, I saw and bare record, that this is the Sonne of God, & ver. 36. pointed at him with his finger the next day, saying, Behold the Lambe of God: for now hee was openly manifested by this signe & others at his baptisme, not to Iohn only, but to all Israel.

p. 51Out of this knowledge of Christ and himselfe, hee giueth this worthy testimony of him, I hauehave neede to be baptized of thee: I came of Adam, and contracted pollution: thou didst not, but wast sanctified of the holy Ghost to be a sanctifier of all; Thou art Spirit, I am flesh: can flesh wash the Spirit? I am a sinfull creature, thou who hast power to create, hast also the power of sanctifying; Why doest thou that art Lord of all, rich ouer all, seeke wealth at my hands a poore and needfull creature, who should rather begge it of thee? hath a sound man any neede of a Physician, or a cleane man of cleansing? what spot is there in the immaculate & spotlesse Lambe of God?

I hauehave neede to be baptized of thee:] in which worthy profession, p. 521.Obser. 1. Note his humility; hee acknowledgeth his neede and wants, yet a man risen to great perfection, then whom a greater was not borne of woman, so holy in his life, and so powerfull in doctrine, that all men held Iohn for a great Prophet; yet he confesseth his neede of Christ, and of his baptisme.

The greater gifts and graces a man hath,The more grace, the more is the sense of want of grace. the more hee seeth his wants, and will be humbled for them. Iohn was priuiledged aboue all men, to be not onelyonly a witnesse to Christ, but also one, to whom Christ himselfe seeketh for baptisme: now the more hee is exalted, the more doeth he abase himselfe, and in the presence of Christ thus honouring him, he makes himselfe of no reputation. Gen. 18. 27. Abraham cōming neere to God p. 53to intercede for Sodome, and hauing preuailed with God in sundry suites, was so farre from swelling in conceit of his familiarity with God, as that most modestly in sense of Gods presence and his owne basenesse, he saith, I hauehave begun to speake, and am but dust and ashes: and the neerer the Saints come to God, and are more graced by him, the more is their sense of their owne wants. Iob hauing heard of God by the hearing of the eare in the ministry, now more familiarly and fully, euen by the sight of the eye, in the signes of his speciall presence, breaketh out into these words, I abhorre my selfe, and repent in dust and ashes, chap. 42. 5, 6.

Luk. 5. 8. When Peter saw the dignity and diuinity of Christ in that miraculous draught of p. 54fishes, hee said, Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinfull man. Why would Peter cast off his Master, or be cast off? No, (for he fell at his knees:) but the maiestie of Christ forced him to descend into himselfe, and to see himselfe vtterly vnworthy of the cōpany or fellowship of Christ: Besides, the sight of his sinne made him feare, lest, if hee should be so neere Christ, hee might reuenge his sinne.

11.Reasons. As a man, the more hee looketh vponupon the body of the Sunne, the more shall hee discerne the weakenesse of his own sight: so the bright beames of Gods grace and glory lets a man see his owne impotency and nothing.

22. As in all other plants the roote groweth according to the encreasing of other parts: so p. 55in this plant of grace in the ground of mans heart by Gods finger, the roote of grace, which is true humility, groweth with eueryevery other grace.

First then,Vse 1. he that would see himselfe in the truest glasse, must draw neere to God and Christ, and he that would be something in himselfe, let him stand neere God a little, and he shall see his error. Isa. 40. 15. All nations are before him as the drop of a bucket, and as the dust of a ballance; all nations are before him as nothing, and counted to him lesse then nothing, and vanity: Yea, the Angels themselues are comparatiuely powerlesse and impure in his sight;Iob 4. 18.Job 4:18 how much more those that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust?

Secondly,Vse 2. examine thy selfe; p. 56if thy grace be sound, it lets thee see thy wants and weakenesse, and keepes thee vnderunder, & leades thee into the practice of humility, thou wilt see some prickes in thy flesh humbling thee. Christ himselfe who was anointed aboue all his fellowes, what a lowly and humble course of life liued he in? Paul before his conuersion,Rom. 7. 9.Rom 7:9 was a iolly fellow, aliue and able to stand alone: but, when grace tooke footing, then could he confesse himselfe the chiefe of sinners.1. Tim. 1. 151 Tim 1:15 The prodigall sonne in his prodigality thought none so good as he,Luk. 15. 21.Luke 15:21 he had no company fit for him in his fathers house: but, when he came to himselfe, and returned home, oh then hee was scarce worthy the place of a seruant. Let this curbe the pride and fulnesse of spirit, in such as seeme p. 57to themselues to be aduanced in grace aboue others. Much ambition is in the best; and the Disciples in Christs schoole, at his elbow,Math. 20. 20.Matt 20:20 and in his presence, will be contending who should be greatest, one cannot yeeld to another: what trifling follies driue euen Professors, who should hauehave first denied themselues, into comparisons, into contentions with violence, and all to obscure one another? one will hauehave the praise of vnderstanding, another of speech, another of memory, another of iudgement; and one must rise by anothers fall. Now would I like him of all Professors, who will striue for the praise of humility: and this man is (by Christs determinatiō) the greatest of all, who is in regard of himselfe the least of all, and in p. 58respect of others seruant to all. I know, great corruptions will thrust in vponupon beautifull graces, but yet know thy grace to bee much blemished by such courses, and if this corruption grow and raigne, thou maist suspect the soundnesse and truth of it.

2.Obser. Obserue, Iohn acknowledgeth his need to be baptized.

2Why? did not he preach the doctrine of repentance?Obiect. did not he seale the grace of the Couenant to beleeuers by baptisme? what need then had he of it?

Hee meanes heere that baptisme,Answ. of which formerly he had spoken, by the holy Ghost and by fire: well hee knew, that hee could neuer apply to himselfe that grace, which was offered in the Word and Sacrament, vnlesse he were baptized with the holy Ghost, which was proper p. 59vntounto Christ to doe.

But what needed Iohn the baptismeQuest. of the Spirit? he was sanctified from the wombe, and had receiued the spirit of regeneration and holinesse alreadie, and was a most gracious man.

True it is,Answ. that Iohn had receiued grace, and possessed the benefits of the new Testament, and merit of Christ by faith, but yet 1. because he had them only in part, he sees his neede to hauehave them encreased and perfected: grace was rooted, but without the Spirit of Christ it could not grow. 2. Although he had receiued grace, yet hee knew it must needes lye idle, vnlesse Christ did by his Spirit continually quicken and moue it: therefore he needs still the baptisme of the Spirit, to inspire him with new life, and set him p. 60on worke in spirituall duties. 3. He knew, that though he had receiued grace and beginnings of saluation, yet hee could not perseuere in grace, and retaine those graces, vnlesse Christ did still by his Spirit worke powerfully in him, and finish the good worke hee had begun: for it is not in the nature of grace, that the Saints perseuere in it, or that it cannot be lost,1. Pet. 1. 5.1 Pet 1:5 but by the power and promise of God, who preserueth his to saluation.

The Saints of God in ScriptureDoct. The saints ascribe all their good vntounto grace from first to last. ascribe the whole matter of their saluation from first to last vntounto God, acknowledging that it is God, who worketh the will and the deed, that he is the author and finisher of their faith and saluation. 1. Pet. 5. 10. The God of all grace; namely, both of that first and eternall grace of p. 61election, and also of all secondary and consequent graces, whereby such as are elected, are in due time called, iustified, sanctified, and led vntounto glory and saluation. Isa. 45. 24, 25. In the Lord I hauehave righteousnes & strength: the whole seed of Israel shall be iustified, and shall glorie in the Lord.

1.Reasons. The true knowledge of God brings in knowledge of a 1mans selfe, the godly thereby see their owne righteousnesse to be as stained clouts, they see their owne nothing and beggerie, being desperate banquerupts, who hauehave not one farthing to pay; which the Lord Iesus seeing, hee dealeth as hee did with those two, who had nothing to pay, Luk. 7. 42. he forgiueth vsus all.

2. They know, that to come p. 622by blessing, they must cast away their owne ragges, and then put on the garment of their elder brother, which being a long white robe, it needeth neither eeking nor patching; a garment of Gods making, as Iohn here acknowledgeth Christ, and eueryevery way fit.

33. EueryEvery good and perfect gift is from the Father of lights; and if we hauehave not a bit of bread of our owne, but by prayer, how hauehave we of our selues any thing of higher straine?

Wee must therefore in the whole matter of saluation,Vse 1. acknowledge with Paul, By the grace of God I am that I am; and, I laboured more than all, yet not I, but the grace of God that is in me: faith is the gift of God, and so is continuance in faith; for he that is the Author, p. 63is the finisher of it, Heb. 12. 2. EueryEvery new act and motion of faith is Gods: In him wee liue, moue, and hauehave our being, Act. 17. 28. Oh say with that holy Martyr,John Lambert. liue and dye with it in thy mouth, OnelyOnly Christ, OnelyOnly Christ.

Secondly, abhorre all Popish religion,Vse 2. which ioyneth the doctrine of free-will, merits, and humane satisfactions with Christs merit. Iohn saw nothing in himselfe, being a man iustified, but still needs Christs baptisme; hee giues testimony to Christ, that it is hee alone that washeth from sinne, giueth the holy Ghost, and life eternall; and all contrary doctrine heereto, abolisheth the death and merit of Christ. For this coniunction and hotch-potch of theirs, wee must for euer disioine our selues p. 64from them, vnlesse wee will be disioyned from Christ as they are, Gal. 5. 2, 4, 11. Oh but the difference is not so great. Yes that it is, wee differ not in circumstances onelyonly, but in substance and foundation; and if the Apostle may iudge it, one of vsus must needes be falne from Christ, and hauehave no part in him. As good ioyne with Turkes as with Papists.

Thirdly,Vse 3. the best had need be baptized of Christ, and therefore let vsus neuer content our selues, till we finde in vsus the power of Christs baptisme, which where it is, there is the presence of the Spirit, who is as water to cleanse vsus, and fire to purge vsus.

And commest thou to me?

It was a good Antecedent, that hee needed Christs baptisme, but it was an ill consequent, p. 65that therefore Christ should not come to him. Our corrupt nature is ready to inferre vponupon good grounds false consequents; vponupon free iustification by faith, a neglect of good workes; vponupon the doctrine of predestination, a carelesnesse and leaue to doe what wee list; vponupon the doctrine of Gods merciemercy, a boldnesse and licentiousnesse in sinne; vponupon the doctrine of care for our family, a couetous earthlinesse.