Of Regeneration and Baptism, Sermons · Sermon 2 · Chapter 8

Of Regeneration and Baptism · Sermons · Sermon 2 · Chapter 8

p. 112CHAP. VIII.

QUAERE 3. Of the difference between John's and Chriſt's Baptiſme.

WHereas long(1)(1)Dignus hic vindice nodus (let me uſurp the words and liberty of Pet. Cunaeus) & opiniones quidem aliorum non percenſebimus. Poſitae enim in magna varietate ſunt. Et praeterea, nemo dixit quod penitûs placeret. de Repub. Hebr. lib. 1 ca. 9. Dr. Jackſon, a man of deep ſearching thoughts complained of it as ill ſtated to his time, in his treatiſe of Chriſts anſwer to Johns queſtion. ſect. 40. and that not without cauſe. I promiſe no more then that of St Auguſtine. Quam quaeſtionem tam ſollicitè tractabimus, ut quaeramus cum quaerentibus. Utrum autem aliquid in veniamus, nihil nobis temerè affirmantibus, lectori benè attendenti ſatis indicabit ipſa tractatio. L. de mendatio. c. 3. tom. 4. p. 3 controverſie hath been between the wrangling regiments of Polemick Writers and a queſtion ſo eagerly diſputed between Calvin and Bellarmine, and their followers of the Proteſtant and Pontifician part, What was the difference between the Baptiſmes of John and Chriſt? (as differ(2)(2)Diſcrimen interea agnoſcimus, 1. in quibuſdam externis ceremoniis. 2. gradu & efficacia in donis ſpiritualibus. 3. donis Sp. ſuncti viſibilibus extraordinariis: quae diſcrepantia tamen accidentalis non ſubſtantialis eſt. Atque ſic diſtinguendus uterque Baptiſmus, non disjungendus. Conrad. Dieteric. Domi: 4. advent. par. 1. After he had confirmed them the ſame for ſubſtance. And Brentius, They differ, 1. Baptiſmi materia. 2. Modo. 3. Donorum varietate, &c. and a little after, Johannes Miniſter, Jeſus Magiſter ſpiritus: Johannes ſervus, Jeſus dominus: Johannes cooperarius ſalutis, Jeſus author ſalutis: Iohannes famulus Chriſti, Ieſus, ipſe Chriſtus. in Act. 1. Homil. 2. fol. 2. And Dr Brockman, having gathered things together for a ſubſtantial unity, allows yet a threefold difference; in Syſthem. Theol. artic. 34. Variety is of theſe varieties: ſcarce any man hath ſaid, what hath been thought fit to be followed by another. Reaſon loves truth, and the minde nauſeates at what is offered not ſound; Again, and Again, and Again.Acts 1 they did certainly, and more then a little; They that ſay leaſt, grant yet a circumſtantial difference) May not a more likely way be found out to ſatisfie all difficulties and end this controverſie, then hitherto hath been, if for ground we preſume what was ſaid before, of the initiating of Hebrew Proſelytes by Baptiſme for regeneration, and then add,

That the holy Prieſt John's Baptiſme even of our Saviour himſelf (beſides many other, which might give him the name of BAPTIST) was nothing elſe but the ordinary exerciſe of that ſacred Power, which in the Prieſtly execution p. 113and according to the firſt intent thereof, was given to conſecrate proſelytes in to the profeſſion of the Law, whereas Chriſt came after and(1)(1)Praepa… bat viam Domino Iohannes lavando exterius corpora, ut praecederet exterius lavacrum ſequuturum Baptiſma, in quo conferretur animarum ablutio & peccatorum remiſſio. Praeceſſit quod erat ex parte ut conſummatio ſequeretur. Cyprian. de Bapt. Chriſti: pa. 267. added thereto the Holy Ghoſt, (look in Jo. 1.33. Act. 1.5. & chap. 11.16.) and ſo made up our new Chriſtian Sacrament, by raiſing it ſo much higher then it was before, (Baptiſme by water) as Baptiſme by water is lower then ours hath been ever ſince, Baptiſm by that and the Holy Ghoſt? (heed well to which purpoſe that large diſcourſe is in Act. 18. from ver. 24. to chap. 19. ver. 7. Certain, they which had the height of Johns Baptiſme never yet heard of Holy Ghoſt; this, if nothing elſe, certain.) So they baptized both, one as a legall Miniſter, the other as an Evangelicall: one to the Synagogue, the other to the Church: one into the name of GOD, JEHOVAH, ONE; the other into the ſame ONE, and THREE: the firſt, into the LAW(2)(2)In Moſen: ſo Beza read in his Tranſlation, and Pet. Ramus in his Commentaries, de religione Chriſtiana. lib. 4. cap. 6. and a hundred more beſides. They were all baptized unto Moſes in the cloud: So the authorized Church Bible of the Queens time, expounding in the Margent, into the doctrin of Moſes, though Auguſtin underſtand it otherwiſe. How Auguſtin did underſtand, is undertook to be ſhewed by Scharp: in Symphon: par. 2. Epock. 2. loc. 206. who there adds, vel in Moſen ſignificat in doctrinam vel in legem Moſis, ut Act. 19. Epheſii illi baptiſati in Baptiſmo Iohannis, id eſt, in ejus doctrina. pa. 434. Auguſtin himſelf may be ſeen in his Comment. on Pſal. 77. tom. 8. pa. 347. and his eleventh Tractate upon Iohn 3. tom. 9. pa. 41. Dr. Brown (our living Ariſtotle, if any) read it adviſedly, All were baptized unto Moſes, in his late Pſeudodox: Epidem. lib. 6. cap. 9.Acts 19Ps 77John 3 (foreign, a form remembred by St Paul, 1 Corinth. 10.2. and would be warily heeded, as containing more then is under common obſervation) the other, into the GOSPEL (foreign, as Galat. 3.27. or foreign, as Rom. 6.3. foreign, Acts 19.5. (in the primitive Church it was, Into the death of Chriſt) or foreign, &c. Mat. 28.19. not IN, but INTO that capital doctrin or head Article of al the Chriſtians Faith, the name of FATHER, SON & HOLY GHOST. In brief, the common effect of eithers Baptiſm might be, A regeneration intended (and believed no leſs to proceed from the old Baptiſme, ſc. partially) but the ſpecifying difference of thoſe p. 114common regenerations, that whereto either did tend; The one to let into the Temple, the other into the Church, the one to captivate to Mount Sinai, the other to make free of M. Sion, the one to matriculate into Moſes and Aaron, the other into Chriſt and all Priviledges, Rights, Happineſs Chriſtian; And the reaſon of thoſe different iſſues the Power given, that Power exerciſed, and the way and means whereby either proceeded, which (beſids other places before) is plainly and clearly ſet down under Johns own hand of acknowledgement, Mar. 1.7. I indeed baptize with water, but when he cometh who is mightier then I, He ſhall baptize you with the Holy Ghoſt: ('tis added elſewhere, and with fire:) View alſo to which purpoſe and compare Mat. 3.11. Luc. 3.16. John 1.26. Act. 19 4.

That laſt(1)(1)Vid. Bellarmin. lib. 1. de ſacram. Bapt. cap 20. ſecundò. place ſeems indeed to contradict; as if John baptized no leſs into Chriſt (in his baptiſme of repentance) telling the people they ſhould believe in him that was to come after himſelf: but the Original well heeded and texture of ſpeech gives no ſuch thing, but the evident or probable contrary. For, the Epheſians had not yet heard of the Holy Ghoſt (that gift to be powred out in the later days) No! ſays the Apoſtle: Whereunto then were ye baptized? They ſay, Ʋnto Johns Baptiſme: (yet, it ſeems, nothing of that inſpiration) ye might indeed, replys St Paul, ver. 4. for John did baptize (a kind of baptiſme, ſc. of repentance, or ſome change of minde; foreign, a tranſmentation, ſuch a regeneration) but this not effectual to the end now ſpoken of: which being, of the Holy Ghoſt, that, (or light ſo much as that it was) he nor had nor gave: And therefore he went farther (to ſtrike the matter home) ſaying unto the people, They ſhould believe on him that ſhould come after (that is, on Jeſus Chriſt) And when they heard this they were baptized INTO the name of the Lord Jeſu, (ver. 5.) and ſo obtained their deſire. This although it be not the uſual, is, I doubt not, the true and natural meaning of the place, giving the right ſenſe, grounded upon a genuine, unforced, free offer of the words; and withall affords a new and better p. 115ground to raiſe anſwer to the(1)(1)Vid. Caſſand. Conſultat. cap. de diſcrimine Baptiſmi Iohannis &c. p. 87 88. Anabaptiſts, (who hence (not altogether irrationally) derive colour of Rebaptization after Chriſtian baptiſme compleat (if Johns Baptiſme of Chriſt were ſuch) or at leaſt after(2)(2)Which all muſt grant: but they diſtinguiſh. Nec iteratum eſt in his Baptiſma, ſed innovatum. Lombard. …ent. l. 4. diſt. 2. neque ibi fuit baptiſmi iteratio, ſed veri Baptiſmi prius non habiti collatio. Clictov. in Comment. ad Damaſcen. de fide orthod. lib. 4. cap. 10. The corrupt form Iohn had uſed, was mended, ſay the Centuriſts. lib. 2. Centur. 1. cap. 6. de ritibus circa Bapt. Dominus Ieſus Chriſtus tali Baptiſmo mundat eccleſiam, quo accepto nullum alterum requiratur: Iohannes autem tali Baptiſmo praetingebat, quo accepto eſſet etiam Dominicum Baptiſma neceſſarium, non ut illud repetatur, ſed ut iis qui Baptiſmum Iohannis acceperant, etiam Chriſti Baptiſmus, cui viam praeparabat ille, traderetur. Auguſtin. de Bapt. contra Donat. lib. 5. cap. 9 tom. 7. pa. 60. (ſo had he determined before, in the beginning of that chapter) And he lays it down for obſervable, that the firſt Baptiſme of theſe Epheſians was but Iohns, not Chriſts. and ſo no occaſion of repetition of the ſame. lib. de unico Bapt. cap. 7. tom. Eod. pa. 84. For this reaſon he prefers the Baptiſme of Iudas before the Baptiſme of Iohn (and need not be renewed, as Iohns was) Quos enim baptizavit Iohannes, baptizavit Iohannes: Quos autem baptizavit Iudas, Chriſtus baptizavit. Tract. 5. in Iohan. tom. 9. pa. 20. taken after into the Decree, de Conſecrat. diſt. 4. cap. Aliud. (and ſee alſo, Cauſ. 1. Queſt. 1. cap. Dedit:) Summa eſt, quòd Paulus diſcipulos illos erudiverit de doctrina Chriſtiana, atque ita eis ut iterum baptizentur praeceperit, quum non fuiſſent rectè baptizati. Piſcator. in Act. 19 1. Theſe things paſs; and are the more likely, becauſe the teacher of the Epheſians (the mighty Apollos) was, as to the way of the Lord, yet no more then Catechized, foreign, cap. 18. ver. 25. hough fervent in Spirit.Acts 19:1 ſome kind of holy Baptiſme precedent which Proteſtants, that ſay Johns Baptiſme and Chriſts were all one, I do not ſee how can deny to be compleat) then other, or former, various, dark, uncertain interpretations, diverſions, diſtortions poſſibly could. And moreover, other (I believe, all) places of Scripture treating on this argument might be better brought in to correſpond then thoſe ſenſes others various, incoherent, and ſometimes contradictory interpretations have been forced to put upon them.(3)(3)Part. 3. Queſt. 38. per tot. Aquinas was put to uſe of his beſt wits, and had much adoe to make things cohere, or in any tolerable ſort piece together; and let him take heed of but as nimble, ſtrong, rationall, Logicall oppoſition: Thoſe that led or follow of either ſide, are troubled no leſs to bring things about, or comply with their own: Veritas ſimplex, (4)(4)foreign. Clem. Alexand. Strom. 1. pa. 298. foreign. Chryſoſt. Homil. 3. in Epiſtol. ad Roman. Truth is nothing ſo much as ONE.error multiplex, and it is p. 116not much like they are all of the right who agree chiefly to croſs one another.

Ob. I confeſs ſome difficulties do ſpring out of this new way, but withall not no likelyhoods to countervail; Divers things flatter to a more then probability, but ſome ſowre oppoſitions would again croſs and overturn all. The chief I foreſee is this. That our Saviour was an Hebrew (Hebraeus ex Hebraea, by one ſide at leaſt, though not Hebraeus ex Hebraeis, as(1)(1)Philip. 3 5. Whereof ſee …n Moſes and Aaron: pa. 9. lib. 1. cap. 3.Phil 3:5 Paul, which was the moſt noble) and ſo not capable of proſelytiſme, who yet was baptized, Mat. 3. & Mar. 1. The(2)(2)There w…nt to Him, Ieruſalem and all Iudaea and all the region round about Iordan, and were baptized of him in Iordan, confeſſing their ſins. Matt. 3.5, 6. All the people and the Publicans, Luc. 7 30.Matt 3:5Matt 3:6Luke 7:30 whole people no leſs, dwelling about Jordan, who came and were received, Matth. 3.5. & Luc. 7.29. and thoſe other of Act. 19.4. yea the very Scribes and Phariſees, the inſide of that Nation, (as many underſtand Matth. 3. though a very(3)(3)Obſerved by the late Biſhop Montague (in Origin. Eccleſ. tom. 1. part. 2. ſect. 62 pa. 392.) that, although all the people and the publicans juſtified God and were Baptized with Johns Baptiſme, yet the Phariſees and the Lawyers rejected this way of God, and were not baptized. Luc. 7.30, 31. But theſe might be different times. In Matth. 3.5. they might come and ſpeed, but here reject themſelves. Conjectured by H. Grotius, that Iohn was now in priſon; as very like from Matth. 11.2. John in Bonds heard the ſame of Ieſus which bred the meſſage of this chapter. And Calvin in his Harmony of the Goſpels, places theſe Baptiſmes far enough aſunder: pa. 79, 80. compared with pa. 244, 245. approved by Marlorate on Luc. 7.29.Luke 7:30Luke 7:31Matt 3:5Matt 11Luke 7:29 learned man ſtand on the contrary part, from Luc. 7.30, 31.) Nay and(4)(4)Part. 1. cap. 17. ſect. 5. So Dr. Brochman: Baptiſmus Iohannaeus non niſi ſolis Iudaeis adminiſtrabatur. Syſthem. Theolog. art. 34. ſect. 4. Ludolph. de Saxonia, appropriates Johns work of Miniſtery to the Hebrews only.

Anſw. But theſe difficulties I take to be eaſier ſoluble by leaſure, wit and induſtry, then divers other in weightier matters (even about Baptiſme, and this very part of Baptiſme) or if not, I do now but propoſe and not determine. As if we ſhould ſay.

1. That Baptiſme commonly taken to have been in-itiatory only of the Gentiles, may, not impoſſibly nor very improbably have been taken in with Circumciſion to enter or Matriculate into the Law. The Scripture ſays nothing to p. 117the contrary; and the Scripture does ſay,(1)(1)The ſenſe of the place ſeems beſt mad… …ut thus: All the Fathers (the congregation of Iſrael, Exod 19) were under the cloud (upon the Mount, that covered the Hill) and all paſſed through the Sea (that Baptiſme there mentioned, of which before) and were all baptized into Moſes (that Law, in legem M…ſaicam, ut viri docti heic, quod apprimè conſonum eſt notioni Ebraeorum, quâ in receptionem legis Baptiſmum illum adhibitum tradidêre, ſays Mr. Selden) in the cloud and in the ſea, or, (as others) in that cloud and that ſea. The only difficulty ſeems in making the ſea, Baptiſme. But 1. Obſerve, it is not ſaid, the red Sea, which commonly runs away with all the ſenſe. 2. Conſider, the word foreign to be often rendred Waters, or a large comprehenſion of waters, as Pſal. 69. 2. Ezek. 26.12. (through which they paſſed in Hebrew Baptiſme, they were not ſprinkled; as here, foreign they paſſed through) and is it ſelf the reddition of foreign, Mare, which is not far from foreign the proper word for Waters, and often uſed for it. 3. Call to remembrance the molten ſea, for the uſe of waſhing the Prieſts, or baptizing them, foreign, 2 Chronic. 4.6. It was made by Solomon. 1 Kings 7.23. 2 Chron. 4.2. Ʋnſetled by Achaz: 2 Kings 16.17. Quite taken away by Nebuchadnezzar, chap. 25. and in all thoſe places, and verſe 24, 25, 39. of 1 Kings ver. 10, 15. of 2 Chron. ſtiled a Sea, and yet in the third verſe of the ſame expounded a bathing Veſſel (ten cubits compaſſed foreign) Indeed it was a very Baptiſ… rium, or Font, ſo uſed and yet ſo called; as here Iſrael paſſed through the like ſea. The reſt is made out by Mr. Selden, de Synedriis vet. Ebrae. lib. 1. pa. 42, 43. &c.Exod 19Ps 69:2Ezek 26:122 Chr 4:61 Kgs 7:232 Chr 4:22 Kgs 16:17 All the Fathers were baptized, 1 Corinth. 10.2. and in what form, from him was likelyeſt to know, the learned Apoſtle in the ſame place, who ſays 'twas(2)(2)So all the Greek Fathers read: How could they well otherwiſe without corrupting th… Text? See Baſil Moral. Regul. 11. cap. 5. Chryſoſt. Homil. 23. in 1 Corinth. tom. 5. &c. Iſrael olim in Moſem in nube & mari baptizatus eſt, tibi nimirum figurans, & quandam in ſequentium temporum monſtratae veritatis formam oſtendeus: Tu autem baptiſmum fugis, &c. Non in Moſem Conſervum fed in Chriſtum creatorem inſtitutum. Baſil. exhort. ad Bapt. tom. 1. pa. 119. Though the Latines commonly run another courſe; for in Moſe, or as St. Auguſtine, per Moſem. Of later times: Sunt qui ſic exponant. in Moyſen— id eſt, cultui ac legi per Moyſen ſibi tradendae ſpecie quidem baptiſmatis initiati; quomódo nos in Chriſtum baptizari dicimur, id eſt, Chriſto & religioni Chriſtianae per baptiſmum initiari. Qui quidem ſenſus non modò percommodè ex ſignificato graeca praepoſitionis habetur verum etiam contextui quam optimè quadrat—Exod. 14, &c. ita ut credibile ſit eos etiam gutris tùm ex aquis maris (hinc inde quà tranſibant in altum erectis) tùm ex nube ſupra ipſos expanſa, fuiſſe non nihil aſperſos: quo Baptiſmi ſacramentum evidentius ſignificaretur. Eſtius in loc. Nota ſecundò pro, in Moſe, graecè eſt, foreign, in Moſen, ſc. Legiſlatorem, id eſt, in legem Moſaicam. Specie quidem baptiſmatis tranſeundo mare, initiati ſunt Hebraei, ut nos in Chriſtum baptizamur, id eſt, Chriſto & Chriſtianiſmo per baptiſmum initiamur & incorporamur. Unde Exod. 14.31. ſubditur (poſt tranſitum maris rubri) crediderunt Domino & Moſi ſervo (id eſt legiſl…tori) ejus. Cornel. à Lap. in loc. Eſt autem baptizari in aliquem vel in ejus nomen, ſe ei auctorare & devorere, atque de ejus nomine appellari velle. Paulus, 1 Corinth. 10.2. foreign &c. reſpicic… illud Exod. 14 31. Crediderunt in Deum & Moſem ſervum ejus, id eſt Moſi tanquam Dei Miniſtro cum bona fiducia regendos ſe commiſere. H. Grot. in Matth. 28.19. Nearer home: Baptized into Moſes, 1 Corinth. 10.2. that is, to be obſervers of the Doctrin and Laws delivered by Moſes, as we by Baptiſme are bound to the doctrin of the Goſpel. Barnard. Theſaur. Biblic. in the word Baptized. In that Paul ſaith, We are baptized into Moſes, he inſinuateth a Covenant of obſerving the Law of Moſes; to which they were hereby bound, as we are by baptiſme to obſerve the Ordinances of the Goſpell. Dr Mayre on the place, from Oecumenius. And R. C. (Mr. Cudworth before mentioned) wonders why it ſhould be ſo Magiſterially impoſed upon us by ſome, That the Iews had but two Sacraments, ſc. Circumciſion and the Paſſeover.—He aſſures us they had many more, inſtancing (though by way of foreign, that he will not inſtance, which is the ſtrongeſt way of aſſevering, cum ſimulamus aliquid praeterire, vel non ſcire, aut nolle dicere, quod tum maximè dicimus) in this of our Apoſtle, that the Fathers were all baptized unto Moſes (ſo he tranſlates, making advantage, no more then juſt occaſion is given, of the Originall) in the cloud and in the ſea; Like (ſaith he) our Chriſtian Baptiſme, chap. 2. pa. 17. I ſtumbled not on theſe things firſt: S…me faint conjectures we ſee what other, and how many have made. Queſtionleſs it was thus, he that ſaid it, knew how: the Fathers were (ſacramentally) baptized into Moſes, or the Law.Exod 14Exod 14:311 Cor 10:2Matt 28:19 foreign, INTO Moſes, the very form (mutatis mutandis) after uſed by Chriſt, and is or p. 118ought to be continued by us to this day. Add that in the Old Teſtament the Text alledged for the Gentile, may ſeem at leaſt, as authoritative for Abrahams Seed, if not more, for the Perſons there waſhed were Iſraelites, and if, in-itiated: And in the New, our Saviour deſires Baptiſme, even of John the Baptiſt, to fulfill all (1)(1)Matth. 3.15. Iuſtitia in ſcripturis pro impletione legis & caeremoniarum ſaepe accipitur: Quare & baptizari (quum ita dominus inſtituiſſet) portio aliqua juſtitiae fuit, quam Chriſtus (tametſi illi non neceſſariam) implere voluit, & in hoc patri obedientiam praeſtitit, Gloſſ. ordin. Nov. in loc. Dicit igitur, Sic decet nos implere omnem Juſtitiam, id eſt, quicquid praecepit pater, cui oportet me obedire. Ibid. Chriſt had kept the whole Law hitherto, as much as came in his way, ſays Chryſoſtome, Here he comes to Baptiſme, quaſi cumulum (foreign) illud cunctis obſervationibus legis imponens. Homil. 10. in Matth. and a little after, Iuſtitiam vero hic complementum cunctorum nominat mandatorum. Vid. etiam Homil. 12. tom. eod. & Homil. 24. tom. 1. opuſc. pa. 281. Sic enim decet nos implere omnem juſtitiam, id eſt, omnia quidem vera ſunt quae memoras, ſed mei adventus eſt ratio, ut quia ſub lege factus ſum, ordo legitimus ſuppleatur: veni enim non ut mihi viverem, cu… ̄ vita aeterna cum patre eſt, ſed ut conditionem veſtrae mortis auferam. Et hoc eſt juſtiſſimum, ut quia totum ſuſcepi hominem, per omnia hominis tranſeam Sacramenta. Maxim. Taurin. Homil. 6. in Epiphan. pa. 203. and in the next but one, Redemptionis noſtra author—ita quod Deus erat exinanivit in ſemetipſo, ut per omnia legalium ſanctionum ſacramenta tranſiret: ac Circumciſion, Oblation and Baptiſme, Homil. 8. pa. 204. Maldonate grants, many went this way, (though he be in the dark) Sunt qui legis juſtitiam interpretantur, quae in variis (ut loquitur D. Paulus) baptiſmatibus & ceremoniis externis conſiſtebat, quam Chriſtus implere voluerit, ſicut circumcidi voluit, quia non venit ſolvere legem ſed adimplere (Matth. 5.37.) ut Hieronymus & Euthymius: quibus neceſſe eſt dicere, Baptiſmum Johannis veteris legis Sacramentum fuiſſe, quod multi de Schola Theologi, Magiſtrum ſequuti ſuum, docuerunt: But he otherwiſe; Comment. in Matth. 3.15 col. 81. Baptiſmus Johannis fuit ſacramentum, Lombard. Sent. lib. 4. diſt. 2. and ſee Durand. upon that Diſtinct. quaeſt. 3. Gratian, de Conſecrat diſt. 4. ca. 14. Epiphan. Expoſit. fidei Cathol. cap. 15. & Brent. Homil. 31. in Luc. 3. fo. 63. Nearer home: All theſe reaſons (ſaith Dr Mayer) are good.— But there was one yeilded by the Lord himſelf which was the true reaſon indeed, when he ſaith to John, Let it be now, for Thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteouſneſs. It was a part of that humiliation whereby he was to humble himſelf, in yeilding obedience to all the ordinances of his Father: for to fulfill all righteouſneſs is, to do all things by the Lord required, in his reconciliation of hard places. But yeſterday from Geneva: It becometh us to fulfill all: that is, ſaith Mr. Deodate, Obedience to God in all things ought to be obſerved by me and all mine by my example, and particularly the obſervance of Eccleſiaſticall Orders, and religious actions. annot. on Matth. 3.15. It cannot be ſo many to hauehave ſtragled. Righteouſneſs was, ſomewhat to be obſerved by the Law (the rule of righteouſneſs:) This of received and accuſtomed legall Baptiſme as well as any thing elſe: though folded in ſilence and almoſt clouded in everlaſting darkneſs to us. And this might be that councell (or will) of God ſome Scribes and Phariſees did reject againſt themſelves, Luc. 7.30. which the ſimpler people believing (and doing accordingly) juſtifyed God. ver. 29Matt 3:15Matt 5:37Luke 3Luke 7:30righteouſneſs: How to fulfill what was never expected or required? (Near p. 119wherto(1)(1)Epiſt. 73. pa. 107. St Cyprian had obſerved ſomwhat, for giving the reaſon why the form was changed in that of the Hebrews by St Peters Councel, Acts 2.38. Repent and be baptized in the name of Jeſus: he ſays it was, quia jam legis & Moyſi antiquiſſimum Baptiſma fuerunt adepti, they had been as it were baptized into the name of God, or the Father before: Whereupon Pamelius making his(2)(2)Num. 59. pa. 110. Comment ſays, there is alluſion to that of Moſes remembred, 1 Corinth. 10.2.

Or if it be anſwered, This cannot be, for circumciſion p. 120was always adminiſtred in infancy, ſc. the(1)(1)Geneſ. 17.12. cap. 21.4. Levit. 12.3. Luc. 1.59. cap. 2.21. Act. 7.8. Philip. 3.5. Iohn 7.21. — quando (ſc. octiduo exacto) par aetas illis doloribus eſt. Manaſſeh Bon Iſrael: Quaeſt. 1. in Exod. pa. 95. Quia ante illum (octavum diem) infans nimis tener eſt, & incertum an fit vitalis futurus. Galen.: alledged by Cornel. à Lapide in Geneſ. 17.10. For then a childe is reckoned inter videntes aerem hujus mundi, as we would ſay, able to look upon the light. Maiemon. in More Nevochim. par. 3. cap. 49. de cauſis praeceptorum. More may be gleaned from Cyprian. Epiſt. 59. ad Fidum. Ambroſ. de Abraham, lib. 2. cap. 11. Auguſtin. de Civ. Dei. lib. 16. cap. 26. Chryſoſt. Homil. 39. in Geneſ. Aquin. Summ. prima ſecundae, quaeſt. 102. art. 5. & part. 3. quaeſt. 70. artic. 3. Mendocha. in 1. Reg. cap. 1. ver. 20. pa. 258. Montacut. Origin. part. 1. ſect. 71, 72, &c. Cael. Rhodigin. lib. 22. cap. 12. Polyd. Virgil. de rerum invent. lib. 4. cap. 4. Scaliger in Feſt. in Vocab. Luſtricus. Scharp. Symphon. Epoch. 3. quaeſt. 8. pa. 9. Godwins Antiqu. Heb. lib. 6. cap. 1. pa. 238. Willet, Hexapla in Geneſ. 17. quaeſt. 8. pa. 162. Tremell. comment. in Geneſ. 12.17. & in Levit. 12.3, &c. By like equity it may have been appointed, that a beaſt, whether for preſentation to God, Exod 22.30. or immolation in his ſervice, Levit. 22.27. muſt expect the maturation of the eighth days Sun: as obſerved by Mr. Ainſworth on Exod. 12.5. & Cornel. à Lapide on thoſe texts. Then had there paſſed ſure one Sabbath over it. R. Menachem, on Geneſ. 17. and what Myſteries, nay what vertues the Hebrews always believed (it may be, were) in the Septenary, all know.Gen 17:12Lev 12:3Luke 1:59Acts 7:8Phil 3:5John 7:21Gen 17:101 Kgs 1:20Gen 17Gen 12:17Exod 22:30Lev 22:27Exod 12:5 eight day by letter of the text in rule and practiſe, whereas the people were of full age, coming from Jeruſalem, Judea, and the Countrey about Jordan, Matth. 3. Luc. 7. our Saviour alſo of 30 years, by all conſents (Luc. 3.23.) They needed not, well could not therefore be or be thought to have been baptized: May it not hereto be replyed.

2. That though this additional did or might belong to circumciſion of old, to bear a part with it in its believed work, yet delay of it might creep in in after times, As of impoſition of hands for confirmation in the Chriſtian Church,(2)(2)As foreign, or Impoſition of hands went at firſt with, or indeed was the outward ceremony of Conferring Divine Sacred inſpiration (in the phraſe ſince taken up we call it, The Gifts of the Holy Ghoſt) to thoſe were thereby appointed and initiated aſſeſſors of the Sanhedrim. Of the firſt ordination of Ioſhuah, &c. Num. 11.17, 25. it is ſaid, Quâ ſolennitate peractâ ſtatim delapſus aetheriis ſedibus ſpiritus pectora eorum implevit. Et hi porrô in hunc modum initiata cum eſſent, alios eadem lege auctoraverunt. Pet. Cunaeus. de rep. Heb. lib. 1. cap. 12. and ſee hereof, Grot. annot. in Matth. 19.13. & Ioſeph. de Voiſin. Theol. Iudaeor. lib. 1. cap. 5. pa. 76. in the margent.Num 11:17Num 11:25Matt 19:13 which though by one of the beſt texts alledged for it (Acts 19) it went(3)(3)This proved at large by Ioſeph. Vicecom. de antiqu. rit. Baptiſmi. lib. 5. cap. 28, 29. Etiam infantes ſtatim poſt Baptiſmum confirmatos eſſe; ac conſuetudinem ipſam confirmationis baptiſmo ſubdendae ab Apoſtolis profectam. cap. 30. So Polydor▪ Virgil. de rerum invent. lib. 5. cap. 3. Ioan. Bapt. Caſalius. de veteribus Chriſtianorum rit. cap. 5. p. 55. & B. Rhenanus, ſi Epiſcopus adeſt, ſtatim confirmari oportet. annot. in Tertullian: de Corona. tom. 2. pa. 857. Bellarmine labours to prove it a diſtinct Sacrament. Againſt whom D. Chamier oppoſes and proves, it was but an Appendix of Baptiſme at firſt. Panſtrat. Cathol. tom. 4. lib. 4. cap. 11. ſect. 14, 16, &c. True enough: it was ſo: Proof offers it ſelf in plenty. In the Eaſt and South, ſc. in Ethiopia and Greece they continue ſtill joyned together. Ioſeph. Vicecom. lib. 5. cap. 32. with Baptiſme at firſt, and p. 121(1)(1)Act. 8.16, 17.Acts 8:16Acts 8:17both did but(2)(2)Or, God by them, or with them, or in, by, or with the uſe of them. Faciles eſſe debemus in verborum uſu, cùm de re conſtat. Keckerman. Logic. Every good giving and every perfect gift, both the thing and the diſpenſation, Is from above, Jam. 1.17.Jas 1:17 give ſo much grace of the Holy Ghoſt, as might(3)(3)The antient Cuſtom of the Church was, after they had baptized to add impoſition of hands, with effectual prayer for the illumination of Gods moſt holy ſpirit, to confirm and perfect that which the grace of the ſame ſpirit had already begun in Baptiſme. Hookers Polit. lib. 5. ſect. 66. ut pleni Chriſtiani inveniantur. de Conſecrat. diſt. 5. cap. Omnes fideles. compleat Chriſtians (I ſpeak after the manner of men) yet in after times that was(4)(4)De tempore quoque confirmationis video bonis viris utriuſque partis non diſplicere, ſi ejus uſus ad aetatem paulò adultiorem differatur: Quod quamvis praeter eccleſiae autiquae conſuetudinem ſit (in qua ad Baptiſmum ſtatim, ſi fieri poterat, confirmatio ſacri Chriſmatis accedebat:) tamen exemplo non prorſus caret. Nam & corporis & ſanguinis Dominici communio haud ſecus utrique Baptiſmi & Confirmationis Sacramento adjungebatur, — ad quam tamen Dominici corporis & ſanguinis confirmationem nunc communi eccleſiae conſenſu, in eccleſiis potiſſimùm Latinis, non niſi adultiore aetate pueros admitti videmus. G. Caſſand. Conſultat. in artic. 9. pa. 85.. delayed both in rule and practiſe, and men might have, nay had hands laid on them after 30 or 40; why not in Baptiſme in like manner? Time hath produced many ſtrange alterations, in Sacraments, of Sacraments, (that is more then timing them) and in this very Sacrament of Baptiſme: And as for delay of time for miniſtration, The(5)(5)Breerwoods Enquiries, cap. 17 Circaſſians defer it till the eighth year, the Anabaptiſts (or rather Antipaedobaptiſts, who ſure have ſomewhat to ſay for themſelves) would have none come ſo ſoon, St.(6)(6)The life of St Ambroſe, by Baronius, before his Works, pag. 4. Ambroſe delayed till he was choſen Biſhop, many p. 122(1)(1)As Conſtantin the GREAT till near his death: in Euſeb. de vita Conſtantin. lib. 4. cap. 62. Theodorit lib. 1. cap. 32. till the year of his age 65. ſays Socrates, Hiſtor. Eccleſ. lib. 1. cap. 26. Gregory Nazianzene, long Montacut. Origin. par. 1. ſect. 106. pa. 105. and ſo St Auguſtin, Confeſſion, lib. 1. cap. 11. The learned know how much of the primitive Fathers eloquence was ſpent in urging backward men not to delay Baptiſme: The beginning of St. Chryſoſtome 59 Homily ad Illuminandos, tends that way, tom. 1. pa. 706. and ſee Socrates his Eccleſiaſt. Hiſtory. lib 1. cap. 6.others til ripe or old age, and (that which is more conſiderable to our purpoſe then all the reſt, and I believe very conſiderable) Thoſe(2)(2)For inſtance, the Aethiopian believers, of whom we read in Damianus à Goes, pa. 559. Nay more: Omnes nationes extra fines Latinos, ſtatum baptiſmi diem, niſi mortis periculo intercedente, hoc eſt, à partu octuageſimum expectant. Aethiopes—in faeminis—quadrageſimum, qua de re extat conſtitutio Leonis Imperatoris. G. Caſſandri teſtimonia veterum pro paedobapt. In his Works printed at Paris, pa. 691. Chriſtian Nations which, as 'tis like from their going together at the firſt (as ſhal be ſaid more hereafter) joyn circumciſion and Baptiſm for matriculating into the Chriſtian profeſſion to this day, yet put off the later for a time. Circumciſion paſſes the 8th day as in the Law, and as they have tradition for practiſe, from thoſe who delivered them over both the rite and the Law: But Baptiſme is delayed about a quarter of a year; to the eightieth day in females, to the fortieth in males, (juſt the limitation of time for the mothers purification by the Law, Levit. 12. to which there was annexed her Baptiſme or(3)(3)Vid. Buxtorf. Synagog. Iud. cap. 2.Judg 2 exact waſhing;) To omit that is(4)(4)By Mr. Purchaſe in his Pilgrim. lib. 2 cap. 2. alledged from Pet. Ricius and others, that the Hebrews themſelves do not add Baptiſme to Circumciſion the ſame day, as ſhould ſeem, but ſtay till the child is(5)(5)Baptiſmus antem non adhibebatur antequam circumciſionis vulnuſculum integrè reſanaretur. Selden, de Iur. Nat. &c. pa. 145. If he (the examined gentile) remain unſhaken by his examination and proteſt, let him be circumciſed, and when he is wel, let him be waſhed in water, in the preſence of Three, &c. This is the late manner of Miniſtration, from a Venetian Rabbine, Ludovicus Mutinenſis, alledged there, pa. 152. whole. Circumciſion it ſelf, notwithſtanding the plaineſt Letter of the Law for the 8^th day preciſely, was yet omitted once for forty years together in the Wilderneſs, as may be ſeen in Joſh. 5.5, &c. And may not then much rather an alteration creep in of timing that, which never was reſtrained under any certain bound and limit of time, nor it ſelf was more then darkly commanded?

But grant, Neither of theſe. Regularly or practically p. 123none of Abrahams ſeed were ever baptized, nor ſhould have been, (though Gamaliels Schollar himſelf an Hebrew, and writing as St Hierom was wont to ſay, Hebraeus Hebraeis Hebraicè, in that Epiſtle mentions Baptiſms in the plural, as well known among them, chap. 6.2.) but grant, nor ſooner nor later the holy ſeed ever needed or had this purification, yet

3. Might not ſo famous and noted a holy Prophet as John the BAPTIST (then whom among thoſe born of women there aroſe not a greater, Matth. 11.11.) and in a buſineſs of BAPTISM, begin? making the beſt uſe he could deviſe of that rite he was ſo eminently intruſted a Miniſter of before, toward that regeneration even of(1)(1)Videtur igitur Johannes (ſays H. Grotius, ſpeaking of this Miniſtration, and that it was for amendment) hac ſacra ceremonia indicare voluiſſe, Judaeos, quantumvis Dei veteres foederatos, in tantùm jam à vera pierate deſciviſſe, ut Idolorum cultoribus accenſendi eſſent, planèque eorum exemplo totum vitae genus mutare deberent, ſi vellent eſſe ſalvi. annotat. in Matth. 3.6.Matt 3:6 them he ſaw was needfull to enter them in to the new and approaching Kingdom of God? The work it ſelf (of entrance) he might not be able abſolutely and perfectly to perform, as needed and ful out, but howſoever he might do what he could, let them to the dore by his Water Baptiſme, leaving the reſt to be ſupplyed and perfected by him that could, even let them quite in; by giving to water the gifts of the Holy Ghoſt. So being the(2)(2)Accepit autem hoc Johannes certae diſpenſationis gratia, non diu manſurum, ſed quantum ſatis eſſet ad parandam viam Domino, cujus eum eſſe praecurſorem agnoſcebat. Auguſtin. de Baptiſmo cont. Donat. lib. 5. cap. 9. tom. 7. pa. 59. fore-runner of Chriſt, Luc. 3.4. the Angel of his face(3)(3)And Malach. 3.1. Matth. 11.10. Luc. 1.76. & chap. 7.27.Mal 3:1Matt 11:10Luke 1:76 Mar. 1.2. and to prepare the way of the Lord, Matth. 3.3. (who meant to make more of this outward rite, even a ſanctifying Sacrament, the Key of Heaven dore compleat on Earth, to let into the congregation of Sion) He might begin, by(4)(4)See Luc. 7.30.Luke 7:30 Gods appointment and Chriſts approbation, to ſanctifie that Rite anew and farther, whereof he had been long an intruſted Miniſter, by letting it have operation upon the holy ſeed, and ſo give it ſome ſmall advance, a partial conſecration toward what it ſhould be after compleat, by conferring what he could make it, upon the holy circumciſion: To which p. 124purpoſe he adminiſtred it even moſt ſolemnly, and with famous care; though with this reſerve and ſtill mentioned reference farther, When HE cometh, of whom I ſo often ſpeak, and of whoſe ſhoo-ſtrings I am not worthy to ty or unty, HE ſhal do more, But I have done what I could.

4. This may be: but I finde my ſelf a little in the dark: Too far with confidence would not do wel; and yet the holy text methinks heeded and not prejudged, ſounds all along much this way. When behold light ſhineth in the darkneſs, and I am led by the hand to behold clear truth or faireſt probability. 'Tis by him I dare truſt, who aſſures from the Rabbines that no leſs Iſrael was baptized then Edom, both had their initiation by circumciſion and Baptiſm both, yea all Nations by all three, and with omiſſion of none they came over and were ingaged to the Law. Tria adhibebantur initiamenta (1)(1)Doctiſſimus, clariſſimus, conſultiſſimus, & citra controverſiam in re literariâ verſatiſſimus omnigenâ I.S. in lib. de Jure nat. & gent. &c. 2. pa. 141.ſaith he (no fewer) ſine quibus nec ipſi Iſraelitae, foedus illud, juxta receptam ipſorum ſententiam, primo inierant, Nimirum Circumciſione, Baptiſmo & oblatione. And a little after, Tribus initiamentis inierant Iſraelitae foedus, which were as before: and(2)(2)Commentar. in Eutych. num 10. pa. 24. elſewhere, (as to this) — quo (Baptiſmo) tum parentes ipſorum, ut volunt ipſi, tum proſelyti Judaiſmo initiabantur, Beſides what(3)(3)At the giving of the Law in Sinai, Baptiſme initiatory thereinto was added; id eſt, ut univerſus populus adéoque ſexus uterque tum Originariorum tum Proſelytorum juſtitiae ante admiſſorum ſe ſanctificaret atque aqua ſeu Baptiſmo mundaret. lib. 1. de Syned. pa. 22. ſince and by(4)(4)By three things did Iſrael enter into the Covenant: by Circumciſion and Baptiſme and Sacrifice. Circumciſion was in Egypt, Exod. 12.48, &c. And ſo in all ages, when an Ethnike is willing to enter into the Covenant, and gather himſelf under the wings of the Majeſty of God, He muſt do likewiſe, as is written Numb. 15.15, 16. As ye are, ſo ſhall the ſtranger be before the Lord: One Law and one manner ſhall be for you and for the ſtranger that ſojourneth with you. How are ye? By Circumciſion, Baptiſm and bringing of Sacrifice, So likewiſe the ſtranger throughout all generations, &c. Maiemon. in Miſn. tom. 2. alledged by Mr. Ainſworth in Geneſ. 17.12. St Cyprian inſinuates, the reaſon of the form diverſifyed from the uſual, Act. 2.38. in Peters directing his Countreymen to be baptized in the name of Chriſt only, to be, becauſe (or as if) they had been before baptized in the name of the Father; Now therefore none was needed or fit to be added but only the Son. And ſoon after: Alia fuit Judaeorum ſub Apoſtolis ratio, alia eſt gentilium conditio. Illi, quia jam legis & Moyſi antiquiſſimum Baptiſma fuerant adepti, in nomine quoque Jeſu Chriſti erant baptizandi, ſecundum quod Apoſtolus Petrus ad eos loquitur, Paenitemini & baptizetur unuſquiſque veſtrum in Nomine Domini Jeſu Chriſti in remiſſionem peccatorum, &c Acts 2.38. Jeſu Chriſti mentionem facit Petrus, non quaſi Pater omitteretur, ſed ut Patri quoque Filius adjungeretur. Epiſt. 73. ad Juhaian. pa. 107. And yet I confeſs very few glimpſes of ſuch light could I ever finde ſhining from the Chriſtian Fathers. The doctrin was unknown to moſt of them, and they uſually proceeded upon other grounds. Ad Iudaeos dictum purat Cyprianus (illud. Act. 2) eò quòd & ipſi Baptiſmum etiam haberent, &c. Vaſquez. in 3. partem Thom. Diſput. 143. cap 3. ſect. 19.Exod 12:48Num 15:15Num 15:16Gen 17:12Acts 2:38Acts 2 others. So that now the objection p. 125vaniſhes, all clears up; the Hebrew ſeed might be baptized as wel as any other, for they were: Chriſt and the people; All about Jordan; the very Scribes and Phariſees not left out; and this by a work of Johns ordinary Miniſtry. By Text, Tradition, Cuſtom, or howſoever it was thought to be enjoyned and accordingly obſerved, It was ſo.

Ob. I may not but take notice of what is of late publiſhed for granted, which would imply a croſs hereto, ſc. That that whole nation was baptiz'd once for all in Sinai, no(1)(1)Ex parentum Baptiſmo ritè peracto poſteri univerſi pro initiatis, quantum ad Baptiſmum ſolum, ſatis habebantur; nec Baptiſmus ut. Circumciſſio erat in p…ſteris reperendus. Selden. de Syned. vet. Hebr. lib. 1. pa. 23. repetition was of this rite to them or any other; Circumciſion was indeed hereditary and to be renewed in Poſterity, but Baptiſm was ſuch a perſonal act, as paſſing on any man, the vertue thereof was continued to his whole line, nor needed ever after be repeated in Gentile or Iſraelite. But,

Anſ. 1. This is only ſaid. 2. No authority produced for this variation, nor perhaps can be. Indeed the Law ſays, Every male child ſhalbe circumciſed the eight day in your generations, Geneſ. 17. Not, you and your poſterity waſh your garments, in Exod. 19. But then withall the Goſpel ſays but, Baptize all Nations, Matth. 28.19. and yet this carries for a ſucceſſion: Why not that of Horeb? 3. There was equal neceſſity, (neceſſitate rei) for both, and equal authority, of Jus Divinum: Why ſhould it be, Circumciſe a man and his ſeed, and Baptize, but not again? 4. The ſeveral intentions of theſe rites are in granted view; One,(2)(2)Ut Sacramentum initiationi… faderi Abrahae… Circumciſio erat, ita intelligunt Magiſtri Sacramentum initiationis foreign receptioni legis ſacrae in Sinai pariter fuiſſe Baptiſmum. Id pa. eadem. to let into the Covenant with Abraham, The other, p. 126to the Law of Moſes: Was not Iſrael ſtil to be let into both? as ſure to Moſes's Covenant, as to Abrahams? and the ſeal as neceſſary? and to be repeated? 5. Take the beſt, Real Comment: Thoſe Judaizing Chriſtians (Ebonites and Cerinthians heretofore; Habaſſines, and Egiptians, &c. of late) who retain circumciſion and Baptiſm both, with the rites; whence ſhould they have the repetition of them, but from whom they had the rites? Sure, they yet baptize the baptized, as wel as circumciſe the circumciſed. 6. Is any text or order to be produced for our varying from what was always uſed? We ſee what is done: the rite it ſelf of waſhing is known to come from Jewry: the ſucceſſion from what was Apoſtolical: No reaſon of change can be aſſigned: or time. Therefore what we do, as hath been done always, and no change can be aſſigned, (at the firſt chiefly, when change was to be made,) Very likely we take and continue as it had been before and always; elſe ſhew the variation: or would the Catholick Church have been ſo preſumptuous as to alter and continue what no reaſon appears, or authority for, or that ever it ſhould have been altered! Wherefore, (Pace tanti viri dixerim) I oppoſe not, but propoſe, May it not have been thus? May not the poſterity of the baptized have been ever as now (and as equal ſtrength of reaſon always would they ſhould) baptized, as wel as the ſons of the circumciſed, circumciſed? Was not an admiſſion to Moſes as fit and neceſſary and ſucceſſively, as unto Abraham? and the ſeal of that admiſſion? Might not Jewry pattern out, To baptize of the baptized, to Aebion and Cerinthus, Egipt, Ethiopia, &c. as wel as To circumciſe of the circumciſed, which we ſee done? Or, if not, I am miſtaken: (which is not much: nor unlikely: and I ask pardon:) But if, then might Iſrael be baptized; into their Law; Scribes, Phariſees▪ and all, even our Saviour not excepted; for uſually of that Nation men were: And ſo, the objection above vaniſheth, of the unlikelyhood of that Nations Baptiſme; and the difference may have been newly aright ſtated between John's Hebrew, and Chriſt's Chriſtian Sacrament.

p. 127Ob. If it be ſaid, This may yet ſeem ſtrange, that born, profeſſed, natural Iſraelites ſhould need, or be capable of, any new tranſlation, as into the Law, &c.

Anſw. 1. As to the plea of Nature, remember they muſt be alſo circumciſed, or elſe they were not within the Covenant.

2. As to their poſſible tranſlation, remember what before of Chriſtians deferring the undoubted Ordinances of God, as Baptiſme: which might be here put off.

3. Or John might here a little(1)(1)Johannis vero Baptiſma Judaico multò ſublimius fuit, humilius vero noſtro: velut pons quidam utriuſqu… hujus Baptiſmatis, ab illo ad iſtud quaſi manuducens Chryſoſt. Homil. 23. de Baptiſmo Chr. tom. 1. pa. 279. vary. He might be an ordinary Miniſter of Proſelyte-Baptiſme, and called therefore, the BAPTIST, and as ſuch baptize multitudes, all that came: But to his own Nation he might think good to alter; And change toward the Kingdom of God, that rite which ere long was thitherward to be wholly varied and changed.

And this might both reaſonably ſtartle the high court of(2)(2)Ex legatione hac Concilii Hieroſolymitani ad Johannem, ut interrogarent eum, quiſnam ipſe eſſet? Pontificii ſanctam ſcilicet ſuam haereticae pravitatis inquiſitionem probare & commendare annituntur: How, wherein, and yet how incongruouſly either, ſee in. Conrad. Dieterick, tom. 1. pa. 51, &c. Homil. 4. Advent. Inquiſition at Jeruſalem, and give the occaſion why their doubt by their meſſenger) ſhould come forth in that form we ſee it does, in that reply of theirs to his former anſwers, Jo. 1.25. Why baptizeſt thou then (ſay they) If thou be neither Meſſias, nor Elias, nor a Prophet. They could not, 1, Queſtion him for baptizing, that is, in any ſort, (the rather being of the Prieſts line, the Son of Zacharias, Luc. 1.) Waſhings and for purification being with them and their Nation ſo uſual as nothing more. (Remember of them what but now enough; and add what ordered for(3)(3)Exod. 29.6.Exod 29:6 Prieſts and(4)(4)Levit. 8.6. Num. 8.7.Lev 8:6Num 8:7 Levites; by divers places of the Epiſtle to the(5)(5)So many underſtand, chap. 6.2. which ſeems yet to look another way. More to be relyed on ſeems chap. 9.10. Hebrews, continued to Evangelical times.) Nor could they, 2. Trouble him about Baptizing Proſelytes, for the ſame reaſon, and from what they ſaw every Prieſt do every day. 3. Some have thought, it p. 128was from(1)(1)The Queſtion formall) put by Dr Jackſon; Whether the Prieſts and Levits or the Phariſees had their praenotions or belief in general, That the Meſſias his firſt manifeſtation to the world ſhould be ſolemnized by Baptiſme, from written traditions of the antients only? or, whether it were grounded upon the expreſs teſtimony of Scripture or the written word of God? His anſwer gives for the later way: and many texts pitched upon, as Eſai 35.40, 41, &c. in Chriſts anſwer to Johns queſtion. part. 2. memb. 2. branch. 2. Baptiſmum aliquem univerſalem circa tempora Meſſiae expectabant ex zachariae 13. lociſque aliis. H. Grot. annotat. in Joan. 1.25. pa. 860.Isa 35:40Isa 35:41John 1:25 Scripture, by(2)(2)Hence the perſons ſent to intangle John Baptiſt, were Phariſees, beſt skilled in traditions: obſerved by Maldonate in Joan. 1.24. ſect. 192. & vide ejuſdem commentar. in Matth. 3.10. col 78.John 1:24Matt 3:10 tradition or otherwiſe (howſoever) received, that(3)(3)Perſuaſum habebant Iudaei fore, ut Chriſtus cum veniret, baptizaret. id. in Mat. 3.11. At leaſt he or his Diſciples. Dr. Iackſon, in his Treatiſe upon Chriſts anſwer to Iohns Queſtion. ſect. 35. reſumed, in ſect. 41. pa. 82. Sunt & qui ſcribunt temporibus Meſſiae tantam fore turbam converſorum, ut per lavacrum, non per circumciſionem ſint admittendi. Grot. annot. ad Matth. 3.6. pa. 41. Heed to this purpoſe as well the riſe as conſequence of that part of Iohns anſwer to his diſciples interpellation, which is in Iohn 3.28. Ye are witneſſes, I ſaid, I am not the Chriſt, but ſent before him, when news was brought of one baptizing, and many coming to him. And before, This is he of whom I ſaid, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: And I knew him not, but that he ſhould be made known unto Iſrael, THEREFORE am I come baptizing with water, chap. 1.30, 31.Matt 3:11Matt 3:6John 3:28 Baptiſme ſhould precede, or in ſome way or other belong to the Kingdom of the Meſſias, and therfore they deſire to know, how he, having denyed himſelf to be ſuch (in the reply before) could then take upon him ſuch a Miniſtration as did not belong unto him. But theſe heed not, 1. The names of Elias and foreign (any prophet, in the text) whoſe degree might have born out the buſineſs as wel. 2. What but now of Baptiſmes, various, of ſundry ſorts, for ſundry ends, open, viſible, every day. It remaineth therefore that neither Baptiſme, nor of Proſelytes, nor as belonging to the Meſſias could any way trouble or give ground of reaſonable doubt (which have been the things thought) But the new way (likely) Why Abrahams ſeed? Why thus? diſtorting the old ceremony to a new frame or end, or making to or toward ſomething it had not (having no(4)(4)Nulla, quiſquis es, in te eſt authoritas, nihil magni aut admirabilis, Quid quaeſo Baptizas? Quid, cum nihil ipſe ſis, rem tantam moliris? Cyril. Alexand. in Ioan. 1. tom. 4. pa. 110.John 1 authority or power extraordinary to bear out ſo bold or perilous(5)(5)Neque enim res levis momenti erat, quicquam in eccleſia Dei novare: praeſertim novum profiteri initiationis genus, quod perfectius eſſet lege Dei. Calvin. Harmon. Evang. pa: 90. innovation!) Theſe, ſay they, p. 129thou haſt diſclaimed already, tel us how then thou canſt, juſtifie thy new way, So, thus, in this manner Baptizing, whereas thou art neither Meſſias, Elias, nor (eminently) a Prophet. This ſeems to make the doubt reaſonable, gives the bottom of the buſineſs fit to trouble an high Inquiſition, and withall involves or permits anſwer to (or thitherward) the croſs objection, that Chriſt's fore-runner the Baptiſt was not a baptizer of Proſelytes (to the Law) becauſe he baptized his own Nation; yes he might be both, he might do both; And here (which might wel trouble the Inquiſitors for heretical pravity) be changing the one into the other, that formerly uſed into now-introductory to the Kingdom of God.(1)(1)By the way: And this opinion and determination might light toward better anſwer to that rational objection made againſt Iohns Baptiſm in the Martyr Iuſtins time, by ſome who wondred how he could miniſter and the people receive baptiſm under the Law, they being under the Law, for which they had no Law, and yet not be thereby tranſgreſſors of the Law. Si Baptiſmus Iohannis (ſay they) non ſecundum legem fuit, ut certè non fuit (they took this for granted, and to them the doubt thereby hardly ſoluble) quomodo ergo praeter legem non fuit? & quomodò ab his qui ſub lege vivebant receptus fuit? (they might well ſay ſo, conſidering how that Nation was bound to their Law) Quomodò autem non violatores leges fuêre (foreign) qui legi ſubditi cum eſſent, praeter legem Baptiſmum ſuſceperunt. Sin ſub lege Baptiſmus gratiae obtinuit (for that I doubt not is the ſenſe, though Langius tranſlates otherwiſe) qui neque ſecundum legem, neque ſupra legem, neque praeter legem dictus, foreign ſecundum quid extitiſſe reperietur? Quaeſtion. ad Orthod. 38. pa. 413. The anſwer there given is, 'Twas praevious to the Goſpel, therefore above the Law, for it aſſoyled not legall tranſgreſſors, &c. Nor does this aſſoil the doubt; nor them very well from being foreign, beſides the Law, living under it. The fairer, clearer, fuller anſwer might be: All this was (taking in expreſſions and limitations before) according to the Law, and then what inconvenience could follow, or difficulties remain?

Ob. If it be farther ſaid (in objection to the main at firſt) Thoſe Baptiſmes were equal, one reaching as far as another; for Johns was for remiſſion of ſin, what needed or could Chriſts or any other do after any more?

Anſ. St Auguſtine (2)(2)De Baptiſmo contra Donat. lib. 5. cap. 10.anſwered long ſince, Spe dimiſſa fuiſſe peccata Baptiſmo Johannis, Chriſti Baptiſmo reipſa dimitti: Johns gave hope of forgiveneſs, Chriſts reality; Or I ſend farther to that Father and others, with whom that doubt found long ſince both mention and ſatisfaction.

Ob. Or if it be urged laſtly, they were not in Scripture, ſhew thence ſuch things as theſe.

Anſw. I propoſed them not as ſuch. Not as found in Scripture, or borrowed of Scripture, but agreeing with Scripture, furthering, I hope the interpretation of Scripture, as wel bottomed there too, as many currant opinions, p. 130even about Baptiſme, and in the Originals, But if offering any contradiction to Scripture, I am ready not only invertere ſtylum to raze out all preſently, but to be the firſt ſhal caſt off the remainder whither it deſerves.

There can only remain a ſeeming to croſs our own, or poſſible thwarting Proteſtant determinations in theſe. Whereof yet can be neither doubt nor fear. For, 1. As to(1)(1)In publicis Proteſtantium eccleſiarum confeſſionibus nihil adhuc mihi lectum hujuſce furfuris, (that Iohn's Baptiſm and Chriſts were all one) in eccleſiae Anglicanae foreign nihil extat, huc vel detorquendum: quum potius contra. Montacut: Origin. par. 2. ſect. 60. pa. 390. Proteſtant Churches, they have not, as far as I know, made any determination at all, I mean in their Articles, Orders, Acts, Convocations, or whatever is of publick account▪ Particularly, I aſſure my ſelf, not the Church of our Nation; And for privat men, they may vary, Why not? with like liberty, in things not publickly determined, on all ſides? Though I ſeek no ſuch refuge, I need not, for, 2. I aver nothing. I binde not on other mens ſhoulders the weight of one line, or burden their faith with one aſſertion. All I do, is, in humility, and as a lover and ſeeker of truth, to propoſe with(2)(2)—Quae cum exponit (Origines) frequenter addere ſolet & profiteri, ſe non haec quaſi diffinitiva pronunciare ſententia, nec ſtatuto dogmate terminare, ſed inquirere pro viribus & ſenſum diſcutere ſcripturarum, nec tamen profiteri quod integrè perfectèque comprehenderit: ſuſpicari magis ſe de quamplurimis dicens, nec tamen certum eſſe quia in omnibus quod perfectum eſt & integrum aſſecutus ſit. Apolog. Euſebii Caeſar: pro origine, inter opera Hieron. tom. 9. pa. 114. modeſty, the fruit of mine own conceptions to view and judgment, and which mine own thoughts have ſuggeſted and whiſphered at leaſt for probable truth: (diſſero non aſſero, as he ſaid) If to any they ſeem otherwiſe, the looker on has his leave and choice, whether to take or leave; but no reaſon to blame me who meant but to lend him my hand to lead (nor force) him to that I apprehended the righter way.(3)(3)Poteſt mihi aliud videri, alteri aliud: ſed neque ego quod dixero praeſcribo alteri ad meliorem intellectum, nec ille mihi, an utrumque accipiendum ſit, ſi utrum que cum fide concordat. Auguſtin: Enarrat. in Pſalm. 36. conc. 1. tom. 8. pa. 112. Thus, All may propheſie one and one, that all may learn and all receive comfort: for the ſpirits of the prophets (foreign, their gifts, revelations, Inſpirations, Inſufflations) are ſubject to the Prophets. 1. Corinth. 14.31, 32.Ps 361 Cor 14:311 Cor 14:32 Another p. 131may with the ſame leave and love imbrace that fancy or opinion which is the(1)(1)foreign. Clemen. Alexand. Strom. 1. child of his own teeming brain, and ſo by the colliſion of differing or oppoſed judgments that truth chance to be ſtruck out to light, which otherwiſe might have lain hid in perpetual darkneſs. Times of reformation have been reaſonably looked upon as affording liberty of diſquiſition; in order to the work in hand &c.

I confeſs I had been once like to give entertainment to another opinion of Johns Baptiſme, not touched at before, as far I know, by any, much favoured by the glances of the text throughout, and meetly well agreeing with the beliefs, uſages and cuſtoms both of Jewry▪ and abroad (which was the reaſon why I liked it:) Although it be not true, it may have of truth in it, and therefore I ſhall not think much to ſet it down; Let the probability of things all along be my excuſe; it is this.

That Johns Baptiſme might be nothing elſe but a very ſolemn and (2)(2)This manner of Baptizing (ſc. as in making Proſelytes) they uſed likewiſe in reconciling and receiving penitents, which had given ſcandal by any notorious offences, in token of repentance & newneſs of life, having firſt before this waſhing teſtified their humiliation by faſting and prayer. Purchaſ. Pilgrim. lib. 2. cap. 2. of the Hebrew Law. Among the Pagans, impuritatis labes qualiſcunque dilui ac ſatis purgari plerunque credebatur ex corporis in aqua viva ablutione. Selden. de Synedr. lib. 1. cap. 10. pa. 399. (Heed well that epithete, aqua VIVA; as in the Hebrews Law it was, foreign, Levit. 14. ver. 5.50, 51, 52. as it were Quick, and of Life to work out and thereby purifie, as Levit. 15.13. Cantic. 4.15. zachar. 14.8. Ioan. 4.10. & cap· 7.38. ALL LIVING Waters,) and in the Poet — Donec me flumine vivo Abluero, Atque id. de Tertullianis, Arnobius, Lactantius, ejuſmodi alii Paganis hoc exprobrant, quaſi ex ablutione ejuſmodi ſe antè flagitiis in qui natiſſimos ſatis mundatos exiſtimarent. pa. 400. In ſumme, Receptiſſima erat in ſacrorum diſciplina perſuaſio illa de impuritatis omnimodo purgatione per Ablutiones & ſui & veſtium, quibus anteacti ſceleris redargutio, increpatio & liberatio adeòque Poenitentia ejuſque effectus etiam ſignificabatur, uti ex Artemidori itidem & Achmete ediſci poteſt. ibid. Vid. etiam Th. Aquin. par. 3. queſt. 38. artic. 1. Reſpondeo.Lev 14:5Lev 14:50Lev 14:51Lev 14:52Lev 15:13Song 4:15John 4:10penitential waſhing, ſuch as the(3)(3)Their brazen Laver made and conſecrated under (their moving Temple) the Tabernacle, Exod. 30. their many other under (their fixed tabernacle) the Temple, 2. Chron. 4. eſpecially their MOLTEN SEA (ſo big) carefully provided and ſtately framed by Solomon. 1 King. 7. 2 Chron. 4. what ſpeak theſe but the frequency of this rite, (to them both national and religious) and ſuch as did call for and had a good part of their traditionary or additional Law, in rules hereabout? For whereas there were of the Talmud ſix parts, of thoſe ſix one is ſpent chiefly in Purification: and the ſixth book of that ſixth part intituled (containing 10. chapters) Tractatus collectionum aquarum, in quibus agitur de fonte atque aquis, in quibus baptizabantur homines utriuſque ſexus, ut ab immunditiis ſpiritualibus purificarentur, ſays Pet. Galatin. de arcanis Catholicae veritatis, lib. 1. cap. 5. Iſrael Iudaeus quotidiè lavatur, quia quotidiè inquinatur, ſo Tertullian, de Baptiſmo. cap. 15. Quiſquis enim immunditiem contraxerat undis abluebatur, veſteſque etiam ipſ…s lavabat, atque ita demùm aditus ei ad caſtra patebat, ſo he who might know better then another, Ioannes Damaſcenus, lib. 4. de fide orthod. cap. 10. Nothing was among them more uſual. That Combuſtion in Iohn 3.25. was about their religion, for Saepè & in omni vita Iudaei baptizabant, qui & baptizando leviora crimina (nor reaching the publick or the life of a man) tolli putabant. ut & varios baptiſmos ſive ablutiones haberent. Dan. Heinſ. Ariſtarch. ſac. ad Ioan. 4.25. Sicut & apud Hebraeos aquae lotio ad emundationem pollutionis ſaepe uſurpata eſt, ut Levit. 16. & cap. 25. Exod. 30. Deuter. 23. 4 Reg. 5. cum ſimilibus. Greg. Tholoſan. ſyntagm. lib. 31. 8. 6. In fact, The ſeventy Tranſlators of the Bible waſhed and ſo purified themſelves every morning, and to fit them for their work, before they went to their ſtudies: Joſeph. Antiqu. 12. cap. 2. The Eſſaeans waſhed every day, and in cold water, id. de bell. Jud. lib. 2. cap. 7. Thoſe Mungrels, the Samaritans, often: as, when they returned home from Merchandize trade, traffique, &c. Mountag. Acts & Monum. chap. 7. ſect. 145. Remember, and all theſe had a different aim from, to Initiate.Exod 302 Chr 41 Kgs 7John 3:25John 4:25Lev 16Deut 23:4 Jews (after much faſting and prayer) uſed for purification from their p. 132(1)(1)foreign. Damaſcen. de fide, 4. 10. Alii etiam fuêre in Hebraeorum ritibus baptiſmi (beſides for admiſſion into the Synagogue) qui non ſolum foreign ſeu ſordium purgationes, ſed & ut peccatorum ablutiones habebantur; de quibus Iſai. 1.16. Eulog. contra Novatianos, lib. 2. —& Rab. Elias de Wides in Reſchith Chochma, ſeu Initio ſapientiae, c. 4. & 5. — De poenitentia verba faciens ille, — oportet (inquit) paenitentem purgare ſe lavacro, & poſtmodum ſanctificare ſe jejuniis, &c. Et Petrus Bleſſenſis contra perfidiam Iudaeorum, cap. 26. Crediderunt Iudaei & adhuc credunt, per aquam frigidam peccata dimitti. unde & ipſi ſolent multis baptiſmatibus exerceri. Ejuſmodi etiam ablutionem Herbanus Iudaeus in diſputatione cum Gregentio Archiepiſcopo Tephrenſi memorat, ubi peccatorem poenitentem foreign, ablutum (in verſione Nic. Gulonii pro eo (abſolutum) malè legitur) ut anima expiatum & ad bonam mentem reverſum, in templum, ex jure Hebraico, admittendum ad ſacra antiquitùs fuiſſe ait. Selden. de ſucceſſion. in bon. defunct. cap. 26. But ſuch Baptiſm was only in vitae atque morum, not in Natalium Novationem ſeu regenerationem, as he there notes. In aquas ſe ſubmergunt, & in iiſdem peccata tam plenè à ſe abluunt ut puriſſimi fiant. Buxtorf. Synag. Jud. cap. 20.Isa 1:16Judg 20ſins, Waſhing of the body ſhadowing and ſignifying, if not furthering and operating the inward purity and cleanneſs of minde and ſoul, (as many have been apt to p. 133think, and thoſe very, very many) or a kinde of atonement with Heaven (for which there was time and rite, and very(1)(1)For being drawn ſo eaſily to be baptized (ſo many, from Ieruſalem, Iudea, and all about Jordan) it may be ſaid, That waſhings that they might be cleanſed from the ſins they had committed, were in uſe amongſt them by the Law: And therefore this being a thing they were of old grounded in, it is no marvel that they now off…r themſelves. &c. Mayer. tom. 1. pa. 69. Of waſhings by the Law we have, Levit. 13.54, 58. chap. 15.10, 11, 16, 18. chap. 17.15, 16. Num. 10.19, 20. chap. 31.19, 20. Deuter. 23.11. Waſhing of garments, in Levit. 11.25. & chap. 14.47. was interpreted of themſelves, before. And from both and their multitude, It is the uſe of the Scripture (ſays Dr Raynolds) to deſcribe ſpiritual duties by expreſſions drawn from Ceremonies and uſages under the Law, as repentance is called waſhing, Eſ. 1. Serm. on Hoſ. 4.2. Other ſuch alluſions are in Ierem. 4.14. Pſalm. 51.2, 7. Revel. 1.5. Four ſorts of unlcean perſons, to be cleanſed muſt be baptized and alſo bring ſacrifice. 1. The Leper. 2. the Woman puerpura, that had lain in 3. the Man. 4. the Woman, that had an iſſue (foreign, the Septuagint gives, Levit. 15.) and this according to the Law. Ainſworth, on Levit. 12.6. pa. 63. Ioſephus confirms, that the cleanſing of that infirmity requires both ſacrifice and bathing in cold water, lib. 3. cap. 10. and till this were done women (poſt copulam) were held unclean, as having a part of their ſouls defiled by that act, lib. 2. contra. Apion. Which was after taken into the Chriſtian Law. For Gregory of Rome in anſwer of ſome doubts to Auguſtin (firſt) Arch-Biſhop of Cant. gives this order: Vir autem cum propria conjuge dormiens, niſi lotus aqua Eccleſiam intrare non debet, ſed neque lotus, ſtatim. fetching it from the purifying Law of old Iſrael, Levit. 15. and adding: that, though other Nations might teach otherwiſe, Romanorum tamen ſemper ab antiquioribus uſus fuit, poſt admixtionem propriae conjugis, & Lavacri purificationem quaerere, & ab eccleſiae ingreſſu Paululùm reverenter abſtinere; with (a little after) the ſame lavatory preparation directed for receiving the pledg of Chriſtians holy Communication one with another, in Bedes Hiſtor. Eccleſiaſt. 1. cap. 27. Taken into the Decree ſo late as by Gratian, in Cauſ. 33. Quaeſt. 4. ca. 7. which ſhews it had ſome influence then where the Bible went. Neque ab uxore ad ſacra licitum eſſe illotis adire ſanxerunt (Aegyptii) remembers Clemens of Alexand. in Stromat. 1. pa. 306. and in the Alcoran, as if Religions did conſpire in this caſe to make ſomewhat conſcientious as of natural piety: Non ebrii, ſed ſobrii oratum ibant (Mahometani:) & poſt coitum, & egeſtionem, non priùs orabant, quàm aquâ aut pulvere mundae terrae abluti eſſent. Azoará. 9. Alledged by the Centuriſts of Maydenburg, in Centur. 7. cap. 15. de religionibus externis. col. 354.Lev 13:54Lev 13:58Num 10:19Num 10:20Deut 23:11Lev 11:25Isa 1Hos 4:2Jer 4:14Ps 51:2Ps 51:7Rev 1:5Lev 15Lev 12:6 Ablution appointed by the Law) or reconciliation with God and his Church: In a word, the rite of a very ſet and ſolemn Penance (if we may borrow a word from beyond ſea). And for all this are more then flattering glances of the text if the words and coherence be heeded and judged of without prejudice. As, John the perſon, miniſtring, his(2)(2)Matth. 3.1, 4. chap. 11.8, 18. Mar. 1.3, 4, 6. Luc. 7.33.Matt 3:1Matt 3:4Mark 1:3Mark 1:4Mark 1:6Luke 7:33 auſterity of life like a (3)(3)Hoc illius etiam Rabitus ipſe oſtendir, qui utique compunctioni & paenitentiae congruebat. Chryſoſt. Homil. 10. in Matth. 10.Matt 10penitentiary; the p. 134(1)(1)Matth. 3.5, 6 Mar. 1.5 Luc. 3.7, 10, 12. & cap. 7.29Matt 3:5Matt 3:6Mark 1:5Luke 3:7Luke 3:10Luke 3:12peoples coming to him, as about ſuch a buſineſs; their(2)(2)Matth. 3.6. Mar. 1.5.Matt 3:6Mark 1:5 confeſſion of ſins; for(3)(3)Mar. 1.4. Luc. 3 3.Mark 1:4Luke 3:3 remiſſion of ſins; and to(4)(4)Mat. 3.7. Luc. 3.7.Matt 3:7Luke 3:7 avoid future wrath; the(5)(5)Matth. 3.7.Matt 3:7 Phariſees coming with the reſt, a(6)(6)Ib. & cap. 12.3. & cap. 23.33. venemous and viperous generation that had moſt need (though not all of them; Some let the ſimple people go before them in accepting this (7)(7)Luc. 7.29, 30.Luke 7:29Luke 7:30councel of God for their juſtification) And the righteous ſon of God ſhould have been (8)(8)Matth. 3.14. Iohn forbade him, ſaying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comeſt thou to me.Matt 3:14repelled, as in whoſe ſpotleſs perfection, a(9)(9)Lavare eum in quo non erat peccatum exiſtimabat (Iohannes) ſuperfluum. Cyprian. de Cardinal. Chriſtioperibus. pa. 267. Venit ad Iohannis Baptiſma (Chriſtus) ſed Iohannis Baptiſma habebat paenitentiam delictorum. Et ideo prohibet eum Iohannes ducens, Ego à te debeo baptizari & tu Venis ad me! Cur venis ad me qui peccatum non habes? ille enim baptizandus eſt à me qui peccatum habet. Qui autem peccatum non fecit, lavacrum poenitentiae cur requirat? Ambroſ. in Luc. 3. Ego utique à te debeo baptizari, qui mihi eſt ex paterna praevaricatione corruptio, & tibi in Majeſtate paterna communio: — Ego terrenum animal tu agnus Dei. Ego peccati lege mortalis, tu autem adverſus peccata veniens neſcis ſubjacere peccato. Maxim. Taurinenſ. Homil. 6. in Epiphan. De Baptiſmo Chriſti. Baptizari vis Domine Ieſu! Utquid enim, aut quid opus eſt tibi Baptiſmate? Nunquid ſano opus eſt medicina? aut mundatione mundo? Unde tibi peccatum ubi Baptiſma ſit neceſſarium? — Quam maculam habere poteſt agnus ſine macula? Bernard. Serm. 1. de Epiphan. Iohannes intuens eum, & ſpiritu per divinam revelationem cognoſcens eum eſſe verum Deum & hominem nullum peccatum habentem, & ob hoc lavacro non indigentem, timuit & expavit, Et — ex reverentia eum prohibens, Ego (dixit) Domine (terrenus) à te (Coeleſti, qui non eges) baptizari debeo: & tu, &c. Ludolph. de Saxonia, part. 1. cap. 21. ſect. 7, 8. Vid. etiam Cyrill. Hieroſolymit. Catecheſ. 3. pa. 20.Luke 3 buſineſs of that nature could take no place. But above all, the conſtant and repeated word of Baptiſme of Repentance, Baptiſme for Repentance, He preached ſaying, Repent, and (what more fitly conſequent and attendant to all theſe, then what he alſo uſed and preſſed? ſaying) Live not now as ye liſt any longer, but bring forth fruits worthy Repentance and AMENDMENT of life. With which the poor p. 135people were ſo taken and terrifyed, as it were thunder-ſtriken with fear and amazement, that neither pleaſure nor fear of their paſt ſins can offer any rub, but in they com, thick and threefold; paleneſs is in their cheeks, and the word of terror on their lips (even of thoſe that were compuncti corae ſuo, Acts 2.38. Wounded at the heart,) Men and Brethren! Alaſs! Men and Brethren! Now: what ſhall we do? A confuſed multitude comes in and crys out firſt, What ſhall we do? The cheating(3)(3)Publicani (ut eſt genus hominum avarum, rapax & crudele) ſaepe iniquis vexationibus plebem vexabant: vitia, quibus ut plurimum laborabat ordo ille, taxat Baptiſta, prohibens, ne in exigendis tributis modum excedant, id. pa. 89. Publicans (toll-gatherers, tribute-mongers, purveyers, exciſemen, Cuſtomers, &c.) and what ſhall we do? (They had not wont to make ſuch conſcience of their ways, or doubt of gain;(1)(1)Luc. 3.10, 11, &c.Luke 3:10Luke 3:11 Lucri bonus odor quâlibet ex re, as he ſaid; but now they will be bounded by rule, and that rule the ſtricteſt, of Religion:(2)(2)Hanc ſolicitudinem gignit verus recipiſcendi affectus, ut cupidè inquirat peccator, quidnam velit Deus ac praecipiat? Reſponſio autem Johannis breviter definit fructus poenitentia dignos. Calvin. Harmon. Evangel. pa. 88. What! Now: Any thing!) The ravenous, rapacious, greedy, plundering Souldiers with iron ſides and harder hearts, whoſe ſwords had wont to be their rule, and their power their Law, have now a caſe of conſcience to propoſe to a Prophet; Vivitur ex rapto is laid aſide, & Rara fides pietaſque viris qui bella ſequuntur, become to them as bad as hereſie; their ſpirits are mollified and hearts ſoftened, their conſciences ductile, to follow or take any impreſſion. And What, ſay they, ſhall we do? To which they receive ſuch anſwers ſeverally, as may teach others (to whoſe guilty ſouls the(4)(4)Johannes quid facto opus eſſet à turbis interrogatus, periti medici more, ſingulis opportuna praeſidia ſalutariaque pharmaca praefinit. Et quidem turbis, ut mutua benevolentia ſe invicem complectantur, injungit: Publicanis vero ad telonium ſedentibus, ad immoderatam avaritiam inſaciabilemque illam habendi ſitim, viam obſtruit: militibus autem, ne quem temerè concutiant, non abſque ſingulari providentia Praecepit. Deus namque nullum omnino, modo juſtè ritéque vitam inſtituat, rejicit. Tit. Boſtrenſis ad Luc. 3. in Biblioth. Pat. Gr. pa. 781.Luke 3 ſalve of like wholſome and ſaving counſell might come fitly applicable) the proof of repentance to this very day. To the cloſehanded parcimonious people; Be not ſo ſaving and diſtruſtfully, fearfully covetous, but(5)(5)Tobit: 4.7. Give p. 136almes of that is yours, and never turn the face from any in want, and then the face of the Lord ſhall not be turned from you. To the Officers of the Cuſtomes, receivers, deceivers; Leave off thoſe hooks from between your fingers, Waſh off that birdlime wrongs all you touch with your hands, 'Tis an injurious Chimiſtry that meddles not with any thing of anothers, but it extracts and purloyns ſomewhat for it ſelf, Do not plunder inſteed of take, and make publick power a ſtalking horſe to creep to privat unjuſt gain, but take that belongs to you and be therewith contented. To the rude and Maſterleſs Soldiers, Remember that ye alſo have a Maſter in heaven, Do not tyrannize inſteed of Rule, and ſpoyl inſteed of Protect; grating, exacting, worrying, fliecing, that the poor afflicted people may look upon you as ſo many wolves ſent to guard the ſheep,**As a roaring Lyon and a ranging Bear, ſo is a wicked Ruler over the poor people. Proverb. 28.15 or bears and lyons to overſee the quiet fold; your profeſſion is honorable, do not diſgrace it by unſuitable actions, ſtaining the beauty of your Nobility by unlawful deeds, and caſting dirt upon the face of your own glory: Trouble or miſinform againſt none, but get your pay and be contented. Theſe were the parts, works, fruits, effects of Johns Baptiſme, and do they not all look much like or toward a buſineſs of Repentance?

The rather yet for 4. things more. Becauſe, 1. Moſt practical Divines have looked upon John, as a ſevere Prophet, a legal teacher, a Miniſter of the Law, a terrifyer of conſciences, the needle going before the thread(1)(1)Mat. 3.10. Luc. 3.9.Matt 3:10Luke 3:9 one that carryed the axe, &c. 2. For what Joſeph the ſon of Matthias hath left of his whole diſpenſation; himſelf an Hiſtorian, a Jew and(2)(2)This he owns of himſelf, in his Preface to his Hiſtory, Of the Wars of the Jews. a Prieſt; it ſo fell out, of the ſame tribe and line; and not only ſo but of ſome nearer alliance, as being of the higheſt(3)(3)Compare, for proof hereof, what is in Luc. 1. ver. 5, 8. with what this Authour hath left us of himſelf, in the beginning of the Relation of his own life.Luke 1:5Luke 1:8 courſe of 24 with Zacharias the Baptiſts Father, living in (or near)(4)(4)For John came out of the Wilderneſs but in the 15. year of Tiberius: Luc. 3.1. and Joſeph was born in the firſt of Caius Coeſar. as himſelf writeth there.Luke 3:1 the time of his tragedy, (not above ten years difference) and p. 137one that had tryed the ſame(1)(1)After I had heard that a certain man called Banus lived in the deſart, clothing himſelf with that which the trees brought forth, and feeding on no other kind of meat but that which they willingly yeilded him (compare herewith Johns Locuſt and wild hony) waſhing himſelf often-times by day & night in cold water to keep himſelf chaſt: I began to imitate his courſe of life, and after I had lived with him the ſpace of 3 years, and ſatisfied my deſires, at laſt I returned into the City. ib. ſevere courſe of inſtitution by Eremiticall life which John did in the Wilderneſs, even to a Baptiſme of himſelf in a penitentiall way, who gives this account. Divers were of opinion (ſaith(2)(2)Antiqu. Heb: lib. 18. cap. 7. he) that Herods Army miſcarried for the execution of John, ſir named Baptiſt: For he had done this man to death, who was repleniſhed with all vertue, and who exhorted the Jews to addict themſelves thereto, and to execute juſtice towards men, and piety towards God. Exhorting them to be baptized, and telling them that that Baptiſme ſhould at that time be well pleaſing to God, if they ſhould renounce not only their ſins, but if to the purity of their bodies they ſhould annex the cleanneſs of their ſouls, re-purified by Juſtice. 3. I have ſomewhere read a Queſtion, to which I never ſaw, or could frame to my ſelf an anſwer clearly ſatisfactory in the affirmative, Whether it can be proved by holy Scripture that John ever baptized in or into the name of Father, Son and Holy Ghoſt? Which I piece out a little farther, Or into Moſes? or Chriſt? or for initiation any way? No queſtion of his Baptiſme; the text is clear for that: but whether to this end? keeping to Scripture: or where may it be found? It hath been otherwiſe generally Received: But this was Delivered: and all know how low the credit of bare Tradition is now grown in moſt Parts of Chriſtendom. Divers opinions may have been no better then pious preſumptions; Religious miſtakes, which having had the hap to meet with able defenders, (Divinity Readers or Writers) at firſt, have by degrees proſpered into Axioms, and almoſt Articles of Doctrin; having yet little of credibility, very little of Truth, Nothing of ſolid Scripture at bottom, but a ſtrong faith, holpen by inclination to tread in the ſteps of the Wiſe and Learned, hath carried them currant along and made them (like Jeruſalem) Ezek. 16. proſper into a Kingdom: May it not have been ſo here? 4. Take in the large reigne of that opinion, that water (quick and living water, as before) had power in it ſelf in Nature to purifie the conſcience from dead works: I do not ſay, it was ſo, or St John thought ſo, but thought it was ſo, all abroad, both within and without p. 138the pale of Jewry, which might bring multitudes to Iordan, though upon erroneous account, and Iohn took occaſion thereby to exhort them to ſerious and real repentance; nor was he himſelf altogether free from errour, as appears by repelling One it was juſt ſhould come, Matth. 3.15. and as to our Saviour he might conform to cuſtom, in what he abſolutely needed not, as Iohn told him; or take the beſt of what had ſome mixture of error or ſuperſtition. Sure this Gratious enlivening quality, was all over the Eaſt believed to be in water to ſanctify and make clean the ſpotted ſoul.

The(1)(1)Quam rationem (baptizandi) obſervabant & Eſſeni, à Pythagoraeis, ipſorum Patriarchis mutuatam: ſic enim illi ſtatuebant, Puritatem conſequendam per purgationes, lavacra, & irrigationes. Montacut. Apparat. 7 ſect. 77. pa. 278. Pythagoreans thought purity to be attainable hereby, and ſo did the Phariſees among the Iews, in(2)(2)Ad Luc. 12. pa. 140. And hereto belongs what is in Mar▪ 7.2, 3, 4, 5. what was unwaſhen, was there common; as 'twere, oppoſed to ſanctified & clean. Lavandi iſtam conſuetudinem, à Luſtrationibus Paganorum mutuari credi poſſunt Phariſaei, Aegiptiis praecipuae, & Perſis. foreign enim & foreign frequenter apud illos uſurpabantur: unde ſe expiandos & mundandos credebant. Appar. Eod. ſect. 26. pa. 253.Luke 12Mark 7:2Mark 7:3Mark 7:4Mark 7:5 Titus Boſtrenſis. The Egiptians and Perſians had their frequent Bathings whence they thought themſelves to be freed from guilt and cleanſed: So did the Samaritans; who were, (that it might ſeem no leſs then very uſual) like the Ebionites in(3)(3)Et aquis ſe identidem tam hyeme quam aeſtate foreign nimirum ſanctitatis ſibi conciliandae gratia. in Anacephal. tom. 2. pa. 140. Of whom ſee before, adverſus haereſ. 30. ſect. 21, & 32. in tom. 1. pa. 145. & 158. Epiphanius, who reverenced ſome Deitie in the waters, Waſhing themſelves as well winter as ſummer, to ſanctifie themſelves thereby. The like thought may have born ſway with(4)(4)Habes homo in primis aetatem venerari aquarum, quòd antiqua ſubſtantia; dehinc dignationem, quòd divini ſpiritus ſedes, gratior ſcilicet caeteris tunc elementis, alluding to the ſpirit of God upon the face of the waters. Geneſ. 1.2. lib. de Baptiſmo. cap. 3. Sanctum autem utique ſuper ſanctum ferebatur, aut ab eo quod ſuperferebatur, id quod ferebat ſanctitatem mutuabatur. cap. 4.Gen 1:2 Tertullian, when he commended the liquid Element as in nature, and from the beginning, the habitation of ſome divine ſpirit, & dignum Deo vectaculum, a fit convoy for a Deity: and with(5)(5)Siquidem jam inde ab orbis initio ſpiritus Dei ſuper aquas ferebatur: ac luſtrandi facultate jam olim praeditam aquam eſſe Scriptura teſtis eſt. Quippe tempore Noë Deus mundi peccatum per aquam Eluit. Orthod. fid. lib. 4. cap. 10. Io. Damaſcene (another of ours) that from the beginning the ſpirit of God moved upon the face of the waters, whence it had a cleanſing power ſeene in waſhing away the ſinnes of the old world. p. 139(1)(1)Add, and with thoſe ſuperſtitious Chriſtians, who (ſticking too much upon the letter of 1 Tim. 2.8. I will that Men pray every where, lifting up PURE hands, and Jam 4.8. Cleanſe your hands ye ſinners, as well as purifie your hearts ye double minded) made it conſcientious to waſh their hands always before their heavenly addreſs, that ſo they might be morally clean and fit to lift to heaven, as Chryſoſtome tels us, in Homil. 72 in Joan. tom. 2 in Novum teſtam. pa: 466. Tertullian, in lib. de Oratione, cap. 11. & Cornel. à Lapide, in 1 Tim. 2.8. The Mahomedans were wont to ſay, Orationis clavis eſt Mundities, Cleanlyneſs was the Key of the work of Devotion: &, Non accepit Deus preces abſque mundatione, ſen lotione, God accepts not the prayers of the unclean, as, from Algazal, is remembred by Mr. Pocock, in his late notes on the Arabian Hiſtory, pa. 302. For the Gentiles waſhing their hands before ſacrifice, and from them the Chriſtians, may be ſeen Polydore Virgil, de rerum inventor. lib. 3. cap. 5. & lib. 5. cap. 11.1 Tim 2:8Jas 4:8Cicero giving the reaſon why the old Law (continued to(2)(2)As appears by Inſtitut. lib. 4. tit. 18. de publicis judiciis. ſect. 6. Digeſt. de lege Pomp. de Parricid. L. paena parricidii. & Cod. 9. tit. 16. de his qui parentes. Iuſtinians time) was, that he that had killed his father ſhould be ſewed up in a ſack, with a dog, an ape and a viper, &c. and ſo caſt into a river or the ſea, alledges; The ſack was to preſerve the cleanſing waters, Ne, cùm delati eſſent in mare (parricidae) ipſum polluerent, quo caetera quae violata ſunt, expiari putantur, as(3)(3)Lect. antiqu. lib. 11. cap. 21, 22. This particular is remembred in Paulus Merula, in diſſertat. de maribus cap 1. Who from other diſcourſe had inferred a little before, Non igitur obſcurum, quam ob cauſam marinas (Aquis omnibus tribuunt purgandi vim alii ſcriptores) undas uſurparit Antiquitas in Purgationibus, ut videre eſt apud Catul…um de averſis inceſtiſque Gellii Veneribus, Senecam in Hippolyto, Apuleium, &c. Et hinc cùm apud alios tùm Julium Obſequentem de Prodigiis leguntur Hermaphroditi Aruſpicum praecepto in Mare deportari quondam ſoliti; quòd nullis niſi aequoris undis ejuſmodi portentum lavari & expiari poſſe arbitrarentur. Coelius Rhodiginus: which he farther clears by that the Scholiaſt on Ariſtophanes expounds ſome verſes of that author, about ones coming to the ſea and waſhing there, by Mos erat antiquis illic expiare pollutos, the antiens were wont ſo to purify the unclean: as Plato in his journey to Egipt, taking with him Euripides who fell ſick by the way, He was cured by the Prieſts waſhing; whence Plato was wont to ſay, The ſea waſheth off all Inconveniences. in Diogenes Laert. lib. 3. in vita Platonis. The (4)(4)So the late Biſhop Montague in his Acts and Monum. chap. 2. ſect. 59.Druides had their expiations, luſtrations, ſanctifications, often waſhings and cleanſings, without which nothing was well, orderly or truely done or performed in their ſervices: As Sybilla Cumana(5)(5)ſect. 60. rinſed her ſelf in pure running water before ſhe addreſſed her ſelf to her propheſies. The antient(6)(6)Greg. Syntag. juris univerſi. lib. 36. ca. 31. de expiatione homicidii. uſe (ſaith Sophocles) was, thoſe that had ſtained their p. 140hands by murther, to waſh them clean in water, foreign, for what leſs, then to take off the ſtain of guilt? the(1)(1)Exiſtimabant antiqui eandem eſſe animi quam eriam corporis purgationem, ut cum quis in flumine manus aut corpus abluiſſet poſt caedem, ille pu…us ſtatim efficeretur: quare ita ſcribit Anticlides libro 74. redituum. foreign: It was and is the uſe after manſlaughter or any other to waſh the hands in running water to fetch off the ſtain. Natalis Comitis Mythol…g. lib. 1. cap. 10. pa. 27. cleanſing of body and minde, of hand and ſoul they thought went together. And(2)(2)In vocab. foreign. Suidas expounding that foreign, ſays, ſo were believed to have expiation thoſe were guilty of bloodſhed: acknowledged by(3)(3)Item penes veteres quiſquis ſe homicîdio infecerat, purgatrice aquâ ſe expiabat. lib de Baptiſmo. cap. 5. as likewiſe for expiation of perjury. ibid, Quae verba ſatis indicant quantam vim ad animos ab omni ſcelere expiandos in aquis poſitam eſſe gentiles exiſtimarint. Joſeph. Vicecom. de antiqu. ritibus Bapt. lib. 1. cap. 17. Tertullian, and ſo underſtood by Joſeph. Vicecomes. But eſpecially and above all the reſt were the Hemerobaptiſts. We may expect ſomewhat more then ordinary of them, when Dayly waſhing had ſoked into their name; as ſuch there were and ſo they uſed. They (4)(4)Dicebant, neminem aeternae vitae compotem eſſe poſſe, niſi quotidiè lavarer. Reſponſ. ad Epiſt. Acacii. tom, 1. & Anacephal. tom. 2. pa. 134.thought elſe no one could attain eternal life, ſaith Epiphanius; and Baronius,(5)(5)Rati nimirum hominem non poſſe vivere niſi quis ſingulis diebus in aqua mergeretur, atque ita ablueretur, & proinde ſanctificaretur. in Apparat. 14. No living without waſhing and rinſing, and thereby cleanſing, yea ſanctification. This they did every day, both morning and evening, winter as well as ſummer, ſays(6)(6)Tam vere autumnoque quam aeſtate atque hyeme quotidiè lavant, unde & foreign appellationem adepti ſunt. Ita enim ſtatuebant, vivere aliter hominem non poſſe, quam ſi quotidiè ſe aquis elueret, atque ab omni crimine purgaret. adverſus haereſ. 17. tom. 1. pa 37. Epiphanius again, upbraiding, that their practiſe did confute their hope, and their doing their believing: for ſith they waſhed and did it daily, the repetition beſpake the inſufficiency, and the renewing it the day after declared really the imperfection of what was done the day before. Nor may we withdraw all reſpect from the giddy-witted Poets? Some truth they let fall by the way in purſuit of their vaineſt fictions, their materials were commonly ſound where their plot was but a figment, a golden web, when the piece but a toy or a fancy; p. 141for what brain-ſick Rhapſodiſt would ever have ſuppoſed ſpeeches that could not have been ſpoken (truly?) or things that could not have been done? or words empty of all ſenſe? or that to be, which neither was not could, nor was ever heard of? Virgil (1)(1)Aeneid. 2. And Dido ordering a preparation for ſacrifice: Dic corpus properet fluviali ſpargere lympha in Aeneid. 4. And after: Occupat Aeneas aditum corpuſque recenti ſpargit aqua in Aeneid. 6. And again,—aliis ſub gurgite vaſto Infeſtum eluitur ſcelus, aut exuritur igni.thus brings in his Aeneas beſpeaking his aged parent:

Tu, genitor, cape ſacra manu patrioſque penates:

Me bello è tanto digreſſum & coede recenti

Attrectare nefas, donec me flumine vivo

Abluero.

His bloody hands might not meddle with what was religious, till clean and cleanſed by living water. (for I purpoſely retain that epithete.) Would another fall out with leſs then a ſhadow?

O nimiùm faciles, qui triſtia crimina caedis

Tolli fluminea poſſe putatis aqua!

ſaid(2)(2)Omne nefas, omnemque mali purgamine cauſam, Credebant noſtri tollere poſſe ſenes. Graecia principium moris fuit illa nocentes, Impia luſtratos tollere facta putat. Actoridem Peleus, ipſum quoque Pelea Phoci, Caede per Hemonias ſolvit Acaſtus aquas. Whereto the Poet upbraids as here, O nimium faciles, &c. in 4. Faſtorum. Ovid: ſure ſome were then perſwaded that it was ſo; that the deepeſt dye of worſt offence might be waſhed off in the neighbouring brook. And(3)(3)In Hercul. furent. Seneca gravely:

Quis Tanais, aut quis Nilus, aut quis Perſica

Violentus unda Tigris, aut Rhenus ferox,

Taguſve Ibera turbidus gaza fluens

Abluere dextram poterit!

Can Tanais, Nile, Rhyſni, Tigris or the golden ſanded Taio make cleane a guilty hand; they cannot. To omitt(4)(4)Quid facit is, patruum qui non ſinit eſſe maritum? Ecquid ſcis quantum ſuſcipiat ſceleris? Suſcipit, ô Gelli, quantum non ultima Tethis, Nec genitor nympharum abluit Oceanus. And Perſius, Haec ſanctè ut poſcas Tiberino in gurgite mergis Manè caput bis terque, & noctem flumine▪ purgas. in Satyr. 2. Catullus. The more Eaſtern Ganges was left out in Seneca's enumeration, but his vertue is ſupplyed by the beliefe and preſent recourſe of ours, or the laſt age. For p. 142thither do people reſort, if we may credit(1)(1)I. Huighen van Linſchoten. Book 1. chap. 16. him that brought it us from the bankes ſide, in multitudes, with aſſured hope that as many as waſh and bath themſelves in that River, be they never ſo great ſinners, have all their ſins forgiven them, and that they are thenceforth pure and clean from a…l ſin, as if they were new come into the world as ſhalbe ſaid anon. And indeed it is beleeved all over the Eaſt, ſayth(2)(2)Accepimus enim duobus illis elementis aqua & igni, creditum apud omnes ferè gentes expiari poſſe delicta & purificari: as from Virgil., before. Ingredientes & egredientes domo, ubi mortuus erat, aqua ſe aſpergebant Graeci, ut ſe purgarent, &c. P. Gregor. Tholoſan. Syntag. Juris. lib 31. cap. 8. ſect. 7. Sed & apud Ethnichos expiationes & veluti purgationes per aquam fiebant, &c. Id. lib. 2. cap. 4. ſect 7. another, Whence the Graecians kept always a pot of water at the door, where a dead man lay unburied, to ſprinkle and cleanſe, as well at going in as coming out, the like they had at their temple doore, for the ſame uſe, (foreign they called it) and by their Alcoran it is no leſſe appointed to be uſed by the Mahumetanes. Laſtly, (as if there were ſtill a naturall perſwaſion inhaerent in the mind of Man, of ſome ſuch naturall force and power inhaerent in Water, to hold forth meanes of purification reaching to the ſoul) it is obſervable, that not onelyonly the Heathen waſhed at their Temple-doore as(3)(3)Ad Annum 57. num. 108. Baronius hath from Herodotus, Cicero, Perſius, &c. (and from the reliques of that opinion finding conſent in the mind of man may have grown up the ſprinkling with Holy Water among the Papiſts as they enter the Church:) but alſo their Temples obteyned both place and name from vicinity of Healing ſprings. Notandum quod Pagani ſive Gentiles circa fontes templa ſua facere ſolebant, vel ſaltem ibi aquam habebant, per cujus aſperſionem purificari credebant, & inde Delubra vocantur, quaſi Purificantia, ſays(4)(4)Rational. Divinor. lib. 6. cap. 83. ſect. 1. Durand: (Which when I read it comes into my minde, to compare, the ſcituation of our Engliſh Churches, moſt of them upon(5)(5)Some congruity with what is ours in both theſe, the inſtances of holy ſcripture ſeem to hold out to us for ſafe imitation. 1. The Hillock: for (not to inlarge on the known things of Jeruſalems Temple and its high ſcituation, Her foundations are upon the holy hills: the Lord loveth the gates of Sion more then all the dwellings of Jacob, as Pſal. 85.1. or the averred place of old Shiloh upon a Mount in Ephraim) in an Oratory of Mount Olivet our Saviour ſpent his whole night, the next before the miſſion of his Apoſtles (a fit preparation, (and the place moſt fit) for ſo holy a work) Luc. 6.12. foreign. And a like preparation upon a place of like aſcent again, the night before his treacherous delivery, chap. 22.39. for there is a departure from an Oratory, foreign, to remove to his drowſy diſciples, at ver. 45. 2 The Brook: for to another Oratory, near the gate of Philippi the Metropolis of Macedonia, which was by a Brook ſide, went St. Paul to preach to the devout women, Act. 16.13. Where, it ſo fell out, there was a ſeaſonable and preſent uſe of the waters for initiating divers converted by him at that meeting, ver. 15. And, that Gethſeman, the particular place of M. Olivet, where (before) our Saviour prayed, and roſe from his Oratory, is, in St Johns conſent of Story, about the Brook of Cedron. Our text goes thus far, When Jeſus had ſpoken theſe words, he went forth with his Diſciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden into which he entred, &c. Jo. 18.1. but the Syriack is punctual and reſtraining, he went foreign ad vadum, or ad tranſitum pedis Kedrun: to the ford of Kedrun: thither and no farther. As we would ſay, From London to a place named of Windſor foreſt: Gethſeman is as much as, Vallis pinguedinis, the valley of fatneſs, or the valley of Olives, whoſe Mount of that name was at hand) Of like nature and uſe whereto were the pleaſing retirements of this place (but nearer ſcituation to the Metropolis) made and reſorted to by David and Solomon. The chief ſtreſs of this whole conjecture lays upon an unwonted but rational interpretation of the word foreign, which, in the places alledged, is commonly rendred to give the Act of Praying, I take it for foreign, a place deſigned and devoted thereto, as Synonymon with what from Eſai 56.11. is in Matth. 21.13. and Mar. 11.13. My House ſhall be called foreign, A Houſe of prayer to all Nations: and as in Maccab. 7.37. where thus the Prieſt: Thou Lord didſt chooſe this Houſe to have thy name called over it. that it might be a HOUSE OF PRAYER and ſupplication for thy people. For 1. The word will in all thoſe places (and moreover in Act. 16.16. It came to paſs as we went foreign, to an Oratory: the Syriack is plain, foreign, to a Houſe of prayer: and in Eccleſiaſticus, 39. ver. 6. & ver. 8. & chap, 50.21.) very well bear that ſenſe, if not in ſome require it rather: for how odd were it to ſay, Chriſt continued all night in the prayer of God, foreign, with an article? or S Paul traveled with his company to prayer? and not rather, the one went, the other ſpent time in, that which all allow Churches for, an HOUSE of GOD for Prayer? 2. Mr. Paſor warrants this poſſible and likely ſignification, in his Lexicon: p. 326. in vocab. foreign 3. The Syriack (the beſt Comment, and indeed better then any Comment) gives its vote clear. Etegreſſi ſumus die ſabbati extra portam urbis, juxta ripam fluminis, quia ibi conſpiciebatur DOMUS ORATIONIS; foreign, again, as before, an HOUSE OF PRAYER. Act. 16.13. as we would ſay they went on Sunday to Church. Not to ſpeak of the ſmiling glance of the Engliſh this way, We went out of the City, by a Rivers ſide, where prayer was wont to be made. 4. Epiphanius helps us a little farther, a Jew born, but Proſelyte to us, Learned, even among the Fathers: Who ſpeaking of the Meſſalians, who had their Places of Prayer abroad, as had the Jews and Samaritans; Of them, ſays he, it is ſo proved from the inſtance of Act. 16. Where the woman ſeller of purple met St Paul, foreign, for there ſeemed to be a place of prayer· Haereſ. 80. cap. 1. tom. 1. pa. …68. exa…t… …greeing with what Mr. Mede (in his excellent Diatribae, pa. 284. who both gave me, and there a…ſerts this interpretation) ſays the Arabick muſt import, LOCUS ORATIONIS. 5. No… was this ſenſe unheard of abroad. The Roman Poet brings in his drunken Gallant thus v…pouring and quarreling with the man he met, (the Picture, as the whole is there together, of what our age ſhews daily exemplified, in gliſtering colours; To ſhame and ſin, the dregs of corrupteſt Gentiliſme being not yet purged out of our Chriſtian Congregations, nor any Reformation prevailing that the moſt ſacred pledges of our even heavenly Communion be not ſtill proſtitute and profaned to a ſort of lewd and ungodly varlets, the ſcum of the world, the ſhame of men, unworthy of civil ſocietie, Pagan Rome ſcorned them, her Poets made ſport with them: Uſque quò, Domine! LORD, When will Sion be it ſelf!) His words are, Ede, ubi conſiſtas; in qua te quaero proſeucha? Say, wretch, where liveſt thou? in what Church-Porch may I finde thy habitation? Proſeucha eſt locus ubi mendici ſtipem perunt. Erant autem illo tempore Judaeorum fana ita dicta, ſays Lubine on the place: of Juvenal. Sat. 3.Ps 85:1Luke 6:12Acts 16:13John 18:1Isa 56:11Matt 21:13Mark 11:13Acts 16:16Acts 16 tolts or hillocks, neare ſprings or water-brooks; p. 143p. 144no doubt the ſanctified ſucceſſors of Pagan places of worſhip, there before uſed; and it was eaſier to conſecrate then to erect, indeed Naturall to continue Religious what had in any ſort been devoted to God) which, with little variation, his ſucceſſour Jo. (1)(1)Divin. officiorum explicat. cap. 110Beleth took up from him: and Servius, (2)(2)In Virgil. Aeneid. 2. remembred by Roſinus, in Antiqu. Rom. lib. 2. cap. 2. pa. 109.Delubrum à diluendo, locus ante templum ubi aqua currit: The word Delubrum is not properly a temple, but a place by, of running water.

Thus in much diffuſion all abroad it hath prevayled that Water ſanctifies, Jordan was holy, and Ganges or any other brook, They are Pure and have operation effectuall upon the ſoul to Purity. Not yet that the thing is ſo, or Truth will beare it out, or the profound and onelyonly heavenly Maximes of the moſt holy Chriſtian faith, whoſe tender eyes are rather for the contrary, though he uſe Water moſt religiouſly. For, St(3)(3)1 Pet. 3.21.1 Pet 3:21 Peter (in whoſe time ſuch opinion might be ſtirring, and his full intent to give thereto juſt and even oppoſition) tels us that a waſhing, Baptiſme, our Baptiſme (the true foreign to the Deluge, not to the Ark, as commonly conſtrued, the Neuter article will not bear that, foreign, the figure to which water p. 145now ſayeth, but of what ſort? not the putting away or rincing off the filth of the fleſh, which is that natural ablution may, but ſomewhat internal, and which the element cannot reach, the inward ſtipulation, or purgation, the anſwer or ſatisfactory declaration in a good mans behalf of a good conſcience by the reſurrection of Jeſus Chriſt. Of the type perhaps it had been otherwiſe preſumed, and that the old world was morally cleanſed by the flood. Ac primum quidem Diluvii baptiſma excindendi peccati cauſa contigit, as in Jo. Damaſcene, de fid. orthod. lib. 4. cap. 10. Of the eight ſorts of Baptiſme this was the firſt, and ſo operative: Ʋnde illud celebre, apud Graecos, (has Grotius on Matth. 3.6.) foreign, as but now from Plato in Diogenes Laertius. But is it ſo? no, it is not ſo: The Element cannot do it in preſent Chriſtian belief, but ſomewhat internal and ſpiritual reaching farther, not Waſhing but Baptiſme, to be regenerate, and renewed or born again of water and the holy Ghoſt. And accordingly they are made diſtinct by the author to the(1)(1)Cap. 10.22, 23. Et aqua ſanè mundat corpus, ſpiritus autem ſignat animam, ut abluti in corpore aqua munda, & repurgati in corde accedamus Deum. Qui ita que in aquam de ſcenſurus es (He ſpeaks to the proſelyte, and the uſe was then to go down into the Brook for Baptiſm) non aquae ſimplici mentem adhibe, ſed Sp. Sancti virtute ſalutem accipe: nam ſine utriſque ad pe…fectionem deduci non poteris. Cyrill. Hieroſ. Catecheſ. 3. pa. 16. Hebrews, Cleanſed as to the heart internally from an evil conſcience, as well as waſhed externally to the Body in cleanſing or pure water: and the like partition is in St(2)(2)ca. 4. v. 8. James, Waſh your hands, O ſinners (foreign, purifie them) but that not enough, Cleanſe alſo your hearts, ye double minded: and the(3)(3)Heb. 9 9, 10.Heb 9:9Heb 9:10 former again, That ſervice which was performed by the worſhippers under the firſt Tabernacle, could by no means perfect, as to the conſcience, thoſe that brought, though it were both gifts and ſacrifices, for it did conſiſt only in meats and drinks and divers outward waſhings and carnal ordinances, Juſtifications of the fleſh, which muſt expect a time of review or following reformation; theſe were but ſhells and ſhadows. Nor any other but this, might that pure and heavenly, ſpiritual doctrin, in His meaning, be, our Saviour took up, to contradict the groſs and carnal traditionaries of the Phariſees; They cryed out, Waſh all, and ſo purifie; Hands, Cups, Tables, Platters, elſe nothing but unclean: He, Obey the Commandements, Honour Parents, look all be ſound within, for nothing that goes in, or is applyed to, or p. 146is converſant about defiles the perſon, or ſanctifies, but what iſſues out FROM WITHIN (Evil thoughts, Adultery, Murther, Rapine, Covetouſneſs, &c.) theſe carry the ſtroke in profanation or ſanctification, as is expreſs in Mar. 7. When he was invited to dinner by one of them, who wondred ſo great a Prophet went not His waſhing way, according to the orders of the ancients, HE ſits him down to dinner and without any preparatory ablution (of which he had no regard at all as to piety or impiety) excuſes by return of ſharp reproof, Ye Phariſees think to make all whole thus, but ye go a wrong way to work, as 'twere waſhing a cup or platter without, when the inſide remains corrupt and naught (the pot is clean, but the meat is poyſoned: Or, ye waſh YOƲR outſides, your bodies, as far as water can reach, when your inſides, your hearts, are full of miſchief and naughtineſs) Begin within, ſtudie righteouſneſs, DO GOOD, Give of what you have in charity, and then all ſhall be clean to you, whether ſuppoſed ſanctifying water hath been uſed, or no: Luc. 11.38, &c. Matth. 15.1, &c. And elſewhere, and ſtill blame laying upon the ſame branch of the diſtinction foreign, ye outſide hypocrits, Wo be to you, ye beſtow care enough about that groſſer part your Ceremonies can reach, ('tis your Religion) thinking withall they reach piety and work it; but for that wherein is the life, foreign, This is left as foul, as to which to due means of ſanctification hath been applyed. Ye blinde guides, firſt regard to cleanſe foreign, the inſide or heart by real and ſincere inclinations to holy vertue and goodneſs, and then for foreign, be there Luſtration, or not (ye put ſo much, and enough, and all holyneſs in) This will come in the rear of things leſs regardable and conſiderable, Matth. 23, 25, &c. Otherwiſe ye do but paint a wall, or white a Sepulchre, waſh over with a few empty and ſuperſtitious Rites that ſlabbered outſide, whoſe heart or inſide (whither ſuch outward linitives cannot reach) remains naſtie, and full of — and — not fit to be named. The ſum, we diſagree in this: ye ſay, water is Holy, waſh and be clean; I ſay, Sanctifie your ſelves, BE YE Clean; for bodily exerciſe profiteth little. p. 147So, of thoſe times the graveſt(1)(1)Neceſſum eſt igitur adituros templum ſacrorum gratia, & corpore nitidos eſſe, & multò magis anima. Haec enim Domina eſt Regina que modis omnibus illo praeſtantior, ut divinioris naturae particeps. Lib. de Victimas offerent pa. 657. Philo, who having required as by their Law, exactneſs of Luſtration beyond ordinary (as not of water alone, with which other worſhippers were content, but) by aſhes admixed, and which does help farther, yet concludes for internal beauty and purity of minde as that is more lovely and amiable in the eyes of him that ſees all. And of the ſame clime the not unadviſed(2)(2)Dictum eſt a Mohammede, Fundata eſt religio in Munditie: and again, Mundities eſt dimidium fidei: quae ipſius dicta ut intelligantur quatuor ſtatuit Algazalius munditiei gradus. Quorum primus eſt mundatio exterioris corporis ab inquinamento. Secundus, mundatio membrorum corporis à ſceleribus & rebus illicitis patrandis. Tertius, Mundatio cordis à moribus vituperio & vitiis odio dignis. Quartus, Mundatio ſecreti ab omni re praeter Deum. A multis quorum caligant oculi curari exteriorem illam corporis quae eſt caeteris inſtar corticis extimi ad nucleum qui appetitur, cùm ſit maximi momenti res, receſſuum cordis expurgatio. Multùm ergo de iis queritur Algazalius qui de exterioris corporis munditie ad ſuperſtitionem uſque ſoliciti ſint, adeò ut illos qui hac ex parte minùs ſuperſtitioſi ſint, pro immundis habeant, & eorum contactum fugiant; cum interim ſit apud ipſos quod intus eſt, deſolatum & oppletum vitiis ſuperbiae, faſtus, ignorantiae, diſſimulationis & hypocriſis; rerum ordine penitus in verſo. E. Pocock: in notis ad Hiſtor. Arabicam Abulfurajii. pa. 302. Mahomed, of whoſe Divinity one half was cleanneſs, he laid the foundation of all in purity: But when this comes to be expounded, his followers diſtinguiſh of 4 ſorts, Corporal, Mental, and ſome other reduced to them, of which the chiefeſt is the inwardeſt: Waſhing the ſhel, Soul-purity the Kernel. And ſad complaint is made of thoſe are ſuperſtitiouſly carefull (it is no better) of the Body to be waſhen, ſhunning to draw near who is in that regard profane: whereas quod intus eſt, deſolatum eſt & oppletum vitiis, that which is within is overrun with vices, fraud, hypocriſie, diſdain, pride, ignorance, &c. all being inverted, the firſt laſt, the laſt firſt. Among Chriſtians Epiphanius (of that Countrey ſtill; and they are like to have learned and taught beſt thoſe things came out from them) ſtrikes home againſt the Hemerobaptiſts before ſpoken of, telling us(3)(3)Ne que enim Oceanus, ne que mania omnia, ne que perennes fluviorum aquae vel fontium, ne que quicquid uſpiam pluviarum eſt, foreign ſi unum in locum conveniant, eluere pecca… hominum poſſunt in Haereſ. 17. It is not ſea and river, fountains and great depths, nor the whole congregate force of the mighty Limbick of Nature could afford to Waſh and cleanſe a ſpotted ſoul: and to the Aebionites, others under the ſame influences, Who uſed frequent Bathing themſelves, (foreign, and thought to have benefit of being cleanſed by them) But objected them to the diſgrace of Peter and the reſt of the Apoſtles, He raiſes p. 148direct and full confutation from our Saviours Dialogue in the thirteenth of John, He whoſe feet are waſhen is whole clean, foreign, and ſo needs no further, required, uſed, ſuperſtitious ablutions:(1)(1)Id. in Haereſ. 30 ſ…ct. 21. pa, 145. not to inſiſt on(2)(2)Quod lex externam immunditiem & impuritatem to…lat poſt purificationem cordis. The argument of cap. 33. in More Nevochim. part. 3. Maiemonides, who rangeth outward purification much behind inward and ſincere purity. And hence it was that Tertullian call thoſe without the Church very appoſitely(3)(3)Sed enim nationes extraneae ab omni intellectu ſpiritalium poteſtatum eadem efficacia idolis ſuis ſubminiſtrant. Sed viduis aquis ſibi mentiuntur. Nam & ſacris quibuſdam per lavacrum initiantur, Iſidis alicujus aut Mithrae. Lib. de Baptiſmo. cap. 5. pa: 257. viduas aquas, the Pagans yet both uſed and relyed on: that is, deſtitute of Angel and holy Ghoſt, as(4)(4)Viduis ſcilicet Angelo ac ſpiritu ſancto ideoque ſterilibus. At noſtris aquis ſupervenit ſpiritus de coelis, ſanctificans eas de ſemeripſo, & ita ſanctificatae vim ſanctificandi concipiunt, quare & pariunt. Nempe Chriſtianos vitae homines aeternae. Obſervat. ad Tertullian. pa. 70. Rigaltius on the place; whereas by our Holy uſe

(5)(5)Paulinus, in Epiſt. ad Severum 12.Sanctus in hunc coelo deſcendit ſpiritus amnem,

Caeleſti que ſacras fonte maritat aquas.

And ſome ſage(6)(6)Cùm multùm animus corpori praeſtet, obſerveturque ut caſto corpore adeatur (ad Divos) multò eſt inanimis id ſervandum magis. Nam illud vel aſperſione aquae vel dierum numero tollitur: animi labes nec diuturnitate evaneſcere, nec amnibus elui poteſt, Cicero, lib. 2. de Legibus. Philoſophers have confeſſed as much as comes to this emptineſs or viduity. He is pure only that knows no ill of himſelf, ſaid Menander in(7)(7)Stromat. 5. pa. 714. Clemens Alexandrinus, with rejection of all inſufficient elementary Luſtrations. And the Tragaedian, What's any ones bane but his Conſcience? that himſelf has knowledge he has done amiſs? for, indeed, There is no true purity but innocence. And Epicharmus excellently, Be thy mind clear within, little needs thy body the purification of water. Much more of which nature may be ſeen in the ſame Clemens Alexand. Strom. 4. pa. 531. Clemens Roman. Epist. 4. ad Jul. & Julianum: in(8)(8)Ceterùm quae ratio eſt manibus quidem ablutis; ſpiritu vero ſordente orationem obire? quando & ipſis manibus ſpiritales munditiae ſint neceſſariae, ut à falſo, à coede, à ſaevitia, à veneficiis, ab idololatria, caeteriſque maculis quae ſpiritu conceptae manuum operâ tranſiguntur, purae alleventur, Hae ſunt verae munditiae, non quas plerique ſuperſtitioſè curant, ad omnem orationem etiam cum lavacro totius corporis aquam ſumentes. De Oratione, cap. 11. Tertullian, (9)(9)Deorum templa cum adire diſponitis, ab omni vos labe puros, lautos, caſtiſſimo que praeſtatis? Adverſus gentes: lib. 7. pa. 212.Arnobius, and his Schollar p. 149(1)(1)Flagitii… omnibus inquinati veniunt ad precandum, & ſe piè ſacrificaſſe opinantur, ſi cutem laverint, tanquam libidines intra pectus incluſas ulli amnes abluant, aut ulla maria purificent. Quantò ſatiùs eſt mentem potius eluere, quae malis cupiditaribus ſordidatur, & uno virtutis ac fidei lavacro univerſa vitia depellere? Lib. 5. de Juſtitia. cap. 20 in fin.Lactantius: in Cyril. Hieroſol. Catecheſ. 5. pa. 239. Chryſoſt. in Timoth. …. tom. 6. pa. 453. Gregor. Nyſſen: de Baptiſmo Chriſti, tom. 3. pa. 363. Baſil. lib. de Sp. Sancto, cap. 5 tom. 2. pa. 323. Ambroſ. lib. 1. de Sacram. cap. 1. Titus Boſtrenſis in Luc. 12. Gratian. de conſecrat. diſtinct. 4. Ca. Verus baptiſmus. and laſtly, in the Eaſtern(2)(2)Sure, it muſt have been ſome truth of no ordinary mark or note in Chriſti…n value and apprehenſion, that hath left (to continue ſo long) ſo much memory of defence and vindication; and the contrary error of great diſorder and very perilous conſequence that ſtirred up ſo many Champions in arms, who would leaſt Andabatarum more pugnare, ſtruggle with the air, or fight it out with a fancy. Why all mention either of oppoſition or ſatisfaction hereabout hath been ſo long laid ſtill, as 'twere aſleep within the vail of ſecrecie and ſilence, may proceed fr…m nothing elſe but the clear and final victory that Truth hath been long in aged poſſeſſion of, in the gates of its adverſary. So let it reſt and dwell. But if any ſhould diſturb, of theſe things would then appear the uſe. — Think chiefly, that herein might be the very point of conteſt between our Holy Saviour, and the waſhing Scribes and Phariſees, They calling for the Ceremony, He for the Subſtance, They reſting in the opus opera um, traditions obſerved, He not contented without real, true, and inward ſanctifi…ation: To ſcrew up to beyond which their Sacramental piety is that of Matth. 5.20. Ex…ept your righteouſneſs (that hearken to me) ſhall go beyond thoſe Scribes and Phariſee…, ye ſhall no way enter into my Kingdom of H aven.Matt 5:20 Cyril, who is, foreign: Water, 'tis true, may waſh the body, but ſomewhat quicker, inward, ſpiritual muſt reach the ſoul. in Catecheſ. 3.

Thus the world hath been divided, and though the Many be on the contrary, Truth, as received by Chriſtians, and ſome other the graveſt, eſpecially ſuch as hearken to Scriptures, ſeems to be on this part, That not Nature but Grace, the power of the holy Ghoſt not any outward Element can purge the Conſcience from dead works, to be acceptable and clear in the ſight of God. Howſoever, the other prevailing, over the world, even the Eaſt, might bring in ſtore to Johns Baptiſme, that dwelt about Jordan and were willing to have their ſins forgiven; which made them ready to trie, what they thought could do them no harm, with more plyable forwardneſs then the Syrian (3)(3)Naaman, 2 King. 5 12.2 Kgs 5:12General before in the ſame River, with forced neglect of his own Abanah p. 150and Pharphar. Sin in the burden of the ſoul, that hangeth on and preſſeth down, and ſticketh cloſe, and woundeth deep: Induſtrious care would do much to be rid of fear, to draw on hope that it ſhall dread no grief, from ſuffering pain (as well as bearing loſs) which having begun knows no other bound but to Be Eternal: Upon which account many might be willing to trie what would but colour for toward redemption to Free and Safe; and from that Baptiſme, which in nature cleanſing, was thought to reach a little farther, to within, and did here own the ſure name of, for Repentance or change of mind (foreign, by divine impoſition) from that they now had, which they knew to be bad enough. So that Johns Baptiſm, theſe probabilities favour, might be, not of initiation to Religion, but cleanſing and purification in Religion: So meant and ſo uſed; not for the Water ſake, but for the Ordinance of God's ſake, which in the Law had appointed ſuch purification for ſin by (or with, or not without) Water.

Which admitted, (as why may it not? the frame of other Truths is hereby well enough ſorted in with, as well of ſacred Oracles as abroad; nor is confirmation wanting form them, as well as compliableneſs) in the Holy ſtory, this would ſeem yet farther capable of one improvement more, as to HIM our eyes are moſt upon, our bleſſed Saviour; To whom ſuch Luſtration might not unfitly ſerve as preparative to his Entry into Holy Orders; The time whereof was now at hand, and St Matthew hath ſo related, as if preſently he were ſo actually admitted. This ſure: We find him ſoon after preaching, Matth. 4.17. Luc. 4:17, &c. and chuſing his Diſciples (Andrew, Peter, James and John) Matth. 4, 18, 19. (as if till now he had no power) Immediately he betook himſelf to the Wilderneſs, Matth- 4.1. Luc. 4.1. from the ſolitarineſs whereof John returned next, before his ſtepping forth to the Work of Preaching and Baptizing: Matth. 3.1. Luc. 3.1. Such publique Miniſters of ſacred things were wont not but to be waſhed, in fulfilling the letter of the Law, Exod. 29.4. with water. And, HE was now of fit age, ſc. about thirty, Luc. 3.23. p. 151the ripe ſeaſon for publique imployment and by the Law again, Num. 4. ver. 3, & 37. 1 Chron. 23.3. beſides St Hieroms preface to Ezekiel: tom. 4. pa. 330. So that it ſhould ſeem, if not for Initiation as before, but for Purification as even now, in one advanced more for INAƲGƲRATION to moſt ſacred Office (ſc. to be ſupream Prieſt, Prophet and Paſtor of his Church) might, as to Chriſt, the work of Johns Baptiſme ſerve and be intended; With leſs ſolemnity men not having been, nor needing to be let out from Privat to Publique in the Church, then they were at firſt admitted and let into it; each being aſſumption into a new State, (not but always ceremonious and with much formality, as 'twere in a Regeneration) and whereto once the ceremony of WASHING was requiſit, and that, Jure Divino.

Although I reſume and adhere faſteſt to my firſt, Not Of Repentance, but of Repentance and More, not only of Purification, much leſs Inauguration, but for Initiation into the Law, (as Chriſt did into the Goſpel) was John a Miniſter of SUCH holy Baptiſme; Legal, as Chriſt was of Evangelical.