A Century of Sermons, Sermon 2
THE SECOND SERMON UPON THE Baptiſm of our Saviour.
MAT. iii. 14.
But John forbad him, ſaying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comeſt thou to me?
IN which Text you may ſee that ancient Sentence verified, how an ambitious man is afraid left too little honour be caſt upon him, and an humble man is afraid of too much. Our bleſſed Saviour ſaw multitudes of Penitents coming to John to be baptized, and to confeſs their ſins. Among theſe people, whoſe iniquities ſtood in need of cleanſing, he ſteps in for one into the River Jordan, not to receive Sanctification unto himſelf, but to ſanctifie the waters unto others. O exceeding dignity! far above all honour that ever was vouchſafed to any Prophet; for to which of them was it ſaid at any time, Dip thine hand in water, and anoint the head of my Son? And therefore Chriſt was pleaſed to give this Character of John, that he was more than a Prophet. More than a Prophet, not only in the Office which he ſuſtained, to be the immediate fore-runner of the Meſſias, but more than any Prophet or Patriarch in the expreſſion of his humility; Jacob wreſtled with God, but it was to get a bleſſing from his Angel, he would not be denied, John the Baptiſt wreſtles with the Son of God, to decline the bleſſing which was brought before him, and fain he would be denied: His hand ſhrunk up, and durſt not attempt to pour water upon his head, who is the immortal head of the Church viſible, and inviſible, both of men and Angels. He thought it no ſin to diſobey, when he was required to ſuch a work, which in his eyes appeared far too excellent for any creature. Therefore conceive him modeſtly ſtarting back, and making this reply to our Saviour, Lord, why doſt thou tempt thy ſervant? Why wouldſt thou put the Potter into the hand of the Clay? What is it to thee to be dipt in water? Whoſe precious Bloud ſhall waſh away all ſins, and mine in the reckoning among the reſt. Behold this exact humility, more than any Prophet expreſt, how John forbad him to be baptized, ſaying, I have need to be baptized, &c.
The matter of the Text may be handled in theſe three ſeveral Points: 1. The Baptiſt did declare how jealous he was of Gods honour, therefore the Text ſays, he forbad Chriſt to come under the Miniſtry of a Sacrament; foreign, he would fain have put him by, thinking it ignoble for the Lord of all Lords to deſcend ſo low. 2. He diſables himſelf, and makes profeſſion of his own vileneſs and infirmity, I have need to be baptized of thee. 3. He ends with the admiration of his Saviours humility, And comeſt thou to me? Yet again, I will conſider him in the exerciſe of the three ſpiritual vertues, Faith, Hope, and Charity: 1. He believed this was the Chriſt as ſoon as ever he ſaw him, and that made him interpoſe to forbid him ſtoop ſo low as to be baptized, there was his faith. 2. He confeſſeth that he relies upon him to be baptiſed with his Spirit, and to be ſaved through his merits, there is his hope. Laſtly, he breaks out into an extaſie of admiration, as ſoon as ever he ſaw him, like old Simeon that ſung a Canticle for joy; Comeſt thou to me, O thou expectation of the World, O thou deſire of our eyes? There was his ardent love, theſe are his Faith, his Hope, his Love; and remember that every tittle of his praiſe is the rule of your practiſe.
Set your attentions now upon the firſt part of the Text, that John was jealous of our Saviours honour, and forbad him to be baptized. The interpretation of the word certainly is not ſo harſh as it may be thought to be in the ſtrict Grammatical ſenſe; to forbid according to the Verb foreign, is to thruſt back with the hand, as I would derive it foreign, to puſh away with the arm, or ſome member of the body: But I cannot, I muſt not ſuſpect John of ſuch rudeneſs; I incline much rather to the moderation of the gloſs, Non negat ſimpliciter, ſed deprecatur; He did not ſtubbornly deny his Maſter what he bad him do, but fearfully, and with reverence declined him. In the ſtory of the old Church we find that ſome renowned men being called to the Office of a Biſhop hid themſelves out of the way; ſome debaſed themſelves in writing, as moſt unfit for ſuch a calling; nay, ſome disfigured certain parts of their body, whereas the ancient Canons admitted none to that place but ſuch as had perfect limbs, and ſtraight proportion; yet they were not accuſed for this, that they contemned the authority of the Emperour, but they were rather noted for a great deal of modeſty, that they ſet themſelves far under that eſteem which the world had of them. So this unwillingneſs in John to baptize our Saviour was not a countermand againſt his offer, but a pleading with God, that his Miniſtry deſerved not to be ſo highly exalted. You may parallel this action with Moſes, when he excuſed himſelf, that he was not eloquent enough to ſpeak to Pharaoh; with Jeremy, when he laid open his own imperfections, that he had not the graces of a Prophet,Jer. i. 6. Ah Lord, behold I cannot ſpeak, for I am a child; With the Centurion that laid a bar in Chriſts way, when he was coming to his houſe, I am not worthy thou ſhouldſt come under my roof. Finally, with Peter, Luk. v. who thought ſuch company as himſelf not to be meet for the Son of God, Depart from me Lord, for I am a ſinful man.
One compariſon more with St. Peter in another place will fit our turn exactly, Joh. xiii. 6. Lord, ſays he, doſt thou waſh my feet? No, thou ſhalt never waſh my feet: This were very audacious, to oppoſe his own will againſt our Saviours, but that no man knows how bold humility may be with God, and give no offence. Upon this very inſtance S. Ambroſe excuſeth both John and Peter, Ambr. lib. 3. de Sacr. c. 1.for their meaning was not pertinacious to remove Chriſt from his intended purpoſe, but to withdraw themſelves becauſe of their own unworthineſs. And I had much rather take this diſtinction than be their accuſer, Non crat inobedientia, ſed humilitatis pavor; It proceeded not from diſobedience, but from the abaſhment of humility. Michol was aſhamed of Davids dancing, that man ſhould humble himſelf ſo much before God. Now the oppoſite to her ſcorhful folly muſt be very good in John, who is aſhamed that God ſhould humble himſelf ſo much before man. Shall the Clay ſay unto the Potter, What is it that thou haſt made me thus? No, that were preſumption. But may not the Clay ſay unto the Potter, Why haſt thou made thy ſelf thus? Yes, that is reverence and humility. Therefore Peter pluckt away his feet from his Maſter, as who ſhould ſay, Doſt thou ſtoop to waſh my feet, to whom all things in heaven and in earth do bow and obey? It was fit for an honeſt ſervant to have ſuch a conſideration. Therefore John Baptiſt likewiſe trembled to dip his hands in water, and to ſprinkle it upon the Lamb of God. As who ſhould ſay, in St. Ambroſe words, Tu venis ad me peccatorem? Doſt thou come to me a ſinful man, as if thou wouldſt lay down thy ſins, and knowſt no ſin? Did it not become a Prophet to make a ſcruple before he entred into ſuch an action? It is an excellent judgment that St. Bernard gives on both parts,Bern. 1 Ser. de Epith. Magna utringue humilitas, ſed nulla comparatio, quomodo enim non humiliaretur homo coram humili Deo? A great vie of humility on both ſides between Chriſt and John: Yet both being truly cenſured John is no way comparable with Chriſt; for it is not ſtrange to ſee a creature caſt himſelf down before his God, when God did firſt drink of that cup, and began to caſt himſelf down before man.
The emulations of men are fooliſh, and we contend for the moſt part who ſhall exceed another in vanity; and of many of us it may be ſaid, as once it was of two great Roman Lad…, Non minùs vitiis quam aliae virtutibus emulabantur; They ſtrived as much, which ſhould be moſt vitious, as other chaſte ones did, which ſhould be moſt vertuous: Not ſo this excellent Prophet, who did aſpire to imitate the Son of God in humility, and thought it the beſt part of Religion to be fearful of preſumption. As Tertullian ſpake what a ſtrict care he had not to offend, Timeo ab omnibus indulgentiis Domini mei; I am afraid to accept of all that licence which God hath given me: So John Baptiſt was ſo afraid le…t he ſhould be exalted above meaſure that he thruſt back that honour which the Lord himſelf impoſed upon him. He that will ſtrive with God that he may not be too much lifted up, I believe ſuch a one would be eaſily perſwaded to make no diſſention in the Church for the defence of his own meritorious righteouſneſs. Nay, if God himſelf ſhall ſpeak to his praiſe, (I do not ſay to attribute ſtrict merit to his work) but if God ſhall give him teſtimony, I was hungry, and thou gaveſt me meat: I was naked, and thou didſt cloath me, in this the Lord pardon him if he deny it modeſtly; When did I ſee thee hungry? Or when did I ſee thee naked? I muſt not omit to give you this obſervation into the reckoning: John had paſs'd the whole courſe of his life with an even obedience, ſtuck at nothing, though never ſo hard and auſtere, this one inſtance in my Text excepted, wherein he was loath to yield. He was content to converſe with beaſts in the ſolitary Wilderneſs; he thought he had enough when he made his meal of Locuſts and wild honey: His rough hairy garments were fit enough, and fine enough in his opinion: Impriſonment and death in a good cauſe were as welcom to his heart as life and liberty. He that was obedient and pleaſed in all this, can there be any thing ſo much againſt his mind that God ſhould ask him twice to do it? Yes, he knew not what to make of our Saviours offer to come to him to be baptized: (for doubtleſs the leſſer is bleſſed by the greater) in this he was ſcrupulous: And he that never flincht for abundance of miſery (there can be hurt in that) knew not how to entertain this glory which was put upon him (there may be danger in that) and it could not diſpleaſe that he was jealous for Gods honour, but he forbad him, ſaying, I have need, &c.
The zeal which we have ſeen in John, that Gods excellency be not diminiſhed, leads us to the conſideration of his faith, and they are ſpiritual qualities wonted to go hand in hand. Take the Centurion for an example, who proteſted againſt our Saviours coming under the roof of ſuch an abject ſinner, and incontinently Chriſt gave him this Encomium, I have not found ſo great faith, no not in Iſrael. Attend to this compariſon. What means our Saviour? That this Centurion was the moſt faithful of all believers? Cajetan, I think, puts home to the true ſenſe of the words:Cajet. in 8 cap. Mat. 1. Non dicit non inveniam, ſed adhuc non inveni. He doth not ſay, I ſhall not find ſo great faith, when after my Aſcenſion the whole myſteries of ſalvation ſhall be revealed, but as yet, in the beginning of my manifeſtation, I have not found ſo great faith. 2. Chriſt did ſeek for increaſe of faith among the Jews by Preaching, by Signs, and Miracles, and he found more in this Centurion than in any other ſince, the time of his Preaching, whereof the ſecond year did run on; but thoſe words are no denial that there was not greater faith in the bleſſed Virgin his Mother and in John the Baptiſt, for they believed before he began to Preach, and before he began to do Signs and Wonders in Iſrael. Therefore the Centurions faith was greater than any, that were drawn to believe by Doctrine, and the power of Miracles: in which reſpect John the Baptiſt tranſcends the Centurion; for he had not heard a word fall from our Saviour's mouth, he had neither ſeen nor heard of any mighty work wrought by his hand; nay, he did not ſo much as know his face, till even now that he came to Jordan, and yet he knows and confeſſeth that he was the Lamb without ſpot, and wondred that he ſhould come to be waſh'd in the Baptiſm of Repentance.
Bernard ſpeaks to theſe words upon it, Valde humiliaris Domine, Lord, thou wert marvellouſly humbled, almoſt ſo far that thou couldſt not be diſcerned, only John perceived thee who thou wert: Qui per utriuſque mater ni uteri parietes te cognovit. Yet he knew thee through the womb of his own mother Elizabeth, through the womb of thy bleſſed Mother Mary; thou couldſt not be unknown to him through thoſe double walls, but he leapt for joy. Here Expoſitors have made ſome work for our reſolution upon a double doubt. I have told you that our Prophet gave Chriſt a welcom into the world by ſpringing in his mothers womb: Yet he profeſſeth that when he came to Jordan he knew him not; but he that ſent him to baptize told him, it was he upon whom the Spirit ſhould deſcend from heaven like a dove, Joh. i. 33. Yet we ſee in this Text he knew him, and forbad him to be baptized before the Spirit deſcended upon him in any bodily ſhape. St. Hierom hath not waded to the depth of the anſwer, for here he ſticks, that John at the firſt view perceived he was the Son of God, yet knew not till he ſaw the viſible ſign of the Holy Ghoſt upon him, that he ſhould ſave the world through the cleanſing of water. This cannot hold, for before John had ſeen him this was part of his Doctrine, He that commeth after me ſhall baptize you with the Holy Ghoſt. Tractat. in Joh 5.S. Auſtin was troubled with an error of the Donatiſts, that the Baptiſm of an Heretick or wicked perſon had no efficacy to cleanſe the party baptized. This peſtilent opinion was freſh in his days to be refuted, and very ſtrongly he proves this concluſion, That Baptiſm is of ſoveraign vertue by the power of him into whoſe name we are baptized, neither is it corrupted through his fault by whom it is adminiſtred: Therefore as moſt men uſe to do, he draws this Text to his purpoſe, Innotuit per columbam Dominus, non … qui ſe non norât, ſed qui in …o aliquid non noverat. John knew the Meſſias by the token of the Dove, not ſimply, for he knew ſomewhat before, but reſpectively through that ſign. He learnt ſomewhat which he knew not before, namely, that the vertue of Baptiſm was not imputed to the Servant, but to the Son of God, by whom we receive the Holy Ghoſt. This expoſition ſuppoſeth what we muſt not grant, that ſo great a Prophet as John was not ignorant how the gift of God, which ſanctifieth the heart, cometh only from the Lord of light.
St. Chryſoſtoms anſwer, me ſeems, is beſt, both for ſoundneſs and perſpicuity▪ When Jeſus came to John, John did apprehend him by a double knowledge, both by a ſudden inſpiration, and afterward by the ſluttering of the bird upon his head. The infinite wiſdom of the Father had ſo diſpoſed, that Chriſt, after his coming out of Egypt, lived at Nazareth till about thirty years of age: All this while John lived in the Wilderneſs of Judea, had contracted no familiar acquaintance with our Saviour; nay, had never ſeen his face till they meet at Jordan; left the Phariſees ſhould ſay, when John bare teſtimony of him, all was deviſed between them, as plots uſe to be laid by them who are of intimate familiarity. But as ſoon as ever the Eternal Son of God ſhewed his head at the brink of waters, the Spirit ſuggeſted unto John, This is he whoſe way thou art ſent to prepare; as when David came out of the field, and was brought before Samuel, the Lord ſaid in ſecret to Samuel, 1 Sam. 16.12.Ariſe, anoint him, this is he. And for his further confirmation, the Promiſe was kept, which was made unto him about the deſcending of the Dove, whereby he had an experimental object to ſtrengthen his faith; and a warrant from that illuſtrious miracle to preach him to the Jews with greater confidence and authority. Therefore he knew him not till even hard before the Dove came down, and was completely confirmed when the Dove fate upon him. O great faith! which embraced the Lamb of God, and fell down at his feet in all humility as ſoon as one ſpark of illumination was kindled in his ſpirit, before a viſible ſign appeared; and to ſhew that here after faith ſhall be rewarded with the viſion of God, it was given to him to ſee the Spirit in the form of a Dove. Let this be the end of the firſt general part of the Text.
In the next part this holy Saint makes profeſſion of his own vileneſs and infirmity, I have need to be baptized of thee. From which words I will ſpeak to theſe three particulars: 1. How far forth it is to be underſtood that there is a need to be baptized. 2. That John was not clean from ſin, for he makes his moan that he had need to be baptized. 3. He looks for that Baptiſm from none but Chriſt, a teſtimony of the next Theological vertue; As if he had ſaid, And now Lord what is my hope? Truly my hope is even in thee. I have need to be baptized of thee, and comeſt thou to me?
For the firſt of theſe, we have need of that which God hath ſet down by his own Ordination ſhall be neceſſary for us; for nothing is neceſſary in it ſelf, but as the Lord hath decreed and made it ſo. Wherefore this is my firſt Propoſition, That the uſe of Baptiſm is ſimply neceſſary to a true Church, and where it is not in uſe, as among Jews and Mahometans, that alone is enough to defie them, that they are not members of that body whereof Chriſt is the head. It is not to be oppoſed, that the due adminiſtration of the Sacraments is an inſeparable note of the Church. For the Church being an outward company of Profeſſors that depend upon the grace of God; How can it outwardly be diſcerned that we depend upon him, unleſs we accuſtom our ſelves to the outward means that ſeal and aſſure his bleſſings unto us? Touching Baptiſm therefore it is neceſſary to a company of Believers who make a Church, it is ſo neceſſary, that they could give no evident token of their Chriſtianity to men if that mark of our initiation into the viſible Church were omitted. Though Baptiſm, as I will ſhew inſtantly, is not ſimply neceſſary for the inviſible incorporation of Infants in to Chriſt; yet it is certain that the ſprinkling of water gives them that viſible incition, whereby they are ingrafted into him. That muſt be our ordinary practice, or elſe we are none of his flock, he is none of our Shepherd. In the deſcription of Paradiſe we read of two things that were in it; Pleaſant Rivers of waters, and Trees which did abound with fruit for ſuſtenance. So the Church, in whoſe bleſſings Paradiſe is reſtored unto us, hath ſpiritual ſuſtenance for life in the Lords Supper; and water of Regeneration in the other Sacrament. Without theſe two it is no more it ſelf, and therefore the Church of God in general may ſay, I have need to be baptized, foreign, it is a neceſſity laid upon me.
My next Propoſition conſiſts of theſe terms; Suppoſe that there are ſome grown to years of knowledge, able to diſcern between good and evil, who from their birth were Paynims, Mahometans, altogether ignorant in the truth of Salvation, but at laſt the light of heaven hath ſhined upon them, and by the preaching of the Word hath wrought upon their hearts to believe; ſuch Converts muſt deſire to be waſh'd in the Sacrament of water, and confeſs that they have need, and that they would be baptized. Firſt, I ſay, they muſt deſire it cordially, and with all the affection of their mind. If it be not the only Leſſon of the Goſpel, yet I am ſure it is the main drift of Chriſt, and his Apoſtles, to teach all men to attain to Salvation by humility. Therefore to pluck down our high imaginations (ſee the admirable wiſdom of Gods Diſpenſations) he hath made man ſubject to thoſe creatures which are much beneath himſelf, that they ſhould be the ſanctified inſtruments to make him partaker of everlaſting life. Naaman the Syrian thought great ſcorn at firſt to make uſe of an whole River to recover his Leproſie. Now, le…t any man ſhould have ſuch inſolent thoughts, that he would not be beholding to ſmall things for his ſalvation; they that will be heirs of heaven, muſt come to a Font, and be glad of a little ſprinkling, in token that Chriſts bloud will cleanſe them from their ſins: They muſt kneel and fall down likewiſe at Gods Table to pick up the crumbs, and to taſte a little of his banquet of bread and wine. And he that deſpiſeth theſe Elements, as poor rubbiſh for ſo great a purpoſe, he deſpiſeth God himſelf, and his heart is not right with the Lord. It is an eſſential propriety of faith to long for the Sacraments, even as the Hart thirſteth after the Rivers of waters. And he that ſets thoſe Myſteries at a low price, as if it were not material to his ſouls benefit, whether he uſed them or no, the Devil hath puſt him up to deſtroy him, he wants the true life of Faith, and is given over to the captivity of Satan. I ſay no more than God hath denounced againſt the uncircumciſed, Gen. xvii. 13. My Covenant ſhall be in your fleſh for an everlaſting Covenant; the uncircumciſed man-child ſhall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my Covenant. Beloved, if an Iſraelites child died before the eighth day, which the Lord appointed for Circumciſion, that did not offend the Lord, neither was the child accounted out of the Covenant; but if an Iſraelite of ripe years, or a ſtranger within his gates did deſpiſe Circumciſion, that ſoul was cut off in the anger of the Lord.
My third Propoſition touching Converts of ripe age is this, that if they deſired Baptiſm, and were prevented by the ſuddenneſs of death, the Lord will accept the deſire of their Faith, and their ſoul ſhall not ſuffer for the want of Baptiſm. Two Texts in the New Teſtament imply a ſtrict command that we muſt all be baptized, if we deſire to be entred into the Covenant of grace, yet I will draw from them, that they are not altogether without limits, and mitigation. Mar. xvi. 16. They are our Saviours words, He that believeth and is baptized ſhall be ſaved; but he that believeth not ſhall be damned. Mark with what warineſs the words are repeated, not thus, he that is not baptized ſhall periſh; only the other member is taken into the threatning, He that believeth not ſhall be damned. To be an unbeliever, to avoid the Sacrament out of diſdain, and not to be prevented by neceſſity, that is the crime which, according to our Saviours words, ſhall not be unrevenged. Hear in another place what he preſſeth more ſtrictly upon Nicodemus, Joh. iii. 5. Ʋnleſs a man be born again of water, and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. Here is no time limited, but it is ſpoken as if inſtantly the inſtitution of Baptiſm were in force, and that from thenceforth no man could plead his right to the Kingdom of heaven without it: Yet we know the ſooneſt that it took place was not till anon after his Reſurrection, when the Diſciples had the word given, Go and baptize all Nations, &c. For as he ſaid elſewhere, Joh. vi. 53. Except ye eat the fleſh of the Son of man, and drink his bloud, ye have no life in you. the words run in the Preſent tenſe, yet he did not perfectly declare what he meant, nor put in force, till he eat his laſt Supper with his Diſciples. So it appears, that Text before cited, Ʋnleſs a man be born again of water, and of the Spirit, is not without limitation; and the next verſe clears the matter on this ſort, That which is born of the fleſh is fleſh, and that which is born of the Spirit is ſpirit; where we ſee the Spirit alone is able to regenerate a man, and not always neceſſarily both water and the Spirit.
Bernard in his 77 Epiſtle to Hugo writes more diligently, I think, than any before him in this argument: He proves from the confeſſion of the eldeſt Fathers, that ſome may go out of the world without this Sacrament by unavoidable neceſſity, and their faith ſhall ſuffice to ſave them as if they had been baptized; his ſaying is very memorable, Sola interdum ſides ſufficit ad ſalutem, & fine ipſâ nihil ſufficit. Sometimes faith alone is enough to bring ſalvation to a man, and without it nothing is enough. Valentinian the Emperour, having given battel to the Sarmatians, and other Scythian Rebels, broke a vein with out-cries to his Captains, and eager encouragement to his Souldiers,Ambroſ. de Obit. Valent. and ſoon after died in his Tent unbaptized; yet St. Ambroſe comforts his Subjects in a Funeral Oration that their Emperours ſoul was with God; becauſe his life was religious, and his heart deſired the benediction of that Sacrament.De Civ. Dei, lib. 13 7. St. Auſtin enrolls all Martyrs in the Catalogue of the Saints of heaven, albeit Perſecution ſnatcht them away ſuddenly before they could be baptized: And that God will remit their ſins who lay down their lives for his ſake, Quantùm ſi ſacro fonte abluerentur, as if they had been waſhed at the ſacred Font. Why, this was well and charitably concluded; not as if Martyrdom did equal the vertue of Baptiſm, but becauſe it was joyned with an eminent faith. Now, God may ſee as much faith in one dying as if he were to ſuffer Martyrdom, Fides idonea martyrio, licet non interrogata martyrio, ſays Bernard. Therefore that faith ſhall ſtand them in as much ſtead as if they had actually been brought to Martyrdom. Finally, Whereas John Baptiſt may ſeem to deſire this Sacrament in my Text, ſaying, I have need to be baptized, it appears not (whatſoever ſome Apocryphal Stories ſay) that Chriſt did baptize him in water; but the Learned ſay, the willingneſs of this confeſſion, and his Martydom which he ſuffered under Herod did ſupply the want thereof, and his faith did ſave him.
A fourth Propoſition follows, that we have good reaſon to hope for the ſalvation of ſuch Infants, being born within a believing Church, as were deprived of life before the outward Element could conveniently be applied unto them to waſh them from their ſins; becauſe ſome have gone too far in doubting againſt this, take my reaſons in order: Firſt, It is never queſtioned in the old Law but that the Male children of the Jews were bleſſed in the Lord which died before the eighth day▪ having not received the Seal of Circumciſion. I will not urge that Circumciſion was omitted for forty years, all the while they travelled in the Wilderneſs, it was with Gods eſpecial diſpenſation, ſo that no detriment redounded to any ſoul becauſe of Circumciſion. I inſtance in Davids child, the firſt he begat of Bathſheba, it died the ſeventh day, and yet the King, who doubted not to enjoy the Crown of a better life, comforts himſelf, and expects that his ſoul ſhould reſt with the Child after death,2 Sam. xii. 23. I ſhall go to him, but he ſhall not return to me. Secondly, We have no Promiſe for the Seed of Infidels, but we have expreſs teſtimony from the Spirit, that the Seed of faithful Parentage is holy from the birth; and if the root be holy, ſo are the branches, Rom. xi. 16. Nay, albeit one Parent be an unbeliever, yet if either Father or Mother make but one believer, the Children are ſanctified, and for that ones ſake they are not unclean, 1 Cor. vii. 14.but holy. It is true, that we are all in our ſelves born children of wrath from our Mothers womb: But God is gracious to the thouſand Generations of them that fear him, much more to their very next Generation; and becauſe their Infants are his Childrens Children, the guilt of their ſin is blotted out, and he is pleaſed to give them adoption of Sons. What elſe is the fruit of that Promiſe, that the off-ſpring of the Faithful are in the ſame Covenant with the Fathers?Heming in 3. cap. Jo. The Promiſe is made to you, and to your Sons, and to them that are far off, Acts ii. 39. The conſtancy of the eternal Covenant, made to the Poſterity of the Juſt, appeared, ſays one, in thoſe extraordinary motions of Jacob when he wreſtled with Eſa…, of John Baptiſt when he congratulated the coming of Chriſt into the world, the ſpiritual extaſies of both theſe before they were born. Therefore it is no unjudicious opinion to ſay, that Infants are brought to Baptiſm, not to take them into the Covenant of Grace, but, being of the Covenant before, to ſeal it unto them. If any man make a Scruple, whether the Covenant be made to the Infants of Chriſtian Parents as faſt and firm as to the Jews and their Children, let him not doubt; nay, aſſuredly the Covenant is made unto us much ſtronger: For Chriſt came into the World to confirm the Promiſe made from the beginning of the World,Zanch. in 5. cap. ad Eph. and to turn over Gods mercies in a more ample manner unto the Gentiles, Of his fulneſs we have received, and grace for grace, that is to ſay, plenty of grace and benediction.
This was the ſecond Reaſon; thus I propound the third. I have formerly proved and delivered this Doctrine, that to ſuch of riper years as deſired Baptiſm, and were unawares prevented, the willingneſs of their faith was reputed to them for Baptiſm. Why, this ſhall alſo comfort us for the tender fruit of the womb which died without the Sacrament, as ſoon as it yaun'd the firſt breath; for when they are baptized, the faith of the Church, and of thoſe that preſent them at the Font, is by God reputed to be their own: So if they be cut ſhort before they be outwardly ingrafted into the Congregation of Chriſt, the willingneſs, and deſire of the ſame Church, and of their Parents, ſhall be imputed by our merciful Father to be theirs alſo. Laſtly, I will pawn the practice of the beſt Churches in the world to prove it, when they were in their ancient purity. It was a Ceremony both among the Greeks and Latines to appoint but two ſolemn times of the year for the Baptiſm of Infants,Leo Ep. 62. Eaſter and Whitſontide. Indeed, leave was given to diſpenſe with this Ceremony if Paſſengers unbaptized were like to be caſt away at Sea. If War, Peſtilence, or Perſecutipn threatned their imminent ruine, if Infants did dangerouſly languiſh. But I pray you how often do Infants die away in the turning of an hand, before it can be perceived? Therefore the Sacrament had not been deferred unto thoſe two ſolemn times if either Greeks or Latines had thought that Infants deprived of the Laver of Regeneration ſhould eternally be deprived of the glory of God.
The fifth Propoſition diſpatcheth the long diſcourſe upon this Point. It is thus: We are to hope well of the ſafety of Infants not baptized, yet we cannot be ſo confident of their welfare as when the Church hath prai'd for them, and given them the bleſſing of the Sacrament. Let the worſt come, that our children paſs'd away without the ſprinkling of water (it is fit to be prevented in a due courſe as much as may be) yet it is a ſweet conſolation that we have a general taſte of Gods Mercies, and gracious Promiſes towards them; but no good Chriſtian can chooſe but think ſo divinely of the Sacraments, that our comfort is more perfect, and better ſatisfied, when they had the ſpecial ſeal of grace before they departed. And if any mans fancy lead him to hold that both ſhall be glorified, yet where the honour of the Sacrament lights, the greater glory ſhall follow, I had rather aſſent to this opinion than gainſay it, though I know not how to prove it. And let me end this Point as he begins his Poem, foreign. Water is the beſt Element in the world. The Air for natural life, the Water for ſpiritual. And my exhortation is, that you endeavour to ſee the Sacrament conferred upon all Infants (as far as it is poſſible) becauſe John ſays, I have need to be baptized.
I muſt now proceed to ſhew that John found imperfection in his own heart, and therefore thus bemoans himſelf, I have need to be baptized. Two Expoſitions I ſuppoſe are natural to this Point: 1. I have need to be baptized with thy Spirit, and to receive thy grace. 2. I deſire that the infinite merit of thy bloud-ſhedding may be applied to me for the waſhing away of my ſins. The Baptiſm of the Spirit is the infuſion of heavenly grace into the ſoul, and John confeſſeth he had need of it. Need, I mean of the increaſe thereof, although he had it in great abundance as ſoon as he was ſent to prepare the way of the Lord. Abraham was circumciſed in his old age, and yet was juſtified before he received Circumciſion, Rom iv. Cornelius was baptized, having received comfort before from the Angel that his Prayers and Alms were pleaſing to God. When great multitudes of the Gentiles had their hearts touch'd from heaven, ſays Peter, Can any forbid water, that theſe ſhould not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghoſt as well as we? Acts x. 47. In theſe inſtances it is ſeen, that ſome grace did prevent the Sacrament, and yet the parties, who had received the Holy Ghoſt, came willingly to be baptized. For God doth not give all his grace at once or twice, but more and more is added, and ſupplied to the former Doſe, and though the outward man periſh, yet the inward man is renewed day by day; therefore the holieſt Prophet alive, while he carries fleſh upon his loyns, may ſay, and ought to ſay, I have need to be baptized of the Spirit.
Yet it is contradicted.This interpretation is accepted of all ſides; and what rubs can the other find, that John did implore the mercies of Chriſt for the waſhing away of his ſins? Though he in a mortifying phraſe, and moſt contrite humility may ſeem to put himſelf in the number of ſinners, (and ſo I have cited St. Ambroſe making that ſenſe of his words, Tu venis ad me peccatorem? Doſt thou come to me a ſinner?) Yet there are ſome that ſay unto him, as Peter did to our Saviour, Maſter, ſpare thy ſelf: So they to another purpoſe, ſpare thy ſelf, do not condemn thine own innocency, thou art not polluted, neither hadſt thou any corruption in thee, which could extend unto a mortal ſin, for it is written, Luke i. 15. He ſhall be filled with the Holy Ghoſt, even from his mothers womb. That John was ſanctified before he was born is it which hath made the ſcruple. This is the doubt then, which I am to clear, that a man ſanctified from his nativity, I before his nativity may be a ſinner, whoſe iniquities have need to be waſht away in the bloud of Chriſt. To be ſanctified from the womb, it is a word of divers conſtructions, and when I have named them all, chooſe ye which you will, and my concluſion will be inviolable. Firſt, It hath been uſual to ſay, ſuch Infants were ſanctified from the beginning of their life, to whom God hath very ſoon demonſtrated ſome extraordinary favour.Lib. 4. de Fid. c. 4. So St. Ambroſe ſays of Jacob the Patriarch, that it was a ſign of grace in him before he was born that he wreſtled with Eſau in the womb of Rebecca. Ephraim Orat. de Transfig. Chriſt.the Syrian ſays as much of Moſes, that a divine bleſſing was upon him as ſoon as he was expoſed in the Ark of Bulruſhes, becauſe Pharaohs Daughter, when ſhe lookt upon him, could not chooſe but pitty him. Yet neither of theſe were ſo undefiled in their way, but that they had need of remiſſion of ſins.
Secondly, St. Auſtin hath this interpretation, that to ſanctifie him from the womb is not to pour extraordinary grace into the Infant at that rawneſs of age, but to ordain him in due time unto Sanctification.Aug. Ep. 57. Sanctificavi, i. e. deſtinavi ſanctificare, it is ſpoken of as a thing done in the preſent, becauſe Gods Predeſtination is ſure from the firſt conception. As the Gentiles are called the children of God before the Doctrine of faith was preach'd among them, becauſe they ſhould be made the children of God, as it is written, Joh. xi. 52. that Chriſt died, not only for that Nation of the Jews, but for the children of God that were ſcattered abroad; the inſtance is in Jer. i. 5. I knew thee before thou cameſt forth out of the womb, I ſanctified, and ordained thee a Prophet unto the Nations. Even Maldonat confeſſeth out of theſe words, he was ſanctified, becauſe from the firſt minute of life he was ordained to be ſanctified, Non per inſpirationem Prophetiae ſed per deſtinationem, not as if he were inſpired ſo young, but ſo young in the eternal Council he was appointed to be inſpired. It is in effect as St. Paul offers himſelf to us in the like phraſe, Gal. i. 15. It pleaſed God, who ſeparated me from my mothers womb, and called me by his grace. To ſeparate from the womb is the ſame as to ſanctifie from the womb;Cornel. à lap. in 1 cap. ad Galat. Separare eſt à patre, matre, rebuſque terrenis rem ſegregare, & Deo conſecrare. It is to draw a thing from Father, Mother, and all earthly relations, and to appropriate it to God. And yet this Apoſtle ſighs it forth, that he is the greateſt of ſinners, and yet ſeparated, or ſanctified from the womb. And ſurely it is a Text of validity to prove that Jeremy was not cleanſed from the foulneſs of Original ſin, for he reviles the day of his birth, becauſe it brought forth nothing but a miſerable ſinner: Curſed be the day wherein I was born, let not the day wherein my Mother bare me be bleſſed, Jer. xx. 14. I am very loth to lay any faults to the Saints of God, yet after all anſwers, and ſhifts, I cannot ſee but that Jeremy in thoſe words is guilty of great impatiency.
Thirdly, To be ſanctified, not only from the womb, but even from the earlieſt minute of life, in the conception, is to be endowed with eminent motions of grace, not uſual to other Infants, and ſo it was in John the Baptiſt, in whom two things of Gods eſpecial goodneſs were remarkable; for the quantity that he had an exceeding portion of the Spirit, in which regard he was more than a Prophet; for the time that he received it, it was from the womb, yea, and in ſome ſigns before the womb had opened to bring him forth, in which regard he was more than the child of any Prophet; theſe two the Angel hath put together, He ſhall be filled with the Holy Ghoſt even from his mothers womb. This was inundatio ſpiritus, the Spirit abounding in him, as a River at high-water fills the banks; but in the moſt probable opinion it was not emundatio ſpiritus, it did not cleanſe his ſoul from corruption in every part, but it inſtructed him with vertue more than ordinary to do great works. For God forbid but that a man may be ſaid to be ſanctified, and to be full of the Holy Ghoſt, although the infectious poyſon of original ſin do ſtill remain in him Which original contagion raigns in the wicked, is much abated and kept under in the Juſt, was leſſen'd by Gods eſpecial favour, more than uſually, in John; but the malignity thereof is not quite taken away till our mortal have put on immortality. The reaſon is very ſlender, that the ſin, wherein his mother conceived him, was taken away before he was born, becauſe he ſeemed to have a paſſion of faith before ever he ſaw the light, when he leapt at the preſence of our Saviour; for that might be a tranſient paſſion (and no doubt it was no more) and nothing lets but ſin may abide alſo where the Spirit of grace doth inhabit and continue. That which is alledged to prove him to have ſome defilement, like all the Sons of Adam, is far more forcible: namely, where the Scripture ſays, how all are conceived and born in ſin. Where it lets us know in another place, how God hath concluded all under ſin, that he might have mercy upon all. And St. Auſtin upholds this cauſe, Nemo dici poteſt renatus, niſi priùs ſit natus. Chriſt ſays, Unleſs a man be born again he cannot be the child of God. Surely, common ſenſe will lead us to this notion, a man muſt be firſt born before he can be born again; and if carnal birth go before Regeneration, then no man can be cleanſed from all ſin before the birth of the womb. Beſides, out of the ſame reaſon that St. Auſtin brings againſt the Pelagians, to prove that the leproſie of Adams ſin is in little Infants, by the ſame I will prove it to be in John, becauſe the wages of ſin is death (Chriſt only excepted, who took our ſins upon him) and the beheading of John is a remonſtrance that the meritorious cauſe of death was in him, I mean iniquity. To give full meaſure to this Point, and running over, Mat. xi. 11. Verely, ſays Chriſt, among them that are born of women there hath not riſen a greater than John the Baptiſt, yet he that is leaſt in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. I leave the multipliciouſneſs of Expoſitions upon that Text, and betake me to St. Hieroms, Aliud eſt coronam juſtitiae poſſidere, aliud in acie pugnare. The leaſt in the Kingdom of heaven is greater than John; becauſe he was in his race, and did ſtruggle againſt ſin and Satan, the leaſt in the kingdom of heaven hath his Crown upon his head, and is paſt the fear of tentation. So I have ſhewn that John had ſome frailties of fleſh and bloud in him, wherefore moſt ſubmiſſively he flies to the true Altar of mercy for a pardon, I have need to be baptized of thee.
Let the Saints of God have their due honour, but let the mercies of Chriſt, and the benefit of his bloud ſhed upon the Croſs, be dilated to every one that dies in the Lord, which was the reaſon why I proſecuted the laſt Point. And it is according to the humility of John to ſet forth his low eſtate when men would exalt him. For the more the Embaſſadors of the Jews did magnifie him with Art thou the Chriſt? Art thou Elias? The more did he abaſe himſelf, ſaying, There is one among you, whoſe ſhooes latchet I am not worthy to unlooſe. Diſpliciat ſibi unuſquiſque in ſe, ut totus in Deo placeat. Ratbertus.Be diſpleaſed every man with himſelf, and God will be pleaſed with thee. This was of all comforts moſt intimate to the Prophets ſoul, that he ſaw his own need, and knew the right way to call for ſuccour. And the leſs hope he had of himſelf, the more hope he had of God. O how his hope quickned, and exulted when he ſaw his Redeemer at Jordan, whom he had never ſeen before! He ſaw ſuch comfort coming down with him, as the Angel brought to Peter when he was in hold; now the priſon doors are opened, get thee looſe from thy ſins. But what ſpeak I of Angels? They had been ſent indeed upon meſſages of joy, there had been Patriarchs, there had been Prophets in the world, theſe were like fair diamonds, whoſe light ſparkles in the eye, but gives no warmth to that which is cold: But, as the Pſalmiſt ſays, Except the Lord build the houſe, the labourers labour but in vain. Except the Son of God had vouchſafed in his own perſon to build the Church, we had never reapt the fruit of eternal life. John Baptiſt was an Iſraelite, yet he truſts not to the Seed of Abraham; Born under the Law, but he knew it were death to rely upon that killing Letter; He was a Prophet ſanctified from the womb; he cares not for that; For what had he which he had not received, and could he boaſt then as if he had not received it? Finally, He was full of faſting, auſterity, preaching, all manner of works, yet he relies not upon them; for when we have done all we can we are but unprofitable ſervants. Theſe are the ſtrongeſt ſtays of humane truſt that can be built upon, yet he flies from them all, and runs to the all-ſufficient merits of Chriſt for ſuccour. This was a right aim taken, Ac ſi oculo rubricam dirigat uno; this was a ſtraight line drawn, bringing his hope juſt upon the Lord and giver of life; I have need to be baptized of thee. The time hath ſtopt me from proceeding to the laſt part, which ſhall be made the beginning of our buſineſs upon the next occaſion. To God the Father, &c.