A Century of Sermons, Sermon 3
THE THIRD SERMON UPON THE Baptiſm of our Saviour.
MAT. iii. 14, 15.
And comeſt thou to me? And Jeſus anſwering ſaid unto him, Suffer it to be ſo now: For thus it becommeth us to fulfil all righteouſneſs.
IF ever ſuch an Argument could be laid before man, wherein it. might become his wit to diſpute it with God, I think verily it fell out in this Story, which I continue in that Text that I have read unto you. I will not except that inſtance, which is able to amaze any Reader, when the Lord ſpake unto Abraham to take his only Son Iſaac, and to offer him up for an whole burnt Offering. I conceive very well what a ſtraight Abraham was in, and that the bowels of nature were never at ſuch a quandary what to do: Yet he yielded at the firſt warning, and ſaid it ſhould be done. But this trial, wherein Chriſt aſſayed what his fore-runner would do, when he came to be baptized, is more perplexful a great deal. God proved his ſervant Abraham what he would do for his bidding, with a mortal Son that muſt die: Here God proves John Baptiſt, what he will do to his own immortal Son, by whom he made the worlds. And to take away the life of Iſaac was nothing ſo hard a caſe of demur, as to make the leaſt abatement from the glory of Chriſt. When God offered ſo much, was it not very diſputable with man to bethink him how to take? But howſoever this was the greateſt appearence of ſcruple that could be imagined, yet I muſt lay my hand upon my mouth, and ſay with Job, How ſhould man contend with the Almighty? The way of the Lord is equal, though the beſt Saints on earth may fail in their judgment, and know not how to find it out. As none of the men of Timnah could gueſs at the meaning of Samſons Riddle, but Samſon himſelf revealed it: ſo none could interpret the paradox of Chriſt, why he would be baptized, but Chriſt himſelf, Suffer it to be ſo now: For thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteouſneſs.
So much as I ſhall narrate to you of this Story at this time conſiſts of theſe two parts in general: 1. How John Baptiſt loſt himſelf in a doubt, And comeſt thou to me? 2. How Chriſt helps him out of it, And Jeſus anſwering, &c. John makes a queſtion of that which Chriſt commanded, Chriſt commands him again, and puts it out of queſtion. The doubt of John is no pertinacious error, but an admiration mixt of love and humility, Comeſt thou to me? Our Saviour accordingly deals gently with him, not with the leaſt check to betray any offence, but after theſe two ways, Sicut Dominus imperans, ſicut Preceptor docens. Firſt, As his Lord he lays his ſtrict command upon him, Suffer it to be ſo now. Secondly, As his Preceptor he teacheth him cauſe for if, For thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteouſneſs. His power to ſay the word and impoſe upon him had ſufficed; but he gives him reaſon likewiſe for his better ſatisfaction. Theſe are the particulars to be handled.
It is the ſmall pittance which remains of my Text ſince laſt day, how the Prophet hath loſt himſelf in admiration, Comeſt thou to me? At which words I am now to enter my Treatiſe, and ſhall ſoon diſpatch them. John puts his ſpeech into a form of wonder, how could he do leſs? When he ſaw the Lord of heaven and earth put himſelf into the form of a ſinner, and into the condition of a ſervant. Do you ever read in the Goſpel that the Angels brought tidings of his low eſtate, that he would be made fleſh, but that they cry out in their Preface, Ecce, behold, as if they could not utter the meſſage without admiration. Faith is nothing elſe but a long continued aſtoniſhment, which knows not how to utter it ſelf, becauſe the Lord hath done ſuch marvellous things for us. But above all, this exinanivit ſeipſum, this exinanition, and making himſelf almoſt nothing for our ſakes, it puzzles them moſt who are beſt able to conſider it. Something we would fain ſay to it, and when we have brought it forth, it's nothing but wonder and exclamation. So did Elizabeth the mother of this Prophet; Whence is it that the mother of my Lord doth come unto me? So doth the Prophet himſelf break forth, when the undefiled came to the waters of cleanſing, Comeſt thou to me? Doſt thou waſh my feet? Says Peter to his Lord. Quis dicere poterit quantum inter hoc Tu, & illud mihi interſit diſcriminis? ſays St. Auſtin, O how far are thoſe two words remote one from another; Thou the great Jehovah, and I an abject worm, and doſt thou waſh my feet? The ſelf-ſame infinite odds John Baptiſt acknowledgeth between himſelf and the Meſſias. The breadth of the earth may be meaſured, the height of heaven may be taken, but the diſtance between theſe two terms cannot be fathomed, Thou, and I, Thou an incomprehenſible God, and I a ſmall fragment of thy works, And comeſt thou to me? And let me add this to the reſt, John Baptiſt had greater reaſon than Peter to cry out at our Saviours humiliation, and to ſay to this effect, What meaneſt thou Lord? This ſhape of a ſervant doth not become thee, for Peter had ſeen long trial before, that Chriſt was made poor that we might be made rich, and made himſelf of no account, that we might be exalted; but John was put upon the firſt proof of all, hence he began to depreſs himſelf, and to communicate of thoſe things which ſinners did when he came to be baptized in Jordan. Beſides, it is a greater ſign of infirmity to come as it were to be cleanſed among the polluted than to take the office to cleanſe the defiled, therefore it was a greater argument of humility to come to be waſh'd in Baptiſm, than to take a Towel and girt himſelf withal, and to waſh his Apoſtles feet. It was no ſmall thing therefore that made John Baptiſt ſpeak like an aſtoniſht man, Comeſt thou to me?
Thus you ſee, how not only an ordinary perſon, ſuch as we are, but a great Prophet, whoſe ſtile above all others was, the Friend of the Bridegroom, ſuch a one may looſe himſelf, not only by ſearching into the height of Gods glory, but by meditating likewiſe upon the depth of his humility. St. Chryſoſtom ſays, John Baptiſt ſhould have taken the riſe of his admiration a little further off, not from the Baptiſm, but from the Nativity of our Saviour. The wonderful abaſement was that the infinite God would be made a miſerable man; all other parts of humiliation fall in ſweetly, becauſe he would be made in the form of ſinful fleſh. When you conſider how he would be incloſed in a Virgins womb, be tempted, be deſpiſed, be buffeted, be crucified, foreign; among ſo many ſorrows, and contempts never marvel if he would be baptized. There were four things that might ſeem doubtful to John; but to which of them may not a moſt anſwerable ſatisfaction be given, according to the myſtery of our Redemption which Chriſt had undertaken?
1. Comeſt thou? As who ſhould ſay, I am thy Meſſenger to go before thy face: Why didſt thou not ſend for thy ſervant, but haſt come unto him? Let it ſuffice to ſay to this, that the Sacraments muſt not be commanded, except in caſe of neceſſity, to wait upon us at home, but we muſt come to them; behold as the eyes of ſervants look unto the hand of their Maſters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her Miſtris, ſo our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until he have mercy upon us.
2. Tu venis? Doſt thou come in humility? Doſt thou come in infirmity? Let it ſuffice to ſay to that, who ſhould be humbled but God to expiate for the pride of man? No humility could be meritorious but from him, who in his own perſon did abound with glory; an humble Prince is a rare ſight: a beggar, if he be not humbled, there is nothing more diſdainful; if our ſoul cleave unto the earth it deſerves no reward, for ſuch a poor eſtate belongs to our ſinful condition; but if the Son of God come down from heaven, and make himſelf leſs than the Angels, that humility is ſtupendious, and will ſatisfie for our preſumption. And as humility was infinitely meritorious in Chriſt, ſo it became him to be ſuſpected for infirmity; Factus quaſi unus ex aegrotis, eo gratior erat medicus; in that he would ſeem to be ſick for our ſakes, it was more chearful to us, that he became our Phyſician.
3. Ad me venis? Thou who aboundeſt with all things, doſt thou addreſs thy ſelf to him that wants? When Solomon had built a moſt ſtately Temple to the Lord, He admired that God would come down into it in the brightneſs of his glory. But will God indeed dwell on earth? The heaven of heavens cannot contain thee, how much leſs this houſe which I have builded. Alas here was no ſuch ſumptuous receptacle at Jordan to entertain Chriſt, and comeſt thou to me? Let it ſuffice to ſay, He that would ſuffer by the hands of cruel enemies would make no difficult thing to be baptized of a friend. Did he endure that Judas ſhould kiſs, and betray him? What marvel if he did permit a good Prophet to waſh and anoint him to his Prieſtly Office. Thus St. Auſtin to good purpoſe, Did Chriſt admit a ſervant to baptize his heavenly Maſter? Nullus à conſervo non dignetur accipere: Then let no man think his fellow ſervant too mean an Inſtrument to offer him the bleſſing of the Sacraments. Good news were brought by Leapers to Samaria, and they were entertain'd with joyfulneſs. Let him be a Leaper, let him be a ſinful man, to whom the diſpenſation of Gods myſteries is committed, yet his weakneſs ſhall not diminiſh from the inviſible power of Chriſt, who in all Congregations, and at all times is the High Prieſt, that bleſſeth the outward means for the uſe of thy ſalvation. If Judas did baptize it was not hurtful to them that did partake of his Miniſtry; a leaden Seal may imprint the ſtamp of God upon thy ſoul as well as one of better mettal. Should Paul refuſe to warm himſelf becauſe Barbarians did kindle the fire?
4. Comeſt thou to me, that baptize none but unto remiſſion of ſins? Let it ſuffice to ſay unto it out of the Lyturgy of our own Church, that Chriſt did ſanctifie the floud Jordan, and all other waters, to the myſtical waſhing away of ſin. Therefore he came no otherwiſe to Jordan than as his Angel is ſaid to come down into the Hoſt to battel; Non ad periclitandum, ſed ad vincendum; not as if danger could come near unto himſelf, but to repel danger that might come near to his own people; but of this I muſt make a full treatiſe the next day; and at this time no reaſon ſo ponderous as his own, by which he helpt John Baptiſt out of doubt, Suffer it to be ſo now, for thus it becometh us, &c.
Theſe words Chriſt ſpake to John in a double ſtyle of ſpeech, Sicut Dominus imperans, ſicut Magiſter docens: As a Lord by his abſolute power over his Subject, Suffer it to be ſo now; As a Maſter willing to inſtruct his Diſciple, For thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteouſneſs. In the firſt of theſe I will be brief, the latter is of more copious obſervation, Suffer it to be ſo now. A word to the wiſe is enough, ſays the Proverb, Mat. xx. 28.it ſeems ſo, that John Baptiſt was aw'd with theſe two ſhort words, foreign, Suffer it to be ſo now. foreign ▪ now, he means in the ſtate of exinanition, being made of no reputation among men, and having taken upon him the form of a ſervant, in this low condition the Son of man came not to be miniſtred unto, but to miniſter, and to lay down his life for many, therefore howſoever the days will come that the world ſhall ſee him in his power, and great glory, yet ſuffer it to be ſo now. One diſtinction therefore makes all ſtreight and even between Chriſt and his fore-runner: For let the perſon of our Saviour be conſidered God and man united together, ſo John was not miſtaken if he thought it unexpedient for him to be baptized: But weigh him in another ſcale, in his Office of Mediator, as he came to do all ſervile things, thereby to gain unto us the adoption of Sons, ſo he muſt bring that moſt deſired work to paſs by Baptiſm, Faſting, and Tentation, by his Agony and bloudy Sweat, by his Croſs and Paſſion, by his precious Death and Burial, and through all other ſhapes of Poverty, Vileneſs, and Humiliation.
My Beloved, there is ſuch an exceeding diſtance, ſuch an interval between the moſt excellent perſon of Chriſt, and the lowlineſs of his Office, that the conceit of an Arch-angel is not able to meaſure it.Bern. Ser. 2. Miſſus eſt. Videas potentiam regi, ſapientiam inſtrui, virtutem ſuſtentari, ſays Bernard. You may ſee him that had all rule in heaven and earth obey, and be govern'd: the wiſdom of the Father taught and inſtructed; that vertue, which holds up all things, it ſelf ſupported. Let me not loſe a Syllable of that Fathers Elegancy in this Point, Videas pavere fiduciam, ſalutem pati, vitam mori, fortitudinem infirmari; That which gives us all confidence, it ſelf did fear, and was amazed, ſafty it ſelf did ſuffer, ſtrength it ſelf was weak, life it ſelf did die. Thus eloquence runs wittily upon this diſcord,Serm. 11. de verb. Apoſt. the moſt glorious perſon, and the moſt inglorious Office of our Saviour. St. Auſtin makes Eliſha the Type of our Saviours humiliation by very agreeable proportions, when he raiſed up the dead child of the Shunamite to life. Eliſha ſent his ſervant Gebazi with his Staff before him, ſo the Law came into the world by Moſes long before the Incarnation of our Saviour. At laſt the Prophet made haſt in his own perſon. Venit grandis ad parvulum, ſalvator ad ſalvandum, vivus ad mortuum; The great one came to the little one, the Saviour to that which was loſt, the living to that which was dead. And as Eliſha laid every part of his body upon the Child, and ſo ſhrunk up his body to make it no larger than the childs body: So Chriſt did make himſelf equal to us little ones, Ʋt efficeret corpus humilitatis noſtrae conforme corpori gloriae ſuae, to make our vile bodies conformable to his moſt glorious body. Finally, as that Prophet by proſtrating himſelf did bring life again into that which was dead; ſo Jeſus by making himſelf an ignominious reproach to the world, did juſtifie and acquit thoſe who were appointed to everlaſting death.
Thus you ſee why our Saviours anſwer ſtrikes upon the circumſtance of that preſent time, Suffer it to be ſo now. He came in the form of a Servant, and, as long as he emptied himſelf in that ſhape, he would do the duties of a Servant. Sine modo, now I will be baptized of thee in water, hereafter I will baptize my Church with the Holy Ghoſt, and with fire. As yet I ſtand for one of the multitude, as yet the Holy Spirit hath not deſcended upon me, to make me manifeſt to the world that I am the Son of God, therefore ſuffer it to be ſo now. Mark, I beſeech you, how in the loweſt depreſſion of a ſervant he keeps the Majeſty of a Lord: For he makes himſelf a ſervant by his own command, Sic volo, ſic jubeo, it is my own pleaſure to make my ſelf a worm, and no man, yea, a very ſcorn and deriſion of them that are round about me. As Ceſar did not leſſen his own dignity, becauſe he would both command as General, and yet work in the trenches like the meaneſt Pioneer, Dux conſilio, miles exemplo; and as Helen, the Mother of Conſtantine, was not under the honour of a Princeſs, becauſe ſhe would dreſs the Blains and Ulcers of poor Cripples in the Hoſpital: So the mighty Son of God was not diminiſhed in his glory, becauſe he put himſelf into the rank of abject ones by his own yielding and accord, not by compulſive neceſſity. His obedience did not ſpring from any legal ſervitude, as one whoſe Parents did beget him in bondage, nor from any penal ſervitude, as one that was enthralled by treſpaſſes or violent captivity: But he did put his neck into the yoke, and did appoint himſelf certain years of miſery and abaſement; therefore he lays his authority upon the Prophet, that it ſhould be ſo, Suffer it to be ſo now. And is not this example worth the learning? That God is better ſerved by him that hath a yielding ſpirit, and will ſtoop in humility, than by him that is ſtiff to maintain the honour of his perſon, and will not condeſcend for the advantage of much good from his place and dignity. You ſhall have them that will defend Auguſtine the Monk, that would neither veile his head, nor bend his knee to the Brittiſh Monks of this Iſland that were met to receive him. Forſooth, ſuch courteſie did not become him, becauſe he was the Nuncio of the Apoſtolical See. There was a great Clerk that bolſtered up the fiery humour of Pope Paul the Fifth in the Venetian quarrel, and bad him keep his dignity inviolable, whatſoever became of peace, with this Text to enflame him. Ariſe Peter, kill, and eate. O if there be any ſuch evil Monitor that provokes you to ſtiffneſs and ſtubborneſs by the conſideration of your Greatneſs and Principality, anſwer him with our Saviour, Sine modò frater, whatſoever I be in pre-eminence of honour let me forget it now; many things unworthy our perſon muſt be ſwallowed up for the glory of God. When Shimei reviled David, Abiſhai would have had his head for it, ſuffer it to be ſo now, ſays David, though he were the King of Iſrael, I muſt paſs it over without revenge, it is the Lord that will afflict me. There are ſuch as will blow coals, eſpecially to incenſe great men, if their inferiours chance to treſpaſs. Are you not noble? Of ample fortunes? Of great power and reputation? And will you not cruſh an underling that affronts you? But ſuch injuries, as your bloud could not put up, your office, which you ſuſtain muſt remit, that you are members of Chriſt, linkt together in love, which is the bond of perfection. Chriſts Office of Mediatorſhip made him be contented with thoſe abaſements which where far unworthy of his Majeſtical perſon, But ſuffer it to be ſo now, &c.
This Point, which I have lateſt handled, was the ſtrict command of Chriſt over John Baptiſt as his Lord; in that which follows, as a Preceptor he teacheth his Diſciple, and gives him reaſon that he might know upon what ground he muſt obey: Thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteouſneſs; in which reaſon, ſo many words, ſo many notations ſix in all, which will require diſcuſſion: 1. What ſignification the word righteouſneſs hath. 2. What is required to fulfil it. 3. How it was fulfilled in this Baptiſm, for our Saviour hath put an Emphaſis upon the word foreign, Thus I muſt fulfil it. 4. How it can be ſaid that the coming to Johns Baptiſm was the fulfilling of all righteouſneſs. 5. Why the Propoſition ſpeaks of more than one, of us in the Plural. 6. That Chriſt did fulfil all righteouſneſs at this time, not foreign, in a ſtrict neceſſary rigour, but foreign, for decency ſake, becauſe it did become him. So you ſee every word is ponderous and obſervable, Thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteouſneſs. Of theſe as the ſcantling of the time will permit.
The ſignifications of the word righteouſneſs or juſtice are four: Firſt, It is the name of all vertue taken in the lump, where none is wanting. So did the Philoſopher ſtate it, foreign. Juſtice is not a part, or a fragment of Vertue, but the whole continent of it. And ſo it is to be found in God only, and in no other Creature. And thus our Saviour did fulfil all righteouſneſs, becauſe we had fulfilled all manner of wickedneſs. And ſo St. Chryſoſtom underſtands this place, that to make our peace with God, Chriſt was tied to the exact performance of all the Commandments. Secondly, Juſtice is one particular branch of Vertue, which is thus defined, Conſtans & perpetua voluntas jus ſuum cuique tribuendi; A conſtant and perpetual reſolution to give every man his own: And St. Paul puts it in one Precept, Rom. xiii. 7. foreign, Render therefore to all men their dues. And Chriſt was moſt reſpectful to ſee that every one had their own both in heaven and earth, according to that moſt admirable principle, Give unto Ceſar that which is Ceſars, and to God that which is Gods. Thirdly, Juſtice is taken for faithfulneſs in our word, and being exactly true in our promiſes; and certainly lying is a fraudulency moſt oppoſite to Juſtice: Thus did our Saviour ſhine in righteouſnes, full of grace were his lips, neither was any guile found in his mouth. Yea, let God be true, ſays the Apoſtle, and every man a liar, that thou mighteſt be juſtified in thy ſayings, and overcome when thou art judged, Rom. iii. 4. Fourthly, Righteouſneſs doth many times very properly ſignifie that integrity which is found in a man according to that ſpecial Office which he ſuſtains. There is a particular Juſtice belonging to every ſtate and condition of mans life by it ſelf: A juſt Father, a juſt Counſellor, a juſt Judge; and ſo likewiſe in the particular condition of that Office, a juſt Saviour and Mediator. Out of this laſt acception ſurely we may beſt pick out the meaning of my Text. For this humility and obedience which our Saviour did now profeſs in coming to Jordan with the multitude to be baptized, it could not be reduced to the obſervance of any Ceremony in the old Law, nor to any Precept of the Ten Commandments, wherein a neceſſary part of juſtice conſiſted; but it was agreeable to the perſon of his Mediatorſhip, and he was accountable for all ſuch duties as parts of righteouſneſs. For let the Sacrament of Baptiſm be conſidered in two ſorts: Firſt, from the efficient cauſe, that it was eſtabliſhed by divine authority. Secondly, From the end, in that it ſignifies the waſhing away of ſins; in both theſe reſpects it pertained to his Office to be baptized, who was the Mediator between God and man. In the former regard we have his own confeſſion, I came to do the will of my Father that ſent me; and although neceſſity did not lie upon him to meddle with that Ceremony which betokened the cleanſing of ſins; yet it was expedient that he ſhould not contemn, but do honour to his Fathers Ordinance. What did it concern him to be ſubject to his Parents? To be Circumcized? To keep the Feaſt days of the Jews? But becauſe it was a part of righteouſneſs to apply himſelf devotionately to all divine Inſtitutions. In the latter regard, though his own ſoul was pure, neither was iniquity found in him: Yet he bore the iniquity of us all, and we have need of waſhing, not our feet only, but our hands, and our head.Homil. 6. in Epiph. It is a full ſaying of Maximus to this purpoſe, Juſtiſſimum erat quia totum ſuſcepiſſet homimem, ut per omnia hominis tranſiret ſacramenta. Since he took man upon him, with the guilt of all his corruptions, it behoved him to paſs through all thoſe Sacraments, which are the means to take away our corruptions. So you ſee what righteouſneſs ſignifies in this place, Non juſtitiam aequalitatis, & legis; ſed aequitatis & vocationis; Paraeus in hunc locum.Not ſuch juſtice as is commanded in the Law, but a decent equity according to the Office and vocation of his Mediatorſhip.
The next thing to be conſidered is the fulfilling of righteouſneſs: Thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteouſneſs. Every one, in whom the Spirit of God abides, hath a good purpoſe to do juſtice, and the works of the Law; but he that fulfils righteouſneſs, and is exact in his ways without all reproof is the Son of God. I ſay, as for us, that know God by faith, and live in tabernacles of fleſh, wherein there is always malicious reſiſtance againſt the inward operations of grace, we are all tranſgreſſors of righteouſneſs, it is impoſſible we ſhould fulfil it. Let every man humble himſelf before God, confeſſing that he is a great ſinner, becauſe Chriſt humbled himſelf for us all, to come to that Sacrament which is remediable for Sin.De Perfect. Juſtit Reſp. 15. St. Auſtin was troubled with one Celeſtinus, who oppoſed him, that one of the Sons of Adam might be exactly righteous in this life, notwithſtanding the manifold tentations of frailty. St. Auſtin rejoyns, are we not all taught to ſay the Lords Prayer? But if any could be clear from treſpaſſes, he need not ſay, Forgive us our treſpaſſes. We do not ſay therefore that there is a man without ſin; we ſay there may be a man without ſin. Quomodo autem poſſit, & per quem poſſit, de hôc quaeritur; But the queſtion is, how, and by what means he may be ſo? For the Orthodox Church did never mean a man could be ſo in this life, untill he were tranſlated to the Kingdom of Glory. Attend what it is which the ſame Father brings under the compaſs of ſin, and let every man examine himſelf by that, Peccatum eſt, cum vel non eſt caritas quae eſſe debet, vel minor eſt quàm eſſe debet, ſive hoc voluntate vitari poſſit, ſive non poſſit. It is a ſin either not to have charity, which we ought to have; or to have leſs charity than we ought to have: Though we could avoid that defect by our own will, or though we could not (meaning ſure our inability to fulfil the Law by the corruption we draw from our firſt Parents) the guilt lies upon us for want of charity. Who can tell how oft he offendeth? Says David, Is there any man then upon earth who can tell how oft he offendeth? Rely not therefore upon thy ſelf, but upon Chriſt, who alone was able to fulfil all righteouſneſs.
The Devil tried him in the Wilderneſs, whether the perfection of all juſtice were in him: But was repelled, and he could not draw him to forſake his righteouſneſs. The Scribes and Phariſees worſe than Satan miſdeemed the Doctrine of Chriſt, how his Diſcipline would be ſome new thing quite different from obedience to the Law: But our Saviour prevented their ill ſurmiſe, ſaying, I came not to deſtroy the Law and the Prophets, but to fulfil them, Mat. v. 17. To deſtroy the Law is either to take the true ſenſe from it by falſe interpretations, or to cancell the force by which it obliged, or laſtly, by malice and preſumption to violate and infringe it. For violation of the Law they did accuſe him, but not convince; Pilate, who did ſtrive to do them favour, was compelled to ſay, I find no evil that he hath done. For delivering the right ſenſe and meaning of it his interpretations were moſt divine, and diſcovered the vanity of Phariſaical Traditions. Whereupon, ſays Theophylact, as a Painter laying freſh colours upon an old Picture, Non delendo, ſed perficiendo tollit priorem imaginem, makes as it were a new Image, not by blotting out the old, but by varniſhing and waſhing it new again: So Chriſt gave, as it were, a new Law to the Jews, not by expunging or adding any thing, but by applying the natural expoſition to the Text. As for cancelling the force by which it tied, it is true indeed that he did abrogate all Ceremonial Figures and Shadows, becauſe ſuch things were to vaniſh away when the ſubſtance was exhibited in his own perſon. Wherefore Cajetan marks the words accutely, that Chriſt did not ſay, I will deſtroy no part of the Law, no not the Ceremonies, but Non veni ſolvere, they ſhall be laid aſide hereafter, but I came not to deſtroy them in my own perſon. So St. Stephen was accuſed, Acts vi. 14. We heard him ſay, that Jeſus of Nazareth ſhall change the Cuſtoms which Moſes hath delivered us. Summarily therefore, thus our Saviour fulfilled the Law and all righteouſneſs. The Law conſiſts of four things, Propheſies, Moral Precepts, Ceremonial Rites, Judicial Statutes. He fulfilled the Prophetical part perſonally, exhibiting himſelf to be born, to be crucified, to riſe the third day, to aſcend into glory. In the volume of thy book it is written of me that I ſhould fulfill thy Law, then ſaid I, loe I come. 2. He fulfilled the Moral Law, not only by giving it the right interpretation, but by exact obedience; whereupon he ſaid, Which of you can accuſe me of ſin? 3. He gave life to the Ceremonies, pointing to their true meaning, as inſtead of the Circumciſion of the fleſh, exhorting to the Circumciſion of the heart. 4. Whereas the judicial Law of the Jews did mention temporary and corporeal rewards and puniſhments, Chriſt changed that ſtile of ſpeech into ſpiritual and eternal.
No doubt but Chriſt did fulfil all righteouſneſs, for he came not to do his own will, but the will of his Father; his juſtice was multiformous in all the actions of his life, from his Cratch to his Croſs, yet my Text ſays that he did foreign, thus by receiving Baptiſm, by that one act fulfil all righteouſneſs. I know not one bad interpretation upon that Point; which is rare among Expoſitors to be ſo divers in their judgments, and yet all allowable. One ſays it is meant, quoad inchoationem juſtitiae, that ſo it behoved him to begin the courſe of righteouſneſs. That was but one act of his humility, but the firſt wherein he did manifeſt obedience: So Baptiſm is the firſt ſtep that we make into the Church of Chriſt, therefore becauſe light was the firſt thing that God made among his viſible Creatures, and Baptiſm is the firſt of his ſpiritual graces, it hath ever been called in the Greek Church foreign, or the illumination of a Chriſtian; it is the day of inauguration, when we firſt claim right unto our title of the Kingdom, becauſe we are adopted the Sons of God. Surely, the ordinary gloſs conceits the words otherwiſe, but very profitably. Righteouſneſs is either Legal, which conſiſts in an exact obedience to all the Commandments of God; Or elſe Evangelical, which knows Salvation is not attained unto by the works of the Law, but thus, Repent and believe, and thou ſhalt obtain remiſſion of ſins; therefore Chriſt ſpeaking in the perſon of us, who are his members, ſays to John, foreign, Thus muſt we fulfil all righteouſneſs, by calling upon men to repent, and be baptized in the true faith, and their ſins ſhall be covered, and bleſſed is that man, or righteous is that man to whom the Lord imputeth no ſin. This was the Doctrine taught in the Church every where three hundred years paſt and more; Omnis juſtitia impletur ex gratiâ; All our righteouſneſs is fulfilled through grace, and not through works, Ut nullus ex operibus, neque ex arbitrio glorietur; they are the words of the gloſs, to the end that none may boaſt of works, or in the power of his own free will, but acknowledge himſelf guilty of damnation, and obnoxious to the dreadful juſtice of God; let us fly to that grace which freely waſheth away our ſins, Thus it behoveth us to fulfil all righteouſneſs. Chemnitius makes this apprehenſion of the Text. Chriſt did omit no means, to reconcile us to his Father, that we might be juſtified before him, and this he brought to paſs two principal ways: 1. When he gave himſelf an Oblation upon the Croſs to take away our ſins. 2. When he did inſtitute the means and inſtruments to apply that meritorious ſatisfaction unto us; on this wiſe therefore he did fulfil righteouſneſs by ſanctifying the Sacrament unto us, which is the eſpecial medium to apply the righteouſneſs of faith to every one that ſhall be ſaved. Another, and the laſt ſenſe of this word, that likes me alſo, conſiſts in theſe terms. By receiving this Sacrament of Baptiſm we are tied, as far as we are able, to fulfil all righteouſneſs: It behoveth them, that profeſs the true Faith, to keep themſelves undefiled from the world, and to be holy unto the Lord. As Rachel cried out to Jacob, Give me children or elſe I die; ſo a ſincere faith cries out unto the conſcience, Let me bring forth good works, or elſe I ſhall be a dying faith, and altogether unprofitable. Do we make void the Law through faith? Says St. Paul, God forbid: yea, we eſtabliſh the Law, Rom. iii. 31.
So it appears how righteouſneſs buds forth from Baptiſm; our conſcience being watred with the heavenly dew of that Sacrament, it makes us fruitful with good works: Sed in iſtôc nequaquam ſunt omnia, will ſome man ſay. Will that ſerve inſtead of all righteouſneſs? For our Saviour ſaith, Thus it behoveth us to fulfil all righteouſneſs. God gave the word, great was the company of Interpreters, and his Spirit is in them all. You ſhall hear the ſeveral conſolations which they pick out from hence: 1. To be a perfect teacher, and a perfect doer of Gods will; theſe are Tabor and Hermon, the two fruitful hills upon which the bleſſing of the Lord deſcends. To be a Teacher and not to do well is very bad, like Hophni and Phinehas thoſe diſſolute Prieſts, who polluted the holy Sacrifice. To do well and not to teach is laudable and good, but it is not excellent; for to be an inſtructer and a doer is a degree of perfection beyond it, Omne tulit punctum; it is more bleſſed to give inſtruction than to receive; therefore our Saviour was abundant in both, Praeivit in exemplo quod verbo docuit; He did lead the way of obedience by example, and afterward did preach it to the people. Bleſſed is he therefore that is not only a teacher, but a doer of the word, this is to fulfil all righteouſneſs. 2. Suum cuique; there are but three heads from whence all juſtice is diſtributed, and they may be drawn out of this Baptiſm; for by receiving Baptiſm we are obedient to the inſtitution of God, we provide a ſalutiferous medicine for our own ſoul, and by letting our light ſhine before men we do edifie our brother: But to render that which is due to God, to our own ſoul,Abulens qu 70. in ho…. cap. to our brother, is to be perfect in every line of juſtice, therefore in the univerſality Chriſt might ſay thus he did fulfil all righteouſneſs. 3. Says St. Auſtin, Quid eſt impleatur omnis juſtitia? Impleatur omnis humilitas; The Son of God had this meaning how he fulfilled all righteouſneſs, becauſe he condeſcended to the loweſt ſtep of humility; for there are theſe three fallings as I may ſay, one lower than another. To be ſubject to a Superiour, and not to prefer himſelf before an equal, is juſtitia ſufficiens, ſufficient humility, and no want; To be ſubject to an equal, and not to prefer himſelf before an inferiour, is juſtitia abundans, that is not only juſtice enough, but large and abundant humility; but to be ſubject to an inferiour, yea, the moſt mighty God to be ſubject in Baptiſm to his Creature, this is juſtitia perfectiſſima, moſt perfect lowlineſs, none can ſubmit it ſelf more; and thus indeed to make the pride of baſe man to bluſh, who is but duſt and aſhes, Chriſt did empty himſelf of his glory, and fulfilled all the righteouſneſs of humility.
The fifth word of conſideration is the plurality of perſons ſpoken of in the Propoſition, foreign, Thus it behoveth us to fulfil all righteouſneſs. It was fit indeed for our Lord Jeſus to perform all obedience to the Law, in every tittle and minim that is commanded, becauſe it lay upon his perſon to undo the curſe of the Law. Surely, Johns name muſt ſtand for a cipher in that work, for Chriſt alone trod the Wine-preſs of his Fathers wrath, neither John, nor any of the Saints were made co-partner with him in our redemption. By his one Oblation of himſelf once offered, he made a full, perfect, ſufficient Sacrifice and Oblation for the ſins of the world. What means this ſaying therefore in the Plural, Thus it behoveth us? Take again what the Spirit hath ſupplied for expoſition of this word in divers manners. One way it is ſatisfied, that Chriſt, according to that excellent power which is in him, ſpeaks of himſelf regally as of many, Joh. iii. 11. We ſpeak that we know, and we teſtifie what we have ſeen, and yet Chriſt only ſpake to Nicodemus. Again it is a ſweet conſolation that after the taking of any Sacrament, we are no more one, and one, and ſo to be reckoned ſingle by our ſelves; but Baptiſm and the Lords Supper are the very bonds of perfection, and make us all members of one myſtical body; the Scripture is admirably accurate in this particular, as 1 Cor. xii. 13. By one Spirit we are all baptized into one body, and have been all made to drink into one ſpirit. Here it appears that we are become one ſpirit by drinking one cup of the Lord; and one holy lump, becauſe we are ſprinkled with one ſpirit in the water in the name of the Lord; ſo our Saviour phraſeth the ſentence of my Text, according to this myſtical union, Thus it behoveth us to fulfil all righteouſneſs. One other Paraphraſe is very plain and literal, and perhaps therefore the more natural. John was loth to put his hand unto the water, to caſt it upon the head of Chriſt, his Maſter rectifies his error, and tells him it muſt be done, it is expedient for both: Obedience is required in the Servant, humility in the Lord, thus it behoveth us on both ſides to fulfil all righteouſneſs. Take the laſt conjecture of the word with you, and, as I approve it, the moſt uſeful. Chriſt was made righteouſneſs and ſanctification for us by ſhedding his innocent bloud, which is teſtified in the water of this Sacrament. He alone is the meritorious cauſe of our Salvation: But the application of this juſtice is not to be expected to fall upon our heads without ordinary means, and ſuch inſtruments as God hath appointed. Ye are Gods Husbandry, ſays St. Paul to them of Corinth, but we are labourers together with God, 1 Cor. iii. 9. He regenerates by his word which is committed to the lips of ſinful men; he cleanſeth and ſanctifieth his Church by the waſhing of water, whereof we are made diſpenſers; therefore our Saviour hath joyned this Prophet to himſelf, not by way of merit (God forbid) but by way of inſtrument and miniſtry, in the work of our redemption, thus it behoveth us to fulfil all righteouſneſs.
Now I ſhall end this Text in a word, that Chriſt did fulfil all righteouſneſs at this time, not foreign, in a ſtrict neceſſary rigour, but foreign, for decency ſake, becauſe it did become him; Thus it becometh us, &c. Many abaſements our Saviour did endure, and became obedient in many parts of humility, which could not be exacted at his hands in ſtrict juſtice, as he took our nature upon him, but they were certain voluntary ſtrains of lowlineſs, which were full meaſure preſſed down, and running over. As for his dolourous Paſſion of the Croſs that could not be eſcaped, it was the cup which he muſt drink to ſatisfie for the ſins of the world; therefore he preacht to his Diſciples in this unavoidable expreſſion, Nonne oportuit, &c. Ought not Chriſt to have ſuffered, and thus to enter into his glory? But to ſtoop like one of the multitude to the Baptiſm of John, was not of abſolute neceſſity, but a decency which did well befit his humiliation, foreign, thus it becometh us, &c. A comlineſs in every one is to be obſerved according to his Chriſtian calling; and decency (though neceſſity were ſet apart) will prevail much with tractable and honeſt diſpoſitions. Some will bend to nothing, but to that which is clearly expreſt in ſo many words out of the ſacred Text. But what if decorum require it to be done? (though it be not in ſpecialty contained in Scripture, but in general Maxims) why, ſurely then it cannot be neglected if we will offer up to God a perfect Sacrifice. Whatſoever is fitting for an outward ſanctification of a ſincere heart, you cannot omit it without maiming that ingenuous comlineſs which is required at our hands.
This is not my own fancy, for I obſerve it frequently in St. Paul, that he argues from that which becometh a Chriſtian, 1 Cor. xi. 13. Judge in your ſelves, is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered? 1 Tim. ii. 10. Let the women adorn themſelves in modeſt apparel, with ſhamefaſtneſs and ſobriety, not with broidered hair, But as becometh women profeſſing godlineſs, Eph. v. 3. Fornication, uncleanneſs let it not once be named among you as becometh Saints. Where is that wrangling excuſe now for all your pride and bravery? Will you be ſtiff in your opinion that you may paint, and powder, and criſp, and clip hair, and uſe all thoſe Iſland dog tricks about your head, becauſe the Bible doth in no place by name condemn theſe things. Beloved, if the Spirit of God had penn'd a thouſand Bibles more, they could not have contain'd the Catalogue of all thoſe Peacock faſhions, into which you transform your ſelves from time to time, therefore one rule ſtands for all, that you muſt do as becometh women profeſſing godlineſs, and remember that there is a decency to be attended in Chriſtianity. I will not ſay to you, as St. Paul did to the women of Corinth, Judge in your ſelves if this be comly? We ſhould have wiſe reformation for all faults if you were made the judges who are quite addicted to vanities. Who ſhall tell you then what is decent for Chriſtians? Will you rather believe the handmaid that attires you? Or the Waiting-woman that hath wages to flatter you? Or thoſe Gallants that call themſelves your ſervants, and would have you proud that they may idolize you? Will you believe theſe rather than the Prieſt of God, whoſe ſoul muſt anſwer for every word he teacheth you? Learn from him, what it is that becometh you to fulfil righteouſneſs.
Much might be enforced from hence likewiſe, to commend unto you all the Ceremonies ſo exactly appointed by the beſt of Reformed Churches, I mean this of England, God be glorified for his grace towards us. We do not urge them ſo peremptorily as to ſay, thus it is neceſſary to be a Chriſtian, but thus it becometh us to ſerve the Lord; and that which is decent in Gods houſe, I ſay again, will ever prevail with tractable and godly diſpoſitions. You cannot hear or meditate too much upon that of St. Paul, Phil. iv. 8. Whatſoever things are juſt, or venerable, whatſoever things are pure, whatſoever things are lovely, whatſoever things are of good report, and let me add, whatſoever things become us, theſe things do, and the God of peace ſhall be with you. Amen.