Jesus and the Resurrection Justified by Witnesses in Heaven and Earth, Part 1 · Chapter 5

Jesus and the Resurrection Justified by Witnesses in Heaven and Earth · Part 1 · Chapter 5

p. 245CHAP. V. Concerning the Witneſſes on Earth, and firſt of the WATER.

HAVING given a brief account of the Teſtimony of the firſt Three Witneſſes, and finding much ſatisfaction in their perfect agreement; we have the greater encouragement to go to the other Three, who are alſo nearer to us than the former, and take that evidence which they are willing to afford us, for our further confirmation in this belief that Jeſus is the Son of God. Theſe three, you read in the eighth Verſe, are ſuch as bear witneſs on EARTH; whereby we may be the better acquainted with them, and they are the more undeniable, and furtheſt off from all queſtion or exception. For ſhould any be ſo bold as to diſpute that there might be no ſuch p. 246voices from Heaven, ſuch apparitions of Jeſus, ſuch a deſcent of the Holy Ghoſt (as it is poſſible there may be ſuch conceited fools, who think themſelves wiſe by doubting of all things) yet that there were ſuch Witneſſes as the WATER, the BLOUD, and the SPIRIT, no man can be ſo obſtinate as to deny; they were ſo viſible to all ſorts of men whatſoever, that would but open their eyes to behold them.

In the ſixth verſe (of which the eighth is but a repetition) after the Apoſtle had ſaid, that the only Conqueror is he who believes Jeſus to be the Son of God; He adds, This is he that came by WATER and BLOUD, even Jeſus Chriſt; not by Water only, but by Bloud alſo: and it is the SPIRIT that beareth witneſs, &c. Where that phraſe [HE CAME] is to be diligently obſerved; which in the ſtile of the New Teſtament writers, ſignifies as much as that, He manifeſted himſelf to be the Meſſias or Chriſt; He made it appear that he was ſent of God. For thus the Meſſias is deſcribed in that queſtion which John Baptiſts Diſciples put to our Saviour, xi. Matth. 3. Art thou foreign, he that COMETH? that is, as Grotius well p. 247expounds it, he that is propheſied of by Jacob our Father, under the phraſe of COMING, xlix. Gen. 10. And ſo He is ſaid to be the light which COMING into the World enlightneth every man, i. John 9. And John Baptiſt tells them, He that COMETH after me, is preferred before me, ver. 15. He was preferred to be their King, as the multitude cried out, ſaying, Hoſanna to the Son of David, bleſſed be he that COMETH in the Name of the Lord, xxi. Matth. 9. There is the true explication of the phraſe: He was ſent by a ſpecial commiſſion, ſuch as never any man had from God the Father; he appeared with his authority, and acted in his name. And as before he appeared in his Majeſty, he was called, He that COMETH; ſo afterwards the Apoſtle here calls him, He that CAME. The perſon, that is, whom God had promiſed from the beginning of the world to ſend into it; His SHILO, that is, his Seed (as De Dieu hath excellently expounded that word) the Seed of Judah, and the Son of God. Who in this fulneſs of time was to receive Commiſſion from God, and take upon him the Government of the World.

Now this perſon, ſays S. John, CAME p. 248(that is, appeared to be ſent of God as his Son, his only begotten) by Water and by Bloud. Which is as much as to ſay, that it was manifeſt he came from God and not of himſelf by theſe two Witneſſes; to which the SPIRIT alſo adds its teſtimony, as it here follows [and the SPIRIT bears witneſs] which is ſuch a certain evidence, that they who rely on this, together with the former, can never be deceived by it; becauſe the Spirit is the TRUTH. As therefore God SENT him, ſo he CAME; and by theſe three Witneſſes proved that he was the Perſon, who, God promiſed, ſhould come, and was now ſent: whoſe teſtimony let us prepare our ſelves to hear, and examine diligently, that the faith of Chriſt may ſtill be rooted deeper in our hearts. And let us hear them, if you pleaſe, in that order wherein they ſtand in the ſixth Verſe (the place where we firſt meet with them) receiving firſt the teſtimony of the WATER, then of the BLOUD, and then of the SPIRIT.

Of the WATER.

And by WATER ſure can be meant nothing elſe but either Purity and innocence; or elſe Baptiſm, which we uſe as a p. 249ſign and a means of thoſe. We may conſider it in both ſences, and not be in any danger to wander from the ſcope of the Apoſtle, or do any wrong to the argument in hand, but receive moſt ſatisfactory evidence from both, that Jeſus is the Son of God.

I.

Firſt then let us take it in the notion of PURITY; which we uſe the help of Water to procure in bodily defilements. And therefore when the Prophet would expreſs the intention of God to purifie his people from moral filthineſs, he ſays he will pour clean WATER upon them, xxxvi. Ezek. 25. and in other places he calls upon them to WASH themſelves; when he would have them amend their ways, and lead new and holy lives. And when we ſpeak of the PURITY of Jeſus, wherewith he CAME, that is, demonſtrated himſelf to be the Chriſt; we muſt conſider that there is a double Sanctity or holineſs, for which He was eminent above all other perſons, which may both be denoted by WATER. The one is of his DOCTRINE wherewith Chriſt is ſaid to cleanſe his Church, for which he died, v. Epheſ. 26. He gave p. 250himſelf for it, that he might ſanctifie it; having cleanſed it with the Waſhing of WATER by the Word. Where the Word (the preaching of the Goſpel) is either the explanation of waſhing with Water, or elſe denotes that Chriſtian Inſtruction which ſucceeds Baptiſm; to which, by our being waſhed with Water in the Name of Chriſt, we are bound to attend, as the great inſtrument of our purification. The other is holineſs of LIFE and converſation; which the ſame word WATER is uſed to expreſs in the Epiſtle to the Hebrews, x. 22. where the Apoſtle exhorts all thoſe who believed there was ſuch a royal High Prieſt as Jeſus, ſet over the family of God, to worſhip him with integrity of heart and ſincere affection to him; nothing doubting of the truth of his promiſes, and having their hearts ſprinkled from an evil conſcience, and their bodies waſhed with pure WATER. Now by a ſhort view of the perfect ſpotleſneſs of Jeſus in both theſe, in regard of his Doctrine, and in regard of his Life; we ſhall be able from thence ſtrongly to draw this concluſion, that he muſt needs be the Son of God.

I. Firſt for the PURITY of his DOCTRINE; it is ſuch, that it not p. 251only teaches no evil at all, but teaches all manner of Goodneſs; and ſeverely prohibits every vice. There is not the leaſt ſin to which the Holy Jeſus gives any countenance; no, he declares the wrath of God from Heaven againſt all ungodlineſs and unrighteouſneſs of men; whom he fully inſtructs likewiſe and encourages in every piece of true piety and vertue. So perfectly Holy is his Word, that if we did entertain it, the power of it would throughly waſh us from all uncleanneſs, and not leave the leaſt ſpeck of dirt in our hearts. For he intends by that (as the Apoſtle tells the Epheſians in the words following thoſe now named, ver. 27.) to preſent to himſelf a glorious Church, not having ſpot or wrinkle, or any ſuch thing; but that it ſhould be holy and without blemiſh. Whatſoever belongs either to our knowledge of God, or to our Duty in every reſpect, condition and relation, His Doctrine completely comprehends it.

He hath firſt of all ſo clearly revealed to us the ONE GOD Creator of Heaven and Earth, that none could do it more expreſly, or with greater reverence to his Majeſty. Whatſoever Moſes hath written againſt Idolatry, S. John here from p. 252Jeſus (in the concluſion of his Epiſtle) hath ſummed it up in a few words, Little children, keep your ſelves from IDOLS. In this the Jews could not accuſe him, nor durſt let ſuch a word fall from their mouths, that he was a falſe Prophet, becauſe he endeavoured to draw their hearts after other Gods (which was the great mark of an Impoſtor, xiii. Deut.) No, he tells them that this is Eternal Life, to know the only true God (which words are ſpoken in oppoſition to all others) and Jeſus Chriſt whom he had ſent. But in this they might have ſeen that his deſign was far more noble and glorious than that of Moſes, who contented himſelf to preſerve that one Nation from the infection of Idolatry: whereas our Lord Jeſus plainly declared his intention was by his Apoſtles to turn all Nations from Idols, to ſerve the living and true God. There was never any man that appeared ſo great a lover of God as he was. Never any man that undertook to ſet on foot ſuch a deſign, for the advancement of the univerſal knowledge of him. All the Divine Attributes and Perfections alſo, He hath revealed ſo perſpicuouſly, that there never was ſuch a manifeſtation made of them to the World, as we ſee in Him. From whom we learn how Juſt, p. 253how Good, how Wiſe, how Faithful, and how Powerful, the Bleſſed and only Potentate is, who only hath immortality, whom no man hath ſeen or can ſee.

And if we would know our Duty, either towards God in actions of Piety, or towards Men in actions of Righteouſneſs, or towards our ſelves in actions of ſobriety, we can learn it no where ſo eaſily, and completely, as if we go to him, and to thoſe who have delivered it to us with great care and plainneſs from his mouth.

As for the Actions of PIETY, He teaches us inwardly to Honour God, v. Joh. 23. that is, to have an high eſteem of him as our Lord, and as our chiefeſt Good: to Love him alſo, and that with all our heart, and all our Soul, and all our mind, and all our ſtrength, xii. Mark 30. And to Fear him, ſeeing he can caſt both Body and Soul into Hell; which makes him again and again bid us be ſure to Fear him, xii. Luke 4, 5. To confide likewiſe and Truſt in him, the living God, 1 Tim. iv. 10. To Hope in his mercy, 1 Pet. i. 21. And to rejoyce evermore, 1 Theſſ. v. 16.

And as we are thus to worſhip him in p. 254our Minds, ſo we are taught by his Religion externally to adore him and fall down before him, iv. Matth. 10. iv. Rev. 10. to pray to him both for our ſelves and others, 1 Tim. ii. 1, 8. and to be inceſſant in our Prayers (or to perform this holy duty very oft) xviii. Luke 1. 1 Theſſ. v. 17. and to offer up by him the ſacrifice of Praiſe to God continually, xiii. Heb. 15. And in every thing to give thanks, which is the will of God concerning us in Chriſt Jeſus, 1 Theſſ. v. 18. and eſpecially to ſhew the Lords death, that is, publiſh it with thanks and praiſe, till he come, to judge the World, 1 Cor. xi. 26.

The manner alſo of addreſſing our ſelves to God he hath taught us ſo fully, that nothing can be added to it. For he tells us, The Father will be worſhipped in Spirit and in Truth, iv. John 23. And that we muſt lift up holy hands, 1 Tim. ii. 8. And that when we pray we muſt forgive others, xi. Mark 25. and ask in Faith, xxi. Matth. 22. and avoid vain babling; and not affect much ſpeaking, nor deſire to be ſeen of men, and to joyn Faſting and Alms, with our Prayers and Devotions to God, Matth. vi. It is impoſſible to conceive any thing more Divine than theſe Inſtructions.

p. 255To which he adds as rare Precepts for Actions of RIGHTEOUSNESS: concerning which he hath given us ſuch an abſolutely perfect Rule, that it comprehends the meaſures of CHARITY too. No wit of man can think of any thing more holy than that, LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR AS THY SELF; or that, WHATSOEVER YE WOULD THAT MEN SHOULD DO TO YOU, DO YE EVEN SO TO THEM. This is a rule that reaches all men; and compendiouſly, yet completely, tells them how they ſhould behave themſelves towards each other. If a man were a Magiſtrate, or a Parent, or ſtood in any other ſuperiority over his Neighbours, he would deſire honour and obedience from them; that therefore, ſays our Saviour, let him give to thoſe who are in Authority. If a man be our equal, we deſire, if not his friendſhip, yet his fidelity in word and deed; that very thing let us be ſure to render him and all others in the ſame equality with us. If we be placed below others, we deſire the favour, the help, the relief, and counſel of our Betters; all theſe Jeſus here teaches us to afford, with the ſame chearfulneſs that we would expect them in their caſe, to thoſe who are p. 256in want of our kind aſſiſtance.

Nay, he hath told us in particular what our duty is in theſe matters, by the mouths of his holy Apoſtles; that no man may think to excuſe himſelf by his ignorance and inability to apply a general Rule to every action of his life. I ſhall not name all the places where you may find ſuch words as theſe that follow, but only tell you, He would have us ſo far from doing evil to any man, that he requires us owe him nothing, but only love. And this debt we muſt be always paying, and think our ſelves debtors to all men; not only to treat them civilly, and give them good words, but to love them in deed and in truth. Which Love muſt teach us as to be meek and gentle towards all men; to put away all bitterneſs, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil ſpeaking; not to circumvent or go beyond our Brother in any matter; not to lye to our neighbour; nor defame him; much leſs do him any hurt in his body or goods: So to relieve his poverty; to help forward his joy; to comfort him in his ſorrow; to cover his defects; to make a fair interpretation of his actions; to let our judgment of him incline to the more favourable ſide; to mind what is lovely or grateful to others, p. 257and what things are of good report; to ſtudy things that make for peace; to compoſe and reconcile differences; to beg pardon of thoſe whom we have offended, and make them ſatisfaction; and if any have offended us, readily to forgive their fault; to forbear revenge when it is in our power to requite an injury; to do good for evil; to bleſs thoſe that curſe us; to overcome mens hatred with benefits; to pray to God for thoſe who uſe us deſpitefully; and to be longſuffering, when it is fit to puniſh any man for his crime. And as for thoſe who are truly pious, we are taught to do them good above all other men; to live with them in unity and godly love; to ſympathize with them in their ſeveral conditions; rejoycing with thoſe that do rejoyce, and weeping with thoſe that weep.

Nor hath he failed to tell us by his holy Apoſtles, with what kindneſs and indulgent affection Husbands ſhould treat their Wives; and how they again ſhould ſo affectionately obſerve their Husbands, that they may together make up a lively Image of that Deareſt Love, which is between Chriſt and his Church. And he hath inſtructed us all how to behave our ſelves towards Magiſtrates, Biſhops, Presbyters, p. 258Maſters and Parents; whom he hath alſo taught how to bring up their children, to uſe their ſervants, to feed and govern their flocks, and to rule their people committed to their charge: ſo that no man can ſay he goes without that Leſſon, which is proper for his condition.

And then if we proceed to thoſe things which we call SOBRIETY, his Doctrine is ſo holy and pure, that it requires the greateſt Moderation in all things. It favours nothing that reliſhes of Covetouſneſs, or Ambition, or Voluptuouſneſs, or any other violent and inordinate paſſion whatſoever. But quite contrary, commands us not to labour, with too much eagerneſs and ſolicitude, for the meat that periſhes; to lay up our treaſures in Heaven; to be humble and lowly, like little children; to be temperate in all things; to be watchful and vigilant, leſt we be overtaken with ſurfeiting and drunkenneſs or the cares of this life; to be chaſte and pure in heart; to mortifie our members that are on the Earth, fornication, uncleanneſs, inordinate affection, and evil concupiſcence; to abſtain from laſciviouſneſs, fooliſh talking, wanton and unſeemly jeſting; to cut off our right hand and pluck out our right eye, if it prove an offence p. 259to us; to take juſt meaſures of our ſelves, as well as others; to be content with our portion; to do thoſe things which are venerable, grave and beſeeming our condition and employment: which if it be not according to our deſires, not to repine or be dejected at it; if it be, not to be tranſported with vain joy, much leſs with pride and contempt of our neighbours.

And after all theſe and ſuch like incomparable Leſſons, He teaches us to ſuffer any thing for well doing; to bear all worldly troubles valiantly and with a magnanimous heart; to deſpiſe reproaches; nay, to rejoyce when our names are caſt out as evil, for his name ſake; in patience to poſſeſs our Souls; and not to be weary in well doing, nor faint in our minds; but to endure chaſtening; to perſevere and ſuffer with long patience; to stand faſt in the faith; to quit our ſelves like men, and to be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

To all which duties he urges us likewiſe, by the pureſt, the moſt ſpiritual, the nobleſt and moſt Divine Arguments. He does not preſs us with ſuch low and poor motives as the hope of Riches (though he promiſe us things convenient) p. 260or of Greatneſs, or of Fame and Glory; either while we live or when we are dead: but propounds his own example to us, and the example of all the Saints that are gone before us; and quickens us with the hope of Immortality when we depart this life; and aſſures us at preſent of the friendly protection of Angels, and of the joys of the Holy Ghoſt: which none of thoſe ſhall fail to receive, who are not inticed nor affrighted from their duty; but reſolutely hold out in their Chriſtian warfare, and overcome.

And if any man ſay, that ſeveral Philoſophers taught excellent things, and gave Rules of a vertuous life; and yet it does not prove the beſt of them to be ſo great, as theſe Witneſſes are brought to demonſtrate our Saviour was: The Anſwer is, that none of them delivered ſuch a complete Rule of holy living as our Lord hath done; none of them touched the heart with ſuch powerful reaſons and Divine motives; nor did any of them write without ſome mixture of folly; or themſelves exactly perform that which they taught others. Beſides, that none of them ever had the confidence to pretend to that quality, wherein our Saviour came; which p. 261you ſhall ſee preſently is of great force to prove ſuch an Holy Perſon as he was, to be indeed what he pretended; the Son of God.

II. But firſt let us a little conſider the ſecond ſort of PURITY, that of the Life; in which our Lord Jeſus far out-ſtript all others. He did not only preach after that manner I have now related; but ſo he lived, and became a complete pattern of that which he taught. He was a LIVING LAW, as Lactantius calls him **Lib. 4. Inſtit. C. 25, to all his Diſciples; whom he taught by Himſelf, and not merely by his Lectures of Piety. Other Teachers had conceived in their minds and painted in their Orations a vertue that was no where to be ſeen; for they were not able (as the ſame Author elſe-where ſpeaks) to confirm by preſent Examples, that which they aſſerted in their Doctrine. Their Auditors might ſtill ſay, that no body could live according to their preſcriptions, becauſe no body ever did. Behold, therefore our Saviour comes to do, and not only to preach, the will of God. And ſo holy, pure and free from all blame were all the Actions of his life; that his greateſt Enemies could lay nothing to his charge, but p. 262only certain words: and thoſe, ſuch as contained moſt perfect truth, as he proved by his actions and many other ways.

He was the Lamb of God without ſpot, and without blemiſh, as S. Peter ſpeaks, 1 Pet. i. 19. He offered himſelf by the eternal Spirit without ſpot unto God, ix. Hebr. 14. His whole life was ſuch a fair example of that Piety, Humility, Charity, Gentleneſs, Forgiveneſs, Peaceableneſs, Patience, and all other vertues which he taught; that God reſtored him to life again, after they had crucified him and put him to death, becauſe there was no fault in him. He was frequent in Prayer to God; and ſometimes continued therein a whole night together. Upon all occaſions he gave him thanks. He loved his Glory and the Good of mankind, more than his life. He went about doing good. And he taught his Family to be as kind and tender-hearted as himſelf. He was meek and lowly in heart. When he was abuſed, He was dumb as a Lamb before the ſhearers, ſo opened he not his mouth. He was full of reſpect towards Magiſtrates and Governours; very ſweet and affable towards the pooreſt people; exceeding kind and compaſſionate towards his envenomed p. 263enemies; and perfectly contented in the loweſt condition. When Foxes had holes, and Birds had neſts, but He not where to lay his head; none could be found more chearful, thankful, and well pleaſed than he was. And as for his Fortitude, Courage, Conſtancy, Reſignation, and all other ſuffering vertues; there never was any thing comparable to them. For he endured the Croſs, and deſpiſed the ſhame, and contentedly took the contradiction of ſinners, ſaying, Father, not my will, but thy will be done.

To all which you muſt add, that he was thus pure and undefiled, thus perfectly pious, juſt and good, in an Age that was levened with the doctrine of the Phariſees; who by their Traditions had made void the Law of God. Then he was complete in all manner of God-like qualities; when the ſtricteſt Sect of Religious people were utterly void even of common honeſty. In thoſe days he did all things that God required; when it was counted the greateſt ſanctity to do little but what men preſcribed. When vertue was deſpiſed, when Faith and Judgment and the Love of God were hated, when there was nothing but the very dregs of Abrahams Piety remaining p. 264among his Children; then Jeſus teſtified to them that their deeds were evil; then this light ſhined in that darkneſs; and this Son of God entred upon a more than Herculean labour, of cleanſing the Temple and the People, that were fuller of filth than the Augaean Stable.

And it is moreover to be conſidered, that though he oppoſed thoſe idle traditions of theirs, which evacuated the Laws of God; yet he neglected none of the Ceremonial ordinances of Moſes, but therein fulfilled all righteouſneſs. No body could accuſe him for the breach of any Commandment, that had a Divine ſtamp upon it. When they quarrelled with him for healing on the Sabbath day; He ſoon ſtopt their mouths by ſhowing them that they themſelves would not deny ſuch a charity to an Oxe or an Aſſe upon that day; if it were in danger of periſhing, or ſtood in need to be led away to watering. Nor was this ſo great a labour in him, as it was for them to pull a beaſt out of a pit; for he did but ſpeak a word, and the cure was done, without any further pains. They did but diſcover therefore, in theſe exceptions, their own rancorous malice and baſe hypocriſie; who ſcrupled ſuch p. 265charitable actions as theſe on the Sabbath day, but made no bones, as we ſay, at any time to undo even a poor widow; whoſe houſe their Conſcience was wide enough to ſwallow. By his ſharp but neceſſary reproof of ſuch crimes, he incurred their hatred. Which could not diſhearten him in his duty; but ſtill he continued his free admonitions and reprehenſions, though he knew it might coſt him the loſs of his life. The doing of Gods will was a great deal dearer to him than that. For this end he came into the world, as he told Pilate, that he might bear witneſs to the Truth. And therefore it was his meat, his great delight, to do the will of him that ſent him, and to finiſh his work.

To conclude this; ſo free from all ſpot was the Holy Jeſus, that the Devils malice could not tell what fault to charge upon him. But, as Euſebius **Lib. 3. demonſtr. Evang.recites from the Heathen Oracles, was forced to acknowledge him to be foreign (and as he ſays a little after) foreign. That is, a moſt Religious perſon, and made immortal after death; an inhabitant of the celeſtial Orbs. Porphyry himſelf, a great factor for the old Paganiſh p. 266worſhip, but one that had taſted of Chriſtianity, and knew what was in it, durſt not (as he there notes) ſay any thing to his diſparagement: but from his own beloved Oracles, though he regarded not the holy Scriptures, was conſtrained to give the forementioned teſtimony of him. All that he was able to ſay in detraction from his honour, was this, that Chriſtians did fooliſhly to worſhip him: Though he granted him to be carried to Heaven, foreign, as Pious men are wont to be; and therefore adviſes his own Scholars not to blaſpheme (i. e. ſpeak evil of) Jeſus, but only to pity the ignorance of his followers.

It was very cautiouſly ſpoken, and moved no doubt the pity of Chriſtian people towards one that thought himſelf ſo knowing. For whatſoever he unskilfully determined, we are able to make it appear, that we do well to worſhip and honour him, even as we honour the Father of all: ſince his life is confeſſed by his Enemies to be perfectly pure and unſpotted; and his Doctrine teaches men nothing, but to do as he did. This concluſion we ſhall eaſily draw from the premiſes, if they be but diligently conſidered. And

p. 2671. Firſt of all, it ſeems to me incredible, that any one but he that was in the very boſom of God (that is, knew his mind moſt intimately, as I have ſaid before;) ſhould be able to declare his will ſo fully, and to give ſuch a Divine Rule of holineſs as Jeſus hath done, even by the mouth of thoſe who were skilled in nothing, but how to mend a Net, or catch Fiſh, or ſome ſuch poor artifice, till he inſpired them. All the words that he ſpake himſelf, both for the matter and manner of them, do not ſound like the words of a Man, but of a God. Never man ſpake like this man, ſay they, that did not go to be inſtructed by him, but to apprehend him, vii. John 46. The report of others did not make him ſo great, as they found him, when they came to ſee and hear him themſelves. Bad men are commonly more odious to us when we enter into converſation with them, than they were whileſt we remained ſtrangers, and had nothing to do with them. Nay, perſons of known worth are ſometimes more magnified by ſame, than they appear when we approach nearer them. But Jeſus was every where admired and glorified; and never more, than when men grew the moſt familiar p. 268with him. None could deſpiſe, though they might hate him, unleſs it was when he thought good to ſay nothing, and to work no miracles; which made Herod and his men of war ſet him at naught. When he opened his mouth, they that did not believe on him, wondred, as you have heard, at the gracious words which thence proceeded.

For beſide that his Diſcourſes were incomparably beyond the common pitch of wiſe men, his delivery of them was altogether Divine; for he ſpake with authority, and was a Prophet, as the Diſciples going to Emaus relate to himſelf, Mighty in deed and word before God, and all the people, xxiv. 19. And ſuch were thoſe poor ignorant men, whom he choſe to be his Apoſtles. Who not only convinced gain-ſayers with the ſtrength of Divine Arguments, but alſo delivered Inſtructions for good Manners, with ſuch exactneſs and ſuch plainneſs of ſpeech; ſo familiarly, and ſo agreeably to the nobleſt inclinations of humane nature: that it is manifeſt they underſtood it better than the greateſt Philoſopher of them all. None of them ever deſcribed the ſeveral duties of mankind, and urged them with ſuch p. 269proper arguments, in ſo few words, and yet ſo clearly and fully as theſe illiterate men did. Nor was there ever a ſet of men ſo affectionately deſirous of the good of others as theſe men were: who were willing to impart unto them not only the Goſpel of God, but their own Souls alſo; becauſe they were dear unto them. So S. Paul writes to the Theſſalonians (1 ii. 8.) every one of whom he exhorted, and comforted, and charged, as a Father doth his children, ver. 11. But he never uſed any flattering words towards them; nor ſpake as pleaſing men, but God, who trieth the hearts; nor carried on any deſign of covetouſneſs, or winning of glory to himſelf; nor would be, in the leaſt, burdenſom to them; but was gentle among them, even as a nurſe cheriſheth her own children, ver. 4, 5, 6, 7.

Show me the man that ever ſpoke with ſuch wiſdom and judgment, as they did; and with ſo much tenderneſs of heart. None but their Maſter ever preached or wrote with ſo Divine a Spirit: which John the Baptiſt deſcribes in ſuch words (with which I ſhall content my ſelf) as prove the excellence of his Perſon, from the excellence of his Doctrine, which he delivered unto men. They are in the p. 270iii. John 31. where he ſays, He that COMETH from above, is above all: He that is of the Earth, is Earthly, and ſpeaketh of the Earth: He that COMETH from Heaven, is above all. That is, He who appears from Heaven with ſuch a Divine Authority, who delivers the mind of God in ſo rare a manner, that one may ſee he hath been with God, muſt needs excel all other perſons in dignity; Moſes and the Prophets, and me alſo, who am of an Earthly extraction, born like other men; and can ſpeak only like a man, poor and low things in compariſon with thoſe, which that Heavenly teacher delivers: who, I muſt needs again confeſs, is far ſuperiour to me, becauſe he is not a mere man, but comes from Heaven; and ſo is above all Prophets whatſoever, who had more of the Earth than of Heaven in them; that is, knew none of thoſe ſecret counſels of God concerning mans everlaſting bliſs, nor could direct us in ſo ſhort, but plain and ſure a way to it as he hath done. And then it follows, ver. 32, 33. And what he hath ſeen and heard, that he teſtifieth, &c. He that hath received his teſtimony, hath ſet to his ſeal that God is true. For he whom God hath ſent, ſpeaketh the words of God. That is, he ſpeaks ſuch things, that p. 271a man may eaſily ſee he is the only begotten of the Father, who is in his boſom, and knows his very mind; having as certain an underſtanding of Heavenly things, as we have of what we ſee and hear. And therefore whoſoever believes him, does no more but aſſent to God; whoſe words he ſpeaks, by a particular commiſſion he received from him to act in his Name.

It is very obſervable that juſt after the mention of theſe Witneſſes, 1 John v. 10. S. John adds, that He who believes not this record which God gives of his Son, hath made him a liar: as on the other ſide John the Baptiſt here ſays, That he who doth receive his teſtimony (i. e. believes) ſolemnly acknowledges God to be true. From whence I conclude, that what is ſaid in this Epiſtle hath a relation to that which is writ in the Goſpel: which I take to be no more than this. That the Divineneſs of Jeſus his Doctrine; the purity and Heavenly ſtrain of his diſcourſes; his preaching as if he had heard and ſeen the Father, and knew the ſtate of things above; his ſpeaking the Words of God (not as anothers, like the Prophets before him, but as his own) was a great teſtimony to him that he was ſent of God, in that quality p. 272that he pretended: So that they who received him did but rely upon the Truth of God, and give up their faith to him; who hereby, as well as other ways, perſwaded them that this was his Son.

2. But then that which I mainly inſiſt upon is this ſecond conſideration. That his pure, moſt holy Doctrine and Life was a great argument of his Divinity; becauſe this was part of his Doctrine, that he was the Son of God. For who can think that a perſon of his vertue, who taught men both by word and deed ſuch reverence to God and ſuch juſtice and charity to men, could be guilty of putting ſuch an open affront upon the one, and ſuch an abuſe upon the other, as to challenge this title and propound himſelf to be received in this quality, if he had not a juſt and undoubted right to it? He that came with ſo much ſanctity and holineſs, in all his other words, and all his other actions, one cannot but conclude was as holy and free from ſin in this as much as in any thing elſe; that he ſaid he was the Chriſt, and perſwaded the people to believe he was the Son of the bleſſed.

This is certain, He affirmed himſelf to p. 273be the Chriſt, the Son of God, firſt to his Diſciples: And that both before his ſufferings, xvi. Matth. 16, 17. ix. Mark 41. and alſo after his reſurrection, xxiv. Luke 46. And then to others alſo, who were as yet none of them, as (1.) to the woman of Samaria, iv. John 26. Then (2.) to the blind man whoſe eyes he opened, ix. John 35, 36, 37. And laſtly, he aſſerted it when he was brought before his Judges (as you have heard already) and this very matter was brought in queſtion; yea, when they adjured him by the true God, and as he bare any reſpect to him, to tell them the very truth in this thing. Now who is there that would not infer from hence, that all the reſt of his Doctrine being ſo oppoſite to all lying and every other vice, and his whole life giving ſuch a proof of his perfect vertue, that they had nothing to ground a charge upon againſt him, but merely this profeſſion of his own, wherein, if he had pleaſed, he might have been ſilent; it is not in the leaſt credible that a perſon of his integrity ſhould after ſo long ſpeaking truth, now at the laſt be guilty of ſpeaking a lye? And (2.) a lye of ſuch a dangerous conſequence as this, by which, if it were one, he and a world of Souls muſt be undone? Yea, p. 274(3.) that he ſhould tell it ſo often to ſo many perſons? And that (4.) before the Magiſtrates, who are Gods in this world? And that (5.) when they were deſirous and very importunate to know the truth? Yea, (6.) before God himſelf, by whoſe name he was ſolemnly adjured to ſpeak nothing but the truth? How is it poſſible that ſuch a man as he ſhould be ſo void of all fear of God, as to offend him in ſo high a manner? There are none ſure whoſe unſtandings are ſound, or whoſe conſciences are not crackt, who can ſo much as fancy, much leſs perſwade themſelves to believe, that a perſon whoſe innocence was ſo great, that all the falſe witneſſes they could find, men who cared not for their own lives, could not be maſters of his; ſhould now, in ſuch a ſerious manner, when he was going out of the world, put ſuch an horrid cheat upon it, and with the loſs of his life too upon a ſhameful gibbet, as to ſay that he came from God, if he had no warrant for it. All ſober men muſt rather confidently believe that He who arrived, as I have often ſaid, at ſuch an height of blameleſs purity in all other points whatſoever, was as free from blame in this alſo; and ſaid nothing but the very Truth, when He ſo ſolemnly and p. 275ſo frequently, before God and before men, in his life-time and at his death, profeſſed that he was the Son of God.

And if any man ſtill object, that his uprightneſs indeed was ſo great that without all doubt he would not invent ſuch a tale as this, and affirm what he did not believe; but yet he might be miſtaken and believe that which was not true: He may anſwer himſelf from his own conceſſions. For if he conſider how free our Saviour was from all ambitious deſires, how modeſtly he refuſed to be advanced, how void he was of covetouſneſs and all other worldly appetites, which may blind a mans reaſon and abuſe his underſtanding; and likewiſe how admirably he diſcourſes, how rational and convincing, how ſublime and heavenly all his Sermons are; He will ſoon be ſatisfied, that it is not credible a perſon of his wiſdom ſhould be ruled by mere fancy; or of his goodneſs, be carried into a vain dream by any ſenſual affections, which had no place in him.

This is the firſt acception of the word WATER, which you ſee clears our Lord from all imputation of fraud, and waſhes off all aſperſions that might be caſt upon p. 276him of impoſture. For there is not the leaſt ſpot or blemiſh appears in the whole courſe of his Life, to render him ſuſpected of any guile, much leſs of ſo great a deceit as this, to feign himſelf the Son of God. Nay, his Doctrine is ſo Divine, ſo much beyond the ſtrain of the wiſeſt men that ever ſpake, that it demonſtrates he was as little obnoxious to be deluded himſelf, as he was inclined and diſpoſed to delude others.

II.

Let us now proceed to ſee what teſtimony may be drawn from this WATER in behalf of our Lord; if we take it in the other ſence, for BAPTISM, in which we make a profeſſion of PURITY. And there is a twofold BAPTISM by which our Lord may be ſaid to COME; that is, to appear a Perſon ſent of God, as his only begotten Son: The firſt is the Baptiſm of John; the ſecond is his own Baptiſm.

I. As for the Baptiſm of John, it may be ſaid that our Saviour CAME by or with this WATER; both becauſe John when he baptized men with Water, preached that He was coming, iii. Matth. 11. p. 277i. John 30. and becauſe He brought this Baptiſm along with him, or rather ſent it a little before him, as a teſtimony of him, which would prepare his way, and diſpoſe their hearts to receive him as the Chriſt of God. For it is manifeſt that it was intendded as a proof of this, from thoſe words of our Saviour himſelf, by which he ſtopt the mouths of the Phariſees, and took away all matter of cavil from them, when he aſſerted his ſupreme Authority both over them and over their Temple, xxi. Matth. 23, 24, 25, 26. There you read that our Saviour having come in Triumph to Jeruſalem (ver. 8, 9.) and there received Hoſanna's from old and young, and been ſaluted as the Son of David, that is, their KING (who the Prophet had ſaid, ver. 5. ſhould come unto them, meek and ſitting upon the Foal of an Aſſe,) and he having caſt the buyers and ſellers out of the Temple (ver. 12.) and prohibited them to carry ſo much as a veſſel through it (as S. Mark tells us, xi. 16.) and being now teaching the people there, the Chief Prieſts and the Elders came to him, and examined him by what Authority he did theſe things, and who gave him this Authority. That is, they bid him produce his Commiſſion, if he had any, and ſhow p. 278them from whom he was SENT and CAME to take this Office, not only of a Teacher, but of a Reformer, and that of the Temple it ſelf: and likewiſe who warranted him to ride in ſuch pomp to Jeruſalem, as the Son of David, the Lord of that Country.

The Anſwer of our Saviour to this queſtion is, that they might ſoon be reſolved, if they would but ſatisfie him in another queſtion, concerning another perſon, who was come alſo in an unuſual manner among them: And that was, whether John had a Commiſſion from God to baptize, or came of himſelf, by the allowance of men only. Anſwer me but this queſtion, ſays he, and I will tell you by what authority I do theſe things. Conſider of it, and tell me what you think; whence was John's Baptiſm? from Heaven, or of Men? That is, who gave him his power to preach, to reprove, to call men to repentance, to receive confeſſion of ſins, and to do all other things belonging to his Miniſtry, which Baptiſm accompanied, and conſtantly waited upon? Did God bid him go? or was it from a motion of his own?

p. 279While they conſulted for an Anſwer to this queſtion of our Saviours, they clearly ſaw their own anſwered. And they were not ſo dull, but that they could eaſily diſcern our Lord would irrefragably prove his Divine Authority, and make them confeſs he was the Meſſias; unleſs they would adventure to ſay that, which all the Country would decry not only as a falſity, but an egregious calumny. For if they had affirmed that John entred upon the Office of Baptizing and Teaching the people out of his own private will and inclination, or by commiſſion from ſome men; in this opinion they knew they ſhould be ſingular, becauſe all the people held him to be a Prophet. That is, it was the ſence of the whole Nation then (and ſo it was afterward, as appears by Joſephus) that the Baptiſt was a Divine Man, inſpired by God, and ſent of him to do what he did: which would have made them the publick ſcorn and hatred, if without a reaſon able to confute all the Country, they ſhould have denied it. But then if they ſhould grant this and ſay, He was ſent of God (which was the only thing they could ſay with ſafety, if they would affirm either) they ſaw themſelves in as p. 280ill or worſe a caſe another way: being as much afraid of what Jeſus would ſay, if this were confeſſed, as they were of what the people would ſay, if it were contradicted. For as the people would have cried ſhame on them, if they had diſparaged John's miniſtry, ſo if they allowed it to be from Heaven, then they knew Jeſus would unanſwerably prove his Commiſſion to be from Heaven too: and tell them that John, whom they took for a Divine Man, ſhould acquaint them with his authority, and from whom he had it; for he bare witneſs, in expreſs words, that he was the Chriſt, the Son of God. They thought it a ſafer courſe therefore to leave this queſtion undetermined, and to ſay they could not tell whence his Baptiſm was, than by reſolving it either way, to give with their own mouths ſo great an advantage to him, whom they queſtioned and oppoſed.

But by ſaying nothing, they plainly confeſſed, that if they had gone on to diſpute with him, He would have had the better of them: and have made it appear from John Baptiſts teſtimony, that He had an authority far greater than that which they muſt have acknowledged in p. 281him. For though our Saviour thought good, for brevity-ſake, to propound this argument to them by way of queſtion, and ſo let them reaſon it out within themſelves; yet it was as forcible, they plainly felt, as if he had pleaded with them in this manner. My Authority, which you call in queſtion, is every evident. I have it from Heaven, and not from Men; as I prove by this argument. If the Baptiſm of John be from Heaven, then from thence I come; now you cannot deny, if you will ſpeak out, that his Baptiſm is from thence; and therefore I make the concluſion, that my Authority is Divine. The conſequence was as clear as the Sun, that if John was ſent by God, then ſo was Jeſus in that quality wherein he appeared; becauſe John (as you ſhall ſee) gave this teſtimony to him, which could not be queſtioned after they had granted him to be a Prophet. The only thing that could be denied in this Argument was, that John's Baptiſm was from Heaven; or that God authorized him to ſay and do what he did. But this they durſt not oppoſe, becauſe then to rid themſelves of one Enemy, they ſhould bring the whole Nation, as we ſay, about their ears: who did not take John for a counterfeit, but thought, p. 282that he was a Prophet INDEED, xi. Mark 32. Nay, they themſelves never adventured to call John before their Council; much leſs adviſed how they might put him to death, as they did our Saviour. But on the contrary, many of the Phariſees and the Sadducees came to his Baptiſm, iii. Matth. 7. They were as inclinable to reverence him as the people. For God who had ſpoken heretofore to that Nation ſo long by Prophets, whom they thought themſelves bound to believe, had plainly manifeſted him to be one. Nay, he was not a common Prophet, but one of an extraordinary rank: The Prophet of the Higheſt, his Father calls him; and more than a Prophet in the language of our Saviour, as you ſhall hear preſently.

What ſhould they do then? which way ſhould they turn themſelves, now that they durſt not deny the Propoſition, upon which this conſequence evidently depended, that Jeſus was the Chriſt? Their only reſuge was ſilence: For though thereby they acknowledged him too hard for them, and ſuffered his Divine authority to ſtand ſupported by this unanſwered Argument; yet they had rather part ſo, and ſhamefully break off the diſputation which they p. 283themſelves had begun, than let him go away with their expreſs confeſſion and teſtimony, that, if the Prophet of the Higheſt might be believed, he was their Chriſt. It was no diſadvantage to our Saviour, but to their own cauſe, that they anſwered, they could not tell whence John's Baptiſm was: For hereby it appeared He had ſo much to ſay for himſelf, that if they would ſay any thing in this matter, and not obſtinately hold their peace, they muſt ſay as He did, that He was the Son of God. For John Baptiſt, whoſe Heavenly authority they durſt not deny, though they would not confeſs it, received all men into this belief when they came to him, that there was one COMING after him, who ſhould gather Diſciples as he did, and that he was the Chriſt. This he told them was the very end of his Preaching and Baptizing, to prepare the way of the Lord; to make them fit and ready to entertain the next Prophet that ſhould appear, as greater than him, even as the Son of God. And therefore when Jeſus did openly appear and come to his Baptiſm, and John ſaw the Spirit deſcend and remain on him, then he told them in plain terms that this was the perſon whoſe way he came to prepare, and that they muſt receive p. 284him as the Son of God, and the Lamb of God that taketh away the ſins of the world, i. John 29, 30, 34. And that which he ſaid at this time, there is no doubt he declared at all times, when the people came to be baptized. For thus the Jews deſcribe Jeſus when they diſputed with ſome of John's Scholars about his Baptiſm, iii. Joh. 25. HE TO WHOM THOU BAREST WITNESS, behold, the ſame baptizeth, &c. ver. 26. Thence he is frequently called one of his WITNESSES, and ſaid to come for this end, that he might be a WITNESS to him, that ALL men through him might believe; that is, might be perſwaded that Jeſus was the WORD of God, by this teſtimony of John, i. John 6, 7, 8. And our Saviour afterwards appeals to this Teſtimony of his, and bids the Jews conſider it, v. John 32, 33. For you know, ſays he, that he bare WITNESS to me, when ye ſent to him: And I know that the WITNESS which he WITNESSETH of me is true.

And great reaſon there was that they ſhould conſider it, and be convinced by it. For John was a burning and a ſhining light (as it there follows, ver. 35.) and they themſelves were willing for a ſeaſon to rejoyce p. 285in his light. If that fit was over, and now they were leſs delighted in him, it was merely becauſe he teſtified of Jeſus. There was nothing elſe to damp their affection; for otherways they could not but confeſs him to be an illuſtrious perſon. Who ſhined with the greater ſplendour, becauſe He was miraculouſly conceived in his Mothers old Age; and his Birth was predicted by an Angel; and his Father ſtruck dumb becauſe he believed not his Word; and this Angel appeared in the very Temple, at the Altar of Incenſe, and therefore was not like to be a deluſion; And his Father was indued with the Spirit of Prophecy, and his tongue unlooſed when this Child came to be Circumciſed; Then He ſpake concerning his quality, by the inſpiration of the Holy Ghoſt; and John appeared to be prophetically endowed from a child; God alſo took care of his education in the Wilderneſs, where he was trained up to a reſemblance of Elias; ſo that his life and manners tranſcended all in that Age; and his Spirit and Doctrine was ſo powerful and convincing, that it was hard for them to ſay who he was; the people admiring his ſanctity and preaching, held him for a Prophet; and ſome of the Prieſts and p. 286Levites having ſuch an eſteem of him, that it was a queſtion among them, whether he was not the CHRIST.

They were ſent, you know, from Jeruſalem to enquire about it, i. John 19, 20, &c. and yet this Perſon, who ſhined with ſuch a luſtre, whom Jeſus himſelf calls the greateſt that had been born of women, of whom he was baptized; declares to theſe perſons who came to ask who he was, that he was not worthy ſo much as to carry the Shooes of him that was coming after him, ver. 27. and that his Doctrine, as you have heard (iii. 31.) was of the Earth, flat and low in compariſon with the words that Jeſus ſhould ſpeak; who he told them plainly was the Chriſt, the Son of God: but as for himſelf, he confeſſed, and denied not; but confeſſed (that is, repeated it more than once, and affirmed conſtantly) I am not the Chriſt.

What reaſon was there then, why both they that heard his teſtimony of Jeſus, and they that ſent theſe meſſengers to make enquiry, ſhould not believe him, ſince all this was ſo known a truth? His Father Zacharias was a Prieſt, whom they could p. 287not but reverence more than to imagine he ſtudied to deceive, eſpecially ſince he was noted for a righteous man, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameleſs. And John himſelf was a Nazarite, one whoſe head was never troubled with the fumes of Wine or of ſtrong drink: (i. Luke 15.) and bred up likewiſe in the Deſarts or Wilderneſs of Judea (i. Luke 80.) after a plain and ſimple faſhion; where he was like to learn no craft or guile. If any body ſhould take the confidence to fancy that there might be a compact between Jeſus and him, to cry up and ſpeak great things of one another: He is confuted by the plain ſtory of both their lives. I have told you how far Jeſus was from ſeeking his own glory; and John Baptiſt was a man of ſuch confeſſed ſanctity and ſevere vertue, that none then could ſuſpect him of ſuch a guilt. Beſides that it is manifeſt they never had ſeen one another, at leaſt John had no knowledge of our Saviour, until He came to be baptized of him: when he immediately proclaimed him to be that perſon whom he had magnified ſo much, and told them ſhould be preferred above himſelf, before he had any ſuch acquaintance with him. And it is not unfit to be remembred, that p. 288even before he was born, John Baptiſt leaped in his Mothers womb, when the bleſſed Virgin came to viſit her; as if he had then begun to confeſs him to be the LORD (as his Mother calls him, i. Luke 41, 43.) and to rejoyce to be a WITNESS unto ſo great a perſon.

For a concluſion of this, let the place be noted where Jeſus came to be baptized of John; and where he gave ſo ample a teſtimony to him: For from thence we ſhall draw ſomething, which will help to ſettle this belief in us, that Jeſus is the Son of God. It was at BETHABARA beyond Jordan, as S. John has recorded, i. John 28. There the Prieſts and Levites, who were deputed by the Sanhedrim, or great Council at Jeruſalem to go and examine him, received their Anſwer from him again and again, that he was not the CHRIST: For there he was baptizing, and there Jeſus came to receive his baptiſm; for as he was ſpeaking thoſe words which you read ver. 27. and ſaying he was not worthy to looſe the latchet of his Shooes; Jeſus came from Galilee (as S. Matthew writes, iii. 13.) to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. Now this Name BETHABARA ſignifies the place of paſſage, p. 289or going over (foreign Beth in their language being an houſe or place, and foreign Abara, a paſſing over from one place unto another) and therefore in all likelihood hereabouts the children of Iſrael went over this River Jordan, when they entred upon the land of Canaan. This was the place of their paſſage, when God brought them out of the Wilderneſs to their deſired poſſeſſion; and ſo had the name of Bethabara affixed to it, in memory of ſo great a bleſſing.

Now Jeſus being baptized at that very place where Joſhua or Jeſus (as he is called iv. Hebr. 8.) conducted the children of Iſrael over that River unto their reſt; and receiving there ſuch a teſtimony both from God the Father, and likewiſe from John the Prophet of the higheſt: It was a notable ſign and token (joyned with thoſe two) that this perſon called Jeſus alſo was He that ſhould lead them into the Heavenly reſt, and be the Captain of their Salvation. And the Holy Ghoſt deſcending alſo in this very place upon him; here he was anointed to be the Guide, the Leader and Conductor of God's people: that is (as we render the word foreign, v. Acts 31.) a PRINCE and a Saviour, who p. 290ſhould put them in poſſeſſion of the greateſt bleſſings. As Moſes laid his hands on …ſhua near this place (which we may reaſonably conjecture from xxxiv. Deut. 9.) and made him the Ruler and Governour of that Nation: ſo here did God himſelf give all things into the hands of Jeſus, by the Holy Ghoſt coming down upon his head, appointing, conſtituting and ordaining him to be the Royal Prophet who ſhould bring all the world to his obedience.

And it is obſervable, that to this place our Saviour a great while after returned again, and there made his reſidence, when the Phariſees ſought to kill him, x. John 40. I cannot but think that this Evangeliſt would have us learn ſomething from his ſo particular remembrance of this place, both at our Saviours baptiſm, and at his return again into the Country beyond Jordan. For it is not their manner to mention ſuch circumſtances in ſo ſhort a Hiſtory as this is, without ſome conſiderable reaſon. Now as we have gueſſed at the cauſe of his being baptized and receiving the teſtimony of John at Bethabara; ſo it is likely the reaſon why our Saviour went hither again and here abode was, that he might call to the p. 291peoples mind what had been done here formerly; the Teſtimony which John received from God concerning him, and the Teſtimony which thereupon John gave to them of him, at this remarkable place. For he knew thoſe things which were done at Bethabara, had a great force in them to work a much better diſpoſition in the people, than was in the murderous hearts of thoſe at Jeruſalem, and to move them to become his Diſciples. According to which ſuppoſition you read in the very next words (x. John 41, 42.) that many reſorting to him, began to diſcourſe among themſelves concerning John, and of what he had ſpoken concerning our Saviour (for which we can find no occaſion but the place, and perhaps our Saviours putting them in mind what had been ſaid and done here) and that many believed on him THERE. The word there is to be remarked; for it tells us that theſe Diſciples were won to Jeſus at that place, where John at firſt baptized. They remembred, it is probable, what he had ſaid; how he told them, that he ſaw the Holy Ghoſt here deſcend and remain upon him, and that this was he whom he had ſpoken of before who was greater than himſelf, and that he ſaw and bare record p. 292that this is the Son of God. And they likewiſe now beheld ſome miracles wrought by our Saviour (whereas John wrought none) which proved John's words to be true which he ſpake of him, that he ſhould be preferred before him: be the true Joſhua whom they muſt all follow, the Meſſiah, the KING of Iſrael, to whoſe conduct they muſt truſt, if they meant to enter into reſt.

I have done with the firſt BAPTISM, that of John; which if you conſider throughly, the Perſon from whom Jeſus received it, the place where he went into the water, the teſtimony that was here given him, both by the Father, by the Holy Ghoſt, and by John; you will eaſily grant it might well be affirmed in reſpect to all theſe, that he came by WATER, and that this was one of his WITNESSES.

II. It is time now to come to the ſecond particular, and take into conſideration awhile his OWN BAPTISM which he adminiſtred: For that is not without ſome proof, that he was the CHRIST. Indeed Jeſus himſelf baptized not, but his Diſciples, as you read, iv. John 2. But p. 293yet becauſe whatſoever a Servant doth by the authority of his Maſter, it is reputed the Maſters Act, and he himſelf is ſaid to do it; therefore Jeſus alſo is ſaid to baptize in the ſame Evangeliſt, iii. 26. iv. 1. Now this was an argument to the Jews that he was the Meſſiah.

1. Firſt, becauſe all expected that the Meſſiah or CHRIST ſhould come with Baptiſm, and thereby renew the world, as the Hebrew Doctors ſometime ſpeak. It began they ſay in the time of Moſes, when he brought them to receive the Law from God, and entred them by this Ceremony of waſhing into a new Religion, xix. Exod. 10, 14. By which they tell us, Proſelytes were received into their communion in ſucceeding times; when they paſſed from the ſtate of Gentiliſm, and were regenerated to worſhip God with the Iſraelites. And therefore when CHRIST came, and with him a new world (for there is nothing more common in their Books than to call his days, The WORLD TO COME) they concluded he ſhould begin it with Baptiſm, as Moſes did that frame of things which he erected.

p. 294This is certain, it was one of their marks of him, that in his days there ſhould be an univerſal Baptiſm and cleanſing of the people. Which they gather from xiii. Zach. 1. where we read of a FOUNTAIN opened for ſin and for uncleanneſs: and from ſeveral places in the Prophet Iſaiah, where he ſpeaks of the Waters in the wilderneſs (in which S. Mark tells us John baptized, i. 4.) and from the xxxvi. Ezek. 25. where he ſays, I will ſprinkle Water upon you, &c. a new heart alſo will I give you: which is applied by the Apoſtles to the days of Chriſt, who began his new Kingdom with waſhing with Water or Baptiſm in his name. And therefore when John the Baptiſt came with this Water, they ſent, as I noted before, to know of him who he was, thinking he might be the Chriſt. For which there appears no reaſon (for he did not work ſo much as one miracle) but that all Judea, and all the region about Jordan went out to him, and were BAPTIZED of him in Jordan confeſſing their ſins, iii. Matth. 5, 6. And therefore when He told them that he was not the CHRIST, nor Elias, nor that other Prophet; whom they expected to accompany him, they ask him then, i. John 25. Why BAPTIZEST thou, if thou art p. 295none of theſe? They thought it was not in the power of any man to inſtitute and introduce this new Ceremony, unleſs he was either the CHRIST or his Forerunner, or ſome other Prophet (Jeremiah it is like) who they fanſied ſhould riſe from the dead and come along with him. A new Ceremony I call it, becauſe though we ſhould grant that Baptiſm was in uſe among them (as much hath been ſaid by Mr. Selden **Lib. de Jure Nat. & L. de Succeſſion.among others to prove it) yet thereby they only received Proſelytes and their children from other Countries. But it was not the manner to baptize Jews, ſuch as were grown and adult; much leſs did any of the Maſters in Iſrael gather Diſciples after this faſhion; and therefore the Sanhedrim might well ſend to enquire who this was, that took upon him to call all the Country to repent, and ſanctifie themſelves; and alſo like a Prophet had particular ſcholars miniſtring unto him.

The moſt learned of the Jews indeed had but confuſed notions of things to come, and the Prieſts and Levites you ſee here by their queſtions, did not certainly know whether Baptizing with ſuch an authority, was a ſign that a man was the Chriſt or not: yet they generally inclined p. 296to believe that it was a note of him, as may be gathered, I think, from iii. Luke 15. where you read that the people were in expectation (knew not what to think, but waited that John would declare the Chriſt to them) and ALL MEN muſed in their hearts of John, that is, debated and reaſoned within themſelves (as it is in the Margin) whether John would at laſt declare himſelf to be the Chriſt or not. And another Argument there is to prove that they lookt upon Baptiſm as a mark of the Meſſiah; for as ſoon as our Saviour began to make this his buſineſs, and to authorize his Diſciples to baptize, then they were more in ſuſpenſe (as that word expectation in S. Luke now mentioned may be rendred) than ever: And knew not what to imagine, when they ſaw two great men doing one and the ſame thing, and thereby drawing the people after them. But after they had debated the matter better, it ſeems they began to leave their opinion of John's being the Meſſiah, and to look rather upon Jeſus as the perſon; at leaſt to have ſome thoughts that it might be ſo.

For we find in iii. John 25. that there aroſe a controverſie between ſome of John's Diſciples and ſome Jews who were not his p. 297Diſciples, about purifying or cleanſing: by which may be underſtood Baptiſm, which was the ſign and the inſtrument of it. And the diſpute (as far as the following diſcourſe directs our conjectures) was this, Whether their Maſter John's Baptiſm, or that of Jeſus was the beſt, and which of them a Jew ſhould receive? For they ſaw them both baptiſe, Jeſus in Judea, ver. 22. and John, in Enon near to Sabim, ver. 23. To which of theſe places therefore they ſhould reſort ſeems to be the queſtion. If John's baptiſm was from Heaven, why ſhould it be laid aſide, or why ſhould another come and take his work out of his hand? Was Jeſus now ſent with a greater authority, ſo that they muſt leave John, and go to him? To this his Diſciples being able to give no ſatisfaction, they go to the Maſter himſelf for a reſolution, and tell him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan to whom thou bareſt witneſs, behold, the ſame baptizeth, and all men come to him. As much as to ſay, we are much perplexed, being in doubt which of you two to receive for our Maſter. For Jeſus who was baptized of thee at Bethabara (a note they imagined of his inferiority to John) and yet had a teſtimony from thy ſelf that he was ſent of God too; does not only now p. 298take upon him thy office, and thereby leſſen and extenuate thy authority, but quite eclipſes and obſcures thee, baptizing far more than thou doſt. Which ſhows that they began to conceive John was not the man they had taken him for; but that Jeſus rather ſhould enjoy that name which they had been apt hitherto to beſtow upon him: and their Argument was, becauſe Jeſus baptized more Diſciples than the other did.

To this John anſwers in the next words, ver. 27. A man can receive (or take unto himſelf) nothing, except it be given him from Heaven. That is, let not this trouble you, that Jeſus Baptizes, and all come to him; it is no more than I told you, that I was no body in compariſon with him. For no man can honeſtly aſſume more authority to himſelf than his Commiſſion gives him. And for that reaſon I could not do ſo much as Jeſus does, becauſe I have not received ſo much, nor can pretend ſo large a power from God, who alone can give it. And then he adds, that it is ſtrange they ſhould forget what he had told them in expreſs words, ver. 28. Ye your ſelves bear me witneſs, that I ſaid, I AM NOT THE CHRIST, but that I p. 299am ſent before him. That is, it is a wonder you raiſe this diſpute, when I never gave you any occaſion to fancy me to be as great as he; but told you plainly, as you your ſelves may remember, that I was not your KING anointed by God to rule over you; all the honour that I had being no more than this, to be ordered to come and prepare his way for him. I never intended that my waſhing you with Water, or gathering Diſciples, ſhould be a mark that I was the CHRIST: Alas! I only baptized you with the water of repentance, that you might be diſpoſed to believe on him, who I told you was coming. To whom you would do well, now that he is come, to go and be baptized of him. For he brings a nobler baptiſm than that of mine, being as much above me as the Bridegroom at a wedding is above him who only waits upon him, and prepares things belonging to the marriage. That's the ſence of the 30. verſe. I never intended to ſet up my ſelf as the Principal perſon in this buſineſs, that we are come about. For I know very well, that he who hath the bride, is the bridegroom, that is, he is the Head of the Church or people of God, to whom God hath deſigned that high honour. And that is Jeſus, not I, who am p. 300only his Friend, ſent before to make things ready for him. It is a great honour for me to be one of his Diſciples, and to receive his inſtructions. And I am glad with all my heart that I live to hear him preach. It is an exceeding great pleaſure to me, all the joy I can deſire, to hear him, the Bridegroom ſpeaking to his Bride the Church, and telling her himſelf what he intends to do for her, and what he would have her to do. Queſtion no more therefore to whom you ſhould go for purifying from your ſins, nor think it ſtrange that he Baptizes more than I. For He muſt increaſe, but I muſt decreaſe, ver. 30. There remains now nothing for me to do; but I muſt be obſcure, as Theophylact gloſſes, like the day-Star when the Sun ariſes. All muſt become his Diſciples, even they who now are mine, and I my ſelf too, as in truth I am. For he ſays, the Friend of the Bridegroom, that is, himſelf, standeth (which was the poſture of a Scholar before his Maſter) and heareth him, rejoycing greatly becauſe of his voice, that is, becauſe he is come to teach, who could do it better than himſelf. For there is as much difference, he preſently adds in the next words, ver. 31. (which I have explained before) between their two doctrines, as p. 301there is between the Heaven and the Earth. And therefore they muſt needs be inexcuſable who did not receive his teſtimony (ver. 32.) and become his Diſciples. Who came with ſuch authority from God (ver. 33.) and had not the Spirit by meaſure (ver. 34.) but the power to reveal the whole will of God, and do all his pleaſure (ver. 35.) For, as he concludes, everlaſting life is the portion of him who believeth on Jeſus: but if a man believe not, he ſhall never ſee life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.

Thus you ſee John himſelf directs them again unto Jeſus, and bids them go to his Baptiſm, become his Diſciples, and no longer doubt whether he was the Chriſt or not. For as he did not pretend to an equality with Jeſus, ſo they ſhould ſee his fame continually decline and grow leſs, by the growth of the Glory of Jeſus, who ſhould ſhine alone by himſelf, and quite darken him. So Gregory **Hom. 20. in Evang.the Great expounds thoſe words now mentioned (ver. 30.) He muſt increaſe, and I muſt decreaſe; the ſence of which he ſeems to have hit better than any that I have ſeen, when he ſays: In what was John diminiſhed, and our Saviour advanced but in this: that the people p. 302ſeeing the abſtinence of John, and his retirement from the ſociety of the world, imagined him to be the Chriſt; whereas our Saviour, whom they beheld eating with Publicans, and keeping the company of ſinners, they fancied was not the Chriſt, but only a Prophet? But when in proceſs of time, both Jeſus who was taken for a Prophet, appeared to be the Chriſt; and John who was taken for the Chriſt, was diſcovered to be but a Prophet: then was fulfilled what he had foretold, He muſt increaſe and I muſt decreaſe. For both our Saviour increaſed in the eſteem of the people, becauſe he was acknowledged to be what he was; and John decreaſed, becauſe he ceaſed to be called what he was not.

2. And this leads me to the next conſideration, which I ſhall but briefly mention. That as John directed them to prefer our Saviours Baptiſm before his, and to become the Diſciples of a far greater Maſter: ſo the end of the Baptiſm of Jeſus was to entertain men for his Diſciples, that thereby they might make profeſſion of their belief in him. And here now our Saviour began to eclipſe the luſtre of John, and ſhowed himſelf much ſuperiour to him: both in that he did not adminiſter Baptiſm himſelf by his own hands, as John p. 303did, but appointed his Diſciples to do it, who thereby became equal with John; and that he gathered Diſciples to himſelf, whereas John Baptized them into the belief of him that was to come after him, as you read expreſly, xix. Acts 4. None I ſuppoſe can doubt of this, but that they who received baptiſm from our Saviour's Diſciples, who waited conſtantly upon him, did thereby own Jeſus for a Teacher or Maſter ſent of God (as Nicodemus ſpeaks, iii. John 2.) and conſequently profeſſed themſelves deſirous to learn of him, and ready to believe what he taught. But I cannot ſay that they baptized them now into the Name of Jeſus, or into a belief that he was the Chriſt, as they did after his aſcenſion into Heaven. For they were forbid to publiſh this openly, xvi. Matth. 20. men were to learn it by degrees under his diſcipline, to which they delivered themſelves by being baptized of him. Yet this prepared them for the belief that he was their Chriſt: which his Apoſtles afterward moſt zealouſly and ſtrongly aſſerted by Baptiſm. For when he was exalted at Gods right hand, they went, according to his Commiſſion, and Diſcipled all Nations, baptizing them into his name, as well as into the name of the Father. p. 304That is, they engaged them to believe, that Jeſus was the Chriſt, the Son of God, otherways they would not baptize them.

By this WATER therefore he may be ſaid to come, becauſe he hereby made proſelytes to himſelf, whom he undertook to teach and inſtruct after the manner of the Prophets, but with an authority which ſpoke him to be greater than all Prophets; and becauſe it was not a baptiſm like John's, with ſimple water, but was preſently after accompanied with the Holy Ghoſt. Nay, the Baptiſm it ſelf was a WITNESS to him (joyned with what went before) becauſe it argued authority, and ſuch as was much ſuperiour to that of John, though he was greater than any Prophet: which could be no other therefore but that of Chriſt. For who beſide could baptize the whole Nation, and into an higher Inſtitution, than his whom they took for the Chriſt? who confeſſed and aſſerted (and no body appeared to contradict it) that he was not that light (by whom they muſt begin to be illuminated by Baptiſm) but Jeſus was the true light, which coming into the world lighteneth every man. John's baptiſm therefore, as p. 305S. Baſil **Exhort. ad Bapt.aptly calls it, was only foreign, introductory to ſomething elſe more perfect than it ſelf: that is, to our Saviour's baptiſm, which was foreign, that which completed men in a full belief that he was the Chriſt.

3. For laſtly, the Baptiſm which the Apoſtles adminiſtred, eſpecially after his Reſurrection and Exaltation, was an entrance of men into a new Religion: For they did not baptize them into Moſes, but into another Name, that of the Lord Jeſus. This was a ſign that He, who had ſo many ways been approved of God among them, as S. Peter ſpeaks, was indeed the Chriſt. For what greater mark could there be of ſupreme authority, than the ſetting up, in ſuch a manner as he did; an Inſtitution and Diſcipline which was not known before; and teaching thoſe who received his baptiſm, to obſerve a new Law, without thoſe rites which had been hitherto uſed? Who could repeal the Ordinances of Moſes, nay, abrogate Circumciſion, which was ancienter than Moſes; but only He who had the ſame power with him that gave the Law to Moſes, and Circumciſion to Abraham their Father, viz. the Son of God himſelf? Yet p. 306this did our Jeſus; and Baptiſm was the Rite appointed by him for the admiſſion of Diſciples into the profeſſion of this new Religion, which took away the old as unprofitable. By this they were born again, and became his children, that is, his ſcholars (for the ſons or children of the Prophets were their diſciples, thoſe who learnt of them) whom he indued with his principles and called after his name. And he plainly declared, as you read in his diſcourſe with Nicodemus, that no man could have any part in that Kingdom, which the Meſſiah was ſetting up in the world, if he contented himſelf with the old Religion, and were not by baptiſm born again; that is, ſuffered himſelf to be further informed, and proceeded to entertain the Religion which he delivered. Thus far Nicodemus was gone already, to believe him to be a Master ſent of God, which was the opinion of others of their Rulers beſides himſelf; for he ſays WE know it. Why then did he not own it by receiving his baptiſm, and thereby put himſelf under the diſcipline of this Maſter? That being inſtructed by him till he acknowledged that he was the Chriſt, he might be taught at laſt by the Spirit, when it came down upon the Apoſtles; and ſo be perfectly p. 307born again, or informed in the Chriſtian Religion. Till this was done he was but foreign (as Gregory Nazianz. **Orat. 16.calls him) a lover of Christ by halves. To make him an intire Chriſtian, he was to receive his Baptiſm, and to own him to have full power and authority from God to make what change he pleaſed, ſo far as to turn them into new men, and to make them over again. The Phariſees one would think ſaw very well that this was the conſequence of his gathering ſo many diſciples by baptiſm, that he out-did John the Baptiſt. For to avoid their rage which they had conceived againſt him upon this account, but never expreſſed againſt John, he left Judea (where he was baptizing, as you heard before, iii. 22.) becauſe they had great power there, and departed into Galilee again, where their authority was leſs, iv. 1, 2, 3. They were afraid of an innovation in the ſtate of things, which they had a mind ſhould continue as they were. Their Baptiſm they ſaw would ſignifie nothing, if he went on thus to make diſciples. Whom he informed according to his own mind, and perſwaded to believe on him as their King, in whoſe Sovereign power it was to make all old things paſs away, and cauſe all things to become new.

p. 308By this WATER therefore He may be ſaid to COME, and it may be called one of his WITNESSES, as he baptized, that is, gave his Apoſtles authority to baptize men, not into Moſes, but into himſelf; to learn new leſſons of him, and to leave the old, though they had been taught by God himſelf. Who found no fault at all with this baptiſm, but juſtified it, as you ſhall ſee, many ways, to be according to his mind, and in purſuance of his will.

And ſo much pains may ſuffice about the examination of the firſt WITNESS of theſe three that ſpeak on Earth, which is WATER: The Holineſs of Jeſus both in his Doctrine and Life; and the Baptiſm, both of John and of Jeſus.

I wiſh that every one who conſiders how great and neceſſary a proof this was, of Jeſus his being the Son of God, would labour to prove himſelf to be indeed born of him by the ſame argument of purity and holineſs. For as we could never have believed Jeſus to have been God's Son, unleſs he had come thus by Water; no more can any man rationally conclude p. 309that he is one of thoſe whom he will own for his children, unleſs he conform to his holy will, by waſhing himſelf from all filthineſs, and becoming clean every whit. Read over the Sermons and the Life of Chriſt, and remember that your Baptiſm engages you to learn of him, and to become like him. Expreſs that Honour towards God, that Fear and that Love of him which he requires. Imploy your ſelves carefully in all actions of Juſtice, Charity, and Sobriety. Yea, be prepared chearfully to follow him, in ſuffering as well as in doing his bleſſed will. This will be an infallible teſtimony, that you are the children of God; as, on the contrary, if you want this Witneſs, all other evidence of it will fail you. There is no reaſon to diſtruſt this; but the ſtronger your confidence is without it, the more groſly you deceive your ſelves, if you conclude your ſelves to be dear to him. You find both theſe ſtrongly aſſerted in this Epiſtle. For the Affirmative read, ii. 29. If ye know that he is righteous, know ye that every one that doth righteouſneſs is born of him. And iii. 7. Little children, let no man deceive you; he that doth righteouſneſs, is righteous, even as he is righteous. For the Negative, read the following words, p. 310ver. 8, 9, 10. He that committeth ſin, is of the Devil; for the Devil ſinneth from the beginning. For this purpoſe the Son of God was manifeſted, that he might deſtroy the works of the Devil. Whoſoever is born of God, doth not commit ſin; for his ſeed remaineth in him; and he cannot ſin, becauſe he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifeſt, and the children of the Devil: whoſoever doth not righteouſneſs, is not of God, neither he that loveth not his Brother.

And for your encouragement to purifie your Souls, remember that the purity and holineſs of Chriſt's Life and Doctrine, ſecures you of the truth of all his gracious promiſes. We may ſay with a greater aſſurance than the Pſalmiſt did in his days (xii. Pſal. 6.) The words of the Lord (i. e. his promiſes) are pure words; as ſilver tried in a furnace of Earth, purified ſeven times. Which ſhould make us value them more than thouſands of Gold and Silver, though never ſo perfectly refined; and to ſay as he does in another place, cxix. 140. Thy word is very pure, therefore thy ſervant loveth it. Thoſe Metals are not freer from Droſs, after they have paſſed never ſo oft through the Fining-pot, than his promiſes p. 311are from all mixture of deceit. We may rely upon them with the greateſt confidence, and be ſecure they will never fail us. It is as certainly true, that God will take us to be his Sons and Daughters, that he will dwell in us, and give us everlaſting life, as it is, that Jeſus is the Son of God. He that ſays the one, ſays the other too: and he may be alike believed in both.

But then, having theſe promiſes, we muſt cleanſe our ſelves from all filthineſs of the fleſh and ſpirit, perfecting holineſs in the fear of God, 2 Cor. vii. 1. For the Son of God was manifeſted, you heard, for this purpoſe. And this was the end for which he gave himſelf (i. e. to die for us) that he might ſanctifie and cleanſe his Church, with the waſhing of Water, by the Word (v. Epheſ. 26.) and redeeming us from all iniquity, purifie to himſelf a peculiar people zealous of good works, i. Tit. 14. Which if we ſtudy ſincerely, then this WATER here ſpoken of, is part of the Waters of Life: and this Teſtimony gives us aſſurance that we ſhall have our ſhare in thoſe Eternal good things, which he hath promiſed in his holy Goſpel: For he is the Truth, and in him there is no Lye. But of this more hereafter, when we have heard the following p. 312Witneſſes, and given glory to Jeſus, and made our acknowledgments to him in ſome ſuch words as theſe.

A PRAYER.

I Believe, O Lord, not only that thou art a Teacher come from God, and ſpeakeſt the words of God; but that thou art above all, the very WORD of God it ſelf; into whoſe hands the Father hath given all things. I admire the holineſs of all thy Precepts, and rejoyce in the purity of thy exceeding great and precious promiſes. Thou art the Truth, the Holy one of God, without ſpot or blemiſh, in whoſe mouth was found no guile. There is all reaſon that we ſhould receive thy teſtimony, which thou haſt given of thy ſelf; and all that thou haſt teſtified to us to be the will of God; and believe that without holineſs no man ſhall ſee the Lord.

Good Lord, increaſe my Faith: that as I ſee still further demonſtrations of thy power and glory, and cannot but acknowledge the p. 313perfect ſanctity, equity and goodneſs of all thy Laws, and be in love with the beauty of thy moſt holy life; ſo I may feel my heart inclined more and more to ſubmit it ſelf to be governed by thee, to obey thy will, and to imitate thy example. Happy are thoſe holy Souls who have learnt of thee to live ſoberly, righteouſly, and godly in this preſent world; and whoſe hearts, by that means, are full of the bleſſed hope of immortality hereafter, and of thy tender care of them, while they are here. There is nothing ſo deſirable, as to be holy even as thou who haſt called us art holy, in all manner of converſation. It is the perfection of our Nature, the end of our Being, and the true ſatisfaction of our hearts; to have thy image formed in us in righteouſneſs and ſincere holineſs. Imprint this ſenſe deeper, O bleſſed God, in mine and every Chriſtian heart. That it may be our perpetual delight, as well as our study, to give thee the honour that is due unto thy Name; to love thee with all our heart and ſoul and strength; to preſerve an holy fear of thee in our mind; to truſt in thee and caſt our care upon thee; to hope in thy never-failing mercies; and to rejoyce evermore in thy love and that good hope, which are better than life it ſelf.

p. 314O that we may never ceaſe to teſtifie our true love, and honour, and fear of thee, with all other religious affections, by praying without ceaſing; and offering the ſacrifice of praiſe continually; and in every thing giving thanks, eſpecially for the oblation which our Lord made of himſelf to thee: which love, may it be publiſhed with perpetual praiſe and thanks, every where, to the end of the world. And give us the grace to add unto our love of thee, a ſincere and unfeigned love of all men. That we may do to them, whatſoever we deſire that they ſhould do to us. Let this be the conſtant Rule of all our deſigns, deſires, words and actions. Let it ever be before our eyes, to make us duly honour and obſerve our ſuperiours; pity, ſuccour, relieve, and comfort all thoſe who are below us; and be juſt, faithful and friendly to all others. O that every man would ſpeak the truth with his neighbour; and be charitable in their judgments one of another; meek and gentle in all their words and behaviour, ready to diſtribute and to do good; studious of the things that make for peace; forward to be reconciled to thoſe who have offended them; to paſs by injuries, and to do good for evil; and eſpecially to be kindly affectioned one to another in the love of the Brethren; in honour preventing one another.

p. 315For which end, endue us all with true humility of Spirit; with very contented minds and moderate deſires. Let no covetouſneſs, no ambition, or love of any pleaſure, betray us to diſhonour thee, hurt our neighbours, or abuſe our ſelves. Help us to poſſeſs our bodies in ſanctification and honour; to preſerve our hearts chaſte and pure; to be temperate in all things; to mortifie our members that are on the Earth; to put away all fooliſh talking and corrupt communication out of our mouth; and to abstain from all appearance of evil.

Finally, whatſoever things are ſincere and true, whatſoever things are grave and honest, whatſoever things are just and equal, whatſoever things are pure and modest, whatſoever things are amiable and endearing, whatſoever things are of good fame and well ſpoken of, if there be any occaſion to exerciſe a vertue, if there be any thing laudable, diſpoſe us to have theſe things always in our mind, and to be readily prepared for them. That ſo we may be good in every relation; Governours and Subjects, Priests and People, Husbands and Wives, Parents and Children, Masters and Servants, doing their duties faithfully, and to their mutual comfort, joy and ſatisfaction. And if thy wiſe Providence p. 316call any of us to part with any thing for thy names ſake. O that our Love may give an eminent proof of its ſincerity, by reſolved and patient ſuffering, with an humble, meek and chearful ſubmiſſion to thy holy will.

Then ſhall our Souls rejoyce and triumph in thee, when we not only call thee, Lord and Maſter, but do thoſe things that thou ſayeſt. It will be our exceeding joy to think that thou loveſt us as thy children, and delighteſt to behold thine own Image in us. We ſhall rejoyce that thou reigneſt, and rejoyce again in hope that we ſhall reign with thee. Bleſſing, honour, glory and praiſe ſhall we be for ever giving unto thee; who haſt waſhed us from our ſins in thy own bloud, and redeemed us from all iniquity, that we ſhould be holy and unblameable before God in love; looking for thy mercy unto eternal life. Amen, and Amen.