Jesus and the Resurrection Justified by Witnesses in Heaven and Earth, Part 2 · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX. Concerning the Witneſſes on Earth; and firſt, of the WATER.
YOU have ſeen already how many there are that ſolicit our affections, and perſwade us to believe in the Lord Jeſus, and heartily conſent to him in whatſoever he requires. So many, that how we ſhould deny him, after He himſelf hath appeared ſo often with the promiſes of Eternall Life, and the Father alſo and the Holy Ghoſt have commended him to us as the Prince of Peace and the Lord of Glory, it is harder to give any reaſon, then it is to prove that he is the Son of God, and that in him is ETERNALL LIFE. For, as if theſe Witneſſes were not ſufficient, or that we may be born down by numerous Teſtimonies, there are Three more, who are our Neighbours, (as I may ſay) with whom we are well acquainted, and whoſe witneſs none could ever deny, that ſpeak the very ſame thing, and affirm it as ſtrongly as the other, that God hath given us Eternall Life, and that it is in his Son Jeſus.
Let us call them in too, and hear what they ſay, in the ſame order wherein we examined them before, in the former buſineſs: firſt taking the Teſtimony of the WATER, then of the BLOUD, and then of the SPIRIT.
Of the WATER.
BY Water, I have ſhewn, we are to underſtand, either that Purity whereof it is the Inſtrument, which was moſt eminent both in Chriſt's Doctrine and Life: or elſe Baptiſm, both John's and his own, by which he appeared to be the S…n of God. Let us have ſo much patience as to hear all theſe once more, and conſider what they ſay to the point in hand.
I.
And as for the Purity and Holineſs of his Doctrine, there is much in it to perſwade us, that he hath Life in himſelf, and will beſtow it upon his Followers. Certain it is that, (1.) it naturally lifts up the Mind towards heaven, and diſpoſes thoſe that entertain it to look for Eternall Life; for which it is but a preparation. For it teaches us to abſtract our hearts from this Fleſh wherewith we are cloathed, and from this World wherein we live, as not worthy of all thoſe thoughts and that care which we are apt to beſtow upon them. The very intent and purpoſe of it, we cannot but ſee, is to wean our minds from earthly injoyments, and to take off our affections from the pleaſures of ſenſe; to make riches and the praiſe of men ſeem little things, and to give us contentment with our portion of preſent goods, though never ſo ſmall; in ſhort, …o render us ſomething like to God himſelf, whilſt we are at this diſtance from him. What can any man make of this, but that it is a preparation for another life; an Inſtitution which deſigns to form men, and make them fit for an higher World? Do but take a review of that Compendium which I have drawn of this Doctrine, in my former Book, and you will be ſatisfied, that it is nothing elſe but a contrivance to make us heavenly; and intends to guide us to ſuch a Life as is a prevention of Heaven, a beginning of the celeſtial ſtate, whereby we ſhall live, in part, as men of another World, and not of this.
Which future World, (2.) it is manifeſt, his heavenly Doctrine ſuppoſes; or elſe it would be ſo far from that Wiſedom which was eminent in him, that it would be the greateſt abſurdity that can be imagined. For it teaches us, if his ſervice require it, to deny our ſelves even in the moſt innocent and lawfull injoyments of this life; to forſake father and mother and houſes and lands for his Name's ſake; yea, to lay down our very lives, rather then forſake his Doctrine, and violate his commands. Theſe are expreſs Leſſons which his Sermons teach his Diſciples: but are things ſo ſublime, ſo much above the reach of fleſh and bloud, that it would be the vaineſt thing in the world to propoſe them to mens obſervance, without the hope of ſomething in another life to reward ſuch hard ſervices. He would have had no followers on theſe terms; had he not made it as plain and evident as the reſt of his Doctrine, that He would be the Authour of Eternall Salvation to them that would obey him. Men were not ſo fond of troubles and torments and death, as to expoſe themſelves to the danger of them, if they had not ſeen the greateſt reaſon to believe, that their Maſter would recompenſe their preſent Sufferings with a future happineſs ſo incomparably greater, that it would be the higheſt folly to avoid them. None can ſuppoſe the Authour of ſuch a Religion to be ſo weak as not to underſtand, that men would never embrace this profeſſion; unleſs at the ſame time that he called them to this high pitch of piety, he called them alſo, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, to his kingdom and glory. And therefore, without all doubt, our Lord took care to preach this as the principall thing, and to give good aſſurance of a bleſſed ſtate to come; becauſe without this it had been the moſt ungrounded and fooliſh undertaking that ever man went about, to perſwade the world to be ſo mortified, to quit all preſent poſſeſſions, and to part with their lives for his ſake. He muſt have been the moſt unreaſonable of all other men in preaching ſuch Doctrine, and ſuppoſed the World void of all reaſon, if he expected to have it believed; had he not been certain himſelf, and been able by evident proofs to perſwade others, that all thoſe who hearkened to him ſhould be no loſers, but exceeding great gainers, by quitting all things upon his account. If he had not held this truth in his hands, as clear as the Sun, that they who would follow him ſhould be immortally happy; he might have ſtretcht them out long enough before he had drawn ſo much as one follower after him. The Trees would as ſoon have followed him as Men: who would never have ſtirr'd a foot in ſuch a narrow path, unleſs he had ſhewn them plainly that it led to Everlaſting Life.
Let us conſider and illuſtrate this a little. Would not he expoſe himſelf to laughter and ſcorn, that ſhould earneſtly perſwade his neighbours to go and labour hard in his fields all day, by which they ſhould get juſt nothing for their pains at night? Would it not ſeem a piece of ſtrange mockery and contempt of us, and as ſtrange a folly in him that ſhould invite us to enter into his ſervice, which he confeſſed would make us ſweat, and ingage us in many toilſome imployments; and when we inquired what wages he gave, ſhould be able to aſſure us never a farthing that lay in his power or will to beſtow upon us? Would they not be equally ridiculous, he that ſhould make, and they that ſhould embrace ſuch a propoſall? Might not ſuch a trifler expect rather to be kickt, then to be followed by the multitude? Should we not hear them expreſſing their indignation in ſuch ſpeeches as theſe? What? Do you take us for arrant fools? Do you think we are mere Muſhromes? that our brains are made of a ſponge, or our heads ſtuft with wet ſtraw? What do you make of us? or what have we done, that argues us to be ſuch blocks and trunks as you ſuppoſe us? And yet ſuch was the conſtant preaching of our ever-Bleſſed Saviour, that if he had not made his promiſes as plain and certain as his commands, he would have been liable to ſuch language. For he calls men, as you reade in that Parable xx. Matth. to a laborious life of piety. From the beginning of his preaching to the end of it, he had no other deſign. Early in the morning, (verſ. 1.) when he firſt appeared in the world, he went out: and what was it to doe, but to hire labourers into his vineyard? At the third hour he went out again, and ſaid to thoſe whom he found idle, Go ye alſo into the vineyard: (verſ. 4.) At the ſixth and the ninth hour of his life he ſtill followed the ſame buſineſs. At the eleventh alſo (verſ. 6.) he finds other loiterers, and ſays to them alſo, Why ſtand you here all the day idle? Would they have moved from their place, think you, if he had not agreed with them to pay them for their pains? Would they have returned no other anſwer but that, No man hath hired us; and not have alſo added, What will you give us? what ſhall we gain by our labour? had he not ſatisfied them about that matter? If there had been no wages to be expected, they had better have ſtood idle ſtill, or have ſtaid for ſome other Maſter. Had it not been evident, that the Lord of the vineyard was a wealthy perſon, able to give every man his peny, i. e. a reward for his ſervice; he might have called long enough, and ſeen his ground all overrun with briars and thorns, before he had procured any labourers to go into it. Certainly, if we will but allow our Saviour to have been a perſon of ordinary reaſon and common capacity, we cannot imagine he would have endured ſo long toil and travell, and walkt all the countrey of Judaea over, to win proſelytes to him; if he had not made it as viſible, that he would bring men to the bleſſed ſight of God in eternall reſt and peace, as it was, that he called them to a God-like life of piety, righteouſneſs and true holineſs during their ſtay in this preſent world. We muſt depreſs him into the rank of the moſt witleſs men; or elſe believe that He who required ſo much work from his ſervants, demonſtrated he was a good Maſter, rich, and furniſhed with the moſt ample rewards.
And therefore (3.) we may well believe that He came with ſuch Teſtimonies from above, from the Father and from the Holy Ghoſt, and intended Himſelf to appear from heaven as the Authour of Eternall Life; without which he could not have gone about to eſtabliſh ſuch a Doctrine; or if he had, would not have ſucceeded. One of theſe Witneſſes exceedingly juſtify the other; and are not to be divided. We have reaſon to think, a perſon of his Underſtanding, who ſpake as never man ſpake, (his very enemies being judges,) would not have attempted the ſettlement of ſuch a ſtrict rule of life as his Doctrine contains, without ſuch countenance from Heaven as I have mentioned, to perſwade the world that he would lead them thither. Though I muſt add, (4.) that the ſtrict purity and holineſs of his Doctrine ſingly conſidered is of great weight and moment to perſwade us that ETERNALL LIFE is in him: becauſe this is a part, nay, a principall part, of his Doctrine. Which He, who in all other things that he ſaid was unreprovable, would not have affirmed ſo expreſly and conſtantly, if he had not been fully aſſured it was true.
Do but obſerve how this Doctrine is conſtantly intermixed with all his Sermons. It is the very ſtrain of his Preaching, that if any man would follow him, and doe as he did, he ſhould find reſt for his Soul; and that God the Father of all would honour thoſe who did him ſervice. xii Joh. 26. This he proclaims in the plaineſt terms, and the cleareſt manner. viii. Joh. 12. I am the Light of the World: (Illuminator & Deductor humani generis, as Tertullian excellently expreſſes it *Apolog. cap. xxi., the Inlightner and the Conducter or guide of mankind:) He that follows me ſhall have the light of life; the wiſedom, that is, which ſhall lead him to immortall blifs. And to make this more manifeſt, let it be noted, (1.) how he proclaims this to every man, iii. Joh. 15, 16. that the Son of man muſt die, that whoſoever believeth in him ſhould not periſh, but have eternall life. For God ſo loved the world, that he gave his onelyonly-begotten Son, that whoſoever believeth in him ſhould not periſh, but have everlaſting life. And (2.) he aſſerts it with the greateſt earneſtneſs, with the ſtrongeſt and moſt vehement aſſeverations. vi. Joh. 47. Verily, verily, I ſay unto you, he that believeth on me hath everlaſting life. He tells them alſo (3.) with the ſame aſſurance, that God had ſealed him for this purpoſe; or ſet a plain mark upon him, whereby all might ſee that he was to be the Authour of everlaſting life. vi. Joh. 27. And obſerve (4.) that, having told them it was viſible, if they pleaſed to open their eyes, that God the Father had deſigned him to give them immortall ſatisfaction, he repeats this Doctrine a great many times in that Chapter; verſ. 33, 35, 39, 40, 47, 48, 51, 54, 57. Inſomuch that St. Peter concludes at the latter end of that Sermon, there was no Maſter comparable to him, who had the words of eternall life: ver. 68. And it is farther obſervable, that he affirms (5.) he came to bring his followers to the greateſt happineſs. x. Joh. 10. I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. And (6.) that he tells them again, he came to publiſh this glad tidings by the appointment of the Father. xii. Joh. 50. I know that his commandment is life everlaſting: whatſoever I ſpeak therefore, even as the Father ſaid unto me, ſo I ſpeak. And (7.) that he affirms, he hath power to make good what he promiſes. x. Joh. 28. And I give unto them eternall life; and they ſhall not periſh, neither ſhall any pluck them out of my hand. xvii. 1, 2. Glorify thy Son, as thou haſt given him power over all fleſh, that he ſhould give eternall life to as many as thou haſt given him. And, laſtly, he tells them that he was ſuch a perſon as might well be credited in all this; ſince he came down from heaven, and was at that moment in heaven. iii. Joh. 13. Which he repeats again viii. 23. I am from above, I am not of this world: and ver. 38. I ſpeak that which I have ſeen with my Father: and ver. 42. I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of my ſelf, but he ſent me. For which reaſon he doth not diſcourſe of immortall life as a Philoſopher, going about to prove it by reaſons and arguments; but onelyonly aſſerts it as one that had Divine Authority, (for which he was to be believed,) and could himſelf make men eternally happy. This was the onelyonly thing that could be diſputed and needed proof, that he came from heaven to illuminate the world by his inſtructions. And this he did not deſire they ſhould take upon his bare word, but abundantly demonſtrated it: and told them, ver. 28. that after his death they ſhould ſtill ſee it made more evident that he did nothing of himſelf, but as the Father had taught him, he ſpake theſe things. For then, as you ſhall ſee in due place, God the Father declared all theſe words to be true by raiſing him from the dead.
Theſe things he ſaid ſo often, ſo openly, ſo confidently, and with ſuch appeals to God, (who bare him witneſs, as you have heard, and never in the leaſt contradicted what he ſaid,) that we have great reaſon to believe he did not forge all this: but delivered the mind and will of God as ſincerely when he ſaid he would give men Eternall Life, as he did when he charged them to live ſoberly, righteouſly and godly in this preſent world. Certain it is, that He himſelf believed what he preached, and had no doubt, but a perfect aſſurance of it; as will appear if we paſs to the Second thing which we are briefly to conſider,
II.
His own moſt holy Life, in the ſtricteſt obedience to God the Father. This Abarbinell, in his diſcourſe upon xi. Iſa. which I have ſo often mentioned, makes one of the marks of the Meſſiah; the perfect temper of his deſires and affections, and the direction of them according to the meaſures of the Divine Law. Which he thinks is the meaning of thoſe words, ver. 3. He ſhall be of quick underſtanding in the fear of the Lord. This was ſo remarkable in Jeſus, who was ſo truly, ſo compleatly and conſtantly pious, that there never was any perſon ſo qualified to lay claim to this Dignity as he was. His Life was ſo free from all blame, ſuch a perfect abſtinence from all the pleaſures of this world, ſuch a contempt of all that which we think moſt worthy of our indefatigable labours; that it hath a ſtrong force in it to perſwade us, that he indeed ſought Eternall Glory, and was fully aſſured he ſhould be poſſeſſed of it for Himſelf and for all His.
Who but a man ſo perſwaded of his Doctrine would have lived in poverty, when he might, no queſtion, by the multitude and devotion of his followers, have made himſelf incredibly rich? What ſhould incline him to remain all his days without an houſe ſo big as a fox or the ſmalleſt bird is owner of, but an expectation of that houſe which is eternall in the heavens? Could any thing move him to give away to the poor all that was given him, but a certain knowledge of great treaſures above? We cannot conceive what ſhould make him refuſe the dignity of a King, when the people intended to proclaim him; if it were not this undoubted perſwaſion, that he was the King of Heaven, and ſhould ſit down at the right hand of the Throne of God. Would any of thoſe that doubt this, labour as he did, night and day, for nothing? Would any poor man cure multitudes of all diſeaſes, and take not a farthing for his pains? Would any body live, if he could help it, and not know where he ſhould eat the next meal's meat? And who is he that can find in his heart to endure the hatred of the chiefeſt of the people, and to be in perpetuall danger of ſnares and treacherous deſigns for the taking away his life, without any hope to be a gainer by it? Is there any likelihood that our Lord would have laboured in ſuch ſort, as not to have leiſure ſo much as to eat, and after all that kind pains be content to be called Deceiver and Devill, and to run the hazzard of being ſtoned and killed; and yet have no aſſured expectation to reap ſome fruit hereafter from all his toil and trouble? Let him believe it that loves to ſting his fingers with nettles, or to roll his naked body in ſnow: we that have a more tender ſenſe of our own pleaſure muſt have leave to be of another mind. Let any man try to perſwade himſelf to lead ſuch a life; and by his unwillingneſs he will eaſily be convinced, that our Lord, who could look for nothing in this world from what he did and ſuffered, would never have ſo chearfully, freely, and without any regret, followed ſuch a courſe, had he not known as ſurely that he ſhould be made glorious thereby hereafter, as he knew that he muſt be made miſerable by it here.
Ask his Poverty then, and that will bear witneſs that he laid up treaſures in the heavens. Ask his Humility, and that will tell you that he ſought for the Glory of God onelyonly. Inquire of his Charity and Bounty, his wonderfull bounty to all men, and that will bear Record both that all fulneſs is in him, and that he will not envy any thing he hath to his followers. Let his Contentedneſs ſpeak, and that will aſſure you he was poſſeſſed of ſomething greater then all worldly goods; which he could tell better how to live without, then others to live comfortably withall. Examine his Labours and pains, his travells and journeys, trace his ſteps over ſea and land; and they will all confeſs that he ſought a better Country, which is an heavenly. Ask him what he meant by his Patience, his willing endurance of all reproaches, calumnies, hatreds, perſecutions; and they will likewiſe conclude in the ſame teſtimony, that he had a joy ſet before him, which made him deſpiſe them all. In ſhort, conſult his Faſting forty days, his enduring ſo many temptations of the Devill, ſlighting his offers, rejecting his counſels; and you can have no account of them but this, that he had indeed the meat that endures to everlaſting life; that he verily believed the voice from heaven, which ſaid he was the Son of God; and that he knew he had a greater Glory, then all the Kingdoms of the world which the Devill offered him.
And after all this, I ſuppoſe there is no conſidering man but will think the unqueſtionable belief of ſuch a perſon as he was, to be of very great moment to ſettle ours in this weighty buſineſs. It is ſafeſt for us, without all diſpute, to follow the judgment of one ſo well able to diſcern truth from falſhood, that he was of as quick underſtanding in all things elſe, as he was in the fear of the Lord. We have great reaſon to think that he was in the right; and was no more deluded himſelf, then he intended to delude others. There was not the leaſt flaw, as I ſhewed in the former Treatiſe, that appeared in his Underſtanding; nor could he be ſeduced into this belief by any earthly appetite or deſire: and therefore we ought to conclude, he was abundantly ſatisfied, by the moſt evident demonſtrations, that he ſhould live for ever, and be the Authour of Eternall Life to others: which, among other reaſons, ſhould very much ſatisfy us.
III.
Who may farther conſider alſo the Baptiſm of that famous perſon St. John the Baptiſt. That is, his whole Miniſtry, which is comprehended under the name of his Baptiſm; as Circumciſion ſometimes includes the whole Law of Moſes. In this we ſhall find, if we examine it, a plain teſtimony to the great truth we are treating of, that ETERNALL LIFE is in Jeſus for all the faithfull. All that Nation who perſecuted our Saviour held John for a Prophet, and went to be baptized of him. Inſomuch that the wiſeſt of them durſt not affirm that his Commiſſion was from men, (or that he taught and baptized the people from a private motion of his own,) but rather that he undertook this office by authority from heaven. Upon which account they were bound to receive his teſtimony concerning our Saviour, as unqueſtionable: which they themſelves clearly diſcerned to be a good conſequence; and therefore would not reaſon this matter out with our Saviour, but let it fall to the ground, when they themſelves had begun the diſpute.
Now He teſtified as plainly that by him we ſhall have Eternall Life, as he did that he is the Son of God. For, (1.) as ſoon as ever he began to preach, he told them the Kingdome of heaven was at hand. iii. Matt. 2. Which language the Jews underſtood well enough, and therefore never askt what he meant: for ſo they had learnt, out of the Prophet Daniel, to call the Kingdome of Chriſt. Whoſe throne was to be erected by an heavenly power, and not by any humane means; and under whoſe government they expected the greateſt bleſſings that heaven ever meant to beſtow upon them. Now that under this name the Baptiſt comprehends the Eternall Felicity which Chriſt ſhould bring, is apparent from the expoſition which he makes of it, in the following part of the Chapter. Where he tells thoſe who were dubious, that he was not the Chriſt, but they might ſhortly expect him; and that when he came, he would gather the wheat into his garner, as well as burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. iii. Matt. 12. This he ſaid when the chief of the Jews came to his Baptiſm: which was a teſtimony that Jeſus, who preſently came after him, was to open the Kingdome of heaven, and gather all pious men thither, as wheat into a garner. Which though it denote firſt of all the Church of Chriſt, yet muſt needs include in it the notion of a Church to be made exceeding glorious; becauſe the King of it hath his ſeat and throne no-where but in Heaven.
And then, (2.) after this the Baptiſt gave a more expreſs teſtimony of what they were to expect from Jeſus, when he ſaid, Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the ſin of the World. i. Joh. 29. Which words muſt needs intend (as hath been ſaid already) that He is to reſtore us to the favour of God wherein our firſt Parents ſtood, to take away that which ſeparates between God and us, and to make us capable of Paradiſe again.
And ſtill more expreſly (3.) he ſays, iii. Joh. 36. He that believeth on the Son hath everlaſting life: and he that believeth not the Son ſhall not ſee life. Unto which teſtimony our Bleſſed Saviour himſelf appeals v. Joh. 33. after he had been diſcourſing (ver. 25, 26, &c.) of his power to give life to mankind. Indeed there was a witneſs, he ſhews, which in itſelf was far ſtronger then this; and that was the Works which he did: but this was a better witneſs to them, (and therefore our Saviour uſes it,) who durſt not affirm John's Baptiſm was not from heaven; whereas they boldly ſaid the works of our Saviour were not from thence, but from the Devill. This is the meaning of thoſe words that follow ver. 34, 35, 36. after his appeal to John's witneſs; But I receive not teſtimony from man: but theſe things I ſay that ye might be ſaved. He was a burning and ſhining light: and ye were willing for a ſeaſon to rejoyce in his light. But I have greater witneſs then that of John, &c. That is, Though I do not chiefly rely on any humane teſtimony, ſuch as John's was, and indeed do not need it, (having one more immediately divine and heavenly:) yet for your ſakes, who have a good opinion of him, and own him for a Prophet, and whom I would willingly convince and ſave by any means, I inſtance in him ſo much, and re-mind you of what he ſaid concerning me. That which makes me firſt of all ſpeak of his teſtimony, and ſo often refer you to it, is not, becauſe it is the firſt and chiefeſt in its own nature, much leſs the onelyonly teſtimony I have; but becauſe I think it will be moſt effectuall to doe you good: He being in himſelf a moſt excellent perſon, ſhining among you in great wiſedom and zeal; and alſo by you ſo eſteemed, and received among you (at leaſt for a ſeaſon) with a great deal of ſatisfaction.
And to this now adde (4.) another thing, which I took notice of in the former Treatiſe, and muſt here juſt call to remembrance; that our Saviour himſelf was baptized of him at Bethabara, a place that denoted him to be the perſon who ſhould lead men to their Reſt, the Joſhua that ſhould conduct them into the land of promiſe: and you will confeſs this WATER we are ſpeaking of to be the Water of life, which, if we drink of it, will revive and chear our fainting ſpirits. If we do but receive, I mean, the Doctrine of the Lord Jeſus into our hearts; if we ſeriouſly conſider it together with the ſtrain of his Life; if we mark the office of St. John Baptiſt, the end of his Miniſtry, and the teſtimony which his Baptiſm gave to our Saviour; we ſhall find them all leading us into this comfortable belief, that He is the Prince of life, and that none can miſcarry who live as he taught, and tread in his ſteps; but have good hopes in this world, which ſhall not make them aſhamed in the world to come.
IV.
This Jeſus himſelf alſo bad his Diſciples believe, by the ſame Authority whereby he baptized and gathered Diſciples to himſelf. Which none could doe, I ſhew'd you, as he did, but the Chriſt; in whoſe days the Jews expected an Univerſal Baptiſm and cleanſing of the people. Now the very end and intention of his Baptiſm was, it is very well known, for the Remiſſion of ſins, and conſequently for Eternall life. This he taught men to believe, and then authorized his Diſciples to receive men to theſe high and noble Privileges, by baptizing them in his Name. Upon which followed ſuch a marvellous change in their Souls, they were ſo inlightned, renewed and transformed, that Holy men doubted not to call this Baptiſm, (a) S. Cyprian. epiſt. ad Donatum, & ad Magnum.the Water of Salvation, the Water of Life, and the immortall Nativity (b) Optatus L. v.Nay, St. Auguſtine informs us, that the Punick Chriſtians called Baptiſm by no other name then SALVATION; which he thought ſo proper, that he aſcribes it to an ancient and Apoſtolicall tradition (c) L. i. de Peccatorum merituis, &c. c. 24.. And Paſchaſius calls it LIFE, in his Book of the Body and bloud of our Lord; where he ſays of thoſe who died ſhortly after Baptiſm, that poſt perceptam vitam, after they were made partakers of life, they in nothing declined from the way.
And for this they had the Authority of our Saviour, who ſaid, after he was riſen from the dead, xvi. Mark 16. He that believeth and is baptized ſhall be ſaved: and ſhewed St. John, xxii. Rev. 1, 2. a pure river of WATER OF LIFE clear as cryſtall, running through the midſt of the ſtreet *So Andraeas Caeſar. joyns the beginning of ver. 2. to ver. 1.of the new Jeruſalem, from the throne of God and of the Lamb. Which is a plain deſcription of the place of Baptiſm, appointed by God and our Saviour, in the midſt of Chriſtian aſſemblies, (called Streets, becauſe they are the place of concourſe,) for the purifying of the world, and reſtoring us to Paradiſe again. And he calls his Baptiſm WATER OF LIFE, becauſe it runs thither; and there we begin to live *S. Baſil. foreign. L. de Spiritu S. c. x., and are admitted to the friendſhip of God, and put in aſſured hope that the Life which then begins ſhall be continued to Eternall life. It is uſuall with the ancient Writers of Chriſtianity, to ſpeak of a foreign inſtauration, foreign a transformation, foreign a transfiguration of mens Souls in Baptiſm: by which, ſays St. Baſil, the Soul ſo gliſters, that foreign *in Pſal. xxix., God forms it to himſelf to be as it were his Throne. And ſo St. Cyprian teſtifies of himſelf, in his Epiſtle to Donatus, that though he was perplexed in ſo many errours, as made him think he could never be rid of them, and ſo led away by thoſe vices which ſtuck cloſe to him, that deſpairing to doe better he began to favour them, as things proper to him: yet when he had received Baptiſm, a light from above came ſtreaming into him, a celeſtiall breath repaired him into a new man; and after a wonderfull manner he was confirmed in thoſe things which ſeemed dubious, and ſaw thoſe things clearly which before were obſcure, and found a power to doe that which he judged not onelyonly difficult, but impoſſible.
Now this change which they felt in their thoughts, deſires, and paſſions, as ſoon as they were baptized, was a powerfull argument to perſwade them, that they ſhould as really riſe from the dead and live eternally, as they were now quickned, when they lay dead in treſpaſſes and ſins, to the life of God and true piety. Which was the reaſon that they choſe Eaſter, rather then any other time, as the moſt proper ſeaſon for the receiving the grace of Baptiſm. So the ſame St. Baſil tells us, that every day, every hour, every moment is a time for Baptiſm; but there is none ſo fit, as the foreign, Exhortat. ad Baptiſmum.the more proper and peculiar ſeaſon for it, which is Eaſter-day. For the day is foreign a memoriall of the Reſurrection, and Baptiſm is foreign a power granted us to riſe again. So that on the day of the Reſurrection, we ſhould receive the grace of the Reſurrection. And therefore the Church calls on thoſe whom ſhe hath conceived and travelled withall a good while, that now ſhe may bring them forth. This belief they were deſirous, by all means, to impreſs upon mens minds; and would have them look upon Baptiſm as the ſeal of a ſecond life *Greg. Naz. Carm. iamb. foreign.. In which they could not be deceived; finding ſuch a beginning of it already, as teſtified the mighty power of God working in them.
And therefore St. Paul with great reaſon alledges Baptiſm as a publick witneſs to the faith of the Church, about the Reſurrection of the dead, and the Life of the world to come. 1. Cor. xv. 29. Elſe what ſhall they doe which are baptized for the dead, if the dead riſe not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead? The Reſurrection of the dead was ſo much the hope of Chriſtians, and Baptiſm gave ſuch ſtrength to their hope, that when any perſon, newly inſtructed in the Chriſtian faith, died before he could receive Baptiſm, ſome of his Friends, it is reported from Irenaeus, received it after his departure in his Name. To what purpoſe doe they this? ſays the Apoſtle, (if he have reſpect to this cuſtom,) why do they thus trouble themſelves, if they look for nothing after death? This ſhews, that even thoſe who were miſtaken in other things (as in this about baptizing for their deceaſed Friends) thought the dead were not loſt, but that there was hope of their future happineſs: elſe they would not ſtill have continued to aſſiſt them, and taken all the care they could that they might not be prejudiced for want of Baptiſm, which in their ſtead they received. They would not have been ſo ſenſeleſs, as to concern themſelves to doe any thing for thoſe who were gone from this world; if they had not believed another, and lookt upon them as capable there of Eternall Life. Into the belief and expectation of which all Chriſtians whatſoever were baptized: which perhaps is all that the Apoſtle means by this Queſtion, Why are they baptized for the dead? Which Rigaltius *In Tertul. de Reſurrect. carnis c. 48.thus interprets, Why are they baptized ut mortui reſurgant, that after death they may riſe again? why are they askt at the Font, whether they believe the reſurrection of the dead? So that for the dead, is for themſelves, in hope of what ſhall follow after death, viz. a bleſſed Reſurrection.
Which is the interpretation of St. Chryſoſtome, (as I have obſerved elſewhere *Aqua Genitalis.;) who alſo bids us take notice, how that which they expreſſed in words, when they profeſſed to believe this great Article of the Chriſtian Faith, was alſo repreſented, as in an Image, by the very act of Baptiſm. In which the going into the water, and the coming out, was a ſign of their deſcending to the ſtate of the dead, and of their aſcending from thence to life again. There is no man that is baptized, but by the very rite and manner of it profeſſes to die, at leaſt, to ſin, and to riſe again to newneſs of life. This Death and Reſurrection (as the Apoſtle teaches vi. Rom. 3, 4, 5.) is moſt lively repreſented there. But this is not all that is intended by it: for even thoſe *Arias Montanus.who in that ſenſe were already mortified and renewed by receiving the Holy Ghoſt before their baptiſm, (as Cornelius and his family,) proceeded notwithſtanding to receive that holy waſhing; and by their ſubmerſion took upon them the likeneſs of the dead, and by their emerſion appeared as men riſen again from the dead. If there were no other death to be eſcaped but that in ſin, and no other reſurrection to be expected but that to newneſs of life; why were they, who had attained theſe, baptized as dead men? and being already dead to ſin, why again ſuſtained they the image of death, out of which they believed and profeſſed they ſhould come? This very action of theirs proves that they lookt for another reſurrection after death; which is the reſurrection of the body. And this profeſſion of theirs was ſo much the more weighty, as they were the more learned and inſtructed, being already taught by the Holy Ghoſt. By whoſe power they were already dead to ſin, and made alive to God; and by whoſe inſtruction they profeſſed to believe, that as there is another death, viz. that of the body, ſo they ſhould overcome it by the mighty power of Chriſt, raiſing their very bodies from the dead.
There are ſeverall other interpretations of this place; as that of Epiphanius *Haereſi 38., who expounds it of thoſe who received Baptiſm at the point of death: but I ſhall not trouble the Reader with them, becauſe they all conclude the ſame thing, that Baptiſm was a publick profeſſion of the hope of immortality; and a Seal alſo of the promiſes of God, not onelyonly to that particular perſon who at any time received it, but to the whole Church, both to the living and the dead. Who, as oft as Baptiſm was repeated, had an open aſſurance given them from God, (by whoſe authority it was adminiſtred,) that they ſhould riſe again to everlaſting life.
And ſo I ſhall diſmiſs this Firſt Witneſs on Earth: which is the more to be regarded, becauſe, though it be not ſo great in it ſelf as thoſe which ſpeak from heaven, yet to us it is very conſiderable; and cannot be denied by thoſe who cavill at ſome of the other. For all men acknowledge the Life and Doctrine of our Saviour to be incomparably excellent; and John the Baptiſt ſtands upon record in Joſephus for a perſon of ſevere and ſtrict ſanctity; and the whole Chriſtian Church (who were not ſo childiſh as to build their hope on a ſandy foundation, but ſtood immovable (as you ſhall hear) like a houſe upon a rock, when all the world ſtorm'd and made the moſt furious aſſaults upon them,) believed thus from the beginning: as appears by their holy profeſſion which they made when they entred into the gates of the Church by Baptiſm.
The mighty power of which WATER OF LIFE they have thus celebrated with their praiſes. Greg. Naz. Orat. xl.Baptiſm is the Splendour of the Soul, the Change of the life, the Anſwer of the Conſcience towards God. It is the help of our weakneſs, the putting off the fleſh, the attainment of the Spirit, the Communion of the Word, the Reformation of God's workmanſhip, the drowning of Sin, the participation of light, and the deſtruction of darkneſs. It is the Chariot which carries us to God, our fellow-travelling with Chriſt, the eſtabliſhment of our faith, the perfecting of our minds, the key of the Kingdom of heaven, the foundation of a ſecond life *foreign. Orat. xi.. At this the heavens rejoyce: this the Angels magnify, as of kin to their brightneſs: this is the Image of their bleſſedneſs. We would willingly praiſe this, if we could ſay any thing worthy of it.
Let us never ceaſe however to give him thanks who is the Authour of ſuch a gift; Greg. Nyſſen. L. de Baptiſmo Chriſti.returning him the ſmall tribute of a chearfull voice for ſuch great things as he hath beſtowed on us. For thou truly, O Lord, art the pure and perpetuall fountain of Goodneſs; who waſt juſtly offended at us, but haſt in much love had mercy on us: who hatedſt us, but art reconciled to us: who pronouncedſt a curſe upon us, but haſt given us thy bleſſing: who didſt expell us from Paradiſe, but haſt called us back again unto it. Thou haſt taken away the fig-leaf covering of our nakedneſs, and cloathed us with a moſt precious garment. Thou haſt opened the priſon-doors, and diſmiſſed thoſe that ſtood condemned. Thou haſt ſprinkled us with pure water, and cleanſed us from all our filthineſs. Adam, if thou calleſt him, will be no longer aſhamed: he will not hide himſelf, nor run away from thee. The flaming ſword doth not now incircle Paradiſe, making it inacceſſible to thoſe that approach it; but all things are turned into joy to us who were heirs of ſin and death. Paradiſe, and Heaven it ſelf, is now open to mankind. The Creation, both here and above, conſents to be friends after a long enmity. Men and Angels are piouſly agreed in the ſame Theology.
For all which Bleſſings let us unanimouſly ſing that Hymn of joy which the inſpired mouth in ancient times loudly propheſied. I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord, my Soul ſhall be joyfull in my God: For he hath cloathed me with the garments of Salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteouſneſs; he hath decked me with ornaments as a bridegroom, and as a bride adorned me with jewels. lxi. Iſa. 10. This adorner of the Bride is Chriſt; who is, and who was before, and who will be bleſſed both now and for ever. Amen.