his and thus it was meete that Christ should accept the seale of the Couenant that he might be bound in our name as our head to fulfill that which we had promised and God required at our hands by vertue of the Couenant I will be thy God and thou shalt be my people And hence al the significatiue actions of Baptisme applied to Christ imply nothing else but how hee was resigned vp wholly to his Father for vs and in our stead as for example 1. When Christ descended into the water was signified his descending from heauen and humbling of himselfe to take flesh suffer and dye in it chusing rather to lose his life than his Father should lose the obedience of his Law 2. The dipping sprinkling or his abode vnder the water signified his death and buriall by whose power and vertue our old man is dead and buried that is our corruption of nature is slaughtered and consumed 3. His ascending out from the water betokeneth his resurrection for our iustification by the power of which we are regenerated and rise to life eternall So as it appeares that what wee were bound to Christ hath first in himselfe performed and enableth vs also in some measure here below but at last by his grace shall perfectly performe it in our full holinesse aboue with himselfe But seeing Christ had been circumcised his baptisme seemed needlesse Indeed if hee had been a priuate man and his baptisme only personall this obiection might seeme the stronger although the Iewes conuerted by Peters sermon and already circumcised were baptized But Christ as a publike person and head of the Church in other respects was to vndertake both Sacraments 1. To shew himselfe the author of all Sacraments both of the old Testament and new 2. To manifest himselfe the Mediator of both peoples redeemer of both the destroyer of the wall of separation who being our peace hath ioyned Iew and Gentile and of two made one 3. To sanctifie both Sacramēts to both peoples in whom they both attained their right ends and efficacie and therefore hee that had sanctified Circumcision in his owne person to the Iewes would now also sanctifie Baptisme to y e Gentiles 4. That the law which himselfe gaue to both peoples himselfe might fulfill for seeing hee came to both peoples in the similitude of sinfull flesh he would not refuse but sanctifie the remedy of clensing the flesh to both hee would lastly approue and iustifie both Gods institutions to both peoples both of the old and new Circumcision and cleare the whole Law to be holy iust and good This is for our consolation here we haue Christ manifesting himselfe our flesh our brother our suretie here is the Word made flesh God with vs Immanuel God not come downe in the likenesse of man as they of Lystra thought of Paul and Barnabas but cloathed with the very nature of man who in his perfect age hauing growne out the seuerall ages of infancie child-hood and youth to shew himselfe true man now of thirty yeeres of age becomes as man our brother in the couenant and in the seale of it yea our surety as God and man our absolute Mediator he would by vndertaking both Sacraments shew himselfe not onely a member of both peoples but also the Sauiour head and chiefe corner-stone knitting both into one body and spirituall house which is his Church And all this is for vs that wee might haue sweete comfort Christ is among men among sinners that we might be among the sonnes and Saints of God he is washed as a sinner not to bee clensed but to clense vs he stands in Iordan that the waters of Gods wrath beeing staied on both sides both peoples might passe ouer to the heauenly Canaan In a word that he might euery way helpe vs he will bee euery way like vs and to this purpose is this tabernacle of God amongst men that we might haue way made to the tabernacle of God amongst Angels Therefore if Satan or the infidelitie of our owne hearts set vpon vs wee see whom wee haue beleeued our saluation is surer than the gates of hell shall euer be able to ouerthrow Againe this is for our instruction to note the excellencie and dignitie of this Sacrament and what esteeme wee ought to haue it in the Lord comes to the seruant a tedious iourney to seeke it yet many of vs when it is brought to vs turne our backes vpon it What price set they vpon it who flye foorth of the Church when this Sacrament is to be administred Shal Christ that needed it not come to it and shall we that neede it runne from it Shall he seek only the baptisme of water and shall we so vnder-value the baptisme of water and the Holie Ghost Shall he no sinner not refuse the signe of repentance for sinne and shall wee despise the broad Seale of remission of sinne Shall Christ himself seek to Iohns baptisme and darest thou runne from Christ This I will adde to what I haue elsewhere largely deliuered that whosoeuer doe not present themselues with due reuerence and meditations but runne out carelesly and profanely when Baptisme is administred they be farre from Christs example and little comfort can they haue of their baptisme but may well feare lest those mysteries and benefits offred and sealed to a member of the Congregation belong not to them for if they did they would owne them and not runne contemptuously from them as good neuer baptized as neuer meditate on it But were thy selfe to take no good by the Sacrament in calling to minde thine owne couenant made in baptisme with the fruite in thy selfe yet good order requires thy presence 1. Because the ordinance belongs not onely to the infants parents and sureties but to the whole Congregation as the entring of a free-man into a Corporatiō is by the whole 2. God lookes it should be graced and not scorned by turning thy back vpon it Were it not a most irreuerent contempt to runne out from the Word and is it not also to runne from the Seale especially the blessed Trinitie being met to such a purpose to seale such benefits to a member of that Congregation 3. Thy presence is requisite to helpe the infant by prayer to ioyne with the Congregation in prayer and in praise for the ingrafting of a member into Christs body Vers. 14. But Iohn put him backe saying I haue need to be baptized of thee and commest thou to mee Sect. 2. THis is a part of the dialogue betweene Christ and Iohn For Iohn seeing Christ come to him and his Baptisme would haue hindred him in his purpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verbis vrgendo obnixè prohibebat forbad him that is instantly vrged him to forbeare and refused to admit him and that with some contention Why did he so First in respect of Christ. 1. Hee considered his Maiesty and greatnesse aboue
curse of thy sin and though thou seest that all the good of his abasement came to thee thou wilt endure nothing for him Ah conforme henceforth thy loue to his Secondly heere is an excellent ground of comfort that we haue a most perfect and all-sufficient Sauiour not onely the son of man but the Son of God almighty Ioh. 3. 16. God so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten Son that whosoeuer should beleeue in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life All other sauiours were meere sonnes of men Ioshua the Iudges Iephte Samson c. And their deliuerances but temporall from the sonnes of men but heere is an eternall Sonne of God an heauenly Sauiour and Saluation from all spirituall enmities worthy the Sonne of God Hereupon namely the excellency and dignity of his Person ariseth the excellency price and merit of his obedience both actiue in fulfilling the law and passiue in satisfying the breach For being the naturall Sonne of God he cānot but be very God of the same substance and Godhead with the Father vnto which Diuine nature the humane being vnited it receiueth an excellency and dignity aboue all created natures of men and Angels for to which of the Angels did he at any time say Thou art my Sonne Heb. 1. 5 And hence all his obedience must needs bee of infinite merit the Person being so infinite else could he not haue sustained the infinite burden of mans sin nor appeased the wrath of his Father infinitly offended nor in so short time haue made so full and perfect satisfaction which must be of infinite worth and desert nor haue vanquished so infinite enemies as sin death hell and the deuill nor haue purchased for vs that infinite and eternall Crowne of righteousnes vnlesse he had been Immanuel God with vs and for vs blessed for euer Thirdly If Christ be that true Sonne of God so declared by the Prophets then wee are instructed 1. To beleeue in him for this is the Commaundement of GOD that we doe beleeue in the Name of his Sonne Ye beleeue in God beleeue also in me And the reason is because the Father and the Son are one Besides no creature can be the obiect of faith which fixeth it selfe vpon God as Mar. 11. 22. Haue faith in God which word God in the Creed is but once named to note the vnity of essence yet in vnderstanding is to be referred to all the three persons in whome we beleeue and in nothing else And because we must beleeue in him wee must pray not onely by him as a Mediator but vnto him as God equal with the Father into whose name we are baptized Thus the Apostles prayed to him Lord increase our faith and a Leper came and worshipped him saying Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane Math. 8. 2. And often it is made a marke or note whereby all Christians are described that they are such as call vpon the name of the Lord Iesus Christ Act. 9. 14. 1. Cor. 1. 2. In one word whatsoeuer diuine worship is due to the Father is due to this Sonne of God Rom. 15. 12. In him the Gentiles shall trust euery knee shall bowe vnto him and Ioh. 5. 23. That all men might honour the Son as they honour the Father 2. We must esteeme and affect him as the Sonne of God accounting him the chiefe of 10000. as the Church doth to loue and reuerence him aboue all other saying Thou art fayrer then the sonnes of men If any man loue not the Lord Iesus let him be accursed 1. Cor. 16. 22. Yea account all things as losse and dung in comparison of him hate father and mother if need so require in respect of him and be so farre from being ashamed of him and his profession as to acknowledge it the greatest honour to suffer in his cause 1. Pet. 4. 13. 3. If Christ be the onely naturall Sonne then kisse the Son of God Psal. 2. 12. 1. In token of subiection as a kisse is if it be of an inferiour to a superiour so Pharaoh said to Ioseph All my people shall kisse thee Gen. 41. namely in token of subiection so Idolaters are said to kisse their Idols that is to be subiect and deuoted vnto them 1. King 19. 18. 2. In token of loue good will if from a superiour or equal thus the Saints must kisse one another with an holy kisse And thus must euery Christian kisse the Sonne of God both in token of their homage and subiection as also as a sure pledge of their loue and faithfull affection towards him especially wee must take his yoke vpon vs stoope vnder his Scepter and obserue whatsoeuer hee hath commanded vs. Doe as the people promised Ioshua chap. 1. 16. All that thou commandest vs wee will doe whither thou sendest vs we will goe whosoeuer rebell and will not obey thy words let him die the death and as Mary his mother said to the seruants Whatsoeuer hee shall bid you doe that doe Beloued Sonne The English is too short for the Greeke where we finde two articles and it soundeth thus This is that my Sonne that my beloued and such a beloued one as on whom all a mans loue is cast for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is commonly vsed of that which is but one as of Isaac Take now thy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy onely Sonne thy beloued Sonne Christ is the proper obiect of Gods loue on whom all his loue is cast figured not onely in Isaac but in Salomon 2. Sam. 12. 25. The Lord also loued him and called his name Iedidiah that is the beloued of the Lord Christ is the true Iedidiah prophecied of Isa. 42. 1. Behold my Elect in whom my soule delighteth The Apostles expresse this loue in sundry phrases Ioh. 1. 18. The onely begotten Sonne which is in the bosome of the Father hath declared him that is who is intirely and inwardly loued with such affection as is due onely to her who is to be layd in the bosome who is thy best-beloued thy heart thy selfe And hee is called Gods deare Sonne Col. 1. 13. 1. God loues him as himself as being one with him The Father I are one saith Christ in nature in essence in will in operation looke with what loue he loues himselfe with the same he loues his Sonne the only begotten of the Father full of grace and trueth 2. Christ is capable of perfect and infinite loue as no creature is and therefore is perfectly and infinitely loued of his Father hence is it that the Father giueth him all that euer he hath Mat. 28. 18. All power in heauen and in earth hence he reuealeth and declareth his whole counsell to him who from eternity hath coexisted and layd in the bosome of his Father whereas all creatures are not capable of this knowledge 3. Christ as Mediator is most deare to his Father and
beloued as a sea or fountaine from whose fulnesse loue must be deriued to all other Eph. 1. 6. He hath made vs accepted in his Beloued the head of the body must be filled with sense and spirit and life because it must send these into all the members so the Head of the Church As the Apostle therefore saith In him are the treasures of wisedome so he is Gods store-house of loue whence all our supplies must be fetched Of consolation 1. In respect of Gods affection 2. Of Christs intercession 3. Of our owne acceptation The first if God thus dearely loue Christ the Head he must needes dearely loue the mēbers whence Christ prayeth thus Ioh. 17. 23. That the world may know that thou louest them as thou hast loued me namely with a fatherly and free loue What then if the child of God be in want distresse danger death it selfe God looking on him in Christ cannot but pitty him the wife and children cannot so pitty and helpe vs when they can weepe about vs. Psal. 103. 13. Secondly Christs intercession for vs must needes be powerfull and preuailing because he therefore euer liueth to make requests for vs and being also euer loued it must needes be fruitfull for vs he was heard in all things in the dayes of his flesh and much more now in his glory We see what great suits a Kings fauorite can carry away as Ahashuerosh because Hester found grace in his sight would not deny her to the halfe of his Kingdome and shee easily got her suit for her selfe and all her people But Christ shall not be denied the whole Kingdome if he aske it for his Elect. Thirdly hence comes in our boldnesse to come to God in the name and for the sake of Christ in whom our persons and prayers finde acceptance we in our selues being enemies to God strangers from God and his couenant hauing forfaited all are by his mediation receiued into such fauour as Aske what wee will in his name in faith and vnderstanding and wee shall be speeders Of instruction in two things 1. If God thought not his deare Sonne too deare for vs but although his whole loue was cast on him would not spare him shall wee thinke any thing too deare for him If benefits will binde search heauen and earth you shall not finde such a loue which is left with an admiration Ioh. 3. 16. God so loued the world c. And oughtest not thou to giue vp thy soule body and life it selfe as a reasonable sacrifice for him Oh the ingratitude of men that are so farre from this as that they will not part with a grain of their wealth with a dram of their credit nor with their base lusts The proud will not depart from his pride nor the drunkard with his drunkennesse nor the froward with his malice and reuenge for Christ and much lesse from liberty life c. And what is the reason Men loue their liues their lusts c. and did not God loue his Sonne more than thou canst loue these he set his whole loue euen an infinite loue vpon him and yet hee gaue him to death for thee and wilt thou doe nothing suffer nothing for him Wilt thou loue hatefull things better than God who loued not his dearest Sonne too well for thee 2. If God so dearely loued Christ his Sonne so must we we want no reasons or motiues thereunto for first hee loued vs first not existing yea resisting Secondly he hath declared his loue by innumerable gifts of body and soule yea by that inualuable gift of his owne bodie and soule Thirdly hee hath more to declare to vs hereafter in greater things which eye hath not seene eare hath not heard for hee will not be in heauen without vs. Fourthly God cannot loue vs if wee loue not his beloued Sonne Can a father who hath cast his whole affection on his childe and worthily endure that hee should be contemptuously entreated and despised The sentence is passed If any loue not the Lord Iesus let him bee accursed Fifthly the greatest reason of all is the strait vnion and band between Christ and the Christian he the foundation wee the building coupled he the roote we the branches ingrafted he the Head we the body vnited he the Husband we the wife married and hence is the communication betweene vs in natures goods estates he puts on our nature to cloath vs with his diuine nature he put vs in state of all his goods wisedome righteousnes sanctification and Redemption yea giues vs right to heauen to earth and the creatures he takes on him our low estate to aduance vs to his glory yea our troubles are his in our wrongs he is wronged and whatsoeuer is done to vs of well or woe hee takes it as done to himselfe either to recompence or reuenge it Now what an vnseemly and confused sight were it to behold the building falling off of the foundation the branches seuering from the roote the members cutting themselues from the head and the wife suing for a diuorce or at daggers with her husband Notes of our loue to Christ are these 1. Often to thinke of him and these thoughts bee deepe large frequent which argues abundant affection in the soule Often out of that abundance to speake of him and neuer but to his glory for where we heartily loue we can willingly praise Thus the loue of God in Dauids heart filled his mouth and pen with often praises Psal. 119. 164. Seuen times a day doe I praise thee Thus the Spouse in the Canticles loued much and praised much My beloued is white and ruddy the fairest of ten thousand chap. 5. 10. Yea by this meanes bring others to be in loue with him as wee doe with our deare friends Psal. 31. 23. O loue the Lord all ye his Saints Cant. 5. 16. His mouth is as sweet things he is wholly delectable this is my welbeloued and this is my louer O daughters of Ierusalem 2. To bee carefull to please and content him in all things the man I loue I will doe any thing wherby I may please him I will abstain from y t which will offend and incense him 2. Cor. 5. 9. We couet both at home and from home to be acceptable vnto him I will not forget his desire his word I will thinke the time short and well spent to do his requests I will not imprison his loue in my heart or mouth but expresse it in my whole course and calling as Peter was thrice enioyned to expresse his loue to Christ in feeding his sheepe and lambes Ioh. 21. 16. 3. Loue is bountifull I will spare nothing for my friend all I haue is his to command and vse because my selfe am sincere loue is communicatiue and will be at cost for Christ those that loue Christ first giue themselues to Christ and then their gifts their graces their goods to the vse of Christ and of his members