·374 Book IV. Chap.I.Sect. J before baptifme, and that not fo much for his own fake .John 1. 34· as for the peoples. I {aw, and beare record that this is the Sonne of ~od. 3. Wherein was the glory_or excellency of Chrifts baptifme? the a_nt!ents giv~ many c~omiums to it, ~nd in fome refpeCI:s Auo. Serm. 6 • prefer 1t to the ~trth.of Chnft; thus Auguftme, n'Mny great mira- " 1 cles were at Chrifts bmh, but.the! were far greater at his baptifme; . the holy Ghoft overjbaaowed hsm zn the womb, but ~e bright!; jbone on him in the river; . then was the Father Jiltnt, not a word from him; but now a loud voyce is heard from heaven, this is my beloved Sonne in whom I am well plrafed; then was the c.Mother under fu!picion, becaufe foe was found with childwithout afather, but now is the Mother greatly honoure1, in that th~ holy child is Fathered by God himje!fe; then was Chnft hid to the world, and this made / John the Baptift fay, there jfands one amongftrou whomye k._now not: he was before his baptifme, as a Sun in a cloud, or a pearle in a fhell, or a gold myne in a field; but now herappeares in publick, and to manifeft his glory, the heavens open, and from the heavens the holy Ghoft defcends, and alights upon his Sacred head, and God the Father gives a voyce from heaven, declaring his divinity to the world. If the J ewes require a figne, here is not ooe, but many fign_es at once, which as beames do difcover a Sun, fo they difcover this Sun of righreonfnelfc to be. rifen amongft them : and herein was che glory of Chrifts baptifme. 4· What was the prayer ofChrift, at, or after his baptifrne ? the Evangelift Luk§ fp.eaks of his prayer. it carne to paJJe th11t Luke 3; u. h h Jefus being bapti:ud, and praying, t t eawns were op,md. This was the manner ofthofe tha c were ba ptiztd, as foone as they werebaptiz~?d, tocomcourofthe water and pray, and fome, think that thefe words, they were bapti:ud of him '·" Jora'an, ron· Matth: 3· 36 · feffing rh~ir fins, hath reference to this: if fo, then Chrift having no fins to confelfe of his own, the tenour of his prayer m:Jfi needs be to fome other purp(l fe: but to what purpofe? fome fay ro the fame purpofe as his prayer3 were ufually, as in Joh. 17. that his Father would pre(erve his Church in unity and trmh, and that he would glorifie his Church, that thtJ a!fo might be one, even 111 he 1111d his Father are one; an}. efpecir.llJ that many might be converted b~ his miniftry~ which he-was now beginning. 9thers think tha.t ' ~~
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=