470 ·~ ; Book IV. Looking untfJ :JefU~, Chaps .SeCt.~ converfation : that meditation which determines in notions or [peculations of knowledge, is like the winter fun that fhines, 'but warmes not : 0 my foul, confider : and fo long confider on the preachingof this prodromus, or fore-runner of Chrif.l:, till thou fee left this confideracion to have fome warmth in thy heart, and influence on thy life in order to holineffe, felfe-denyal, and mortification. · 2. Confider of the baptifme of Chrift ; he that never finned was made fin for us, and fo it was proper enongh for 'Chriil: to take upon him the Sacrament offinners, or of repentance for fin; but efpecially he was baptifed that in that fymbole he might purifie our nature, whofe il:aines and guilt he had undertaken. Confider of this 0 my foul, and bring it home to thy felfe, furely every foul that lives the life ofgrace, u borne of water and the Spirit; and to this purpofe Chrift who is our life, went down into the waters of baptifme, that we who defcend after him might finde the effetl:s of it, as pardon offin,adoption into the covenant of grace, and holineffe oflife. Had not Chriil: been baptized, what vertue had there been in our baptifme ? 'As it became him to fulfill all righteoufne[Je, and therefore he muil: needs be baptifed; fo he fulfilled it not for himfelfe, but for us; Chrifts obedience in fulfilling the law, is imputed to all that believe ·unto righte- _ oufneffe, as ifthemfelves had fulfilled; fo that he was baptized for us, and the vertue ofhis baptifme is derived unto us; 0 the fwc:et ofthis meditation! Chrift was baptized; and when baptized, the hettvens were opmed and the holy Ghoft defcended, and a voycc: from hc:av.:n proclaimed him to be the Sonne of God, and one in whom the Father was well pleafed; and the fame oyntment that was caft upon the head of our high Prieft, went unto his beard, and thence fell to the borders of his garment, for as Chrifi: our head felt thofe etfects in manifeftation, fo through Chrift do we beleeve the like effects in our very baptifme ; the heavens then (as it were) opened unto us, and the holy Ghotl: then defcended upon us, and then wer:e we configned to the inheritance offom'les, in whomthe Father through his Sonne is alfo well pleafed, 0 my foul! what ableffing is there :n the baprifrne of Chrifr ! and how mayft thou fuck and be fatisfied, if thou wilt put thy meditation to the right ufe ? the baptif'lle of C hrifr is as a field of flowers, wherein is a world of priviledges, as jufri~ca· t10n,
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