Chap.' I. axording to St MAT T x EVV. 351 lent as the elements the higher, the purer. 7ohro was beyond all the ancient Prophets, both indignityand do&rine: Yet he can behind the Evangelios and Apoftles, not in the dignity of his ofiçe, but in the clearnes ofhisdoarine,coneerning the Mefliah, whom he taw prefent, but neither law nor heard of Coffering, dy- ing, riling again, as they did. Alacaritei writeth that the Pro- phets knew indeed, that Chrift fhould be born into the world, for the workofour Redcmpiien, but whether or nohe fhould die and rife again, this they knew not. Verism longeerrat cillacarittr, selneccer. faith one. The Prophet Ifay writes of all thefe, more like a.r E- Pvdao Cbri. vangelift then a Prophet, and is therefore called by an Ancient, than.' the Evangelical) Prophet. Now the Baptioknew more then any Prophet: being as the morning-fiarre that precedes the Sun-ri- fing. But how flrifotle fhouldbe Paid to beChrifts forerunner Gotenien,eredi7t inNaturali things, as John Bapt f was in fupernaturall, and that kbrura de talu- he was certainly faved, (all which the Divines ofCollen affirmed re Areorelu in print, and (hewed theirreafons) I cannot conceive. And yet j r p t u Sleidan tells us that in the Councell of' Trent, the falvation of lore,n brrfi Heathtns, by the power of nature only without Chrift, was in neituraltbur, cried up : and afterwardsdefended by Soto, Vega, t Vitoria, as crc. D. Prid. Valenti witneff,:th. ex Baleo, Verfe i t. Andfrom thedaiea oflohn, &c.] The Beptift is fur- Abr'PP°' ther commended from the good fuccefre of his min iftry : afxeet foal, but no lute figne ofa fan&ified preacher : fith many canfes give that to others, that rhemfelves have not. Thus the livJeff: heaven gives life todiverfe creatures, thedull whetftone fharperas Iron. A (linking breath may founda trumpet, with great com- mendation, &a. Howbeit, the fruitfulnes ofthe people, is the preachers teftivaoniall, 2 ('or.3.2. and God delights to honour thofe of moti fincerity, with molt fuccefi'e, as t Cor. t 5, I O. The kingdom ofheaven frofereth violence.] Men are refolved to have it, whatever pains or perillt they paff: thorow. As Gods *eve/ violently invaded and over-ran the promifed land : So doe his eleft lay hold on the promifed inheritance. This true treafure hitherto hid, Rom i 6.26. is nowdifcovered, and expofed to al'1 that have a minde to it. Now therfore they are carried with all ftrent th of affedion after Chrift : him they croft have, whate- ver elfe they got without : towards him they fly as acloud : and rs a flockofdoves they fcoure into the columbary, and ru`h into the windows, Ifa.6o.g. A a 2 ,ngf
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