An exposition of the dominical epistles and gospels used in our English liturgie throughout the whole yeare together with a reason why the church did chuse the same / by Iohn Boys ... ; the winter part from the first Aduentuall Sunday to Lent.

The Gospel. IOHN 1.19.

This is the record of Iohn, When the Iewes sent Priests and Leuites from Ierusalem to aske him, What art thou?

THis Gospell is a dialogue betweene certaine Priests and Iohn the Baptist. The Priests inquire after his person and place, cariage and calling. Their interrogato∣ries are fiue: the which are answered by S. Iohn seuerally; shewing, and that directly, both what he was not, as also what he was; not Christ, not Elias, not the Prophet; but the voice of a Crier in the wildernesse.

The first question is, Who art thou? t Quis ego sum? is the question of a good man? Tu quis es? of an enuious. He that hath a bad house gads abroad. The wicked are u busie Bishops in other mēs diocesses. A true saying in it selfe, but vpon this text a false glosse: for it belonged vnto the x Priests office to mannage the businesse of the Church, and exactly to know what euery Prophet was. And albeit Euth••mius is of opinion, that the Iewes here∣in malitiously disabled their knowledge: yet it is more probable that they made this question, to see whether he was Christ. For as we read••, Luke 3.15. All men mused in their hearts of Iohn, if he were not the Christ: and our y Sauiour told the Iewes plainly, that they for a time re∣ioiced more in Iohn, who was but a candle, then in him∣selfe who was the Sunne of righteousnesse, and light of the world: and albeit these messengers vttered not so much in word, yet assuredly they harboured such a con∣ceit

in their hearts, therefore Iohn answering their z in∣tention, rather then their question, acknowledged in∣genuously, that he was not the Christ.

In which answere, obserue the matter and the man∣ner. In the matter he confessed the truth, denying him∣selfe, where note his a modesty; and acknowledging Christ to be the Messias, where note his b constancie. Fortè (saith c Gregory) graue non est gloriam & honorem non petere, sed valde graue est non eum suscipere cum offer∣tur. It was then great humility to refuse this honour, which not onely the people, but also the Priests, as it should seeme, were ready to cast vpon him: hereby tea∣ching vs in all our actions, to seeke, not our owne, but Gods glory, saying with this holy Baptist, d he must increase, but we must decrease. The constant resolution of Iohn is also remarkeable, confessing Christ freely, not on∣ly before the multitude, but also before the Leuites and Pharisies, men of great learning, and no lesse place in the Church, and such as he might well suspect would call his preaching into question.

But the maner of his confession exceeds far the mat∣ter: hee confessed and denied not, and said plainly, I am not Christ. The which words are not superfluous and idle, for euery tittle of the Scriptures hath his worth and weight. Such repetitions are vsuall in the Bible, to set out things more fully, as e vanity of vanities, vanity of vanities, and all is vanity. f Returne, returne, O Shulamite returne, returne. g O earth, earth, earth, heare the word of the Lord. By this iteration then of one and the same thing, S. Iohn shewed how vnwilling hee was to rob Christ of that honour, which onely belong••d vnto him. When h Cornelius fell downe at Peters feet, and would haue worshipped him, Peter instantly tooke him vp, saying; Stand vp, for euen I my selfe am a man. When the men of i Lystra would haue sacrificed vnto Paul & Barnabas; they rent their clothes, and ran in amóg the people, crying, We are euen men, sub∣iect to the like passions that yee be. When that other Iohn

would haue worshipped the glorious Angell who shew∣ed him his reuelation, k he said vnto Iohn; See thou do it not, for I am thy fellow seruant: so carefull are Gods children in all ages to giue God the things appertaining to God: honour to whom honour, feare to whom feare, diuine worship to whom diuine worship belongeth. Here wee may iustly condemne the Papists, in giuing that kind of l worship to the crosse, which is onely due to Christ. If a man should aske them whether the crucifix were Christ, I hope they would answer with Iohn, and deny, and con∣fesse plainly that it is not the Christ. Giue then to the cru∣cifix the respect due to the crucifix, reseruing to the cru∣cified that honour which onely belongs to the crucified.

If a man should aske the bread in the Sacrament, What art thou? it would answere plainly with Iohn, in such lan∣guage as it can, I am not the Christ; approuing it selfe to our sight and taste, that it is a morsell of bread, a creature, not a Creator, & therefore not to be worshipped & ado∣red as God. If good men on earth, and glorious Angels in heauen, haue refused alway to bee reputed Christ; what shamelesse Idolaters are they, who say; heere is Christ, and there is Christ; this is Christ, and that is Christ?

The second question is; Art thou Elias? To which Iohn answers, No. Yet m Christ saith, he is that Elias. An n An∣gel from heauen hath answered this obiection, Luk. 1.17. Iohn Baptist is Elias in power, not in person, indued with the like temperance, like wisdome, like courage. Now the Pharisies imagined that Elias o himselfe should come, not another in the spirit of Elias; and therefore Iohn ac∣cording to their meaning, answered truly, that he was not Elias. How Ioh•• and Elias parallel, see Beauxamis Harmo••. Euangel. Tom. 1. fol. 101. Ludolphus de vita Chri∣sti. part. 1. cap. 19. Post••l. catholic. Con. 2. Dom. 4. Aduent. Whether Eli••s shall come before the great day of the Lords second comming, see Luther postil. maior. in loc. and his Maiesties Premonition, from the 62. pag. to the 80.

The third question is, Art thou a Prophet? To which Iohn answered also negatiuely. Christ said he was more then a Prophet: himselfe that he was lesse then a Prophet. There are three degrees of

• humility:
  • 1. To submit our selues vnto our betters.
  • 2. To giue place to equals.
  • 3. To yeeld vnto inferiours.

All these were found in Iohn: he submitted himselfe to superiors, affirming that he was not Christ: he gaue place to equals, answering that he was not Elias: he did yeeld to his inferiors, in saying he was not a Prophet. p Yea but Iohn out of his humilitie must not tell an vntruth: his fa∣ther Zacharias in the Benedictus, cals him the Prophet of the most high; and Christ, more then a Prophet. q Chry∣sostome, r Theophylact, Euthymius, and other Greeke fa∣thers are of opinion, that the Pharisies imagined Iohn to be that Prophet spoken of by Moses, Deut. 18.15. The Lord thy God will raise vp vnto thee a Prophet like vnto me from among you, euen of thy brethren, vnto him ye shall hear∣ken. s The which text must bee construed either of the whole Colledge of Prophets, or else of Christ, the chiefe of the Prophets: and therefore Iohn answered directly, that he was not that Prophet; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the Prophet. t Ru∣pertus, and other Latine Doctors affirme, that the Phari∣sies in this interrogatory, desired to know whether his office were like that of Esay, Ieremias, Amos, and the old Prophets: vnto which Iohn might answere well, that he was not such a Prophet: for their office was to foreshew Christ by some works, or foretell him by some words; vel dictis praesignare, vel factis praefigurare, saith Rupertus. But Iohns ambassage was not to foretell that Christ should come, but plainly to tell that Christ was come. Thou shalt be called the Prophet of the most high: not to prefigure, but to goe before the face of the Lord. A Prophet ••s a Preacher of the Gospel, not as a Priest of the Law.

Hitherto Iohn Baptist answers negatiuely, shewing what he was not, neither Christ, nor Elias, nor a Prophet.

Whe••ein hee did not satisfie the messengers of the Iewes fully. That therefore they might returne a more perfect answere, they further importune and presse him, to know what he was; What saiest thou of thy selfe? The which is the fourth interrogatory. To this Iohn affirmatiuely, decla∣ring what he was: I am the voice of a Crier, &c.

There were two chiefe prophecies of him: one, that he should be that Angel of the Lord; and this, that he should be the voice of a Crier in the wildernesse. Here then u In∣terpreters obserue Iohns humility, giuing himselfe the meanest title; not Christ, not an Angell, not a Prophet, but onely vox clamantis, &c. x Wherein he liuely descri∣beth a good Preacher of the Gospell, hee must be the voice of a Crier in the wildernesse, to make straight the way for the Lord.

The word of God is a proclamation in writing, com∣mon to all, and the Minister is the voice of the Crier to giue notice to the people, that the matter of the procla∣mation concerneth them and euery one of them: Acts 13.26. Men and brethren, and whosoeuer among you feareth God, to you is the word of this saluatiō sent: To y you God rai∣sed vp his Sonne Iesus, and hath sent him to blesse you by tur∣ning euery one of you from your iniquities.

Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth spea∣keth: A Preacher therefore must cry from the bottome of his heart: the which is prefigured Ezekiel 3.1. Sonne of man, eat this roll, and goe and speake vnto the house of Israel. Vtter nothing to the people, but that which thou hast first digested thy selfe.

The voice] A word is first conceiued in the heart: then vttered by the voice; yet we heare the voice before wee know the word: so Christ the eternall Word was before Iohn, and all other Preachers. In the beginning was the Word, and that beginning was before all beginning: yet the world knew not the Word, till it was preached by the voice of men and Angels: albeit the word in it selfe be before the voice, yet vnto vs the voice goeth before the

word: z He that commeth after me was before me. Christ then is the Word; and euery Preacher of Christ is a voice; the which one word confounds all such as being called thereunto, doe neglect their dutie of preaching. In euery voice, specially a Church voice, three commendable qualities are required; that it bee cleere, sweete, and high.

Cleere: for as Hierome said, Omnia in sacerdote debent esse vocalia: All things in a Diuine should preach: his ap∣parell preach, his diet preach, his whole life preach: a An example in word, in conuersation, in spirit, in faith, in pure∣nesse. Such a voice was the Baptist; his preaching was of repentance, and he liued as a penitent: as he did bold∣ly speake the truth, so constantly suffer for the truth: on the contrarie, bad manners and false doctrine make harsh and hoarse the loud voice.

Couetous Iudas had an hoarse voyce: filthie Nicolaes an hoarse voyce: Simon Magus an hoarse voyce: Peter in denying his Master, through extreame coldnesse of feare, had an hoarse voyce too for a time. Manicheus, A∣rius, Pelagius, all Hereticall, Schismaticall, Atheisticall teachers are hoarse voyces in Gods quier.

I••le solus praedicat viua voce, quipraedicat vita & voce.

Secondly, the Church voice must be sweet: euery seed is not to be sowen at euery season, in euery ground: and so it is in Gods husbandrie: The voyce therefore must b aright diuide the word which it sings and saies; obser∣uing time, and keeping it selfe in tune, speaking to the proud boldly, to the meeke mildly, to all wisely. The bels hung on c Aarons garment were of pure gold, hereby signifying that Aarons voyce should bee no founding brasse, no iarring cymball, but a sweete ring, prouing sweetly, reprouing sweetly, confuting error sweetly, con∣firming the truth sweetly; running ouer all the changes of Gods ring, mentioned 2. Tim. 4. without any iarre or false stroke sweetly. Such a voyce was Iohn the Baptist, rebuking d Herod, hardened in his wickednes, rufly; ta∣king

vp y^e dissembling▪ e Pharisies bitterly; speaking to his own disciples gently, singing to euery one the true note fitly: and this, as f Dauid speakes, is to charme wisely.

Thirdly, the Church voyce must bee high, and that in

• regard of the Matter, of which He speakes.
• regard of the Men, to which He speakes.

And such a voyce was the Baptist also. First for the mat∣ter, he reached many streines neuer sung before: Repent, saith he, for the kingdom of heauen is at hand. This note was neuer heard of the people, nor sung by the Priests in old time. Iohn being more then a Prophet, exalted his voyce aboue the Prophets, and in a plaine song, with∣out any crotchets, preached him who is higher then the highest.

Secondly, in regard of the men, to whom he spake: For, as it followeth in the next word, hee was the voice of a Crier. Now men vse to crie aloud,

• g Either
  • When they speak to mē which are a far off.
  • When they speake to men which are deafe.
  • When they are angrie.

Sinners are farre off from God, and exceeding deafe: and therfore we must be angrie crying aloud, and lifting vp our voyce like a h Trumpet, shewing the people their transgressions, and to the house of Iacob their sinnes.

First, sinners are farre off, as it is said of the i prodigall childe gone into a farre countrey, like k lost sheep, straied out of Gods pastures into Satans inclosures: and therfore it is our office not onely to whistle, but also to crie: Re∣turne, returne, ô Shulamite, returne, returne.

God doth not goe from man, but man from God. He that saileth nigh a rocke, thinketh the rock runnes from the shippe, when as indeed the shippe rides, and the rock stands still: euen so we leaue the waies of the Lord, and runne our owne courses, and then wee complaine that God is farre from vs, and that our crie comes not nigh him. It is true that God is l farre off from the wicked, not

because he is moueable, for hee is euer the same, but be∣cause they bee wandring: yet they cannot flie from his m presence. The further from East the neerer vnto the West: the more they goe from Gods grace, the neerer his iustice: n saluation is far from the wicked, but iudge∣men hangs ouer their heads. It is our dutie therefore to recall men, à Deo irato ad Deum placatum, from God as an angrie Iudge, to God as a mercifull Father. If we draw neere to God, o he will draw neere to vs: as the good father of the prodigall sonne, when hee perceiued him a farre off, he had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. It is said in the text, that the sonne did go to his father; but the father ran to meete his sonne. The fathers compassion and mercie, was greater then the sonnes passion and miserie.

Secondly, sinners are deafe, and therefore wee neede to crie aloud. Some will heare, but with one eare, like p Malchus in the Gospell, hauing their right eare cut off, and only bringing their left eare to the sermon, mis∣construing all things sinisterly: Some stop both their eares; like the deafe adder, refusing to heare the voice of the charmer, charme hee neuer so wisely: Psalme 58.5. q S. Augustine writing vpon those words, hath reported out of naturall Historiographers, that the serpent de∣lighting in the darknesse, where withall he hath inclosed himselfe, claspeth one of his eares hard to the ground, and with his taile stoppeth the other, lest hearing the Marsus hee should be brought foorth to the light: so worldly men stop one eare with earth, that is, with coue∣tousnesse; and the other with their taile, that is, hope of long life. r Ieremie therfore crieth: O earth, earth, earth. O vnhappie caitiue, thou that hast nothing but earth in thy mouth, euer talking of worldly wealth: thou hast nothing but earth in thy minde, euer plotting how to ioyne house to house, and field to field; nothing but earth in thine hands, euer busied about the trifles of this life; heare the word of the Lord, which s chargeth thee

not to trust in vncertaine riches, but in the liuing God: and that thou be rich in good workes, euermore readie to distribute while thou hast time; stop not thine eare from the crie of the poore with hope of long life, but re∣member what Iob saith in his 21. chap. vers. 13. They spend their daies in wealth, and suddenly they go downe to hell. t O foole this night will they fetch away thy soule from thee, then whose shall those things be which thou hast prouided?

Thirdly, men speake aloud, when as they be angrie: so the Preacher ought to be zealous in the cause of God; euermore displeased with the sinnes of his people, saying with u Dauid; Doe not I hate them, O Lord, who hate thee? and am not I grieued with those that rise vp a∣gainst thee? Such a crier was S. Peter▪ telling Simon the Sorcerer that he was in the x gall of bitternes & bond of iniquitie. Such a crier was Paul, taking vp Elymas; y O full of mischiefe, the childe of the diuell, and enemie of all righteousnesse, &c. Such a crier was z Polycarpus, who told Marcion that he was the diuels darling. And such a crier euery Diuine should bee, as a Simon helping to beare the crosse of the distressed; and a a Barnabas, which is the sonne of consolation: so like Iames and Iohn, stiled in b scripture Bonarges, which is, sonnes of thunder: as c Ambrose fitly, vox and clamor must goe together, the voice preach faith, the crie repentance; the voice com∣fort, the crie threaten; the voice sing mercie, the crie sound iudgement: so most d Interpreters expound vox clamantis, according to the vulgar Hebraisine, vox cla∣mans. Yet it is a good obseruation of e other, that Iohn is not the crier, but the voice of the crier: for it is Christ who crieth in Preachers, he speakes by the f mouth of all his holie Prophets: he crieth, O ye g foolish, how long will yee loue foolishnes? he crieth, Repent, for the kingdome of God is at hand: he crieth, Come v••to me all ye that are wea∣ried and laden, and I will refresh you. To day then if yee will heare his voice harden not your hearts, but suffer

the words of exhortation and doctrine: be moued at his crie, lest he despise your call. As he saith in the first of the Prouerbs: Because I haue called, and yee haue refused, I haue stretched out mine hand, and none would regard: therefore they shall call vpon me, but I will not answere: they shall seeke me earely, but they shall not finde me. Think on this all ye that forget God, ye that suffer Christ to stand and knock, and crie at the doore of your hearts, and yet ye will not let him in.

In the wildernes] That is, in the world a desert of good∣nes, wherein the Preacher must fight with beasts, as h Paul at Ephesus in the shapes of men, crying vnto rauening wolues, couetous foxes, roaring lions, &c. Here is the place where he must crie: for in heauen there is no crying, but all singing, and in hell there is no crying, to take heede of woe; but howling and crying for woe: while then you are in the i way, while it is called to k day, giue eare to the voice of the crier.

Or in the wildernes] That is, l Ierusalem; out of order as a desert: or in the wildernes: that is, among the m gen∣tiles and desolate people, strangers from the common∣wealth of Israel, and aliants from the couenants of pro∣mise before Christs comming: but now the n desolate hath moe children then the married wife. The Gentiles heretofore were without an husband, and the synagogue of the Iewes had God for her loue; but now contrarie∣wise the Church conuerted to the faith, beares moe chil∣dren vnto God then euer the synagogue did. The voice of the crier shall gather and call so many sheepe to Christs fold, that the wildernes shall say in her heart, o Who hath begotten me these children, seeing I am bar∣ren and desolate?

Or in the wildernes] p Literally, because that is the most fit place for the Preacher of repentance, wherein there is least tumult: and againe, to signifie that the peo∣ple should follow the Pastor; not the Pastor humour the people. The Preacher is the voice of a crier in the wil∣dernes,

not a carpet diuine for table Gospellers in a cor∣ner. I will not any further examine the place, the end is all, and that is to make straight the way of the Lord.

The wicked walke either in circles, or else in ouer∣twhart waies. Impij ambulant in circuitu, saith q Dauid, wearying themselues in the labyrinth of their vnruly de∣sires; or if they walke not circularlie, they walke in wrie waies and by-waies opposite to the Lords way: for ex∣ample; The vaine glorious doe all their good workes to be r seene of men, and so they crosse Gods way tending to another end; onely the children of God walke in the straight way, in a right line beginning and ending in God; as euery good gift is from him, so it is by them re∣ferred vnto him; as his is the power, so his is the praise.

The end of our preaching is not to make way for our selues & our own preferment, but for our Master and his glorie: Make streight the way of the Lord, as saith the Prophet Esay. Wherefore leauing all other expositions, I come to the Prophets interpretation, as it is recorded in his 40. Chapter, at the 3. and 4. verses. A voice crieth in the wildernes, prepare yee the way of the Lord: make streight in the desert a path for our God. Euery valley shall be exalted, and euery mountaine and hill shall be made lowe: and the crooked shall bee straight, and the rough places plaine.

Now these things are to be construed in a s spirituall sense. For t as Kings in their solemne progresses haue their waies leuelled and straightned against their com∣ming into the countrie: so the Preachers as harbingers and sumners of Christ, ought to prepare the people, that he may come vnto them, as about this time he came vnto them. Presumption and pride make mountaines and hils in Christs way; desperation holes in Christs way; vaine∣glorie makes crooked the way: couetous cares are briers and bushes in the way; noisome lust makes foule the way: wherefore the voice of the crier in the wildernes must dig downe the mountaines, exalt the valleis, stub

vp the briers, make smooth the rough, rectifie y^e crooked. Behold, saith God to the u Prophet, I haue set thee ouer the nations, and ouer the kingdomes to plucke vp, and to roote out, and to destroy and ouerthrow, to builde and to plant. The which x text is wrested by the Papists exceedingly, to proue that the Pope hath authoritie to depose Princes, and dispose of their crownes at his pleasure. But God expoundes himselfe in the words immediatly before: I haue made thee a Prophet, and put my words into thy mouth: a Preacher with words in his mouth, not a Magistrate with a sword in his hand; and therefore their owne y glossographer interprets it thus: I haue appointed thee to roote vp; that is, to roote vp vices, to beate downe he∣resies, and to build vp vertues. And z Theodoret; To root vp kingdoms is nothing else but to denounce Gods hea∣uie iudgements against them: As Hierome; To cast them downe by the word of Almightie God. Vt facias opus prophetae, sarculo, non sceptro, opus est tibi, saith a Bernard; That thou maist doe the worke of a Prophet, thou must haue a weeding hooke, not a scepter: And as b Gregorie notes aptly, the Prophet is willed here first to roote vp, and after to plant; because the foundation of truth is neuer well laid, except the frame of error be first subuer∣ted: at the first wee must cast downe the mountaines by the preaching of the Law; then exalt the valleyes by the preaching of the Gospell. Such a voice was the Prophet c Nathan: at the first he did cast downe the mountaine, the presumptuous hypocrisie of King Dauid, rebuking him for his sinnes, and thundring out iudgements for the same: but when he saw this huge mountaine cast down, when Dauid was vnder foote, deiected in spirit, crying out, I haue sinned against the Lord; Nathan presently raiseth vp this valley, saying, The Lord hath taken away thy sinne. This course d S. Peter vsed in his first sermon, in beginning whereof hee charged the Iewes with their sinnes: but so soone as they were pricked in their hearts, and said, Men and brethren what shall we doe? S. Peter

presently lifteth them vp againe by preaching Christ for the remission of sinnes. And well might Iohn call him∣selfe such a voice, for all his preaching stood vpon two legs; repentance, and faith; e digging downe the moun∣taines by the one, and f raising vp the valleyes by the other.

The great Doctor hauing heauen for his chaire, earth for his schoole, the whole Bible for his text, and the whole world for his audience; began this method in the first sermon that euer was made: Gen. 3. Adam by fol∣lowing his new schoolemaster the diuell, waxed proud, and began to grow so big as a mountaine: God therfore doth first cast him downe, shewing the greatnesse of his fault, and then hee raiseth him vp againe, by promising that the seede of the woman should bruse the Serpents head. Seeing then wee haue both precept and paterne from God himselfe; let vs bee followers of him as deare chil∣dren, pulling downe the mightie from their seates, and exalting the humble and meeke. To begin with the first:

• There are two sorts of mountaines:
  • One assuming too much vnto thē∣selues, out of their owne merit.
  • The other presuming too much vp∣on Gods mercie.

Euery man is naturally like Simon the Sorcerer, Act. 8. conceiting himselfe to be some great man: as Martin g Luther said, All of vs haue a Pope bred in vs; an opinion of our owne workes: albeit there be in vs no reall ver∣tue, no true substance; yet, Narcissus like, we are inamou∣red with our owne shadowes: and this is the h Serpents head, the beginning of all euill: Omnium iniustitiarum est ferè sola causa iustitia. Wherefore we must labour euerie day to dig downe this high mountaine: we must descend that wee may i ascend: as wee fell by ascending, so wee must be raised by descending. Beda wrote of the Publi∣can: Appropinquare noluit ad Deum, vt appropinquaret ad illum. Hee that will not be a mountaine in Christs way, must not be a mount-bank of his owne vertue, but leuell

himselfe euen with the ground, k working his saluation in feare and trembling.

The second kinde of mountaines are such as raise themselues vpon meere presumption of mercie, boasting of a shorter cut to heauen then either the good works of Papists, or good words of Puritanes, abusing that sweete text of l Paul; Where sinne aboundeth, there grace super∣aboundeth. Indeed where sinne is m felt and grieued for, the••e Gods grace is greater then our sinne, n both in im∣putation and effect: for our sinnes are finite, whereas his goodnesse is infinite, the salue is greater then the sore. o Non peccantis merito, sed superuenientis auxilio. But when we draw iniquitie with cords of vanitie, and sinne as with cartropes; when wee speake good of euill, and euill of good; when as without any remorse we sin pre∣sumptuously; when as we fall not forward as Abraham and Ezechiel, but backward as old p Eli, and the q Iewes who tooke Christ; then assuredly the more sin, the lesse grace. Shall wee continue still in sinne that grace may a∣bound? God forbid. Yea God hath forbidden it, enioy∣ning vs to bee holie as hee is holie, that being deliuered out of the hands of all our enemies, wee might serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of our life.

• A man is deiected and made a valley two waies: in regard of his
  • Great faults.
  • Little faith.

The voice of the Crier must pronounce Gods procla∣mation and generall pardon for the one, and applie it in particular for the strengthening of the other.

The fift and last question of the Pharisies is: Why bap∣tizest thou then, if thou be not the Christ, neither Elias, nor the Prophet? Vnto which Iohn answered: I baptize with water, &c.

This last interrogatorie was the first in their inten∣tion: r for the Pharisies had a tradition, that none might baptize but Christ, or some great Prophet, and therefore they did first aske craftily whether hee were Christ or a Prophet: and then hauing s vndermined him thorough∣ly,

with what authoritie doest thou baptize? being nei∣ther Christ, nor Elias, nor a Prophet? S. Iohns answere is opposite, but apposite. t I am a Minister, but not a Mes∣sias; I giue the outward signe, but Christ is he who doth giue the inward grace: I baptize you with water, u but hee that commeth after me shall baptize you with the holy Ghost and fire. x In which he compareth the ministerie of man with the power of God; the outward baptisme with the spirituall baptisme: where of the first is done by the hand of man, the other is peculiar only to Christ. y The com∣parison is not as the Papists imagine, betweene the baptisme of Iohn and Christ, but betweene the per∣son of Iohn and Christ: for the baptisme of Iohn and Christ are one, both in effect and authoritie: for Iohns baptisme was not of his owne deuising, but of Gods in∣stitution: as hee sheweth his commission in the first of Ioh. 33. He that sent me to baptize with water, &c. a text which hath made z Bellarmine contradict himselfe twice in one page. For whereas he first had set downe peremp∣torily that Iohn instituted his owne baptisme; now hee confesseth honestly that God was author of it for the matter in generall, but not for the manner in particular: and yet after long search hee cannot finde in what rite Iohns baptisme differs from Christs.

It is an axiome deliuered in their owne a schoole, that there are but two things essentiall in Baptisme, verbum & elementū, the outward element of water, and inuoca∣tion of the blessed Trinitie. So S. b August. Accedit ver∣bum ad elementū & fit sacramentū: Other things are re∣quired in a Sacramēt circumstantially, not substantially. Now Bellarmine out of this text grants that Iohn vsed the right element: for he saith, I baptize you with wa∣ter: and out of c Ambrose cites against himselfe, that Iohn inuocated the sacred Trinitie, Father, Sonne and holie Ghost: Ergo. the baptisme of Iohn and Christ are one for essence: so likewise one in effect, for Iohn preached the baptisme of repentance d for the remission of sinnes: Ergo,

forgiuenes of sinnes is by the baptisme of Iohn▪ so well as by the baptisme of the blessed Apostles: as e Augu∣stin, f Basil. g Greg. Nyssen. out of that text obserue: nei∣ther doth the h Cardinal disauow their glosse, though the Councell of i Trent hath denounced anathema to such as hold baptismum Ioannis habuisse eandem vim cum baptis∣mo Christi •• let Matthaeus Tortus, if he can vnloose this wedge for his Master. I feare that ouerthwart Diuine so little, that I say with Luther; Hunc nodū ne{que} soluunt, ne{que} soluent vnquam omnes papicolae in vnum Chaos confusi. The Scripture makes no difference betweene Iohns and our baptisme: but this only; k that we baptise in Christum pas∣sum & r••suscitatum; whereas Iohn baptised l in Christum passurum & resurrecturum See Epist. Dom. 17. post. Trin.

Notes

• t

  Diez conc. 1. Dom. 3. Aduent.
• u

  1. Pet. 4.15
• x

  Melanct. Cal∣uin. & Marlo∣rat. in loc.
• y

  Iohn 5.35.
• z

  Theophylact. & Cai••tan. in l••c.
• a

  Cu••man in loc. con. 1.
• b

  Zepperus in loc.
• c

  Hom. 7. in E••ang.
• d

  Iohn 3.30.
• e

  Eccles. 1.2.
• f

  Cant. 6.12.
• g

  Ierem. 22.29.
• h

  Acts 10.26.
• i

  Acts 14.15.
• k

  Apoc. 22.9.
• l

  Thom. in 3. sent. dist. 2. & part. 3. quest. 25. a••t. 4.
• m

  Matth. 11.14.
• n

  August. tract 4. in Iohan. & Greg. hom. 7. in Euangel.
• o

  Malachi 4.5.
• p

  Maldonat. in loc.
• q

  Hom. 15. in Ioan.
• r

  In loc.
• s

  Beza in Ioban. 1.21.
• t

  Lib. 1. com∣ment. in Ioban.
• u

  Diez con. 1. Dom. 3. Ad∣uent. & Malde∣na••. in loc.
• x

  Culman. con. 2. Dom. 4. Ad∣uent.
• y

  Acts 3.26.
• z

  Iohn 1.15.
• a

  1. Tim. 4.12.
• b

  2. Tim. 2.15.
• c

  Exod. 28.33.
• d

  Luke 3.19.
• e

  Matth. 3.7.
• f

  Psal. 58.5.
• g

  Thom. caten. i•• 3. Ma••th. ex Raban. & Beauxamis Har. Tom. 1. fol. 100.
• h

  Esay 58.1.
• i

  Luke 15.13.
• k

  Esay 53.6.
• Non tellus cym∣ham▪ te••••urem cymba relin∣quit.
• l

  Prou. 15.29.
• m

  Psal. 139.6. Vbinon est per gratiam, adest per vindictam. August. meditas. cap. 29.
• n

  Psal. 119.155.
• o

  Iam. 4.8.
• p

  Bilney to B. Tonstal, vti Fox Acts & Mon. fol. 917.
• q

  In Psal. 57. Tom. 8. fol. 392.
• r

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 22.29.
• s

  1. Tim. 6.17.18
• t

  Luk. 12.20.
• u

  Psal. 139.21.
• x

  Act. 8.23.
• y

  Act. 13.10.
• z

  Irenaeus lib. 3. cap. 3.
• a

  Act. 4.36.
• b

  Mark. 3.17.
• c

  Serm. 64.
• d

  Musculus & Maldonat. in Matth. 3.3. Iansen. concord. cap. 13. D••••z con. 1. D••m 3. Aduent.
• e

  Aquin. caten. Mat••h. ••. Ru∣pertus com. in Matth. lib. 2. ••ol. 17.
• f

  Luke 1.70.
• g

  Prou. 1.22.
• h

  1. Cor. 15.32.
• i

  Matth. 5.25.
• k

  Heb. 3.13.
• l

  Calu. & Mar∣lorat. in Mat. 3. ex Hilario & Gregorio.
• m

  Ex Hieronymo & Ambrosio. Pontanus in theatro Dom. 4. Aduent.
• n

  Esay 54.1.
• o

  Esay 49.21.
• p

  Coster. con. 3. Dom. 3. Ad∣uent.
• q

  Psal. 12.6.
• r

  Matth. 7.1.5.
• s

  Hyperius in loc. Esaiae.
• t

  Thomas caten. in 3. Matth. ex Chrysost.
• u

  Ierem. 1.10.
• x

  S•••• ••. Biis•••• against 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Ie∣suites, fol. 160, 161.
• y

  Lyra in Iere. 1
• z

  In loc. Ierem.
• a

  De considerat. lib. 2.
• b

  Pastoral. part. 3 ad••on••t. 35.
• c

  2. Sam. 12.
• d

  A••••. 2.
• e

  Matth. 3.10.
• f

  Ioh. 1.29.
• g

  Loc. com. tit. de pro••ect. in Christianism.
• h

  Luther. vbi sup. ••it. de prae∣sumption.
• i

  August. con∣fes lib. 4. cap. 12. descendite vt ascendatis ad Deum, cecidistis enim ascenden∣do contra eum.
• k

  Philip. 2.12.
• l

  Rom. 5.20.
• m

  Cal. & Aquin. in loc Paul.
• n

  Melancthon in loc. Paul. tom. 4. fol. 124.
• o

  August. de spi∣ritu & litera, cap. 6.
• p

  1. Sam. 4.18.
• q

  Iohn 18.6.
• r

  Ammonius in caten. Graec. ci. tat.
• s

  Maldonat. in loc. ex Chrysost.
• t

  Melancthon. loc. com▪ tit. de baptis. Ioan. & Christi.
• u

  Matth. 3.11.
• x

  Doct. Fulk in Matth. 3.11.
• y

  Calu. & Mar∣lorat. in 3. Mat. 11. & Melanct. vbi supra.
• z

  Desacramento Baptismi▪ lib. 1. cap. 20.
• a

  Lombard. sent. l.b. 4. distinct 3.
• b

  Tract. 80. in Ioan. Tom. 9. fol. 303.
• c

  De spiric. sanct. lib. 1. cap. 3.
• d

  Mark. 1.4.
• e

  Lib. 5. de bap∣tism cap 10.
• f

  De baptism. lib. 1. cap. 2.
• g

  Orat. de lau∣dib•••• Basilij.
• h

  Vbi sup. ca. 21.
• i

  Sess. 7. con. 1.
• k

  Melanct. in 3. Mat. tom. 3. fol. 256
• l

  Acts 19.4.