The works of the Reverend and learned John Lightfoot D. D., late Master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge such as were, and such as never before were printed : in two volumes : with the authors life and large and useful tables to each volume : also three maps : one of the temple drawn by the author himself, the others of Jervsalem and the Holy Land drawn according to the author's chorography, with a description collected out of his writings.

SECTION IX. (Book 9)

St. MATTHEW. CHAP. III.* 1.1

IN those days came Iohn the Baptist preaching in the wilderness of Iudea. 2. And saying, Repent ye, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. 3. For this is he that was spoken of by the Prophet E∣saias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Pre∣pare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths streight. 4. And the same Iohn had his f 1.2 rayment of Camels hair, and a leathern g 1.3 girdle about his loins, and his meat was h 1.4 locusts, and wild i 1.5 honey. 5. Then went out to him Ie∣rusalem, and all Iudea, and all the Region round about Jor∣dan. 6. And were baptized of him in Iordan, confessing their sins. 7. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Saddu∣ces come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of Ui∣pers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8. Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance. 9. And think not to say with∣in your selves, We have Abra∣ham to our Father: For I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up Children to Abraham. 10. And now also l 1.6 is the ax laid unto the root of the trees: Therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewen down, and cast into the fire.

11. I, indeed baptize you with water, unto repentance: but he that cometh after me, is mightier then I, whose shoos I am not worthy to bear, he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire. 12. Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner: but will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

St. MARK. CHAP. I.

THE beginning of the Gospel of Iesus Christ the Son of God. 2. As it is written in the Prophets: Behold, I send my Messengers before thy face, which shall prepare thy way be∣fore thee. 3. The voice of one crying in the Wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths streight. 4. Iohn did baptize in the Wilderness, and preach the Baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. 5. And there went out unto him all the land of Iudea, and they of Ierusalem, and were all baptized of him, in the river of Iordan confessing their sins. 6. And Iohn was clothed with Camels hair, and with a girdle of skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey.

7. And preached saying, There cometh one mightier then I after me, the latchet of whose shoos I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. 8. I indeed have baptized you with water; but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.

St. LUKE. CHAP. III.

NOW in the fifteenth year of Tiberius a 1.7 Caesar, b 1.8 Pontius c 1.9 Pilate being Governour of Iudea, and Herod being Tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip Tetrarch of Iturea, and of the region of Trachonitis, and Ly∣sanias the Tetrarch of Abylene. 2. d 1.10 Annas and Caiaphas being the High Priests, the word of God came unto Iohn the Son of Zacharias in the wilderness. 3. And he came into all the Country about Iordan, preach∣ing the Baptism of repentance, for the remission of sins. 4. As it is written in the Book of the words of Esaias the Prophet, saying, e 1.11 The voice of one crying in the wil∣derness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths streight. 5. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low, and the crooked shall be made streight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth. 6. And all flesh shall see the salvation of God. 7. Then said he to the mul∣titude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of Vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8. Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance: And begin not to say within your selves, We have Abraham to our Father: For I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up Children un∣to Abraham. 9. And now also the ax is laid unto the root of the trees; Every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewen down, and cast into the fire. 10. And the people asked him saying, What shall we do then?

11. He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two * 1.12 coats, let him impart to him that none, and he that hath meat let him do likewise. 12. Then came also Publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do. 13. And he said unto them, Exact no more then that which is appointed you. 14. And the Souldiers likewise demanded of him saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither ‖ 1.13 accuse any falsely, and be content with your † 1.14 wages. 15. And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of Iohn, whe∣ther he were the Christ, or not; 16. Iohn answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water, but one migh∣tier then I cometh, the latchet of whose shoos, I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire. 17. Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner, but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable. 18. And many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people.

Reason of the Order.

ALthough there be a very large space of time betwixt the Section last preceding, and the beginning of this, yet because the Reader in his Bible can see nothing menti∣oned in any of the four that may come between, he will easily satisfie himself without any further discourse, that the order is necessary, and the connexion undeniable. But it may be, he may wonder why the Evangelists have passed so much time in silence, without any mention at all of our Saviour Christ, or of any thing done or spoken by him: But when he shall observe in the very first words of this Section, that the Preaching of John, and his baptism was the beginning of the Gospel, then will he see that they hasten to that and forward, as to the main aim, and chief intention of their writing, but that the con∣ception and birth of Christ and his forerunner were necessarily to be related before.

In these collateral columns of the Text, and forward, where we shall have occasion to use them so, the Readers eye must sometimes help to lay them together, where the pen could not, without changing and transposing the natural method of the Text; as in this Section now in hand, it had been both as easie for me to have written the third verse of Mark, after the fourth and fifth, as before them, and more agreeing to the columns on either side it; but that I would not be so bold as to change verses without any reason, which Mark not without good reason did dispose as they lie. And this cautelousness have I observed all along as I go, where occasion is offered; presuming rather to trouble the Reader to rank them with his eye, then to tear the Text in the whole cloth, and then sew it together at other edges. It will sometimes be inevitable, but that we must invert and alter the order of one Evangelist or other, from what he had laid it; but wheresoever that shall be so, there shall be such a reason given for it, as I hope shall be to the Readers satisfaction, and mine own excuse.

Harmony and Explanation.

MARK I. Vers. 1.

The beginning of the Gospel.

THE beginning of that age of the world, which the Prophets so unanimously pointed out for the time of good things to come; and which they expressed some∣times by the term of The last days, Esa. 2. 2. Mich. 4. 1. Joel 2. 28. Sometimes, of the ac∣ceptable year of the Lord, Esa. 61. 1. Sometimes, of the Kingdom of God, Dan. 2. 44. & 7. 14. and sometimes, of a New Heaven, and a New Earth, Esa. 65. 17. And which the Gospel it self doth begin from the beginning of the Ministry and Preaching of John the Baptist, as in this verse, and Matth. 11. 13. Act. 1. 22. & 10. 37. So that though in our Chronicle account, and computation, we begin to reckon from the birth of our Saviour the second Adam, as the age of the world before, was reckoned from the Crea∣tion of the first; yet in strict and exact computing, the new world, as one may call it, or the age of the Gospel began not before the setting forth of John, to preach and bap∣tize; and this his Ministry is most fitly called the beginning of the Gospel both in regard of his preaching and of his baptizing.

For, first, the Doctrine and Preaching of John, was of a differing strain, and diverse tenour from the litteral Doctrine of the Law: For that called all for works and for exact performance, Do this and live; and, He that doth not all the words of this Law, is cursed; But John called for repentance, and for renewing of the mind, and for belief in him that was coming after, disclaiming all righteousness by the works and performance of the Law, but proclaiming repentance for non-performance, and righteousness only to be had by Christ. So that here were new Heavens, and a new Earth begun to be created; a new Commandment given, a new Church founded, justification by the works of the Law cry∣ed down, and the glorious Doctrine of Repentance and Faith set up.

Secondly, Whereas Baptism was used before among the Jews, only for admission of Proselytes or Heathens to their Church and Religion, [as Vid. Aben Ezra, Gen. 35. Ram∣bam in Issurei Biah per. 13.] now it is published and proposed to the Jews themselves to be received, and undergone, shewing unto them; 1. That they were now to be entred and transplanted into a new profession. And 2. That the Gentiles and they were now to be knit into one Church and Body.

The Ministery of John being of so high concernment, as being thus the beginning of the Gospel, and of a new World, it is no wonder, that St. Luke doth so exactly point out the year by the Reign of the Emperor, the rule of Pilate, Herod, Philip, and Lysa∣nias, the High Priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, that so remarkable a year might be fixed and known to all the World, and that the condition and the state of the times might be observed when the Gospel began. And here it might have been proper to have begun the second part of this our task, and not to have driven over this Period of time, and to stop half a year after it at the baptism of our Saviour; but since his preaching and appearing to the World, is the great and main thing that the Evangelists look after, and since the preaching of the Baptist was but a Preface and forerunner unto that of his; it is not un∣proper, and may be very excusable to make that our entrance to another part, and take this with us in our motion to our lodging and resting there.

§. Of Jesus Christ the Son of God.

This title of The Son of God, is proclaimed of Christ from Heaven, at his baptism, when he is to begin to preach the Gospel, as it is said here to be the Gospel of the Son of God. And it was necessary that so much should be intimated and learned concerning him, as the author of the Gospel, Because 1. The Gospel was the full revealing and opening of the will of the Father. 2. The overthrow and ruine of the Rites and Ceremonies of Moses. 3. The admission of heathen and strangers to be the Church and people of the Lord, whereas Israel had been his peculiar before. 4. It was a Doctrine of trusting in another, and not ones self for salvation, and who was fit for doing the three former, or for being the object of the latter, but Jesus Christ the Son of God, who came from the bosom of the Father, was the substance and body of those shadows and Ceremonies, might raze that partition wall, which in the giving of the Law himself had rear∣ed, and did not only preach the Doctrine of the Gospel, but also fully perform the Law.

Vers. 2. As it is written in the Prophets.

It seemeth by the Syrian, Arabick, Uulgar Latine, Victor Antiochenus, Origen cited by him, and others, that some Copies read, As it is written in Esaias the Prophet: and so Jansenius thinketh it was so written by Mark himself, but purposely changed by the Do∣ctors of the Church, as we read it now, to avoid the difficulty which the other reading carried with it.

But, first, it were a very strange and impious, though an easie way of resolving doubts, to add to, or diminish from the Text at pleasure, as the Text shall seem easie or difficult: This is not to expound the Bible, but to make a new one, or a Text of ones own head.

Secondly, In ancienter times then any of theirs that are produced, which read, In Esaias the Prophet, it was read as we do, In the Prophets, as Jansenius himself sheweth out of Irenaeus, lib. 3. chap. 11.

Thirdly, The one half of the words alledged in the Text, are not in Esay at all, but in Malachi: and the first half also, for that is considerable. For though sometime the New Testament in Allegations from the Old, do closely couch two several places together under one quotation, as if they were but one; yet maketh it sure, that the first always is that very place which it takes on it to cite, though the second be another: as Acts 7. 7. Steven alledgeth a speech of God, as if uttered to Abraham alone; whereas it is two several quotations, and two several speeches tied up in one; the one spoken to Abraham indeed, but the other to Moses, almost four hundred years after; and that to Abraham is set the first, for he is the subject whereupon the allegation is produced.

Fourthly, It is a manner of speech not used in the New Testament, to say, it is writ∣ten, or it is said in such or such a Prophet, but by him. We find indeed, It is writ∣ten in the Law, Luke 10. 26. And, It is written in the book of Psalms, Acts 1. 20. Yea, It is written in the Prophets, Joh. 6. 45. but no where that it is written in a single Prophet.

Fifthly, To read as we do, As it is written in the Prophets, agreeth with the ordinary and usual division of the Old Testament, by the Hebrews, into 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or Oraietha, Nebhyim, Chetubbim. The Law, the Prophets, and the Holy writs; approved and followed by our Saviour, Luke 24. 44. and alluded to by the Evangelist here.

[Before thy face, &c. Thy way before thee.] The former is neither in the Hebrew, nor in the LXX at all: the latter is in them both, but clean contrary, for they both have it, The way before me.

But, first, The Evangelists and Apostles, when they take on them to cite any Text from the Old Testament, are not so punctual to observe the exact and strict form of words, as the pith of them, or sense of the place; as might be instanced in many particulars: so that the difference of the words would not prejudice the agreement in sense, were there not so flat difference of person, as me and thee.

Secondly, The Majesty of Scripture doth often shew it self in requoting of places, in this, that it alledgeth them in difference of words and difference of sense, yea, sometimes in contrariety, not to make one place to cross or deny another, but by the variety one to explain and illustrate another, as in corresponding places in the Old Testament might be shewed at large, as Gen. 10. 22, 23. cited, 1 Chron. 1. 17. Gen. 36. 12. compared with 1 Chron. 1. 36. 1 Sam. 25. 44. paralleled, 2 Sam. 21. 8. 2 Chron. 3. 15. with Jer. 52. 21. and very many other places of the like nature: wherein the Holy Ghost having penned a thing in one place, doth by variety of words and sense, inlarge and expound himself in another. And the same divine authority and Majesty doth he also use in the New Testa∣ment, both in parallel places in it self, and in citations in it, from the Old. So that this difference in hand, betwixt My face, in Malachy; and thy face, in Mark, is not contra∣dictory or crossing one another, but explicatory or one explaining another, and both together do result to the greater mystery. For Christ is the face or presence of the Fa∣ther: and so is he plainly called, Exod. 33. 14. and in Christ, the Father came and reveal∣ed himself among men: and the words in both places, both in the Prophet and in the Evangelist, are to be taken for the words of the Father; in the one, spoken of the Son, and in the other, to him: In Malachy thus, Behold I send my Messenger before me to prepare the way before my face; that is, before the Son, as he is in his own nature, the very brightness of the glory of the Father, and the express image of his person, Heb. 1. 3. and in Mark thus, to prepare the way before thy face, that is, before thee, O Son, when thou comest to undertake the work of Redemption, and to publish the Gospel. And this change of persons in Grammatical construction is usual in the Hebrews Eloquence and Rhetorique; as 1 Sam. 2. 23. My heart rejoyceth in the Lord, I rejoyce in thy salvation. There is none holy as the Lord, for there is none beside thee, &c. Zech. 12. 10. They shall

look upon me, whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him: and 14. 5. The Lord my God shall come, and all the Saints with thee.

Luke 3. ver. 1. In the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar.

This Tiberius was the third Emperor of the Romans, the son of Livia, the wife of Augustus, and by him adopted into the family of the Caesars, and to the Empire: A man of such subtilty, cruelty, avarice, and bestiality, that for all, or indeed for any of these, few stories can shew his parallel: And as if in this very beginning of the Gospel, he were produced of such a constitution, to teach us what to look for from that cruel and abo∣minable City, in all ages and successions.

Now Tiberius his fifteenth was the year of the world 3957. And the time of the year that John began to Baptize in it, was about Easter, or the vernal Equinox, as may be con∣cluded from the time of the Baptism of our Saviour. For if Jesus were baptized in Tisri or September, as is cleared hereafter, he being then but just entring upon his thirtieth year, as the Law required, Numb. 4. And if John being six months elder then our Saviour, as it is plain he was, did enter his Ministry at the very same age, according to the same Law, it readily follows, that the time mentioned, was the time when he began to Preach. It was indeed Tiberius his fifteenth when John began to baptize, but it may very well be questioned, whether it were so when our Saviour was baptized by him: For the exact beginning of every year of Tiberius his reign, was from the fourteenth of the Kalends of September, or the eighteenth of August, at what time Augustus died: Sueton. in Aug. cap. 100. That fifteenth of the Emperor therefore, in the Spring time of which John began to baptize, was expired before September, when our Saviour was baptized, and so his baptism is to be reputed in the year of the world 3958. which was then but newly begun, and in the sixteenth year of Tiberius, but newly begun neither, unless you will reckon the year of the Emperor, as the Romans did the year of the Consuls, from January to January: But this we will not controvert, nor cross the common and constant opi∣nion of all times, that holdeth our Saviour to have been baptized in Tiberius his fifteenth.

§. Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea.

Here is called Procurator Judeae by Tacitus, Annal. lib. 15. and hath this brand set upon him by Egisippus, that he was Vir nequam & parvi faciens mendacium, De excid. Jerus. l. 2. c. 5. A wicked man and one that made little conscience of a lie; from which unconscionable disposition, those words of his, What is truth, Joh. 18. 38. seem to proceed, in scorn of truth, and derision of it. He succeeded Gratus, in the government of Judea: managed it with a great deal of troublesomness and vexation to the nation: and at last was put out of his rule by Vitellius, and sent to Rome, to answer for his misdemeanours. Joseph. An∣tiq. lib. 18. c. 3. 4, 5. Philo in legatione.

§. Herod being Tetrarch of Galilee.

This was Antipas the son of Herod the great, and called also Herod after his Father, a man that after a long and wicked misdemeanour, in his place, was at last banished by Caius upon the accusation of his Nephew Herod Agrippa, and Herodias his incestuous mate with him, as shall be shewed in a more proper place.

§. Tetrarch.

Some tying themselves too strictly, to the signification of the Greek word, understand by Tetrarch, him that governeth the fourth part of a Kingdom, for the Original word includeth four: and accordingly have concluded, that the Kingdom of Herod the great was divided by Augustus after his death into four parts, and given to his four sons, Ar∣chelaus [in whose room they say succeeded Pontius Pilate] Herod Antipas, Philip, and Lysanias. In this strictness hath the Syrian Translator taken the word, rendring it thus, Herod being the fourth Ruler in Galilee, and Philip the fourth ruler in Iturea. And the Ara∣bick thus: Herod being head over a fourth part, even Galilee: and so in the rest. But if the opinion be narrowly examined, these absurdities will be found in it.

First, It maketh a Tetrarchy to be nothing else, but exactly the fourth part of a King∣dom, whereas Pliny, lib. 5. cap. 18. speaketh of Tetrarchies that were like Kingdoms, and compacted into Kingdoms, and he nameth Trachonitis for one. His words are these: In∣tercurrunt, cinguntque has Uerbes, Tetrarchiae regnorum instar singulae, & in regna contribu∣untur, Trachonitis, Paneas, in qua Caesarea cum supradicto fonte Abila. And in chap. 23.

he saith, Caelosyria had seventeen Tetrarchies, Tetrarchias in regna descriptas, barbaris nomi∣nibus decem & septem.

Secondly, It divideth Herods kingdom into four parts, whereas it was parted only into three, to his three Sons, Joseph. Ant. lib. 17.

Thirdly, It maketh Lysanias to be Herods son, which he was not at all.

A Tetrarch therefore seemeth rather to be one that was in the fourth rank or degree of excellency and government in the Roman Empire: the Emperor that was Lord of all the Empire being the first, the Proconsul that governed a Province the second, a King the third, and a Tetrarch the fourth. So Mishueh, and Shalish in the Hebrew, signifie a man▪ second or third to the King.

§. And his brother Philip being Tetrarch, &c.

Herod made Antipas [whom he had intended for King, but changing his mind, he changed his last will] Tetrarch of Galilee and Peraea. And the Kingdom he bestowed on Archelaus: And Gaulonitis and Trachonitus, and Batanaea, and Paneas he bestowed on Philip who was his own son, and own brother to Archelaus, to be a Tetrarchy, Josep. Ant. l. 17. c. 10.

§. Of Iturea.

This Country seemeth to have taken its denomination from Itur one of the sons of Is∣mael, Gen. 25. 15. and it lay * 1.15 edging upon Arabia, but ‖ 1.16 reckoned to Syria, and upon that reference mentioned by the Evangelist here. For he speaketh of these Countries and Tetrarchies, because Syria and Judea were but one Province, and under one Procon∣sul. And therefore as he nameth the government of Canaan, in the two Countries of Ju∣dea and Galilee, so doth he also the government of Syria, under three, Ituria, Trachonitis and Abilene: And this is agreeable to what he had done in Chap. 2. 1. when he spake of the time of our Saviours birth: for as he there dateth the Tax that then was, by the time of a governor of Syria, so doth he now the beginning of the Gospel by the time of the Rulers there, as well as in Judea. And this was also most sutable to the Roman Records, where, seeing that Syria and Judea were joyned together into one Pro∣vince, it is not to be doubted, but their Governors were named together, as members of one body.

§. And the Region of Trachonitis.

The name of this Country, as it seemeth by Strabo, was taken from two mountains, or* 1.17 Rocks, called Trachones: and they very probably so called from the Hebrew word, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which signifieth wearisomness, in regard of the irksom and tedious difficulty of passing over them: as Strabo instantly after them, speaketh of other mountains towards Ara∣bia and Iturea, which he titleth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, hills hard to travel over. Josephus supposeth Uz the eldest son of Aram, to have been the first Inhabiter of this Country, An∣tiq. lib. 1. cap. 7. but whether it were that son of his or no, it is not so material to inquire, as it is to observe that it was reputed a Country belonging to Aram, or within the compass of Syria: very theevish in the time of Herod, and the Inhabitants living upon the robbery of the Damascens, that lay near unto them: Joseph. Antiq. lib. 15. cap. 13.

§. Lysanias.

He was not a son of Herod, as is supposed by some, nor an immediate son of Ptolomy Mennaeus, neither, as is held by others. [For though Josephus Antiq. lib. 14. cap. 23. and de Bel. lib. cap. 11. telleth that Lysanias succeeded his father Ptolomy Mennaeus, yet it can∣not be the same man possibly, that St. Luke here speaketh of, for that Lysanias was slain by the means of Cleopatra, a good space of time before our Saviour was born, Jos. Antiq. lib. 15. cap. 4.] But the Lysanias here mentioned, might be the great Grandchild of Men∣naeus, or some one of that house, that bare the same name with Mennaeus his immediate son and successor.

§. Abilene.

This Country was so named from the City Abila, which Ptolomy, lib. 5. cap. 15. hath reckoned for a City of Caelosyria, [or as some Copies have it, of Decapolis] and with this title, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Abila surnamed from Lysanias: see also Pliny, lib. 5. cap. 18. This word soundeth so near to the word Havilah, Gen. 2. 11. & 10. 7. that it may very

well be supposed to have descended from it, and the name of the place from that son of Chush, that planted with his brethren mentioned with him, in Arabia and there∣abouts.

Vers. 2. Annas and Caiaphas being the High Priest.

There could be but one High Priest properly so called at one time: and that Caiaphas was he at this time, it is most clear, both out of Josephus, and out of the Scripture. Now Annas is said to be High Priest with him, because he was the Nasi or head of the Sanhe∣drin, and so represented Moses, as Caiaphas did Aaron, and he was of the seed of the Priests, as well as Caiaphas was. An evidence of his being the head of the great Councel, is, in that when our Saviour was apprehended, he was first led to Annas, Joh. 18. 13. and by him bound and sent to Caiaphas, ver. 24. and that Annas is first placed in the Councel, Act. 4. 6. We shall have more punctual occasion hereafter to look after this man, and then will we see what we can find spoken of him by Josephus.

§. The Word of the Lord came to John.

Such was the commission of the Prophets, as Jer. 1. 2. Ezek. 6. 1, &c. And this pro∣claimeth John a Prophet, as well as they. And here had he his warrant for his Ministry, and this was the institution of the Sacrament of Baptism. Now whether the word of the Lord that came to John and to the Prophets, be to be understood of his personal and substantial word, as Joh. 1. 1. or of the word of Prophesie suggested to them by the Ho∣ly Ghost; and whether John had this word imparted to him, by vision, or dream, or rapture, or what other way, it is not so material to inquire, as it is difficult to resolve; only this is not impertinent to observe, That whereas the race of the Prophets that were sent to teach and to preach to the people by the word of the Lord, was expired and ex∣tinguished long ago, in the death of Malachy the last of that race, there is now another race of such preachers to be raised again, viz. John, and the great Prophet, and the Apo∣stles, and this is the entrance or beginning to that glorious generation. For we are to di∣stinguish, betwixt having the gift and spirit of Prophesie, and betwixt being sent by that spirit for a constant Preacher to the people. Deborah and Barak, and Huldab and Hannah, and divers others both men and women had the spirit of Prophesie upon them, but never had warrant to go and preach, and to be constant ministers to the Church. But Esay, and Jeremy, and Ezekiel, and the rest of that form, under the Old Testament, and John and the Apostles under the New, had not only the spirit of Prophesie upon them, to foretel things to come, but they had also the word of the Lord came unto them, which gave them commission to be continual preachers, and entred them into the function of a constant Ministry. As see how the Baptist himself explaineth what is meant by this word of the Lord coming to him, Joh. 1. 33. He sent me to baptize.

§. To John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.

The children of the Priests when they came to age, were to be installed and inrolled* 1.18 into the service of the Temple; their names being entred there, and the name of their father. To this custom the Evangelist seemeth to refer, when he calleth, John the Son of Zacharias in this place, and at this time, when he was to enter upon his Ministerial fun∣ction: which though he did not at the Temple, as others used to do, but had another kind of employment laid upon him, by the Word of the Lord coming to him in the Wil∣derness in the place of his converse; yet [as had he been there, he must have been in∣rolled and registred, thus, John the Son of Zacharias began his Ministration at such a time, or to this purpose, so] doth the Holy Ghost inrol him here, at his entrance into this his Ministry of another kind, the word of the Lord came to John the son of Zacharias. And the like passage we may observe in the same Evangelist concerning our Saviour at his be∣ing baptized, and when he also entred upon his function.

Matth. 3. ver. 1. Preaching in the Wilderness of Iudea.

That is, in the Cities and Towns in the wilderness, as Josh. 15. 61, 62. & 1 Sam. 23. 14. 24. some of which were probably within the territories, and under the command of Hebron the place where John was born: for there is mention of the Cities of Hebron, 2 Sam. 2. 3.

Mark 1. ver. 4. John did baptize in the Wilderness.

It is the most likely that John began to preach in the place where he was born, and from thence went to other places as he saw occasion, and the Spirit moved him: And in∣deed Hebron it self was in a manner a City of the Wilderness, as well as the others men∣tioned, though there be no such expression concerning it, as is of them: and if those words, Luke 2. So He was in the deserts, till the day of his shewing unto Israel, were interpreted concerning his being in Hebron; the interpretation might very well be justified, though to avoid cavill and offence, we have expounded it of places, which the Scripture calleth Deserts or Wildernesses in express terms.

However, be it in Hebron, or out of Hebron that John was educated, conversed, and began to preach; certain it is, that he did the last of these in some Cities of the Wilder∣ness, not far from Hebron: and if it be said that he baptized also in these Cities where he preached, and as yet was not gone down to Jordan, till Jerusalem and all Judea heard of him, and came to be baptized, and then he went thither for the conveniency of water: I suppose it crosseth nothing, either in the History or Mystery, and it averreth no more concerning John now, then we shall find him doing hereafter; namely, baptizing in other waters besides Jordan. And indeed how can it rationally be understood other∣wise, then that John baptized first in these Cities and Towns, before multitude of com∣pany drew him down unto the River?

For, first, it cannot be conceived that he walked or stood in the open fields near Jor∣dan, and there began to preach; but that he betook himself to Towns or Cities where was concourse of people.

Secondly, it can as little be conceived, that when any people in this or that City em∣braced his Doctrine, and desired to be baptized, that he should bring them to the River, which was sometime far off, or delay them till all the multitude should meet him there to∣gether; unless it could be shewed that the water of Jordan was only allowed to be bap∣tized in, and no other; the contrary to which we shall se••••non.

The Story therefore and progress of his Ministery and baptizing, out of the three E∣vangelists may be compiled thus: That first he came preaching in the Wilderness of Ju∣dea, in the Towns and Cities that were there, about the place of his education; That he baptized there those that were converted by his preaching, and that desired to be baptized by him: That he went abroad from thence, up and down all the Country round about Jordan, and when his converts, and the concourse were now grown nume∣rous, he baptized them in Jordan, because there was water enough, as John 3. 23.

§ And preach the baptism of Repentance.

The Evangelist useth this title or epithet, in opposition to Circumcision, and bapti∣zing of Proselytes, which had been the way and door of admission in to the Church be∣fore. They might very fitly be called the Circumcision and baptism of perfomance, as this the baptism of repentance. For whosoever received circumcision was ingaged by it to the performance of the whole Law, Gal. 5. 2. And the like was every Proselyte ingaged that received Baptism. But this baptism of John, or the baptism in the Christi∣an Church is clean of another nature. For whereas those two challenged of every one that went through those doors into the Church, that they should stand debtors to the whole Law, and be obliged to a legal righteousness: our baptism requireth a clean con∣trary thing, namely, that we should be obliged to repentance, in regard that the per∣formance of the Law is a thing that is to us impossible, and that we should be buried with Christ in his death, and seek after his righteousness, seeing that we have none of our own. Hence appeareth clearly, first, a reason why the baptism of John is called the beginning of the Gospel, for it opened a door, and gave an inlet into the Church up∣on other terms, then had ever been before. And, secondly, that baptism belongeth to Children, though it be the baptism of repentance, and they know not what repentance means: For it requireth not their repentance at their receiving of the Sacrament, when they stand but in the door or entry of the Church, but it ingageth them to repentance for the time to come, or when they being now entred into the Church, shall come to the use of reason, and knowledg of the ingagement: And so was it with the children that were circumcised: for they when they underwent that Sacrament, undertook obe∣dience to the whole Law, and yet they knew not what, either obedience, or the Law meant: But that undertaking was, what they were to do when they came to the years of knowledge and apprehension.

Matth. 3. Verse 2. And saying, Repent ye, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.

The Phrase, the Kingdom of Heaven, which is so frequently and commonly used in the Gospel, is taken from, Dan. 2. 44. and 7. 14. And it meaneth the spiritual King∣dom of Christ in and under the Gospel, as it is published and preached unto all Nations. For though the phrase be generally and truely understood to mean the preaching of the Gospel; yet doth it most properly and naturally signifie the preaching of the Gospel to the Gentiles, or among all Nations; as might be shewed, by the signification of the word Heaven, by the manner of speech here used, that it is at hand, and so again, Mat. 4. 17. when the Gospel was now Preached already: by the Text of Daniel, from whence the phrase is taken, and by divers places in the Gospel where it is used; but the full clearing of this, I have chosen to refer to that difficult place which will call for it to be cleared, when the Lord shall bring us thither, Matth. 16. 19. To thee will I give the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven: where I conceive Christ to have foretold to Peter; that he should be the first that should Preach the Gospel, and open the door of Faith unto the Gentiles, as Acts 15. 7. and 10.

Now, The Kingdom of Heaven signifying thus, not barely and simply the Preach∣ing of the Gospel, but the Preaching of it to the Gentiles and their conversion, it shew∣eth how proper and pregnant an argument this was to inforce the doctrine and practice of Repentance upon the Jews, because the calling of the Gentiles was near at hand, which would prove their rejection and casting off, if they did not repent, as Deut. 32. 21.

Before the coming of Christ, these four Earthly Kingdoms that are mentioned by Da∣niel in the Chapters cited, bare all the sway, and domineered over all the world with cruelty and tyranny: but when they were destroyed, at his coming he set up a King∣dom of his own, and swayed the Scepter of Righteousness over all Nations, and ruled them with his word and Spirit. And whereas before his coming also, the Church consisted but of one Nation and Kingdom: and was couched upon a small parcel of Earth, the Land of Canaan, ••nd had earthly promises, and earthly rites; when he came and published the Gospel, he gathered a Church of all Kingdoms and Nations, and Languages under Heaven; and built it up with Heavenly and Spiritual promises and in∣structions, and thus The Kingdom of Heaven may fitly be understood in opposition to these two earthly ones.

Luke 3. ver. 5. Every valley shall be filled, &c.

These borowed phrases, intend the removing of obstacles and stumbling blocks out of the way, and plaining and clearing the way for men to come to Christ, and to the obe∣dience of the Gospel. The Jews conceive that the cloud of glory that led the people of Israel in the wilderness, did really and according to the letter, do what is here spoken of, for facilitating of their march and journey: as that it levelled Mountains, raised vallies, and laid all of a flat, that it burnt up bushes and smoothed rocks, and made all plain, that they might travail without trouble or offence.

And some of them also say, that when Jeroboam set up his goden calves and Idolatry in Bethel, and Dan, that he and his wicked agents laid ambushments and scouts in the ways to Jerusalem, to catch up every one that should go thither to worship, and to this purpose they apply that saying of the Prophet, Hos. 5. 1. O ye Priests and O ye house of the King, ye have been a snare on Mizpah, and a net upon Tabor, And the revolters are pro∣found to make slaughter, &c. If either of these things were undoubtedly so, as they sup∣pose, how properly might this passage of the Prophet Esay, and of the Evangelist from him, be thought to refer thereunto; but since they be but surmisals, it is safest to take the words for a borrowed speech, to express what was said before, the removing of ob∣stacles in the way to Christ.

Mat. 3. ver. 6. Confessing their sins.

Not to John, but to God: For neither was it possible for John to hear their confessions, nor was it necessary. Not possible, because of the vast multitudes that came to be bap∣tized: nor necessary, for to tell him they had comitted such and such sins, what conduced it either to their baptism or forgiveness.

Nor was this their confession of their sins, before there being baptized, but after: For first, if we should strictly take the Grammatical construction of the word, that importeth their confessing, it is not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which would have denoted that they had confessed before they were baptized, but it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, in both the Evangelists, that speak of that matter.

Secondly, It was far more agreeable to the end and doctrine of Baptism, that their confession of sin should be after their baptizing then before, in that they were baptized to repentance, ver. 11. and not e contra; the Sacrament was more inten∣tionally to enter them into repentance, then repentance to enter them into the Sacrament; For, as was said before, it obliged them more properly to repentance after the receiving of it then before.

Thirdly, the gesture of our Saviour after his Baptism seemeth to have been according to the common custom and gesture of the people, and as he coming out of the water fell to prayer, so they when they came out, used to do, to make their penitent confession to the Lord.

Mat. 3. ver. 7. When he saw many of the Pharisees, and Saduces coming to his baptism.

The Pharisees, Sadduces, and Esseans, the three Sects of the Jews; Josephus Antiq. lib. 13. c. 9. are those three Sheepherds spoken of, Zech. 11. 8. whom our Saviour at his coming was to cut off.

The two former, whom we have now in hand, are very frequent in mention in the Gospel: men of enmity one against another, yet both joynt enemies to Christ and to his Apostles.

The original of the Pharisees is not so easie to go back unto, as that of the Sadduces, nor is the significancy of their name so readily determined and fixed upon as the other; The Sadduces, it is well known were so called from Sadoc, the first Author of their Sect, and he the Scholar of Antigonus; Rabbi Nathan in his Aboth. Perek. 5. hath thus clearly given us their original. Antigonus of Socoh, saith he, received his learning from Simeon the just: This was his saying: Be not as servants that serve their Master, because of receiving* 1.19 * 1.20 a reward, but be as servants that serve their Master, not for the receiving of a reward, but let the fear of God be upon you. This Antigonus had two Scholars, which changed his words; they changed them to their Scholars, and their Scholars to theirs: They stood up and taught after them, and said, what saw our Fathers to say thus? is it possible that a work-man may do his work all the day, and not receive his wages at even? But if our Fathers had known that there is a world to come, and that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, they would never have said thus: They stood up and separated from the Law, and from them broke out the two Sects, the Sadduces, and Baithusaeans: the Sadduces after the name of Sadoc: and the Baithusaeans, after the name of Baithus. So he. Now this Antigonus, whose good doctrine had this bad construction, was Scholar to Simeon the just, whom we shall have occasion to look after by and by.

But the time and occasion of the rising of the Pharisees, is of more obscurity, and the reason of their name admitteth of more conjectures; As, whether they were so called from Perush, which importeth Exposition, for that they took upon them to be the great Expositors of the Law by their Traditions; or from Parush, which betokeneth separation, for that they accounted and pretended themselves more holy then others of the people, and so became Separatists from them, as despising them, Luke 18. 9. Either of which Etymo∣logies carry with them a fair and plausible probability of their notation, but the last most agreeable to what both the Scripture, and other writings have said of them, in re∣gard of their singularity; and as we shall have further occasion to descry, when we come to meet with them in their Doctrines, Practises or Opinions.

And the time of their first starting up, is yet obscurer: But to speak mine own thoughts, I cannot but conceive them to have been somewhat more ancient then the Sadduces, though but a little: And that that passage of the Prophet Malachi, [when he and the Spirit of Prophecy with him was to leave this world] Remember the Law of Mo∣ses, Mal. 4. 4. gave occasion to the rising of the Pharisees, and to the confirming of the Sadduces in their opinion when they had taken it up. For whereas the Spirit of Prophe∣cy and revelation was now to depart from Israel, God having revealed as much of himself, and of his will to them, as he thought fit and necessary: He sendeth back the people in this defect of Prophetick guidance and direction, to the Law of Moses, to be their study, and their rule of Faith, and of Obedience. Hence did a certain ge∣neration among them take occasion and opportunity, to vent and broach traditions and glosses upon the Law, pretending them to have descended from Moses himself, and to have been handed over to them, from hand to hand, and as the Prophets while their race continued, expounded Moses, and instructed the people in the knowledge of the Law, by the Spirit of God, so these men (now the Prophts were gone) took on them to explain Moses, and the Law also, and by a way which they pretended to be of equal authority with the words of the Prophets, For that, say they, is Gods own gloss upon his own Law, and this he taught Moses while he was with him in the Mount: And this, Moses taught Joshua, and Joshua the Elders, and Eli received it from the Elders and from Phi∣nehas

and Samuel from Eli, and David from Samuel, and Ahijah the Shilonite from Da∣vid, and Elias from Ahijah, and Elisha from Elias, and Jehojada the Priest from Elisha, and Zacharias from Jehojada, and Hosea from Zacharias, and Amos from Hosea, and E∣say from Amos, and Micah from Esay, and Joel from Micah, and Nahum from Joel, and Habakkuk from Nahum, and Zephany from Habakkuk, and Jeremy from Zephany, and Baruch from Jeremie, and Ezra and his School from Baruch. The School of Ezra was cal∣led the men of the great Synagogue, and they were Haggai, Zechary, Malachi, Daniel, Ha∣naniah, Mishael, Azariah, Nehemiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Zerubbabel, and many wise men with them, to an hundred and twenty: The last of them was Simeon the just, and he was in the number of the hundred and twenty, and he was High Priest afte•• Ezra. Vid. Ram∣bam in Mishu. Tom. 1. statim sub initio.

This nameless number that were between the time of Zerubbabel, Nehemiah, Mordecai, and those holy men that we find mentioned in Scripture, and between the times of Simeon the just, I suspect to be the Generation that afforded the rise and original of Pharisaism and Traditions: For there was a good large space of time and distance detween Ezra and Simeon the just, as might be cleared by several particulars, if that were needful. And a preparative, if not a ground-work, to Pharisaisme, and traditions seemeth to be that famous speech of the great Synagogue mentioned in Pirck. Aboth. Per. 1. The men of the great Synagogue said three things, Be deliberate in judgment, and raise up Scholars in abundance, and make a hedg to the Law: Now the lesson of making a hedg to the Law, by a fixed and determinate exposition, was to bring on, and into credit, those glosses and traditions which they would produce and bring upon it. For that the Law should lie to the Commons without any fence about it, to keep men off from breaking in upon it by their own interpretations and expositions of it, they could soon perswade the Peo∣ple, was a thing not to be tolerated or indured: and when they had wrought this lesson home upon their hearts, then had they glosses ready of their own invention to put upon it, as to hedg or fence in from private interpretations. These glosses or expositions they had a twofold trick to bring into request.

First, To pretend strongly that they had descended traditionally from Moses, and from God himself, as the pretended pedegree of them is shewed before.

And secondly, to use a strict and severe preciseness in their own conversation, and to pretend and shew a holiness above other men, and to withdraw from them as too profane for their society, that this might bring their persons into admiration, and their traditi∣ons into repute. And thus they came by their name of Separatists, and thus they laid the foundation for traditions.

And as the Pharisees took this opportunity and occasion from those words of the Pro∣phet, Remember the Law of Moses, to vent their foolish and wicked Expositions upon Moses, as seeming thereby to do the people a singular benefit, and to make as singular a fence to Moses himself: So likewise did the Sadduces make use of the same occasion to confirm themselves in the error they had taken up, and to assert it unto others, in that in all the Law of Moses, to the study of which the Holy Ghost had especially directed them in those times, and which Scripture only they imbraced, there is not mention nor hint at all as they pretented, of the resurrection of the dead, or of a world to come.

§ Coming to his Baptism.

The Pharisees and Sadduces were not repulsed by John, though he call them by such a name as Vipers, but they were baptized by him: as is most apparent by comparing the re∣lation that Saint Luke maketh of this Story and this together: That saying therefore of Luke, Chap. 7. 20. But the Pharisees, rejected the Counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him, is to be understood of some of that Sect and not all.

§ O generation of Vipers.

By Generation we are not to understand the present age, as when it is said, shall rise up in judgment with this Generation; An adulterous generation seeketh a sign, &c. that is, the people of this age: It is not to be so taken, as if the Baptist meant this present Generation are Vipers: for it is not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the Original, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: though he include no less in what he speaketh, and though, if ever generation were viperous, that was. But the Bap∣tist useth an expression, that hitteth and reflecteth upon their Fathers, and predecessors as well as themselves, for he calleth them a brood or off-spring of Vipers: intimating that they and their Fathers were Vipers both. And this he doth, that he might face and affront that fond and vain opinion of theirs, which so much deluded them, and whereupon they built great hopes and made great boasting, namely, of their being the children of Abraham:

No, saith John, Say not within your selves, we have Abraham to our Father, for ye are not the seed of the promise, but the seed of the Serpent: And thus he speaketh not only to the Pharisees and Sadduces, the hereticks of the Nation, but as Luke inlargeth it, to all the multitude that came to be baptized: Commenting upon the first promise at this first preaching of the Gospel, and as on the one hand proclaiming Jesus that was coming after him to be the seed of the Woman, so on the other, declaring the Jews to be now become the seed of the Serpent who should persecute and kill the seed of the Woman, howsoever they boasted themselves for the holy seed of Abraham.

And the same lesson our Saviour readeth them, when he giveth them the same title, Mat. 12. 34. and 23. 33.

Vipers are the worst and most deadly of any Serpents; for they destroy and kill sud∣denly, Act. 28. 4. 6. See Job 20. 16. Isai. 30. 6. and 59. 5. from whence the Baptist and our Saviour seem to have this phrase and Epithet: and Isai. 41. 24. as the margin of our English and an Expositor in Dav. Kimchi do interpret it.

§ To flee from the wrath to come.

In this speech, John seemeth to refer to the last words in all the Old Testament: where Malachi prophecying of the Baptist, and of his beginning to preach the Gospel, He shall turn, saith he, the hearts of the Fathers to the Children, and the hearts of the Children to the Fathers, Lest I come and smite the Land with a curse. This meaneth, that wrath to come, which should surely fall upon them, if they should disobey the Gospel, which was now the last means offered them for their conversion, and so it came to pass with them, when about forty four years after this, they were destroyed by the Romans.

Matth. 3. Vers. 9. Say not, we have Abraham to our Father.

This was their common boasting: as John 9. 33. the Chaldee Paraphrast, and R. Sol. on Isai. 62. 6. And so doth Rabbi Solomon conceive, that the Edomites were proud of their descent from Abraham as well as the Jews: for thus he expoundeth those words in the Prophecy of Obadiah, ver. 3. Which dwellest in the clefts of the Rock: He leaneth upon the staff of his Fathers, Abraham and Isaac, and they will not profit him.

§ Of these stones to raise up children to Abraham.

Some take this figuratively, as Ignat. Mart. Epist. ad Magnesios. Clem. Alex. Portrept. ad Graec. and others, of the Gentiles, who are stony-hearted toward the Truth, and who wor∣ship stocks and stones, God is able to raise up children to Abraham: But it is rather to be interpreted literally for the crying down of their idle boasting: That it was but a vain prop whereupon they leaned, to think that it was enough for them that they were descended of Abraham, for God by his omniponent power was able to make as good and towardly children to Abraham as they were, even of stones.

Matrh. 3. ver. 10. And now also is the Ax laid unto the root of the Trees.

Whether we read it rationally, as doth the Vulgar Latine, For now the ax, or con∣junctively, as doth our English, And now also; it plainly sheweth it self to be an Ar∣gument or Reason used to inforce something that goeth before. And indeed it suiteth so very well with any of the three verses next preceding, that it is hard to tell, to which most properly it should be applyed. For being laid to the seventh verse, it doth so strongly confirm that there was a wrath to come, that it sheweth it to be hard by, and even close at hand, For now the ax is laid to the root of the Trees. Join it to the eighth verse and it followeth the metaphor that is used there, of bringing forth fruit, and enforceth the exhortation or Doctrine that is there given, from the danger that may follow on unfruit∣full trees, For now the ax is laid to the root of them. Or apply it likewise to the verse next preceding, and it doth argue against the carnal confidence that the Jews had in their descending of the stock of Abraham, paraphrastically thus: Ye have had warning of wrath that is to come, and you think you are out of the danger of it, because ye are the children of Abraham, and descended lineally from his loins; a Prerogative so little to be boasted of, that it may be common with you to stones, for God is able of them to raise up children unto Abraham, and a shelter so little to be trusted under, that look to your selves, the Ax is already laid to the root of the trees.

Some by the Ax understand the word of God, and the preaching of the same, or the pub∣lication of the Gospel: from Jerem. 23. 29. after the reading of the LXX: and from Hosea

6. 5. Others, Christ himself, consisting say they of two natures, divine and humane, as an Ax of two parts, the head and the handle. But the current of the most, and the best Expositors understand it of the judgments of God: and that it is so to be understood, may be strongly concluded by these reasons.

First, because the context both before and after, speaketh of Judgement and vengeance to come upon the impenitent and unfruitful, as wrath to come, ver. 7. and casting into fire, and fire unquenchable, ver. 10. 12. and therefore it is most proper to expound the Ax as an instrument destroying, for judgment or destruction.

Secondly, this place seemeth plainly to have reference to Esai. 10. 33, 34. Behold, the Lord, the Lord of hosts shall lop the bough with terror: and the high ones of stature shall be hewn down, and the haughty shall be humbled. And he shall cut down the thickets of the Forests with iron, and Lebanon shall fall by a mighty one: which how the more ancient Jews un∣derstood of the destruction of their State and Kingdom, and that neer upon the coming of Christ, a testimony of their own in their Talmud, in the treatise Berachoth may sufficient∣ly evidence. There was a certain Jew, say they, was plowing, and one of his Oxen lowed. The Ox lowing, told of the coming of the Lord. A certain Arabian passing by, heard the lowing of the Ox, and said unto the Jew: O Jew! unyoke thine Oxen, and care not for thine implements, for your Sanctuary is destroyed: And the Ox lowed again: and the Arabian saith, O Jew! yoke thine Oxen, and make fit thine implements, for your Messias is born, &c. Rabbi Abuhi said, And what need you to learn this of an Arabian? The text is plain in Esay which saith, Lebanon shall fall by a mighty one: and it followeth, And there shall come forth a rod out of the stemm of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his root.

§ To the root of the trees.

First, by the root of the trees, might be understood the root of Jesse, of which mention was made before from Esay 11. 1. For in all the crosses and calamities, Wars, overthrows, and captivities, that had befallen the Nation of the Jews, the stock of Jesse, or line of David, could never be rooted out, or extinguished, because the promise that Christ should come out of it, did preserve and keep it alive, in despight of all opposition, till he that was promised did come indeed. But now, seeing that he was come, and that that line had no more the shelter, and preservative of the promise, it also must come to ru∣ine and rooting out as well as others.

Secondly, the Ax is now laid to the very root of your confidence and boasting: For whereas ye say within your selves, and stand upon it, that ye have Abraham to your Fa∣ther: the time is now come, that that distinction betwixt who is, and who is not, of the Seed of Abraham, shall be no more regarded, nor looked after: but every one of what Nation soever that feareth God shall be accepted of him, and the seed of Abraham for not fearing him shall be rejected, and that priviledge not respected at all.

Thirdly, Jerusalem was at the root of the whole Nation, from which they derived the sap of rellgion and policy, but now the ax of destruction is laid even to that.

Fourthly, this phrase may be understood, as comparing the ruine of the Jews here threatned, with those desolations they had felt before: For then, as at the captivity of Babylon for example, they were not utterly cut off from their Land for ever, but had a promise of returning, and returned, and were planted there again: but now the ven∣geance threatned must strike at very root, and quite destroy them from being a Nation for ever, and from all hope of returning to their Country any more.

By the Ax being now laid to the root of the trees, may fitly be understood, 1. The certainty of their desolation. And 2. the nearness: in that the instrument of their de∣struction was already prepared and brought close to them, the Romans, that should ruine their City and Nation, being already Masters and Rulers over them.

Luke 3. vers. 10. And the people asked him, &c.

Or, the multitude, as vers. 7. which verse compared with this, sheweth, that the questi∣on what shall we do then? proceeded from those to whom the Baptist addressed his last speech, O ye generation of Vipers, &c. which were Pharisees and Sadduces, as appeareth by Matthew, and other multitude mixed among, as by Luke. Now whether this their questi∣on proceeded from the apprehension of the danger threatned, or application of the exhor∣tation urged, whether they desired to learn how to avoid the evil of the wrath to come, or to do the good works of repentance, when they ask, what shall we do? is neither so material to search, nor easie to find, as it is fit to observe, how powerfully the doctrine of the Baptist hath wrought with them, when it hath thus brought them to look off the goodness of Abraham in which they trusted, and to think after goodness of their own.

Vers. 11. He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none, &c.

It appeareth by the Baptists answer, that their question demanded what were those good fruits, that he called upon them to bring forth, ver. 8, 9. and the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 here may seem to have respect to the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, in those verses.

His answer is an exhortation to Almes-deeds, or giving to the needy, rather then any other lesson, not that thereby they might think to satisfie for their sins, or merit for themselves, but for divers other important and considerable ends. For, 1. he setteth them this as an easie lesson, for yet they were but very children in the Evangelical School: To have put them at their first entry into this School, to the hard lecture of self-de∣nial, mortification, patience and joy in persecution, and other such things as these, had been too strong meat for such babes, too difficult a task for such infants to take out, and therefore he setteth them this easie Copy, and layeth no greater an imposition upon them, then what even the weakest of them might follow and undergo, to impart of their abundance to the poor.

2. The tenor of the Gospel is mercy and not sacrifice, Hosea, 6. 7. Mat. 12. 7. and there∣fore he putteth not upon them the cost of oblations and offerings which were required by the Law, nor the fasting and pining of the body, as did many of his own Disciples, but the lovely works of Charity and Mercy, the first and most visible of which is re∣lief of the needy.

3. By this he putteth them to tryal, how they forsake the world, by parting with their wordly goods, how they live by faith in not fearing poverty though they give of their wealth away, how they love their neighbour as themselves, in making him partner of what they have, and how their eyes are fixed on things to come, by giving away here, and looking for reward thereof in heaven.

And, 4. it may be very well supposed that among the multitude that stood before him, the Baptist saw some rich, and some poor, some in good cloathing, and some in mean, and that the present object that he beheld might be some occasion to him to propose this lesson to be put presently in practice.

§ That hath two Coats, &c.

He requireth not wilfull Poverty, but Alms-deeds of their superfluity, not to give away their coat if they have but one, but if they have two, then give one of them; and to the same purpose he useth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Meats, in the plural number; not to go naked themselves, that they may cloath others, nor to prevent others begging by their alms, and to beg themselves, but what they have above their own necessaries, to contribute to the necessities of the needy, and first to love themselves, and then their neighbours as themselves.

Vers. 12. Publicans.

Publicans at the first were such as gathered the tributes and custom of the Romans in those Countries and Provinces that were under their dominion. And this at that time was an honourable place and calling. For Tully commending M. Varro to Brutus giveth* 1.21 these two reasons of the strong tie of friendship betwixt them: The one is, saith he, because he is versed in my way of studies in which I am chiefly delighted. And the other, because he betook himsef maturely to the company of the Publicans, which indeed I would not have had him to have done, because he had suffered great losses, and yet the cause of that common order, of me most highly esteemed, made our friendship the stronger. And in his Oration for Plan∣cius, he saith, That the flower of the Roman Knights, the ornament of the City, the strength of the Common-wealth, is comprehended in the order of the Publicans. And so it was an ho∣nourable memorial that was left, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, To him that had played the good Pub∣lican. Suetonius in vita Vespasiani statim sub initio.

But in after times the quality of the Office it self, and the conditions of the Officers be∣came very much altered. For now men of inferiour rank farmed those places, and took the Office upon an yearly rent, and quickly brought the calling into disgrace. So that in the Gospel Publicans are branded with a special note of infamy above other men, and still go hand in hand with the most notorious sinners.

And this, first, generally every where, because of their covetousness, and racking ex∣actions, which are the common fruits of buying and farming of Offices. Tacitus calleth* 1.22 them immodestiam Publicanorum, the immodesty of the Publicans, and mentioneth a ge∣neral complaint against them in the time of Nero, and some reformation of their

injuriousness. And Suidas giveth them this character, The life of the Publicans, is open violence, unpunished rapine, an unseasonable trade, and a shameless merchandize.

Secondly, More especially were men of this profession odious among the Jews; be∣cause, whereas they held themselves to be a freeborn Nation, and that they ought not to subject to any, nor pay tribute, but only their dues to God, and homage to their own King, these wretches, as enemies to the common Liberty, did help forward their sub∣jection in exacting of custom, though they were of the same Nation themselves, comply∣ing too much with the Romans company, contrary to Jews punctualness of sequestrati∣on from the Heathen, and too too much with their tyranny in augmenting those bur∣dens of bondage which they had made heavy enough before.

Ver. 13. Exact no more, &c.

By this answer is approved what is said immediately before, about their extortion, that not only they sided with the Romans, in putting the Jews their own Nation to tribute, but also did aggravate the burthen themselves, by exaction of more then was re∣quired by the Roman Governors. Now it is observable, that of the Pharisees and Sad∣duces the Baptist requireth affirmatively some duties to be done. He that hath two coats, &c. because these people stood upon their own righteousness, and pleaded perfection: therefore will he try them by the touchstone of action: but of the Souldiers and Publi∣cans, he requireth only negatively, some enormities to be foregon: for they being noto∣riously and scandalously wicked, it was necessary they should first cease to do evil, before they could learn or be brought to do good.

Vers. 14. The Souldiers.

These were Romans, or some of other Nations under the Roman pay; for no one can think that the Romans would use the Jews for their garrisons in their own Country, lest they should rebel: and here do the Gentiles first hearken to the Gospel.

§ Do violence to no man, &c.

The Baptist in his answer tyeth both hand, tongue and heart, deed, word, and thought from the injury of another, their profession especially tending so much toward inju∣riousness.

First, he forbiddeth them to open violence in act, whether by blows, ravishing, plun∣der, firing, or such like mischiefs as attend the wars, and go with Souldiers.

Secondly, secret underminings, by false accusing, abusing the power of the Superiour to the wrong of another, when their own could not reach, and sewing the Foxes skin to, when the Lyons was too short. And,

Thirdly, discontentation and repining at their wages, which indeed was the cause and original of both the other. And so is that a main argument used by Percennius, which moved the great mutinie of the three legions in Pannonia, in the very entry of the Reign of Tiberius, Denis in diem assibus corpus & animam aestimari: How poor a thing it was that their lives and bodies were rated and set to sale but at ten farthings a days Tacit. An∣nal. lib. 1.

It is observable in both the answers of the Baptist, to the Publicans and to the Soul∣diers, that he gainsayeth not their professions, but their abuse of them: to the one he forbiddeth not to gather tribute, but to exact more: and to the other not to exercise Souldiery, but practice violenc.

Ver. 15. As the people were in expectation, &c.

Divers things there were that concurred, to make the Jews to think of Christ, when they saw the Baptist, and to muse in heart whether he were he or not.

First, the first and the prime one was the agreement of the time. For they had learned by divers pregnant evidences both in the Law and in the Prophts that this was the time when Christ should come: for now was the Scepter departed from Juda, now was the Law∣giver or Sanhedrin slain by Herod, now were the Romans Lords of their Nation, and now were Daniels seventies expired, by which they knew that this was the time, and now they looked that the Kingdom of Heaven should appear, Luke 19. 11. and they gather together from all Nations to Jerusalem to see its appearing, Act. 2. as was hinted before.

When therefore, secondly, in this time of their great expectation, they behold the ex∣cellent sanctity, piety, and zeal; the admirable strictness, austerity and Spirit; And,

Thirdly, The strange, unusual and powerful manner of the preaching of the Baptist, it is no wonder if they entertained a doubtful and musing thought of him, whether he were the Christ or no. And,

Fourthly, Their longing desire and earnest wishing after Messias his coming, might something forward such a conceit, for facile credimus quod volumus; and the Greek word doth import a desire joyned with their expectation. So Christ in Gen. 49. 10. is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the LXX, the expectation of the Nations; and their desire, Hag. 2. 7. It is not un∣like but the coming of the wise men, the words of Simeon and Anna, and other testimo∣nies of Christ then come, were dispersed among very many, and notice taken of them, and this might be a strengthening and helping forward of this surmise: but that the strangeness of the Baptists birth, and of what befel his Father about it, should be any in∣duction or seconding thereunto, as some do hold, is hard to be believed, unless we can think that either this people had forgot to look after the Tribe of Judah for the Messias, or that Elizabeths alliance to that Tribe, for she was cousin to the Virgin Mary, Luke 1. 36. did satisfie them if they looked after it.

Ver. 16. Iohn answered.

Whereas some hold that John knew the thoughts of their hearts, by the Revelation of the Spirit, for it is said only before that they mused of the matter in their heart, and put it not to question, it is far more probable, that John came to know this their thought, by some outward expression of their own. For among so great a multitude, when they were all in the same doubt and hesitation, it was impossible, but there would break out some whisperings, questions, arguings, or other token of the general conceit, that even a slow and dull apprehension might in short time have found it out.

§. I indeed baptize you, &c.

All the Evangelists have this answer of the Baptist, in regard of the substance, but in some circumstances there is difference among them. As first, whereas Luke saith, that these words were occasioned from him by the thoughts of the people, Matthew, that hitherto hath joyned with him in this story, even to the very words, that hath no such thing as about the questions aforementioned, nor about this supposal, but joyneth this as a con∣tinued speech to the Pharisees and Sadduces: but this needeth to breed no scruple, seeing that it is not only usual, but also necessary among the four, one to relate what another hath omitted, and one to declare at large, what another hath done in brief.

Secondly, Whereas both Luke and Matthew have set this testimony of the Baptist after other speeches of his made before; Mark, as was mentioned before, hath set it the first of all his Preaching, and indeed hath mentioned no speech else: But this he hath done, partly because he would hasten to the Baptism, Preaching, and Miracles of Christ, partly because Matthew had set out the matter at large before; but chiefly to give us to know that this witness went along with John in all his Sermons, and to all companies that came to be baptized.

Thirdly, Whereas Luke hath alledged this speech as an answer to the peoples thoughts, John hath brought it as an answer to an open question, Joh. 1. 25, 26, 27. And here it may be questioned indeed, whether these two speak of one and the same thing, and of the same time: But the resolution is easie, that they do not. For as it is plain by Luke, that these words mentioned by him, proceeded from John before the Baptism of Christ, so is it as plain by John, that those in him came from him after: for in ver. 26. he intimateth that Christ himself had already stood among them, but they knew him not; No nor he him∣self, but by the Holy Ghost, which he saw descend upon him, ver. 33. By which is con∣fimed what was said even now, that John made sure to bear this witness to Christ, at all times, and before all companies. Now because the eyes of the people upon himself, look∣ed at the strangeness of his Baptism, and the sanctity of his person, therefore doth he ap∣ply this his testimony accordingly, by comparing Christ and himself, and his baptism and his together, and proclaiming his own inferiority in both, as far as baptism with water only, is below baptizing with the Holy Ghost, and further then the servant that unties his Masters shoos, below him that wears them.

§. I baptize you.

Mark hath it in another tense, I have baptized: which either may import the conti∣nuedness of Johns baptizing, this being compared with Matthew and Luke as Jansenius hath conjoyned them, I have baptized, and do baptize you. Or, rather doth it inti∣mate that he still baptized the companies that came unto him, and then gave this

testimony to them concerning Christ. For his preaching was first of repentance, and then having won the people to be baptized, he brought them to the water and ba∣ptized them in the name of him that was to come after him, Act. 19. 4. So that these seem to have been the words that he used in sprinkling or applying the water. I baptize thee with water, but a mightier then I cometh, who shall baptize with the Holy Ghost and with fire.

§. With water.

In the Greek it is indifferently, with or in, answerable to the significancy of Beth the Hebrew preposition, either local or instrumental: And according to both senses it may be taken here. For as it is undoubted that John brought those that were to be baptized into the River, Matth. 3. 6. 16. So is it almost as little to be doubted, that when they were there he threw and sprinkled the water upon them, both to answer the types of sprinkling that had preceded in the Law, and the predictions thereof that were given by the Prophets, Ezek. 36. 25. understood by Hierome of baptism, Epist. 83. So Act. 8. 38. The Eunuch first goeth into the water, and then Philip baptizeth him.

§. Water.

As the form of the Church was changed at the coming of Christ, from Jewish to Chri∣stian, and from Legal to Evangelical, so is it no wonder if the Sacraments were changed therewithal. For if Christ were to give a new law, as Moses did the old, which the Jews themselves confess that he must, and the Prophets had foretold that he should do; it was also necessary that he should give these new, as well as other things. But it is some wonder, that seeing he instituted the Sacrament that should succeed the Passover so near to the nature of the Passover, as that it was a supper as well as it, that there should such a main distance and difference be between Baptism and Circumcision, the one of which should succeed the other; for what affinity betwixt washing with water, and cutting off of the foreskin? For the better viewing of the reason of which difference, it will be ne∣cessary to consider the main particulars of either Sacrament apart, and then may the Rea∣der compare them together in their variety.

First, then, Circumcision to Abraham was a seal of the promise, thou shalt be the father of many Nations: but to his seed, of the promise of the Land of Canaan, I will give to thee, and to thy seed, all the Land of Canaan: therefore thou and thy seed after thee, shall keep my Covenant, Gen. 17. 8, 9. And such a different end may be observed in the ad∣ministration of baptism to Christ himself, and the administring of it unto Christians. The Text alledged sealeth the lease of the Land of Canaan to the seed of Abraham with the seal of Circumcision, and confineth that Ceremony only to that Land, and only to their continuance there. And upon this inference, [I will give thy seed the Land of Canaan; therefore shall they keep my Covenant] it was that Joshua, as soon as ever they had set foot upon that Land, was commanded to circumcise them, Josh. 5. And from hence it will follow, first, that that Land must be considered dilated, as far as Circumcision went with the seed of Abraham, in Ishmaelites, Midianites, Edomites and others.

Secondly, Hence they will be found to erect circumcision again in the Church of Christ, that hold the called Jews shall have a temporal Kingdom again in the Land of Canaan.

And, thirdly, hence it may be resolved why that Sacrament was deferred so long, and not given to the World before. Adam, Enoch, Noah, Eber, &c. were not circumcised; because to them a fixed and setled place for the Church to reside together was not designed, but when such a one is designed to Abraham, then circumcision is given also.

The Land of Canaan was bequeathed to Sem by his father Noah, the occasion was, be∣cause Cham, and his Son Canaan derided Noahs nakedness as he lay asleep in the midst of his Tent: when therefore that Land is to be setled upon the right heirs of Sem, to which God in the Prophetick spirit of Noah intended it, a seal, and an assurance there∣of is given in that member, which had been derided by Canaan, to his loss of that Land, and to his perpetual slavery. This was a main reason, why Males alone were circumcised, and why in that member; because a male alone, and that member in him was so derided. Other reasons of the institution of the Ceremony, and only for masculines, and in that part, might concur for instruction [such as are given by Lumbard, Aquinas, Biel, Lyra and others] but that they were not of the nature or essence of the Sacrament, and that this forementioned was the vigor and spirit of it, may be concluded by these two things.

First, That Circumcision concerned not the children of Israel only, but the whole seed of Abraham: For those children of his by his Concubines, that lived in Arabia, as

Ismaelites, Dedanites, Medianites, Midianites, Shuhites, Amalekites, and the rest were circum∣cised as well as Israel in Palestina. Those Countries whither Abraham had sent them to in∣habite were once in the possession of Canaanites, till he obtained them by conquest of the four Kings, Gen. 14. and thither he sendeth them with the seal of Circumcision upon them, which gave them interest in the Land there, as well as Isaac had elswhere: Abraham taught his children, and his houshold after him to keep the way of the Lord, Gen. 18. 19. which though this off-spring of his in Arabia did not long in other things, yet in circumcision it did. So that from hence may result the observation of another end, and reason of the institution of this Ceremony, namely, for distinction, not of Israel from other Nations, as Lyranus would have it, but of the seed of Abraham from all other people.

Secondly, Howsoever all the Israelites dwelling before the coming of our Saviour out of the Land of Canaan, as both of the Babylonian and Grecian dispersion, used Cicum∣cision in Heathens Lands, and used it lawfully; yet it was because their claim and interest to the Land of Canaan did still continue: nay, this was one reason why it held up some store of years after Christ his coming and ascension: but when Jerusalem was destroyed, and their lease of that Land of promise, either expired or forfeited, or both; then did this seal of it fall and come to ruine also, and might not lawfully be used ever after: and when they must for ever relinquish the Land, they must for ever also relinquish this seal or Ceremony that had assured it. This well considered, will cause us also to observe:

First, That the interest of Israel in the holy Land began to shake, when baptism came to shoulder out Circumcision. Secondly, That John most properly preached much of the Kingdom of Heaven, for their earthly one began to cease when baptism began to extin∣guish Circumcision.

As Circumcision it self had relation to the inheritance of the Land of the Canaanites: so the fixed time for the administration of it; namely, the eighth day seemeth also to have some aim and respect to the same thing. For seven nations were in that Land, which the Children of Abraham were to subdue and dwell in their stead, Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites, Deut. 7. 1. Josh. 3. 10. In cor∣respondency to this number of seven Nations that were to be subdued, Jericho the first field fought in that Land, is compassed seven days, and seven - times the seventh day. And in like answerableness, every child of Abraham for seven days, was like the chil∣dren of those seven Nations, but on the eighth day he was to receive circumcision the pledge of that interest and claim that he had in that Land, which those seven Nations had usurped.

This then was the ground-work and Original of that Sacrament, that every Son of Abraham might bear in his body the seal of the inheritance of the Land of promise, and the badge of distinction from all other people, and that this visible sign might make him strive after the invisible grace which it sealed, the inheritance of Heaven, and walking as the peculiar of the Lord. From which appropriated and restrictive ends of the Rite, the necessity of the changing of it at the coming of Christ doth plainly ap∣pear: for when there was to be no more distinction betwixt the children of Abraham, and other people, and no one land more peculiarized then another, but of every Land and Nation he that feareth God, and worketh righteousness is accepted of him; that badge of appropriation, and seal of singularity, must either clean come to nothing, or become unnecessary.

Now that baptism did succeed in the stead thereof, some reasons may be given. As, first, because the Sacraments of the New Testament were to be gentle and easie, in stead of the smart and burdensom ones of the Law. Secondly, Because God would comply with men even in their own common custom, of washing children when they are newly born, Ezek. 16. 4. 9. and turn the common to a sacred use, thereby to catch and win them the more. But, thirdly, this one main reason may serve for all; namely, the near correspon∣dency that is between the Sacrament, and the thing signified, and the full significancy that the element beareth of the grace that it signeth forth. To which, fourthly, might be added, that baptism took place in the Christian Church, to fulfil the types and predicti∣ons that had gone before of it under Moses Law, and before. As in the flood and Ark, 1 Pet. 3. 21. in the passage through the red Sea and Jordan, 1 Cor. 10. 2. in the purificati∣ons and sprinklings at the Sanctuary: But especially in four remarkable particulars, was this fore-signified and typed out in a special manner.

First, In Jacobs admission of the preserved Sichemites to his family and communion, Gen. 35. 2. And Jacob said to his houshold, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange Gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments. Wherein he injoyneth them three things for their admission to his Church. 1. To relinquish their idolatry. 2. To wash or baptize their bodies, for so must the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Make your selves clean, be understood, and so it is well rendred by Aben Ezra. Especially, 3. Since he giveth

order for the changing of their garments: All three containing the cleansing of their minds, bodies and cloaths. And there observe, first, that when Circumcision in the next Chapter before had proved a Sacrament of death to the Sichemites; Jacob useth baptism for admission of Proselytes in the stead thereof. Secondly, That the company to be ad∣mitted are females, [unless there were some Syrian male Idolaters] for all the males of Sechem were slain, Gen. 34. 25. or at the least, the most of them, and therefore he useth a Sacrament which women also might come under, for under circumcision they did not come.

Secondly, In the admission of the Israelites to the hearing of the Law, by sanctification and washing, Exod. 19. 10. from which the Jews themselves did ground the baptizing of Proselytes, as a special ground.

Thirdly, At the making of the Covenant at Sinai, the introduction of Israel to the vi∣sible Church, was by baptism, or the sprinkling of water as well as of blood, as saith St. Paul, Heb. 9. 19. yea, and even the Jews themselves. Our Rabbins teach, saith Rabbi Solomon, that our Fathers entred into the Covenant, and baptism, and sprinkling of blood: for there was no sprinkling of blood without baptism. R. Sol. in loc. 4. In that in the times of David and Solomon, when heathens were converted to the Jews Religion by multitudes, their admission to their Church was by baptism, and not by circumcision. And the groundwork of this their practise, was, because, Israel coming out of Egypt washed their garments; and the Priests coming from their common employments, to their function, washed their bodies: Let all be concluded in the words of the Talmud, Rabbi Akiba said, O Israel you are blessed: Before whom are ye justified or cleansed? Or who is he that cleanseth you? It is your heavenly Father, as it is said, I will pour clean water upon you. In Kip∣purim.

Our Masters say, That bastards and Gibeonites, shall be all iustified in time to come. And this is the doctrine of Ezekiel, as it is written, I will pour clean water upon you. In Kiddushin.

Matth. 3. ver. 11. Unto repentance.

Here the Schools think they find a main difference between the baptism of John, and the baptism used in the Christian Church; because that was only the baptism of repen∣tance, and the other of grace, and remission of sins: but that there was no essential or substantial difference between them, shall be seen anon.

Luke 3. ver. 16. But one mightier then I cometh.

Though by this mightiness of Christ above the Baptist, his omnipotency or all-power∣fulness as he is God, may well and truly be understood, as many Expositors do take it, yet since John speaketh of him, as he should shew himself among the people when he came, and in comparison with himself as concerning preaching and baptizing, it cannot be but his words have respect to some particular things, wherein Christ shewed this migh∣tiness above John, yea, even conversing among men in his humane flesh, and in what re∣spected his preaching and ministerial Office. And these may be reduced unto these four heads.

First, The power of miracles, which Christ had, but John had not: For John wrought no miracle, Joh. 10. 41. Nor was it fit he should, since he in whom that power rested as in its proper center, was so near to come, and so ready to shew it.

Secondly, In the different power of the Preaching of John, and of our Saviour, and their conversion of the people, John many, but Christ far more, as Joh. 3. 26.

Thirdly, In the seal and confirmation of their Doctrine and Ministry; for whereas John sealed it with his death, our Saviour did not only so, but also with his resur∣rection.

Fourthly, In continuance and increase of their preaching, and Disciples, and this dif∣ference John sheweth himself, Joh. 3. 30. To which may be annexed the excellency of Christs baptism above that of Johns, which is the very thing that is in comparison, I baptize you with water, but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.

§. The latchet of whose shoos I am not worthy to unloose.

The sense is but strained which delighteth so many, namely, that John confesseth under this simile, that he is unable to resolve the great mystery of the incarnation; Seeing Matthew giveth this his speech in other words, and Mark by adding one word more to these, maketh it more necessary to take them in their literal meaning. For Matthew hath it thus, Whose shoos I am not worthy to bear, and Mark. The latchet of whose shoos, I

am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. Both joyntly shewing, that the Baptist hath no mystical and figurative meaning in this his speech, but doth in plain and down-right terms aver his inferiority to Christ, that was to come after him, to be infinitely great, and more then a servants that ties his Masters shoos, or carries them, is to his Master. For these meanest and basest of offices of servant to Master, he instanceth in, that he might express the infinite distance betwixt him and Christ, the more to the life, and to the peo∣ples apprehension.

§. He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.

Hence ariseth that opinion so mightily taken up in the Schools, and imbraced, concer∣ning the great disparity and difference betwixt the Baptism used in the Christian Church, and the Baptism of John; for this (say they) could not confer grace, but the other doth, and Johns was but as a mean betwixt the purifications of the Jews, and the baptism of Christians. In which, first, the words of the Baptist are misconstrued, and secondly, there is a difference pretended where there is none at all.

For, first, John compareth not his own baptism with ours, but his own with Christs. For that he meaneth not the baptism that Christ instituted to be used by others, but that he practised and exhibited personally himself, is plain, in that he mentioneth not water in Christs baptizing, which our Saviour himself doth, when he speaketh of the baptism that they mean, Joh. 3. 5. and in that he saith personally that Christ should baptize, which with water he never did, Joh. 4. 2.

Secondly, By the Holy Ghost, wherewith Christ should baptize, is not meant the grace concomitant to our Christian baptism, as they suppose, but his sending down the ex∣traordinary gifts of the Spirit, as is plain by our Saviours own exposition, Act. 1. 5. For John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. Where using the very same words with these of the Baptist, and applying the baptizing with the Holy Ghost plainly and undeniably to his sending down of the Holy Ghost on Pentecost day, he hath given a sure, plain and undoubted explanation of these words.

Thirdly, Neither, if the baptism of John, and the baptism used in the Christian Church be well compared together, will any such difference or diversity be found betwixt them, nay, set the form of words aside, no difference at all.

For, first, They both had the same institution from Christ, for he that sent the Apostles to baptize, sent also the Baptist, John 1. 33.

Secondly, They both had the same element, water.

Thirdly, They had both the same end, repentance. For though our Christian baptism is called the Baptism for remission of sins, Act. 2. 38. &c. and a great deal of preeminence of this, above that of John, picked as is thought out of that title, yet is it no more then what is said of the baptism of John, Mark 1. 4.

Fourthly, Whereas it is commonly said, that one end of our Saviours being baptized was, that he might sanctifie our baptism, how can this be supposed, if he received not our baptism, but one different from it?

Fifthly, The Disciples were baptized with no baptism but that of John, for Christ ba∣ptized them not, and who other should do, it cannot be imagined, and therefore if this of ours be more excellent then Johns, we have a better baptism then the Apostles that first administred it.

Sixthly, and lastly, Howsoever the Schools without any stumbling, do hold rebaptiza∣tion of those that had received the baptism of John, this crosseth their own tenet, that his was a degree above the washings under the Law, for their imperfection was shewed by their reiteration, and in this they make his to differ nothing at all. And whereas it is said, Act. 19. 5. that some that were baptized with the baptism of John upon Pauls in∣struction of them, were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus: it was rather their re∣newing to their baptism, then their baptism to them, and not that they took any other then that of John, but that they now began to entertain and apply it to the right in∣tent. As it may be exemplified in circumcision in any heathen son of Abraham: as in Jethro for an instance. He was circumcised while he was an unbeliever, because he was a Midianite, a child of Abraham; now when he came to be a convert, and imbraced the true Religion, he was not to be circumcised again, for that was not possible, but he then began to know and apply the right use and meaning of his circumcision, and so was re∣newed to it, and not it to him: Or those words, [When they heard this they were ba∣ptized in the name of the Lord Jesus,] may be understood to be the words of Paul, and not of Luke, as see Beza in loc.

This phraze of baptizing with the Holy Ghost sheweth, first, the restoring of the Holy Ghost, which long ago was departed from Israel, and gone up.

Secondly, The abundance and plenteousness of that gift when it should be exhibited, that it should be as water poured upon them, as the word is used, Joel 2. 28.

Thirdly, It sheweth whither all the washings and purifyings of the Law aimed, and had respect, namely to the washing and purging of men by the Holy Ghost.

§. You.

That is, some of you, as 1 Sam. 8. 11. He will take your sons, that is, some of them: or You, that is, the people, as Deut. 18. 15. The Lord shall raise to thee a Prophet, that is, to thy people, and unto him you shall hearken, that is, the Nation of your posterity.

§. And with fire.

From Isa. 4. 4. The Lord shall wash the filthiness of the Daughter of Zion, and purge the blood of Jerusalem out of the middest thereof, by the spirit of Judgment, and by the spirit of burning. It is easily to be resolved what John meaneth here by fire, seeing our Saviour himself hath applied the other part of his speech to the coming down of the Ho∣ly Ghost on Pentecost day, when we know he appeared in the visible shape of Tongues of fire, Act. 2. Now Christs baptizing in this manner with fire, was, 1. That the gi∣ving of the Holy Ghost might fully answer the giving of the Law, both for time and manner, for both were given at Pentecost, and both in fire. 2. To express the various operations of the Holy Ghost, which are fitly resembled and represented by the effects of fire: As 1. To inlighten with knowledge; 2. To inflame with zeal; 3. To burn up corruption; 4. To purifie the nature; 5. To turn the man to its own qualification of sanctity, as fire maketh all things that it seiseth like it self. 3. To strike terror in the hearts of men, lest they should despise the Gospel, and to win reverence to the Holy Ghost, for fear of the fire. 4. Hereby was clearly and fully shewed, the life and signi∣ficancy of the sacrifices under the Law, upon whom there came a fire from Heaven: in∣timating that they are lively sacrifices, and accepted, who are inflamed by the Holy Ghost from above.

And thus the two elements that have and shall destroy the world, water and fire, hath God been pleased to use for the benefit and salvation of his chosen.

Vers. 17. Whose fan is in his hand.

By the fan in the hand of Christ, the most Expositors understand the power of judge∣ment that God the Father hath committed to him, For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgement to the Son, Joh. 5. 22. And thus some take it for an argument against security to all: and others, against Apostasie to those that have been baptized with the Holy Ghost: and that as the Baptist in the former words hath told what Christ would do, at his first coming and appearance, so in these, what he will do at his second: but I rather adhere to the interpretation of them that by the Fan of Christ, under∣stand the Gospel, and his preaching and publication of the same; and that upon these reasons:

First, Because unless it be thus taken, we have not here any testimony at all given by the Baptist to the people, concerning that part of the Office of Christ. Now that being a matter of so great importance, as that the Prophets do more insist upon the preaching of Christ, and his power in the Gospel, then upon any other thing that concerned him in the work of Redemption, and this being in several respects more regardable then his baptizing with the Holy Ghost, it cannot be imagined that John should omit to bear witness of him for such a thing, nay it had been to neglect to bear witness of him for the chief thing of all.

Secondly, Because the Gospel or the Word of God is the proper touchstone that trieth and differenceth betwixt gold and dross, truth and falshood, pure and vile: and this is the instrument wherewith he confoundeth every strong hold that exalteth it self against himself, Isa. 11. 4. 2 Thes. 2. 8. Revel. 1. 16. & 2. 16. And,

Thirdly, Because John speaketh of Christ as he should presently shew himself among them, as it is apparent in the verse preceding, and not as he should shew himself at the end of the world.

§. His floor.

If these words and those that follow, be applied to the whole Church in all places, and at all times in general, the application may be very profitable and pertinent, as giving

warning to all men, to bring forth the fruits of repentance, for fear of the judgement to come, and so the end of this verse may be of the same use with the end of the ninth to all men whatsoever; but that by the floor of Christ in this place is meant the Church of Israel, or the nation of the Jews alone, may be concluded upon these obser∣vations:

First, That the title given, His floor, is but the very Epithet of Isaiah, that he giveth to Israel, Isa. 21. 10. Oh my threshing, and the corn of my floor: which though some Ex∣positors both Jewish and Christian apply to Babel, yet let the Reader upon common reason, and serious examination be the Judge.

Secondly, Because the phrase of fanning of that Nation betokeneth their final de∣solation, Jer. 15. 7. I will fan them with a fan in the gates of the Land: and the Ba∣ptist seemeth in these expressions his fan and his floor, to have reference to these two Prophets.

Thirdly, Because the words being thus appropriated to Israel, they have the more agreement with the verses preceding, which tell of the wrath to come upon that Nati∣on, and of the ax already laid to the root of that tree.

Fourthly, The phrase of throughly purging, which the Greek word importeth, [and the same word is used both by Luke and Mark] denoteth a final separation of the Wheat and chaff, and an utter consumption of the wicked, and this being spoken only to the Jews, and to those Gentiles that were mingled with them, they cannot so fitly be ap∣plyed to any thing as to that Nation, and their utter desolation; for God had often pur∣ged them before; but now their thorough purging is near at hand, when Christ by the fan of the Gospel shall have sifted and tried them, and found them out, who was Wheat, and who was chaff. And,

Fifthly, This Exposition is consented to, even by the Jews themselves, the more anci∣ent of whom have held, that the coming of Christ should be the final desolation of their Nation. So doth their whole Sanhedrin confess, Joh. 11. 48. This man doth many mi∣racles, and if we let him alone, all men will believe on him, and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and Nation. And to the same tenor of confession is that collecti∣on of the Talmud cited ere while from the last verse of the tenth Chapter of Isaiah, and the first of the eleventh, where the fall of the forest and Lebanon, and the coming of the branch out of the stem of Jesse, are laid together. And to the same purpose doth the Chaldee Paraphrast render Isa. 66. 7. Before her pains came, she was redeemed, and be∣fore the pangs of her birth, Messias her King was revealed. A Text from which Rabbi Samuel bar Nachaman in Bereshith Rabba concludeth that the destruction of the Temple, and the birth of the Messias should be near together.

And lastly, that this verse, as it was spoken only, so also is to be applied only to the Jews, may be somewhat inferred from the Titles given to the parties spoken of, wheat and chaff, which both grow from one root, and come up upon the same stalk: resembling fit∣ly both the believing and unbelieving Jews, or the godly and wicked of them, both de∣scended from the same National Original. And to back this observation, it is observable, that whereas our Saviour maketh his metaphor of Wheat and Tares, because he would only shew the difference betwixt the righteous and the wicked, the Baptist doth his of Wheat and chaff, because he would not only shew the same difference in condition, but also their agreement and identity in Nation.

§. The Wheat he will gather.

By Wheat and chaff, might very well be understood true and false doctrine, and the ra∣ther because the Scripture elswhere calleth them by such terms, Jer. 23. 28. and maketh the fire of the Word of God, the trier and touchstone of them both, 1 Cor. 3. 12, 13, 15. from Deut. 33. 2. and the rather still, because the words are spoken to Pharisees and Sadduces, which were both very erroneous in their tenets: but that it will be very harsh to apply the gathering into the Garner, and the unquenchableness of the fire in refe∣rence to doctrine: therefore the two different titles are severally and properly to be understood of righteous and wicked mens persons differenced in those their several qua∣lifications: and under this interpretation may the truth or falsity of doctrine be also understood: Now the righteous or Saints of God, are fitly compared to Wheat in di∣verse respects, as in goodness, usefulness, weight and fulness, whereas the wicked on the contrary are like chaff, in being refuse, vile, unprofitable, light, empty, and fittest for the fire.

§. He will gather.

The observation is not far amiss, especially the significancy and force of the Greek word regarded, that from hence inferreth, that the righteous lie scatteredly and dispersedly among the wicked: but the word gathering doth not always necessarily import so much, for a Leper was said to be gathered when he was cleansed, 2 King. 5. 3. which was not from amongst men, but unto them: and the manner of speech here, seemeth to be taken from the gathering of harvest or ripe fruits, Exod. 23. 16. or from the gathering of dying men unto their rest, as Gen. 25. 8. 17.

§. Into the Garner.

Seeing that the main intent of the verse is to shew forth the destruction of Jerusalem, as is proved before, by these words might well be understood the care and charge that God took of his faithful ones in that ruine, when by the warning of a voice in the Tem∣ple that said Migremus hinc, let us flit hence, he removed them to Pella, a place far enough distant from the danger, but that our Saviour hath taught us to understand it of the rest in Heaven, in his parable of the Wheat and Tares, Matth. 13.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Ministry of John the Baptist the be∣ginning of the Gospel. Multi∣tudes baptized
• f 1.2

  A rough garment, the garb of a Pro∣phet, Zech. 13. 4
• g 1.3

  See Elias so arrayed, 2 King. 1. 8.
• h 1.4

  A clean meat, Liv. 11. 22.
• i 1.5

  Honey a∣broad in the fields, a Deut. 32. 13. Judg. 14. 8. 1 Sam. 14. 26.
• l 1.6

  The same word is used by the LXX. Psal. 74. 6. Judg. 9. 48. 1 Sam. 13. 20. the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which the Syrian hath is used by the Chaldee Par. Joh. 14. 20. or in our English 29. v.
• a 1.7

  Called Clau∣dius Tiberius Nero, and for his vitiousness and intempe∣rance, Claudius Bib••rius Mero, Su••t. in Ti. c. 42.
• b 1.8

  Pontius was a common pr••nomen among the Ro∣mans, as Pon∣tius Nigrinus, Dion. lib. 58. Pontius Fregel∣lanus Tac. an. l. 6 & Pontia, Id. ib. lib. 13. derived belike a ponte.
• c 1.9

  A Pilo, a Roman weapon or pila a pillar.
• d 1.10

  In Josephus called Ananus.
• e 1.11

  Not Christ the crier, and John his voice, as some would understand it, but John the crier, and his voice, his preaching.
• * 1.12

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or Jo∣ni••••, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 from the Hebr.: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 It properly signi∣fieth the upper garment, as in the LXX, Gen. 37. 3. Matth. 5. 40. Athen. deipnos. lib. 1. T••lli as gave to five hundred horse∣men, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, A coat and a suite.
• ‖ 1.13

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Ister in A••ticis saith, It is not lawful to carry Figs out of A••tica which grew there, because the Inhabitants may enjoy them themselves: And whereas many were found out, that stole them forth of the Country, those that detected any such to the Magistrates, were at first called Syc••phants. Athen. d••ipn. lib. 3. At the first the honestest and best men of repute, were ap∣pointed to be Overseers in this matter about Transportation; but in time, the Office being abused, the name came into utter disgrace, Idem Ibid. and so a Sycophant was no better then a common Barretor. This is the custom of Sycophants, that they themselves will begin to speak evil of a man, and to utter something against him as in secret, that another hearing so much, may also be induced to speak the like, and so become liable to be accused: For this they do without danger, because they do it upon a Plot, &c. Dion. Cass. lib. 58.
• † 1.14

  The Greek here useth a Latin word, Opsonium, as being spoken to the Roman Souldiers, and a word with which they were best acquainted. Caius panaria cum ••psonio viri••im dedit, Sueton. in Calo. cap. 18. Used again, Rom. 6. 23.
• * 1.15

  Stra. lib. 1••.
• ‖ 1.16

  Plin. lib. 5. cap. 23.
• * 1.17

  Strab. ubi suprae. Plin. l. 5. c. 18.
• * 1.18

  Vid. Suid. in vo••e. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.19

  Vid. Talm. Bab. Basileae, tom. 6. in fine.
• * 1.20

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a portion.
• * 1.21

  Epist. lib. 13. 10
• * 1.22

  Annal. lib. 13.