Clavis mystica a key opening divers difficult and mysterious texts of Holy Scripture; handled in seventy sermons, preached at solemn and most celebrious assemblies, upon speciall occasions, in England and France. By Daniel Featley, D.D.

THE SPIRITUALL BETHESDA. A Sermon preached at a Christening in Lambeth Church, the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Lord Duke of Buckingham being God-Fathers, October 29. Anno Dom. 1619. THE SIXTEENTH SERMON.

MARKE 1.9.

And it came to passe in those dayes that Jesus came from Nazareth of Ga∣lilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan.

BEing to treate of a subject agreeable to the occasion of our present meeting, I have made choice of this Scripture, representing unto us the baptisme and (if I may so speake) the christening of Christ him∣selfe.

1 Because the baptisme of Christ here related by the Evangelist cleansed the holy Font, and sanctified the river Jordan, and other waters, to the spirituall ablution of the soule, and fetching out of stains and spots out of the conscience, not by the infusi∣on of any supernaturall quality into the water, but by annexing a gratious promise to the religious use of the element, according to his ordinance. For to this end especially (as Sainta 1.1 Austine observeth) our Saviour would bee baptized, To sanctifie the Font in himselfe, not to cleanse him∣selfe in the Font. In which respect wee may rightly tearme Christ his

baptisme, baptisma baptismatis, the christening of baptisme it selfe, in as much as our Lord by the descending into the water, raised it above it's owne pitch, and of a corporall Bath made it a spirituall Laver, of an earthly Element an heavenly Sacrament; and this I take to bee the riches which that holy Father saith Christ put into the river Jordan, in like manner as the Geographers report, that the Indians yeerely throw in a great masse of gold and silver into the river Ganges. Christs body, saith hee,b 1.2 was washed, and the streame thereby was enriched; the body received not vertue from the water, but the water from his body.

2 Because Christ was not baptized for himselfe, but for us, to wash a∣way that filth and corruption which wee draw from the loines of our pa∣rents. As the cause of his baptisme was in us, so the effect was for us; hee was baptized corporally in his naturall body, that wee might bee baptized spiritually in his mysticall. As for himselfe, his immaculate conception preserved him from originall corruption; and therefore the remedy of baptisme, to him in respect of himselfe, was needlesse, on whom the disease neither had nor could fasten: but as for us he had bin before circumcised, so for us was he now baptized, who believe and are baptized in his name. Soc 1.3 himselfe testifieth. As our superfluities were pared off with his knife in cir∣cumcision, so our spots were washed away with water in baptisme: by his baptisme of water wee are cleansed from originall, and by his baptisme of blood in the garden and on the crosse, from all our actuall sinne. When hee went downe into the river, hee carried our old man with him, and drow∣ned him there in Jordan. To which point Saintd 1.4 Ambrose speaketh as fully as elegantly; One dived into the water, but he washed all; one descended that wee might all ascend; one tooke upon him the sinnes of all, that hee might destroy the sinnes of all in himselfe.

3 Because Christs baptisme was the perfect sampler and patterne of ours. For as Christ was washed with water, so is a Christian. As when Christ was baptized thee 1.5 three persons in the Trinity manifested them∣selves, the Father by a voice from heaven, the Sonne by the water, the holy Ghost by the dove; so likewise in our baptisme the three persons are expresly mentioned, In the name of the Father, &c. Lastly, as at Christs baptisme the heavens were opened, and the holy Spirit descended on our Saviour in the similitude of a dove, so at the christening of the children of the faithfull, who are innocent like doves, the heavens are opened, and the grace of the holy Spirit descendeth upon them: and after this their new birth by Water and the Spirit, God acknowledgeth them for his Sonnes. Thus farre you heare a perfect concord betweene Christs baptisme and ours: but in one circumstance, which I am now to touch upon, there seemeth a discord: for Christ was baptized in his perfect age, wee in our infancy or nonage. In those dayes, saith myf 1.6 Evangelist, about the be∣ginning of Johns baptisme, which was in the fifteenth yeere of the reigne of Tiberius Caesar,* 1.7 when Jesus himselfe began to bee about thirty yeeres of age. At which circumstance of time the Anabaptists greedily catch, as men that are in danger of drowning lay hold on flagges, and rotten stakes by the bank side that are not able to support them. For though Christ were not baptized till hee came to his perfect age, it doth not thence ensue that wee ought 〈…〉〈…〉

our baptisme so long, or that if we were christened in our infancy, wee ought to bee baptized againe in our perfect age, when wee can give a good account of the hope that is in us, after the manner of the Anabaptists. For neither was Christ rebaptized, neither is Christs case and ours alike. Not therefore to lay much stresse upon Aquinas his resolution, that Christ was baptized in his perfect age, to shew that baptisme maketh a man perfect, which is in effect to say, that this delay of baptisme in Christ was of a my∣sticall signification, not for our necessary imitation. I answer that Christ his example in this case ought to bee no president for us; and that for many reasons:

1 Our Saviour in his infancy received circumcision, which then was in stead of baptisme, it being the authenticall seale of Gods covenant: and it was not requisite that two broad seales, if I may so call them, of the King of heaven should bee put to the same deed, at the same time, both being entire. Neither was it convenient that the figure and the verity, the type and the antitype, the sacrament of the old and of the new should meet at the same period; but that there should be a good distance of time between them.

2 Christ needed not baptisme at all for himselfe, being conceived and borne without sinne, and therefore there could be no danger in deferring his baptisme in that regard: but wee are conceived and borne in sinne, and have no remedy to heale the leprous contagion of our birrh, but by being washed in this Jordan, which Christ sanctified by his baptisme. Wherefore it is no way safe for us to put off this sacrament, the onely cure of this ma∣lady, lest God take us out of this world whilst our filthy scurfe and sores are upon us.

3 Christ desired not to bee baptized of John, to bee cleansed thereby, but either (as I shewed before) to sanctifie baptisme it selfe, or to receive a testimony from the Father and from John, and to declare himselfe to the world; in which regard hee deferred his baptisme till the time was come when hee should take off the vaile from his face, and suffer the rayes of di∣vine majesty to breake forth.

4 Our Font is alwayes open, or ready to bee opened, and the Minister attends to receive the children of the faithfull, and dip them in that sacred Laver: but in Christs infancy there was neither Baptist nor baptisme. Before our Saviour was thirty yeeres of age, either Saint John had not his Commission to baptize, or at least began not to execute it: but as soone as hee tooke upon him that holy office, and unsealed the sacred Font, and multitudes came to him from all parts; In those dayes came Jesus from Ga∣lilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan.

Having spoken of the substance, Christs baptisme, let us now poize the circumstances, which are all weighty, and beare downe the scale of Christs humility to the ground.

1 That Christ in his perfect age should take, if I may so speake, the fe∣straw into his hand, and bee entred in his Primer, and receive the token of the first admittance into his owne schoole.

2 That he should not expect John to come and tender his service to him, but should take a long journey to meet with the Baptist.

3 That hee should daigne to let him lay his hands on his head, who was not worthy tog 1.8 untye his shooe; that the fountaine of all christianity, in whose name wee are all baptized, should receive his christendome, as wee speake, from another, and bee baptized in the open and common river Jor∣dan. Each of these considerations addeth a degree of descent to our Savi∣ours humility, and consequently a degree of ascent to his glory. For there is nothing more glorious than for highest majesty to humble himselfe in the lowest and lowliest manner. Theh 1.9 tree that is at the highest pitch can no otherwise grow than downeward. 1 If Christ would bee baptized, why not in his infancy? why in his perfect age would hee stoope to the chil∣drens Font, or, to speake more properly, the spirituall Lazars bath, in those dayes when hee was about thirty yeeres of age? 2 If in that age hee would be baptized, to grace and countenance Johns baptisme, why yet did hee not send for John to come to him? why did hee take a voyage to John? why did hee seeke after, and runne to his forerunner? Jesus came from Ga∣lilee. 3 If hee would take such a journey to be baptized, having no need of baptisme for himselfe, to fulfill all righteousnesse for us, why would hee not bee baptized by ani 1.10 Angell, who first named him Jesus, but by John his servant? Was baptized of John. 4 If hee would bee baptized by a man, the rather to prove his manhood, or countenance the ministery of man, why gave hee not order for some Font of gold to bee made for him, in a princely palace? why would hee uncloath himselfe in the open ayre, and goe downe into the common river Jordan, to bee washed there as an ordinary man? Why all this, but to exalt his glory by humility, and to teach us to stoope low, when wee enter in at the gate of Christs schoole?

In those dayes, &c. Perfection it selfe in his full age taketh the remedy of our imperfections; Jesus receiveth baptisme. The way it selfe taketh along and tedious journey; Jesus came from Nazareth to Galilee. Thek 1.11 fountain of all purity is washed, And was baptized. The Lord and author of baptisme re∣ceiveth his owne badge and cognizance from his servant, Of John. The boundlesse ocean descendeth into the river, In Jordan. Well might, saith Barradius, the heavens bee opened, that the Angels might behold this wonderfull sight. A strange and wonderfull baptisme indeed, in which he that was washed was purer than the Font it selfe, in which the person is not sanctified by the Sacrament, but the Sacrament by the person. A strange and wonderfull baptisme, in which he is baptized with water, who baptizeth with the holy Ghost and with fire. A strange and wonderfull bap∣tisme, in which the person baptized is the Sonne of God, and the two wit∣nesses the Father and the holy Spirit. A strange and wonderfull baptisme, in which not the Church doore but heaven gates were opened, and in stead of a Sermon from the mouth of a mortall man, there was heard a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased. Ob∣serve, I beseech you, in this and other straines of the sweet harmony of the Evangelists, how the Bases and Trebles answer one the other; how where they depresse our Saviour most in his humanity, there they raise him high∣est in his divinity. In the passages of one and the selfe same story, where you finde most pregnant proofes of his infirmity and humility as man, there you have also most evident demonstration of his majesty and glory

as God. What greater humility than to lye for many moneths in the dark prison of the Virgins wombe, and to bee borne of a poore handmaid? this sheweth him to bee a true man; yet what greater glory than to bee conceived of the holy Ghost, and to have a regiment of heavenly Souldiers, to guard him as it were into the world, and a quire of Angels to sing at his birth? this demonstrateth him to bee God. What greater argument of his humility than to bee borne in an Inne, lodged in a Stable, and laid in a Manger? this sheweth him to bee virum dolorum, a man in distresse and great necessity; yet what greater glory than to bee manifested by a starre, and presented by the Heathen Sages with Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrhe? this demonstrateth him to bee God. What greater humili∣ty than to bee carried up and downe from place to place by Satan, and to bee tempted by that foule fiend? this sheweth him to bee a man; yet what greater glory than to be attended on, and ministred unto byl 1.12 Angels in the desart? this demonstrateth him to bee God. What greater humi∣lity than to suffer himselfe to bee taken by the high Priests servants armed with swords and staves against him, as if hee had beene a Malefactor? this sheweth him to bee a man, and that of little or no reputation among the Rulers; yet what greater glory than with the breath of his mouth to cast downe those that assaulted him, and make them fallm 1.13 backeward to the ground, in such sort that hee might have trampled them under his feete? this demonstrateth him to bee God. What greater humility than to bee nailed to the crosse, and to dye in torments? this sheweth him to bee a mortall man; yet what greater glory than at his death to eclipse the sunne, and obscure the heavens, and move the earth, and cleave the rockes, and rend the vaile of the Temple from the toppe to the bottome, and open graves? this demonstrateth him to be God In like manner here in my text, what greater testimony of humility, than to descend into the river, and suffer himselfe to bee baptized by John? yet what greater glory than at his baptisme to have the heavens opened, and the holy Ghost in a visible shape to descend upon him, and God the Father from heaven to acknowledge him for his Sonne? this demonstrateth him to bee God. But to bound my selfe within the eclipticke line of my text, where it followeth, Jesus came from

Nazareth of Galilee. Nazareth was a little towne or village in Galilee, where our Saviour dwelt with his parents for many yeeres, and from his a∣boad there tooke the appellation of Nazarene. This his countrey with his person was highly exalted upon the crosse the Trophee of his victory over the world; as appeareth by that inscription, Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jewes.n 1.14 Nazareth signifieth florem, or virgultum ejus, a flower, or a twigge, derived fromo 1.15 Natsar, to keepe, or warily to looke to, because flowers or tender plants need care, lest they bee blowne downe with a winde, or otherwise wronged. Upon which grounds Saintp 1.16 Bernard thus pleasantly descanteth: The sweet flower of Jesse would bee conceived in the wombe of the blessed virgin, a most sweet and unblasted flower, planted in Na∣zareth the flower of Galilee, that he might budde and become a Nazarene, that is, a flourishing flower. I will adde no more at this time of Naza∣reth, but that as it was said of Archelaus, thatq 1.17 Euripides was not famous for his acquaintance with Archelaus, but Archelaus for his acquaintance

with Euripides: so for ought I ever read, Christ was not ennobled by Na∣zareth, but Nazareth honoured, nay rather eternized by Christs dwelling in it. This Nazareth is situate in Galilee, where our Lord first preached the Gospell of the Kingdome, and declared the power of his Deity by many signes and wonders; and because his Countrey-men shewed least respect to his person, and gave least credit to his doctrine, it fell out by the just judgement of God in the conquest of Palaestine by the Romanes, that the Galileans first smarted for their unbeliefe, the whole countrey being spoi∣led and laid waste by Vespasian. From Galilee we returne with our Saviour to Judaea, where hee met John, and was

Baptized of him. At the first mention of our Lords baptisme this obje∣ction offereth it selfe to every mans conceit. The whole need not the Phy∣sitian, but they that are sicke; the cleane need not to be washed, but they that are foule; the innocent neede not to aske or receive pardon, but the guilty; why then should the health and salvation of all mankind take this purge? why should the immaculate lambe bee washed in the Font? why did hee desire the seale of remission of sinnes, who knew no sinne, neither was there guile found in his mouth? 1 S.r 1.18 Ambrose answereth, that our Lord was baptized, not that hee might bee cleansed by the water, but (as was touched before) intending thereby to cleanse and sanctifie the water, that being washed by Christs flesh, it might thereby bee elevated to bee an instrument of the holy Ghost in the spirituall washing of the soule. 2 Saints 1.19 Austine addeth that our Saviour vouchsafed to bee baptized, to draw all men to Christian baptisme; for why should any refuse to come to the Lords baptisme, when the Lord himselfe daigned to come to the baptisme of his servant? 3 Saint Jerome assigneth a third reason of Christs receiving baptisme from John, viz. that hee might ratifie, and give authority to Saint Johns baptisme. 4t 1.20 Calvin yeeldeth a fourth reason, that the faithfull might bee more assured that they are engraffed into Christ, and are buried together with him in baptisme, that they may rise up againe with him in newnesse of life. But our Saviours reason must stand for all, thus it becom∣meth to fulfill all righteousnesse: the righteousnesse of the law hee had ful∣filled in that behalfe, in being circumcised the eighth day; and now hee began to fulfill the righteousnesse of the Gospell. The ceremoniall law was in force in Christs infancy, which required circumcision; and now the Gospell began to bee in force: after Johns baptisme circumcision went out, and baptisme came in with John: therefore it was now requisite that Christ should bee baptized; But why should hee bee baptized of John?

Of John. It had beene an office beseeming the first of the Angelicall Hierarchy, to lay hands on the head of the Church: True; but Jesus now came in humility, and as hee was in the forme of a servant, so hee vouchsa∣fed to bee baptized of a servant. The Lord commeth to doe honour to his servant, the sunne to bee enlightned by a starre, the fountaine to bee wa∣shed in his owne streame, the roote to receive sappe and moisture from the branch, God to receive the Sacrament from man. This doth not more set forth our Lords humility than adde to Johns glory. And questionlesse a speciall reason that moved our Saviour to receive baptisme from Saint John was, to countenance Johns ministry, and to give authority to his fel∣low-labourer,

and, if I may so speake, under-workman. For John brought stones to Jesus, and cut them for the building, and Jesus layd them in the foundation of the heavenly Jerusalem, neare himselfe the corner stone: John rough-hewed the Jewes with the axe of Gods judgements threatned against them,u 1.21 to cut them downe and cast them into hell-fire, unlesse they re∣pented; Christ smoothed and polished them with the doctrine of the Gospell, that they might bee like* 1.22 the polished corners of the Temple; or like thex 1.23 Nazarites, whose polishing was of Saphire: John washed the sores of wounded consciences with water, as the Jailer didy 1.24 Paul and Si∣las stripes of body; Christ healed them with the ointment of the spirit: John cleansed the inward roomes of the soule by the water of baptisme and penitent teares; Christ strawed the swept roomes with the flowers of Paradise: John began, Christ finished; John baptized with water, Christ with the holy Ghost and with fire: Jesus and John resemble the Cheru∣bins in the Arke, casting a gracious looke one upon the other:

Alter in alterius jacientes lumina vultum.

Jesus like the sunne casteth light upon John, and John like a Chrystall glasse reflects it upon him. Jesus saith ofz 1.25 John he was a burning and shining lampe, Johna 1.26 saith of Jesus, This is the Sonne of God: Jesus testifieth of John, that hee was Elias, John of Jesus that hee was the Messias: Jesus pointeth to John, saying,b 1.27 Behold a Prophet, yea and more than a Pro∣phet; John to Jesus, saying,c 1.28 Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world: Jesus commeth to honour John in desiring his baptisme; John by putting him back at the first, honoureth him the more, saying, Id 1.29 have neede to bee baptized of thee, and commest thou to me? John saith of Jesus,e 1.30 I am not worthy to beare his shooes; Jesus saith of John in effect, I account him worthy to lay hands on my head.

I have gone down the foure former steps and descents of our Saviours hu∣mility, I am now to descend to the fift, which was Christs descending into

Jordan, and his vouchsafing to accept of the water of that common ri∣ver to consecrate baptisme in his owne body. The Ancients, who deligh∣ted much in Acrostickes, wrote for Christ, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that is, a Fish: for if you take the first letters of these words, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, (Jesus Christ the son of God crucified) and joine them together, they make the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. This 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or mystical Fish is taken by John in the river Jor∣dan, and that head before which the Cherubins and Seraphins,* 1.31 and all Prin∣cipalities in heaven bow, is bowed by John on earth, and dipped under the water in the river Jordan; this the particle 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 intimateth, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that is word for word, Hee was baptized into the river Jordan. Here if you demand with the curious Schoole-Divines, why Jordan hath the honour and precedencie of all other rivers? why Christ made not choice rather of the Red sea, to bee baptized in it as hee fled into Egypt, considering the Red sea was an evident type of baptisme? For as Pharaoh and his hoste were drowned in the Red sea, so all our spirituall enemies are destroyed in the Red sea of Christs blood, whereof the waters of baptisme are a figure. Wee neede not goe farre for answer, the words immediately going be∣fore

may resolve the point in question: Jesus came to bee baptized of John who baptized at this time in Jordan; Christ chose not John to baptize him for Jordans sake, but Jordan to be baptized in for Johns sake. Howbe∣it it if you will dive deeper into Jordan, you may find in it a more remarkable type of baptisme than in the Red sea. For as Zeno the Bishop of Verona long agoe observed, the Israelites after they had passed the Red sea came into the wildernesse; but wee passe through the Red sea of Christs blood over into Paradise. The river Jordan was in the children of Israels way to the land of promise, so is the water of baptisme in ours to the coelestiall Canaan. Shall I adde out of Saintf 1.32 Austine, that as the waters of the river Jordan were turned backe when the Israelites passed over it; so at this en∣try of Christ into Jordan the sinnes of all true believers were driven back, and the course of our nature turned another way? Or out ofh 1.33 Aquinas, that as Elias after he had divided the waters of Jordan, was carried up into heaven in a fiery chariot; so after wee have parted the waters of the Font in our baptisme, through the fire of the holy Spirit wee are carried up, by divine contemplation first, and after by reall ascention into heaven? As I have sprinkled the waters of Jordan on you in the explication of my text, so give mee leave in the application to rub and cleanse some sores in you with them.

1 Christ travelled over a great part of Palaestine to Jordan to receive Johns baptisme; where are they who will not stirre out of doores to re∣ceive Christs baptisme? Jesus came himselfe to Jordan, they will have Jordan by a secret pipe conveyed into their private houses. Mistake mee not, I beseech you beloved brethren, I goe not about to streighten the bowels of our Mother the Church, which in great charity and com∣passion sendeth the water of life in baptisme to infirme infants, and the bread of life in the other Sacrament to sicke persons, who are not able to fetch them. But when the childe is strong, the minister provided, the con∣gregation assembled, if perchance there fall a drop of raine to wet their new set ruffe, or there lye any dirt in the street to foule their shooes, upon such or the like sleight occasions and frivolous pretences, to deprive God of his publike worship, the congregation of the spirituall foode, the infant of the benefit of the prayers of the whole assembly argueth a great neglect of the solemne worship of God, and an insufferable wrong to his Church. The Martyrs heretofore could not bee kept from the Church and publike mi∣nistry of the Word and Sacraments by feare of haile-shot or bullets; these are kept from it by a few drops of raine.

2 Jesus was baptized, who are they who sleightly esteeme baptisme? If the immaculate Lamb were washed in the Font of baptisme, how much more ought they to desire to be cleansed therein, who are fuller of spots than Leopards? If Christ, saith S.i 1.34 Ambrose, washed for us, nay rather washed us in his owne body, how much more ought wee to wash our owne sinnes, origi∣nall in the laver of our baptisme, and actuall in the baptisme of teares?

3 Jesus vouchsafed to bee baptized of John, a man though of admira∣ble gifts, and eminent place in the Church, yet in comparison of our Sa∣viour hee was not so much as a starre of the sixt magnitude to the sunne: where are they who refuse the holy Sacraments from the hands of any mi∣nister

who is of inferiour place, or of meaner gifts, at least in their account? Doth the potion worke the lesse because the Physitian that administreth it is himselfe crazie? doth the plaster lesse heale because it is applyed by an Apothecary that hath a sore hand? doth not the lees or sope scoure white which is received from the hand of a blackmore? is a piece of coine, bee it an Angell, or Soveraigne, or Jacobus, of lesse value if it bee tendered by a beggar? They need to be better catechized, who know not that the effect of the Sacrament dependeth upon the power and promise of God, and right forme of administring it according to his Word, and not up∣on the dignity of the minister.

4 Jesus was baptized in the open and common river Jordan: where are they who disdaine the common Font? No Font will serve them but a Font of gold new made, or a silver bason with their armes on it. Saint Paul tea∣cheth us that the way to heaven is a hard and rugged, a stony and thorny way, through many afflictions; these thinke to goe to heaven treading all the way upon rich carpets, or rose leaves. By their reason Christ the Sonne of God, and Prince of heaven should have refused the common river Jor∣dan, and not have received baptisme in any river but such as Ganges or Pactolus, whose sands are said to bee full of rich Ore. Doe they thinke it is pleasant to God to keepe state in their march towards heaven? to receive the Sacrament of Christian humility in pride? to professe the renouncing of the pompes and vanities of this world, and in the very profession there∣of at the Font to shew the pompe and vanity thereof?k 1.35 Calcare saeculi fa∣stum majori fastu, for which Plato justly taxed Diogenes. But the time ex∣cludeth, and that whereof mine eyes are now witnesses, silenceth all such otherwise seasonable increpations. For wee all see, and rejoyce to see this infant presented by the parents to God in the Temple, and reverently and modestly brought, without displaying the ensignes of gentility, to holy baptisme; the publicke ministry is not neglected, the common Font is not despised. Such an assembly, so honourable, so religious, so full, wee rather pray for than hope for upon the like occasion in this place. Let the honour of it redound to God, the benefit to the infant to bee baptized, that the Peeres of this Kingdome, and other persons of eminent quality, have for a time absented themselves from the Kings court, and now present them∣selves in the Courts of the Lords house to adde a Lamb to Christs flocke. Such an illustrious constellation of so many starres, and some of the first magnitude, hath seldome appeared in this Horizon. What remaineth, but that wee now proceed with joy and comfort from the Pulpet to the Font, from the Word to the Sacrament, from feeding our owne soules to make a Christian soule?* 1.36 Solinus reporteth of a river in Baeotia that it turneth the colour of the sheepe that are washed in it, in such sort that if they were before blacke or dunne, they become presently as white as milke. That may bee a fable, but this is Gospell, that such is the vertue of the conse∣crated waters of baptisme, wherein Christs lambes are usually washed through divine benediction upon this holy ordinance, that though they were never so blacke or foule before, yet after they come out of this laver they are most cleane and white, and so continue till they plunge themselves into the mire of worldly desires and fleshly lusts. Glorious things may be

spoken of thee thou Well of life. O sacred Font of God, O royall Bath of Christ, O heavenly Laver, O spirituall Bethesda, infinitely exceeding that wonderfull poole in Jerusalem mentioned by Saint John. For that healed but bodily infirmities, this cureth spirituall maladies; that healed him only that was first let downe into it after the Angell moved the water; this hea∣leth all those that are dipped into it, or sprinkled with it, after the minister, who is Gods Angell, stirreth this water: that received a medicinall vertue for the body, as Saint Jerome conceiveth, from the blood of the sacrifices that were washed in it; this receiveth a spirituall and divine vertue for the cure of the soule, from the blood of the immaculate lambe Christ Jesus. For his blood cleanseth us from all our sins. In other waters, as Zeno noteth, li∣ving creatures are cast in alive, and after they are held a good while under the water, or sink downe of themselves, are taken out dead: but contrariwise, in the sacred Font children are dipped in dead, to wit, in trespasses and sins, but are ta∣ken out alive, alive to God, enlived by his spirit, quickned by his grace.

This life of grace God grant to the infant now to be metricu∣lated into the University of all Saints, and continue it in us all, that Christ may live in us here by grace, and we for evermore live with him hereafter in glory. To whom, &c.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Aug. Ser. de temp 30. Non ut sibi munditiem ac∣quireret, sed ut nobis fluenta purgaret.
• b 1.2

  Aug. ser. 1. de Epiph. Attactu corpora tin∣guntur, & flu∣enta ditantur, vitalem{que} grati∣am non corpus ex flumine, sed flumen mutua∣tur ex corpore.
• c 1.3

  Joh. 17.19. For their sakes I san∣ctifie myselfe, that they might be tru∣ly sanctified, nei∣ther pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me throught their word.
• d 1.4

  Amb. in Luk. Unus mersit, sed lavit omnes, unus descendit ut ascendere∣mus omnes, u∣nus omnium peccata susce∣pit, ut in illo omnium pecca∣ta morerentur.
• e 1.5

  Mat. 3.16.17.
• f 1.6

  Luk. 3.1.
• * 1.7

  vers. 23.
• g 1.8

  Mat. 3.11.
• h 1.9

  Plin. in Pane∣gyr. Curiad sum∣mum fastigium nihil superest, is uno modo cres∣cere potest si se submiserit.
• i 1.10

  Luk. 2.21. His name was called Jesus, which was so named of the Angell before hee was conceived in the wombe.
• k 1.11

  Leo ser. de E∣piph. Descende∣re in se fontem foelix unda mi∣ratur.
• l 1.12

  Mat. 4.11. Then the Divell leaveth him, and behold Angels came and mini∣stred unto him.
• m 1.13

  John 18.6. As soone as hee had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.
• n 1.14

  Hieron. de nom Hebr. Drusius ad voces N. T. com∣ment. Steph. interp. nom. Heb.
• o 1.15

  Buxlorf. epit. rad. Natsar sur∣culus, sic dictus quod custodiâ & curâ egeat, ne à vento deji∣ciatur aut fran∣gatur.
• p 1.16

  Ber. de concept. Christ. Voluit concipiflos in flore intra flo∣rem, id est, intra Nazareth, ut fi∣eret ipse flos flo∣rens, id est, Na∣zarenus.
• q 1.17

  Eras. Adag. Non Euripides ex Archelai, sed Archelaus ex Euripidis ami∣citiâ nomen as∣sequutus est.
• r 1.18

  Amb. in Luk. 2. Baptizatus est Dominus non mundati vo∣lens, sed mun∣dare aquas, ut ablutae per car∣nem Christi, quae peccatum non novit, bap∣tismatis jus ha∣berent.
• s 1.19

  Aug. de. bapt. Christ. Ne ho∣mines grava∣rentur ad bap∣tismum Domini venire, cum Dominus ipse non gravaretur ad baptismum servi venire.
• t 1.20

  Calvin. haerm. evang. Ut certi∣ùs sibi persua∣deant fideles se in Christi corp, inseri, & conse∣peliri cum eo in baptismo, ut in novitate vitae resurgant.
• u 1.21

  Mat. 3.10. The axe is layd to the root of the tree, &c.
• * 1.22

  Psal. 144.12.
• x 1.23

  Lam. 4.7.
• y 1.24

  Act. 16.33.
• z 1.25

  Joh. 5.35.
• a 1.26

  Joh. 1.34.
• b 1.27

  Mat. 11.9.
• c 1.28

  Joh. 1.29.
• d 1.29

  Mat. 3.14.
• e 1.30

  Mat. 3.11.
• * 1.31

  Caput tremen∣dum potestati∣bus inclinatur ab homine.
• f 1.32

  Aug. ser. 2. de Epiph. Sicut a∣quae Jordanis conversae sunt transeuntibus Israelitis, Ita Christo bapti∣zato retrorsum peccata con∣versa sunt.
• h 1.33

  Aquinas in suplem. Elias divisit aquas Jordanis cum rapiendus esset in coelum, quia transeuntibus per aquam bap∣tismi, per ignem Spiritus sancti patet aditus in coelum.
• i 1.34

  Ambros. in Luk. Si Christus peccata nostra lavit, quanto magis nos lava∣re peccata no∣stra convenit, si pro nobis Christus lavit, imò nos in cor∣pore suo lavit, quanto nos ma∣gis lavare deli∣cta nostra debe∣mus.
• k 1.35

  Eras. apoph. Plat.
• * 1.36

  Solin. Polyhist. Fusca pecora vertit in candi∣da.