11 as a believer who had the revelation of the Father, we shall never understand his baptism aright: for John’s baptism was the seal of his Old Testament doctrine, and not of his New; or of his own immediate ministry, and not of Christ’s ; at the highest, John’s ministry and baptism pointed out Christ, but neither of them were the same with Christ’s. And thus having cleared from the word, that John’s baptism is distinct from Christ’s, I shall proceed to speak of each of these baptisms apart by themselves, and to hold forth to others what myself have learned touching them from the same word. And first I begin with John’s baptism, as being the first in order of time. Now the baptism of John was brought in, besides the rite and manner of the law, and so was a sign of a great change to follow : the Jews indeed had their baptisms in the law, for they washed their members, garments, vessels, &c. and by this they were cleansed from legal pollutions, but not from any sin or stain that did cleave to their consciences; but John was the author or lii st minister of a new and unwonted baptism, calling all men to repentance for sin, and to flee from the wrath to come, and awakening them to confession of sin and amendment of life; and also pointing out one to come, and now at hand, who should do all these things for them indeed, which neither he nor his baptism could do. Now, touching John’s baptism, I shall shew, First. The honourableness of it in itself. Secondly. The weakness and imperfectness of it, in reference to Christ. Thirdly. The continuance and duration of it. 1. For the honourableness of it in itself, it appears in several passages. First. That though the baptism of John in itself was more legal than evangelical, yet in this it did excel all the former legal baptisms, that it pointed out Christ’s baptism near at hand; for as John himself was greater than all the former prophets, because he pointed out with his finger Christ the true and great prophet of the ehurch; so his baptism was more excellent than all the
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTM4ODY=