2. Consider of the Baptism of Christ; he that never sinned was made sin for us, and so it was proper enough for Christ to take upon him the Sacrament of sinners, or of repentance for sin; but especially he was baptised, that in the symbol he might purify our nature, whose stains and guilt he had undertaken. Consider of this, O my soul, and bring it home to thy self, surely every soul that lives the life of Grace, is born of water, and the Spirit: and to this purpose Christ, who is our life, went down into the waters of Baptism, that we who descend after him might find the effects of it; as pardon of Sin; adoption into the Covenant of Grace, and holiness of life. Had not Christ been Baptised, what virtue had there been in our Baptism? As it became him to fulfil all righteousness, 1and therefore he must needs be baptized; so he fulfilled it not for himself, but for us; Christ's obedience in fulfilling the Law, is imputed to all that believe unto righteousness, as if themselves had fulfilled; so that he was Baptized for us, and the virtue of his Baptism is derived unto us; O the sweet of this meditation! Christ was Baptized; and when Baptized, the Heavens were opened, and the Holy Ghost descended, and a voice from Heaven proclaimed him to be the Son of God, and ⟨p. 209⟩one in whom the Father was well pleased; and the same ointment that was cast upon the head of our High Priest, went unto his beard, and thence fell to the borders of his garment; for as Christ our Head felt those effects in manifestation, so through Christ do we believe the like effects in our very Baptism; the Heavens then (as it were) opened unto us, and the holy Ghost then descended upon us, and then were we consigned to the inheritance of Sons, in whom the Father through his Son is also well pleased. O my soul! what a blessing is there in the Baptism of Christ? and how mayest thou suck and be satisfied, if thou wilt put thy meditation to the right use? the Baptism of Christ is as a field of flowers, wherein is a world of privileges, as justification, adoption, regeneration, sanctification, glorification; O then fix thy soul at least on some of these flowers, and leave them not without carrying some honey away with thee; if thou art in Christ thou art Baptised into his death, and Baptized into his Baptism; thou partakest of the fruit and efficacy both of his death and life, and baptism, and all.
2. Consider of the Baptism of Christ; he that never sinned was made sin for us, and so it was proper enough for Christ to take upon him the Sacrament of sinners, or of repentance for sin; but especially he was baptised, that in the symbole he might purifie our nature, whose stains and guilt he had undertaken. Consider of this, O my soul, and bring it home to thy self, surely every soul that lives the life of Grace, is born of water, and the Spirit: and to this purpose Christ, who is our life, went down into the waters of Baptism, that we who descend after him might find the effects of it; as pardon of Sin; adoption into the Covenant of Grace, and holiness of life. Had not Christ been Baptised, what vertue had there been in our Baptism? As it became him to fulfil all righteousness, 1and therefore he must needs be baptized; so he fulfilled it not for himself, but for us; Christ's obedience in fulfilling the Law, is imputed to all that believe unto righteousness, as if themselves had fulfilled; so that he was Baptized for us, and the vertue of his Baptism is derived unto us; O the sweet of this meditation! Christ was Baptized; and when Baptized, the Heavens were opened, and the Holy Ghost descended, and a voice from Heaven proclaimed him to be the Son of God, and ⟨p. 209⟩one in whom the Father was well pleased; and the same ointment that was cast upon the head of our High Priest, went unto his beard, and thence fell to the borders of his garment; for as Christ our Head felt those effects in manifestation, so through Christ do we believe the like effects in our very Baptism; the Heavens then (as it were) opened unto us, and the holy Ghost then descended upon us, and then were we consigned to the inheritance of Sons, in whom the Father through his Son is also well pleased. O my soul! what a blessing is there in the Baptism of Christ? and how mayest thou suck and be satisfied, if thou wilt put thy meditation to the right use? the Baptism of Christ is as a field of flowers, wherein is a world of priviledges, as justification, adoption, regeneration, sanctification, glorification; O then fix thy soul at least on some of these flowers, and leave them not without carrying some honey away with thee; if thou art in Christ thou art Baptised into his death, and Baptized into his Baptism; thou partakest of the fruit and efficacy both of his death and life, and baptism, and all.
- 1Matth. 3.15.
