Certain disputations of right to sacraments, and the true nature of visible Christianity defending…

the Consequence is clear. 1. For either Johns Baptism and Christs were the same, as most of our Divines against the Papists do maintain; (though Zanchy and some few more follow the Judgement of the ancient Doctors in this) or as Calvin Institut. saith, the difference seems to be but this, that John baptized them into the Messiah to come, and the Apostles into the name of the Messiah already come. 2. Or if the difference be greater, we may argue à fortiori; If Johns Baptism required a Profession of Repentance, then much more Christs: for certainly ⟨p. 55⟩Christ required not less then John, nor did he take the impenitent into his Kingdom whom John excluded.

The Antecedent I prove. 1. From Mark 1, 34. He preached [Greek or Hebrew]] And doubtless that Repentance which is in Remissionem peccatorum, is true special Repentance. One of our Divines, and many of the Papists have found out another evasion: that is, that John did engage them to repent, but not requiring a Profession or Repentance as foregoing baptism. But 1. this is against the whole current of expositors, ancient and modern, and 2. against the plain scope of the text. The words in Mat. 3.6. are, [They were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins] This confession was with, yea before their baptism: and this Confession was the Profession of the Repentance that John required. Maldonate on the text, having first railed at Calvin and slandered him, as turning baptism into preaching (as if he had expounded Johns baptizing, not of water-baptism but preaching, when he only shows that both should go together) doth tell the Protestants that they cannot prove by this text that confession went before baptism, because it is named after: but that he might not seem utterly impudent, he confesseth that the thing is true, and that it is the sense of the text and that this he confesseth because he must rather be a faithful expositor, then a subtle adversary. And if any should say that it's only confession that's required, which is no certain sign of true Repentance: I answer: when John saith [If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins] he took that confession to be a sign of true Repentance. And our Expositors and the Ancients before them agree; that it was such a confession as was conjunct with a detestation and renouncing of the sin. And it is expounded by that of