abluendi, fed per illum in aquis ablutionis noftra erat fanctificanda purgatio. Hilar. Pictav. in S. Matt.

Can. 2.

And fo he was circumcifed, S. Luk. ii. 21.

And fo inftituted Baptism instead of Circumcifion; as afterwards, the Lord's-Supper for the Paffover, S. Matt. xxviii. 19. AƐt. xxii. 16. S. Matt. xxvi. 26.

2. Because he was by this Means to be initiated into his Office, Ne homines gravarentur ad baptifmum Domini venire, cum non gravaretur Dominus venire ad baptifmum fervi. See S. Auguft. Enchirid. ad Laureat. c. 49. De mirab. facr. Scriptura, 1. 3. c. 5. & in Pfal. xc. Tom. 8. p. 696.

John forbad him, S. Matt. iii. 14. But Jefus faid, he must not look at the Worthiness of the Perfon, but at the Command of God, v. 15.

John came between the Law and the Gospel, S. Job. i. 25. And he notified our Saviour to the People, v. 29, 30. and particularly, in relation to the Holy Ghoft's Defcent upon him at his Baptifm, v. 33.

At which Baptifm, we may observe, how all the Perfons of the Bleffed Trinity manifefted their efpecial Prefence. Voce Pater, Natus corpore, Fla

men ave.

I. The Son is baptized. For, he was baptized, is not only to declare him to be the well-beloved Son, v. 17. but we are told also, that it was Jefus that came from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him, v. 13. that ordered it to be fo done, v. 15. and that was baptized, and went up Straightway out of the Water, v. 16.

II. The Spirit, the Holy Ghoft, the Third Perfon of the Bleffed Trinity, defcended upon our Lord, S. Joh. i. 32.

i. Ωσε, as a Dove; Ουκ εν φύσει, ἀλλ' ἐν εἴδει πά gises. S. Chryfoft. in loc. owpealing ede. S. Luk. iii. 22.

2. As a Dove for its Innocence, Purity and Love. "Huevo (ãov xj nadacóv. S. Chryfoft. ibid. Ἥμερον ζῶον κὶ καθαρόν. 3. Holy Ghost was vifible under this Shape; John faw it, S. Luk. iii. 22. S. Job. i. 34. or, at least, hovering over our Saviour, as a Dove ho vers when it is lighting. Καὶ ἀναδύνΘ αυτῖ ἀπὸ το ὕδα]Θ, ὡς περιτερὰν τὸ ἅγιον πνεῦμα ἀπιπλῆναι ἐπ ̓ αυτὸν ἔγραψαν οι Απόςολοι αυτό τότε το Χριστό Fuf M. c. Tryph. p. 315.

4. The Heavens were opened to make way for this Sight, and to fhew they were now opened for Believers. 'Ανεώχθησαν αὐτῷ δι ἐρονοί, in the Text. And S. Mark, ade giloμéves Tès ségrès, S. Mar. i. 10.

~ 3

5. The Spirit now defcended and lighted on. Jefus, S. Chryfoft. thinks, in the Sight, not of S. John only, but of the Jews; πs & Cπísevoav οι Ιεδαίοι; φησιν· ἐδὲ ν μόνΘ Ἰωάννης δέ τὸ πνεῦμα ἐν de destes, in S. Jo. Hom. 17.

1. To demonftrate him to be the Messiah S. Mar. i. 7, 8. S. Job. i. 33.

2. To inaugurate him into his Office, S. Joh.

XX. 22.

3. To fulfil the Prophecy that had been long before concerning him, Ifa. xi. i, 2. and xlii. i.

III. The Father fpake, and audibly owned our Saviour for his Son; fo fays the Evangelift; Behold a Voice from Heaven, &c. Thou art,

1. My Son, S. Luk. i. 15. Therefore, he that fpake, was the Father.

2. My beloved Son, S. Matt. xii. 18. and žvii. 5. 3. In whom I am well pleafed, 2 S. Pet. i. 17. even fo that others too were accepted thro him; Ezek, i. 6:

OBSERV. I. There are three Perfons in the one Godhead, or Divine Effence.

1. There are three Perfons; as appears,

1. From the Old Teftament, Gen i. 26. and iii. 22. 2 Sam. xxiii. 2. Pfal. xxxiii. 6. Ifai. xlii. 1. 2. From the New Teftament, S. Luk. i. 35. 2 Cor. xiii. 14. S. 7oh. xiv. 26.

2. Every one of these is God. 'I♪r, ’A♪àμ yéγονεν ὡς ἐς ἐξ ἡμῶν τῶν τριῶν . Θεότη θ ύποςάσεων. Anaftaf. Sinait. in Hexaem. 1. 12. p. 5.

1. The Father's being fo, is not difputed, but Jews, Turks and Hereticks, acknowledge it.

2. That the Son is fo, fee S. John i. 1. and xx. 28. Phil. ii. 6. 1 Tim. iii. 16. A&t. xx. 28. S. Matt. i. 23. otherwife he could not be our Saviour.

3. And no lefs is the Holy Ghoft God, S. Matt. xii. 31, 32. Act. v. 4. I Cor. iii. 16.

3. All three Perfons are yet but one God, Deut. vi. 4. 1 S. Joh. v. 7. 1 Tim. ii. 5. S. Joh. xvii. 3.

4. The Order of these three Persons.

1. The Father in the first place, fo He is mentioned here; And to Him a Priority of Order is afcribed in all other Places of Scripture, wherefoever the whole three Perfons, are spoken of.

2. The Son next. He is the only begotten of the Father, and therefore next after him; S. Joh. iii. 16. Heb. i. 2, 6. is God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, as ftyled in the Creed, commonly call'd the Nicene; In S. Bafil's Language, he is, 'Aulon dulayadós.

3. The Holy Ghost laft, S. Joh. xv. 26. This is plain, in that he is call'd the Spirit of God and of Chrift, Rom. viii. 9. The Spirit of the Living

God,

God, 2 Cor. iii. 3..

And of Chrift, Phil. i. 19.

And of the Son, Gal. iv. 6. 5. Every one of these Perfons is to be wor shipped.

1. Because every one is God, as already obferved.

2. Because this is the great Diftinction between Christians and others, that we have a more explicit Notion and clearer Revelations of the Trinity; to whom we are therefore to pay our Adoration accordingly.

OBSERV. II. All three Perfons were prefent at Christ's Baptifm. Because,

1. All are equally defirous of Man's Happiness, Ezek. xviii. 31. S. Joh. v. 40. Ephef. iv. 30.

2. To fhew that we are to baptize in the Name of all three Perfons; We having,

1. Chrift's Example, at whofe Baptism all three Perfons were thus prefent, and in which they were thus concerned.

19.

2. His pofitive Precept for it, S. Matt. xxviii.

INFERENCES.

1. That all three Perfons concur in especial Acts of Providence. Thus, Gen. i. 26. 1 S. Joh.

V. 7.

2. That Baptifm is a Divine Institution, and fo of neceflary and indifpenfable Obligation, S. Joh. iii. 5. Act. iii. 19. S. Mar. xvi. 16. Rom. vi. 3.

3. That we have great Cause to bless God for ours, S. Pet. iii. 21, Ephes. ii. 12, 13. 1 Cor. vi. 11.

USE. That we carefully perform our feveral Duties to each of these Perfons. Such as,

I. Faith, S. Mar. xii. 22. Rom. i. 17.
II. Fear, Pfal. cxlix. S. Luk. xii. 5.
III. Love, Deut. vi. 5. S. Matt. xxii.
IV. Truft, 1 S. Pet. v. 7.

V. Prayer, S. Matt. vii. 7.

VI. Joy, Phil. iv. 4.

37, 38.

Theff. v. 17.

VII. Thankfulness, 1 Theff. v. 18. Ephef. v. 20.

1. To the Father.

1. For our Creation, Gen. i. 27. Ifai. lxiv. 8. Act. xvii. 24, 25, 26.

2. For our Preservation, At. xvii. 28.

3. For all our temporal Bleflings, A&t.xiv.17. 4. For thofe of a higher Nature, Ephef. i. 3,4.

and ii. 8.

J

5. For the Hope of Eternal Glory, 1 S. Pet.
i. 3, 4.
2. To the Son.

1. For Expiating our Sins, 1 S. Joh. ii. 2.
2. For Interceding for our Souls, Rom. viii.
34. Heb. vii. 25.

3. To the Holy Ghost.

1. For Inditing the Scriptures, 2 Tim. iii. 16, 17.

2. For Helping our Infirmities, Rom. viii. 13, 26.

3. For Sanctifying our Souls, 2 Thess. ii. 13. I S. Pet. i. 2.

4. For Securing to us a better State, Ephef j. 13. and iv. 30.

་

S. MATT.