cent Perſons 5 and the jealontie of Conquerours often allows them too catie an Ear 3 as alfo how apt they are by Oppretfion to mend their ſhort Commons, or to exact upon others, that they may ſpend Luxuriouſly, Al theſe are Ats, or Species of Tnjuſtice, which the Baptilt lets them know mult be left, it they would bring forth Fruits fir for Repentance. He dorh not blame the Employment of a Soul- dicr, but only regulates their behaviour in that imployment, Wars injuſt cauſes, 4re undoubtedly awful under the Goſpel, and- Con- {equently ſo is the impioyment of a Souldier. We read of ſeveral ood Centurions or Captains of hundreds, But the Souldier ſtands hizhly concerncd to lock, that the cauſe be good, In which he draweth his Sword. 2. That he bchaveth himſelf in it lawfully , not uſing any needleſs Violence, not accuſing any wrongfully, not endcayouring to mend hs Pay by any Rapine, or- unjulily taking a way what is anothers, either to ſpend in Luxury, or to uphold himſelf in his Station. From this jnftruttion of John the Baptiſt, we may learn ſeveral tliings concerning the Nature of Repentance. 1. That where there 1s a true Root of Repenzance, it will bring forth Fruits worthy of it. 2. That Adqs of Mercy and Jutice, arc true and proper Fruits of a true Repentance, withuut which there can be nothing of 1t in Truth. 2. That true Repentarce 1s bett diſcovered by our abhorrence of, and declining ſuch Sinful Courſes 2 we have formerly been a1diftcd to, aad hive daily Teinpt it1ons to, from the Circuin ſtances of Our Lives, and thoſe caliings. and pla- cez, and Courſes of Lite, wherein the Providence. of Sod hath fixed us. 4. That theſe things proceeding from Repentance and Faith, are ach proper cttets of both, as dilcover the truth of thofe Gract- ous Habits in the Soul, and without whic! there can be no true Evi - dence of them.
15 And as the people were -1n || expectation, aud al! men || muſed in their hearts of John, whether he were
It heing known to many what the Angel had told Zachari ts con- cernins John thirty years ſince, and what had Mir:culoufly hap- pencd at his Circumciilon, as alſo wiaat Zacharizs his rather had Propheticd concerning him, and there having been many who had obſerved the Holineſs, and Severity of his Life all along until hc came to Mans Eſtate, and knowing that the time was fulfilled for the coming of the Meſſizs, the Scepter being now departed from Iudah, and Daniel, Weeks being accomplithed, and hearing him Preach with that Life, and Power which attended his Miniſtry, as aiſ2 confidering his Doftrine, f{ not new init ſeif, being Confonant to the Divine Law, and the Dottrine of the Propiets but) new to them, who had uſed to hear of Artes and Ceremontes, and the Tra- ditions of the Elders, but little or nothing- of Repentance, or bring ing forth Fruits worthy of it, they began to Reaſon and Debate with themſelves,vkether Jobn the Baptijt were not the "leſſtuh promiſed, and in great ſuſperce they were avout it. But Jobn quickly ſatish- ed them as to that, not defirous to Arrogate to hunſelf his Honour, whoſe Metſenger only he vas,
16 John anſwered, ſaying unto them all, I indeed baptize X you with water, but one mizhtier then 1] cometh, the latchet of whoſe ſhoes Iam not worthy to unlooſe, he ſhall baptize you with the Holy Ghoſt, and with fire» : ;
17 Whoſe fans in his hand, and he will throvgh- ly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner, but the chaff he will burn with fire unquen-
ckable.
S. LUV EM
ried her, eſpecially to turn away his own Wife to take her. 11at- thew reporteth this Hiſtory more fally, Chap. 14 3, 4. &c. ſee the Notes there, It is ſaid, that Herod, | addeth this abwve al, that !s, above all his former or other Wickedneſs, rhat he ſhut up John Ft Priſon. } This ſpoke him incorrigible in his wicked Courſes, refiſting the Remedy, or means to reduce him. An Hyprerite inay hear the Word, and do many things, but he hath alwass fome particular Luft. as to which he muſt be ſpared, being neither willin to part with is, nor able to bear any reproof far it. ;
21 Now when all the people were baptized, * ic came to paſs, that Jeſus alſo being beprtized, and praying, the heaven was opened.
.. 22 And the Holy Ghoſt deſcended in a bodily ſ1ape
Iikea dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which faid, Thou art my beloved Son, in thee þ am well pleaſed,
Thtz Hiſtory of our Saviours Baptiſm, is reported Loth by 3;
bl
thew and Mark ; much more largely by Matthew ; fee the Notes on Matth. 3- 13, Fc. Luke oaly addeth thoſe Wor.is, 2d Pravins, which tcacheth us that Prayers ought to be invned with Bavtitn,. What was the matter of his Prayer, we arc :t told,th | ing Words incline ſome ric. -Eaoiy to judoe, that he Prayed tor ſome Teſtimony from tics oncerning him.
23 And Jeſus himſe!” began to be about thirty years of age, being (a3 was ſuppoſed ) * the ſon of Jo- leph, which was the ſon of Heli,