John 1:24–27

These Commissioners, seeking advantage, (as being no friends to the Gospel) do question John further concerning his office, and administration of Baptisme, seeing he was neither the Messiah, nor any of these extraordinary men: To which he answers, that he pretended to no more then the administration of the outward ordinance, the efficacy whereof depended on Christ; And that he did this much because he was the forerunner of Christ, who was already come, though yet unknown to them; And that Christ in his person and dignity was so farre above him, as he was not worthy to do him the meanest service. Doctrine 1. It is an evidence of a sick and corrupt Church, when corrupt men are entrusted with most grave and weighty employments in it; for, so was it with the Church of the Iewes, when they, which were sent were of the Pharisees; A precise sect, abounding in errour, superstition and hypocrisie, as the history of the Gospel maketh manifest. 2. Corrupt men are more ready to jangle and lie at wait for advantages, then to embrace the truth of God delivered by his servants; for, these Pharisees take no notice of what he had said from Isaiah, nor seek to be further cleared in it, but think they have an advantage of him, that he should presume to baptize. Why baptisest thou then, if thou be not that Christ &c? 3. It was an uncontroverted truth, both among friends and foes, in the Jewish Church, that at the coming of the Messiah, there should be some changes in the way of Religion, and an institution of new Ordinances; for, the Pharisees have nothing to say against his Baptisme, if he were Christ, or Elias, or the Prophet, their onely objection is, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that Prophet? And John’s answer, I baptize, but there standeth one among you, &c. importeth that he being Christs forerunner, who was now come into the world, it was lawful for him to administer this Sacrament. 4. Ministers ought to arrogate no more unto themselves, then to be Ministers and dispensers of the external meanes of Word and Sacraments, leaving the glory and efficacie thereof unto Christ entirely; And people ought so to be affected in coming to these Ordinances; Therefore, saith John, I baptize with water, not denying that Christ also baptized with water, nor yet denying that baptisme administred by him was accompanied with Grace and the Spirit of God; but he onely compareth his person and office with Christs, and sheweth that whatever grace came by the Sacrament administred by him, yet he was not the giver of it, but Christ onely, who had appointed him to dispence the outward seale. 5. Christ may be among a people, and yet they who reckon themselves very high in the Church, neither see him, nor know him; for, saith John there standeth one among you, (not that he was present then at that time, for he came but the next day to him from the Wildernesse, ver. 29. but that he was come into the world, and conversant with the Jewes) whom ye know not. 6. It is the duty of Ministers, and will be the care of such as are faithful and zealous, to exalt and commend Christ at all occasions, that men may fall in love with him; Therefore, doth John again repeat his doctrine, he it is who coming after me, is preferred before me, whose shooes latchet I am not worthy to unloose. 8. The more high employment, and the more eminent gifts men have, and the more ready men are to esteeme of them, the more will they abase themselves, if they be truly gracious, and be affected with the excellency of Christ; for, it is John, the greatest among them that are born of women, and so much esteemed among the Jewes, and the fore-runner of Christ who thus abaseth himself, he is preferred before me, whose shooes latchet I am not worthy to unloose. 9. Albeit Christ, of free grace, do honour men with eminent employments under him, and particularly Ministers of the Gospel; Yet such as know Christ and themselves well, will not onely see that they are unworthy of the high employments they have, but even to do the basest service to him; for, John saith not, I am unworthy to be his fore runner, though employed in that service, but, whose shooes latchet I am not worthy to unloose, which was a mean and base office.