Intention of the people of God in their planting in this Wilderness and so to the Doctrine of Faith and Order left in Print behinde them more sure and credible then some Vnwritten Traditions thereabout may prove dangerous Instruments to OUR Ruine if the Lord in mercy prevent not It was the commendation of Timothy by Paul 2 Tim. 3. 10 11. as also a profitable instruction and encouragement to him when he saith But thou hast fully known my doctrine manner of life purpose faith long-suffering charity patience persecutions afflictions which came unto me at Antioch at Iconium at Lystra what persecutions I endured but out of them all the Lord delivered me the like may be said of this Reverend Servant of the Lord my dear Brother in Christ to whom it hath seemed good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to that word of Wisdome which is given to him by that same holy Spirit from whom proceed those diversities of gifts which he divides to every man severally as he will to leave this ensuing Testimony of his sollicitude for the poor Woman fled also into this Wilderness unto the consideration of all such as are wise-hearted in Israel His nearness to and intimacy with my Ever-honoured Father now with God he being brought up with him as a Son with a Father commands from my Pen a glad apprehending the opportunity of performing this service of waiting upon it to the Press praying that the Lord would make the words thereof as Goads and Nails fastened by the Masters of Assemblies and given by that one Shepherd the Lord Jesus In whom I am Thine for the service of thy Faith Thomas Shepard A BRIEF RECOGNITION OF New-Englands Errand into the WILDERNESS Matth. 11. 7 8 9. What went ye out into the wilderness to see A reed shaken with the wind But what went ye out for to see A man clothed in soft raiment behold they that wear soft clothing are in Kings houses But what went ye out-for to see A Prophet yea I say unto you and more then a Prophet THese words are our Saviour's Proem to his illustrious Encomium of John the Baptist John began his Ministry not in Jerusalem nor in any famous City of Judea but in the Wilderness i. e. in a woody retired and solitary place thereby withdrawing himself from the envy and preposterous zeal of such as were addicted to their old Traditions and also taking the people aside from the noise and tumult of their secular occasions and businesses which might have obstructed their ready and cheerful attendance unto his Doctrine The Ministry of John at first was entertained by all sorts with singular affection There went out to him Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region round about Jordan Mat. 3. 5. but after awhile the people's fervour abated and John being kept under restraint divers moneths his authority and esteem began to decay and languish John 5. 35. Wherefore our Saviour taking occasion from Johns Messengers coming to him after their departure gives an excellent Elogie and Commendation of John to the intent that He might ratifie and confirm his Doctrine and Administration and revive his Authority and Estimation in the hearts and consciences of the people This Elogie our Saviour begins with an elegant Dialogism which the Rhetorician calleth Communication gravely deliberating with his Hearers and seriously enquiring to what purpose they went out into the Wilderness and what expectation drew them thither Wherein we have 1. The general Question and main subject of his Inquisition 2. The particular Enquiries 3. The Determination of the Question The general Question is What went ye out into the Wilderness to see He saith not Whom went ye out to hear but what went ye out to see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The phrase agrees of Shows and Stage-playes plainly arguing that many of those who seemed well-affected to John and flock'd after him were Theatrical Hearers Spectators rather then Auditors they went not to â—ear but to see they went to gaze upon a new and strange Spectacle This general Question being propounded the first particular Enquiry is whether they went to see A reed shaken with the wind The expression is Metaphorical and Proverbial A reed when the season is calm lifts up it self and stands upright but no sooner doth the wind blow upon it but it shakes and trembles bends and bows down and then gets up again and again it yields and bows and then lifts up it self again A notable Emblem of light empty and inconstant persons who in times of peace and tranquillity give a fair and plausible Testimony to the Truth but no sooner do the winds of Temptation blow upon them and the waves of Troubles roll over them but they incline and yield to the prevailing Party but when the Tempest is over they recover themselves and assert the Truth again The meaning then of this first Enquiry is Went ye out into the Wilderness to see a light vain and inconstant man one that could confess and deny and deny and confess the same Truth This Interrogation is to be understood negatively and ironically q. d. Surely ye went not into the desert to behold such a ludicrous and ridiculous sight A man like unto a reed shaken with the wind Under the negation of the contrary levity our Saviour sets forth one of John's excellencies viz. his eminent Constancy in asserting the Truth The winds of various temptations both on the right hand and on the left blew upon him yet he wavered not in his testimony concerning Christ He confessed and denied not but confessed the truth Then the general Question is repeated But what went ye out for to see and a second particular Enquiry made Was it to see a man clothed in soft raiment This Interrogation hath also the force of a negation q. d. Surely ye went not into the Wilderness to see a man clothed in silken and costly Apparel The reason of this is added Behold they that wear soft clothing are in Kings houses Delicate and costly Apparel is to be expected in P 〈…〉 ces Courts and not in wilde Woods and Forrests Under the negation of John's affectation of Courtly delicacy our Saviour sets forth another of John's excellencies viz. his singular gravity and sobriety who wore rough garments and lived on course and mean fare Mat. 3. 4. which austere kinde of life was accommodated to the place and work of his Ministry John Preached in the Wilderness which was no fit place for silken and soft raiment His work was to prepare a people for the Lord by calling them off from worldly pomp and vanities unto repentance and mourning for sin His peculiar habit and diet was such as became a penitentiary Preacher Thirdly the generall Question is reiterated But what went ye out for to see and a third particular Enquiry made Was it to see a Prophet This Interrogation is to be understood affirmatively q. d. no doubt but it was to see a Prophet Had not
to his Institution without humane Mixtures and Impositions Now let us sadly consider whether our ancient and primitive affections to the Lord Jesus his glorious Gospel his pure and Spiritual Worship and the Order of his House remain abide and continue firm constant entire and inviolate Our Saviour's reiteration of this Question What went ye out into the Wilderness to see is no idle repetition but a sad conviction of our dulness and backwardness to this great duty and a clear demonstration of the weight and necessity thereof It may be a grief to us to be put upon such an Inquisition as it is said of Peter Joh. 21. 17. Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time Lovest thou me but the Lord knoweth that a strict and rigid examination of our hearts in this point is no more then necessary Wherefore let us call to remembrance the former dayes and consider whether it was not then better with us then it is now In our first and best times the Kingdome of Heaven brake in upon us with a holy violence and every man pressed into it What mighty efficacy and power had the clear and faithful dispensation of the Gospel upon your hearts how affectionately and zealously did you entertain the Kingdome of God How careful were you even all sorts young and old high and low to take hold of the opportunities of your Spiritual good and edification ordering your secular affairs which were wreathed and twisted together with great variety so as not to interfere with your general Calling but that you might attend upon the Lord without distraction How diligent and faithful in preparing your hearts for the reception of the Word laying apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness that you night receive with meekness the ingraffed word which is able to save your souls and purging out all malice guilt hypocrisies envies and all evil speakings and as new-born babes desiring the sincere miâ—k of the word that ye might grow thereby How attentive in hearing the everlasting Gospel watching daily at the gates of Wisdome and waiting at the posts of her doors that ye might finde eternal life and obtain favour of the Lord Gleaning day by day in the field of Gods Ordinances even among the Sheaves and gathering up handfuls which the Lord let fall of purpose for you and at night going home and beating out what you had gleaned by Meditation Repetition Conference and therewith feeding your selves and your families How painful were you in recollecting repeating and discoursing of what you heard whetting the Word of God upon the hearts of your Children Servants and Neighbours How fervent in Prayer to Almighty God for his divine Blessing upon the Seed sown that it might take root and fructifie O what a reverent esteem had you in those dayes of Christ's faithful Ambassadors that declared unto you the Word of Reconciliation How beautiful were the feet of them that preached the Gospel of peace and brought the glad tidings of Salvation you esteemed them highly in love for their works sake Their Persons Names and Comforts were precious in your eyes you counted your selves blessed in the enjoyment of a Pious Learned and Orthodox Ministry and though you are the bread of adversity and drank the water of affliction yet you rejoyced in this that your eyes saw your Teachers they were not removed into corners and your ears heard a word behinde you saying This is the way walk ye in it when you turned to the right hand and when you turned to the left Isa 30. 20 21. What earnest and ardent desires had you in those dayes after Communion with Christ in the holy Sacraments With desire you desired to partake of the Seals of the Covenant You thought your Evidences for Heaven not sure not authentick unless the Broad-Seals of the Kingdome were annexed What solicitude was there in those dayes to seek the Lord after the right Order What searching of the holy Scriptures what Collations among your Leaders both in their private Meetings and publick Councils and Synods to finde out the Order which Christ hath constituted and established in his House What fervent zeal was there then against Sectaries and Hereticks and all manner of Heterodoxies You could not bear them that were evil but tried them that pretended to New Light and Revelations and found them liars What pious Care was there of Sister-Churches that those that wanted Breasts might be supplied and that those that wanted Peace their Dissentions might be healed What readiness was there in those dayes to call for the help of Neighbour-Elders and Brethren in case of any Difference or Division that could not be healed at home What reverence was there then of the Sentence of a Council as being decisive and issuing the Controversie According to that ancient Proverbial Saying They shall surely ask counsel at Abel and so they ended the matter 2 Sam. 20. 18. What holy Endeavours were there in those dayes to propagate Religion to your Children and Posterity training them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord keeping them under the awe of government restraining their enormities and extravagancies charging them to know the God of their fathers and serve him with a perfect heart and willing minde and publickly asserting and maintaining their interest in the Lord and in his holy Covenant and zealously opposing those that denied the same And then had the Churches rest throughout the several Colonies and were edified and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the holy Ghost were multiplied O how your Faith grew exceedingly you proceeded from faith to faith from a less to a greater degree and measure growing up in Him who is our Head and receiving abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness that you might reign in life by Jesus Christ O how your Love and Charity towards each other abounded O what comfort of Love what bowels and mercies what affectionate care was there one of another what a holy Sympathy in Crosses and Comforts weeping with those that wept and rejoycing with those that rejoyced But who is there left among you that saw these Churches in their first glory and how do you see them now Are they not in your eyes in comparison thereof as nothing How is the gold become dim how is the most fine gold changed Is not the Temper Complexion and Countenance of the Churches strangely altered Doth not a careless remiss flat dry cold dead frame of spirit grow in upon us secretly strongly prodigiously They that have Ordinances are as though they had none and they that hear the Word as though they heard it not and they that pray as though they prayed not and they that receive Sacraments as though they received them not and they that are exercised in the holy things using them by the by as matters of custome and ceremony so as not to hinder their eager prosecution of other things which their hearts
A BRIEF RECOGNITION OF NEW-ENGLANDS ERRAND INTO THE Wilderness Made in the Audience of the General Assembly of the Massachusets Colony at Boston in N. E. on the 11 th of the third Moneth 1670. being the DAY of ELECTION THERE By Samuel Danforth Pastor of the Church of Christ in Roxbury in N. E. Jer. 2. 2. Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem saying Thus saith the Lord I remember thee the kindness of thy youth the love of thine espousals when thou wentest after me in the Wilderness in a Land that was not sown 3. Israel was Holiness unto the Lord and the first-fruits of his increase 5. Thus saith the Lord What iniquity have your fathers found in me that they are gone far from me and have walked after vanity and are become vain CAMBRIDGE Printed by S. G. and M. J. 1671. Christian Reader A Word spoken in due season saith Solomon how good is it Prov. 15. 23. And again A word fitey spoken is like Apples of gold in pictures of silver Chap. 25. 11. Such were the words of our Lord Jesus who accommodating himself to the way of Doctrine used by those Eastern Nations did by Parabolical discourses delight to breathe forth the deep Mysteries of divine and heavenly Wisdome And how plain but pungent his Sermons were how perspicuous yet unspeakably profound were those Oracles which flowed out of his lips of grace none are ignorant who are not unacquainted with what the holy Evangelists do harmoniously relate concerning him No more excellent Patern then the Lord Jesus for the Ministry of the New Testament to imitate And of all the words of the Sacred Scripture though all are of equal Authority as being of the Canon yet none seem to have a more eminent immediation of Heart-commanding virtue then those which proceeded directly out of the mouth of the Lord himself whereof this Text is one upon which the following Sermon is spent And how much of the Spirit of our Saviour appears therein I need not say and which perhaps will not at the first dash be discerned by the ordinary or cursory Reader but Wisdome is justified of her children The seasonableness and suitableness of this Work which is now in thine hand unto our present Wilderness-state will commend it self unto the judicious Christian whose heart doth indeed travel with the labouring Interest of the Kingdome of our Lord Jesus in these Ends of the Earth The Text carrying with it so much heavenly argumentation being so profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in righteousness as though intended by our Lord Jesus for such a Day as that whereon this Sermon was Preached and also before such an Auditory Whose applauds the former will not disapprove the latter the Reverend Author thereof observing therein the Saying of that Apostolick Man of God and very judicious in his Advice to younger Ministers about such matters his most Reverend Father of blessed Memory Mr. Wilson viz. That he delighted in such a Sermon wherein the Preacher kept close unto his Text and the proper scope thereof and wandered not from it by needless excursions and impertinent enlargements The loss of first love first to Christ and so to the Subjects and Order of his Kingdome being a Radical Disease too tremendously growing upon so great a part of the Body of Professors in this Land unto a Laodicean lukewarmness in the matters of God notwithstanding the signal and unparallel Experiences of the blessing of God upon this people a people so often saved by the Lord in the way of Moses and Aaron's meeting and kissing one another in the Mount of God and the observation of that Declension justly calling for so meet an Antidote and faithful Caution as is the ensuing Sermon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto such to review and consider in earnest their Errand into this Wilderness and the recovery of their affections to the Name of Christ in the chastity vigour and fervour thereof by a thorough-Reformation of things in the Matters of his Worship being a special duty in this hour of Temptation incumbent as on the Magistracy in their Sphere so on the Ministry in theirs whereby they may declare themselves loyal to Christ in their Generation-work hath no doubt inclined the heart of this Servant of his to yield unto the Perswasions of divers that these his Meditations might be published and so through the blessing of God advance that desired Reformation It is not a loose Toleration nor a rigid Independent-Separation but an holy and brotherly Reformation which all should in such an hour be endeavouring And how perillous a Sceptical Indifferency or a Reed like Vacillation much more wilful Opposition to the Doctrine and Way of the first Fathers and Founders of this Colony in Matters of Religion would be were it onely in those two Points about the Magistrates Coercive Power in Matters of Religion contrary to that Toleration aforesaid and about Communion of Churches in Synods c. described also by them from the Word of God in the Platform of Discipline contrary to that Independent-Separation aforesaid will be evident to those that understand what these things mean scil 1. Quod liberi sunt Spirituales a jugo-potestatis secularis and 2. Quod Ecclesia non potest errare It is said I remember Josh 24. 31. that Israel served the Lord all the dayes of Joshua and all the dayes of the Elders that out-lived Joshua and which had known all the works of the Lord that he had done for Israel It is much to Israels advantage in the service of God when the Lord graciously continues those who are acquainted with the First Wayes of such a people as hath been Holiness to the Lord and with the First Works of the Lord in his laying the Foundation of that Glory which might dwell in their Land And it is recorded Exod. 1. 8. as an inlet to Israels calamitious state in that place where the Lord had greatly multiplied and blessed them that there aroâ—e up a New King which knew not Joseph When Joseph or Joshua are unknown or forgotten and the Work and Way of God in leading his people by the hand of Moses and Aaron in their primitive Glory not understood or not minded by these or those how fearfully ominous to Israel must it needs be and how necessitating the affectionate repetition again and again of that expostulatory sad Interrogation of our Saviour But what went ye out into the Wilderness to see and should there arise such another Generation as is mentioned Judg. 2. 11. after our Fathers are removed to rest from the Warfare of the service of the Tabernacle of God in their Generation as should not know the Lord nor regard the works which he hath done for our Israel what may be expected but that as the following Context shews the anger of the Lord should wax hot against Israel and that he deliver us also into the hand of spoilers c. Strangers to the FIRST