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
John been a rare and excellent Minister of God you would never have gone out of your Cities into the desert to have seen him Thus our Saviour sets forth another of John's admirable excellencies viz. his Prophetical Office and Function John was not an ordinary Interpreter of the Law much less a Teacher of Jewish Traditions but a Prophet one who by the extraordinary Inspiration of the holy Ghost made known the Mysteries of Salvation Luke 1. 76 77. Lastly our Saviour determines and concludes the Question He whom ye went out to see was more then a Prophet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 much more or abundantly more then a Prophet This he confirms by his wonted Asseveration Yea I say unto you and much more then a Prophet How was John much more then a Prophet John was Christs Herauld sent immediately before his face to proclaim his Coming and Kingdome and prepare the people for the reception of him by the Baptism of Repentance ver 10. Hence it follows ver 11. Among all that are born of women there hath not risen a greater Prophet then John John was greater then any of the Prophets that were before him not in respect of his personal graces and virtues for who shall perswade us that he excelled Abraham in the grace of Faith who was the father of the faithful or Moses in Meekness who was the meekest man on earth or David in Faithfulness who was a man after Gods own heart or Solomon in Wisdome who was the wisest man that ever was or shall be but in respect of the manner of his dispensation All the Prophets foretold Christs Coming his Sufferings and Glory but the Baptist was his Harbinger and Forerunner that bare the Sword before him Proclaimed his Presence and made room for him in the hearts of the people All the Prophets saw Christ afar off but the Baptist saw him present baptized him and applied the Types to him personally Behold the Lamb of God He saw and bare record that this is the Son of God Joh. 1. 29 34. But he that is least in the Kingdome of Heaven is greater then John The least Prophet in the Kingdome of Heaven i. e. the least Minister of the Gospel since Christ's Ascension is greater then John not in respect of the measure of his personal gifts nor in respect of the manner of his Calling but in respect of the Object of his Ministry Christ on the Throne having finished the work of our Redemption and in respect of the degree of the revelation of Christ which is far more clear and full John shewed Christ in the flesh and pointed to him with his finger but the Ministers of the Gospel declare that he hath done and suffered all things necessary to our Salvation and is risen again and set down at the right hand of God Doct. Such as have sometime left their pleasant Cities and Habitations to enjoy the pure Worship of God in a Wilderness are apt in time to abate and cool in their affection thereunto but then the Lord calls upon them seriously and throughly to examine themselves what it was that drew them into the Wilderness and to consider that it was not the expectation of ludicrous levity nor of Courtly pomp and delicacy but of the free and clear dispensation of the Gospel and Kingdome of God This Doctrine consists of two distinct Branches let me open them severally Branch 1. Such as have sometime left their pleasant Cities and Habitations to enjoy the pure Worship of God in a Wilderness are apt in time to abate and cool in their affection thereunto To what purpose did the Children of Israel leave their Cities and Houses in Egypt and go forth into the Wilderness was it not to hold a Feast to the Lord and to sacrifice to the God of their fathers That was the onely reason which they gave of their motion to Pharaoh Exod. 5. 1 3. but how soon did they forget their Errand into the Wilderness and corrupt themselves in their own Inventions within a few moneths after their coming out of Egypt they make a Calf in Horeb and worship the molten Image and change their glory into the similitude of an Ox that eateth grass Psal 106. 19 20. Exod. 32. 7 8. yea for the space of forty years in the Wilderness while they pretended to Sacrifice to the Lord they indeed worshipped the Stars and the Host of Heaven and together with the Lords Tabernacle carried about with them the Tabernacle of Moloch Amos 5. 25 26. Acts 7. 42 43. And how did they spend their time in the Wilderness but in tempting God and in murmuring against their godly and faithful Teachers and Rulers Moses and Aaron Psal 95 8. To what purpose did the Children of the Captivity upon Cyrus his Proclamation leave their Houses which they had built and their Vineyards and Oliveyards which they had planted in the Province of Babylon and return to Judea and Jerusalem which were now become a Wilderness was it not that they might build the House of God at Jerusalem and set up the Temple-worship But how shamefully did they neglect that great and honourable Work for the space of above forty years They pretended that Gods time was not come to build his House because of the rubs and obstructions which they met with whereas all their difficulties and discouragements hindred not their building of stately houses for themselves Hag. 1. 2 3 4. To what purpose did Jerusalem 〈…〉 ll Judea all the region round about Jordan leave their several Cities and Habitations and flock into the Wilderness of Judea was it not to see that burning and shining light which God had raise◠up To hear his heavenly Doctrine and partake of that new Sacrament which he administred O how they were affected with his rare and excellent gifts with his clear lively and powerful Ministry The Kingdome of Heaven pressed in upon them with a holy violence and the violent the zealous and affectionate hearers of the Gospel took it by force Mat. 11. 12. Luk. 16. 16. They leapt over all discouragements and impediments whether outward as Legal Rites and Ceremonies or inward the sense of their own sin and unworthiness and pressed into the Kingdome of God as men rush into a Theatre to see a pleasant Sight or as Souldiers run into a besieged City to take the Spoil thereof but their hot fit is soon over their affection lasted but for an hour i. e. a short season Joh. 5. 35. Reas 1. Because the affection of many to the Ministry of the Gospel and the pure Worship of God is built upon temporary and transitory grounds as the novelty and strangeness of the matter the rarerness and excellency of Ministerial Gifts the voice of the people the countenance of great men and the hope of worldly advantage The Jews had lien in ignorance and darkness a long time being trained up under the superstitious observances of their old Praditions which were vain empty
and unprofitable Customes and the Church wanted the gift of Prophecy about four hundred years and therefore when John the Baptist arose like a bright and burning light shining amongst them with admirable gifts of the Spirit and extraordinary severity and gravity of manners proclaiming the Coming and Kingdome of the Messias which had been oft promised and long expected and pressing the people to Repentance and good works O how they admire and reverence him especially when grown popular and countenanced by Herod the Tetrarch What sweet affections are kindled what great expectations are raised what ravishing joy is conceived Hoping as its probable to make use of his Authority to cast off the Roman yoke and recover their Civil Liberties Riches and Honours But after a little acquaintance with John for he was a publick Preacher but a year and half his Doctrine Administrations and Prophetical Gifts grew common and stale things and of little esteem with them especially when they saw their carnal hopes frustrated the Rulers disaffected and Herods countenance and carriage toward him changed Reas 2. Because Prejudices and Offences are apt to arise in the hearts of many against the faithful Dispensers of the Gospel The Pharisees and Lawyers came among others to the Baptism of John but when they hear his sharp reprehensions of their Viperous Opinions and Practices they nauseate his Doctrine repudiate his Baptism calumniate his Conversation Luke 7. 30. Herodiaes hath an inward grudge and a quarrel against him because he found fault with her incestuous Marriage Mar. 6. 19. Yea that very Age and Generation of the Jews were like to a company of surly sullen and froward children whom no Musick can please they neither dance after the Pipe nor make lamentation after the mourner They inveigh against John's austerity saying that he was transported with diabolical fury and was an enemy to humane society and they do as much distaste and abhor Christ's gentleness and familiarity traducing him as being a sensual and voluptuous person given to intemperance and luxury and a Patron and Abettor of looseness and profaneness Mat. 11. 16 19. Thus doth the frowardness and stubbornness of man resist and oppose the wisdome and goodness of God who useth various waves and instruments to compass poor sinners but they throught their folly and perverseness frustrate disanul and abrogate the counsel of God against themselves The evil spirit that troubled Saul was quieted and allayed by the sweet Melody of David's Harp but the mad and outragious fury that transports men against the Truth and the Ministry thereof cannot be quieted and allayed by the voice of the Charmers charm they never so wisely Branch II. When men abate and cool in their affection to the pure Worship of God which they went into the Wilderness to enjoy the Lord calls upon them seriously and throughly to examine themselves what it was that drew them into the Wilderness and to consider that it was not the expectation of ludicrous levity nor of Courtly pomp and delicacy but of the free and clear dispensation of the Gospel and Kingdome of God Our Saviour knowing that the people had lost their first love and singular affection to the revelation of his grace by the Ministry of his Herauld John He is very intense in examining them what expectation drew them into the Wilderness He doth not once nor twice but thrice propound that Question What went ye out into the Wilderness to see Yea in particular he enquires whether it were to see a man that was like to a Reed shaken with the wind or whether it were to see a man clothed like a Courtier or whether it were to see a Prophet and then determines the Question concluding that it was to see a great and excellent Prophet and that had not they seen rare and admirable things in him they would never have gone out into the Wilderness unto him The Reason is Because the serious consideration of the inestimable grace and mercy of God in the free and clear dispensation of the Gospel and Kingdome of God is a special means to convince men of their folly and perverseness in undervaluing the same and a sanctified remedy to recover their affections thereunto The Lord foreseeing the defection of Israel after Moses his death commands him to write that Prophetical Song recorded in Deut. 32. as a Testimony against them wherein the chief remedy which he prescribes for the prevention and healing of their Apostacy is their calling to remembrance Gods great and signal love in manifesting himself to them in the Wilderness in conducting them safely and mercifully and giving them possession of their promised Inheritance ver 7 14. And when Israel was apostatized and fallen the Lord to convince them of their ingratitude and folly brings to their remembrance his deliverance of them out of Egypt his leading them through the Wilderness for the space of forty years and not onely giving them possession of their Enemies Land but also raising up even of their own Sons Prophets faithful and eminent Ministers and of their young men Nazarites who being separated from worldly delights and encumbrances were Paterns of Purity and Holiness all which were great and obliging mercies Yea the Lord appeals to their own Consciences whether these his favours were not real and signal Amos 2. 10 11. The Prophet Jeremiah that he might reduce the people from their backslidings cries in the ears of Jerusalem with earnestness and boldness declaring unto them that the Lord remembred how well they stood affected towards him when he first chose them to be his people and espoused them to himself how they followed him in the Wilderness and kept close to him in their long and wearisome passage through the uncultured Desert how they were then consecrated to God and set apart for his Worship and Service as the first-fruits are wont to be sequestred and devoted to God and thereupon expostulates with them for their forsaking the Lord and following after their Idols Jer. 2. 2 3 5 6. Surely our Saviour's Dialogism with his Hearers in my Text is not a meer Rhetorical Elegancy to adorn his Testimony concerning John but a clear and strong conviction of their folly in slighting and despising that which they sometime so highly pretended unto and a wholesome admonition and direction how to recover their primitive affection to his Doctrine and Administration VSE I. Of solemn and serious Enquiry to us all in this general Assembly Whether we have not in a great measure forgotten our Errand into the Wilderness You have solemnly professed before God Angels and Men that the Cause of your leaving your Country Kindred and Fathers houses and transporting your selves with your Wives Little Ones and Substance over the vast Ocean into this waste and howling Wilderness was your Liberty to walk in the Faith of the Gospel with all good Conscience according to the Order of the Gospel and your enjoyment of the pure Worship of God according
of the House of God It seems they pleased themselves with this that the Altar stood upon its Bases and Sacrifices were daily offered thereon and the building of the Temple was onely deferred untill a fit opportunity were afforded free from disturbance and opposition and having now gained such a season they are ready to build the Temple but the Lord convinceth them out of the Law that their former negligence was not expiated by their daily Sacrifices but the guilt thereof rendred both the Nation and this holy and honourable Work which they were about vile and unclean in the sight of God And having thus shewn them their spiritual uncleanness he encourageth them to go on with the work in hand the building of the Temple promising them from this day to bless them ver 18. VSE II. Of Exhortation To excite and stir us all up to attend and prosecute our Errand into the Wilderness To what purpose came we into this place and what expectation drew us hither Surely not the expectation of ludicrous Levity We came not hither to see a Reed shaken with the wind Then let not us be Reeds light empty vain hollow-hearted Professâ—rs shaken with every wind of Temptation but solid serious and sober Christians constant and stedfast in the Profession and Practice of the Truth Trees of Righteousness the planting of the Lord that he may be glorified holding fast the profession of our Faith without wavering Alas there is such variety and diversity of Opinions and Judgements that we know not what to believe Were there not as various and different Opinions touching the Person of Christ even in the dayes of his flesh Some said that He was John the Baptist some Elias others Jeremias or one of the old Prophets Some said he was a gluttonous man and a wine-bibber a friend of publicans and sinners others said He was a Samaritan and had a Devil yet the Disciples knew what to believe Whom say ye that I am Thou art Christ the Son of the living God Mat. 16. 15 16. The various heterodox Opinions of the people serve as a foil or tinctured leaf to set off the lustre and beauty of the Orthodox and Apostolical Faith This is truly commendable when in such variety and diversity of Apprehensions you are not byassed by any sinister respects but discern embrace and profess the Truth as it is in Christ Jesus But to what purpose came we into the Wilderness and what expectation drew us hither Not the expectation of Courtly Pomp and Delicacy We came not hither to see men clothed like Courtiers The affectation of Courtly Pomp and Gallantry is very unsuitable in a Wilderness Gorgeous Attire is comely in Princes Courts if it exceed not the limits of Christian Sobriety but excess in Kings houses escapes not divine Vengeance Zeph. 1. 8. I will punish the Princes and the Kings children and all such as are clothed with strange Apparel The pride and haughtiness of the Ladies of Zion in their superfluous Ornaments and stately gestures brought wrath upon themselves upon their Husbands and upon their Children yea and upon the whole Land Isa 3. 16 26. How much more intolerable and abominable is excess of this kinde in a Wilderness where we are so far removed from the Riches and Honours of Princes Courts To what purpose then came we into the Wilderness and what expectation drew us hither Was it not the expectation of the pure and faithful Dispensation of the Gospel and Kingdome of God The times were such that we could not enjoy it in our own Land and therefore having obtained Liberty and a gracious Patent from our Soveraign we left our Country Kindred and Fathers houses and came into these wilde Woods and Dese 〈…〉 s where the Lord hath planted us and made us dwell in a place of our own that we might move no more and that the children of wickedness might not afflict us any more 2 Sam. 7. 10. What is it that distinguisheth New-England from other Colonies and Plantations in America Not our transportation over the Atlantick Ocean but the Ministry of Gods faithful Prophets and the fruition of his holy Ordinances Did not the Lord bring the Philistims from Caphtor and the Assyrians from Kir as well as Israel from the land of Egypt Amos 9. 7. But by a Prophet the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt and by a Prophet was he preserved Hos 12. 13. What is the Price and Esteem of Gods Prophets and their faithful Dispensations now fallen in our hearts The hardships difficulties and sufferings which you have exposed your selves unto that you might dwell in the House of the Lord and leave your Little Ones under the shadow of the wings of the God of Israel have not been few nor small And shall we now withdraw our selves and our Little Ones from under those healing Wings and lose that full Reward which the Lord hath in his heart and hand to bestow upon us Dâ—d we not with Mary choose this for our Part to sit at Christs feet and hear his word and do we now repent of our choice and prefer the Honours Pleasures and Profits of the world before it You did run well who doth hinder you that you should not obey the truth Gal. 5. 7. Hath the Lord been wanting to us or failed our expectation Micah 6. 3. O my people what have I done unto thee and wherein have I wearied thee testifie against me Jer. 2. 5. What iniquity have your fathers found in me that they are gone far from me and ver 31. O generation see ye the word of the Lord have I been a wilderness unto Israel a land of darkness May not the Lord say unto us as Pharaoh did to Hadad 1 King 11. 22. What hast thou lacked with me that behold thou seekest to go to thine own Country Nay what could have been done more then what the Lord hath done for us Isa 5. 4. How sadly hath the Lord testified against us because of our loss of our first love and our remissness and negligence in his Work Why hath the Lord smitten us with Blasting and Mildew now seven years together superadding sometimes severe Drought sometimes great Tempests Floods and sweeping Rains that leave no food behinde them Is it not because the Lords House lyeth waste Temple-work in our Hearts Families Churches is shamefully neglected What should I make mention of Signes in the Heavens and in the Earth Blazing-Stars Earthquakes dreadful Thunders and Lightnings fearful Burnings What meaneth the heat of his great Anger in calling home so many of his Ambassadors In plucking such burning and shining Lights out of the Candlesticks the principal Stakes out of our Hedges the Corner-stones out of our Walls In removing such faithful Shepherds from their Flocks and breaking down our defenced Cities Iron Pillars and Brazen-Walls Seemeth it a small thing unto us that so many of Gods Prophets whose Ministry we came into the Wilderness to enjoy are taken from us in