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
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
so short a time Is it not a Sign that God is making a way for his Wrath when he removes his Chosen out of the Gap Doth he not threaten us with a Famine of the Word the Scattering of the Flock the Breaking of the Candlesticks and the turning of the Songs of the Temple into howlings It is high time for us to remember whence we are fallen and repent and do our first works Wherefore let us lift up the hands that hang down and strengthen the feeble knees and make straight paths for our feet lest that which is lame be turned out of the way but let it rather be healed Heb. 12. 12 13. Labour we to redress our Faintings and Swervings and address our selves to the Work of the Lord. Let us arise and build and the Lord will be with us and from this day will he bless us Alas we are feeble and impotent our hands are withered and our strength dried up Remember the man that had a withered hand Christ faith unto him Stretch forth thy hand and he stretched it forth and it was restored whole like as the other Mat. 12. 13. How could he stretch forth his hand when it was withered the Blood and Spirits dried up and the Nerves and Sinews shrunk up The Almighty Power of Christ accompanying his Command enabled the man to stretch forth his withered hand and in stretching it forth restored it whole like as the other Where the Soveraignty of Christ's Command takes place in the Conscience there is effectual grace accompanying it to the healing of our Spiritual Feebleness and Impotency and the enabling of us to perform the duty incumbent on us Though we have no might no strength yet at Christ's Command make an essay Where the word of a King is there is power But alas our Bruise is incurable and our Wound grievous there is none to repair the Breach there is no healing Medicine The Lord Jesus the great Physician of Israel hath undertaken the Cure I will restore health unto thee and I will heal thee of thy wounds saith the Lord Jer. 30. 17. No case is to be accounted desperate or incurable which Christ takes in hand If he undertake to heal Jairus his daughter he will have her death esteemed but a sleep in reference to his power She is not dead but sleepeth Mat. 9. 24. When Christ came to Lazarus his grave and bade them take away the stone Martha saith Lord by this time he stinketh for he hath been dead four dayes But Christ answereth Said I not unto thee that if thou wouldest believe thou shouldest see the glory of God Joh. 11. 40. Let us give glory to God by believing his word and we shall have real and experimental manifestations of his glory for our good and comfort But alas our hearts are sadly prejudiced against the Means and Instruments by which we might expect that Christ should cure and heal us Were not the hearts of John's Disciples leavened with carnal emulation and prejudices against Christ himself They would not own him to be the Messias nor believe their Master's Testimony concerning him insomuch that the Lord saw it necessary that John should decrease and be abased that Christ might encrease and be exalted and therefore suffered Herod to shut up John in Prison and keep him in durance about twelve moneths and at length to cut off his head that so these fondlings might be weaned from their Nurse and when John was dead his Disciples resort to Jesus acquaint him with the calamity that befell them and were perfectly reconciled to him passing into his School and becoming his Disciples Mat. 14. 12. But alas the Times are difficult and perillous the Wind is stormy and the Sea tempestuous the Vessel heaves and sets and tumbles up and down in the rough and boistâ—rous waters and is in danger to be swallowed up Well remember that the Lord sitteth upon the flood yea the Lord sitteth King for ever Psal 29. 10. His way is in the sea and his path in the great waters and his footsteps are not known Psal 77. 19. He stilleth the noise of the seas the noise of their waves and the tumult of the people Psal 65. 7. He saith to the raging Sea Peace be still and the wind ceaseth and there is a great calm Mark 4. 39. Yea he can enable his people to tread and walk upon the waters To sail and swim in the waters is an easie matter but to walk upon the waters as upon a pavement is an act of wonder Peter at Christ's call came down out of the ship 〈◊〉 walked on the water to go to Jesus Matth. 14. 29. and as long as his Faith held it upheld him from sinking when his Faith failed his body sunk but he cried to the Lord and he stretched forth his hand and caught him and said unto him O thou of little faith wherefore didst thou doubt But what shall we do for bread The encrease of the field and the labour of the Husbandman fails Hear Christ's answer to his Disciples when they were troubled because there was but one Loaf in the ship O ye of little faith why reason ye because you have no bread perceive ye not yet neither understand have ye your heart yet hardened having eyes see ye not and having ears hear ye not and do ye not remember Mark 8. 17 18. Mat. 16. 8 9. Those which have had large and plentiful experience of the grace and power of Christ in providing for their outward Sustenance and relieving of their Necessities when ordinary and usual Means have failed are worthy to be severely reprehended if afterward they grow anxiously careful and solicitous because of the defect of outward supplies In the whole Evangelicall History I finde not that ever the Lord Jesus did so sharply rebuke his Disciples for any thing as for that fit and pang of Worldly care and solicitude about Bread Attend we our Errand upon which Christ sent us into the Wilderness and he will provide Bread for us Matth. 6. 33. Seek ye first the Kingdome of God and his Righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you But we have many Adversaries and they have their subtile Machinations and Contrivances and how soon we may be surprized we know not Our diligent Attention to the Ministry of the Gospel is a special means to check and restrain the rage and fury of Adversaries The people's assiduity in attendance upon Christ's Ministry was the great obstacle that hindred the execution of the bloody Counsels of the Pharisees Luk. 19. 47 48. He taught daily in the Temple but the chief Priests and the Scribes and the chief of the people sought to destroy him and could not finde what they might do for all the people were very attentive to hear him If the people cleave to the Lord to his Prophets and to his Ordinances it will strike such a fear into the hearts of enemies that they will be at their wits ends and not know what to do However In this way we have the promise of divine Protection and Preservation Revel 3. 10. Because thou hast kept the word of my Patience I also will keep thee from the hour of Temptation which shall come upon all the world to try them that dwell upon the earth Let us with Mary choose this for our Portion To sit at Christ's feet and hear his word and whosoever complain against us the Lord Jesus will plead for us as he did for her and say They have chosen that good part which shall not be taken away from them Luk. 10. 42. AMEN FINIS Pag. 14. line 28. for ground reade grand