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
are set upon Yea and in some particular Congregations amongst us is there not in stead of a sweet smell a stink and in stead of a girdle a rent and in stead of a stomacher a girding with sackcloth and burning in stead of beauty yea the Vineyard is all overgrown with thorns and nettles cover the face thereof and the stone wall thereof is broken down Prov. 24 31. yea and that which is the most sad and certain sign of calamity approaching Iniquity aboundeth and the love of many waxeth cold Mat. 24 12. Pride Contention Worldiness Covetousness Luxury Drunkenness and Uncleanness break in like a flood upon us and good men grow cold in their love to God and to one another If a man be cold in his bed let them lay on the more clothes that he may get heat but we are like to David in his old age they covered him with clothes but he gat no heat 2 Sam. 1. 1. The Lord heaps mercies favours blessings upon us and loads us daily with his benefits but all his love and bounty cannot heat and warm our hearts and affections Well the furnace is able to heat and melt the coldest Iron but how oft hath the Lord cast us into the hot furnace of Affliction and Tribulation and we have been scorched and burnt yet not melted but hardened thereby Isa 63. 17. How long hath God kept us in the furnace day after day moneth after moneth year after year but all our Afflictions Crosses Trials have not been able to keep our hearts in a warm temper Now let me freely deliberate with you what may be the Causes and Grounds of such decayes and languishings in our affections to and estimation of that which we came into the Wilderness to enjoy Is it because there is no bread neither is there any water and our soul loatheth this light bread Numb 21. 5. Our soul is dried away and there is nothing at all besides this Manna before our eyes Numb 11. 6. What is Manna no bread Is this Angelical food light bread which cannot satisfie but starves the Soul Doth our Soul loath the bread of Heaven The Lord be merciful to us The full soul loatheth the honey-comb Prov. 27. 7. What then is the cause of our decayes and languishings Is it because the Spirit of the Lord is straitned and limited in the dispensers of the Gospel and hence our joyes and comforts are lessened and shortned O thou that art named the house of Jacob is the Spirit of the Lord straitned are those his doings Do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly Mic. 2. 7. Surely it is not for want of fulness in the Spirit of God that he withholds comforts and blessings from any neither doth he delight in threatnings and judgements but his words both promise and perform that which is good and comfortable to them that walk uprightly The Spirit is able to enlarge it self unto the reviving and cheering of every man's heart and that should we experience did not our iniquity put a barre 2 Cor. 6. 11 12. O ye Corinthians our mouth is open unto you our heart is enlarged Ye are not straitned in us but ye are straitned in your own bowels The Spirit of God dilateth and enlargeth the heart of the faithfull Ministry for the good of the people but many times the people are straitned in their own bowels and cannot receive such a large portion as the Lord hath provided for them What then is the cause of our coolings faintings and languishings The ground and principal cause is our Vnbelief We believe not the Grace and Power of God in Christ Where is that lively exercise of faith which ought to be in our attendance upon the Lord in his holy Ordinances Christ came to Nazareth with his heart full of love and compassion and his hands full of blessings to bestow upon his old Acquaintance and Neighbours among whom he had been brought up but their Vnbelief restrained his tender mercies and bound his Omnipotent hands that he could not do any great or illustrious Miracle amongst them Mat. 13. 58. Mark 6. 5 6. He could do there no mighty work and he marvelled because of their unbelief Unbelief straitens the grace and power of Christ and hinders the communication of divine favours and special mercies The word preached profits not when it is not mixed with faith in them that hear it Heb. 4. 2. We may pray earnestly but if we ask not in faith how can we expect to receive any thing of the Lord Jam. 1. 6 7. But though Unbelief be the principal yet it is not the sole cause of our decayes and languishings Inordinate worldly Cares predominant Lusts and malignant Passions and Distempers stifle and choak the Word and quench our affections to the Kingdome of God Luke 8. 14. The Manna was gathered early in the morning when the Sun waxed hot it melted Exod. 16. 21. It was a fearful Judgement on Dathan and Abiram that the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up How many Professors of Religion are swallowed up alive by earthly affections Such as escape the Lime-pit of Pharisaical Hypocrisie fall into the Coal-pit of Sadducean Atheism and Epicurism Pharisaism and Sadduceism do almost divide the Professing World between them Some split upon the Rock of affected ostentation of singular Piety and Holiness and others are drawn into the Whirpool and perish in the Gulf of Sensuality and Luxury If any question how seasonable such a Discourse may be upon such a Day as this let him consider Hag. 2. 10 14. In the four and twentieth day of the ninth moneth in the second year of Darius came the word of the Lord by Haggai the Prophet saying Thus saith the Lord of Hosts Ask now the Priests concerning the law saying If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment and with his skirt do touch bread or pottage or wine or oyl or any meat shall it be holy And the Priests answered and said No. Then said Haggai If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these shall it be unclean And the Priests answered and said It shall be unclean Then answered Haggai and said So is this people and so is this nation before me saith the Lord and so is every work of their hands and that which they offer there is unclean It was an high and great day wherein the Prophet spake these words and an holy and honourable Work which the people were employed in For this day they laid the Foundation of the Lords Temple ver 18. nevertheless the Lord saw it necessary this very day to represent and declare unto them the pollution and uncleanness both of their persons and of their holy Services that they might be deeply humbled before God and carry on their present Work more holily and purely What was their uncleanness Their eager pursuit of their private Interests took off their hearts and affections from the affairs
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
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
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
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