A Brief Recognition of New-Englands Errand into the Wilderness

p. 1A BRIEF RECOGNITION OF New-Englands Errand into the WILDERNESS.

—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, p. 2and 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? 〈non-Latin alphabet〉. 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 ◊ear, but to see; they went to gaze upon a new and strange Spectacle.

p. 2This 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 p. 3into 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.

p. 3Thirdly, 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 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 p. 4was 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, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, 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? …