The context standeth thus —
1. A message is sent from John in prison to Christ. He sendeth two of his disciples to inquire if he were the Messiah, not for his own satis- faction, but theirs. They were offended in Christ out of respect to their master.
2. Christ's answer to this message. He referreth them to his works. What do you see and hear ? Which teacheth us that our works should praise us in the gates, not our own lips. When the question is put, Are you the sons of God, yea or nay ? what are your works ? works exceeding the power of nature ? John x. 38, ' If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not ; but if I do, though you believe not me, believe the works.' You should allow the full place of an evidence to them.
3. As they departed, Christ commendeth John, not before his dis- ciples, lest he might confirm their error, or by flattery seek to ingrati- ate with them, or to teach us this moral instruction, that none is to be praised before his face : ' When John's disciples were departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness for to see ? '
In commending John, he first beginneth with the people, inquiring after the reason of their great resort to him before he was in prison. Three times he propoundeth the question. Surely when such multi- tudes came from all coasts and quarters, you saw some reason for it. What was your aim ? Was it by chance, or to behold some worldly greatness, or to hear the word of God from some great prophet ? Was it a childish errand, a carnal design, or a religious reason that moved you to hear a prophet of the Lord ? You that run after him, had high thoughts of him, you did not go out to see a reed. Plenty grew in the wilderness, that was not your errand ; you did not look upon John as such. A reed is a fit emblem of an inconstant pers'on ; it bendeth now
488 A SERMON ON THE ENDS OF THE SACEAMENT.
this way, anou that way. John was no such reed ; he changed not his testimony for frowns or flatteries : ' What went ye out for to see ? ' Gallantry is not to be seen in the desert, but in a king's court. What wasit that moved you ? Why doth Christ put the question thrice ? Partly to show that the reasons that move us to a duty should be well examined. Partly to shame them that they had no more obtained the right end. Surely ye went to see a prophet, You will not own that all this resort was to a seducer or impostor ; you went to see a prophet, one that was commissioned, and had a warrant from God to reveal his will. Why do ye desert him now in prison ? Why do ye not believe his testimony concerning me ? ' What went ye out for to see ? '
The observation which I shall raise from these words shall be this — That when we are going to an ordinance, we should consider our aim, and what we are going about.
In hearing, ' What went ye out for to ' hear ? Picked words, apt cadences of speech, or out of a desire after ' the sincere milk of the word, that you may grow thereby ? ' 1 Peter ii. 2. Is that your aim ? So in the sacraments, What do. you go to see ? Do you go to taste wine and bread ? That 3'ou may do at home in greater plenty, and with less trouble. Or is it to put yourselves into the garb of worship that is in fashion ? Translate the scene, and 3'ou will be Turk or pagan upon the same account. What do you go out to see ? Is it to meet with Christ in his ordinances ? Thus in every action should we reflect upon the principles and ends, the reasons that move us to any duty. Is it only to see the faces of one another, or to meet with Christ?
1. As men, thus should we do. The prophet biddeth them, ' Show yourselves men,' Isa. xlvi. 8. The privilege of a man is to use recol- lection, to fix his scope ; to know the end distinguishelh a man from a beast. Beasts are overruled by providence ; they act for an end, but they know it not. To go on in a traqk and course of duties without considering the end and reason of them, is to be ' like horse and mule, which have no understanding,' Ps. xxxii. 9 ; to act like beasts rather than men. A man's eye is upon the end before his hand be in the work. What am I now doing, and why ? And the more weighty any action is, the more recollection should we use in that kind. What is my aim ? In ordinary works we do not always think of the end, actually, solemnly, but in great businesses we do ; it is suitable to the principles of reason, much more in duties of religion.