Shepherdy Spiritualized, Tract · Chapter 12
CHAP. XII.
Dangers without, diſeaſes from within
Torment the Sheep: No leſs to Saints doth ſin.
Obſervation.
IT is by Naturaliſts reported that no Creature is more ſubject to diſeaſes than man, an Horſe, and a Sheep; and this laſt hath many Male-affections, by which it is much damnified. Though we may not enumerate them all. Yet the moſt general and uſually infeſting the Sheep may be reduced to theſe Heads.
Firſt, Sheep are much ſubject to the rott: We ſhall not trouble our ſelves with the particular ſpecies of this diſeaſe; ſome ſpeak of the hunger, or ſtarve-rott; ſome of the water-rott, &c. This we know that England hath been wont to be much ſubject to the Sheeprott; wherein in the ſpace of ſeven or ten years, commonly a very general rott happens to their Sheep: And though Ireland be not ſo uſually afflicted herewith, yet here alſo we have had very generally rotting years, by which whole Flocks hath been ſwept *Nec ſingula morbi Corpora corripiunt, ſed tota aeſtiva repente, Spem que gregem que ſimul cunctamque ab origin… Gentem, Virg. Georg. lib. 3.away and hath run through a Countrey, extending to moſt mens conſiderable Flocks, and to all ages of Sheep: though I think our laſt taint this way ſeized more eſpecially the younger Sheep, year-old, and thereabout. Whether the cauſe be in the feeding, or in the *Hîc quondam morbo caeli miſeranda coorta eſt Tempeſtas—Et genus omne neci pecudum dedit, omne ferarum, Corripuit que lacus, infecit pabula tabo, Id. Ibid.air men are not fully agreed; though the latter ſeems more probable, becauſe of its ſpreading, and to it the Poet agrees.
Secondly, Sheep are very ſubject to the ſcab; next kin to the rott, being of a running and infectious nature; ſpreading it ſelf from one part of the Sheep to another, and from one Sheep to another running over the Flock. That this *Turpis oves tentat ſcabies. Morbida facta pecus totum corrumpit ovile.alſo is a taint of the blood with heat appears, breaking outward into itching ſcabs; whence the Sheep lye rubbing, and beating themſelves with their Feet, or againſt the ground. Virgil for the Cure preſcribes waſhing with clean water after ſhearing; where his Commentator ſaies, that Salt-water doth rather increaſe the itch, or he directs to the uſe of the lees of Oyl, &c. Our uſe is generally whilſt the wool is ſhort, tarr, though others uſe other things to cure the ſcab, and take off the itching.
Thirdly, Sheep are very apt to be troubled with Feavers, ſeizing the Marrow and Bones, very much diſquieting and endangering them, with which ye ſhall have many taken off to no ſmall damage: Virgils care for this is to open a vein between *Inter Ima ferire pedis ſalentem ſanguine venam.the Claws of the Feet, ſo cooling the body, by taking off the extream heat.
Fourthly, Sheep generally are obſerved to have infirm heads, whence many infirmities vex and diſeaſe them; eſpecially the Giddy and Blindneſs. Ye have often ſeen how they turn round, and go ſtaggering like a Drunken-man, occaſioned by the over-flowing of blood, riſing up with fumes to the diſquieting of the Brain; and often their eye-ſight quite taken away, that they find not their way, but by gueſs. The cure generally is blood-letting in the Eye-vein, whereby their brains are eaſed of thoſe fumes; and their ſight recovered. Ye have the ſhaking alſo, which often ſeizes your Lambs, and takes them off, even while Fat.
Fifthly, Sheep alſo are troubled with diſeaſes in their Feet; ſometimes their Claws ſo overgrow, that they afflict them much, and make them go unwillingly, yea, graze on their knees. Worms alſo by taint are wont to breed in their Feet, if not well looked to: which diſtemper in their Feet will cauſe them to pine away, fall in their Fleſh, and unfit them for driving. *Glacies ne frigida laedat Molle pecus, ſcabiem que ferat turpeſ que podagrasAdd that Virgil mentions the Gout as afflicting Sheep.
Application.
In this alſo are Saints aptly called Sheep, being ſubject to many infirmities and weakneſſes. The faireſt Pomegranate hath at leaſt one rotten kernel. God's choice People have much within them to humble them. 'Tis triſte mor…alitatis privilegium ſometimes to offend. To enumerate their infirmities would be a task too large, ſeeing the *foreignApoſtle James ſaith, chap. 3. 2. in many things we offend all. or ſtumble; a Metaphor from Travellers walking on ſtony or ſlippery ground. The Apoſtle ſpeaks not of ſingular individual acts, but of the divers ſorts of ſins; and he ſpeaketh of thoſe that were ſanctified, at leaſt in his eſteem, and in the judgment of charity, and he puts himſelf into the number, though he were worthily called James the juſt. But ſee we ſome particulars. And here
Firſt, How ſubject are Chriſtians to the rott of Hereſie, which is a ſpreading, an infectious and a killing diſeaſe? It ſpreads over the whole man, and over the whole Congregation quickly. Hereſies ſpread like a Gangrene, tVim ſui veneni inter fidiles longiùs. diffundet, donec univerſum eccleſiae corpus contagio pervaſerit. Eſt.2 Tim. 2. 17. Diodate ſaith the learned call it Eſtiomene, which is ſo contagious that it ſuddenly ſpreads it ſelf into the next member, and ſo by degrees deſtroyes the whole body; ſo doth falſe Doctrine and Hereſie, being once admitted into the Soul, preſently overruns the parts, and takes the brain, and endangers the whole; and having poſſeſſed it ſelf of one of the members of a Church, will ſpread over all the body, if it be not withſtood in time. Errour is exceedingly infectious, and for the moſt part deadly, as the Leproſie in the Head was held to be. Jealouſie, Frenzie and Hereſie can hardly be cured, ſaith the Italian Proverb. It is certain that errour is of an encroaching nature; let the Serpent but wind in his head, and he will quickly bring in his whole body. He that ſaith yea to the Devil in a little, ſhall not ſay him nay when he pleaſeth; He that tumbleth down the Hill of Errours, will ſcarcely leave tumbling till he come to the bottom, and will endeavour to draw others with him. How ſoon were the Galatians unſettled by Seducers and Sect-maſters, chap. 1. 6. What ill work made thoſe deceitful workers at Corinth in Paul's abſence? The Hereticks in the Primitive Churches, how ſpreading were they? The whole world wondred after the Beaſt, Rev. 13. 3. And of the Arrians, in the daies of Athanaſius, it's ſaid, He was againſt all, and all againſt him, and the world groaned, wondring at it ſelf that it was wholly become Arrian. The catching nature of errour is wonderful, how men run from one Errour to another, and how this ſpark of fire kindles all that it comes near. How many in our daies having firſt ſuckt in Antinomian tenets, have thence become Socinians, then Anti-Trinitarians, Anti-Scripturiſts, and at laſt ſta…k Atheiſts? And how catching do we find it, through the righteous judgment of God, not ſtopping the malice of Satan which promotes mens corruptions to the carrying an end of errour? One wicked man ſpoileth much good, Eccleſs. 9. ult. he may be as an Achan in an army, as a Jonah in a Ship, a trouble-town, a common miſchief, a Traitor to the ſtate; eſpecially if he be an eminent man, as Jeroboam that made Iſrael to ſin, and Manaſſeh filling Jeruſalem with blood, and cauſing Judah alſo to ſin, 2 King. 21. 11. and bringing on them that evil threatned, verſ. 12. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump, 1 Cor. 5. 6. ſpreading the infection of his wickedneſs, that is more catching than the Plague. Compared to leven in regard both of the Perſons ſelf, in that it doth more and more ſowre and pollute the Soul, till at laſt it hath left no place free, if ſeaſonable Repentance prevent it not; and in regard of the whole Congregation, in that it ſpreadeth further and further in the body of the Church, if timely and effectual oppoſition be not made.
Secondly, As to the rott of Hereſie, ſo the Scab of unrighteous practices, are Chriſtians much ſubject to, which alſo is of a ſpreading and a dangerous nature. Hitherto may we apply that of Levit. 19. 29. As errour, ſo unrighteouſneſs is catching; eſpecially if it be of any in ſome eminency. Peter cannot diſſemble alone, but carries away Barnabas and others with him, Gal. 2. 12. 13. The ſins of Teachers, are the Teachers of ſins; the ſins of men in Authority ſeem to give Authority to ſin. Great mens ſins go as ſeldom unaccompanied as their perſons: Yea, ſuch mens example is a kind of compulſion, Why compelleſt thou, &c? 'Twas of the inceſtuous Corinthian that the Apoſtle uſeth that Proverb, 1 Cor. 5. 6. practical unrighteouſnneſs is apt to creep from one part to another: David's ſloth to gazing, to luſting, to adultery in the act, to flattery, making Ʋriah drunk, and ſtaid not till it came to downright murder. So Peter's fear to denying his Maſter with curſing and ſwearing.
But, Thirdly, Above all, how apt are even Saints themſelves to be heated in their blood, and ſo lifted up, above themſelves with the feaver of pride? Ah! how apt are men to ſwell, and think highly of themſelves, even becauſe by Grace they have received more than others? Good food and good feeding makes much blood, and hence Feavers and Pleuriſies many times enſue. I knew a man whoſe many, and thoſe dangerous, Diſtempers Phyſicians ſaid were occaſioned *This was according to the old notion, that the Liver is officina ſanguinis.by the goodneſs of his Liver, which did ſanguifie much, and he being a free Eater, often fell into Feavers, &c. Pride, like the thiſtle, grows in the beſt Soil. Not only thoſe that knew not God, but ſuch alſo as he had done much for, too often forget him and themſelves too. Iſraels pride teſtified to his face, Hoſ. 5. 5. 'tis the great maſter-pock of the Soul. Though the Apoſtle ſaith knowledge puffeth up, 1 Cor. 8. 1. Yet, Pride uſually flows from ignorance.—They have not known the Lord, The Pride of Iſrael teſtifieth, &c. The Laodiceans were therefore proud, becauſe ignorant, thou knoweſt not that thou art wretched, &c ſo thoſe queſtion-ſick Phantaſticks were proud, knowing nothing, 1 Tim. 6. 4. And the Apoſtle would have his Romans not be ignorant, leſt they ſhould be puffed up, Rom. 11. 25. Miriam's pride was great, Numb. 12. 2. and it teſtified to her face, verſ. 10. and Hezekiah's too, 2 Chron. 32. 25, 26, 31. As there be white teeth in the blackeſt Blackmore, ſo there is a black bill in the whiteſt Swan; but Hezekiah's *Submiſſior factus eſt a ſuperbia cordis ſui. Vatabl.pride humbled him the more, verſ. 26. as God gives his People to be gainers by their ſins; whence that paradox of Auguſtin's, My ſins in ſome ſenſe do me more good than my graces; for they make me afterward more humble, careful, more thankful for a Saviour, more merciful to others, more deſirous of the ſtate of Perfection, &c. Pride did early bud in the World. The firſt act of the firſt Creatures, Angels, of them that fell, was pride, ſay ſome. And there are that probably not unfitly think, that it had much influence on Eve, Gen. 3. 6. Even in Chriſts Family it too much prevailed, Mat. 18. 1. Mar. 9. 34. Paul ſpeaks his own danger, 2 Cor. 12. 7. That Revelations of Divine Myſteries ſhould be puffing up, is ſad; Yet, as Ezekiel, leſt he ſhould be lifted up with his many rare viſions, is frequently called Son of Man, to put him in mind of his mortality and miſerable condition; ſo had Paul a Thorn in the Fleſh, a corruption edged with ſome temptation, left he ſhould be exalted. If Paul had not been buffeted, who knows whither he would have ſwollen? He might have been carried higher in conceit, than before he had been in his extaſie. This Thorn in his Fleſh was a mean to let out the Impoſtumated matter of pride out of his heart. And he that had found the evil of it in himſelf, forewarnes others of it, Rom. 12. 3. 1 Tim. 6. 17. not to think, not to conceit highly of themſelves. Even Church-Officers may be in danger hereof, 1 Tim. 3. 6. and Churchmembers too; to be proud of the gift of God, the Bleſſings of God, the helps afforded us by God, Health, Wealth, Credit, Authority, &c. is bad; but O! to be proud of the Graces of God, how ſad?
And O! that, Fourthly, We could not ſay, that the Sheep of Chriſtare very ſubject to the Giddy, to turn round, to be unſettled, and unconſtant; But alas! ſad experience too much atteſts it. How Childiſh are many Profeſſours, ever learning, never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth. It's much to be lamented that what Paul ſpeaks of the effect of the Miniſtry, is no more evident in too many, Epheſ. 4. 14. The craft and cogging of men, how doth it carry too many about with every wind of Doctrine? Many mens heads are ſo big, that they are too heavy for their bodies: ſo much wind in them that it carries them about like wind-mills, which way ſoever the Wind ſits. They are like a feather or froth upon the water, wherried about with every puff of wind; unſtable Souls, as Peter calls them, 2 Pet. 2. 14. ſimple that believe every thing, like Solomons ſimpleton, Pro. 14. 1. Giddy hearers that have no mould, but what the next Teacher caſts them into; being blown like glaſſes into this or that ſhape, at the pleaſure of his breath. God's Temple had two Pillars, Jachin and *1 Kin. 7. 21.Boaz; ſo ſhould the Saints of the Moſt High, who are his ſpiritual Temple, in him is ſtrength, that is Boaz, and therefore, he will eſtabliſh his, that is Jachin. For the preſent, (ſaith Trap in loc.) they have ſtrength in themſelves, (i. e. put into them by God,) and for the future, God will ſo direct and ſtabliſh them with his Grace, that they ſhall never wholly depart from him. See Rev. 3. 12. this ſhould perſwade them to be ſtedfaſt now, 1 Cor. 15. ult. *foreignthat they be eſtabliſhed in the preſent truth, 2 Pet. 1. 12.
Laſtly, Chriſtians are too apt to be diſeaſed in their feet; not to *foreignfoot it right as Paul ſpeaks of Peter and the reſt with him, Gal. 2. 14. As the way of the Lord is ſtraight, Pſal. 5. 8. ſo ſhould Chriſtians walk ſtraight in that way, Heb. 12. 13. and not halt, nor be weary running the race of his Commandments. It is farr ea…ier to find high talking, than cloſe-walking Chriſtians. Too many alas! ſoon tire, hot at hand, and ſoon give out; faint, contrary to the Apoſtle's advice, Gal. 6. 9. foreign, give not in as tired jades; not ſlack our pace in Religion. Ambroſe obſerves of the Figg-tree, *Poma decidunt, ut folia ſuccedant.that the Fruit falls, to give way to the leaves: Such are they that begin in fruit and end in leaves; weary of well-doing, and ſo loſe the things which they have wrought, Jo. 2. 8. It's a ſhame for Chriſtians to faint in waies of truth and holineſs, ſeeing even the aQuaerendi defatigatio t…rpis …, cùm id quod quaeritur ſit pulcherrimum. Cicer. de fin.Orator ſaith, it's diſhonourable to faint in the ſearch of that, which being found will more than pay for the pains of ſearching. Caleb was not diſcouraged by the Giants, therefore he had Hebron the place of Giants, Joſh. 14. 12. 13. ſo they that faint not in the way to Heaven, ſhall inherit Heaven.
Reflections.
What need haſt thou, O my Soul! of care, diligence and indeavour that For the vaunting Profeſſor.thou be kept up in a good way, and not fall from it? 'Tis not every one that gets into the good way, that keeps on in it. The Galatians did begin well, yet were hindred by thoſe deceitful workers, falſe Teachers, which turned them from the ſimplicity of the Goſpel. Thou thinkeſt thon ſtandeſt, O my Soul, take heed leſt thou fall; haſt thou not heard of ſome, who have been turned out of the way of Truth and Holineſs by the deceitfulneſs of their own hearts, their deceitful luſts, or the ſubtilty of others? Thou wert beſt therefore take the advice of the Apoſtle, 2 Pet. 3. 17. fear a ſnake under every flower, a ſnare under every new Truth, as men ſpeak. Ah try the Spirits, whether they be of God or no, becauſe many falſe Prophets are abroad, who deceive the hearts of the ſimple. None are veryer Fools than they that truſt in their own hearts, after ſo much experience of their treachery. That ſtory is famous of Saunders and Pendleton in the beginning of Q. Mary her Reign. Be not high-minded, but fear. The common rott may take thee if not preſerved.
Much cauſe of ſticking and cleaving cloſe to the Lord, haſt thou, For the poor believing ChriſtianO my Soul! In ſuch a declining, backſliding looſe day as this is. There are many aſſaults and temptations from without, and many weakneſſes have I within, expoſing me to the deceit of Errour and prevalency of unrighteouſneſs even as others. My pride, my ignorance, my wantonneſs is great: O let me keep cloſe to the Lord. 'Tis an evil day wherein I live. It is an ingenuous thing indeed to be a Chriſtian, as one ſaid of the Primitive times. One ſaies, lo here, and another, lo there is Chriſt; Lord, lead me, and keep me in the right way, in the way of Truth and Holineſs. Many ſtarrs are fallen from Heaven, many that ſeemed ſome years ſince to have their faces ſet for Canaan, are return'd to the Fleſh-pots of Egypt, and others have been in the Wilderneſs ſo long, that they have loſt themſelves, and are become a meer nothing in Religion. O that I may be kept waiting upon God in his own waies! That I may be ſo,
Firſt, O my Soul, truſt not in thine own heart, Prov. 3. 5, 7. and 23. 4. and 28. 26. God loves to confute men in their own confidences, as he did the Philiſtines in their Champion Goliah. Truſt not, no, not Truſt it ſelf, but God alone on whom it reſts, who is therefore called our Truſt. He is two Fools that is wiſe in his own eyes. bConſilii ſatis est in me mihi—I have wiſdom enough in me for my ſelf, is the proud man Motto. cHoc ſcio, quod nihil ſcio.This I know that I know nothing, got Socrates the Name of the wiſeſt man in the World.
Secondly, Entruſt thy ſelf to the Lord to be kept; ſay with David, 1 Chro. 29. 18. pray that God would keep thine heart in an holy way, and keep up thine heart in an holy temper. That he will fix thy Quickſilver; that he would give thee with full purpoſe of heart to cleave to him, Act. 11. 23. for the ſtrength in which any of his ſtand, is from above, 2. Cor. 1. 21.
Thirdly, Humbly give up thy ſelf to be led by God: In this ſenſe only is blind obedience good. Go with Abraham, whitherſoever the Lord calls. God loves not quaeriſtas, but curriſtas, ſaid Luther, not thoſe that diſpute, but thoſe that diſpatch what he commands. When the Lord ſpeaks, ſay, thy Servant hears, i. e. to obey and do. The humble lowly Soul will he led and keep in the way, Pſal. 25. 9.
Faint not, O my Soul! in the way! take courage, go on, though with ſome For the weak Chriſtian.difficulty; the end will ſweeten the means. Conſider, ſore though thou be, it will not be long e're thou be laid up in a place of reſt. As that Noble that travelling to Jeruſalem in Pilgrimage on foot, when galled and tired, would encourage himſelf, with I am going to Jeruſalem; ſo do thou, that thou art going toward Jeruſalem that is above.