Shepherdy Spiritualized, Tract · Chapter 15
CHAP. XV.
The Sheep's for holy uſe in every part;
Saints holy are to God in Head, Life, Heart.
Obſervation.
THE Sheep is all holy, ſaith Rab. Solomon. Every part of it uſed for ſomething or other about the Worſhip of God: Whereas the Dog and Hog were both abhor'd, and nothing of them had any place in Divine Worſhip; Hence both declared as the moſt abominable things, Iſa. 66. 3. a Dog eCanis pro re execrabili & foedâ, Sanct.uſed to expreſs any thing moſt filthy and abominable. See Deut. 23. 18. which Text, though ſome interpret Metaphorically, of impudent Cynicks, or of Sodomites, buggerers that have caſt off all manhood, and are become Dogs, worſe than Dogs, yet the Hebrews underſtand it literally, and ſo Bochart and others. And as the Dog, ſo the Hog alſo, whoſe uſe civil as well as ſacred was forbidden, it might not be eaten by them, nor touched, Levit. 11. 7, 8. hence God's loathing the wicked's ſacrifice is expreſt in that fore-quoted Iſa. 66. 3. [as if he offered Swines-blood] which was doubly unlawful, becauſe the Swine was unclean by the Law; as becauſe all blood was to be poured out, not offered. Other Creatures which were of ſome uſe in ſervice, yet were not of ſuch general uſe, as this Creature, the Sheep: moſt of his parts being ſerviceable in ſome way or other. Thus beſides his Fleſh, which was offered up in Sacri… *Canis ita vile Hebraeis animal, ut ne pretium quidem ejus in Templo recipi poſſet, Grot.fice, two every day, Exod. 29. 38. for 2000 years and more, till the ceaſing of that ſervice by the deſtruction of the Temple by the Romans, we muſt particularly conſider his other parts as uſed in Religious ſervice.
Of the Wool dyed Blew, Purple, and Scarlet was much uſe made for the vails of the Tabernacle, the Curtains of the Tabernacle, Exod. 26. for the Prieſts Garments, Ex. 28. for though (as Ainſworth obſerves) the Blew, Purple, and ſcarlet are colours only, and Moſes expreſſeth not the ſtuff coloured, yet Paul affirming that ſcarlet wool was uſed in ſprinkling the blood, Heb. 9. 19. ſeemeth to teach that the ſcarlet ſpoken of in thoſe places was Wool ſo dyed; and ſo of the other colours. And thus the Heb. Doctors explain them. The Blew ſpoken of in any place (ſay they) was Wool dyed like the body of the Heavens (i. e. Sky-colour;) the Purple was Wool dyed Red, and the Scarlet, Wool dyed in Scarlet, Maim. Treat. of the implements of the Sanctuary.
Of their skins, or pelts were made Timbrels, Muſical inſtruments much in uſe among the Jews, eſpecially their Women, having its name in fforeign manum pulſavit.Hebr. from its being beaten with the hand; or as gEſono ficta vox, per Onomatopoeiam, inſtrumentum utrin que mambranâ clauſum, intus vacuum, quod bacillo perc…tit…r, Geneb. in Pſal. 150. 4.Genebr. on Pſal. 150. 4. from the ſound which it yielded when beaten; not unlike our Drum; mentioned Exod. 15. 20. Judg. 11. 34. and in the Pſalms often. Beſides the Ram-skins, which dyed Red, made the ſecond or middle covering for the Tabernacle, Exod. 26. 14.
Of the Horns were made Trumpets for the Prieſts, Joſh. 6. 4, 5, 6, 8. and hence the moſt received opinion is, that the year of Jubilee had its name from the ſound of the Rams Horns wherewith it was proclaimed, Levit. 25. 9, 10. in which Servants returned to their freedom, and Proprietors to their Lands and houſes morgaged.
Of their Leggs, or Shank-bone were made pipes, uſed alſo in a way of praiſing and bleſſing God, 1 Sam. 10. 5. where they are called hProphetae hîc dicuntur qui laudib …s Divinis celebrandis vacabant—hymnos & la…des Deo concinebant, tum voce tum inſtrumentis muſicis, Lap.Prophets, who did celebrate God's praiſes either with voice, or inſtrument, or both. Being filled with the Spirit, did ſing ſongs of praiſe to God. So the Chald. explains the laſt word, [they ſhall propheſie] i. e. ſhall ſing Pſalms and Hymns to the praiſe of God. Theſe Pipes were made of thoſe Shank-bones, and have their name in iforeign a foreignHebr. from their being pierced or made hollow.
Of their Guts were made Harps, and ſuch like ſtringed Inſtruments; a muſical inſtrument invented by Jubal. Gen. 4. 21. uſed for mirth or joy, Pſal. 137. 1, 2. Gen. 31. 27. in praiſing God, Pſal. 33. 2. hence called the pleaſant harp, Pſal. 81. 2. oppoſed to mourning, Job. 30. 31. with theſe they were wont to celebrate the Lords praiſe, as ye read often in the Chronicles, alſo in Neh. 12. 27. Thus far the obſervation of Rab. Solomon.
Let me add that of all Creatures ſacrificed to the Lord, the peace-offering of a Sheep or Lamb hath a ſpecial command concerning it, that the whole Rump be offered, taken off at the back-bone, Levit. 3. 9. the reaſon given by moſt is, becauſe of the largneſs as well as fatneſs and ſweetneſs of that part in the Syrian and Arabian Sheep; being a Cubit long, as is atteſted by Ariſtot. Hiſt. Animal. 8. 28. Plin. 8. 48. Herodot. and from him Aelian. Beſides many others Ludovic Roman. in his *foreign cithara. eſt foreign et foreign.Travels, ſaith, that in Arabia he ſaw Wethers having Tails which were forty four pounds weight, each; others ſpeak of twenty eight pounds, and the moſt of eleven pounds: So that nature which hath tyed the Tails to other Creatures, may ſeem to have tyed the Syrian Sheep to their Tails, which with great difficulty they drag after them, ſaith ingenious kPiſgah-ſight, &c. in Reuben, §. 14. pag. 60. lib. 2.Fuller, And this is the reaſon, why of this Creature the whole rump or tail is expreſly commanded to be offered, not obſerved in Kine or Goats: that part being for bulk and value conſiderable in their Sheep, which is contemptible in other Creatures.
Application.
The People of the moſt High ſhould in this alſo be like Sheep; univerſally holy, holy in every part, all that is in them, all that is of them, all that comes from them, ſhould be conſecrate to the Lord's glory. Zech. 14. 20, 21. Calvin tranſlates ſtalls of the Horſes, what we read Bells; theſe are wont to be none of the cleaneſt places, and blood though ſhed in a juſt war, pollutes a man; the Prophet by theſe expreſſions ſignifying, that nothing ſhould be ſo common or profane in the World, but ſhould be ſanctified to God, when he ſhall reign in the world. Or by the Horſes-bells, or collars, and the pots underſtand the various ſtates of Chriſtians, who all ought to be equally holy: All the Furniture of the Kitchin, whatſoever had been defiled with the intemperance of men, ſhould be turned to the Worſhip of God. In war and peace, in meat and drink, &c. men ſhall be holy to God, and ſhall follow after holineſs. It is the manifeſt teſtimony of a Godly mind, when Godlineſs runs through a man's whole Life, as the woof doth through the web; when ordinary actions *Quicquid agas propter Deum agas.are done from a right principle, and to a right purpoſe. All the Paths of our line of Life muſt be ſtraight before God. An univerſality God requires in his ſervice, Pſal. 119. 5, 6. Aug. ſaith, the whole Life of a Chriſtian is a holy deſire, and this is alwayes ſeconded with endeavour; without which affection is like Rachel, beautiful, but barren. Yea, a double univerſality God calls for, of the Subject, the whole heart, and of the object, all thy commandments, all that God requires. A baſe heart is funambulus virtutum, as Tertul. phraſeth it; he hath a diſpenſatory conſcience; his obedience is partial, as ſuch as goeth in a narrow tract, it extendeth not to the whole Law, and is therefore loſt labour. There muſt be in every true Chriſtian, tom, integrity, that there be nothing wanting, no defect of parts, and Joſher, lRecta ratio morum, ſermonum, &c. congruens cum normâ verbi Divini, Gei. in Pſal. 25. 21.a correſpondency in words, works, to the rule of Gods word. But to particularize,
Firſt, All the parts muſt be for God, Heart, Head, Hand, Foot, &c. Heart muſt be holy and wholly for God, or nothing will be as it ought: this God calls for in the firſt and chief place, Pro. 23. 26. Even among the Heathens when a beaſt was cut up for Sacrifice, the firſt thing the Prieſt lookt upon, was the heart, and if the heart were naught, the Sacrifice was rejected: As the Heart is by nature corrupt and polluted, the Lord will have none of it; yet, till the heart be renewed and given to the Lord, he will accept nothing can come from man, Iſa. 29. 13. of the Heart God ſaith to us, as Joſeph to his Brethren concerning Benjamin, Gen. 43. 3. Ye ſhall not ſee my face, except he be with you. For this God wiſheth, Deut. 5. 29. without truth in the inward parts, Pſal. 51. 6. all is nothing worth in Gods eſteem. The inwards and the fat thereof was to be offered to the Lord, mMysticus ſenſus est interimendas in Dei honorem cupidines, quarum inſtrumenta adeps, renes, jecur, Grot.Levit. 3. 15, 16. ſignifying our ſlaying our luſts through affection to God. 'Tis the hidden man of the heart, that God looks after and calls for: Yet not only this, but the head too. When the heart is called for, Pro. 23. 26, yet the eyes alſo muſt direct the Paths, that they be ſuch as are God's waies. Men muſt not plot iniquity, deviſe miſchief, and do the thing that is naught, and yet pretend the heart for God ſtill; this is vain and wicked. The heart muſt be for God, and ſo muſt the mouth, the tongue too, Rom. 10. 9. Confeſs with the Mouth, as well as believe in the Heart. In Pope Gregory 13th. his time, in Q. Elizabeths Reign, it was a watch word among the Papiſts, give me the Heart; be in heart a Papiſt, and then go to Church; diſſemble, do what ye will; not ſo God, he requires to ſpeak for him, and to work for him too; to work the works of God, in a good ſenſe. The head muſt be for God, and the hand too; action is the beſt evidence of Life. The primitive Chriſtians were wont, if not nNos non eloquimur magna ſed vivimus. Dei verba non legenda, ſed vivenda.to ſpeak, yet to live great things, becauſe they knew the words of God were words not to be read only, but alſo to be lived. The foot likewiſe muſt be for God, to run the waies of his Commandements, Pſal. 119. 32. take long ſtrides toward Heaven. Luther ſaid well, God loves not Quaeriſtas, but curriſtas. oApud Hebraeos cedebant ſacerdoti, de capite, maxilla; de pedibus, arms dexter; de corpore ſtomachus: Ea redimere non licebat. Signi ficatur Sacrandos Deo ſermones, actus, appetitus. Grot.Among the Jews of each Sacrifice ſome parts were for the Prieſts, which the People might not redeem; of the head, the check; of the Legs, the right ſhoulder; of the body, the breaſt, to teach them to dedicate to the Lord, their words, actions. and deſires.
Secondly, Holineſs in every act or action, not only in religious, but alſo common acts of Life. Some are worldly even in religious exerciſes, Ezek. 33. 31. they came to the Prophets Sermons, and ſit there very demurely, as though they would remember and practiſe whatſoever he ſaid pDum tu loqueris, illi de quaeſte partes iniquas faciundo, cogitant, Grot.but their heart was on their half-penny all the while, nor can the Load-ſtone of Gods word hale them one jot from the earth. It ſhould be ſurſum corda, hearts in Heaven; but when many mens bodies are in ſacellis, about religious exerciſes, their hearts are in ſacculis, about their gain, as Auguſtine complained long ago. As thoſe Gergeſites, more qHaram domesticam arae dominicae praeferunt.mind a Swines-ſty than a Sanctuary. And as an unequal pulſe ſhews a diſtemper'd body, ſo doth ſuch uneven walking an unſound Soul. But theſe are too too bad: 'Tis not enough to be religious in religious duties, but in the whole courſe of ones life, 1 Pet. 1. 15. In all manner of converſation: our very civilities ſhould ſavour of ſanctity and our common converſation reliſh of Religion. 2 Pet. 3. 11. What manner of Perſons even to admiration, ſo much the r[foreign] Non ſimpliciter qualitatem ſignificant rei vel perſonae, ſed cum emphaſi quâdam admirationis, ut Mat. 8. 27. Mar. 13. 1. Eſt.Greek word uſed in that Text implies. [In all holy Converſation.] When the Scripture would expreſs a thing exactly, it uſeth the sNumerus pluralis excellentiam & magnitudinem rei de notat.plural number thus, Cant. 1. 4. Pſal. 68. 20. Gen. 19. 11. ſo here, holy converſations and Godlineſſes, that is, the moſt exact and perfect holineſs in the whole converſation. So 1 Cor. 10. 31. Whatſoever ye do, &c. receive every Creature with thanksgiving. Servants muſt ſerve Chriſt in ſerving their Maſters;, Epheſ. 6. 6, 7. muſt not Maſters ſo command and rule alſo? and ſo other relations. The general calling ſhould be exerciſed in the particular. Earthly buſineſſes done with Heavenly minds. [Acknowledge God in all thy waies] Pro. 3. 6. [thy waies] i. e. buſineſſes, private and publick, ſacred and prophane. [Acknowledge God] i. e. ſet him alwaies before thine eyes; alwaies call on him; take him into Counſel with thee, whatever thou attempteſt; direct all things to his pleaſure and praiſe; and then return all things to him by giving him thanks: this is to acknowledge God in all our waies.
Thirdly, Holy in every place and Company; Alwaies under the eye of God, and therefore every where as in his preſence. Pſal. 139. 7. Whither ſhall I flee from thy preſence? God is every where, and where ever he is, he is the holy Lord, therefore muſt his People be every where holy. His Saints are round about him, and like good Angels, they ſtand alwaies in the preſence of their heavenly Father: all holy converſation therefore and exact walking is required of them, even an excellency above ordinary. Epheſ. 5. 15. tforeign.to walk circumſpectly, preciſely, exactly. This makes the place whereon they ſtand, be it where it will, holy; therefore muſt they looſe their ſhoe from their foot, Exod. 3. 5. Joſh. 5. 15. [Holy ground] uSolent pleri que calceamentis ſignificatas eſſe dicere pravas corporis cupiditates, quae exuendae ſunt iis qu… Divinas res contemplari meditari que volunt. Maſ.conſecrate by the preſence of God; all evil deſires, and fleſhly luſts muſt be caſt away, laid aſide, if we will converſe with God: [Or put off thy Shoe] xUt totus in Dei jus & obſequium tranſeas, Q. in Lap.acknowledge thy ſelf wholly the Lords. Or underſtand putting off the Shoe as a ſign of mourning, and humiliation, 2 Sam. 15. 30. Iſa. 20. 2. 4. Ezek. 24. 17. 23. and conſequently of Sanctification before God, putting of uncleanneſs. Moſes in all humility and holineſs ſhould now reſign up himſelf unto God, and unto the ſervice of him, ſo Ainſw. underſtands it. For the yHis ritus deſcendit a mancipiis, qui nudis pedibus incedebant, in ſignum ſubjectionis, Lap. Docet & carnales omnes curas & cogitationes ſeponere, cùm ad Deum acoedamus. Ti….expreſſion ſeems to be borrowed from the cuſtom of Servants, who were wont to go bare-foot, in token of ſubjection. And to teach us to lay aſide whatever is filthy and defiled (as Shoes are wont to be) when we approach, to converſe with God. And as in all places, ſo in all Companies alſo. Some have a Glove for every hand, as our Proverb ſaies, i. e. can ſuit themſelves to all Companies with whom they are, can ſeem to be religious with thoſe that are religious and be as profane with the profane. Joaſh was zealous for Religion all the daies of Jehojada, 2 Chro. 24. 2. but when he was dead, and the profane Princes courted him, they left the houſe of the Lord, and ſerved groves, verſ. 17. 18, But its much to the honour of Noah, that he was found righteous in that generation, Gen. 7. 1. called by Peter a world of ungodly ones, 2 Pet. 2. 5. Noah by an holy Antiperiſtaſis kindled from their coldneſs, and became nothing the worſe, but much the better (ſuch is the nature of true Godlineſs) by their oppoſition. The like may be ſaid of thoſe Godfearers, Mal. 3. 16. when others were ſo bad, as verſ. 14, 15.
Fourthly, Holy in all times, not upon ſtarts, now for God, and anon for Baal, but the conſtant bent of the heart to be for God. This the Lord deſires in Iſrael, Deut. 5. 29. keep all my Commandments alwaies; and ſo Chap. 11. 1. An Hypocrite may ſometimes put up a prayer to God, but will he pray alwaies? Job. 27. 10. Hebr. is, in every time; no, he will …aint, foreign, Luk. 18. 1. ſhrink back, as ſluggards do in work, as cowards do in war. 'Tis the true honeſt heart that doth as Rom. 12. 12. continue inſtant in prayer; the Hypocrite cannot do ſo for want of an inward principle. If God come not at a call, he is out of patience, and ready to ſay with that pro…ane Prince, 2 King. 6. 33. Not ſo David, Pſal. 27. 4. If his Suit had not been honeſt, he would never have began it; but being ſo, he will never give it over, till he hath prevailed. At all times he hath God in his eye, Pſal. 16. 8. as one that obſerves all his waies and works, therefore dares he not go out of the right way, becauſe he ſtill Eyes God. Hence ſuch do righteouſly alway, Pſal. 119. 112. ſee to Pro. 28. 14. [feareth alwaies] i. e. in every article of his life, without wearineſs, without intermiſſion: not only in adverſity, but in proſperity alſo. Auguſtine would not for the gain of a million of worlds be an Atheiſt for half an hour, becauſe he knew not, but God might in that time put an end to his life. 'Tis for want of this conſtancy in good, that the Lord complains of Iſrael, Hoſ. 6. 4. All your goodneſs and righteouſneſs is infirm, unſtable, vaniſhing, ye perſiſt not in your Repentance; it ſoon fades and falls away, there ſeems to be in the words an oppoſition between the bounty of God, of which in the foregoing verſe, and the piety of that People; that, viz. Gods goodneſs did ever endure; but this, viz. their piety did not long continue or abide. To what the Prophet had formerly ſaid, the People might object, but we have repented, &c. The Lord anſwers, I, but your goodneſs is but periſhing and ſoon gone, like a morning Cloud, blown off with the wind, or the dew that paſſeth early away, when the Sun gets any ſtrength. The beſt cure for which diſeaſe is that advice of the Apoſtle; 1 Cor. 15. ult. alwaies to abound, &c.
Reflections.
Woe is me! that I have been found partial in the law of my God. I have For the partial Chriſtian.been in ſome things for God, and in many more for World and Sin. In ſome meaner, lower matters, how forward and zealous? But in things of greateſt concernment, how careleſs, and indifferent ſpirited, if not neglective? Like the Phariſees of old, Mat. 23. 23. ſo, have not I been nice in the minutula, the ſmaller matters, whilſt I have been negligent in the magnalia legis, the great things of the Law? Much noiſe, ſtir and quarrel, about a ceremony, whether for the uſing or omitting of it, whilſt in the mean while, walking holily before God, and profitably unto men, hath been ſlightly paſt by. Doth not my zeal with the many, run out, either to preſs as a thing indiſpenſible, an inſtitution of men, with the negligent uſe of the appointments of Chriſt? or on the other ſide, making it my great buſineſs and ſtudy to decry ſuch an obſervance as an humane invention, not regarding by a ſtrict univerſal obedience to teſtifie a conſcience void of offence both to God and Man? To which the Apoſtle did exerciſe himſelf, Act. 24. 16. foreign, I uſe diligence, skill, and conſcience. I lay my policy, and bend my wit; I diſcipline and inure my ſelf. Alas what folly is it to make no bones (as we ſay) of a foul fault, when matters of leſs moment are much ſcrupled? To make more adoe about putting on a Surplice, than putting off filthineſs both of Fleſh and Spirit? What is to ſtrain at a Gnat, and ſwallow a Camel, Mat. 23. 24. if this be not? A aProverbialis locutio in eos competens, qui foreign videri volunt in rebus minutis, cùm praecipua officiorum ſecurè negligant, Grot.proverbial Speech uſed to thoſe who will ſeem to be very ſtrict in ſmall matters, whilſt they careleſly neglect their chief duties. Saul kept a great ſtir about eating of fleſh with the blood, 1 Sam. 14 32, 33, 34. and yet made light of ſhedding innocent blood, verſ. 44. bHoc planè est humanum ingenium, ut hodiè videmus; quod ſua decreta magni faciant, Dei aut…m leges & mandata contemnant, Mart.as though that had any thing in it in compariſon of this. The Prieſts make conſcience (forſooth) of putting the price of blood into the Treaſury, Mat. 27. 6. who yet made no conſcience of imbruing their hands in the innocent blood of the Lamb of God, they would not ſuffer the price of blood to lye in a cheſt; but the blood it ſelf they could well enough bear to lye on their conſciences. To eat Fleſh, or but an egg on Friday, is a great evil, and to be confeſt to the Prieſt, and ſatisfied for by penance; but to ſwear, ſteal, &c. any day, is but a peccadillo, and not worth minding. Is this, O my Soul! to be upright and ſincere with God? Is this to deal faithfully with him in his Covenant? And ſo, am I not ſometimes eager and hot for the things of God, as if all of a flame; and ere long as cold as a ſtone in the ſame matters? halting between two opinions like the Iſraelites, 1 King. 18. 21. being aſſoon of this, and aſſoon of that, uncertain of either, unconſtant to either, flying like a bird off one bough, on to another; (as the Hebr. word foreign properly ſignifieth) waving as a top-branch, and wavering like a wave of the Sea, driven with the wind and toſſed, Ja. 1. 6. a double minded man (ſaith the Apoſtle, verſ. 8.) is unſtable in all his waies: Like Henry the Fourth of France, whom Ravillae ſtabbed (as himſelf confeſſed) becauſe he was of two Religions, i. e. of none. Such an unſtable one, O my Soul, cannot excel; whatſoever thou ſeemeſt to thy ſelf to be, thou are nothing with God. See Pſal. 78. 8, 37.
Behold, O my Soul! and conſider, it is ſome ſingular thing that God requires For the ſincere real Chriſtian.of his Servants; What do I more than others? God will take that from Philiſtins, which he will not bear from Iſraelites, who thought they might carry Gods Ark in a Cart, as thoſe Pagans had done before them, but they paid for their preſumption, 1 Sam. 6. 7. with 2 Sam. 6. 7, 8. Greateſt ſtates afford leaſt liberty. Every calling hath a foreign a comlineſs appertaining to it; the Schollar behaveth himſelf otherwiſe than the Clown, the Courtier than the Carter, the Prince than the peaſant: ſo ſhould a Chriſtian otherwiſe than an unbeliever, than a profligate profeſſour, than a carnal Goſpeller, Epheſ. 4. 1. Before thou attempteſt any thing, O my Soul, ask that queſtion that Alexander the Great did his Courtiers, when they would have him run at the Olympick games, do Kings, ſaid he, uſe to run at the Olympicks? So ſay thou? Do the Heirs of God, Coheirs of Chriſt, uſe to do ſo or ſo? Take the Counſel of Menedemus to Antigonus, remember thou art a Kings Son, and O ſee thou do dothing unwortny thy ſtate and dignity; ſtain not thy blood, defile not thy ſelf. Wilt thou part with thy patrimony? Naboth would not. Wilt thou leave thy fat and thy ſweet? The Vine in Jotham's parable would not: Wilt thou look back with Lot's Wife, when thou haſt put thine hand *In maximâ libertate min…ma licentia.to Chriſt's plow? Flinch from his colours, having received his preſs-money; diſgrace his houſe, being received into his retinue? Great things are beſtowed upon thee, O my Soul! great things are profeſt by thee, and great things are expected from thee; thou muſt walk circumſpectly, preciſely, exactly, to the very top of the duties required and enjoyned. God hath elected me for a Veſſel of honour; ſhall I defile my ſelf with the kitchin-ſtuff of uncleanneſs? He hath bought me with a price, ſhall I not be his? He hath adopted me for a Child, ſhall I not carry it as a Child? Phil 2. 15. He hath called me to holineſs, 1 Theſ. 4. 7. He which hath called me is holy, 1. Pet. 1. 15. and hath called me with an holy calling, 2 Tim. 1. 9. O then, what manner of perſon ought I to be in all holy converſation and Godlineſs? Being like his Sheep, in every part given up to an holy uſe?bforeign.