Shepherdy Spiritualized, Tract
SHEPHERDY SPIRITUALIZ'D, OR, The Improvement of a Shepherd's Life to Soul-advantage.
Pſal. 23. 1.
The Lord is my Shepherd.
HAving lately read with ſome delight, Mr. John Flavel's Husbandry ſpiritualiz'd, and finding there little of Sheep, a Theme affording much matter for ſpiritual contemplation; Upon Enquiry I found the place in which his abode was, not ſtored with Cattle of that ſort. Whereas Providence hath caſt my lot in a Countrey abounding with theſe Creatures; and many of the Inhabitants having ſome acquaintance with that cou…ſe of life, I have thought it might not be unprofitable to take up ſome remarks from the pleaſant Flock, that whilſt ye are converſant among ſheep, from them you may take occaſion to mount your hearts to ſome uſeful meditations, and may converſe with God and your own hearts, in your converſation among Sheep. And becauſe a Shepherd is a Relative to the Sheep, yea, an Adjunct proper, we will begin there. David, Pſal. 23. aſſerts that God fed him like a Shepherd, which is alſo ſpoken of God in other Scriptures. They that deſire fuller ſatisfaction this way may conſult, Pſal. 80. 1. Jſa. 40. 11. Ezeck. 34. 12, 13, 14, 15. Jo. 10. beginning. 1 Pet. 2. 25. Though we find a Jewiſh Rabbi, ſaying the aNon est Officium magis contemptibile quam Opilionis, R. Jos. Bar Hamna.Office of a Shepherd is moſt deſpicable: yet God diſdaineth not to ſtoop to take up that Relation and imploiment. Jehovah Eſſentially is the Shepherd of his People; yet becauſe the ſecond Perſon in the Trinity, the Son as Mediator, is He by whom matters are managed towards the Sons of Men; of him we will ſpeak particularly, as who appropriates to himſelf this Relation, Jo. 10, 11. foreign, I am that Shepherd that good one.