Shepherdy Spiritualized, Tract · Chapter 11
CHAP. XI.
The harmleſs Sheep's expoſ'd to dangers many,
Saints open lie to troubles more than any.
Obſervation.
SO inoffenſive and harmleſs as the poor Sheep is, yet few Creatures are ſo watcht againſt, and prey'd upon as it is: from above and below; from the Heavens and the Earth dangers await it. Beaſts and Birds of prey, glut themſelves on theſe ſilly creatures. Waving Lions and Bears, unto which our Countries are ſtrangers, and of which we find what Enemies they are to Flocks; as may be ſeen in that one ſtory from David (to multiply no other quotations) 1 Sam. 17. 34. where he ſpeaks not of one ſingular event, but of a matter that fell out often; which appears by the twofold manner of fight mentioned: Sometimes he followed thoſe Beaſts of prey, and ſmote them with his Shepherd's crook, &c. at other times if they roſe up againſt him, he laid hold on them with one hand, and ſlew them with the other. But not to inſiſt on theſe Creatures with which we are unacquainted; we have more than a few ravening creatures among us, which lye in wait for, and endeavour to deſtroy the poor Sheep. As
Firſt, The Wolf, plentiful more than enough were theſe in the countrey ſome years ſince, though where inhabited they now grow thin, and appear ſeldom to view: theſe are bitter Enemies to Flocks: Such an Antipathie is obſerved by Naturaliſts between the Sheep and Wolf, that it laſts even after death; for that Sheeps skin which a Wolf hath bitten, is ſaid to become louzie, and ſtrings in a Muſical Inſtrument made, ſome of the Guts of Sheep, ſome of the Wolf, are ſaid alwaies to jarr, never to concord. kFranzi…s Animal. Hi…t. Sac. in Lu…o, par. 1. cap. 2…. pag. 145.Wolfs skins mixt with Sheep skins are ſaid to corrupt them, and cauſe their Wooll to fall off: Yea, ſome report that two Drum… having their heads covered the one with a Wolf-skin, the other with a Sheeps skin; that which hath the Sheep skins-heads, ſhall not ſound whilſt the other is by, yea, ſhall beare with the bare bating of the other: Nor is it much wonder, conſidering what havock the Wolf alive makes of a Flock; unto which the Scriptures allude, Jer. 5. 6. Ezek. 22. 27. Habak. 1. 8. Zeph. 3. 3. yea, ſuch is noted the vocracity and cruelty of the Wolf, that coming among Sheep, he no… only kills ſo much as will ſatisfie his hunger in eating, and fill his paunch, but he tears and ſlays till he lay heaps even threatning deſtruction to the whole Flock; which if he kills not, yet he frightens and ſcatters; which our Lord obſerves, Jo. 10. 12. when the Wolf comes to the Flock, he catches ſome which he kills and devours, and ſcatters others, driving them farr away for fear. Let me add one obſervation more of this creature e're we leave him; he is obſerved to mix his cruelty with craft; (l) for ſome obſerve of him that when he goeth forth by night toward the Flock for prey, he comes towards them againſt the wind, leſt if he ſhould go with the wind, the Dogs ſhould get the ſcent of him, and ſo by their barking give notice of his coming to his diſappointment.
Secondly, The Fox, which as he is known a crafty, ſo is ſound alſo an hurtful Creature to the Sheep, falling upon and killing them, eſpecially the younger, the little Lamb, ſucking their blood, with which he fills and gluts himſelf. Unto this cruelty as well as craft of this Creature doth Chriſt allude, where he calleth Herod a Fox, Luk. 13. 31, 32. they tell him Herod would kill him, in which errand (as Grotius thinks) haply he himſelf had ſent them to frighten him farther from him, whom he feared to lay hands on, to put him to death: Chriſt knows both his ſubtilty and his cruelty, therefore fitly calls him Fox, Go tell that Fox.
Thirdly, The Dog, though a tamed and houſhould Creature, yet will ſometimes turn not only a Sheepbiter, but a Sheep-killer alſo; Ye ſhall have a Curr ſlily ſteal out ſometimes in a night, and fall upon and eat up a Sheep, and ſometimes more. Sometimes what is leſt ſuſpected, is …ound ravenous here.bFranz. ubi ſupra, pag. 141.
Fourthly, Even the little Weeſel lies in wait for, and prevails to the murder of the poor weak Lamb; gets to the Throat, and there at a very ſmall orifice ſucks out its blood.
From above alſo, the Ravens, Crows, &c. not only ſit upon the Sheeps back, and pluck off the Wool from his ſides; but fall upon it, when weak eſpecially, and firſt endeavour to pick out its eyes; which alſo thoſe Creatures do by Lambs when firſt fallen. The Raven will ſtrike his beak even into the very heart. Not to mention the Eagle that carries a Lamb in his talons, &c.
The ſtorms and winds too, are to the Sheep bitter Enemies, eſpecially the Hail and Snow, which force it to ſhelter, glad to get under the lee of an Hedge, &c. where ſometimes they are many of them overwhelmed with the Snow-drift, and buried under it. And many times whilſt the poor Creature runs to a buſh for ſhelter and defence, either it is entangled and kept hung by the brambles, or if it gets off, is ſure to leave ſome of its Fleece behind it. Thus is this harmleſs Creature lying open to many difficulties.
Application.
And is it not thus with the poor ones of Chriſt? Are they not Sheep as much in this, as in any thing? Are not their diſtreſſes many? Pſal. 34. 19. are they not hunted on every ſide by ſundry Adverſaries? All the malignities of other Creatures meet in the Churches Enemies. It's well there is a delivering God, elſe …twere enough to ſink one to conſider how ſurrounded. But as no Nation had more poiſons than Egypt, none more Antidotes: So nothing expoſes more to troubles than true piety, nothing carries through more and better than it. But ſee the particulars.
Not to ſtay upon the Lions and Bears of Heatheniſh Perſecutors, which have caſt out a whole Sea of blood, to drown and ſwallow up the Churches of Chriſt: ſuch as the Emperours perſecutions of old, and the Turk ſince them: though ſome of the poor ones of Chriſt have theſe laſt years felt the inſolencies and cruelties of thoſe ſavage Heathens in the Americane world. We will mention
Firſt, The Wolves of more diſſembling and more kindly pretending Perſecutors; ſuch as perſecute under a ſhow or pretence of Religion and Zeal to God. It would be almoſt incredible to mention what Authors report of the Primitive Perſecutors. Under Diocleſian, the *Gen. 49. 27. By ſome applyed to Paul a Benj…mite; in the beginning, making havock of the Church, in the latter part of his time dividing the meat of the Goſpel.Author of the tenth perſecution 1700 Chriſtians are ſaid to have been ſlain in one MonethMonth, among whom was Serena the Empreſs. Thoſe Ten Perſecutions were ſo cruel, that Hierome writes in one of his Epiſtles, that for every day in the year were murdered 5000, excepting only the firſt day of January. But conſider the Arian Hereticks, when once they had got head and power, how extremely raged they? What havock made they of Chriſts Lambs? Save that this alſo is almoſt forgotten, becauſe of the outragious fury of the Romiſh Crue. In that horrible Pariſian Butchery, Thirty Thouſand Proteſtants were baſely murdered in one Month, Three Hundred Thouſand in one year. Stokeſly Biſhop of London, boaſted upon his Death-Bed, that he had been the death of Fifty Hereticks (ſo he called them) in his time. His Succeſſor mLion, T…ger, Wolf, Bear; Yea, a whole Forrest of wild Beaſts met in Bonner, killing two Hundred in the ſpace of three years, Fuller's Church-Hist. b. 8.Bonner was called the common Cut-throat and Slaughterſlave General to all the Biſhops in England. That is cruel beyond parallell, which is reported of the Chriſtians in Calabria, Anno. 1560. about Eighty Eight of them ſhut up together, as in a Fold, the Executioner comes and takes one, blindfolds him with a Muffler before his eyes, and ſo leads him forth to a larger place, where he commands him to kneel down, and that being done, he cuts his Throat, and ſo he leaves him half dead, and with his bloody knife and muffler comes to the reſt, with his Arms bloody up to the Elbows, &c. till he had thus murdered them all. The kindneſſes of theſe Catholicks in Germany, Ireland, Piedmont, &c. are ſtill freſh in many mens memories. They have indeed uſed all ſubtilty alſo with their Cruelty, but yet their rage hath appeared violent.
Secondly, The Foxes of Hereticks and Schiſmaticks, whereby the Churches of Chriſt have not a little ſuffered in all ages. The Schiſms among the Jews, whereby they were divided into Phariſees, Sadducees and Eſſens tended little to the furtherance of their Religſon, much to the trouble of each party from the other. In the Primitive times how ſoon did Hereſiarchs riſe up to impede the progreſs of the Goſpel? It is the opinion of ſome that Chriſt called Herod Fox, Luk. 13. 32. partly on this account, becauſe he was a Sect-Maſter, that had forged ſome novelty in Religion, or added ſome new article to be believed. Conferr Mat. 22. 16. and Chap. 16. 6. with Mar. 8. 15. But to return to the Primitive Goſpel-times. 'Twas an excellent ſaying of Tertullian nFaciunt ſavos & veſpae, faciunt Eccleſias Marcionitae.Waſps make combs, but they are empty ones; and ſo Hereticks make Churches, but they are void of Truth. In all ages Sathan hath ſtirred up ſuch to hinder the progreſs of Truth, and create trouble to the Profeſſors and eſpecially Preachers thereof. Thus Ebion and Cerinthus in the beginning, and the Gnoſticks even in the Apoſtles daies. Luther found no ſmall ſtir from the Anabaptiſts, in the beginning of the Reformation in Germany; Calvin at Geneva found much oppoſition from Servetus, Gentiles, &c. And it was none of the leaſt cauſe of our diſappointment of what was honeſtly deſigned of Reformation in our daies, that we ſo ſoon crumbled into diviſions, and ſubdiviſions, to the no ſmall ſcandal both of the weak and of the wilful oppoſers alſo. Theſe are they who moſt Expoſitors underſtand by the Wolves mentioned, Act. 20. 28. not ſo much bloody Perſecutors, as pernicious deceivers and Hereticks. Some there in ſtead of grievous, tranſlate fat Wolves, a fit Epithet for deceivers, who fat themſelves with the Blood of Souls. Theſe, as Wolves, are dul-ſighted by day, but quick-ſighted in the night; are ſharp-witted for errour, but dull to apprehend the Truth of ſound Divinity; and as the Wolf deals gently with the Sheep at firſt, ſo Seducers firſt draw their proſelytes into ſmaller errours, and then into blaſphemous and damnable Hereſies; and as Wolves are of a ravenous diſpoſition, and unſatiable; ſo Seducers hunger after gain, Rom. 16. 18. and thirſt after the blood of Souls.
Yea, Thirdly, From among themſelves often riſe up thoſe that trouble the Saints of the Moſt High God; Some ſlie Currs, who come indeed in Sheep-cloathing, …eigning friendſhip, and making a ſhow of your great kindneſſes, but within are ravening Wolves, who not only worry, but alſo ſeek to devour the Sheep. It is often the lot of the Churches of Chriſt, with Joſeph to be ſold by his Brethren; like Sampſon betrayed by his own *Eſpecially Apoſtates that return to their vomit, as Julian. Abduxit a fide plures Juliani verſutia, quam ant…o…dentium omnium Eth…icorum praeceps ſaevitia. Dr. Prideaux.Wife, and as Chriſt their Lord, delivered up to his Enemies by his own Diſciple. And this alſo he hath foretold his People, Mat. 10. 21, 35. fully accompliſhed in the year 1546 in one John Diazius a Spaniard, by the great goodneſs of God converted by reading the Scriptures to the Proteſtant Profeſſion, and therefore baſely murdered by the procurement of his own Brother Alphonſus at Neoburg in Germany. Of one Filmer witneſſed againſt by his own Brother at the inſtigation of Dr. London, ye may read in Fox's Act. & Monum. as alſo of one Woodman delivered by his own Brother into his Enemies hands. [And the Father the Child] Exemplified in Philip the ſecond, King of Spain, who ſaid he had rather have no Subjects than Hereticks as he called the Proteſtants; and out of a bloody zeal, ſuffered his Eldeſt Son, Charles, to be murdered by the cruel Inquiſition, becauſe he ſeemed to favour the Proteſtants-ſide. Add but one more, Mr. Julius Palmer, in Q. Mary her Reign, went to Eveſham in Gloceſterſhire to his own Mother, hoping to obtain a Legacy left him by his Father; when he came kneeling down to crave her bleſſing, She ſaid, Thou ſhalt have Chriſts curſe and mine wherever thou goeſt, for thou doſt not believe as thy Father and I, nor as thy Forefathers, but art an Heretick; and therefore get thee out of my Houſe, and out of my ſight, and never take me for thy Mother more. Fagots I have to burn thee, but no Money for thee, &c.
Yea, Fourthly, Poor, Little, Small, Vile and Unworthy Fellows, that are accounted good and fit for nothing elſe, can yet take a liberty to rage againſt the poor Lambs of Chriſt. How doth every daies experience verefie in our eyes, what David found in his dayes, Pſal. 35. 15. the abjects gathered themſelves together againſt me; oforeign[abjects] the Hebr. word is variouſly rendered there; the Greek and Vulg. Lat. tranſſate it the Scourges, alluding (as Ainſw. thinks) to the ſcourge of the Tongue, Job. 5. 21. or thoſe that are worthy of the laſh, thinks Dr. Hammond; the Chald. and Arab. read it wicked, becauſe theſe are worthy of ſtripes, Deut. 25. 2. we …itly tranſlate it abjects, baſe fellows, men of no name or repute, Job. 30. 8. whoſe Fathers were ſcarcely fit to be Dog-keepers, Job. 30 1. or ſcarce as uſeful as a Dog could be; yet now their Sons can ſcorn and contemn me; they tear me, ſaith David, my name, my credit, all that is dear to me. The baſeſt can mock, as Tobiah the Servant, Neh. 2. 10. Uſually none more malapert and ſaucy than ſuch baſe ones, who will ſay what they dare, and dare ſay what they will; and theſe are ſit inſtruments to be ſet a work and imployed in what they that have any dram of modeſty left, dare not be ſeen or heard in. Thus the idle Perſons that have nothing to do, but to ſit in the Streets, if they can but get a Cup in their heads, are fit to reproach the Servants of God, Pſal. 69. 12. ſee Lament. 3. 14, 63.
Shall we need ſpeak any thing of the Eagles, Ravens and Crows, whoſe great deſign is, if not with the Eagle to carry them quite away at a ſtroke; yet to pick out their Eyes, that then they may devour them at pleaſure; take away the means of knowledge, ſlay or ſilence, or baniſh their Miniſters, and then make ſport with the people. The greateſt rage of Enemies in all ages hath been againſt the Miniſters of Chriſt; whoever eſcape be ſure let them ſuffer; the troublers of Iſrael, the Trumpets of Sedition, &c.
The ſtorms alſo of penal Laws have moſtly fallen upon the Saints of God. If any danger befall the Romans, preſently away with the Chriſtians to the Lions. pSi Tyberis aſcendet ad moenia, ſi Nilus non aſcendit ad arva: ſi caelum ſ…etit, ſi terra movit; ſi fomes, ſi lues, s…atim Christianos ad Leones, Tertul. Apol. ad. Geutes.Acts of Church and State were againſt Chriſt, are againſt thoſe that are Chriſt's, People, and Princes. Thus Dr. Boote underſtands, Iſa. 53. 8. which we tranſlate, he was taken from Priſon, and from Judgment, he underſtands, he was taken away (i. e. put to death) by the People, and by the Judgment or Magiſtrate, as ſpeaking the importunity of the People in preſſing the powers to condemn him, and take him out of the way. Let thoſe that can, conſult him; qBootii animadverſ. ſacr. lib. 4 cap. 10.And when they flee to the Law for ſhelter, often are they there held, and there pilled. Paul's appeal to Caeſar, though it lengthened his Life a while, yet expoſed him to Death by his cruel Edicts.
The ſum of this is, that it's bad fetching the marks of the true Church, from the Market, as the Romaniſts do; who make the peace and proſperity of their Profeſſours great arguments to bring over converts to them; the contrary whereunto is true; and that picture of the Church given by Luther (in the place rLoc. Com. tit. de perſecut. ver. Eccleſ.quoted in the margin) is drawn to the Life, and aptly fits our preſent diſcourſe. If any one, ſaith he, would take the Churches picture, let him take a ſilly poor Maid, ſitting in a Wood or Wilderneſs, compaſſed about with hungry Lions, Wolves, Boars and Bears, with all manner of cruel and hurtful Beaſts, and in the midſt of a great great many furious men aſſaulting her every moment and minute: for this is her condition in the world.
Reflections.
Why then, O my Soul, ſhould I be prejudiced at the Croſs of For the prejudiced Profeſſor.Chriſt? Why ſhould I be offended if perſecution ariſe for the Goſpel? as ten to one but it will; for the Church is Heir of the Croſs, and oppoſition the hagg that follows the Goſpel. Shall I, with that King of France, ſo far only engage for truth, as that I may draw back again when I pleaſe? And ſay, Farewell Chriſt and his Goſpel: Let Chriſt keep his Heaven to himſelf, if it can be had upon no other terms? Poor Soul! What is this but to dream of being a Sheep, and yet ſuffer nothing Sheep-like? I now ſee it was not for nothing that Chriſt gave that caution even to John's Diſciples, Mat. 11. 6. Bleſſed is he that is not offended in (or at) me, my poverty and afflictions, that tribulation which betides him for me. sUteun que vincula aliave incommoda patiatur. Lightf.Shall I be offended at Chriſt, becauſe his Croſs lieth in my way, which he ſo often had told me of, muſt be taken up? Shall I ſtumble at the Croſs and not be broken? Do I profeſs to be a Chriſtian, and yet ſhall I carry it like an unbelieving Jew or Gentile, to whom a crucified Chriſt, and conſequently his Croſs is, to the one a *1 Cor. 1. 23.ſtumbling-block, and to the other a laughing-ſtock? What though truth under the notion of Sect or Hereſie be every where spoken againſt? Act. 28. 22. Should I therefore deſert it? Will it not be found able to defend it ſelf againſt all that riſe up againſt it? Conſider, O my Soul, and be not offended, as if ſome new thing befell thee, when as this hath been the lot of Chriſt's Sheep throughout all ages: 'tis not new to ſee truth go with a ſcracht face, nor the Profeſſours of it the Butt of the wrath and fury of men; only be thou faithful to do the death, and the Lord ſhall give thee a Crown of Life.
Dream not of a delicacy, O my Soul! in the waies of Chriſt, though For the Delicate Profeſſor.his Sheep be his care, yet, lye they expoſed to the Wolves, Foxes and Dogs of the World, who will be ſure to worry, if not wound them. 'Tis ſtrange that People ſhould pretend to rejoyce in being put into the Will of Chriſt, and yet reject his Legacy, Jo. 16. 33. In the world ye ſhall have tribulation: this world is not a Paradiſe but a Purgatory to Chriſt's Saints; it may fitly be compared to the Straits of Magellan; which by Doct. Heylin is ſaid to be a place of that *Geogr. p. 802.nature, that which way ſoever a man bend his courſe, he ſhall be ſure to have the world againſt him. If a man indeed will be Religious but according to the times, (as ſome underſtand Naaman 2 Kin. 5. 18.) he may eſcape pretty well; but if he be reſolved to live Godly in Chriſt Jeſus, 2 Tim. 3. 12. he ſhall ſuffer perſecution, carry he the matter never ſo diſcreetly. Think not to gather a Roſe without pricks.
Hold out Faith and Patience, theſe things ſhall have an end; Chriſt's Encouragement to perſecuted ones.Sheep ſhall be ſafe in his Fold, maugre all the wrath and rage of Wolves and Bears. Peace here in Chriſt, whilſt tribulation in the world. Remember, O my Soul! Joſiah died in peace, according to the promiſe, 2 Kin. 22. 20. though ſlain in War, Chap. 23. 29. Chriſt's burning buſh ſhall not be conſumed; his Sheep not deſtroyed. 'Tis not without a remarkable Providence of God, that though thoſe Beaſts of prey bring forth many young ones at a Litter, and the Sheep generally but one; and though many more Sheep are ſlaughtered for Proviſion, than we hear of thoſe Creatures ſlain, yet there are more Sheep than beaſts of prey in every part of the Countrey. Chriſt hath overcome the world, he will one day ſet the feet of his Saints on the necks of their Enemies already overcome by him: Joſh. 10. 24, 25. He ſhall have a Church in which to have Glory throughout all ages, Epheſ. 3. 21. and at length ſhall the Saints be conquerours. The Thouſand years Kingdom ſeems to be a great Truth, though the low apprehenſions and unfit expreſſions of ſome concerning it, have prejudiced others againſt it. What elſe mean thoſe Scriptures? Dan. 7. 14, 18, 22, 27. 2 Tim. 4. 1. Rev. 5. 10. and Chap. 20. beſides many others? Which alſo hath been atteſted to by the moſt pure Antiquitie. See our Famous Mr. Mede in his works paſſim of the Millennium.