Shepherdy Spiritualized, Tract · Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
Good Leas for's ſheep is Shepherd's one great care;
Chriſt for his ſheep doth budding graſs prepare.
Obſervation
THe Shepherd's care is for food, ſuitable food for his Flock. The Etymon of his name in the …ed Languages ſpeaks this, Paſtor is of paſcere, … foreign of foreign, of the ſame ſignification. … of that, which comes to one account,) whic… … Exercit. faith is foreign, to abide in … graſs. foreign of foreign, to give paſture; yea …hends all the Offices of a good Sheph…rd … in his Reproof of the Shepherds of Iſrael, … thing granted by them, Ezek. 34. 2. … Shepherd feed the Flock? He appeals to the… …ences, by an argument, a conjugatis (as Log… ſpeak) Is it not the oſſice or buſineſs of Shepherds … Flocks? or by an argument a compara… …oris, Shepherds that have to do with brute Creatures, feed them, how much more ought the Shepherd… of men to do ſo? It's taken for granted, that whoſoever takes the Office of a Shepherd, takes care for the feeding of his Flock: And that
1. For the quality of it, and here firſt, that it be upland. Low, flat Lands are not ſo good nor pleaſing: Sheep walks are as riſing Grounds, both for feed and ſhelter. Hence you read Ezeck. 34. 13, 14. of God's feeding his Flocks on the Mountains of Iſrael, &c. To this alſo is alluſion, 1 KIng 22. 17. Ezeck. 34. 6. Mat. 18. 12. and that of the Poet. Mille meae ſiculis errant in montibus agnae. Unto, which alſo the Holy Ghoſt alludes in thoſe myſtical Mountains and Hills, in which the Spouſe and her beloved are ſaid to abide, Cant. 2. 8. & 4. 6, 8. & 8. 14. becauſe Chriſt is brought in as a Shepherd feeding his Flock. Chap. 1. 7. Which Mountains, yet you muſt not underſtand ſuch fruitleſs places as thoſe we uſually call mountains in this Countrey, which are uſeful for very little: but only they were ſome higher or upper land, in which Sheep delight: Such as Baſhan, an high Hill, Pſal. 68. 15, 16. Yet fat paſture, Iſa. 33. 9. Jer. 15. 19. Whence came Sheep famous for their breed and feed, Deut, 32. 14. Carmel alſo an high Hill, Amos. 3. 9. Yet good Sheep paſture, 1 Sam. 25. 7. Gilead too ſufficiently known to be Hilly, yet abounding with fruitful paſtures, Num. 32. 1, 4. Fit for Sheep, the Reubenites chooſing the bleating of which, before the noiſe of Warlike Inſtruments is reproved by Deborah, Judg. 5. 16. See all theſe Mountains mentioned together as good feeding, Mic. 7. 14.
2. Free from diſturbance; the Sheep is a fearful Creature (as ye will hear hereafter) likes not much the converſe of any ſave the Shepherds that are conſtantly with them: Populous places and full of Inhabitants are not ſo convenient for Sheep-leas: Hence mention of them in the Wilderneſs, 1 Sam. 17. 28. of which ſort you read of many in the Tribe of Judah, Zin, Ziph, Maon, &c. not ſuch as we now underſtand by that term: for know, that the whole Land of Paleſtine was dreſt and kept like a Garden-Plot, and incloſed into Olive-yards, Vine-yards, and Arable Fields, ſave ſome Extravagant places which lay common: Such notwithſtanding were full of fruitful paſtures, Joel. 1. 19. yet more thinly inhabited than other parts of the Countrey: and this the Hebr. name for a Wilderneſs ſpeaks, becauſe Cattle were xforeign ducendi ſignificatione uſitatiſſimum eſt Syris & Chaldaeis, unde & foreign deſertum dictum volunt Hebraei, quod in illud ducantur pecora paſiûs cauſâ. Dieu.lead out into ſuch places for feeding. And ſuch Wilderneſſes ye make plenty in this County, where the Sheep eat up the Inhabitants ſave a few Cottages here and there for the Shepherds that attend them.
Thirdly, Dry Land, not wet, miry and boggy: Leviathan is for the Fens, Job 40. 21. not Sheep; moiſt Lands are apt to rott Sheep, and fill them with water. That which will ſuit well enough with bigger Cattle, viz. Cows, Bullocks, Horſes, is not ſo beneficial for Sheep, which the more they are tainted, the more they run to the Low-Lands: whence ſome preſcribe as a cure to remove them to heathy hills, to dry up that corrupting water. Hence what was firſt obſerved, upper Land choſen for their paſtures, becauſe moiſture is not wont to ſettle there, but thence to flow down to the Vallies and lower-Lands.
Fourthly, Short, Freſh, and ſpringing graſs; not rank feeding: this though pleaſing to bigger Cattle, yet not ſo to ſheep: if at any time, as in Snow and Froſt, ye may ſee them feed upon Foggs, yet 'tis out of neceſſity, not choice; the fine, ſhort, Sweet graſs is their moſt delightful feeding. Thus the Word, yforeign herba tenera; Teſte Nachmanno, & R. D. K. proprié herbam teneriuſculam ac recentem adhuc ſignificat: foreign verò ubi ad justam ſuccrevit magnitudinem, & …am ſit ſeminiſera. Leigh. Crit. Sacr. R. Salon. notat foreign primam quaſi inveſtituram terrae denotare, cúm primùm viror evestiri incipit, & ex eâ neſcio quid tenellum, quod adhuc vix agnoſcas quid aut quod genus herbae ſit, prodire. Cartw. in Gen. 1. 11.Pſal. 23. 2. ſignifies tender graſs, the firſt budding and ſpringing graſs; your dayly obſervation will confirm to you, how much Sheep delight to feed upon freſh budding graſs.
Yet Fifthly, ſomewhat large compaſs: where your Sheep feed, ye call it a walk, becauſe they feed walking: hence nothing equally damnifies them, as when they are ſhut up in two narrow Room, where they have not ſcope to paſs on feeding. Hence the Hebr. word which properly ſignifies to feed is ſometimes tranſlated to wander, Num. 14. 33. zforeign pavit, aliquando erravit. Num. 14. 33. p…lantes, more pecudum paſcentium errantes. Mille meae Sicul serrant, i. e. paſcuntur, Druſ.To this is the alluſion, Hoſ. 4. 16. The Lord will feed them as a Lamb in a large place. Some take it thus; Lambs love to feed largely: God would diſperſe Iſrael through the whole Kingdom of the Aſſyrians, in which they ſhould wander as a Lamb (that weak and fearful creature that loves Company and not to live ſolitarily) which being brought into a large place, runs up and down, fears whatſoever it ſeeth, ſeeketh Dam, Flock, Shepherd, filleth all places with its vain bleatings, and is expoſed to greateſt dangers and hardſhips. Though others like not this ſenſe, becauſe as *K. & A. E. ſic Bochart.Bochartus obſerveth, to be fed in a large place is alwaies taken in a good ſenſe, ſee Iſa. 30. 23. hence therefore they interpret it, had it not been that Iſrael had declined as a froward Heifer, the Lord had fed them in plenty; as Lambs in a large Plain, where they feed at pleaſure.
Secondly, for quantity, paſture might be enough for them, that they be not ſtinted, and get the ſtarve-rot: Many among us having dearly bought their Experience, how ill it is to overſtock and thereby ſtarve their Sheep. This fulneſs and plenty is hinted in thoſe expreſſions, of feeding and lying down, or cauſing to reſt, Pſal. 23. 2. He maketh me to lye down in green paſtures. Ezek. 34. 14, 15 Sheep whilſt hungry are not wont to reſt, but when full, then they lie down. Sheep would be fed plenteouſly, as well as pleaſantly; where they ſhall not need to bite on the bare ground, but may go in and out, and find paſture, Io. 10. 9. aGreges & armenta foreign, quibus quo paſcantur non deeſt, ſemper autem ſupereſt quod pluribus multiſ que ſatis eſt. Non liquidi gregibus fontes, non gram na deſunt: Et quantum longis carpunt armenta diebus, Exiguâ tantum gelidus ros nocte reponit. Heinſ. in Joan. 10. 10.ſuch as will feed Life, and Life in more abundance, verſ. 10. hence the good Shepherd provides for them good and full paſtures, Ezek. 34. 14.
Application.
Chriſt herein diſcovers himſelf to be the one and only, the true Shepherd of his Sheep, by that ſweet and full proviſion of feeding which he maketh for them. David's green paſtures in which he was made to lie down, were the powerful and flouriſhing Doctrines of the Scriptures in which he was ſweetly fed to much refreſhing. Both things which we formerly conſidered, the quality and quantity are fully here; Conſider we the Scriptures in both.
For quality, Firſt, they are up-land, Sweet Air and Paſturage. They are upper waies in which the wiſe walk, and walk on heaven-ward; Life-giving and preſerving Walks. The Church of God, where ſounds forth the Doctrine of the Scriptures, is oftentimes called an hill or Mountain Pſal. 15. 1. and 24. 1. Iſa. 2. 2. both for its ſublimity, coming from above, Gal. 4. 26. and alſo for its firmneſs, Pſal. 125. 1. Wind and ſtorms move it not, no more can all the power and policie of Hell combined, prevail againſt the Church, Mat. 16. 18. She is foreign, a Kingdom that cannot be ſhaken, and may better than the City of Venice take for her poſie, Immota manet. The Scriptures alſo, although they have been the hate of Enemies of all Ages, yet have been a Mountain impregnable, all force and fury hath not been able to prevail againſt them. The invincible perennity and continuance of the Scriptures, maugre the injury and iniquity of times and Tyrants who have ſought to ſuppreſs them, is a good argument to prove them Divinity Antiochus the vile, Diccleſian and Maximinian cauſed all the Books of the Sacred Scriptures that could be found to be burnt: The Papiſts oft ſince in France, Bohemia, &c. yet ſtill they remain.
Secondly, the Scriptures afford feeding free from diſturbance and annoiance: they call men off from the cumbers and encumbrances of the world, to refreſh themſelves with and in the Lord. Worldly cares, as Thorns, choak the Word and make it unfruitful and unſuccesful. Hence thoſe hints in the ſacred Oracles, of laying aſide all hinderances for communion with God in his Ordinances and Appointments. Abraham leaves the Servants and Aſſes at the Foot of the Hill, Gen. 22. 5. Iacob ſent his Wives Children and all that he had over Iabbok, e're he wreſtled with the Lord, Gen. 32. 23. Moſes comes alone to God, and leaves the Flocks, Exod. 24. 3. The Church gets her into the clefts of the Rock, Cant. 2. 14. Iſaac into the Field, Daniel to the River's ſide, Chriſt into the Mount, Peter up to the Leads or houſe-top, that they might pour their prayers, and ſolace themſelves with God in ſecret. Secret Duties, eſpecially of Prayer and Meditation, is the bread eaten in ſecret which is ſweet and fattening, Prov. 9. 17.
Thirdly, they are pure and dry feeding: free from Mire and Water of Mens inventions, whereby they are ſoiled. God complains of thoſe that had trod his Sheep's leas, Ezek 34. 18. On which Text he was not far out of the way, who ſaid, here we have a lively Picture of the Popiſh Clergy, who eat up the beſt, and tread down the reſt; ſo that the poor miſſed and muzled People are glad to eat ſuch as they can catch: they are fed with traditions, legendary Fables, indulgences, vowed pilgrimages, penances, &c. Had not Luther come in our way, ſay they, we could have perſwaded the People to have eaten graſs. What cauſe have we to bleſs God, that it is better with us? We run to the Law and to the Teſtimony, where we have the pure word of God, which is clean and cleanſing feeding.
Fourthly, 'tis ſweet: ſo ſweet that David knows not how to expreſs it, Pſal. 19. and 119. Philoſophy ſays, de guiſtibus non diſputandum, Men muſt not diſpute of Taſts. Divinity ſhews that God's feeding is pleaſant beyond expreſſion. 'Tis ever ſpringing and freſh budding. Though it boaſt not in effeminate Phraſes, yet is it full of Maſculine eloquence, and of ſuch ſoul-refreſhing ſweetneſs that many have found ſtrange operations by one word applied to, and ſet home upon the heart. It is ever freſh-ſpringing; Though many in all Ages of the Chriſtian Church have ſpent time and pains in opening the excellency of thoſe ſacred Oracles, yet ſtill is there room enough for all ſucceeding ages. Yet attentively and diligently is it ſeldome read, but it affords continually new matter of admiration.
Fifthly, for largneſs it is exceedingly ſurpaſſing. Pſal. 119. 96. reaching all perſons in all ſtates and conditions: bOmnem Eccleſiae & mundi ſtatum deſcribit, omne officium: quicquid credendum vel faciendum est ad ſalutem: non eſt e…go restrictum preceptum. C…c.Every duty in every ſtate, whatſoever is to be believed or done in order unto leif, is here plainly to be found. As a Poet of our own lately ſang.
—Though I thirſt, faint, hunger, pine,
Thy word me feeds
In theſe my needs,
Thy word it ſelf is Bread, Milk, Wine.cClark's Mirrour, 1 Part. Chap. 121. §. 24.
It brings down the ſtout and proud heart of the Sinner, and raiſeth it up when in the moſt drooping ſtate. It nips the younker beſpeaking himſelf, Rejoyce O young man, in thy youth, &c. the Scripture, I ſay, nips him on the Crown with that ſtinging But; But know that for all theſe things God will bring thee into Judgment, Eccleſ. 11. 9. this is a cooler for the young mans courage, this marrs all his mirth, is ſowre ſawce to his ſweet meats, leſt he ſhould ſurfeit. And when the Soul is caſt down and in heavineſs, it ſpeaks refreſhing to it, that lifts it up above all diſcouragements and fears whatſoever, Pſal. 119. 92, 93. ſee Trap in loc.
Laſtly, for quantity; who ever found a penury, or any want here? Though all Saints in all Ages ſince its pening, have fed on it, yet none in theſe daies find any lack, their mouths cleave not to the duſt, becauſe no biting for them in this paſture: here is enough and enough for all Saints. They that are ſtraightned are not ſo in God, but in their own Spirits. Whilſt men give heed to lying vanities, they forſake their own mercies; they that go out of Gods bleſſing into the warm Sun, as they ſpeak proverbially, forſaking Divine Revelations, and ſeeking Enthuſiaſtical infuſions, find it an evil and a bitter thing: and therefore many of ſuch by the goodneſs of God have been brought back to an hearty acknowledgment, that it is good for them to draw near to God, Pſal. 73. 28. dPropingua cum Deo unio & communio, per verbi auditionem, fidem, &c. confer Iſa,. 58. 2, Gej.viz. in his ſolemn Ordinances and Inſtitutions, by faith in the Goſpel, Ainſw. Although every humble Soul may learn and receive from it, what is abſolutely ſufficient for itſelf on all occaſions, with reſpect to its own duty and eternal welfare: yet the whole Church of God neither joyntly nor ſeverally, from the beginning of the World to the end thereof, have been, are, or ſhall be able to examine theſe ſtores to the bottom, and to find out perfectly all the truths in all the dimenſions, concerns and extent, that are contained herein, ſaith eDr. Owen on Hebr. 4. 6, pag. 244.a Reverend worthy of our own.
Reflections.
How farr have I been from that high eſteem that David, and others For the Scripture-Slighter.of his Spirit have had of the Scripturesof Truth? How have they been to me worſe then the heathy Mountains or the Rockie clifts? Is it not becauſe I have too much of the Goat, too little of the Sheep in me? How have I, not only with that Ancient, thought the Scriptures unworthy to be compared with the Ciceronian Eloquence, but alſo, with profane Politian, prefer'd one of Pindar's Odes, before David's Pſalms? With Biſhop Bonnet's Chaplain have I not in ſcorn called it, your pretty little God's book? or with the Bohemian Blaſphemer, who for Biblia called it Vitlia, which in the Bohemian Language ſignifieth (f)Viſa est mihi indigna quam Tullianae dignitati compararem, Aug. Confeſ. lib. 3. cap. 5.Vomit? Julian the Apoſtate is infamous among other things for his contempts of the ſacred book, and am not I fair in that way to be notorious alſo? Shall David account it ſweeter than Honey, which I eſteem as a dry Chip, and with the Iſraelites of old, ſay my Soul is dryed up with this light Manna? Did David account it richer than Gold, than much fine Gold, and Solomon prefer it before Rubies and precious Gems, and ſhall I account it as the dirt of the Street, and that which is moſt vile? Shall Job preferr it before his dayly food, the bread of his dayly allowance, and ſhall I prefer every baſe ſong, and every wordy Romance before it? But conſider, O my ſoul! are they not [magnalia Legis] the great things of his Law, which God hath written for thee, Hoſ. 8. 12. & ſhouldſt thou account them as a ſtrange thing? as not concerned at all in them, or as if of no concernment at all to thee? Luther ſomewhere ſaith he did tremble to think of the former Age, wherein many Nicknamed Divines ſpent ſo much time in readivg Ariſtotle and Averroes; and ſo little in reading the book of God: and have not I much cauſe to tremble, who have ſpent more hours in Machiavels Polititian, or Hobs's Leviathan, than in the Bible, that Book of Books? Know, O my Soul! that they ſhall have one day ſad cauſe of mourning and complaint, who are better read in St. Philip than in St. Peter; more acquainted with Mounſier Balzac's Letters, than in St. Paul's Epiſtles: that ſpend more time in the Academy of Complements, than in that in that book which teacheth Charity, which is the Complement of the Law, and the ſupplement of the Goſpel.
And what may I think of my ſelf, in whoſe eſteem the written Word For the Enthuſiaſtical contemner of the Scripture.runs low in compariſon of the dictates of my Spirit, if not a worſe? Fanatical pretenders to great heights, Firſt, caſt off all other books as uſeleſs, uſeleſs, ſave the Bible, and then at laſt, it alſo, under the notion of being a dead Letter in compariſon of their quickning Spirit. At beſt, it was but a Revelation of God's will to them of old, and is nothing to theſe till thus revealed. As though, O my Soul! that might not be a word againſt thee, which is not a word to thee. Melancthon reports that he heard ſome preach, taking their Texts out of Ariſtotle's Ethicks: and we have lived to ſee days, in which men take Texts, and diſcourſes, and all out of the fancies of their own brains; eſteeming themſelves by ſo much the more excellent and Divine Preachers, by how much the more immethodically and rambling they are: Beſides others who from the Holy Goſpel, read only Lectures of Morality, yea and would perſwade the World there is nothing in ſanctifying Grace beyond this. Some have ſtarted up of late daies, who firſt have diſcharged Solomon's works from the ſaid Canon, under pretence of over-zeal againſt his Apoſtaſies to Adulteries and Idolatries; and at length are not farr from caſting off the whole Canon, as being but a diſpenſation fit only for thoſe times, and not comporting with our high attainments. The tertium Evangelium ſo long ſince but talkt off in Germany is now currant in England and Ireland, and they branded as Sons of reaſon only (as ſo of ruine) who ſubject not all to theſe Dictates. But O my Soul! that is a ſafe word, believe not every Spirit, but try the Spirits. Now if ever, falſe ones are abounding in theſe parts of the World. So much the more need is there of heedfulneſs and care. That is good advice of the Apoſtle, Rom. 12. 13. foreign and that too 1 Cor. 4. 6. foreign, not be wiſe upon what is written.
Are the Scriptures of truth ſuch refreſhing and ſtrengthening For the unprofitable hearer and reader of the Scriptures.paſtures? how little have they been ſuch to me? have I not continued poor and lean under all the means of growth and fattening which I have enjoyed? what cauſe have I to cry out, my leanneſs my leanneſs?, Iſa. 24. 16. yea, may I not ſay in reference to my Soul, what Job ſpake of his body? chap. 16. 8. my leanneſs riſing up in me, beareth witneſs to my face, teſtifieth againſt me my rottenneſs, that I am not ſound within, becauſe of the non-improvement of the means of thriving afforded me. How can I read or hear that ſtory of Pharaoh's dream: Gen. 41. 2, 3, 4. with verſ. 21. and not to be confounded in my ſelf? The lean as well as fat kine came up out of the River, viz. Nile, which cauſeth the fruitfulneſs of Egypt, and they devoured the fat, and yet were ſtill ill favoured, a fit Hieroglyphick of my ſad ſtate; others are fat, and grown in knowledge, and in obedience by the ſame means, which to me are of none advantage nor profit at all: yea, when I have devoured all, I continue in my former ſtate, ill favoured ſtill. It muſt ſure be ſome more than ordinary diſtemper interpoſing that muſt hinder my growth and profit thus. To hear the word and not grow thereby, is a ſad ſign how little appetite I have to it: to receive ſhowers from Heaven in the Doctrines of the Goſpel, and yet to bring forth nought but Briars and Thorns; ſhews me neer unto curſing. O my Soul, awake out of this dead ſleep, away with this ſpiritual ſloth, labour to have purged out theſe obſtructions, that hinder thy profiting, leſt that be to thee the ſavour of death, which to others is of peace and life.
What cauſe of joy have I, can I but clear up my Relation to the For the humble profiting hearer.Lord? If the Lord be my Shepherd I ſhall not want: he will provide paſtures of budding graſs for me. The Sheep care not for his leas, troubles not himſelf where he ſhall get it, that is the Shepherds care; let me but ſecure and continue my Relation, and mercy ſhall follow me all my days. Chriſt's Sheep ſhall lack no good thing, they ſhall go in and out, and find paſture. He that reckons meamong his gains, will ſee to it, that I have what may keep me up, that I may be more uſeful and ſerviceable to him. Only, O my Soul, take this hint with thee, thou muſt lie down in thoſe paſtures. What do the Sheep when they lie down? they chew the cud, and thereby turn all they eat into nouriſhment: ſo muſt thou do on the word heard or read, ruminate on it, this will turn it into nouriſhment to thee. And if thy delight be in the Law of thy Lord, Thou wilt meditate in it day and night.