Shepherdy Spiritualized, Tract · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI.
To lead or drive the Shepherd's Cuſtom is,
Chriſt leads the van, brings up the rere of His.
Obſervation.
HE leadeth me in Paths of Righteouſneſs. Shepherds, bLoquitur hic Chriſtus ſeeundum morem Judaeae, in quâ regione pastores oves praecedere ſolebant.eſpecially in that Countrey, were wont to go before the Flock, and lead them. Pſal. 80. 1. that leadeſt Joſeph like a Flock: ſee too Gen. 33. 14. Iſa. 40. 11. The Hebrew uſes three words to expreſs this one thing by, though of neer writing and ſound, and ſo of ſenſe too, viz. foreign, foreign, and foreign which all have a ſenſe of leaſurely and ſoft leading, as the Father his tender Child. Unto which Moſes alludes, Num. 27. 17. Which may lead them out, which may bring them in, A metaphor from Shepherds leading out their Flocks, who go in and out before them, and ſo feed and govern them. And this is plainly called a going before the Flock. Jo. 10. 4. The reaſon and uſe of this going before the Flock was to direct them in paths in which they ſhould walk: Poor ſilly Sheep cannot chooſe the way that is beſt for themſelves, hence the Shepherds going before them to direct them the path. Leadeth me; ignorant of the way, as heretotofore Iſrael, Ex. 13. 21. and wandring too, Iſa. 57. 17, 18. in plain and right paths, not mountainous, apt to tire the poor Sheep; in a clear way, free from offences, not through rough, ragged, and cragged places, full of thorns and briars, in which the Sheep is apt to be entangled, but in ſmooth and plain waies are they wont to lead their Flocks; hence called foreign, which properly ſignifies paths beaten with Waggon-wheels, but uſed generally for all ſtraight, direct and beaten waies. This therefore is from love, to chooſe the way that may be to them moſt pleaſant and profitable. And though this be not ſo much in uſe among us, to walk before our Sheep, yet I conceive a cuſtom among us to allude hither, the under Shepherd ye uſually call a Follower, which implies that the chief Shepherd ſhould be a Leader.
Yet neither was leading their Flocks ſo much their practice, that we find nothing elſe concerning them, yea, we read expreſly that they followed them, 2 Sam. 7. 8. Pſal. 78. 71. The Shepherd muſt follow the ſteps of his Flock ſlowly, not preſſing them, nor overdriving, to which Jacob hath reference, Gen. 33. 13, 14. a good Shepherd ever hath an eye to the weak ones, and ſo regards all in his Flock, as he over-drives not any: and this ſpeaks care and cuſtody; that none be left to lagg behind, expoſed to hazards and dangers.
Application.
Jeſus Chriſt is the Great and good Shepherd in this regard alſo, he both leadeth and bringeth up his. Firſt, He leadeth them, goeth before them, to direct and guide them in paths in which they ſhould go. In paths of righteouſneſs, faith the Pſalmiſt, i. e. plain, ſmooth, eaſie paths, or Sheep-tracks, wherein I may walk unweariably, unblameably without ceſſation, or ceſpitation. The waies of ſin are craggy, crooked, full of errour and terrour, leading to thoſe precipices that tend to deſtruction; from ſuch ſtand off, ſaith Chriſt to his Sheep, who all are rational, and will be ruled by him, Jo. 10. He goeth before his in every good way. It is ſtoried of Caeſar, that he was not wont to ſay to his Souldiers ite, but venite, Chriſt calls his unto thoſe paths in which himſelf hath walked, doth walk. In practice of holineſs he goeth before his, is an example and a pattern to them. Thus he became ſubject to his Parents, Luk. 2. 51. being an example of family ſubjection, and it's very probable of induſtry and painstaking too in Joſeph's calling, Mar. 6. 3. neither Adam, the Son of God by creation, even in innocency, was to lead an idle and unprofitable Life, but was to keep the Garden and to dreſs it; Nor Jeſus the Son of God by eternal generation, walk up and down unprofitably, but untill the Age of 30. when acording to the cuſtom of that People, he was to enter upon his publick Miniſtry, he lived and wrought with his reputed Father. Thus his whole imploiment whilſt here among men, was to do good, Act. 10. 38. ſo that even malice it ſelf, when challenged, could urge nothing unrighteous or irregular againſt him. Jo. 8. 46. Which of you convinceth me of ſin? q. d. have ye any thing againſt my Life, that ye thus ſtiffly refuſe to receive my Doctrine? Of Chriſts Life it may be moſt truly ſaid what Chryſoſtome ſpeaks of Miniſters in general, His Soul and Life was purer than the Sun-beams. Hence Paul preſſing to Love and Holineſs, perſwades to be followers of Jeſus Chriſt, Epheſ. 5. 1, 2. In way of worſhip alſo he became obedient to his Fathers Inſtitutions, and a pattern to all his; Although he had no ſin, and ſo needed no circumciſion, yet was he ſubject unto it, Luk. 2. 21. yea and to purification too, according to the Law: For ſo moſt Greeks Copies, Origen, Syr. & Ethiop. in Bibl. Polygl. read verſ. 22. foreign, of their purification, not only of her purification, we read. For ſeeing the touch of an unclean unclean Perſon rendred another unclean, as long as the Mother was unclean, the Child muſt be accounted ſo too, which lay in her boſom, and ſuckt her Milk. And Levit. 12. 6. it appears that the time of purification had reſpect to the Infant, and was ſhorter or longer, as the child was either Male or Female. Our Saviour therefore being made under the Law, and ſubject to it, was until the fortieth day eſteemed unclean, until a Sacrifice offered. Wonderful condeſcention! ſo his obſervation of the Feaſt of the Paſſover, &c. is mentioned plainly: Thus to the Jews. Us Chriſtians alſo he lead in the way in which he would have us attend upon him. 'Tis not unobſervable that at 12 years of Age we find him among the Doctors, hearing them, and asking them queſtions, Luk. 2. 46. to teach his to wait at Wiſdoms poſts, and not to forſake the aſſembling of themſelves together, to attend and to learn of the Divine Oracles. He went before them alſo in ſuſception of water-baptiſm, Mat. 3. 13, 15. He was circumciſed and baptized, both which had reſpect unto ſin, though abſolutely free from all ſin in his own perſon; and that becauſe he was free from no obedience unto any command of God. He was to obſerve all Ordinances and inſtitutions of worſhip: not for any need he had, in his own perſon, of the eſpecial ends and ſignifications of ſome of them: yet as he was our Sponſor, ſurety and Mediator, ſtanding in our ſtead in all that he ſo did, he was to yield obedience unto them, that ſo he might fulfill all righteouſneſs, i. e. do all things that were ſuitable to his perſon, to his office. And the other great Ordinance of the Goſpel, as he inſtituted, ſo he adminiſtred it, as a token and pledge of his greateſt affection to them, as being ſollicitous about the conſolation of his Diſciples, even in the very night in which he was betrayed. In Ordinances of inſtituted worſhip he went before them. He did ſo alſo, as in doing, ſo in ſuffering his Father's will, being active in all his paſſions, as well as paſſive in all his actions of the Mediatorſhip. He ſuffered alſo, and that as a pattern to his, 1 Pet. 2. 21. foreign, the word is a Metaphor taken from Scriveners or Painters, and ſignifies properly a copy or pattern, to be taken out and imitated. *Cruae pendentis Cathedra docentis.Chriſt on the Croſs is a Doctor in the chair, where he reads unto us all a Lecture of patience; wherefore he is ſo propounded by the Apoſtle to the Chriſtian Hebrews, as an encouragement and a provocation, Heb. 12. 1, 2.
Laſtly, He is gone before them into Glory, Heb. 6. 20. cforeignWhether the fore-runner is for us entred. The word ſignifies ſuch an one as we are wont to ſend before us, to prepare ſomething: what that is, he told his Diſciples, and in them thoſe that ſhould believe in his name, Jo. 14. 1, 2, 3. he hath entred the moſt holy in their names, and taken poſſeſſion of Glory; that he may receive his into it. Hence they are ſaid to be raiſed together with Chriſt, and made ſit together with him in heavenly places, Epheſ. 2. 6. So that he that hath the Son, hath Life, 1 Jo. 5. 12. he will not leave till he hath brought all his to the fruition of his glory. For he is the way, the truth and the life. Jo. 14. 6. the way, wherein, the truth, whereby, and the Life, whereunto, his walk, or the only true way leading unto life; the way without errour, the truth without falſhood, and the Life without Death. dVia in exemple, veritas in promiſſo, vita in praemio, Bern.The way by example, the truth by promiſe, the life by reward, as Bernard well. So that holy hearts may with him breath out, we will follow eSequemur, Domine, te, per te, ad te: Te, quia veritas; per te, quia, via; ad te, quia vita. Id.thee, O Lord, by thee, unto thee: thee, becauſe thou art the truth; by thee, becauſe thou art the way; unto thee, becauſe thou art the Life. Thus will he come, and take all his to himſelf, that where he is, they may be alſo, and may ſee, i. e. partake of his glory; for he looks on himſelf as not compleat, until his be all brought to him: whence his Church is called his fulneſs, Epheſ. 1. 23. fIs est Christi in Eccleſiam amor, ut quúm omnia omnibus ad plenum praestet, tamen ſeſe veluti mancum & membris mutilum caput existimet niſi Eccleſiam habeat ſibi instar corporis adjunctam, Bez. in loc.not only becauſe filled by him, the fulneſs which the body hath being from him; but alſo actively, conſidering Chriſt not perſonally, but myſtically, as an head, and having the Church for his body: He having voluntarily ſubjected himſelf to be our head, accounts not himſelf compleat without his members; in which reſpect believers have the honour of making Chriſt perfect, as the members do the body
Chriſt not only leads his Sheep by way of Example, and going before them; but he followeth them alſo, brings up their rereward, Iſa. 52. 12. he ſhall not leave you ſtragling, and ſo expoſed to danger, but he ſhall drive you together, and carry you as a compact and well marching army; yea the glory of the Lord is promiſed to be this to them Iſa. 58. 8. i. e. his goodneſs, which is very glorious; or the glory of the Lord, is the Glorious Lord, the Lord of glory, Chap. 33. 21. Act. 7. 2. Thine happineſs, which ariſeth from the goodneſs and power of Jehovah, who ſhews his glory, ſhall free thee from dangers, and thee in ſafety: an alluſion to the Lords leading Iſrael through the Wilderneſs, Ex. 13. 21. and 14. 19. of this David ſpeaks, as having ſome particular experience, Pſal. 27. 10. when all relations were unable to help him, yea he was forced to make proviſion for them in their age, 1 Sam. 22. 3, 4. then God took care of, and preſerved him. The Hebrew word tranſlated [take me up] is uſed alſo of taking up or home a ſtray Ox or Sheep, Deut. 22. 2. and it is from this root that the Hebrews call a *foreign Hebraeis dicitur puer expoſititius, qui tollitur de plateâ ne que patrem ſuum, aut matrem ſuam, Druſ. Vid. Lexic. Heptagl.child that is found, being caſt out, knowing neither Father nor Mother: When David was in ſuch a woful plight, God took him into his care and keeping. In the Iſraelites marching through the Wilderneſs, at the fourth alarm aroſe the Standard of Dan, Aſher and Nepthali, and to theſe was committed the care of gathering together the lame, feeble, ſick, &c. and look that nothing was left behind; whence they are called the Gathering hoſt, Joſh. 6. 9. Numb. 10. 25. (where we tranſlate rere-ward alſo) and to this ſome think David alludes here. Jeſus Chriſt comes after his, to ſee that no danger ſhall ſeize them at unawares, or ſurprize them from their backs: that none of them be left wandring, and ſo periſhing, but he drives them up that they may be preſerved. Unto this probably may we apply, [Iſa. 40. 11. gather the Lambs carry them in his arms or boſom when not able to keep up pace with bigger and ſtronger ſheep, ſee to Iſa. 43. 5, 6. Jer. 23. 3. Pſal. 147. 2. not one ſhall be loſt that was committed to his charge and care, Jo. 17. 12. he will gather them up one by one, and bring them into his Fold.
Reflections.
How do I worry thoſe Sheep which Chriſt hath ſhewn ſuch care of? How oft have I made it my deſign and buſineſs to ſcatter and diſperſe thoſe whom Chriſt leads and brings up? So unlike a Shepherd have I been herein, that I have more reſembled the Wolf, Jo. 10. 12. ſnatch the Sheep, that I may ſcatter the Flock, take ſome to devour and ſpoil them, that I may diſperſe the reſt: which I have bragged of as ſome noble exploit, when I have in my meaſure reacht my deſign. How hath Saul's Spirit poſſeſſed and acted me? Act. 8. 3. That I may make havock of the Churches, i. e. deſtroy, conſume, and bring them to nought, how do I break into Houſes, with force and violence, with *Nimirum ut ſolent qui juſſa Magistratuum exequuntur.authority and commiſſion from the High Prieſts, as he expounds himſelf, Chap. 26. 12. halling out Men and Women, foreign, we tranſlate the word dragging, Jo. 21. 8. it properly ſignifies a drawing down to, and upon the ground, or pavement, whence the Greeks call thoſe gforeign veſt is caudatamatronarum nobilium, cuius cauda per ſolum trahetur, Piſc. in Jo. 21. 8.Garments that ſweep the ground, by a name from this verb. Thus he ſhewed the accompliſhment in him of that prophecy given of his Tribe, Gen. 49. 27. Not content to conſent to the death of Stephen (though it be all one to hold the Sack, and to fill it, to do evil and to conſent to it) he made havock of the Church like a ravening Wolf; yea, Act. 9. 1. he lies breathing out threatning and ſlaughter, panting and windleſs as a tyred Wolf; and having recovered himſelf, is marching toward Damaſcus for more prey. And hath not this been my caſe? If in the latter part alſo I might be like him, deſireable is it? For in that his journey being met by the chief Shepherd, of a Wolf he is made a Lamb, Iſa. 11. 6. not once opening his mouth unleſs to crave direction, Lord what wilt thou have me to do? After which time he never perſecuted the Saints ſo faſt, as now he purſues and preſſes hard toward the high-prize: herein alſo verifying the latter part of that foregoing prophecy, hA Lap. & Bonfrerex Patribus.in the morning, the firſt part of his daies, ravening as a Wolf, but in the Evening the latter part of his daies, diſtributing the food of wholeſom Doctrine. Thou wilt one day, O my Soul! ſay, O that my latter end be like his.
What cauſe of joy and gladneſs have I, and of making my boaſt of God? Who For the poor Sheep of Chriſt.leads, directs and preſerves me in all his waies, that I may walk pleaſantly and ſafely. What need I fear the craggy Rocks the thorny Paths? My Shepherd will lead me in a plain and an even way. However crooked and troubleſome they ſeem to carnal and worldly hearts, yet by good experience can I ſay, all his waies are ways of pleaſantneſs, and all his paths peace. Yea, he will lead me in plain paths becauſe of mine Enemies, mine Obſervers. Silly though I am, he hath promiſed to make the path ſo plain, that very I diots ſhall not err therein, Iſa. 35. 8. and no wonder, having ſo good a guide, if they but eye and follow him. Only, O ſweet Jeſus, draw me and we will run after thee, leave me not to lagg behind, let me feel the attractives of thy love, the drawings and refreſhings of thy Spirit. Suffer me not above all things, to turn aſide from thee, to go out of thy ſight, but to abide with thee, for there, and there only can I be in ſafeguard, as David ſaid to Abiathar, 1 Sam. 22. 23. And if, O Lord, through the violence of Temptation, or impetuouſneſs of corruption my heart ſhould at any time depart from thee into any falſe way, deign but to turn about and look upon me, as thou once didſt to Peter, Luk. 22. 61. and this bring me in again, thought it be by weeping croſs.