Shepherdy Spiritualized, Tract · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII.
Shepherds their Strayers many waies bring in:
Chriſt many waies reduceth his from ſin.
Obſervation.
SHepherds find how apt their S…eep are to ſtray and wander from the Flock, whereby they are expoſed to many Caſualties and dangers: though they want nothing, yet are wont to ſtraggle, and lay themſelves open to ravneous Beaſts, and to worſe leas many times than with the Flock they might have. Hence a wandering Sheep is ſaid to be in a periſhing ſtate, Pſal. 119. 176. a sUt ovis quae it perditum. Tigur.loſt Sheep. The Shepherds care therefore is to fetch in ſuch ſtray-going Sheep, to keep them together and under his eye, that thoſe dangers may be avoided. And this he doeth ſeveral waies; ſometimes he only calls them back with a pleaſant known voice. Shepherds have their peculiar words, which the Sheep through cuſtom are inur'd to, and being acquainted with, obey them. Grotius on Jo. 10. 3, 4. from Theocritus notes the word foreign (Sitta) to be uſual with Shepherds to call in, or drive on their Sheep. They have Whiſtles alſo, and other notes by which they command them. If they obey not this his call, he then commands them in with a louder and ſhriller voice, rates them, and requires them back from their ſtraying: not only with calling back, back, or come in, come in; but ye have obſerved how Sheep will run together from their wandrings, upon the Shepherds whiſtle, by which he commands them in from afar; and 'tis obſervable how they will hear and obey their Shepherds whiſtle, whilſt yet they will ſcarce budge for the ſame from another. If neither this will prevail, they have a rod or ſtaff, which they ſhew the Sheep, and ſhake it to them, thereby afrightning them from their runnings abroad, Pſal. 23. 4 Some *…o. 10. 4. Vocem ejus] Sibilos it ſonos qu…b…s uti conſuevit, Br…g.underſtand he ſame thing meant by both words, Rod and Staff; Shepherds by their paſtoral Rod or Staff direct into the way, yea and correct too their ſtraying Sheep: Some *P…ſc. Mu. Riv. * Trap.diſtinguiſh Rod and Staff: Shepherds in driving their Flocks have a Rod or Wand in their hand, wherewith they now and then ſtrike them; and a Staff or Sheepcrook on their necks, wherewith they catch and rule them. To this alſo is the alluſion Mi…. 7. 14. feed thy people with thy Rod; and Zech. 11. 7. where are two …aves mentioned to note (ſaith tDuos aſſumpſit, ut ſignificaret Dominus ſe non vulgari modo in…buiſſe in officium paſ…oris, ſed ma…ore cum ſolicitudine: nam quiſ que …aſtor uno pedo contentus est. Calv.Calvin) Gods extraordinary care in governing his, ſeeing other Shepherds carry but every one one Rod or Staff, God two▪ If this neither prevail, but that notwithſtanding Word and Rod they will be running abroad, the laſt way of reducing is by ſending out the Dog, worrying them home, by his barking, and ſometimes too gentle biting. uOmuia ſecum Armentarius Afe… agit, tectum que larem que , Arma que , Amyclaeum que canem, i. e. la…onicum & po…teà. Nec tibi cura canu… fuerit poſtrema—Virgil puts the Dog amongſt the Shepherds furniture; The Scriptures once (and I think but once) mention ſomething this way, Job. 30. 1, the Dogs of my Flo…k; it ſpeaks the appropriation of that Creature to the uſe of the Flock: of which two are principal among us, viz. to drive away Foxes, and other Beaſts of prey that might raven upon the Flock; to afrighten the Thief, a Creature almoſt as bad as the moſt ravenous; and what we are now upon, viz. to hunt in, and drive together ſtragling Sheep, commanding them for his Maſter: and it's pretty to behold what …agerneſs they will uſe in this matter, go out with open mouth, as if they would tear and eat up, and yet how they will drive them without biting, or but touch them lightly, to keep them in rule and order.
Application.
A Sheep (though by the Philoſopher called a fooliſh and ſluggiſh Creature, the moſt ſtupid of four footed Creatures, apteſt of any thing to wander, though it feel no want, and unableſt to return) is not more apt to ſtray, than God's poor ones are to go aſtray, and to turn aſide from God, and run away from duty: It's one particular wherein the Analogie between Saints and Sheep conſiſts, that both are ſo apt to ſtray, and being once out, to go aſide more and more. Chriſts great care therefore towards his, is to fetch them in from their ſtray-going. 'Twas for this David prayed, Pſal. 119. ult. though a ſheep ſtill, yet wander, and therefore need ſeeking, q. d. I go aſtray, running hither and thither, like a ſilly Sheep to my own loſs, unleſs ſought and brought back by thee. Now Chriſt hath many waies by which, like a good Shepherd, he reduceth his ſtray-going Sheep.
Firſt, Sometimes he calls them unto him, when they are turning aſide from him: he calleth his in the firſt converſion out of darkneſs into his marvellous light; from the broad way that leadeth to deſtruction, to the way of holineſs and peace: not to uncleanneſs, but to holineſs, 1 Theſ. 4. 7. and when they return to folly, after peace firſt ſpoken to them, his voice is heard to call them to return by repentance.▪ Thus Jer. 3. 1. yet return again to me, ſaith the Lord. Every ſin is a going away from God, and therefore is Repentance expreſt ſo often by a returning; and this upon Gods call, Iſa. 55. 6, 7. there is a natural Novatianiſm in the timorous conſciences of convinced ſinners, to doubt and queſtion pardon for ſins of Apoſtaſie and falling after repentance; Chriſt therefore calleth his hereto: come, return, turn even to the Lord, yea, he followeth after thoſe that run from him, as the Sun-beams do the Paſſenger that goeth from them; and as is ſweetly ſet out by our Lord in thoſe three parables of the loſt Groat, loſt Sheep, and loſt Son, Luk. 15. Contrition is Repentance for ſin, 2 Cor. 12. 21. Rev 9. 20. converſion is repentance from ſin, Act. 8. 22. Heb. 6. 1. to this is Gods call; and this men do upon conſideration, Lam. 3. 40. Pſal. 119. 59. ſee that call alſo, Hoſ. 14. 1. Sin is a turning the back upon God, i. e. a going away from the chief Good, who is not willing that his ſhould leave Him, and therefore calls upon them to return to Him.
Secondly, if Calls prevail not, he reproveth, chargeth their ſin upon them, and commandeth their returns; he doth not only adviſe to it by an Evangelical counſel (as the Romaniſts diſtinguiſh) but requireth it as their expected duty. How he rates his People many times to bring them to better carriage? Will you bring evil upon your ſelves by your Rebellion? Thus dealt he with David after his foul fall: no doubt but he had many a time heard Gods call to Repentance in his attendance upon the Law and Worſhip of God for thoſe Ten or Twelve Months, wherein he lay under his Sin without Repentance, but theſe prevailing little with him hereto, God ſends a particular charge againſt him by the Prophet, by a parable, and the plain explication and application of it, 2 Sam. 12. 1,-12. he tells him of what he had done for him, and chargeth on him what in return he had done againſt God, and threatens him for his unrighteous carriage, and all to break his heart, and bring him back from his evil waies; and he no ſooner comes in, but he is received; no ſooner confeſſeth, but hath a declaration of pardon. I have ſinned, ſaid he, God hath taken away thy Sin, ſaid the Prophet God deals plainly and openly with him, and the Prophet from God, thou art the man, and by ſuch checks, brings him home again to the Lord, Prov. 6. 23. as the Commandment is a Lamp, and the Law a light, ſo ſuch reproofs or corrections are the way of Life. God chargeth it upon their Souls to return to him, if they intend to live.
Thirdly, when this alſo will not do, the Lord ſhakes his Rod, yea, and ſometimes laies it on too. By Rod, underſtand corrections, ſo termed in Scripture often: He often whips his in from their irregularities. And this ſometimes by giving them to meet with diſappointments in ſin; though they range thinking to meet with ſweeter food, yet they find not the ſweetneſs they expected, yea, God croſſeth them in their evil courſes and this in kindneſs to bring them in. 'Twas none of the leaſt of Iſrael's mercies, that which God ſpeaks, Hoſ. 2. 6, 7. I will hedge up thy way with Thorns, &c. Thorns, i. e. difficulties and diſtreſſes: ſo that though ſinners follow their ſins with the greateſt eagerneſs, yet ſhall they not obtain their deſires. Ah! this is a ſweet way of mercy, when God fetches in His from their purſuits of ſin, by their not over-taking their ſin. Sometimes he whips them for their ſin, and gives them to read their ſin in their puniſhment. To go on in ſin without puniſhment is a dreadful judgment, threatned againſt Rebellious Iſrael. Hoſ. 4. 14, 17. which words Origen quoting in a certain Homilie, ſaith, wVis indignantis Dei terribil…m vocem audire? &c.It is the terrible voice of an angry God. Ye ſhall be without puniſhment, ſaith God, for an argument that ye are Baſtards and not Sons: I will not once foul my fingers with you, or be at pains to correct you; take your ſwinge in ſin for me, &c. Never was Jeruſalems condition ſo deſperate, as when God ſaid unto her, my jealouſie ſhall depart from thee, and I will be quiet, and I will be no more angry, Ezek▪ 16 42. Not a greater plague can befall a man, than to proſper in ſinful practices: Bernard calleth it xMiſericordiam omni indignatione crudeliorem, &c.a pity more cruel than all wrath, a killing courteſie. See Ezek. 3. 20. I will lay a ſtumbling block before him, viz. of proſperity, I will not recall him by calamities; I will proſper him in all things, and not by affiiction reſtrain him from ſin. His own therefore God will not leave thus alone, but let them feel that ſin is an evil and a bitter thing, and ſcourges them off from it. David found this by glad experience, Pſal. 119. 67. Before I was afflicted I went aſtray, but now have I kept thy word, now that I have been laſhed to it, and paid for my learning. zVexatio dat intellectum. Quae nocent docent. foreign.Smart makes wit. As the beating of a Garment with a ſtick, beateth out the Moths and duſt; ſo do afflictions, corruptions from the heart and life. David's lying, his Adultery and Murder, were ſet home upon him, and he brought in from them, by Gods ſcourging him, ſo that he could ſay as, verſ. 71. It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy ſtatutes. The Lacedemonians of old, (and the ſame is ſaid of the Hollanders alate) grew rich by Warr, and were bettered, when all other Kingdoms were undone by it. Chriſts Sheep make benefit of their croſſes, which to others are deſtructive; ſo that they can ſet to their ſeal for confirmation of that word, Pſal. 94. 12. Bleſſed is the man whom thou chaſtneſt, O Lord, and teacheſt him out of thy Law; whom God laſhes, and withal leſſos, not which end afflictions ſanctified are of ſingular uſe. Many may gladly ſay with him of old, I had been undone, *Periiſſem niſi periiſſem.if I had not been undone; the ruin of their eſtates, the removing their relations, the ſickneſs of their bodies have fetcht them in from their unrighteous courſes, and given them to know God and themſelves, whereas before they were ignorant and careleſs enough (ſee Job. 33, 14, 15, and to the 24.) which made King Alfred beſeech God to ſend him ever and anon ſome …it of ſickneſs; for that (ſaith he) I ever find my ſelf beſt, when worſt; beſt in Soul, when worſt in body, the ſickneſs of this is a medicine to that.
Fourthly, If neither this bring the ſinner in, God hath his Dogs, which he ſends out after him, and ſets at him to worry him in by ſincere repentance. Theſe barking Currs (which would bite too, if not rated by the Lord) are the wicked malevolent ones of the world, who by perſecution of Tongue or Hand many a time bring Gods people to repentance and reformation; The Spear thruſt into them to kill them, doth but launch the Impoſtume and preſerve life. Such a Curr God ſent out after David in Shimei, 2 Sam. 16. 5, 6, &c. David had cauſed the name of God to be blaſphemed among the Heathen, Chap. 12. and now he is blaſphemed and curſed by a Subject of his. And was not David rightly puniſhed by Shimei's railing, for his hearkning ſo readily to Ziba's flattering? Was he not juſtly ſpoiled of honours, who ſo unjuſtly ſpoiled Mephiboſheth of his goods? Doth not his calling him bloody man, think ye, mind him of that crimſon ſin, for the pardon of which he prayed ſo hard, Pſal. 51. 14. Men rail and reproach thee, caſting that in thy Teeth, which it may be, thou art not guilty of; conſider, is there not a cauſe? Haſt thou not in ſome thing or otl er run away from God, that he thus barks thee in?
Reflections.
Much talk is there from Preachers concerning ſuch as go on in a For the proſpering ſinner.ſinful courſe, that they ſhall not proſper and thrive; that anger from the Lord ſhall go out againſt them, &c. whereas I find not but things proſper with me as well as with the moſt preciſe of them all: my body is ſound, my eſtate encreaſing, and my credit and reputation, ſave with ſuch nice ones, ſtanch and good; and is not all well with me? May not I bleſs my ſelf for all that men cry out againſt my covetouſneſs, my pride, my drunkenneſs and uncleanneſs? What though men talk at ſuch a rate to diſcourage, can I not feel ground under me? And may not I live as blith and comfortably as others? But ſtay, O my Soul! conſider yet a little; may not this be thy miſery that thou art left thus alone to walk in thine own waies, that in a moment thou mayeſt go down to Hell? Fatted Beaſts are but fitted for the ſlaughter: and by this proſperity may I not be haſtning to deſtruction? Haſt thou conſidered, O my Soul! that diſmal word, Pro. 1. 32. the proſperity of fools ſhall deſtroy them. That by ſimple and fools, are meant ſuch in morals, not in naturals, in this book, they that are but a little converſant therein may perceive. [The turning away] many Expoſitours render that word Reſt, q. d. fools are wont to be deſtroyed by proſperity; and ſo the former and latter clauſe of the verſe ſpeak one and the ſame thing. Or Reſt, i. e. conſtant and ſtubborn continuance in evil, in which they pleaſe themſelves, and promiſe themſelves all proſperity. See, Jer. 48. 11. Moab hath been at eaſe from his youth, and he hath ſettled on his l…s, and hath not been emptied from Veſſel to Veſſel, neither hath he gone into captivity: therefore his taſte remained in him, and his ſent is not changed. [His taſt] i. e. aVina non transfuſa vim nativam conſtantiùs retinet; ita & M…itae ſuum fastum, Iſa. 16. 6. Gro….his pride and cruelty, ſee to Zephan. 1. 12 I will puniſh the men that are ſettled on their lees: Whether it be underſtood of ſins, or of wealth. Were it not better to be preſerved and kept ſweet though in brine, than to be let rott and ſtink in honey? As I may be the occaſion of ruine to others, who ſeeing me thrive in a courſe of wickedneſs, may be induced into, or incouraged in a like ſinful courſe; (ſo Aben Ezra underſtands the latter clauſe of Pro. 1. 32.) So ſhall I not hereby haſten the deſtroying indignation of the Lord on my ſelf, which will come with the greater violence, and caſt me down with the more ſevere ruin? Read, O my Soul, and ponder and tremble at that word, Deut. 29. 18, 19, 20. do not pleaſe thy ſelf, and caſt off all fear of God, becauſe thou haſt no changes in thy condition, Pſal. 55. 19. for thou ſhalt not eſcape by (or in) thine iniquity, Pſal. 56. 7. What good is it to have a fine Suit with the Plague in it? a rich Eſtate and a poor Soul? a lively body and a dead heart? It were better have a ſore, than a …ear'd conſcience, as a burning Feaver is more hopeful than a Lethargie. 'Twas a ſad word was ſpoken to the rich man in the parable, Luk. 16. 25. In thy Life time thou receivedſt] the word ſignifies fully to receive; thy good things] i. e. thoſe good things which thou accounteſt the true, yea, the chiefeſt good things, which thou haſt uſed as thine own proper goods; in which alſo thou haſt placed all thy confidence. It is ſaid of Gregory the Great, that he never read thoſe words without horrour, leſt himſelf having ſuch honours here, ſhould be ſhut out of Heaven. They that live in pleaſures on Earth and are wonton; Jam. 5. 5. may find their miſery come upon them, &c. verſ. 1.
Bleſſed be God that leaves me not to go away from him in a For the poor afflicted Saint.courſe of ſin, but fetches me back again to himſelf, though it be by weeping croſs. Alas! whether ſhould I not run, did not God hedge, yea, wall up my way? To be called, yea, to be chidden in from a way of wandring from God, is a great deal of mercy. Leave off therefore, O my Soul! complaining either of God or men, under the checks and rebukes of God, and improve them rather to draw nearer to God. Conſider from whence thou art fallen, and repent, &c. The unkindneſs which Job met with, from Foes and Friends, made him get cloſer to God, chap. 23. 3. and ſo David, Pſal. 142. 4, 5. Take it as a token of good from the Lord when he raps off thy fingers, that thou mayeſt not pluck forbidden fruit. Account it fatherly kindneſs, that he ſhakes and uſes the Rod, when thou art running away from him: He deals with thee as with a Child, not as a baſtard; as a child of hope, not given up as deſperate. Yea, though thy afflictions are many, complicated, coming one on the neck of another, yet, is there not need? 1 Pet. 1. 6. Some bodies need a continued courſe of Phyſick, and ſome Souls continued purgings. Only look up to the Lord, and ſay, the fruit, Lord, the fruit. Sanctified afflictions are high promotions, ſaid Mr. Dod.