Tropes and Figures · Benjamin Keach
Tropes and Figures, Treatise 1 · Head 7 · Part 19
The Church compared to a Flock of Sheep.
Cant. 1.7. Tell me, O thou whom my Soul loveth, where thou feedest, and where thou makeſt thy Flock to reſt at Noon, &c.
Luke 12.32. Fear not, little Flock, it is your Father's good Pleaſure to give you the Kingdom.
THe Church, or Saints of God, are compared unto a Flock of Sheep.
| Metaphor. | Parallel. |
| SHeep are clean Beaſts, tame and gentle; not wild, as Tigers, Lions, Foxes, or Wolves; nor unclean, as Dogs, Swine, &c. | SO the Saints of God are a People tamed, as it were, by God's Spirit, from that natural Wildneſs and Perverſeneſs, made gentle, willing to come into Chriſt's Fold, cleanſed from Impurity of Heart and Life. |
| II. Sheep are ſimple, a harmleſs Sort of Creatures, not crafty, ravenous, and devouring, as thoſe Sort of Beaſts above-mentioned. | II. So the Saints of God are holy; they are taught to be ſimple concerning Evil:Mat. 10.16 Be ye (ſaith Chriſt) as innocent as Doves. They ſeek the Hurt of no Man; not like Romiſh Wolves, who delight in nothing more than in Blood and Rapine, ſhedding the Blood of thoſe who do not wrong or injure them, but deſire to live peaceably in the Land. |
| III. Sheep are meek and patient under Sufferings: Hence our Saviour is ſaid to be led as a Lamb to the Slaughter; Iſa. 53.7. and as a Sheep is dumb before the Shearer, ſo opened he not his Mouth. See Lamb. | III. So the Saints and People of God are meek and patient under God's hand, both when they ſuffer for their Sins, or for the Trial of their Graces; as appeareth in Job, David, Stephen, &c.Pſal. 39 9. I held my Peace, I opened not my Mouth, becauſe Lord, thou diddeſt it. |
| IV. Sheep, as they are patient, ſo they are profitable, both in their Lives, and by their Death. There is ſcarcely any Creature that brings its Owner greater Incomes than Sheep; they are good both for Food and Cloathing. | IV. The Saints are very profitable many ways; the Benefit the World receives by them, or for their Sakes, is very great; they are called the Light of the World, and the Salt of the Earth; now the Profit the World receives in both theſe reſpects, is not little. Had there been ten of thoſe Sheep in Sodom, God had not deſtroyed it; beſides, the Angel told Lot, he could do nothing till he was out of the City. What a Bleſſing was Joſeph to his Maſter, whilſt he abode in his Houſe, and Jacob to Laban! They yield the World much Profit, by the Doctrine they preach, by the fervent Prayers they daily put up to Almighty God, and their holy and good Examples:Mat. 5.16. Let your Light ſo ſhine before Men, that they may ſee your good Works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven. |
| V. Sheep are obedient, and ready to follow their Shepherd whitherſoever he goeth. It is the Cuſtom in ſome Countries, for the Shepherd to go before the Sheep, &c To which our Saviour alludes, John 10.27. | V. So Believers, and the Church of Chriſt, are obedient to him:Joh. 10.4, 5. My Sheep (ſaith he) hear my Voice, and they follow me; and the Voice of a Stranger they will not follow. Pſal. 73.24 Thou ſhalt guide me by thy Counſel, ſaith the Pſalmiſt. Chriſt's Precepts are the Saints Directory, and his Practice their Pattern for Imitation. Hence Paul exhorteth the Corinthians to follow him, as he followed Chriſt.1 Cor. 11.1. |
| VI. Sheep are incident to many Diſeaſes, many of them are weak and feeble; which a good Shepherd taketh pity of, and endeavours to heal and ſtrengthen them. | VI. So the Saints of God are ſubject to manifold Weakneſſes, Temptations, and Afflictions, which moved the Almighty to great Compaſſion, and ſorely to rebuke the Shepherds of Iſrael, for their Cruelty and great Remiſneſs towards his Flock: The Diſeaſed have ye not ſtrengthned, neither have ye healed that which was ſick, &c. And therefore ſaith, He would himſelf take the Work into his own hands: I will bind up that which was broken, and will ſtrengthen that which was ſick, &c |
| VII. A Flock of Sheep muſt not be over-driven, leſt they tire. Jacob, who was a skilful Shepherd, knew this, and therefore told Eſau his Brother,Gen. 33.13 that if the Flock were over-driven, they would die. | VII. So the Saints or Flock of Chriſt muſt not be over-driven, they muſt be led gently along; and God taketh care to lay no more upon them than they can bear. No Temptation hath taken you, 1 Cor. 10.13. but ſuch as is common to Men; but God is faithful, who will not ſuffer you to be tempted above what you are able; and will with the Temptation alſo make way to eſcape, that ye may be able to bear it. He will not lay upon us more than is right. |
| VIII. Sheep are ſubject to go aſtray, and to be loſt in a Wilderneſs; and upon that account need the Shepherd's Care, to ſeek them, and fetch them home to the Fold. | VIII. So the Saints are ſubject to go aſtray from God, and to wander from his Precepts, viz. decline in their Zeal, Faith, and Affection to him, and his Ways, and to get wandering Thoughts after the World; and ſometimes they wander, through the Neglect and Careleſneſs of the Under-Shepherds: My Sheep, Ezek. 34.6 Pſal. 119.176. ſaith the Lord, wandered through all the Mountains, and none did ſearch or ſeek after them. I have gone aſtray like a loſt Sheep, ſeek thy Servant, &c. |
| IX. Sheep muſt be led forth into green Paſtures, to be fed: and a good Shepherd will take heed he puts them not into Fields or Meadows that are not proper for them; for ſome Grounds will ſoon rot and ſpoil them. | IX. So Chriſt's Flock muſt be fed in good Paſtures, viz. with ſound and wholeſom Truth, good Doctrine, Food that is fit and proper for them; they muſt not have Chaff of Mens Traditions, nor the corrupt Gloſſes of cloudy Doctors, that lived in the dark Time of the Church. It behoves Chriſt's Miniſters to take heed they ſuffer not the Sheep under their Charge to ſuck in the Poyſon of Error and Hereſy; for nothing rots and ſpoils Chriſtians more than that. The Spouſe from hence enquireth of Chriſt,Cant. 1.7. Where he feedeth his Flock? that is, Where his bleſſed Goſpel was truly and conſtantly preached, and his holy Ordinances duly adminiſtred, leſt ſhe ſhould turn aſide by the Flocks of his Companions, that is, ſuch as call themſelves ſo. Chriſt directs her to go forth by the Footſteps of the Flock, and feed their Kids beſides the Shepherds Tents: That is, to follow the Doctrine and Footſteps of the Primitive Church, for that alone is our Rule in all God's holy Worſhip. The Lord is my Shepherd, I ſhall not want: Pſal. 23.1, 2 He maketh me to lie down in green Paſtures, he leadeth me beſides the ſtill Waters. |
| X. Sheep have a ſhadowy Place to reſt in, when the Sun ſhines hot at Noon, which is a great Refreſhment to them, where they chew their Cud; and being ſaved from the Vehemency of the ſcorching Sun, they with the greater Alacrity return to their Paſture. | X.Cant. 1 7 So the Saints and Church of God have a bleſſed Reſting-place in the Time of the greateſt Heat, Temptation, Affliction, and Perſecution, or whatſoever may cauſe Diſquiet, and grieve them; in the midſt of which (ſaith Mr. Ainſworth) Chriſt giveth ſweet Repoſe unto his Sheep; they have Peace in Him, tho Tribulation in the World.Joh. 16.33 Iſa. 47.10. Pſal. 57.1. Iſa. 33.2. They ſhall not hunger, nor thirſt, neither ſhall the Heat nor Sun ſmite them, &c. Ʋnder the Shadow of thy Wings will I make my Refuge, until theſe Calamities be over-paſt. Hence Chriſt is ſaid to be as the Shadow of a great Rock in a weary Land. |
| XI. Sheep have many Enemies, as Lions, Wolves, Bears, Dogs, Foxes, and the like; and all their Safety ſtands only in the Care of their Shepherd: otherwiſe theſe cruel Beaſts, beſides Men, who kill many in a Night, would ſoon tear them to pieces. | XI. So God's poor Flock have many ſtrong and cruel Adverſaries, who would ſoon tear them in pieces, and utterly deſtroy them, were it not for the precious Love and Care of Jeſus Chriſt.Rom. 8.36 We are killed all the day long, and accounted as Sheep for the Slaughter; Zech. 11.4 hence called the Flock of Slaughter. |
| XII. A Flock of Sheep love to feed and lie down together; it is a difficult thing to ſcatter and divide them. If they are frighted by an Enemy, or purſued by Dogs, Foxes, or Wolves, and ſhould be ſeparated, they would ſoon get together again. | XII. So the Saints of God do greatly love to aſſemble together:Mal. 3.16. They that feared the Lord, ſpake often one to another, &c. They that fear thee, ſaith David, Pſal. 119.74. will be glad when they ſee me, becauſe I have hoped in thy Word. It is a hard thing to divide Chriſt's choice Sheep, their Hearts are knit one to another, as Jonathan's was to David's. And if wicked Men, like Dogs and Wolves, do endeavour to ſcatter them by Perſecution, they will ſoon get together again; as is ſignified, Acts 4.23. And being let go, they went to their own Company, &c. |
| XIII. A Flock of Sheep are ſubject to take Soil and Filth, and therefore have need of waſhing. | XIII. So the Godly and Faithful in Chriſt Jeſus are very ſubject (as they are in themſelves) to contract much Guilt and Pollution, Sin being of a defiling Nature; and therefore it is they are waſhed by their Shepherd: If I waſh thee not, Joh. 13. thou haſt no part in me. The believing Corinthians are ſaid to be waſhed, they were before very unclean and filthy: Such were ſome of you, but ye are waſhed, 1 Cor. 6.11 but ye are ſanctified, but ye are juſtified, in the Name of our Lord Jeſus, and by the Spirit of our God, who hath loved us, and waſhed us from our Sins in his own Blood. Rev. 1.5. |
| XIV. Sheep will live where other Beaſts cannot; they will live upon very hard and barren Commons, where the Graſs is exceeding ſhort, and yet ſeem very well contented. | XIV. So the ſincere and truly gracious Soul can live by Faith in a Time of Want and Scarcity, when the Hopes of other Men die, and pine away. And tho the World frown upon them, and they cannot ſee which way by an Eye of Senſe they ſhould ſubſiſt, yet they make a good Shift to live upon the Providence of God, who careth for them, and are very contented and ſatisfied with ſuch Paſture that God is pleaſed to put them into. Altho the Fig-Tree ſhall not bloſſom, Hab. 3.17, 18. neither ſhall Fruit be on the Vine; the Labour of the Olive ſhall fail, and the Fields ſhall yield no Meat; the Flocks ſhall be cut off from the Fold, and there ſhall be no Herd in the Stall: Yet will I rejoyce in the Lord, and joy in the God of my Salvation. |
| XV. There are oftentimes in a Flock of Sheep ſome Goats. | XV. So in the Church of Chriſt are ſome evil and corrupt Members,Mat. 13.47 or ſuch who are none of Chriſt's Sheep, Hypocrites, ſuch as are unſound at Heart, who are alſo called Goats. |
| XVI. Sheep are very fruitful; they multiply in a little Time exceedingly, tho many are killed by Butchers. | XVI. So the Church of God is fruitful;Acts 12.40, 41. from a few they have often encreaſed to a great Multitude: Nay, tho they have been many of them ſlaughtered by the perſecuting Butchers of Babylon, yet they have rather multiplied the more; from whence that Maxim grew, The Blood of the Martyrs is the Seed of the Church. |
| VII. In a Flock of Sheep are likely ſome fat and ſtrong, and ſome lean Ones; and the ſtrong are ſometimes obſerved to run upon, and abuſe the weak, being grown very wanton; theſe ſometimes leap over the Fold, and the Shepherd hath much trouble with them. | XVII. So amongſt the Flock of Chriſt are ſome fat and rich Saints, and ſome poor and lean Ones, who do not thrive; you may take it both in a temporal and ſpiritual Sence: There are alſo ſome whom God rebukes and threatens, who are grown ſo head-ſtrong, that they are waxed wanton and haughty, that they oppreſs and abuſe the Poor; and theſe God ſaith he will deſtroy;Ezek 34.16. they being grown fat, like Jeſhurun, kick againſt the Lord, and will not live in ſubjection to his Church, nor abide in the Fold. |
| XVIII. Sheep are ſometimes ſeparated from the Goats, for ſome ſpecial occaſion known to the Shepherd. | XVIII. So the Sheep of Chriſt in the laſt Day ſhall be ſeparated from the Goats,Mat. 25.32, 33. by the Lord Jeſus: Before him ſhall be gathered all Nations, and he ſhall ſeparate them one from another, as a Shepherd divideth his Sheep from the Goats; and he ſhall ſet the Sheep on his Right-hand, and the Goats on his Left. |
| Metaphor. | Diſparity. |
| SHeep may be loſt, and torn in pieces, and utterly deſtroyed by Lions, Bears, &c. | BUt none of Chriſt's Sheep can be loſt nor periſh;Mat. 10.28 Joh. 10.27, 28. tho the Enemy may kill or deſtroy their Bodies, yet they cannot deſtroy their Souls. My Sheep hear my Voice, and I know them, and they follow me, and I give them eternal Life; and they ſhall never periſh, neither ſhall any pluck them out of my hand: My Father that gave them me is greater than all, and none is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. |
Touching other Properties and Things relating to Chriſt's Sheep, ſee the Metaphor, Chriſt the good Shepherd.