Tropes and Figures, Treatise 1 · Head 8 · Part 24 – Part 27
Saints compared to Lambs in a large Place.
Hoſea 4.16. Now the Lord will feed them, as a Lamb in a large Place.
EXpoſitors differ about the Meaning of theſe Words. Mercer and Vatablus (as Mr. Burroughs obſerves) would carry it thus, Laute ut Agnus, mox mactatur: As a Lamb, when it hath large Food, it is ſoon ſlain: ſo God threatneth Ephraim, that he will ſoon make an end of them; only he will let them proſper for a while, and feed them largely, but it ſhall be for the Slaughter, &c. But others rather underſtand, that God would bring Ephraim under ſuch Affliction, as ſhould humble them, and make them as a Lamb: Feed them as a Lamb, parcè ac tenuiter; not fed as an Heifer, that noted their Proſperity; but fed as a Lamb, that noteth their Adverſity: For the Food of a Lamb differeth from the Food of an Heifer. That which will feed a Lamb, will ſtarve an Heifer, or an Ox. They have, ſaith God, been proud and wanton in the Enjoyment of Peace and Plenty; but now they ſhall have ſhort Commons; I will bring them down, and lay them low at my Feet; they ſhall be as a Lamb that picks up Graſs in the Wilderneſs, as a Lamb in a large Place: That is, ſaith Mr. Burroughs, they ſhall be diſperſed among the Countries. They would not be ſatisfied in Canaan, which was a narrow Place, and with the Sheepfold of mine that was therein; and now they ſhall have more Room, they ſhall go into a large Place, but it ſhall be into Captivity.
But now fully to take in the direct Sence of the Text, I will feed them as a Lamb in a large Place; that is, as a Lamb that ſhall be alone, one Lamb. He ſpeaks of a Lamb ſingly, becauſe that they ſhould be ſcattered one from another. They had Society, and might have abode in the ſweet Enjoyment of it, had they not ſinned their Mercies away; but ſince they did not make good uſe of their Peace and Communion together, God threatneth to ſcatter them, one in one Place, and another in another Place; and they ſhould be as a Lamb alone in the Wilderneſs, ſuccourleſs, helpleſs, ſhiftleſs, bleating up and down. Which affords us a profitable Parallel.
| Simile. | Parallel. |
| A Lamb in a large Place, that feeds in a Wilderneſs alone, is very ſolitary, and, as it hath been obſerved, wanders about bleating, ſeeming greatly troubled for want of Company. | SO when God ſcatters his People by Perſecution, (becauſe they have not prized nor improved that Peace and Plenty which he hath afforded them in their own Fold, nor regarded the Sweetneſs of Chriſtian Society and Communion together) they ſhall wander about, bleating as it were, being greatly troubled for want of that Fellowſhip they once enjoyed. Thus it was with the poor Jews. |
| II. A Lamb alone in a large Place, wandering up and down in a Wilderneſs, among Wolves, Lions, &c. is in great danger of being devoured every moment; when ſuch as remain in the Fold with the Flock, are generally ſafe and very ſecure. | II. So a poor Chriſtian, that ſtrays abroad, or gets out of God's Fold, and is as a Lamb in a large Place, is in great danger of being ſpoiled and devoured every moment; when ſuch Chriſtians as abide in the Church, and keep cloſe to the Fellowſhip and Communion thereof, are ſafe. Alſo Chriſtians that are ſcattered, and forced by Perſecution from the Society of the Saints, are obnoxious to many Deaths and Dangers. |
| III. A Lamb in a large Place or Wilderneſs hath none to help it; who watches or takes care of ſuch a Lamb? It hath no Shepherd to look after it, none that regards it. | III. So thoſe Chriſtians that ſtray abroad, or are forced to wander in a bewildered Eſtate, have no Fellowſhip with God's People, nor are they under the ſpecial Care or Charge of any of his particular Miniſters; none regard them: Which is a ſore and lamentable State. |
| IV. A Lamb in a large Place is forced to ſeek its own Food, and provide for it ſelf, when ſuch as remain in the Fold, or in the Flock, the Shepherd takes care of them, and daily feeds them; they have no Want, when the poor Lamb in the Wilderneſs is in hard Weather near ſtarving. | IV. So Such Chriſtians as ſtray abroad, and walk alone, not belonging to any particular Church, have little Food but what they can find themſelves; they have not thoſe ſweet and bleſſed Refreſhments at the Lord's Table, and in the daily Communion with God's People, as ſuch have who are orderly Members. This made the Spouſe cry out, Tell me, Cant. 1.7. O thou whom my Soul loveth, where thou feedeſt, and where thou makeſt thy Flocks to reſt at Noon, &c. |
Inferences.
FRom hence we may infer, what a ſore Evil it is to be ſcattered from the Flock of God. Some ſlight Chriſtian Society, and think the Yoke of Chriſt is too hard and uneaſy for their Necks; they account it Bondage, and not Liberty; they do not like Chriſt's Fold. And how juſt is it with God to blind the Eyes of ſuch, and leave them to wander in the Wilderneſs, and let them feed as a Lamb in a large Field, being expoſed to the Danger of many Enemies?
2. Some Men love their Liberty, and they may have Liberty enough; but ſuch may be their Liberty, that it may prove (as one well obſerves) their Miſery. To keep in the Compaſs of God's Commands; is the beſt Liberty of all; as David profeſſeth, Then ſhall I have Liberty, when I keep all thy Commandments. Other Liberty will moſt certainly bring us into Straits, and ruine us, if we do not take heed, and return unto God. Many want Elbow-Room, and would fain get out of God's Limits; tho ſuch may at preſent have Peace, yet mark well their End. It is a fearful Judgment to be left to wander.
3. Prize Chriſtian Society then, and account it your Mercy, that you are not as a Lamb in a large Place; and improve the Mercy you now enjoy; leſt God bring that heavy Judgment upon you, to break and ſcatter you, as many have been in Days paſt, and made to ſeek their Bread in a howling Wilderneſs.
The Heart of a Saint compared to an Heart of Fleſh.
Ezek. 36.26. And I will give them a Heart of Fleſh, &c.
I. A Heart of Fleſh is a tender thing; every ſmall Prick will make it bleed: So every Sin, nay, the ſmalleſt Sin will offend, and make a tender-hearted Chriſtian cry out, much more a great Sin.
II. A Heart of Fleſh is a ſoft Heart; the Philoſophers Deſcription of a ſoft thing is, that it eaſily gives way to a Touch: So a true Chriſtian, a tender-hearted Chriſtian will yield to God's Word, to his Reproofs, to his Commands, &c. Lay your Finger upon a Stone, and that yields not; but lay your Finger upon Fleſh, and that will yield:2 King. 22.19. So will a Saint. Joſiah's Heart melted, when the Law of God was read to him; his Heart gave way and yielded to God's Word, and trembled at the Judgments denounced; he had a Heart of Fleſh, a tender and ſoft Heart.
III. A Heart of Fleſh cannot bear a great Weight, a heavy Burden will cruſh and mar it exceedingly. Lay never ſo great a Weight upon a Stone, and that will bear it; you cannot cruſh that, nor make the leaſt Impreſſion in it, what Weight ſoever you lay upon it: but a Heart of Fleſh, or that which is of a ſoft Subſtance, is of another Nature; a Weight will bruiſe, cruſh, and mar it immediatly. So a tender-hearted Chriſtian cannot bear the Weight of Sin; he feels the Burthen ſo heavy, that he is ſorely cruſhed down and oppreſſed under the Guilt thereof, and grievouſly bruiſed. Thus it was with David, Pſal. 38.I am ſore broken, I am bowed down greatly, &c.
IV. A Heart of Fleſh, I mean a living Heart, (for 'tis ſuch a one of which the Text ſpeaks) is a ſenſible Heart: So a tender-hearted Chriſtian, or a Man or Woman that hath a Heart of Fleſh, is very ſenſible. Such are ſenſible of their own Vileneſs, and loath themſelves before the Lord, cannot bear the Thoughts of God's Diſpleaſure; it goes to their very Heart, to think that the holy and infinite God ſhould be diſpleaſed and offended with them: they are ſenſible of their own Sorrows, and of the Sorrows and Miſeries of others. A tender-hearted Perſon will grieve for the Afflictions of his Brethren and Siſters; if his Mother, or any dear Relation, is diſtreſſed, and in great Miſery, O how ſenſible is he of it, and how ſorely troubled and diſquieted in his Spirit! And thus it is with a tender hearted Saint, O how is he grieved for the diſtreſſed Saints, and for diſtreſſed Sion! &c.
V. A Heart of Fleſh, i. e. a tender Heart, will take any Impreſſion you pleaſe: So a tender-hearted Chriſtian will take any Impreſſion from God: He is like Wax melted, that will take the Impreſſion of the Seal. They are ready to take the Stamp of the Word, the Image of God, which is Righteouſneſs and true Holineſs. The Spirit and Word of God can mould theſe Hearts into any Form or Faſhion God pleaſeth, &c.
Saints compared to Stewards.
Luk. 16.2. Give an account of thy Stewardſhip, &c.
1 Pet. 4.10. As good Stewards, &c.
Note. Every Saint is the Steward of God.
Parallels.
I. A Steward is a Perſon that hath Goods or Moneys committed to his Charge: So every Chriſtian hath many Goods, called Talents, committed to him,Mat. 25.14, 15. both Spirituals and Temporals.
II. A Steward cannot ſay, the Riches which are committed to him are his own; no, he is but the Steward of them, in Truſt, they being the proper Right of another Man, or his Lord's Goods: So a Chriſtian cannot ſay, any thing he hath is his own; all he is and hath is the Lord's.
III. A Steward ought to diſpoſe of every thing committed to his Charge, according to the ſpecial Command of his Maſter, who poſſibly orders him to pay ſo much to ſuch an one, and ſo much to ſuch an one, and ſo much to ſuch Poor that dwell in the Pariſh, &c. So every Chriſtian ought to diſpoſe of all his Lord's Goods, according to his expreſs Command laid down in his Word, or he is no faithful Steward. So much he is required to diſpoſe of to the Miniſters of the Goſpel, that may tend to make their Lives comfortable, and free them from the perplexing Cares of this Life, which greatly hinder them in their Miniſtry. The true Miniſter's Maintenance is jure divino, of divine Right: So hath the Lord ordained, 1 Cor. 9.14.that they that preach the Goſpel, ſhould live of the Goſpel. Alſo they are required to give to the Poor, that they may not want, &c. Their Charity ought to be according to their Ability, and the Poor's Neceſſity; and not only to give, but to give cheerfully, with a willing Heart, &c.
IV. Stewards are required to improve their Lord's Money, &c. So Chriſtians ought to improve all thoſe ſpiritual Gifts and Graces, Time and Strength, Wiſdom and Knowledg. Whatſoever God hath given to them, he expects they ſhould improve it to his Glory, and to the Profit of their Neighbours.
V. 'Tis a great and horrible Evil in a Steward, to mind his own Buſineſs and Concerns more than the Concerns of his Lord and Maſter: So 'tis an utter Fault, (and that which may juſtly call in queſtion the Truth of his Sincerity and Chriſtianity) for a Chriſtian to mind the World, and his own private Intereſt, more than the Intereſts and Concerns of Jeſus Chriſt. Some care not what becomes of Chriſt's Labourers, or of the poor Saints, nor of the Intereſt of the Goſpel, ſo that they have all things to their Hearts Content. They eat the Fat, and drink the Sweet, and lay up great Store of Treaſure for their own Children, &c. they have (perhaps) their Hundreds and Thouſands by them; and in the mean while many faithful Miniſters hard put to it to get Bread. Is it not an abominable Evil in a Steward, to live like a Lord himſelf upon his Maſter's Goods, and let his Maſter's Children want Bread; and alſo to keep back the Right of his faithful and painful Labourers, for whoſe ſake he intruſted him with ſo much Subſtance?
VI. A Steward muſt expect to be called to an Account: Give an Account of thy Stewardſhip, &c. So muſt every Chriſtian expect to be called to an Account by Jeſus Chriſt concerning his Stewardſhip; and what will they have to ſay, who have embezelled much of their Lord's Goods, and converted the reſt to their own private Uſe. Let all take heed, and ſo demean themſelves, that they may have their Accounts to give up with Joy.
Saints compared to Stones.
1 Pet. 2.5. Ye alſo as lively Stones, are built up a ſpiritual Houſe, an holy Prieſthood, &c.
THe Saints of God are compared to Stones, to the Stones of a a Building, &c.
Parallels.
I. SOme Stones that Men build with, are very rough and rocky as they are taken out of the Quarry, and therefore need much Hewing and Squaring, before they are fit for the Building: So naturally the Hearts of Sinners are rocky, and like rough Stones;Hoſ. 6.5. and to this the Lord alludes, I have hewed them by the Prophets. Miniſters are God's Tools, by which He does his Work upon Mens Hearts.
II. Stones are fit Materials to build a Houſe withal: So God ſees Believers are the only fit Materials to build his ſpiritual Houſe.
III. Stones in a Building are well knit and united together: So ſhould the Saints in Love, &c.
IV. Stones are durable; ſo are the Saints.
Diſparity.
I. NO Builder builds his Houſe with preeious Stones: But Believers are called precious Stones. This notes the Richneſs and Excellency of the ſpiritual Building:1 Cor. 3.12 Now if any build upon this Foundation Gold, Silver, precious Stones, &c.
II. No earthly Stones have Life in them; they are not living but dead Stones: But the Saints are living Stones,Eph. 2.1. being quickned and made alive by Jeſus Chriſt, that ſo there may be a fit Reſemblance or Similitude between the Stones and the Foundation. See Foundation in the Firſt Volume, pag. 242. and Chriſt the Corner-Stone, p. 246, 247.