Jsa 49.12 Ezek. 34.13 and some from the Land of Sinim but all to Gods Mountaine all to Christs fold And good in respect of having an immunitie or freedome from all danger whatsoever for they shall not hunger nor thirst neither shall the heate nor sun smite them Isa 49.10 Ezek. 34.14 Now as touching the place where this fold shall be Ezekiel calleth the high mountaines of Israel Secondly or the second provision that our blessed Saviour the great Shepheard of our soules cares for for his flock wherby he shewes himselfe to be a carefull shepheard indeed is pascua jucundissima he provides most wholsome and most pleasant feeding for them Cant. 6.2 Ezek. 34.13 Psal 23.2 Salomon in his Canticles calls them beds of spices Ezekiel the mountaines of Israel and the inhabited places of the Country and the Psalmist David calls them greene pastures all which insinuate Christs wonderfull care and love in so richly providing for his beloved flocke Ezek 34 29 telling also that he will raise up for them a plant of renowne Thirdly hee provides for his flocke to shew testimony of his infinite care and love towards them medicamina saluberrima all the wholsome medicines that can be imagined for their cure and therefore saith that he will not only seeke that which was lost and bring againe that which was driven away Ezek. 34.16 but will binde up that which is broken and will strengthen that which is â—ick and wil feed them with judgment Psal 23 2. Fourthly he provides aquaria suavissima most sweete waterings for his flocke The Psalmist calls them the waters of comfort The Prophet Isaiah calls them the springs of water Isa 49.10 saying even by the springs of water shall hee guide them Rev. 7.17 Yea and Saint Iohn in his Revelation calls them the living fountaines of waters saying he shall leade them unto living fountaines of waters yea and he tearmes them elsewhere the fountaine of the water of life saying I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountaine of the water of life freely Rev. 21.6 All which most pregnantly illustrate this ground of truth that the flock of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ blessed for evermore shall have all necessaries whatsoever and shall want no manner of thing that is good Lastly he provides for them refrigerium tranquillum a peacefull quiet and a most rest-full Lare Ezek 3â— 15 saying I will feed my flocke and I will cause them to lye downe saith the Lord God and again Ezek. 34.28 they shall no more be a prey to the heathen neither shall the beasts of the Land devoure them but they shall dwell safely and none shall make them afraid Yea I will make a covenant of peace with them verse 25. saith the great Shepheard and will cause the evill beasts to cease out of the Land and they shall dwell safely in the wildernesse and sleep in the woods whence briefely appeares thus much as is before specified how Christs flock have a comfortable lare a comfortable resting place and how that they shall lye downe in peace and no one shall make them affraid The third point now wherein our blessed Saviour shewed himselfe to be an absolute Shepheard is his faithfulnesse in the exact performance of that his office Which faithfulnesse he shewed two manner of wayes First In quaerendo oves in seeking out his flock Secondly In tradendo vitam ejus propter oves in delivering up his life for his flockes sake First I say Mat. 15.24 hee shewed his faithfulnesse in the exact performance of his shepheards Office by seeking out his flocke and thereupon professeth to all the world that he was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel and again I am not come to call the righteous saith he but sinners to repentance and againe he saith behold I even I will both search my sheep and seeke them out and as a shepheard seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered Ezek. 34 11 12. so will I seeke out my sheepe and will deliver them out of all places wherby they have bin scattered in the cloudy and darke day saith the Lord God Secondly hee shewed his faithfulnesse in the exact performing of his shepheards office by delivering up his life for his flockes sake Hee who being in the forme of GOD Phil. 2 6. and thought it not robbery to be equall with God made himselfe for his flockes sake of no reputation yea humbled himselfe and became obedient unto death even the death of the Crosse for his flockes redemption Oh my Christian brethren was there ever shepheards love like to the love of this our great Shepheard Oh here is love passing the love of women Many shepheards there are which peradventure will be very carefull for the safety of their flocks but never any shepheard save this our great Shepheard the shepheard of our soules that ever laid downe his life for to save his sheep He did it alone Gal. 3.13 and none but he suffering himselfe to be made a curse for us that wee might obtaine the blessing of the Father through him and thereupon tearmes himselfe to be and that meritoriously Pastor ille bonus that rare and excellent and good Shepheard that did dare to doe such a matter for his flockes salvation professing farther that as the father did know him that so hee did know the Father Ioh. 10.15 and that he did lay downe his life for his sheepe And thus much for the first title of the office which our Apostle Saint Peter renders to our blessed Saviour here namely that hee was a shepheard come we now to the second namely that he was a Bishop also and that animarum vestrarum the Bishop of your soules as in the words of the Text but now are yee returned to the great Shepheard and Bishop of your soules 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Bishop As our blessed Saviour is called a Shepheard from governing and guiding his flock so is he most justly called a Bishop from his teaching and instructing them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the overseeing or looking into or searching or throughly considering the nature of his flocke for so did our blessed Saviour carry himselfe towards his blessed Lambes even from the manger to Mount Calvary even from Maries wombe to Golgotha In short therefore let all the world know that our Saviour was a true and reall Bishop and that because too all the significations all the interpretations Nay all the full and whole meaning of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say Bishop as in their proper place and center met in him Three manner of waies is our Saviour justly to be tearmed Bishop Three manner of wayes therefore in briefe may wee call our blessed Saviour an absolute and reall Bishop
loynes and with ropes on our heads knowing the King of Jsrael is a mercifull King Secondly or the second manner of way how we are to returne to our blessed Iesus from whom wee have gone astray even from our Cradles to this present houre is this wee must retuâ—ne cum fidelitate with an assured faith and confidence that his bloud and passion hath merited our redemption and also hath merited an eternall acceptance for us into the fathers love and favour againe and the reason is this because hee that believeth so shall be saved Mar. 16.16 but hee that beleeveth not so shall be damned Oh therefore my brethren let us draw neere with a true heart in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinckled from an evill conscience Heb. 10.22 and our bodies washed with pure water Thirdly wee must returne cum detestatione iniquitatum with a loathing and detestation of our former conversations we must be weary of the burthen and pressure of our sins our former life in sinne must bee no more pleasant in our sight than your bitter gall and worm-wood is to our tastes and pallates for so will the children of GOD behave themselves when they returne to God Ezec. 36.31 according to the saying of the Prophet in this particular saying then shall you remember your owne evill wayes and your doings that were not good and shall loth your selves in your owne sâ—â—ht for your iniquities and for your abhominations Fourthly we must returne cum sinceritate with the sinceritie and integrity of all our hearts T is not enough for us to cry Lord Lord we returne to thee and to thy kingdome and to do this only with a meere orall and verball expression with the utterance and declaration meerly of the lips and tongue but we must performe and do it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with and in the tâ—uth of the substance of our hearts sincerely loving nothing so dearely as to be with Christ and therefore saith the blessed father of all mankinde Mat. 15.18 fili da mihi cor tuum sonne give mee thine heart mightily disliking and condemning all such manner of men whose lips are neere him and whose hearts are far from him yea and in great wrath and indignation threatning a most dismall plague and misery to fall upon them and the kingdome wherein they live according to the words of the Prophet saying because this people honour mee with their lips and their heart is removed far from me therefore behold I will proceed to doe a marvellous worke amongst this people even a marveilous worke and a wonder the wisdome of their wise men shall perish and the understanding of the prudent shall be hid Isa 29.14 Fifthly and lastly wee must returne cum perseverantia with continuall perseverance endeavouring this so sacred a duty daily and hourely nay even till our last breath whereupon saith Salomon bee thou in the feare of the Lord all the day long and he rendreth an effectuall reason for it because that he that wandreth out of the way of understanding shall remaine in the congregation of the dead Prov. 21.16 It ought therefore to bee our daily care to bee continually busied about so sanctified a work and the rather too Gal. 6.9 because as Saint Paul saith metemus si non elanguerimus wee shall reape if we faint not that is wee shall enjoy the crop and harvest of everlasting glory if wee persevere to the end without Apostacy and therfore as S. Paul sayth be stedfast and unmoveable 1 Cor. 15.58 alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord for as much as we know that our labour is not in vaine in the Lord I say not in vaine because also an uncorruptible Crowne of life God hath promised in his mercy to bestow upon them Rev. 2.10 Mat. 24 13 witnesse his words to Smyrna thus be faithfull unto the death and J will give thee the Crowne of life and againe qui perdurabit ad finem is servabitur hee that endures to the end the same shall be saved But how shall I know saith the wounded Conscience Ob. sayeth the remorsefull heart and bosome that I doe observe all these rules and directions that I returne to my blessed SAVIOUR with Humiliation with fidelitie with a detestation of mine iniquities with sinceritie and with perseverance For the resolution of this point Sol. that thou mayest undoubtedly know when thou art effectually returned unto the great Shepheard and Bâ—shop of thy soule Divers characters whereby wee may know when we from the practice of sinne are returned to the fold of Christ The first character 1 Cor. 2.9 take into consideration these Characters which will infallibly informe thee whether thou beest return'd or not Which characters are three First if thou beest effectually returned from the wilde and vast commons of sinne into the inclosure and pasturings of grace namely unto the great Shepheard and Bishop of thy soule then thou wilt minde nothing more than the things of a better life namely which thy blessed Saviour hath prepared and laid up for those that love him An instance for confirmation hereof we have in Saint Paul who being wean'd from the worlds vanities and entred into the fold of CHRIST mindes nothing more than a dissolution for to be with Christ saying Cupimus dissolvi I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ Besides if it be so with thee as is before spoken of thou wilt have then such an high esteeme and conceit of the happinesse that Christs Lambes enjoy and are partakers of within the fold as that for other mundane transitory and perishing matters Phil. 3.8 thou wilt account them no better than dung for to winne Christ Oh then my brethren how farre thinke you are those men from the state of holinesse yea from Christ and his fold that minde nothing else but this world how wretched are their meditations yea ô how miserably are their mindes pestered with cankering cares They lie downe in carefulnesse they rise up in sorrow and the pelse they dote on is reserved to their owne hurt Eccl. 5.13 for conclusion therefore of this point ô you that are sheep of Christs blessed pasture that are Lambes of the flock and are within Gods pale see that you shew it in your lives and conversations let the things of a better life be the chiefest treasure you set your minds upon set your affections on things that are above Col. 3.2 and not on things that are below Shew to the world that you are risen with your blessed Saviour by seeking those things above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God Yea seeke you first the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof and then all other things shall bee added unto you Mat. 6.33 Secondly the second Character The second Character to testifie to thine owne bosome and also to all the world that thou art effectually returned is a
thoughts and words and actions for those are highly to bee commended for rare and excellent Ch istians but against those that will bee so singular in their wayes Luk. 13.14 that with the ruler of the Synagogue they will make sinne to be there where God makes none and count that to be sinne that comes not into Gods â—â—â—unt Thousands and ten thousands runne astray by this grand provocation 1 Tim. 6.20 giving themselves over to profane and vaine babbling and making the sacred Scriptures at their pleasures and opinions to be like a nose of wax and therefore for conclu ion hereof let me say to such as Saint Paul speakes to Titus Tit. 3.9 saying avoyd foolish questions and genealogies and contentions and strivings about the law for they are unprofitable and vaine Ob. I but saies the wounded conscience seeing those are the provocations that cause men to goe astray how shall we for our parts know when we goe astray and when not yea and when we keepe the fold and when not Sol. For answer whereunto though wee have spoken before of some discoveries in this kind observe these symptomes and characters in Divinity which doe most assuredly certifie mens consciences when they are out of Christs fold and when they appeare to the eye of all GODS people to bee like lost sheepe Diverse symptomes whereby we may know when we are out of Christs fold The first Symptome is an hating of reformation Acts 7.51 to 54. First the first symptome and token that declares a man before God and the world to be a lost sheep to be straying from the fold of Christ to be a Wolfe or a Goate and not a Lanb of the flocke is an hating of reformation when men cannot endure to be told of their faults when they will not hearken to the voyce of the Charmer charme hee never so wisely when like gall'd backes and consciences they cannot endure to bee touched and when reprehension and instruction is bitter in their eyes Such straying sheepe for examples sake were Saint Stephens madde men who when the holy man of GOD tells them of their faults how stiffe necked and uncircumcised in hearts and eares they were and how they and their fathers had slaine the Prophets and how that touching the just one they were no better than betrayers and murderers instead of making good use thereof frendebant cordibus they were cut to the heart and gnasht upon him with their teeth not like Peters converts that were the better for their reproofe of whom the Text saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they were prickt to the heart and said Acts 2.37 men and brethren what shall we doe to be saved but like Amos his Revolters that did hate him that rebuked in the gate Amos 5.10 and that did abhor him that spake uprightly Now if the Children of God tell such what a lamentable condition they are in how that their wayes are the wayes of destruction and how that they are in the gall of bitternesse and in the bondage of death and they are ready to brasse over their words and to flint their foreheads and to say with those straglers in the Prophets time It is not the Lord Jer. 5.12 13. neither shall evill come upon us neither shall we see sword nor famine and again the Prophets shall become winde and the word is not in them and again hee further proceedeth come let us smite him with the tongue and not give heed to any of his words but alasse alasse what a misery thinke you doe such wandring goats such haters of reformation even hale and pull upon their own heads and upon â—hem thaâ— belong unto them the Prophet telleth us that their children shall be delivered up to the famine Ier. 18 21 22. and their bloud powred out by the force of the sword and their wives bereaved of their children and bee widdowes and their young men bee slaine with the sword in battel and that a cry shall be heard in their houses when that the Lord shall bring a troupe suddenly upon them all which is concordant with the words of the wise man viz hee is in the way of life that loveth instruction Pâ—o 10.17 but hee that hateth reproofe erreth Secondly The second symptome of a straying sheepe from Christs fold is a defileing of the Ordinances of heaven the second character and symptome that declares a man to be a straying sheep and a great way from Christs fold is a polluting or defiling of the ordinances of the most High when men doe not only forsake the practice of Gods testimonies themselves but to their uttermost power speake evill of the good way of God that thereby they may discourage others from being zealous in GODS cause For instance sake such accursed wandring Goates the Prophet Malachy speaketh of saying Mal. 3.14 how that they said that it was in vaine to serve God and what profit is it that we have kept his testimonies and that we have walked mournefully before the Lord of Hosts like those rake-hells also in Saint Peters time who that they might cause others to stray from the flocke and fold of Christ as well as themselves utter such and the like reproachfull taunts and tearmes viz where is the promise of his comming for since the fathers fell asleepe all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation but what I pray is like to be the doome and destinie of such stragling Goates The Prophet Ezekiel tells such filthie Cattell that foule with their feete the residue of Gods Pastures Eze. 34.22 and that thrust with side and with shoulder and push all the diseased with their hornes till they have scattered them abroad that he will at the length take judgment on them The third Symptome of our going astray from Christs fold is a too much rellishing of mundane matters 2 Tim. 4 10 1 Sam. 15.9 26. The third and last Character and symptome that declares a man when he is straying from the fold of Christ is a savouring or a rellishing or a tasting of nothing else in the world save worldly matters Hereupon it was said of Demas that hee had forsaken the flocke of God and had betaken himselfe to this present world and of Saul sparing Agag and the best of the Sheep and that Oxen that he had disobeyed the commandement of the Lord and that therefore the Lord had rejected him from being King over Israel and therefore for conclusion of this point remember the golden lesson of our blessed Saviour to his beloved Lambes which he would have for to keepe the fold Mat. 6.33 saying Oh seeke first the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof and then all other things shall bee added unto you Ob. I but suppose saith the wounded conscience that I am branded with all these markes that all those Characters and symptomes of a straying sheepe are upon me what am I
of sobs who before were full of scornes what drawes now teares from their eyes sorrow from their hearts and lamentation from their cheekes because they had been so rebellious against the Bishop of their soules so long but even reprehensio apostolica the Apostles due reproofe wherein he tells them Acts 2.23 that they had taken and crucifiâ—d and slaine the Lord of life this done and the reproofe being serv'd upon them thus Oh how penitent doe they appeare straightway when as before they had made their faces harder then a rocke how are they prick't in heart now who before had hearts of flint Yea â—cts 2.41 ô how gladly doe they receive the Bishops charge and directions too though before they were meere enemies to all grace and piety Certainely my brethren now the Bishops processe being thus serv'd upon them as we see and they readily appearing in the Court of conscience doe minde now nothing more than to make a conscience of their lives to come continuing as the Text saith stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayer verse 42. The second Apparitour Secondly or the second Apparitor that our bishop useth over his flock whereby he summoneth them to appeare before him in the Court of conscience here is castigatio filiorum the chastisements which he sends his sons and whereby he makes them fit members of his mysticall body Thus was David summon'd to appeare at the Court of conscience and before too the great Bishop of his soule when there dyed even from Dan to Beersheba 2 Sam. 24.15 17. and that within the compasse of three dayes seventy thousand men for as we reade when the most bitter judgments of God were upon him and his people and when hee had used little conscience indeed in distrusting the arme of Heaven and trusting upon the arme of flesh and when he saw the Angel that smote the people then he cryed out and said peccavi I have sinned I have done wickedly but these sheep what have they done O let thine hand I pray thee saith he against be me and against my fathers house Here Gods chastisements wee see are an effectuall summons which brings David to appeare at the Court of Conscience and now what good use he makes thereof let the text be judge for he saith after the hand of God was upon him and after hee had made his appearance in the Court of conscience Psal 119.71 that it was good for him that he had beene in trouble that he might learne Gods statutes for before he was afflicted as he confesseth again he went wrong verse 6.7 but now he hath kept Gods word A second instance wee have in the children of Jsrael what I pray summons them to appeare before the Lord in Mizpeth and to come to the Court of conscience and to cry peccavi â— Sam. 7.6 Oh my brethren was it not digitus Dei was it not the finger of God was it not Gods chastisements on them when he suffered the Philistines to kill of them in battel about fourescore thousand men 2 Sam. 4.2 Yea in a word â—â—ab 3.6 what made Ninevi that great City to appeare in sackcloth and ashes Shechaniah to be asham'd and blush Yea Daniel to cry wee have sinned Ezra 9.6 wee have done wickedly wee have committed iniquity and have rebell'd against thee unlesse it were castigationes afflictiones Dan. 9.5 Gods chastisements and scourge upon them which made them at length to give appearance in the Court of conscience and to returne unto the Shepheard and Bishop of their soules Lastly the last Apparitour that our Bishop useth for the good and comfort of his flock and which we call the great and generall Apparitour over all is vox tubae ultimae the sound of the last Trumpet Both Sea and Land shall heare its summons fully for to make their apparance at the great Court of the last judgment day according to the saying of our blessed Saviour to wit Behold I shew you a mystery we shall not all sleepe 1 Cor. 15.51 52. but we shall all be changed in a moment in the twinckling of an eye at the last Trump for the Trumpet shal sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed Ezek 37 5 6. Then shall Ezekiels dry bones hearing this sound and summons receave breath againe and sinewes and flesh and skin shall cover them and they shall live Then shal the graves yeeld up their dead and dust ashes shall then live again Rottennesse in decayed nature then shall receive strength and old aged mortality shall learne then to be come immortall The deafe also then at this summons shall have a quick eare and willing or nilling shall appeare at the great Court Thus all men my brethren upon this last summons shall give their attendance waiting the judgment of the great judge who in our Text here is called the Shepheard and Bishop of our soules And now to conclude in briefe and that we may make our selves ready for his second comming 1 Thes 5.23 I will make that prayer for us all which once Saint Paul made for the Thessalonians viz. now the very God of Peace sanctifie us wholly and I pray God our whole spirits and soules and bodies may be preserved blamelesse unto the comming of our Lord Jesus Christ unto judgment who as our Apostle tells us in the Text is the great Shepheard and Bishop of our soules FINIS PAge 6. line 19. for are read care p 6 l. 2 r. for strait r. stray p 11. l. 24. for this r thus p. 14. l. 12. for that r. the p. 15. l. 26. for should r. shouldst p. 19. l. 15. for actions r. action p. 24. l. 4. for prophane r. perchance p. 24. l 11. for babling r. bubling p. 38. l. 34. for saying r. sa th p. 39. l. 13. for this r. his