Selected quad for the lemma: virtue_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
virtue_n	blood_n	sacrifice_n	shed_v	848	5	10.4950	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A34165	A Compleat collection of farewel sermons preached by Mr. Calamy, Dr. Manton, Mr. Caryl ... [et al.] ; together with Mr. Ash his funeral sermon, Mr. Nalton's funeral sermon, Mr. Lye's rehearsal ... with their several prayers.	Calamy, Edmund, 1600-1666.; Manton, Thomas, 1620-1677.; Caryl, Joseph, 1602-1673.; Nalton, James, 1600-1662.; Lye, Thomas, 1621-1684.; Ashe, Simeon, d. 1662.	1663 (1663)	Wing C5638; ESTC R8646	623,694	660

his sheep The Shepherd of the sheep yea the great Shepherd of the sheep Whatsoever glory was to be communicated to any Member of the Church it was first put into the head before they were to be made partakers of it Some were to be made inferior ranks Ephe. 4.11 but it was not fit any should have such glory to be called Shepherds before he had that honour of him Therefore 't is the Great Shepherd he that is Shepherd not of a particular Congregation but of the whole Church of God he is the Saviour of all his body he hath the full number of all the Elect both among the Jews and Gentiles committed to his charge to save 2. What betides this great Shepherd through Gods grace towards him that is that he is brought again from the dead i. e. that he doth attain to a state of Resurrection and here take notice of this by the way for consolation The great Shepherd of the Sheep doth dye but the great Shepherd of the Sheep rises again Herein argues Gods love that though he would suffer him to dye yet not to see corruption Psal 16.10 because he is the great Shepherd therefore he must dye but because he is the great Shepherd therefore he cannot continue in the state of the Dead Death must not triumph over the great Shepherd of the sheep no not by any means As it was necessary that he should dye much more that he should rise again We read Rev. 11. concerning two Prophets when they had finished their course they dye and their dead bodies are cast into the streets c. but we read also of their resurrection There is a twofold state incident to those persons one state of dying another state of rising and so it is not peculiar to Christ only but to others with him The great Shepherd of the Sheep dies no wonder if the little Shepherds dye too But the great Shepherd is raised so shall the little ones in their order and in their time 1 Pet. 5.6 When the chief Shepherd shall appear ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away Resurrection is that which Christ exemplifies first in his own Person in order to assure all his members they shall attain to the same state with him and God is as easily able to provide when he sees expedient to raise them from the dead as to suffer them to dye Christ he brought again by a high hand and in a tryumphant manner he did not with so much sorrow and trouble to himself and his Disciples go to but as triumphantly come from the grave So can God with a word in a moment bring them to life again 2. By what means the great Shepherd comes to have this honor conferred upon him that he should be raised from the dead There was worth enough in his person but 't is not altogether ascribed to this but through the blood of the everlasting Covenant i.e. by and in the virtue and efficacy of it he had died as a Priest and his blood was a blood of sacrifice and it was shed for the remission of sins and salvation of souls because Christ did die for so noble an end as this and in such a manner as that his death became a sacrifice and did seal the everlasting Covenant wherefore Christ is the Mediator therefore with consideration of this blood of Christ and of the ends uses and benefits of it hereupon it is that Christ is raised from the dead In Zac. 9. the resurrection of Christ was prophesied of but by vertue of his blood-shed so that Christ was more fit to be raised who dyed for such noble and honourable ends as the glory of God and salvation of his people in the vertue of that Covenant God hath made and in the vertue of the blood of Christ shed for the sealing of that Covenant Now what this Covenant is is worthy to be considered because of its Epithets called here Everlasting Covenant There was a Temporal Covenant God made with the people of Israel and that was sealed and confirmed by the blood of Bullocks c. Christ took not on him this Covenant he did not bind men to stand by those terms contained in the Covenant for indeed Christ came to make void There is an Eternal Covenant and that is nothing else but those terms of grace and favour which are proposed to us in the Doctrine of the Gospel which amounts to this who ever repents shall be saved he that repents and forsakes his sin shall find mercy and that he will be merciful to all on these conditions in all parts of the world for these terms God will not repent of If men repent they shall have the benefit of it and whoever believes shall be saved 'T is called Everlasting because God will abide by it both here hereafter the states of all shall be determined according to the terms of this Covenant Now Christ shed his blood to procure those terms contained in that Covenant for the case of poor sinners was so miserable that they could never come to have all their sins pardoned and their Souls certainly saved unless Christ had died and shed his blood and so to satisfie Gods justice that it might be free for him to be merciful where he would be merciful The Covenant is founded in the blood of Jesus Christ that blood being the blood of the Everlasting Covenant therefore the Apostle so magnifies it of all the great and Gospel-blessings that belong to the New Testament to the condition of a child of God there is not any like unto this the blood of the Everlasting Covenant they that come to this and have the benefit of this they shall be surely justified and eternally saved in the vertue of this blood In the business of being saved by Faith it contributes nothing more but as 't is an Instrument to bring us to be made partakers of the benefit of this blood we are saved not by vertue of our believing but by the vertue of his blood so that 't is not so much the Act as the object of Faith that saves Christ rose in the vertue of his blood all our comforts and hopes are founded in his blood The blood of Christ was of so much value with God as that he will raise him from the dead and 't is of so much vertue to us that through it we shall have Justification and Sanctification and Salvation God being so good and gracious a God to Jesus Christ and his Church hereupon the Apostle emboldens himself to desire his further manifestation of his love that where he hath so bountifully provided for the justification of sinners through the blood of Christ that he would provide for their sanctifying by his Spirit Hence observe 1. God is with some fingularity the God of Peace 2. To the end that God might shew himself to be the God of Peace he hath provided an all-sufficient Saviour for his people here called

conception but it was never compleatly declared to the World till after his Resurrection for before Christ was a Prince in disguise the beams of the Divinity was abated by the vail of his Humanity but then he was declared by power to be the Son of God It followes That great Shepherd of the Sheep for the opening of this 1. We will consider this Title of Christ 2. The Person for whom this Title relates First This Title The great Shepherd 'T is a wonderful condescention in Christ that he will take upon him the Title of a Shepherd that which rather expresses Love and Care than Power and Dominion yet he is pleased to assume this Title to express his affection to us For the opening of it wherein he appears to be the great Shepherd I shall lay down these particulars 1. He is great in the Dignity of his Person for he that is Lord of Angels is become the Shepherd of the Sheep and the humiliation of his person in this respect is the exaltation of his Office It is looked upon in the World as a mean and low employment to have the care and inspection of a Flock but now herein appears the love of Christ he was pleased to become our Shepherd that so he might secure and bring us to the Fold of Heaven and there make us to feed upon those Pastures and to drink of those Rivers of pleasures which flow from the presence of God 2. In the derivation of his Authority That Authority which is communicated to him whereby he is our Shepherd and that is originally from God himself It is not by any mediate deputation but from God himself He is our Shepherd and hath a Title to his Flock upon a double account 1. They are committed to him as his charge and custody John 6.37 c. All the Elect of the world were given by God the Father to Christ not by way of Alienation but by way of Opigneration as so many pledges which he was to bring to grace and glory And this charge he doth most fully execute for there is none missing of those committed to him 2. They are given to him by way of Reward and Recompense for all his Bloud and Sufferings Isai 53.10 The Lord put such a value on souls that he purchased an interest in them by his own bloud and he thinks himself exceedingly recompensed for all his pains on the Cross Agonies in the Garden Temptations in the Wilderness c. if souls will submit to his care And here observe the course of Heaven God would endear souls to Christ upon all Reasons by vertue of his command and that charge he gives to them and by vertue of his own purchase 3. If you confider the extent of his care and affection For all the Saints of the World those who are dispersed in all places in all ages they are all his Flock and therefore 't is the Royalty of his Administration John 10.16 There shall be one Fold and one Shepherd As Christ is the onely Catholick King so he is the onely Vniversal Bishop For all other Shepherds have but particular Portions of his Flock committed to their charge and they should be such portions as they have regard to and are under their inspection And at the last day all his sheep shall congregate together and stand at his right hand All the Saints of God that are now scattered as so many Stars in the Firmament shall be united in one constellation when they shall appear in glory before him 4. In respect of his endowments and qualifications which fit him for the discharge of his Office And 1. Take notice of his affection and love to us and that is the wonder of Heaven and Earth Christ laid down his life for his sheep Joh. 10.11 This is strange that Christ should be a sheep for the slaughter that he might become our Shepherd that he should be a sacrifice before he could take his Office upon him Other sheep lay down their lives for the Shepherd but Christ laid down his life for the Sheep So great was his love that it brought him from Heaven to seek and find those that were lost he left a Palace to come to a Wilderness a Throne of Heaven to come to a Fold here upon Earth We read of David that he exchanged a Sheep-hook for a Scepter but Christ quite contrary he exchang'd a Scepter for the Rod and Staff of a Shepherd It was said by one There is nothing so conspicuous in Christ as the prodigality of his love to us Oh! do but consider how great love that was that should make him to die for us that he might bring us home to his Fold We were all of us like erring sheep who had strayed from him and fell to the Lord of the Soil as strange Cattel we were gotten into the possession of the God of this World the Lord Christ would buy us off from thence though we forfeited our right in him vet he would not lose his right in us but he laid down his life that he might reduce us to his Fold that of Wolves he might make us Lambs and sit us for the comforts of his Presence 2. In respect of his exact diligence and inspection over them When but one Sheep went astray from his Fold we read he left the ninety and nine and went and sought for that One Luke 15. where we have that Parable to express the diligence and watchfulness of Christ over his Sheep There is no person be he never so mean never so obscure though lost in the number and account of the World if he be one of Christs Sheep he is always under his inspection and watchfulness We read of the High-Priest that he carried the names of the Tribes upon his Brest-plate the Lord Christ carries the names of all his Sheep in his heart therefore Rev. 13. speaking concerning the Saints all that dwell upon Earth Whose names are written in the book of Life His diligence and care is so exact that he hath all their names writ in his Book He that tells the Stars counts their hairs and always exercises the most watchful providence over them for good You know Sheep are either liable to rage or erring and wandring Christ's diligence is such that he protects them from the rage of Satan reduces them from all their wandrings and brings them home to himself 3. In making proportional all their services and sufferings to those degrees of strength which he gives to them Isai 40.11 He shall feed his Flock like a Shepherd he shall gather his Lambs with his Arms and carry them in his bosome and shall gently lead those that are with young Christ always makes a proportion between the Services Sufferings and strength he calls them to He it is that with that tenderness speaks to Peter Peter lovest thou me feed my Lambs He hath provided for them the most ample and most satisfying nourishment the Ordinances of the Gospel

the Great Shepheard of the flock and God being of a gracious disposition towards them provides to that end Christ shall take care of them and to all those things that pertain to their eternal welfare 3. It was expedient this person should dye though the Great Shepheard Nay it was necessary that it might be so much more verified and manifested that he was the great Shepheard of the sheep that he should lay down his life for his flock 4. It was as necessary that Christ should be raised from the dead as that he should dye Therefore his continuance was but a temporary nay a momentary time to him Now Christ is risen yea all power in Heaven and Earth is committed to him and if he was able to do any thing for his people before much more now 5. The Resurrection of Christ doth arise partly from the tenour of the Covenant God made with man and partly from the virtue and benefit that was in the blood of Christ God put himself into a Covenant Christ was Mediator of it and in vertue of that Covenant sinners must be saved but the Saviour must first save himself raise himself from the dead and then hath all power committed to his hand c. There are two things that I would have you further observe and carry away 1. That Christ is indeed the only Great Shepherd of the sheep Whatsoever others there are they make to his own interest whosoever there be that may possibly intitle themselves under the name and notion yet this is undeniable that Christ is the only Great Shepherd of the Sheep therefore in the concernments of the Church there is none Christians should honour as Christ and whose voice they ought to hear before his or by whom they should be ruled and governed but by him If Christ be the great Shepheard then the Church must hear his voyce for my Sheep hear my voyce c. And if he be the great Shepherd then the Church must be ruled by him for the Shepherd must have the ordering of the Flock and the Flock must be at the disposal of the Shepherd And then thirdly The Flock of Christ must be careful to please him for fear he set his Dog upon him that we provoke him not to exercise his correcting power He hath his correcting power He hath his Rod of Discipline as well as his Staff and Crook which is to performed by others as seems good to him for he hath many ways to let loose the Devil on his own Children Satan had a desire to afflict Job and God gave way to it c. The Church of God is Gods Spouse and there is a great deal of love between the Husband and the Wife between Christ and the Church Yet Psal 4.5 this she is solemnly charged withal God hath made Christ a head to his Church therefore his Church must be ruled by Christ and 't is not for the Church to say the inferiour Shepherds would order me thus and thus we must in the mean while say but what doth Christ say in such cases It is not for the Church to go aside by the Flocks of his companions Cant. 1.7 The companions of Christ pretended to be Shepherds of the sheep as well as he but have not that power Christ had They have their societies and would have the ordering of them but the Church desires to know where she may hold Communion with Christ that she may not turn aside by the Flocks of her companions There are many Disputations among inferiour Shepherds but this is out of all dispute that Christ is the great Shepherd of the Sheep That great man at Rome never pretended higher then to be the Vicar of Christ and Successor of Peter now we know that the Principal is much more to be regarded then the Vicar therefore if Christ be the Great Shepherd surely the Sheep of Christ must hear his voice before all other Shepherds especially since Christ hath spoken so signally in the case My sheep hear my voyce and they follow me a stranger will they not follow for they know not the voyce of strangers And God having so solemnly commanded Mat. 17.5 This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him The Great Shepherd must be heard before all little Shepherds The little Shepherds have their divisions Acts 20.29 After my departure shall grievous wolves enter in among you not sparing the Flock also of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away Disciples after them True Shepherds are always careful to make Disciples for Christ and to bring all Disciples to Christ All Johns work was to make Disciples to put them over to Christ not to make Disciples to him but to make over all his Disciples unto Christ If any man will gather he must gather for Christ not himself others would draw men to any matter or manner of Doctrine Government c. But our eye must be upon Christ and our ear open to his voice and our hearts awed with his will and mind in Scripture made known to his Church and they love not Christ as they ought that desire not to hear his voice before any others in the world for he is the great Shepherd of the sheep 2. Though he be the great Shepherd of the sheep ye he died and though he die yet because he is the great Shepherd of the sheep he is raised again The great Shepherd dies the little Shepherds must not think much of it if they be called to die We must be contented if it be exemplified in us if occasion serve for if God spared not the great Shepherd what have the little Shepherds to plead for themselves that they should be spared If the case fall out while Habour to serve the Church as I can I come to suffer for the Church in the end I do reioyce and I will rejoyce And truly we had need to pray for such a spirit as this for if this was in the great Shepherd of the sheep it will very well become the little Shepherds But against the fear of death here 's the comfort The great Shepherd of the sheep dies yet is raised from the dead so shall the little ones not one Member of the flock death can always triumph over him In this respect Christ will have all his Members to be raised in that he got the victory over death for Christ arose as the First Fruits and ascended into Heaven as a fore-runner Though we may have denial as to the advancing of Christs service c. yet the resurrection of the dead is that we must take into our thoughts and 't is our solid comfort God will one day bring all the sheep together into one Fold and David shall be their King and have the ruling and ordering of them to all eternity There is a Resurrection to little Shepherds when we come to lay down our natural lives we-can look for no other recompence for