Chap. Second. — Verse. 25.
For you were as sheep going astray, but are now returned to the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
In these few words we have a brief, and yet clear representation of the wretchedness of our natural condition, and our happiness in Christ. The resemblance is borrowed from the same place in the prophet (Isaiah 53:6).
Not to press the comparison, and as it is usual in a postilling way, to strain it beyond the purpose, in our lost estate. This is all or the main wherein the resemblance with sheep holds, our wandering, as forlorn, and exposed to destruction, as a sheep that is strayed and wandered from the fold. So it imports indeed the loss of a better condition, the safety and happiness of the soul, that good which is proper to it, as the suitable good of the brute creature here named is safe and good pasture.
That we may know there is none exempt in nature from the guiltiness, and misery of this wandering, the prophet is express in the universality of it. All we have gone astray. And the Apostle here is particular to his brethren, so as it falls not amiss to any other. You were as sheep going astray. You, the prophet there to the collective universal adds a distributive, every man to his own way. Or a man to his way. They agree in this, that they all wander, though they differ in their several ways. There is an inbred propension to stray in them all, more than sheep that are creatures naturally wandering, but each one has his own way of it.
And this is our folly that we flatter ourselves by comparison, and every one is pleased with himself, because he is free from some wanderings of others, not considering that he is a wanderer too, though in another way, he has his way as those he looks on have theirs. And as men agree in wandering, though different in their way; so those ways agree in this, that they lead to misery, and shall end in that. Think you there is no way to Hell but the way of open profaneness? Yes sure, many a way that seems smooth, and clean in a man's own eyes, and yet will end in condemnation. Truth is but one, error endless and interminable; as of natural life and death, so of spiritual, the way to life is one: but many out of it, Lethi mille aditus. Each one has not opportunity nor ability for every sin, or every degree, but each after his own mode and power (Isaiah 40:20).
Your tongue it may be wanders not in the common path road of oaths and curses, yet it wanders in secret calumnies, in detraction and defaming of others, though so conveyed as it scarce appears: or if you speak them not, yet you are pleased to hear them: it wanders in trifling away the precious hours of irrecoverable time, with vain unprofitable babblings in your company, or if you are much alone, or in company much silent, yet, is not your foolish mind still hunting vanity — following this self-pleasing design, or the other, and seldom and very slightly, if at all, conversant with God, and the things of heaven. Which although they alone have the truest, and the highest pleasure in them, yet to your carnal mind are tasteless and unsavory. There is scarce any thing so light and childish that you will not more willingly and liberally bestow your retired thoughts on, than upon those excellent incomparable delights. Oh! the foolish heart of man, when it may seem deep, and serious, how often is it at Domitian's exercise in his study, catching flies.
Men account little of the wandering of their hearts, and yet truly, that is most of all to be considered: for from there are the issues of life. It is the heart that has forgotten God, and is roving after vanity — this causes all the errors of men's words, and actions, a wandering heart, makes wandering eyes and feet, and tongue. It is the leading wanderer that misleads all the rest, and as we are here called straying sheep, so within the heart in itself of each of us, there is as it were a whole wandering flock, such a multitude of fictions (Genesis 8). Ungodly devices, the word that signifies a thought in Hebrew, is from that which is feeding of a flock, and it likewise signifies wandering, and so these meet in our thoughts, they are a great flock, and a wandering flock. This is the natural freedom of our thoughts, they are free to wander from God, and heaven, and carry us to perdition: and we are guilty of many pollutions this way, that we never acted. Men are less sensible of heart wickedness, if it break not forth: but it is far more active in sin than any of the senses, or the whole body. The motion of spirits is far swifter than of bodies, it can go more way in any of these wanderings in one hour, than the body is able to follow in many days.
When the body is tied to attendance in the exercises where we are, yet know you not it is so much the more, if you do not know and feel it, and bewail it, know you that the heart can take its liberty and leave you nothing but a carcass. This the unrenewed heart does continually: They come and sit before me, etc. But their heart is after their covetousness, it has another way to go, another God to wait on.
But are now returned, etc.] Whatever are the several ways of our straying, all our wandering is the aversion of the heart from God, from where of necessity follows a continual unsettledness and disquiet, the mind as a wave of the sea tossed to and fro with the wind, it tumbles from one sin and vanity to another, and finds no rest, as a sick person tosses from one side to another, and from one part of their bed to another, and change their bed it may be, in hope of ease, and still it is further off, thus is the soul in all its wanderings: but shift and change as it will no rest until it come to this returning. (Jeremiah 2:36) Why do you go about so much to change your way? You shall be ashamed of Egypt as you were of Assyria. Nothing but sorrow and shame till you change all those ways, for this one. Return O Israel says the Lord, if you will return, return to me. It is not changing one of your own ways for another will profit you: but in returning to me is your salvation.
Seeing we find in our own experience, besides the woeful end of our wanderings, the present perplexity and disquiet of them. Why are we not persuaded to this? To give up with them all. Return to your rest O my soul says David, this were our wisdom.
But is not that God in whom we expect rest, incensed against us for our wandering, and is he not being offended a consuming fire? True, but this is the way to find acceptance, and peace, and satisfying comforts in returning. Come first to this Shepherd of Souls Jesus Christ, and by him come to the Father. No man comes to the Father, says he, but by me — this is via Regia, the high and right way of returning to God (John 10:11). I am the good Shepherd, and (verse 9) I am the door; by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved. But if he miss this door, he shall miss salvation too. You are returned, says the Apostle, to the Shepherd and Bishop of your Souls.
There be three things necessary to restore us to our happiness, from where we have departed in our wanderings. 1. To take away the guiltiness of those former wanderings. 2. To reduce us into the way again. 3. To keep and lead us in it.
Now all these are alone performable by this great Shepherd. 1. He did satisfy for the offense of our wanderings, and so remove our guiltiness — he himself, the Shepherd, became a sacrifice for his flock, a sheep or spotless Lamb, as Isaiah 53 resembled in verse 6: We like sheep have gone astray. And immediately after our straying is mentioned: The Lord laid, or made meet on him, the iniquity of us all — of all our strayings. And verse 7: He that is our Shepherd, the same is the Lamb for sacrifice. So our Apostle in Chapter 1: We are redeemed not by silver and gold, etc., but by the precious blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot. So (John 10): he the good Shepherd lays down his life for his sheep. Men think not on this — many of them that have some thoughts of returning and amendment think not that there is a satisfaction due for bypassed wanderings, and therefore they pass by Christ, and consider not the necessity of returning to him, and by him to the Father.
2. He brings them back into the way of life. You are returned — but think not this is by their own knowledge and skill that they discover their error, and find out the right path, and by their own strength return into it. No; if we would contest grammatical points, the word here is passive: you are returned, reduced, or caused to return. But this truth hangs not on such weak notions as are often used, either for or against it. In that prophecy (Ezekiel 34:16): I will seek, and bring again, etc., and (Psalm 23:3): He restores, or returns, my soul. And that this is the work of this Shepherd the Lord Jesus, God-man, is clear and frequent in the Gospel. He came for this very end — it was his errand and business in the world, to seek and to save that which was lost. And in that parable, he goes after that which is lost until he finds it, and then having found it does not only show it the way, and say to it return, and leaves it to come after, but he lays it on his shoulder, and brings it home. And notwithstanding all his pains, instead of complaining against it for wandering, he rejoices in that he has found and recovered it — he lays it on his shoulder rejoicing, and in this there is as much of the resemblance as in any other thing. Lost man can no more return unsought than a sheep that wanders, which is observed of all creatures to have least of that skill. Men may have some confused thoughts of returning, but to know the way, and to come home, unless they be sought out, they cannot. This is David's suit, though acquainted with the fold: Lord, seek your servant. This did our great and good Shepherd through those difficult ways he was to pass, for our finding, wherein he not only hazarded, but really laid down his life. And those shoulders that did bear the iniquity of our wandering by expiation, upon the same does he bear, and bring us back from it, by effectual conversion.
3. He keeps and leads us on in that way, into which he has reduced us — he leaves us not again to try our own skill, if we can walk to heaven alone, being set into the path of it. But he still conducts us in it by his own hand, and that is the cause of our persistence in it, and attaining the blessed end of it. He restores my soul, says the Psalmist, and that is not all — he adds: he leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. By those paths are the green pastures meant, and the still waters that he speaks of. And thus we may be resolved: if we are of his flock, are we led in the paths of righteousness? Do we delight ourselves in him and his ways? Are they the proper refreshment of our souls? Do we find his word sweet to our taste? Are we taken with the green pastures in it, and the crystal streams of consolations that glide through it? Can we discern his voice, and does it draw our hearts, so that we follow it (John 10, etc.)?
The Shepherd and Bishop.] It was the style of kings to be called shepherds, and it is the dignity of the ministers of the Gospel to have both these names. But this great Shepherd and Bishop is peculiarly worthy of these names, as supreme — he alone is universal Shepherd and Bishop. And none but an Antichrist, that makes himself as Christ, that kills and destroys the flock, will assume this title that belongs only to the Lord, the great owner of his flock. He himself is their great Shepherd and Bishop. All shepherds and bishops that are truly such have their function and place from him, hold of him, and follow his rules and example in their inspection of the flock. It were the happiness of kingdoms if magistrates and kings would set him, his love, and meekness, and equity before their eyes in their government. And all those that are properly his bishops are especially obliged to study this pattern, to warm their affections to the flock, and tender care of their salvation by looking on this Archbishop and Arch-shepherd, as our Apostle calls him. And in their measure, to follow his footsteps, spending their life and strength in seeking the good of his sheep, considering that they are subordinately shepherds of souls — that is, in spiritual things so communicable.
The Lord Jesus is supremely and singularly such, they under him shepherds of souls: Because their diligence concerns the soul, which excludes not the body in spiritual respects, as it is capable of things spiritual and eternal, by its union with the soul; But Christ is sovereign shepherd of souls above all, and singular, in that he not only teaches them the doctrine of salvation, but purchased salvation for them, and reaches the soul powerfully, which ministers by their own power cannot do, he lays hold on it, and reduces, and leads it, and causes it to walk in his ways. In this sense it agrees to him alone as supreme in the incommunicable sense.
And from his conduct, and power, and love, flows all the comfort of his flock, considering their own folly, and weakness. This alone gives them confidence, that his hand guides them, and they believe his strength far surpassing that of the roaring lion (John 10:28-30). His wisdom in knowing their particular estate, and their weakness, and his tender love pitying them, and applying himself to it. Other shepherds, even faithful ones, may mistake them, and not know the way of leading them in some particulars, and may be sometimes wanting in that tender affection that they owe, and if they have that, yet are not able to bear them up, and support them powerfully: But this shepherd, is perfect in all these (Isaiah 40:11). The young and weak Christian, or the elder at weak times, when they are big and heavy with some inward exercise of mind, which shall bring forth advantage and peace afterwards to them: Them he leads gently, and uses them with tenderness that their weakness requires.
And generally he provides for his flock, and heals them when they are any way hurt, and washes and makes them fruitful; So that they are as that flock used in the comparison (Song of Solomon 4:2). They are comely, but their shepherd much more. Formosi pecoris Custos formosior. They are given him in the Father's purpose and choice, and so they that return, even while they wander, are sheep in some other sense than the rest that perish. They are in the secret love of election of Christ's sheep fold, though not actually, yet brought into it, but when his time comes wherever they wander, and however far off, even those that have strayed most, yet he reduces them, and rejoices heaven with their return, and leads them till he bring them to partake of the joy that is there. That's the end of their way wherein he guides them (John 10:27-28). They hear my voice and follow me, and it shall not repent them to do so; to follow him is to follow life, he is the life, And he is in that glory which we desire. And where would we be, if not there where he is. Who at his parting from the world said, where I am there they shall be also, To this happy meeting and heavenly abode God of his infinite mercy bring us Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
