us, and Heaviness in our hearts has made them s op*; if some cordial sympathizing friend has gladdened them with Good and comfortable words+; how kindly have we take it, and how thankfully have we acknowledged it? But, oh blessed Jesus, what were the guides of our infancy, or what the companions and comforters of our more advanced years, in comparison of what thou hast been to us! "Whatsoever I now am," may the soul say, "if I am thine, I was once a helpless lamb in thy flock; and how much am I indebted to that pastoral care of thine, of which I have now been hearing? Hadst thou not pursued me in my wanderings, I had been utterly lost: Hadst thou not guarded me in thine arms, I had long since been devoured: Hadst thou not cherished me in thy bosom, my very heart had been broken. And to this very day, what were I without thy care and favour! Thus let us look back to former days, and the years of more ancient times; and as God reminds his people, how he Took them by their arms, and taught them to go‡, as he mentions with an agreeable reflection The kindness of their youth, and the love of their espousals§, let us this day gratefully commemorate his kindness to us in our youth, and when our souls were first espoused to him. 2. How ready should we be, to imitate this amiable character of our Redeemer, and after his example, to shew a tender regard to the feeble of the flock !" We who are ministers should especially do it, if we would approve our fidelity to the great Shepherd, and finally stand accepted in his sight. Observe, I intreat you, my younger brethren, for my relation to some of you, not only allows, but requires me, to speak with peculiar freedom to you, observe in how awful a manner the great God declares his displeasure against those shepherds who have neglected the care which I now recommend. Behold, I am against the shepherds, saith the Lord, i. e. as appears from the preceding verses, those shepherds, who had Not strengthened the diseased, nor healed the sick, nor bound up the broken, nor brought again what was driven away¶; I am against these shepherds, saith the Lord; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock. Did God so severely censure the Jewish shepherds for their neglect; and will he not disown and condemn us, if under all the greater engagements of such a *Prov. xii. 25. Ezek. xxxiv. 10. + Zech. i. 13. Hos. xi. 3. § Jer. ii. 2. dispensation as the gospel, and such an example as we have now been surveying, our flocks be neglected, or rather his flock committed to our care? If you fear God, or love the Lord Jesus Christ, Feed his sheep, feed his lambs*.- -Instruct children, though it be a difficult work, and may seem to ignorant and thoughtless people a mean work; yet do it, and you will probably find the comfort of it, even if they should die young, as they perhaps may; and much more, if you see these tender plants growing up as Cedars in Lebanon, and becoming pillars in the house of our God+.-Tenderly comfort mourning souls. Let them have free access to you at proper times; hear their story patiently, though it may be a very melancholy one; and though you have heard it over and over again, from others in the same circumstances, if not from themselves. Watch their tempers, observe the turn of their minds, and of their discourses; and endeavour to lay hold of some word of their own, that you may, if possible, graft comfort upon it. Mourn with them, while they mourn; and when your heart is impressed with their sorrowful case, go with them to the throne of grace, and spread it largely and particularly before the Lord, which you cannot so conveniently do in any other circumstance.-I know, there are a thousand gaieties of life, and amusements of literature, which make young persons, especially, averse to such work as this. But remember, you are ministers of Christ; and surely The disciple is not above his Master, nor the servant above his Lordt. You would think very ill of the Shepherd, that was so charmed with the music of his pipe, as to forget his lambs, when they should be fed and tended. And I will venture to say, that as the case I recommend is very necessary in order to the success of your ministry, so it may be a means of improving both your gifts and graces, and of forming you to a spiritual and experimental strain of preaching; which is a much more valuable part of a minister's furniture, than classical or mathematical learning, or the critical study of the scripture itself; though all these are desirable in their places, because all may be useful towards making The man of God perfect§. I would also from hence take occasion to address an exhortation to you, who are heads of families. To your more immediate and constant care the lambs of the flock are committed. Feed them diligently and affectionately. Without your concurrence, we cannot promise ourselves much from our * John xxi. 15, 16. § 2 Tim. iii. 17. Psal, xcii. 12. Rev, iii. 13. Mat. x. 24. more public attempts. Attend therefore to the religious concerns of your children and servants; and do it with a gentleness suited to their age and circumstances. Frighten them not with a rigorous and austere severity; but, as St. Paul expresses it with regard to himself, be Gentle among them, even as a nurse cherisheth her children*. In short, let us all Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ†; and let us candidly receive one another, As we hope that Christ, with all our infirmities, hath received us‡. 3. "What abundant encouragement is here for the feeblest soul, to commit itself to Christ!" Let me now, on that encouragement, particularly address the exhortation to those, whose circumstances render it peculiarly their concern. Let me address it to you, my younger friends, even to the children that hear me this day. We speak of the gentleness and goodness of Christ, on purpose to invite you to him. Go to him by faith and prayer, and say, " Blessed Jesus, I come to thee a poor weak tender creature; but it was in regard to such weakness, that thou hast been pleased to speak so graciously. I believe what I have heard, and I mean to venture my soul upon it. I flee to thee, as the helpless lamb to its shepherd, when hungry that he may feed it, when pursued by wild beasts, that he may defend it. Lord, open thine arms and thy bosom to me, though I am so inconsiderable a creature. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou ordainest praises Fill my heart with thy love, and my mouth with thy praise, and lead me on, till I may come to praise thee amongst the angels in heaven, and to serve thee as they do." Let me address the exhortation also to the tempted and sorrowful soul. O thou afflicted, thou who art tossed with the tempest, and not comforted ! Look unto Jesus. Let thy conflicts and dangers drive thee to him, though Satan would thereby attempt to drive thee from him. Accustom not thyself, to think of Christ as dreadful and severe. Terrify not thyself with the thought of the iron rod of his vengeance, whilst thou feelest thyself disposed to submit to the golden sceptre of his grace, to the pastoral rod by which he guides his sheep. And when thou findest thy doubts arising, flee to the representations and assurances of his word, so largely insisted on above; and * 1 Thess. ii. 7. † Gal. vi. 2. Rom. xv. 7. pray, that the influences of his Spirit may strengthen thy faith in them. Nor let me neglect so proper an occasion, of addressing myself to aged christians. You, my friends, though not the lambs of the flock, are, on some account, the feeble of it. Though I hope, and believe, that many of you are strong in grace; yet the outer man is decaying, and sensible comfort often decays with it. Yet be not discouraged, but remember your Shepherd. You have not only heard of his grace, but you have long experienced it. Be cheerful in it, and remember, that as all your experiences will not secure you otherwise than as in the bosom of Christ, so all your infirmities and trials cannot endanger you while you are there. He has led you on gently and safely through the wilderness; a few steps more will finish the journey, and bring you to the pastures of Canaan. Once more, let me address the exhortation to those who have gone astray from this blessed Shepherd, and invite them to return to him. May I not appeal to your own consciences to witness, that it was never better with you, than when you kept nearest to him; and that while at a distance from him, you are exposed to want and danger, and bitter regret? Has not your heart melted within you, while I have been speaking? and have you not been ready to say, "Oh that I were once more lodged in those gracious arms, in that compassionate bosom." And what hinders it? Does he not assure you, that he will yet be willing to receive you? Nay, that he will yet rejoice over you on some accounts even more, than over those who never wandered*. Return then, in the strength of divine grace, to the duties you have neglected, to the ordinances you have forsaken ; and may your souls find refreshment in them, that with firmer Purpose of heart you may for the future cleave unto the Lord+? And now, Lastly, "What a delightful idea does it give us of the natural endearments, which shall pass between Christ and his people, when they are brought to the world of glory?" There they shall be no longer exposed to necessities and alarms; but all the purposes of his love shall be completed, in their everlasting security and joy. And surely the gracious Redeemer must be inconceivably delighted, when he there sees of The travail of his soul. When he has with a gentle and * Luke xv. 6,7. VOL. II. + Acts xi. 23. Isa. liii. 11. gracious hand conducted his sheep through the dark valley of the shadow of death, with what joy will he open to them those better pastures! With what congratulations will he receive them to a state of inseparable nearness to him, and Administer unto them an abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom of their Lord and Saviour*! Therefore it is beautifully represented in the book of the Revelation, as the business and joy of Christ, even on the throne of his glory, to lead on his saints to the various scenes of divine pleasure and enjoyment, which are provided for them there: The Lamb which is in the midst of the throne, shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waterst. And, oh gracious Redeemer, what will the joy of thy flock then be, when thus fed and conducted by thee! If it be so delightful, at this humble distance, to believe ourselves the objects of thy care and favour, and to taste of these little streams which thou art causing to flow in upon us here in the wilderness, what will that river of life be! If it be now the joy of our hearts, a while to forget our cares and our fears, when we are perhaps at thy table, and to lean our weary heads for a few mo ments on thy dear breast; what will it be, for ever to dwell in thine embrace, and to say once for all, Return unto thy rest, oh my soul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with theet! Bountifully indeed! when they, who were brought out With weeping, and led on with supplications§, shall, as the redeemed of the Lord, come to Zion with songs, and everlasting joy upon their heads, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away||. In the mean time, we rejoice in hope of this blessed scene, and would raise such feeble praises, as earth will admit, to this great Shepherd, whose arm is so strong to guard us; whose bosom is so soft to cherish us; and whose heart is so compassionate, notwithstanding all our unworthiness, as to exert that arm for our protection, and to open that bosom for our repose. Amen. * 2 Pet. i. 11. + Rev. vii. 17. Isa, xxxv. 10. Psal. cxvi. 7. |