found it, doth not only shew it the way, and say to it, Return, and so leave 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 hath 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 wandereth, 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, unless they be sought out, they are unable. This is David's suit, though acquainted with the fold, I have gone astray like a lost sheep: Lord, seek thy servant. Psalm cxix. ult. This did our great and good Shepherd, through those difficult ways He was to pass for finding us, wherein He not only hazarded, but really laid down his life; and those shoulders which did bear the iniquity of our wanderings, by expiation, upon the same doth He bear and bring us back from it by effectual conversion.

3. He keeps and leads us on in that way into which he hath restored us. He leaves us not again to try our own skill, whether 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 persisting in it, and attaining the blessed end of it. He restoreth my soul, says the Psalmist, Psalm xxiii. 2; and that is not all: he adds, He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Those paths are the green pastures meant, and the still waters that he speaks of. And thus we may judge whether we are of his flock. Are we led in the paths of righteousness? Do we delight ourselves in Him, and in his ways? Are they the proper refreshment of our souls? Do we find His word sweet unto 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 x. 27.

The Shepherd and Bishop.] It was the style of Kings, to

be called Shepherds; and 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 the universal Shepherd and Bishop, and none but an antichrist, who makes himself as Christ, killing and destroying the flock, will assume this title which belongs only to the Lord, the great Owner of His flock. He himself is their great Shepherd and Bishop. All shepherds and bishops who are truly such, have their function and place from Him; they hold of Him, and follow His rule 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 who are properly His bishops, are under especial obligations to study this pattern, to warm their affections to the flock, and to excite a tender care of their salvation, by looking on this Arch-bishop 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 dispensing spiritual things; so far the title is communicable.

The Lord Jesus is supremely and singularly such they under Him are 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 inasmuch as He reaches the soul powerfully, which ministers by their own power cannot do. He lays hold on it, and restores, 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 guidance, power, and love, flows all the comfort of his flock. When they consider their own folly and

VOL. II.

E

weakness, this alone gives them confidence, that His hand guides them; and they believe in His strength, far surpassing that of the roaring lion, (John x. 28-30.) His wisdom, in knowing their particular state and their weakness, and His tender love in 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 they may be sometimes wanting in that tender affection that they owe; or, if they have that, yet they are not able to bear them up, and support them powerfully: but this Shepherd is perfect in all these respects. Isa. xl. 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 to them afterwards, them He leads gently, and uses them with the tenderness that their weakness requires.

And, in the general, He provides for His flock, and heals them when they are any way hurt, and washes them, and makes them fruitful; so that they are as that flock described, Cant iv. 2; they are comely, but their Shepherd much more so: Formosi pecoris custos, formosior ipse. They are given Him in the Father's purpose and choice, and so, those that return, are, even while they wander, sheep in some other sense than the rest which perish. They are, in the secret love of Election, of Christ's sheepfold, though not as yet actually brought into it. But when His time comes, wheresoever they wander, and how far off soever, even those who have strayed most, yet He restores them, and rejoices Heaven with their return, and leads them till He bring them to partake of the joy that is there. That is the end of the way wherein He ́ guides them. John x. 27, 28. They hear my voice, and follow me. And they shall never repent of having done so. Το follow Him, is to follow life, for He is the life. He is in that glory which we desire; and where would we be, if not where He is, who, at his departure from the world, said, Where I am, there they shall be also? To this happy meeting and hea

venly abode, may God, of His infinite mercy, bring us, through Jesus Christ our Lord! Amen.

CHAPTER III.

Ver. 1. Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands: that if any one obey not the word, they also, without the word, may be won by the conversation of the wives.

THE tabernacle of the sun, (Psal. xix. 4.) is set high in the Heavens; but it is so, that it may have influence below upon the earth. And the word of God, which is spoken of there immediately after, as being in many ways like it, holds resem blance in this particular: it is a sublime heavenly light, and yet descends, in its use, to the lives of men, in the variety of their stations, to warm and to enlighten, to regulate their affections and actions in whatsoever course of life they are called to. By a perfect revolution or circuit, as there it is said of the sun, it visits all ranks and estates; its going forth is from the end of Heaven, and its circuit unto the ends of it, and there is nothing hid from the heat of it; it disdains not to teach the very servants, in their low condition and employments, how to behave themselves, and sets before them no meaner example than that of Jesus Christ, which is the highest of all examples. So here, the Apostle proceeds to give rules adapted to that relation which is the main one in families, that of Husbands and Wives. As for the order, it is indifferent; yet, possibly, he begins here at the duties of wives, because his former rules were given to inferiors, to subjects and servants; and the duty he commmends particularly here to them, is, subjection: Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection, &c.

After men have said all they can, and much, it may be, to little purpose, in running the parallel between these two estates of life, marriage and celibacy, the result will be found, I conceive, all things being truly estimated, very little odds, even in

natural respects, in the things themselves, saving only as the particular condition of persons, and the hand of Divine Providence, turn the balance the one way or the other. The writing of satires against either, or panegyrics on the one in prejudice of the other, is but a caprice of men's minds, according to their own humour; but in respect of religion, the Apostle, having scanned the subject to the full, leaves it indifferent, only requiring in those who are so engaged, hearts as disengaged as may be, that they that marry be as if they married not, &c. 1 Cor. vii. 29, 31. Within a while, it will be all one; as he adds that grave reason, For the fashion [oxnμa] of this world passeth—it is but a pageant, a shew of an hour long [wagave] goes by, and is no more seen. Thus, the great pomps and solemnities of marriages of kings and princes in former times, where are they? Oh! how unseemly is it to have an immortal soul drowned in the esteem and affection of any thing that perishes, and to be cold and indifferent in seeking after a good that will last as long as itself! Aspire to that good which is the only match for the soul, that close union with God which cannot be dissolved, which He calls an everlasting marriage, Hos. ii. 19; that will make you happy, either with the other, or without it. All the happiness of the most excellent persons, and the very top of all affection and prosperity meeting in human marriages, are but a dark and weak representation of the solid joy which is in that mysterious Divine union of the Spirits, from whom it issues. The common spring of all mutual duties, on both sides, must be supposed to be love; that peculiar conjugal love which makes them one, will infuse such sweetness into the authority of the Husband and the obedience of the Wife, as will make their lives harmonious, like the sound of a well-tuned instrument; whereas without that, having such a universal conjuncture of interest in all their affairs, they cannot escape frequent contests and discords, which is a sound more unpleasant than the jarring of untuned strings to an exact ear. And this

spirit of man with the Father of But this by the way.