Sheperdy spiritualiz'd or, The improvement of a shepherd's life to soul-advantage. By James Woode, an unworthy follower of the great shepherd of souls

Reflections.

What need hast thou, O my Soul! of care, diligence and indeavour that thou be kept up in a good way, and not fall from it? 'Tis not every one that gets into the good way, that keeps on in it. The Galatians did begin well, yet were hindred by those deceitful workers, false Teachers, which turned them from the simplicity of the Gospel. Thou thinkest thon standest, O my Soul, take heed lest thou fall; hast thou not heard of some, who have been turned out of the way of Truth and Holiness by the deceitfulness of their own hearts, their deceitful lusts, or the sub∣tilty of others? Thou wert best therefore take the ad∣vice of the Apostle, 2 Pet. 3. 17. fear a snake under e∣very flower, a snare under every new Truth, as men speak. Ah try the Spirits, whether they be of God or no, because many false Prophets are abroad, who

deceive the hearts of the simple. None are veryer Fools than they that trust in their own hearts, after so much experience of their treachery. That story is fa∣mous of Saunders and Pendleton in the beginning of Q. Mary her Reign. Be not high-minded, but fear. The common rott may take thee if not preserved.

Much cause of sticking and cleav∣ing close to the Lord, hast thou, O my Soul! In such a declining, backsliding loose day as this is. There are many assaults and temptations from without, and many weaknesses have I within, exposing me to the deceit of Errour and prevalency of unrighteousness e∣ven as others. My pride, my ignorance, my wanton∣ness is great: O let me keep close to the Lord. 'Tis an evil day wherein I live. It is an ingenuous thing in∣deed to be a Christian, as one said of the Primitive times. One saies, lo here, and another, lo there is Christ; Lord, lead me, and keep me in the right way, in the way of Truth and Holiness. Many starrs are fal∣len from Heaven, many that seemed some years since to have their faces set for Canaan, are return'd to the Flesh-pots of Egypt, and others have been in the Wil∣derness so long, that they have lost themselves, and are become a meer nothing in Religion. O that I may be kept waiting upon God in his own waies! That I may be so,

First, O my Soul, trust not in thine own heart, Prov. 3. 5, 7. and 23. 4. and 28. 26. God loves to confute men in their own confidences, as he did the Philistines in their Champion Goliah. Trust not, no, not Trust it self, but God alone on whom it rests, who is therefore called our Trust. He is two Fools that is wise in his own

eyes. b I have wisdom enough in me for my self, is the proud man Motto. c This I know that I know no∣thing, got Socrates the Name of the wisest man in the World.

Secondly, Entrust thy self to the Lord to be kept; say with David, 1 Chro. 29. 18. pray that God would keep thine heart in an holy way, and keep up thine heart in an holy temper. That he will fix thy Quick∣silver; that he would give thee with full purpose of heart to cleave to him, Act. 11. 23. for the strength in which any of his stand, is from above, 2. Cor. 1. 21.

Thirdly, Humbly give up thy self to be led by God: In this sense only is blind obedience good. Go with Abraham, whithersoever the Lord calls. God loves not quaeristas, but curristas, said Luther, not those that dispute, but those that dispatch what he commands. When the Lord speaks, say, thy Servant hears, i. e. to obey and do. The humble lowly Soul will he led and keep in the way, Psal. 25. 9.

Faint not, O my Soul! in the way! take courage, go on, though with some difficulty; the end will sweeten the means. Consider, sore though thou be, it will not be long e're thou be laid up in a place of rest. As that Noble that travelling to Jerusalem in Pilgrimage on foot, when galled and tired, would en∣courage himself, with I am going to Jerusalem; so do thou, that thou art going toward Jerusalem that is a∣bove.

Notes

• For the vaunt∣ing Professor.
• For the poor believ∣ing Christian
• b

  Consilii satis est in me mihi—
• c

  Hoc scio, quod nihil scio.
• For the weak Christian.