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.

How hast thou, O my Soul! looked with a slighting eye on the Institutions * 1.1 of Christ, as only fit for Babes, and be∣neath one of thy growth? Alas! that we are cast upon daies, wherein men pretend not only to be wiser than Paul (of whom the Romanists have long time spoken very slightingly) but even than Jesus Christ himself, the Wisdom of the Fa∣ther; He that was faithful in all his house, as was Mo∣ses, after his Resurrection, before his Ascension, u 1.2 speaking to his Disciples of the things of his King∣dom, Act. 1. 3. Yet these things are now low and mean, fit only for that dispensation of the Apostles,

and too carnal for these pretended spiritual ones. But who hath given thee knowledge above the Head and King of his Church? Who hath given thee Commission to abrogate his Institutions, and arrogate to thy self to appoint Laws in his house? Wouldst thou take it well that any one should thrust himself into thine house, and take to himself such authority? x 1.3 Vain man would be wise, Job. 11. 12. would be wiser than God, and prescribe to him. It is a good Note of Peter Mar∣tyr's on, 2 King. 5. 11. I thought, He will surely come out to me; y 1.4 the perverseness, saith he, of man's na∣ture is here observable, that had rather have the gifts of God in difficult waies of his own seeking, than in more easie ones of Gods appointment. But thou wilt one day know, O my Soul, to thy sorrow, that the foolishness of God is wiser than man, 1 Cor. 1. 25. The Eagle and the Lyon were not offered in sacrifice, as were the Dove and the Lamb. Gods Institutions will be found to have power, because they are his Institutions. Hath Christ lead me these many years by these still, sweet, and * 1.5 pleasant waters, and yet am I parched, parched still? Have no growth, no peace, no strength for God, but still a Babe in knowledge and understand∣ing! Alas, O my Soul! is it wont to be thus with Christs Sheep? shall I hereupon cast off Ordinances (as the manner of some is) and say God is departed from them, because I have thriven no more, have found no more good in and by them? Is not the fault in my soul rather than in the institutions of Christ? See

Heb. 4. 2. Ill humours, obstructions within, hinders my getting good, shall I impute this to what was designed for good unto me? Were it not wisdom rather to remove hinderances, that so my profiting might appear unto all? Saints of old found good in Christs Ordinances, and were Men and Women Saints as of old, they would still experience the profit in and by them. Christ's meat is for Christ's Friends, his Drink for his beloved, Cant. 5. 1. what wonder then if such as throng in among his without a Wedding Garment, be cast out speechless? Mat. 22. 12. z 1.6

Wait thou, O my Soul! and be not weary of waiting upon God in * 1.7 his waies. Remember and do the charge of David to Solomon his Son, 1 Kin. 2. 3. So shalt thou be blessed. Pro. 8. 32. What though this fect be every where spoken against? What though Christs Ministers that are chiefly set up by him to beat down the Kingdom of Satan, be the Butt of the malice of Devils and men? And the Ordinances of Christ, which have no Grandeur in them, nor outside Glory to take men,. be the slight of men? Yet after that way that these men call Sect, Heresie, worship thou, O my Soul! the God of thy Fathers. Keep close to Ordinances, use them conscientiously, not only custo∣marily; and faithfully, not slightly, and thou shalt ex∣perience them the conveyances of great things: Gold∣en pipes to convey the Golden Oyl of Grace from Christ to thy Soul. Tell me therefore, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy Flock

to rest at noon! for why should I be as one that turneth a∣side by the a 1.8 Flocks of thy companions? i. e. the Com∣pany of those that falsly boast themselves the Companions of Christ; false Teachers, false Worshippers.

Notes

• * 1.1

  For the de∣spiser of Gos∣pel ordinances.
• u 1.2

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: Hellenismi ea vis esse videtur, ut intelligamus Christum Discipulis suis universam Doctrinam Evangelicam copiose ac lucutenter exposuisse, Bez.
• x 1.3

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 vir vacuus, velinanis, mente sc. & judicio. ••xpers omnis cognitionis.
• y 1.4

  Nota humani ing••nit perversitatem, quae dona Dei malit assequi viis difficilibus a se ex cogitat••, quam faci∣lioribas a Deo descriptis.
• * 1.5

  For the unprofit a∣ble receiver of Ordi∣dinances.
• z 1.6

  Christus hoc in loco & sponsus est, & cibus, & vestis, &c. Gomar.
• * 1.7

  For the humble waiting Soul.
• a 1.8

  Greges sociorum tuorum] Ad eorum coetus qui se falso socios Chri••ti venditant, Men. Ad falsos Doctores, qui se iactant soci os tu∣os, Pisc. Innuit Ecclesia sg non posse, nisi Christi beneficio sedem suam indicantis, pgriculum effugere falsorum fratrum & cultuum, Men.