My sheep wandered through all the mountains - They all became idolaters, and lost the knowledge of the true God. And could it be otherwise while they had such pastors?
"Himself a wanderer from the narrow way;
His silly sheep, no wonder that they stray!"
Reader, if thou be a minister, a preacher, or a person in holy orders, or pretended holy orders, or art one pretending to holy orders, look at the qualifications of a good shepherd as laid down by the prophet.
1. He professes to be a shepherd, and to be qualified for the office.
2. In consequence he undertakes the care of a flock. This supposes that he believes the great Bishop of souls has called him to the pastoral office; and that office implies that he is to give all diligence to save the souls of them that hear him.
His Qualifications
1. He is skillful; he knows the disease of sin and its consequences; for the Eternal Spirit, by whom he is called, has convinced him of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment.
2. He knows well the great remedy for this disease, the passion and sacrificial death of the Lord Jesus Christ.
3. He is skillful, and knows how to apply this remedy.
4. The flock over which he watches is, in its individuals, either, -
1. Healthy and sound.
2. Or, in a state of convalescence, returning to health.
3. Or, still under the whole power of the general disease.
4. Or, some are dying in a state of spiritual weakness.
5. Or, some are fallen into sin, and sorely bruised and broken in their souls by that fall.
6. Or, some have been driven away by some sore temptation or cruel usage.
7. Or, some have wandered from the flock, are got into strange pastures, and are perverted by erroneous doctrines. Or,
8. Some wolf has got among them, and scattered the whole flock. Now, the true shepherd, the pastor of God's choosing, knows: -
1. How to keep the healthy in health; and cause them to grow in grace, and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ.
2. How to nourish, feed, and care for the convalescent, that they may be brought into a state of spiritual soundness.
3. How to reprove, instruct, and awaken those who are still under the full power of the disease of sin.
4. How to find out and remove the cause of all that spiritual weakness of which he sees some slowly dying.
5. How to deal with those who have fallen into some scandalous sin, and restore them from their fall.
6. How to find out and turn aside the sore temptation or cruel usage by which some have been driven away.
7. How to seek and bring back to the fold those who have strayed into strange pastures, and have had their souls perverted by erroneous doctrines; and knows also how, by a godly discipline, to preserve him in the flock, and keep the flock honourably together.
8. How to oppose, confound, and expel the grievous wolf, who has got among the flock, and is scattering them from each other, and from God. He knows how to preach, explain, and defend the truth. He is well acquainted with the weapons he is to use, and the spirit in which he is to employ them.
In a word, the true shepherd gives up his life to the sheep; spends and is spent for the glory of God; and gives up his life for the sheep, in defense of them, and in laboring for their welfare. And while he is thus employed, it is the duty of the flock to feed and clothe him; and see that neither he nor his family lack the necessaries and conveniencies of life. The laborer is worthy of his meat. He who does not labor, or, because of his ignorance of God and salvation, cannot labor, in the word and doctrine, deserves neither meat nor drink; and if he exact that by law, which he has not honestly earned by a proper discharge of the pastoral function, let him read this chapter, and learn from it what a fearful account he shall have to give to the chief Shepherd at the great day; and what a dreadful punishment shall be inflicted on him, when the blood of the souls lost through his neglect or inefficiency is visited upon him! See the notes on Eze 3:17, etc. |