Tell me, O thou whom my Soul loveth, where thou feedeft, &c.

TH

HE Church here, as in many other places of Seripture, compares Chrift Jelus to a good and faithful Shepherd, as the Prophet Ifaiah defcribes him, Ifa. 40. 11. He fhall gather the Lambs with bis Arm. And again, Ezek, 34. 10. Bebeld I will require my Flock of the Shepberds, and I my felf will feed my Sheep and caufe to reft

Prophet David: psis acknowledged of the

23. 1. The is my Shepherd, I bill not want. Ya, Chrift dota thus Entitle himiel, faying, John 19. 11. I am the good Shepherd, &c.

Now the Church of Chrift puts up her requeft, to this great Shepherd and Bishop of his Church, that he would be pleafed to tell her where he teeds his Sheep, with the Preaching of the Word; and the ufe of the Sacraments, that the may joyn with them, there to be fed and comforted.

Queft But was not this the true Church, that moved this Queltion? What is then that other Church or Flock, the enquires after !

Anfw. Tho' the Church of God is but one in all the World, yet it hath div rs parts; as the Sea, though but one, yet it is called by divers Names, according to the places where it lies; even fo the Church of Chrift, though but one, yet it hath divers parts, as the Holy Spirit diftinguifheth of it,writing to the feven Church s which are in Afia. Now of the whole Church

of Chrift, fome Parts of it are at peace and qui et, free from perfecution, when other Parts may fuffer Perfecutions and Moleftations. Now in this place the Church of God, in perfecution and great affliction, defireth to know of Chrift where be feeds bis fheep, that is, where the Church is at reft and peace, where the Word is purely preached, the Sacraments duly adminiftred, and Difci pline duly performed, that the might joyn with them in the fervice of Almighty God.

From this Requeft and earnest fute of the Church to Chrift, to know where he feeds his Sheep, we may learn: That it is a true note of a Sheep of Chrift Jefus, to hunger and thirst after the Word of God, to enquire where Christ feeds his Flock, where the Word is truly and faithfully preached; and the Holy Sacraments duly adminiftred. And this our Saviour himself obferves to be the mark of his theep, Joh. 10. 27. My Sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they fellow me. But the voice of a Stranger will they not hear. This Affection was in Godly David, Oh Lord, bow amiable are thy Tabernacles? . How doth my foul long after thy Altar; O when Shall I come and appear before the Lord in Sion. And this duty is impofed upon every Christian, for to have an earnest affection to the Word of God. As when a man is hungry, the veins fucking moisture at the bottom of the Stomach, he feels a pain that makes him defire meat, even fo our fouls void of grace and nourishment unto eternal life, fhould hunger and thirst after Chrift and his Righteoufnefs? after his Word, which

is

is the true Spiritual food of our Souls. As till a man be hungry he wants no meat, fo till we fee our wants, we never feek to have our filly Souls fed with the Word of God, Now in that fo few defire the Word of God, and fo few esteem of it, it fhews that very few feel their want of food, very few can difcern their mifery and wretched eftate, but moft men run on in fin, joy themselves in their evil ways, ard never fay, Alas what have Idone? Jer. 8 6. We must de fire the fincere Milk of the Word, as the Infant does the Mothers Breafts, and as the Hart doth the River of Waters, Pfal. 42. And as the Church doth here, tell me where thou feedeft thy Flock. Wefhould do as the Earth doth in time of drought; fhe opens her mouth, begging and gapping until the Lord fend rain. The beggar never begs fo earnestly, till he feels his own want, and then he will fpare no time, labour, nor words: So till we fee our own wants, we never feek for the Spiritual food of our Souls. But they are bleffed which hunger and thirst after Righteousness,Mat. 5. 6.Tho' we think we are happy when we feel no want: And it is common to fay, I never doubted of my Sal vation, I would be loath my Confcience thould fo trouble me, &c. But fure it is the beginning of Grace, to find our felves to want Grace. Thofe that eat upon a full ftomach, it doth them leaft good: So they that are full, and feel not the want of the Word, it doth them little good.

And the Reafon is, that if we do not hunger and thirst after the Word of God, we can never enjoy the variety of all thofe gcod things which

are

are laid up in the Word, for as all good things which we have, and enjoy in this prefent life, are appendances to the Word, by which Word, and by Prayer, they are fanctiñed unto us. Now it is got and obtained no other way, but by thirsting after it, as the bleffed Virgin faith in her Song, Luke 1.53. He filleth the hungry with good things; and the Rich he bath fent empty away: Which may ferve to comfort the Diftreffed Children of God, which fhew their thifting Affection, by their great Labour and travel to hear the Word preached, though they meet with mocking and fcoffing for it, by fuch as are far from thirsting after it themselves. Secondly, If we fhould not eagerly feek after the Word of God, we fhould never know how much we are beholding unto the Lord, for the manifold Graces and Bleffings which we receive every day from our moft merciful God thereby. For fo faith Solomon, The full Soul loath eth the Honeycomb; but unto the hungry Soul every bitter thing is fweet. Prov. 27. 7. So that when we see our Spiritual Poverty, it will then make us prize the excellency of that benefit we enjoy, when we have the Word truly and fincerely preached and taught among us.

Seeing this longing defire after Chrift and his Word, is the badge and mark of the Sheep of Chrift, and of the true Church and Children of God: This Doctrine then maketh a plain diftinction betwixt the Sheep of Chrift, and the Goats of Satan: The Sheep of Chrift, long after their Shepherd, defire to be inftructed by him, hunger after the true Word preached and taught,

with for the Sabbath, Enquire where Chrift doth feed his Sheep, in the green Paftures of his Word and Sacraments? But the Goats loath the Word, and the preaching of it, Fz k. 34. 18. They tread down the pafture of the Sheep &c. Yea, they are weary of it, they will not go to the door to hear, Mat. 2. 13. They can be content as well to want it, as to have it; fo that hereby we may judge. our own Eftates, whether we are the true Sheep' of Chrift, or the Goats of Satan; the Children of God, or Limbs of the Devil: Doft thou love the Word of God more than thy appointed food? Tell me, doft thou defire to be taught in the Word? Enquireft thou whereChrift doth feed his fheep with good pafture? And doft thou delight in his word? John 10. 27. These are the marks of Chrift's sheep, and may minifter comfort unto thy Soul, if thou art one of thofe that belong unto his fold; but if on the contrary thou loath and abhor the Word of God, and haft no defire at all to tread in Gods Houfe, but fpendeft the Sabbath irreligioufly, vainly, and prophanely at Dice, Cards, Bowls, or Tables, &c. deceive not thine own Soul, it is a fign thou art none of Chrifts Sheep, but one of the ftinking Goats of Satan; and there will come a day of feparation, when Chrift Jefus the great Sheperd will divide the Sheep from the Goats: When he fhill fet the Sheep on the right hand,and theGoatson the left.

The fame Doctrine ferves toreprove three forts of men. Fift Atheists, that think it loft labour to be Religious, and that there is no good got by hearing Sermons, nor leading a Godly life. On! ic

hath