But when he saw the multitude, he had compassion upon them, because they were dispersed, and scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. This people by whom our Saviour Christ spake, had the Scribes and Pharisees, great learned1 Clerks, Doctors of the Law, and yet he saith, that they wanted shepherds: and therefore he willed his Disciples to pray to the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. Whereby he noteth, that those only be true Pastors which be labourers. He likeneth true Ministers to faithful shepherds, and the people of God to a flock of sheep, taking the occasion of this simile, according to that country where were many mountains, deserts and wildernesses, so that their sheep without a shepherd were scattered abroad very dangerously, in that so many wolves and savage beasts laid wait in every corner to devour the silly sheep. In like case are they that have not a Pastor, that laboureth2 faithfully in preaching the word of God, which is the instrument which God hath appointed to pull his people into the sheepfold of Jesus Christ, where they are without danger of destruction: when as all they that are without a Pastor, are wandering abroad to their3 own destruction: such horrible disorder is there, where Gods word is not truly preached. In another place he saith: O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often would I have gathered thy children together, as the hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not. This people dwelt all together, they were not scattered here one & there another, but abode whole in that goodly city of Jerusalem: yet because they were not in the unity of the spirit of the household of God, they were scattered abroad in most miserable disorder. For the Church of Jesus Christ is not in one place only, but dispersed and scattered in divers places throughout the whole world, and yet are they all of one household, all of one sheepfold, and are united together in one spirit: and though we be here, yet are we of the same number and flock with them in Germany, so long as we are of the true faith of Jesus Christ, for their faith and ours is all one, their spirit and our spirit all one, according to the words of the Apostle: There is one body, and one spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your 4vocation.
But when he saw the multitude, he had compassion vpon them, because they were dispersed, and scattered abroad, as sheepe hauing no shepheard. This people by whom our Sauiour Christ spake, had the Scribes and Pharisies, great learned1 Clerkes, Doctors of the Law, and yet he saith, that they wanted shepheards: and therefore he willed his Disciples to pray to the Lord of the haruest, that hee would send foorth labourers into his haruest. Whereby he noteth, that those only be true Pastors which be labourers. He likeneth true Ministers to faithfull shepheards, and the people of God to a flocke of sheep, taking the occasion of this similie, according to that countrey where were many mountaines, deserts and wildernesses, so that their sheepe without a shepheard were scattered abroad very dangerously, in that so many wolues and sauage beasts laid waite in euery corner to deuour the sillie sheepe. In like case are they that haue not a Pastor, that laboureth2 faithfully in preaching the word of God, which is the instrument which God hath appointed to pull his people into the sheepfold of Iesus Christ, where they are without daunger of destruction: when as all they that are without a Pastor, are wandring abroad to their3 owne destruction: such horrible disorder is there, where Gods word is not truly preached. In another place he saith: O Ierusalem, Ierusalem, how often would I haue gathered thy children together, as the henne gathereth her chickens vnder her wings, and ye would not. This people dwelt all together, they were not scattered here one & there another, but abode whole in that goodly citie of Ierusalem: yet because they were not in the vnitie of the spirit of the household of God, they were scattered abroad in most miserable disorder. For the Church of Iesus Christ is not in one place onely, but dispersed and scattered in diuers places throughout the whole world, and yet are they all of one household, all of one sheepfold, and are vnited together in one spirit: and though we be here, yet are we of the same number and flocke with them in Germany, so long as we are of the true faith of Iesus Christ, for their faith and ours is all one, their spirit and our spirit all one, according to the words of the Apostle: There is one bodie, and one spirit, euen as ye are called in one hope of your 4vocation.
- 1The people of God without a shepherd for all the great learning of the Doctors. Matth. 9. 38.The people of God without a shepheard for all the great learning of the Doctors. Matth. 9. 38.
- 2Who be only true Ministers.Who be onely true Ministers.
- 3The misery of the people without a Pastor. Matth. 23. 37. Luk. 13. 34.The miserie of the people without a Pastor. Matth. 23. 37. Luk. 13. 34.
- 4Ephe 4. 4. 5. 6.
