Now to seal this further,1 see what the Scripture saith in some parallel places, Psal. 23. The Lord is my Shepherd, and what is the use that David presently makes hereof? Why, I shall want nothing, he will feed me plentifully and abundantly, the whole Psalm is nothing but a commenting upon that word, the Lord is my Shepherd, how doth he perform the duty of a shepherd, He makes me to lye down in green pastures and leads me by the still waters, it is not only meant of the body, but of the soul chiefly, ⟨p. 491⟩he restoreth my soul, that is, when my soul languisheth and is ready to faint, he restores it, and gives me as it were a new soul, he refresheth it. We see say recreation is the creating of a thing a new, so he restores my soul, he gives me my soul a new with fresh comforts: Thus the blessed Shepherd doth, and how? Because, he feeds among the Lilies, the promises of the Gospel; then he doth not only do good to the body and soul, but he guides all our ways, all our goings out, He leads us in the paths of Righteousness, and why, because I deserve so much at his hands? No; for his own name sake, because he hath a love to me, because he hath purchased me with his blood, and given his life for his sheep, hath bought me so dear, though there be no worth in me. He goes on, though I walk through all temptations and troubles, which are as the valley of the shadow of death, that is (where there is nothing but disconsolation and misery) yet I will fear none ill, thou with thy rod and staff dost comfort me. If I, as a wandering sheep, venture to go out of the way, thou out of thy care being a sweet and loving Shepherd wilt pull me in with thy hook and staff again, he hath not care only to feed us, but to […] verne us also. What a sweet Shepherd and Saviour have we in covenant that […] thus with us, and so he proceeds, thou […] prepare my table in the presence of mine […], and for the time to come he promi••eth himself as ⟨p. 492⟩much that God as he hath been a Shepherd (for the presen•) to provide all things necessary for body & soul and guidance, so surely the goodness of the Lord shall follow me all the days of my life, for he is a perpetual Shepherd, he will not leave us till he hath brought us to Heaven. Thus we see in this place the sweet care of Christ.
Now to seale this further,1 see what the Scripture saith in some paralell places, Psal. 23. The Lord is my Shepheard, and what is the use that David presently makes hereof? Why, I shall want nothing, hee will feed me plentifully and •boundantly, the whole Psalme is nothing but a commenting upon that word, the Lord is my Shepheard, how doth he performe the duty of a shepheard, He makes me to lye downe in greene pastures and leads me by the stil waters, it is not only meant of the body, but of the soule chiefly, ⟨p. 491⟩he restoreth my soule, that is, when my soule languisheth and is ready to faint, he restores it, and gives me as it were a new soule, he refresheth it. We see say recreation is the creating of a thing a new, so he restores my soule, he gives me my soule a new with fresh comforts: Thus the blessed Shepheard doth, and how? Because, he feedes among the Lillies, the promises of the Gospell; then hee doth not onely doe good to the body and soule, but hee guides all our waies, all our goings out, Hee leads us in the paths of Righteousnesse, and why, because I deserve so much at his hands? No; for his owne name sake, because hee hath a love to me, because he hath purchased me with his blood, and given his life for his sheepe, hath bought me so deare, though there bee no worth in me. He goes on, though I walke through all temptations and troubles, which are as the valley of the shadow of death, that is (where there is nothing but disconsolation and misery) yet I will feare none ill, thou with thy rod and staffe dost comfort me. If I, as a wandring sheep, venture to goe out of the way, thou out of thy care being a sweete and loving Shepheard wilt pull me in with thy hooke and staffe againe, he hath not care onely to feed us, but to 〈…〉 verne us also. What a sweet Shepheard and Saviour have we in covenant that 〈…〉 thus with us, and so he proceeds, thou 〈…〉 prepare my table in the presence of mine 〈…〉, and for the time to come hee promi••eth himselfe as ⟨p. 492⟩much that God as he hath beene a Shepheard (for the presen•) to provide all things necessary for body & soule and guidance, so surely the goodnesse of the Lord shall follow me all the daies of my life, for he is a perpetual Shepheard, he will not leave us till he hath brought us to Heaven. Thus we see in this place the sweete care of Christ.
- 1How Christ the true shepherd feeds, is further explained.How Christ the true shepheard feeds, is further explained.
