Answ. He died for his Sheep; I lay down my Life for my Sheep, saith he; a Sheep is an harmless Creature, it can be hurt by any, but it can do hurt to none; it is a prey to all, but doth prey upon none. So are the Sheep of Christ, innocent, harmless, and without horns, as the word is, be innocent as Doves, or ⟨p. 124⟩without horns as Doves,1 [Greek or Hebrew]; a Sheep is an useful, profitable Creature, nothing not useful in it; the Flesh, the Wool, the very Dung thereof profitable. So are the Sheep of Christ, and his Sheep hear his Voice, but know not the Voice of a Stranger; and if you be in your Life harmless, profitable, hearing the Voice of Christ in the Gospel, then are you his Sheep, and he did die for you. 2. If you can leave the b•som of your sweet Relations, and suffer for Christ, then did he leave the bosom of his Father, and suffer for you; for we love him, because he loved us first, all our Grace, is but the reflection of his. 3. If he intercedes for you in Heaven, then he died for you on Earth; now he ever liveth to make Intercession for all those that come unto God by him; you come unto God by him, therefore he goes unto God for you, and therefore died for you. 4. He died to reconcile God to us, and us unto God; if you be reconciled to God, and the things of God, so as you do now love the Truths, Ways, and things of God, which you once hated, then is God also reconciled to you. Now thus it is with you; you can say, through Grace I do love those Truths, and Ways, and Things of God, which I once hated; therefore you are reconciled to God, therefore he is reconciled to you, and therefore Christ died for you. 5. If you can fulfil the Law of Christ, then hath Christ died for you; for those that he died for, he satisfied, and fulfilled the Law for; and if you can fulfil his Law, you may safely say he hath obeyed, and fulfilled the Law for me: now the Law of Christ, is to bear one another's burdens; Bear ye one another's burdens, saith the Apostle, and so fulfil the Law of Christ: this you do, and can do; therefore he hath fulfilled the Law for you, and so hath died for you. 6. If you be the Seed, and Children of Christ, then did he travel, and die for you;
Answ. He died for his Sheep; I lay down my Life for my Sheep, saith he; a Sheep is an harmless Creature, it can be hurt by any, but it can do hurt to none; it is a prey to al, but doth prey upon none. So are the Sheep of Christ, innocent, harmless, and without horns, as the word is, be innocent as Doves, or ⟨p. 124⟩without horns as Doves,1 〈non-Latin alphabet〉; a Sheep is an useful, profitable Creature, nothing not useful in it; the Flesh, the Wool, the very Dung thereof profitable. So are the Sheep of Christ, and his Sheep hear his Voyce, but know not the Voyce of a Stranger; and if you be in your Life harmless, profitable, hearing the Voyce of Christ in the Gospel, then are you his Sheep, and he did die for you. 2. If you can leave the b•som of your sweet Relations, and suffer for Christ, then did he leave the bosom of his Father, and suffer for you; for we love him, because he loved us first, al our Grace, is but the reflexion of his. 3. If he intercedes for you in Heaven, then he died for you on Earth; now he ever liveth to make Intercession for al those that come unto God by him; you come unto God by him, therefore he goes unto God for you, and therefore died for you. 4. He died to reconcile God to us, and us unto God; if you be reconciled to God, and the things of God, so as you do now love the Truths, Waies, and things of God, •hich you once hated, then is God also reconciled to you. Now thus it is with you; you can say, through Grace I do love those Truths, and Waies, and Things of God, which I once hated; therefore you are reconciled to God, therefore he is reconciled to you, and therefore Christ died for you. 5. If you can fulfil the Law of Christ, then hath Christ died for you; for those that he died for, he satisfied, and fulfilled the Law for; and if you can fulfil his Law, you may safely say he hath obeyed, and fulfilled the Law for me: now the Law of Christ, is to bear one anothers burdens; Bear ye one anothers burdens, saith the Apostle, and so fulfil the Law of Christ: this you do, and can do; therefore he hath fulfilled the Law for you, and so hath died for you. 6. If you be the Seed, and Children of Christ, then did he travel, and die for you;
- 1Absque cornibus, translatio Graci vocabuli à placidis animalibus sumpta videtur, quae natura nullis cornibus armavit ad depellendam injuriam aut si armavit cornibus ad id non utuntur. Luc. Brugens. in Matth. 10. vers. 16.
