But let us not reflect only upon this common necessity, but our own personal necessity, what need we have to look after a Redeemer, and to get an interest in him, and that his redeeming grace may become glorious in our eyes.
1. In your natural estate you were every one of you as lost sheep, fugitives, and strangers, and enemies to him. Thy way was lost, tliy God lost, thy happiness lost, thy soul lost ; so it was, for Christ ' came to seek and to save that whlcii was lost.' Then the devil was thy shepherd, then thou didst put thyself under his conduct, and God was looked upon as thy enemy. Oh, think of it ; at a day old thou wert sinful, even to the death, and worthy of God's hatred : Col. i. 21, ' You were sometimes alienated, and enemies in your minds by wicked works.' And his wrath remaineth on you, till application be made of the blood of Christ \\\)0\\ gospel terms: John iii. 36, 'He that believeth not the Son, shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.' These terms are repentance and turning to God. Now dost thou believe that thou wert a child of wrath by nature, a fire-
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brand of hell ? and canst thou be secure, and desirest thou not to be freed from so p^reat a danger ?
2. In practice. How didst thou wander and depart from God throughout the whole course of thy life ? The stragglings of thy youth, how canst thou look back upon them without shame and blush- ing? Cry out then, Ps. xxv. 7, 'Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me, for thy goodness' sake, 0 Lord.' And in thy riper years how shamefully didst thou stray from God, even since thou begannest to have more of conscience, and a greater use of reason ? It were end- less to trace us in all our by-paths : ' Who can understand his errors ? ' Ps. xix. 12. In every age, in every condition, in every business, we have been wandering from God.
3. Since grace received we have bad our deviations : Ps. cxix. 176, ' I have gone astray like a lost sheep : seek thy servant, for I do not forget thy commandments.' Though our hearts be set to walk with God in the main, yet we are ever and anon swerving from the rule, either neglecting our duty to God, or transgressing against the holy commandment. Oh, therefore eat your passover with sour herbs, and bless the Lord for finding you out in your wanderings, and follow- ing you with the tenders of his grace in Christ.
Use 2. If the Spirit of God sets forth our natural estate by the straying or wandering of sheep, see if this disposition be still in you, yea or no. Are you not apt to go astray from God and from his ways ?
1. From God. Every sin is a departing from him, but especially unbelief : Heb. iii. 12, ' Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.' Adam thought to find much happiness in forbidden fruit, to mend and better his condition, but was miserably disappointed. So when we do not believe God in his word, we will be trying our fortunes and taking our own swing and course. But I speak of a more general dis- position. There are some whose main care it is to be getting away from God; as the prodigal went into a far country, Luke xv. 11. They think to be better anywhere than at home under God's eye and presence. This appeareth by the care they take to keep God out of their thoughts : Ps. x. 4, ' God is not in all his thoughts.' A thought of God rushing into their mind is very unwelcome and unpleasant to them ; they are backward and hang off from communion with God, and the duties of religion are looked upon as a melancholy inter- ruption.
2. From the ways of God. Though they are the only ways of peace and life, and will surely make us happy in the end, yet natu- rally we are of a libertine and yokeless spirit. Sinners looking upon all things thi-ough the spectacles of the flesh, count them harsh and unequal, and a strict confinement : Mat. vii. 14, ' Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.' They cannot endure God's restraint : Prov. xiv. 12, ' There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.' The broad and easy ways of sin are pleasing to flesh and blood, but destructive to the soul. Well, then, he that
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counteth the company of Goil or tlio ways of God irksome, liatli this wandering disjiositioii still remaining with him; and it it he not checked it will prove his eternal destruction. The sheep do not fare the hetter for going out of the pasture. We leave all good in leaving the chiefest gooil ; and in departing from God you turn your hack upon your own happiness ; as heasts put into a good pasture will yet seek out some gap that they may range abroad.