2. The next argument is, " Because they are ' the flock of thine heritage/ " There are two things in this argument that we may plead with God:— (1.) That they are "a flock;" (2.) That they are "the flock of God's heritage."
(1.) They are "a flock,"— that is, of sheep; wherein these three things are comprised, which are pleadable with God: — [1.] That they are helpless; [2.] Harmless; [3.] Useful. A flock of sheep is so: —
[1.] They are helpless. Sheep are poor, helpless creatures; the more of them there are, the more are they exposed unto all manner of rapine and destruction. When left unto themselves, they are poor, helpless creatures. And, truly, so are the people of God, unless Christ, their shepherd, be with them. They are, and have been, a poor, help- less people throughout the whole world. I confess, when Christ, their shepherd, goes before them, they will go through great difficulties; but of themselves they are altogether helpless.
[2.] They are harmless. So are sheep; and it is required of all the saints of God that they be so likewise, Phil. ii. 15, " Be harmless in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation." Let us do the world
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no harm, neither public nor private, — do them no wrong nor injury, — that we may have an argument from hence to plead with God.
[3.] Sheep are useful. And I will name three things (though I love not to pursue allegories) wherein the people of God are useful in the world: — 1st. In the secret blessing that goes along with them; 2dly. In the good example they give; Sdly, In their industry in the Avorld : —
1st. There is a secret blessing goes along with them; as you see here, chap. v. 7 of this prophecy, " The remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst" (or in the bowels) " of many people, as a dew from the Lord, as the showers upon the grass, that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men." This poor remnant of Jacob, that lies in the bowels of the people, communicates secret blessings to them ; this remnant is as the dew that makes them spring. All they have is from this remnant of Jacob in their bowels. But who sees it? " No," saith he, " it is not such a dew ; ' it tarrieth not for man.' " None see the secret way whereby the dew falls; nor those secret ways whereby blessings are communicated to the whole nation from this secret remnant of Jacob, that lies in the bowels of them.
Idly. They are useful, from the good example they give; walking in the world as becomes creatures made to the glory of God. Tit. iii. 8, " This is a faithful saying, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men." Not only unto them who are relieved by them, but unto all mankind it is profitable. When professors are diligent and fruitful in good works, all mankind is profited by their example.
Sdly. They are profitable and useful in the world, by their industry in it. Tit. iii. 14, " Let ours also learn to maintain good works," to profess honest trades, " for necessary uses, that they be not unfruit- ful;"— useful to the world by then " industry in their honest trades;" the words may be well rendered so, and it is so in the margin of your Bibles. Many others help only to consume the fruits of the earth in luxury and wantonness; but God gives these an industry in their honest callings. Here is argument in this, that this flock is helpless, harmless, fruitful, useful. But, —
(2.) The main of this argument lies upon the adjunct. Saith he, '' Feed the flock of thine heritage." This flock is God's heritage. Deut. xxxii. 9, " The Lord's portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance." Why "the lot of his inheritance"? When the people came to possess the land, it was divided to them all by lot. God hath his lot in the world. That which, if I may so say, is fallen to God's share is this flock ; and Christ rejoices in it, Ps. xvi. 5, 6, " The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage." His lot was cast in Canaan, — in a good and fruitful place.
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Christ takes a view of his church, and is satisfied with it. " I desire no more," saith he; '■' the lines are fallen to me in a pleasant place.' this my lot is ' a goodly heritage/ "
And these things may he pleaded from this, — that they are " the flock of God's heritage : " —
[1.] It being God's heritage, if he take not care of it, nobody else will. Every man takes care of his own heritage, — that which belongs to him ; and if God take not care of his, there is none else to care for them. It is frequently so expressed, that they are such as none care for. Why? It is not their heritage. It is not the heritage of princes and great men of the world, — of the Turk or the Pope. As, there- fore, it is God's heritage, if he will not take care of it, it is in vain to expect it from any other.