April 6

For ye were as sheep going astray, but are now returned to the shepherd and bishop of your souls.—1 Peter 2:25.

This is the way to find acceptance and peace, and satisfying comforts in returning: come first to this shepherd of souls, Jesus Christ, and by him come unto the Father. No man comes unto the Father, says he, but by me. This is the high and right way of returning unto God. I am the good shepherd; I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved. But if he miss this door, he shall miss salvation too. Ye are returned, says the apostle, unto the shepherd and bishop of your souls.

There are three things necessary to restore us to our happiness, whence we have departed in our wanderings: 1. To take away the guiltiness of our former wanderings. 2. To reduce us into the way again. 3. To keep and lead us in it.

Now all these are performable only by this great Shepherd. 1. He did satisfy for the offence of our wanderings, and so remove our guiltiness. He himself, the shepherd, became a sacrifice for his flock, a sheep, or spotless lamb. So Isaiah, We like sheep have gone astray, and immediately after the mention of our strayings, it is added, The Lord laid, or made to meet on him, the iniquity of us all, of all our strayings; He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter. He who is our shepherd, the same is the lamb of sacrifice. So our apostle, We are redeemed, not by silver and gold, but by the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. So John, He is the good shepherd that lays down his life for his sheep. Men think not on this; many of them who have some thoughts of returning and amendment, think not that there is a satisfaction due for past wanderings; and therefore they pass by Christ, and consider not the necessity of returning to him, and by him to the Father.

2. He brings them back into the way of life: Ye are returned. But think not it is by their own knowledge and skill, that they discover their error, and find out the right path, or that by their own strength they return to it. That this is the work of this shepherd, the Lord Jesus, God-man, is clearly and frequently taught in the gospel. He came for this very end; it was his errand and business in the world, to seek and to save that which was lost. And thus it is represented in the parable, Luke 15:4.5; he goes after that which was lost till he find it, and then, having found it, doth not only show it the way, and say to it, return, and so leave it to come after, but he lays it on his shoulder, and brings it home; and notwithstanding all his pains, instead of complaining against it for wandering, he rejoices in that he hath found and recovered it: he lays it on his shoulder rejoicing. And in this, there is as much of the resemblance as in any other thing. Lost man can no more return unsought, than a sheep that wandereth, which is observed of all creatures to have least of that skill. Men may have some confused thoughts of returning, but to know the way and to come, unless they be sought out, they are unable. This is David's suit, though acquainted with the fold, I have gone astray like a lost sheep, seek thy servant. This did our great and good shepherd, through those difficult ways he was to pass for finding us, wherein he not only hazarded, but really laid down his life; and those shoulders which did bear the iniquity of our wanderings, by expiation, upon the same doth he bear and bring us back by effectual conversion.

3. He keeps and leads us on in that way into which he hath restored us. He leaves us not again to try our own skill, whether we can walk to heaven alone, being set in the path of it, but he still conducts us in it by his own hand, and that is the cause of our persisting in it, and attaining the blessed end of it. He restoreth my soul, says the Psalmist; and that is not all: he adds, He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Those paths are the green pastures meant, and the still waters that he speaks of. And thus we may judge whether we are of his flock. Are we led in the paths of righteousness? Do we delight ourselves in him, and his ways? Are they the proper refreshment of our souls? Do we find his words sweet unto our taste? Are we taken with the green pastures in it, and the crystal streams of consolations that glide through it? Can we discern his voice, and does it draw our hearts, so that we follow it?

"My Shepherd found his wand'ring sheep Een to the brink of Tophet driven: He now among his flock shall keep, And guide me to his fold in heaven."