without a shepherd, Matt. 9: 36. That the people lacked true pastors,
7. The devil shames such preachers. He goes about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour; and they, set to keep souls, creep about like a snail. He is in earnest when he tempts; but such are unconcerned whether people hear, or forbear to hear their invitations, reproofs, etc. Yea, how concerned are the devil's ministers that agent his business for him? They will compass sea and land to gain one proselyte. And shall the preachers of the gospel be unconcerned?
8. If it be so that you are unconcerned for the good of souls, it seems you earnest not in by the door, but have broken over the wall, and are but a thief and a robber, John 10:1, compared with verse 12, " He who is a hireling, sees the wolf coming, flees, and leaves the sheep, and the wolf catches them." Ver. 15, "The hireling flees, because he is a hireling, and cares not for the sheep." O my soul, if at any time you find your heart unconcerned then, not having the good of souls before you, remember this.
9. Lastly, you can not expect God's help, if you forget your errand. Have you not known and experienced, that these two, God's help in preaching, and a concernedness for the good of souls, have gone with you hand in hand? O my soul, then endeavour to be much in following of Christ this way, setting the good of souls before your eyes; and if you do so, you may be a fisher of men, though you know it not.
Fourthly, Christ had not only the good of souls before his eyes, but he was much affected with their case; it lay heavy on his spirit. There are these four things wherein this appeared, that occur to me, with which he was much affected.
1. He had compassion on the multitude, because they were as sheep without a shepherd, Matt. 9: 36. That the people lacked true pastors, was affecting to him; he had compassion on them. Follow Christ in this, O my soul; pity them that wander as sheep without a shepherd. And let this consideration move you, when you go to preach in planted congregations, where you will even see many that are wandering,
though they have faithful pastors. Look on them as sheep not better for them than if they lacked a shepherd. But especially when you go to vacant congregations, pity them, commiserate their case, as sheep lacking a shepherd; which no doubt will be a notable means to make you improve well the little time allowed you for gathering them in. Be affected with their case; and, for this end, consider,
(i.) That such are in a perishing condition: Where no vision is, the people perish. They are ignorant, no wonder, they have none to instruct them; they have lean souls, no wonder, they have none to break the bread of life to them; they wander from God's way, they have none to watch over them, and so the devil takes his opportunity.
(2.) Consider that for the most part here at least [this was written while I preached in the presbytery of Stirling] people are deprived of watchmen, in regard of the malignancy and ticklishness of their superiors; so that though the people would ever so gladly receive one to break the bread of life to them, yet they cannot get their will, by reason of these keeping it from them. It would make your heart to relent if you saw a child that would be content to have a pedagogue to guide him, seeing he acknowledges he cannot do it himself, if notwithstanding his tutor should not allow him one, but stand in the way of it, and so the child be lost for want of a pedagogue. So, O my soul, commiserate you the case of those who would fain have one to watch over their souls, but yet they that should employ their authority, power, wit, etc., to find out one for them, either lie by or oppose the same.
(3.) Consider the many souls that go out of time into eternity, during the time that they want a shepherd. They have none to instruct them, none to let them see their hazard, none to comfort them when death comes, but they slip away, many of them at least, as the brutes that perish. You have found this to have been a cause of your commiserating such before now, when you have spoken to such being a dying. If this be well considered, and laid to heart, you can not but pity them on that very account, which will stir you up to employ the