600. JOH 10:16. CHRIST’S COLLECTED FLOCK
Joh_10:16. Christ’s Collected Flock
By Rev. Timothy Dwight, D. D. Ll. D.
"And other sheep I have, which are not, of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd."’97Joh_10:16.
In the text, after having displayed in his previous observations, a tenderness never exhibited by any other inhabitant of this world. Christ proceeds to inform us, that he had other sheep, besides those of which he had been speaking; that he must bring, or collect, them; and that the two flocks should constitute one’97be sheltered by one fold, and led by one shepherd.
"Other sheep," says our Saviour, "I have." Other disciples, besides those of the Jewish nation, and the present age, I have belonging to my family. They exist among the Gentiles in this age; and will exist in every future period. "The gospel of the kingdom," which is to be preached in all nations, will everywhere find those who will cordially receive and obey its dictates: those, who in the exercise of a living and affectionate confidence, will hereafter give themselves up to me, and become mine. They are now mine, and were given to me from the beginning. "Them I must bring." To collect them from every part of the world is one of the greatest duties of my office; a part of the glorious work which my Father gave me to do, and I shall not leave it unaccomplished. "They shall hear my voice." When I call, they will know and acknowledge me as their Shepherd, and cheerfully obey the summons. "There shall be one fold:" a single church’97a single assembly of my disciples; one in name; one in their character, their life, and their destination; and I, the good, the only Shepherd, will lead them. "They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters," Rev_7:16.
"Other sheep," saith our Saviour, "I have, which are not of this fold." The sheep which Christ then had were Jews: inhabitants of a single country, and living at that single period. Nay, they were a little flock gathered out of these. His other sheep, as he has taught us in his word, are a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues; born in every future period; gathered out of every distant land, Rev_7:9. "Them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice." He who took such effectual care of the little flock which followed him during his ministry, because it was their "Father’s good pleasure to give them the kingdom," will be easily believed, when he informs us, that he must and will bring into his fold a multitude, by their number and character of such immeasurable importance. For this very end, he hath "ascended far above all heavens, that he might fill all things." For this very end, he is constituted Head over all things unto his church. This is the third great division of his employment as Mediator. The first, to teach the will of God for our salvation; the second, to expiate our sins; the third is to gather us into his heavenly kingdom.
I. What things are to be done for the completion of this end? I observe,
1. The views of mankind concerning religious subjects, are to be extensively changed.
It will not be questioned, that truth is invariably an object of the Divine complacency; and error of the Divine reprobation. As God rejoices in his works, so it is impossible that he should not be pleased with truth; which is only a declaration of the state of those works, of his agency in accomplishing them, and of his character displayed in that agency. Error, which falsifies all these things, must, with equal evidence, be odious to him. As little can it be questioned, that truth is the instrument through which we are sanctified, and made free from the bondage of corruption.
2. A mighty change, also, must be wrought in the disposition of men.
Whenever mankind shall be brought into the fold of Christ, will succeed that love to God, and to man, which is the fulfilling of the law; that repentance towards God, and that faith in the Redeemer, which are the primary obedience of the gospel. In the train of these great evangelical attributes, will follow the meek and lowly virtues of Christianity, which so extensively occupied the instructions, and so beautifully adorned the life of the Saviour: "Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance," Gal_5:22-23; all, glorious fruits of the Spirit of grace’97natives of heaven, and though for a time pilgrims in this world, yet destined to return to heaven again.
3. The change will not be less in the conduct of men.
Permit me, then, to observe, that the private conduct of men will experience a mighty and wonderful revolution. Truth, at the same time, will resume her empire over the tongue, the pen, and the press. Honesty also will control the dealings of men. In the same manner, will unkindness vanish from the habitations of mankind. The stranger will everywhere find a home, and the wanderer an asylum. Uncharitableness, also, between those who profess the religion of the Redeemer, will be found no more. Nor will the public conduct of mankind be less extensively inverted. On the bench, will be seen those, and those only, who shake their hands from holding bribes; stop their ears from hearing evil; and close their eyes from seeing blood. At the bar of justice, prisoners will cease to be found: the deserted jail will crumble into dust; and the gibbet will be known only in the tales of other times. Wars, also, will be no more.
Then religion will resume her proper station, and no longer be subordinated to pleasure, gain, and glory; to frantic scrambles about place and power, and the aggrandizement of wretches, who steal into office by flattery and falsehood, in order to riot, on peculation. From heaven will she descend, clothed with a cloud; and a rainbow upon her head, her face as it were the sun, and her feet pillars of fire: in her hand she will hold a little book; and that book will be opened to the eyes of all nations of men, see Rev_10:1-2 : on its pages they will read, in lines of light, "Now is come salvation and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ. God himself will dwell among the great family of Adam, and be their God; and they shall be his people."
II. In what manner are these things to be done?
I answer, they are to be accomplished, not by miracles, but by means. St. Paul has, in the most express and decisive terms, given us the law of procedure, by which the kingdom of God is to be established in every part of the habitable world. "How shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? So then, faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God," Rom_10:14-17.
(1.) Permit me to add, that those by whom these mighty things are to be done, are themselves to exhibit the spirit of the gospel as the great controlling principle of their conduct. Common sense has proverbially declared, and all experience uniformly proved, that precept without example is vain. To the intended objects of this beneficence, it would be worse than in vain. From men, who do not practice what they teach, instructions would be received, as the Mexicans received them from the Spaniards, only with contempt and indignation.
(2.) The process of this mighty work is, in this respect also, exactly marked out by St. Paul. "Salvation has come unto the Gentiles to provoke the Jews to jealousy;" or, as in the Greek, To excite them to emulation, Rom_11:11.
(3.) The casting away of the Jews is the reconciling of the world: the receiving of them will be to that same world life from the dead.
(4.) It is hardly necessary to observe, that the measures which will produce these mighty effects upon the Jews, will have a similar efficacy wherever they are employed.
III. By whom are these things to be done?
This question admits but of one answer’97on this subject there can be no debate: the time for doubt is past, the work is begun. Missionaries, already in great numbers, run to and fro, and knowledge is even now greatly increased. "The gospel of the kingdom" is already preached in Greenland, in Labrador, in Tartary, in Hindostan, in China, in New Holland, in the Isles of the Pacific Ocean, and the Caribbean Sea; in Southern America, and in the African deserts. The voice of salvation, the song of praise to Jehovah, echoes already from the sides of Taurus, and trembles over the waves of the Ganges. The Bible has travelled round the globe.
In such an enterprise, all who engage in it must be united: if Christians do not unite their hearts and their hands, they will effectuate nothing. Solitary efforts will here be fruitless; divided efforts will be equally fruitless; clashing efforts will destroy each other. Learn,
1. The work to which you are summoned is the work of God. My brethren, it is the chief work of God which has been announced to mankind; it is the end of this earthly creation; it is the end of this earthly providence; it is the glorious end of redemption.
2. The present is the proper time for this glorious undertaking. It is the proper time, as it is marked out by the spirit of prophecy.
3. The necessity of this work irresistibly demands every practicable effort.
"The whole world," says St. John, speaking of his own time, "lieth in wickedness," 1Jn_5:19. Lieth’97for such is the indication of the original’97as a man slain lies weltering in his blood. How extensively is this strong picture a portrait of the world at this moment!
4. The day in which these blessings are to be ushered in has arrived. The day in which the mighty work will be seen in its full completion is at hand. We must labor, that those who come after us may enter into our labors. We must sow, and in due time both we and our successors, if we sow bountifully, shall reap a Divine harvest. With every faithful endeavor of ours, the Spirit of grace will co-operate. "As the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations," Isa_61:11.
Autor: JABEZ BURNS