Rulers Feeding and Guiding Their People

p. 1RULERS Feeding AND Guiding their PEOPLE, WITH Integrity and Skilfulness.

PLALM LXXVIII. 72.

So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart: and guided them by the Skilfulness of his bands.

GREAT Accomplishments are needful, for the right managing of Great Affairs. The well Governing of a Professing People of God, is a very great Affair indeed; and very eminent Qualifications are needful for it. Our Text gives an Instance, of the well Governing of a Professing People of God; and of the Qualifications needful p. 2thereto, and exerted therein. For it tells us concerning David, who was King over Israel God's Professing People, that he fed them according to the Integrity of his heart, and guided them by the Skilfulness of his hands. This Psalm whereof our Text is the close, gives us an account of God's wonderful Appearances for, and merciful Dealings with, His People Israel in Egypt; of His Mercy in bringing them thence, protecting and supplying them in the Wilderness, bringing them into Canaan and possessing them of that good Land; and of His kind Dispensations to them for a considerable time after. It also gives an account, of the unsuitable returns which Israel made, to the God and Giver of all their Mercies: it relates their ungrateful, disobedient carriage to God. This History, which briefly relates sundry Grand Articles of Divine Conduct towards Israel, and of their behaviour towards God, for the space of between Four and Five Hundred Years, (1 King. 6. 1.) I say, this History seems to present us, with a sort of Contest between the Bounty, Mercy and Kindness of God; and the Ingratitude and Disobedience of His People, as tho' there were a strife which should overcome. And if we may look on this matter as a sort of Contest, then God (who is merciful and gracious, p. 3slow to anger & plenteous in mercy, Psal. 103. 8) comes off Conqueror at last. For tho' He several times sorely and sharply chasten'd them, and in His Providence plainly testify'd against their gross Transgressions; yet on the other hand, He being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not; yea MANY a TIME turned be his anger away, and did not stir up all his Wrath. ver. 38. Tho'God often made them smart for their ill carriage, yet their Punishments were not so severe as their Sins deserved. He dealt not with them after their Sins, neither rewarded them according to their Iniquities, Psal. 103. 10. He did not yet utterly cast them off from being His People, nor utterly take His loving kindness from them; but His Mercy triumphed over their unworthiness. For the History in this Psalm is clos'd, in relating a great and remarkable Instance of God's kindness to His People; even in setting an Able, Faithful and Godly Ruler ever them. This is mention'd (and that very justly) as a plain, evident Instance of his abundant care of, and goodness to, his People, ver. 70, 7I. He chose David also his Servant, and took him from the Sheep folds; from following the 〈…〉 great with young, he brought him to feed Jacob his People, and Israel his Inheritance. The Person chosen was David, here call'd God's Servant; p. 4and an eminent Servant of God he was, to whom God himself gave testimony saying, I have found David the Son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfill all my will, Act. 13.22. Note by the way, p. 4The more any Person is after God's own heart, the more Inclin'd to fulfil his will; so much the more fit he is to be a Ruler. This David, had been a Shepherd in a proper and literal sense, he had kept his Father's Sheep, 1 Sam. 16.11, 19. & 17.15. God calls him from this work, to be a Political Shepherd to Israel his covenant Professing People. God's People, are sometimes compar'd to Sheep, to a Flock of them, (2 Sam. 24.17. Psal. 80.1.) and so David's being call'd to govern them, is call'd a Feeding of them. And whom must David, Feed? Why Jacob, Israel, God's People, God's Inheritance. They were a People near and dear to God; in a peculiar, fingular, distinguishing manner God's special Propriety, His Inheritance, Possession, his Peculiar treasure above all People, Exod. 19.5. For the Lord's Portion is his People; Jacob is the Lot of his Inheritance, Deut. 32.9. Psal. I.35.4. It was an high and honourable, weighty and important work, to govern a People thus distinguishingly near to God; His peculiar treasure, portion and inheritance. Well, our Text tells us, how, David manag'd himfelf in p. 5governing this People; he fed & guided them. The Phrase is Metaphorical, it alludes to the practice of Shepherds who consult the good of their Sheep; and therefore indeavour to lead and guide them in right ways, to keep them from stragling and straying, from walking in paths that would be dangerous and hurtful to them. This feeding them, signifies also a kind, tender care to see them well provided for; a making them to lye down in green pastures, a leading them by still waters, (Psal. 23.2.) a taking care, that they may go in and out, and find Pasture, Job. 10.9. Feeding and Guiding them imports, a thoughtful, sollicitous, industrious care, for the good & welfare of God's Sheep, his professing People. Further still David did thus Feed and Guide them,

I. According to the integrity of his heart. It seems his Heart was ingag'd in the work, the weight and importance of it came home to his heart, it lay close and near to his Spirit. He look'd not on it as a work by the by, as a trivial business of small concern; but his very. Soul was indeed ingag'd in it. And truly, since such a valuable Depositum, such a peculiar Treasure as Gods Covenant People were committed to him, and betrusted with him; 'twas highly reasonable and needful, that his very heart, his Soul should be diligently imploy'd in p. 6caring for them, and in promoting their welfare. Rich Jewels and Treasures, should be diligently and carefully look'd to, that they may be kept well and safe; but there are no Jewels or Treasures in the World, of so high a price and value as God's Covenant People are. They are dear to God as the Apple of his Eye, Zech. 2.8 Well, David imploy'd his Heart, yea Integrity of heart in feeding God's People in governing of them. Integrity, the word signifies (as Criticks observe) Upright, Perfect, Sincere, Honest and without Guile: such was his Heart in Feeding them.