but likewife relifh all the fweetness of this

endearing defignation.

To us, indeed, an allufion to the paftoral life can hardly appear with equal beauty and ftrength. Many circumstances of refemblance would ftrike thofe who were acquainted with rural affairs, which must neceffarily be fuppofed to efcape our obfervation. But though we cannot trace them all with a critical exactnefs, yet by the light which the Scriptures afford us, I hope I fhall be able to bring as many proofs of our Lord's care and tenderness, as may fuffice to illuftrate the propriety of the allufion, and fhow with what juftice this title of the Good Shepherd is claimed by our Redeemer.

I begin with that to which our Lord himfelf appeals in the text. I," fays he, "am "the good Shepherd: the good Shepherd giveth his life for the fheep."

It was a fignal proof that David gave of his care and tenderness, when he ventured his life for the fake of his fheep, and encountered a bear and a lion in their defence.

VOL. III.

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But

but though the attempt was hazardous, it was not altogether defperate: he had hope of fuccefs, and actually prevailed. Befides, the charge committed to him was his father's property, part of which would one day fall to his own fhare: fo that his perfonal intereft was connected with the prefervation of it; for if the flock decreased, his part of the inheritance would have been diminished in proportion.

Befides,

But our blessed Lord had no inducement of this natnre. His interest was in no shape connected with our welfare; his glory and happiness were independent of us. He could neither be enriched by our homage, nor impoverished by the want of it. we had forfeited all title to his protection, and by the moft wicked and unprovoked rebellion had rendered ourselves the objects of his just displeasure. Yet fuch was his free and unmerited goodness, that he not only hazarded his life in our behalf, but voluntarily refigned it, that we might live through him. "All we like sheep had gone "aftray," says the evangelical Prophet, “we “had turned every one to his own way.

But

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But he was wounded for our tranfgrefઠંડ fions, he was bruised for our iniquities ;" or, in the language of the New Teftament, "He who knew no fin" became a fin-offering for us: the just One suffered for the unjust," that he might bring us to God."

Had our cafe been merely unfortunate, like that of a weak and harmless lamb feized by a lion, whom it could neither refift nor avoid, pity might have inclined a generous heart to attempt fomething for our deliverance. But our misery was the effect, not of weakness, but of voluntary wickednefs. We chose it in its caufe. We finned, though we were forewarned that death would be the iffue. We were not caught by furprife, but deliberately furrendered, or rather fold, ourfelves to the adverfary. Yet in this fituation, when we had nothing to invite, far lefs to deferve, his regard and affection, did the bleffed Jefus fly to our relief; and defcending from the throne, put on the form of a fervant, that in our place he might fuffer and die on this carth which he had made.

Befides, the fatal deeds which forfeited

our happiness were fins committed directly against himself. It was his own law we tranfgreffed, his own royalty we invaded: we fought against him with his own arms, and joined in confederacy with his most inveterate enemies. So that every obftacle that can be imagined lay in the road of mercy; the blackest ingratitude, the most outrageous infolence; in a word, all the circumftances were united which could aggravate our guilt, and inflame the wrath of him against whom we finned; and confpired to render our punishment not only a righteous, but even a wife and neceffary exercife of severity, for vindicating the honour of the Sovereign, and for maintaining the credit and influence of his government. Nay, as the threatening was published before the penalty was incurred, truth as well as juftice demanded the execution of it.

Such were our circumftances, when this Friend of finners, but the enemy of fin, came upon the wings of love to fave us. "Deliver them," faid he, "from going "down to the pit," and against me let the fword of justice be unfheathed. Here was

goodness,

goodnefs, generous, difinterested goodness, that never had, and that never can have, a parallel. "Scarcely for a righteous man "will one die, peradventure for a good man "fome would even dare to die;" but who hath ever heard of one dying for an enemy? Or if fuch a prodigy could be found among men, yet the generofity even of this perfon would fall infinitely short of the example in my text. Such a one might be faid to refign a life;

but then it is a precarious, dependent life; a debt payable on demand; a lease revocable at pleasure. A mere creature can give away nothing that is properly his own, because he has nothing but what he received. Whereas our deareft Lord not only died in the room of enemies, but by dying refigned a life that, in the stricteft fenfe, was his property for fo he fays in the 18th verfe of this chapter, "I have power to lay down my life, and I "have power to take it up again." He had an estate of his own, (fo to speak), an original, and therefore an abfolute, right to his life. This, as it gave merit and efficacy to his death, fo it qualified him to exhibit

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