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SERMON XXIII.

Jefus Chrift the good Shepherd.

John, x. 11. I am the good Shepherd.

JESUS CHRIST is reprefented in the facred oracles as fustaining the greatest variety of characters. There is no office or relation which implies any advantage to the object of it, but Chrift is defcribed as fuftaining and discharging every branch of duty belonging to it. He is ftiled a prophet, ordained a prieft forever, and is exalted as a king. The Saviour is his appropriate and exclufive character. An hufband, an head, a brother and a friend are familiar titles of Immanuel. In our text and many other paffages he is held forth to view under the vigilent, careful and tender image of a Shepherd.

Here is a striking accumulation of offices, wherein ambition has no influence, neither can envy find a ground of imputation He did not affume thefe offices, nor does he execute them for his own benefit. It was inconceivable condefcenfion in him to fuffer the most exalted of them; and he executes them for

the advantage, the fole advantage of thofe who are in themfelves, and in their own opinion among the vileft and most unworthy creatures. Who is a God like unto our God ?—He is exalted above all bleffings and praife-he humbles himself to behold things done in heaven, and yet he ftoops to perform the part of the most condefcending friend-to every act and every service of the most endearing and compaffionate name. Be astonished, O ye heavenly hofts, at this! Ye inhabitants of the earth, stand amazed and wonder! Blefs the Lord, all ye his faints; blefs the Lord O my foul. The flock, his fheep, are the objects of all thefe offices, of every tender and affectionate part he performs, in all the variety of relations he bears. For them he left his fathers bofom, the adoration of angels, and all the celestial glories; for them he affumed hu. man nature--fuffered poverty and reproach-laid down his life for them, and endured the excruciating pains of the cross.

Christ is every where fpoken of as a fhepherd. In the Old Teftament he was abundantly prophecied of under this title, and in the New he is the great fhepherd, the fhepherd and bishop of fouls; and here in our text, he calls himself the good fhepherd. "I am the good fhepherd." And in evidence of his worthiness of this character and in proof of his goodness, he gave his invaluable life for the sheep. All that your at tention can be invited to in a contracted difcourfe will only be,

First, to confider what this character, when ascribed to Chrift, implies in it with respect to his flock.

Secondly, what are the important acts denoted by it, which he performs towards his fheep. In regard to the

First, many things are involved and comprehended herein. It implies that Chrift's flock are the object of his peculiar care

and attention. The office or character of a fhepherd evident ly comprehends this in it. These are fome of his effential du ties. A fhepherd without care or concern for the flock, is an abfurdity. Such an one our Lord declares, is not the fhep. herd, but an hireling, a thief and a robber, that careth not for the fheep, and when the wolf cometh, he fleeth. But the true fhepherd hath a genuine concern for the interest and welfare of the flock. This is the defign of his character, and the object of his higheft attention.

When Chrift is filed a fhepherd, it denotes that the interest of the flock lies near his heart. Its welfare is the object of his inceffant attention. There are no moments in which he feels indifferent to its fafety, or in which his agency is not employed for its happiness.

Jefus Chrift has the heart and temper of a shepherd, the most careful and tender feelings towards his fheep. All this proceeds from the kindest affection. Love is the fource of every branch and instance of it. No other principle can influence him in the part which he performs. "He is the fhep"herd of Ifrael who never flumbers nor fleeps." He can derive no advantages herefrom, no acceflion to his glory, nor addition to his blifs. The benefits and advantages in this cafe are all in favour of the fheep. He loves them with the moft ardent affection, fo that he gave up his life for them.

The love of Chrift to his people is two-fold, commonly cal led a love of benevolence and a love of complacency. They are the objects of the one or the other according to the different conditions in which they are, in a state of nature or in a ftate of grace. His love in the latter fenfe is exercifed only towards believers, to thofe who are his actual members by a true and living faith: hence they are described as those who hear his voice and follow him. They refpect, love and ad

mire him as their fhepherd, and they will not follow another. None can be the objects of this kind of love, only thofe, who have some amiable qualities and principles in them, or fomething in a spiritual sense lovely belonging to them. Now none of the fons of men have any thing of this kind in them, until they are converted and have put on Chrift and his righteoufnefs by faith; for it is grace and holiness which is the reason of their loveliness. Hereby they become fubjects of what is amiable, and thus objects of divine complacency.

But a love of benevolence is extended to all. Hence fays our Lord in the context, "Other sheep I have which are not "of this fold, them alfo will I bring and they shall hear 66 my voice; and there fhall be one fold and one fhepherd." These alfo in the proper time fhall be brought unto me, be. lieve on my name, and be taught of the father. Therefore he prays not only for those who have believed already, but for all fuch who fhould come unto him in future. "Neither, " fays he, pray I for thefe alone, but for them alfo who fhall "believe on me through their word." Now while they are his people in this general fenfe, remaining in ftupidity, fecurity, impenitency and unbelief, they can only be objects of his love of benevolence. And this love induced him to lay down his life for all, even for those who were enemies. "While "we were yet enemies Chrift died for us."

Again, the care of Jefus Chrift, the great and good fhep herd, extends to all his fheep without exception; his love is without partiality. His regard to them is not regulated by the figure they make in the eyes of the world. His affection is built on a very different ground. Nay, it appears from the holy fcriptures, that the confideration which gives things value in the fight of men, often renders them contemptible in the fight of God. This feems to be the amount of a general obfervation of our Lord. "What is highly efteemed among

"men is an abomination in the fight of God." Jefus Chrift feeth not as men fee. They look on outward appearances and profeffions, but he looketh at the heart. Neither circumcifion nor uncircumcifion with him availeth any thing, but the new creature, faith, and keeping the commandments of God. All who are of this fpirit and character, are the objects of Chrift's affection and care, because these are of the father, from whom cometh down every good and perfect gift. Every fuch perfon pertains to Chrift and is a part of his pastoral charge, however hated by the world, or loathsome in their own eyes.

Some true faints who belong to the fheep-fold of Chrift, are full of doubts, hefitations, and mifgivings of foul. Divers circumstances and reflections confpire to make them draw the gloomy conclufion, that they appertain not to Jefus, nor are they fubjects of his fpecial care as the fhepherd of Ifrael. They are sometimes in fuch a fituation from fears within and troubles without, that aftonishment lays hold upon them, and the painful fufpicions gather ftrength from every view they take of their heart and life, that they are not chriftians, that they have no intereft in his diftinguifhing love. If I had, fays the foul, how comes it to pafs that things are thus with me? Deep calleth unto deep; inward darknefs joined with outward afflictions. They are often bemoaning themselves with fuch bitter lamentations as these; alas! for this day is great, it is the time of fore and complicated troubles. They are frequently adopting the mournful language of Job, "Be "hold, we go forward but he is not there, and backward, but

qwe cannot perceive him; on the left hand where he doth "work, but we cannot behold him, he hideth himself on the "right hand, that we cannot fee him." "O that we knew "where we could find him, that we might come even to "his feat." Thus many a time their diftrefs is eminent, and their anguish poignant. When their melancholy circumstan. ces would feem to call for fome token of his favour, fome

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