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They that have the Lord for their shepherd, may well, with the sweet Pfalmist of Ifrael, in rapturous ftrains of melody fing, "I fhall not want, for he maketh me to "lie down in green pastures, and leadeth me by the still waters: my fainting foul "he reftoreth again, and leadeth me in "the paths of righteoufnefs for his "name's fake; and by his rod and staff "comforteth me; fo that though I walk "through the dark valley of death, I will "fear no evil: my head he anointeth with "oil, and my cup runneth over. Surely

goodness and mercy fhall follow me all "the days of my life, and I will dwell in "the house of the Lord for ever," Pfal. xxiii. 1-5.

Is there fome difficult marsh or cliff through which the sheep must pass? then will the fhepherd carry over the lambs, and take care that the ewes that are great with fuch, go fafely. In like manner, when the Lord's people enter into trials, whether of a temporal or fpiritual nature, the Lord makes himself known to them by his name JEHOVAH SHAMMAH, "the Lord is there," Ezek. xlviii. 35. He is there to guide them fafely through every difficulty; for he will

carry the lambs in his bofom, and gently lead those that are with young, Ifa. xl. 11.

and none of his sheep fhall ever be lost, either in the mire of fin, or among the rocks of despair.

The fhepherd, ever attentive to his charge, fees when the wolf comes, and defends his flock from his attacks. So the Shepherd of Ifrael, with his all-penetrating eye, fees every movement which Satan and a wicked world make against his people, and either defendeth them from their affaults altogether, or orders it fo, that they shall not be finally overcome by them; therefore the flock need not fear, however feeble they be in themselves, for none is able to pluck them out of his hand, John x. 28, 29.

Are any of the sheep ever caught among thorns? then will the tender hearted shepherd haften to their affiftance, cut the retarding twigs, and fet the innocent captives at liberty. In like manner, when any of the Lord's flock are entangled with the cares of this world, enfnared with the riches and pleasures thereof; then will their compaffionate fhepherd cut those pernici

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ous twigs; nay, often in love to their fouls, blaft thofe riches and ríar those pleasures which held back his people's affections from himself, fo that they may fet them on things above, renew their strength, go on their Christian journey, and feed on green pastures of fpiritual things, as before.

Whilft I am thus in ferious meditation, I begin to be disturbed by a clamorous noife, which seems to come from the farther fide of the hill; methinks it is like the barking of dogs. Ah! now I perceive I am right; yonder they are purfuing a number of the fleecy tribe with open mouth.--Oh! what will become of these innocent fheep, they will certainly foon be destroyed, for thofe cruel dogs are almost close at their heels: fie upon them! will none call them off? Yes, to my great joy I hear a voice threatening them, and calling them back; It is the voice of the fhepherd: I discover him ftanding on the top of the hill; I now perceive those sheep have been ftraying in forbidden paths, which has occafioned the fhepherd to use his dogs for bringing them back.

The wicked in fcripture are called dogs, Pfal. xxii. 16. Ifa. lvi. 10, 11. Matt. vii. 6. Rev. xxii. 15. these the great fhepherd often uses in chaftifing his flock when they go aftray, and in turning them back from forbidden paths; as we fee in the case of the rebellious Ifraelites, when they affayed to go up into the land of Canaan, contrary to the command of the Lord and his fervant Mofes; the Amalekites and Canaanites came down, fought against them, and turned them back, Num. xiv. 40---45. Alfo when the flock of Ifrael in the land of Canaan went aftray after idol gods, feeding on high places and under every green tree, contrary to the will of the great Shepherd, he sent against them Nebuchadnezzar with the Chaldeans, who like dogs did hunt them fo feverely, that they were driven away out of their own land for the space of feventy years: And this woeful hunting had fuch a bleffed effect upon them, that they were never known to stray in fuch paths afterwards. The wicked in no age of the church could ever run one step against the flock of God, till they were either ordered or permitted by the great Shepherd; which indeed he hath often

done for the best of purposes, but has always stayed fuch dogs, and called them off in his own due time; fò that they have never yet devoured, nor fhall ever be able to devour any of his flock, though they may harass and terrify them much. When fuch dogs run with the open mouth of perfecution against the people of the Lord, whether as individuals, or as a body, it is either for turning them back from forbidden paths, preventing them from going aftray, recovering them from lukewarmness, trying their ftedfaftness in the faith, their zeal for the cause of Christ, keeping them humble, weaning their affections from the things of this life, or for fome good end or other. A wife fhepherd will not fend his dogs upon the sheep wantonly: much less will the good Shepherd of Ifrael, who laid down his life for his fheep, John x. 15. fuffer the wicked to perfecute his people without having the best of reafons for fo doing; therefore, when any of the flock of God are perfecuted, flandered, or in any ways evil entreated, they ought to eye the great Shepherd standing on Mount Zion, order¬ ing and overruling all for their good.