Is it the office of a shepherd to protect his sheep from danger ? This he does, as well for the lambs of his flock, as for those that have attained a greater measure of strength. By " the valley of the shadow of death" we mat/ understand a dying hour*^ : but we rather understand by it a season of darkness and distress. This is more agreeable to the context, and better accords with the general import of those words in Holy Wrif^. Sheep in going from mountain to mountain and hill to hill, may easily be sup- posed to pass occasionally through valleys where dangers affright tliem, and difficulties obstruct their way : and in this respect the saints resemble them ; for however rich their pastures for the most part may be, they find occasional seasons of darkness and gloom. But in such seasons the Lord Jesus Christ, as the Great J?hepherd and Bishop (Overseer) of souls, is with them, and with his pas- toral rod and staff protects them. It is with that rod he numbers them when they come into his fold% and with that he secures them from every harm. This he has promised to them in the
most express terms** and he will fulfil it even to the
end^]
2. A Friend —
[This is a character which God assumed in reference to Ahram'^'^; and our blessed Lord honours all his faithful disciples with this endearing name: " Henceforth I call you not servants, but friends s." Now, as the friend of his people, he uses all hos- pitality towards them. As in the days of old he spread a table for his people in the wilderness, where they could not otherwise
have
•= Job X. 21, 22. <> Ps. cvii. 10, 14. Jer. xiii. l6.
' Lev. xxxvii. 32, Ezek. xxvi, 37. " Isai. xliii. 2, 3, 5. ' Isai. xli. 10. " ib. ver. 8. » Joho xv. 15.