1. He gathers them to his fold —
[They are " wandering upon the dark mountains, in a cloudy and dark day'1 ;" "every one going in Ms own way6,"
and " after the imaginations of his own heartf " The
paths of all, though differing from each other according as the age, the inclinations, and the diversified temptations of the dif- ferent individuals may lead them all agree in this,
that they are far distant from the ways of God's command- ments8. But "he searches for them, and seeks them out:" he follows them by the preaching of his word, by the dispensations of his providence, by the mighty working of his Spirit ; and, having found them, "he apprehends them" by his pastoral crook h, and " makes them willing" to return with him1, and "carries them home upon his shoulders rejoicingk" ]
2. He provides for their wants —
[O ! how sweet are the pastures into which he leads them1! Who can express the delight which a converted soul experiences in feeding upon the promises, " the exceeding great and precious promises " of his God ? In com- parison of the food provided for the sheep of Christ, all else is but as " husks on which the swine subsist"1." This is set forth in Scripture under the image of a luxurious feast" : and verily it is "a feast of fat things " to all the saints; a feast, of which even the angels themselves might account it a privilege to partake ° ]
3. He affords them his effectual protection —
[Weak as they are, and beset with many enemies, they are
preserved in perfect safety p He who laid down his life
for them, will suffer " none to pluck them out of his handq"
" They lie down beside the still waters1"," which are a
just emblem of the tranquillity of their own souls " They
are kept in perfect peace, because they trust in hims."]
4. He administers to them according to their diversified necessities —
[Amongst them there will be some who are sick, or dis- eased, or injured by some misfortune : but he knows all their particular cases, and imparts to them the relief which they seve- rally need; " bringing back those which have been driven away, binding up that which has been broken, and strengthening that
d Ezek. xxxiv. G. e Isai. liii. 6. f Jer. xxiii. 17. ,
s Rom. iii. 11, 12. ■ h Phil. iii. 12. ! Ps. ex. 3. *
k Luke xv. 5, G. l Ezek. xxxiv. 14.
m Luke xv. 16. Isai. lv. 2. » Isai. xxiv. 6.
0 Ps. lxxviii. 25. P 1 Pet. i. 5. !i John x. 11, 28.
r Ps. xxiii. 2. ! Isai. xxvi. 3.
923.] Christ's care for his sheep. 131
which is sick1 " and never intermitting his care of them,
till he has brought them to his fold above" ]
But our text requires us to take,
II. A more particular view of him as ministering to the weak and needy —
Let us notice then in a more especial manner,
1. His tenderness to the weak —
[The lambs which have been but recently brought forth, may be supposed incapable of proceeding with the flock to any distant pasture. But these " he will gather with his arms, and carry in his bosom." " He will not despise the day of small things x." There is not one in all his flock so weak, but he will pay the most minute attention to its necessities. He who gave so particular a charge to Peter to " feed his lambs," and required this of him as a necessary proof of his lovey, will not himself neglect his lambs ; but rather will augment his tender assiduities in proportion as the weakness of the lamb calls for more peculiar care : he will even take it up, and " carry it in his bosom." In what an endearing view does this place the character of our blessed Lord ! How sweetly encou- raging is this consideration to those who feel their weakness, and are ready to despond because of it! Let us remem- ber, that when his disciples would have kept persons from troubling him with their little children, he reproved them, and said, " Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of heaven2." Whether there- fore you be children in respect of your natural or spiritual birth, fail not to come to him, assured, that he will bear with your infirmities, and " perfect his own strength in your weak- ness3" ]