which serve most to illustrate and confirm these fundamental points. Moreover, these two should always be considered in their relation to each other; for it is by the atonement that we seethe depth of our depravity, and by our depravity we see the necessity and excellency of the atonement. By considering them apart, we are in danger of falling into despon- dency or presumption : but, by uniting our views of them, our sorrows are moderated with hope, and our confidence is tempered with humility. When God tells us, " O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself;" he immediately adds, "but in me is thy help." Thus also the prophet, in the words before us, first sets forth our apostasy from God, and then declares the means provided for our restoration to him. These two points we propose for our present consideration :
I. Our apostasy from God —
The comparison which the prophet institutes be- tween us and sheep straying from their fold, forms a humiliating, but just, picture of our fallen state. Sheep are prone to stray, if not watched and restrained by the shepherd : and, when separated from the flock, they proceed farther and farther, without ever tracing back their steps to the fold. Now the whole race of mankind may be considered as a flock, whose duty and happiness it is to live under the care of the good Shepherd. They should hear his voice, and follow his steps, and feed in his pastures, and trust in him for protection. But the whole flock is scattered over the face of the earth : all have departed from the fold of God, and are wandering from him, none consi- dering, Whence am I come ? or, Whither am I going ? or, How shall I find my way to God again ? They reflect not on the dangers to which they are every moment exposed, nor on the infinitely greater happi- ness they might enjoy, if they would obey the Shep- herd's voice.
What the prophet has thus illustrated by a compa- rison, he afterwards, as is usual in all the prophetic writings, declares in plain and express terms.