Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1810-05-19
/ SATURDAY MONITOR < !.
CT az .raE eoep. sHERKsEp.'':

IEStJS CHRIST, ID thisbe ansiiul compa-
rison. no doubt intendsd TO impress his icl.,
lovers wssh i ssnss Of shst un~earisd care
s6linhede and deep Sinfsress, with which he
should alWays watch over them. If we re-
zAlc, anon ihe various and tender Offices
which ssarily Distinguish o good shsp-
herd, We shall be ready to acknowledge
that, JEsus cHAlsT 10 partieulafiy entitled
tos,hat character.
b Ii 81 the delight of good shepherd TO
Be EVER present with Ibis. sheep TO make
himseif knowite thsn, That when he calls
then, thsy may hear his voice. He loves
70 increase his fold, and il can never ape
Hear TOO ingefof ME uaretnisting CARE.
Jesus Christ not only delights totbe present
. with Bis sheep, but has promised that he
Swill never leave them. . TO make himself
known TO them he has displayed hinseN in
the most amisbie and attractive fpoint OF
view. by which they are ever ready, when
he calls ihtn, to obey his word. That bis
fold may be always increasing, fhe not only
invites but solicits every one to come 70
him and whenhe has once prevailed up
on any, he endeayors TO secsre' them16y
continual and repealed acts Of mercy.
:: A good shepherd viii also be prepared to
guard his sheep from every approaching
danger; to protect them from ashrmies
who may destroy, or thieyes who may steal
them from him. Jesus Christ not oaly
preserves his sheepfrom those worldly foes
who, would 'atllct aud destroy chem, but
from that great enemy of souls who is ever
watchfnl to entice them to himself. Again,
it is the duty of q, good shepherd to teed
his flock 10 lead il to the water brook and
refreshen il, by administering to It's thirst.
Jesus Christ continually feeds his with the
(" bread of life. -: He conducts his sheep 10
.: living streams" by which they shall ne
YER thirst; which. "shall be in them a well
of water springins Up into evellassingli !e."
1t is another tender Office ofa good shep.
herd constantly to review his Rock. and If
sny one be missing; be will so himself in
search of it, and though fa.igusd BY txer.
ton, he will still pS,severe, till having
fourd il ne takes ii into his arms and re-
turns it to the fold. Jrsns Christ has an
ever wakeiul eye over his believed Rock
He searches his strayed sheep With, unwea.
ried assiJui.y be follows i, whithersoever
it warders, and will not quit i, he calls to
it and stretches forth his arms to welcome
it F.; and when ii rep.nts and turns to him,
he receives it into hrs bosom and rejoicss
over it. -.,s.... ..
In the last place, good shepherd wiz
net hesitate to rink his life for his she. p he
will expose himself TO- lhcse perils' which
threaten them, and will ward eff with ais
own arm, or receive it INTO his own bosom,
the blow vi ich is aimed ~ ,4h,m., Jesus
Christ has not only exposed bimscis 10 tri.j
ais and dangers unexamplsd, butsRo Iss.e
his sheep from impending ruin, he voitn-
tarily,laid down his life forI,hem TO rescue
them from the wrath whiet. thy nerited,
he braved all peril, shd that they, through
him might obtain everlasting life, he tcs
came as fsunb himself, and was esrrad
without blemish, a sacrifice 70 the slaugh
ter. q, .'--..,,,>. go. -. g.. ~. =
In, .hrse various and asIeetions,s dntits'
which illustrate a good shepherd, Jesus
Christ has ever delighted 10 distinguish
himself. He IS his sheer with ten
derness, which not even their frequent a.
lieuationSfrom him have power TO dirin.
ish. He constantly studies their run,ber,
and delights to collect them together, that
he may place himself in the midst OF them.
He nakeS nselfsaequainte drwitia all their
wants., pities their in6rmities, and never
refuses his aid, when their own strength
cannot sustain them. He is never perplex-
ed IN discovering the nue. sheep (which be-
long to himself he knows them by their
dependence upon him. their entire nd
meek suhmission to his win, and their love
for one anothsr. He difFuses his own SPIT
over them, which is eommunicaled by ahe
TO another, and by which they are all eqpsl.
~ emulous of pleasing and initiating thsS
divine mas,er.. They can enceunter nd
danger, however great, from which he u
not ready and able 70 extricate thsns fsts
sorrow from which be will not relieve
them. - \ ~ 80