Blessed conclusion to a blessed frame of mind, when a soul is well founded in the covenant righteousness of God his Saviour; can look up to God as his Father, Jesus as his never-failing Shepherd, and the Holy Ghost as his Comforter. Jesus and his Holy Spirit have gone before, like the pillar of the cloud, have surrounded, followed, and compassed, us about as a shield; and therefore, in the experience of all that is past, the believer finds confidence for all that is to come. It is Jesus, who is the Alpha; and he is also the Omega. For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory and praise forever and ever, Amen.
REFLECTIONS
HAIL! thou great Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock! May I not humbly look up, and call thee, blessed Jesus, my Shepherd also? Surely thou hast been sent, and appointed, by the Father, to take upon thee the sheepfold of all thy redeemed, whom thou hast purchased with thy blood. And dust thou not gather everyone of them out of their state by nature, before that they are brought within thy fold? Dost thou not go after every wanderer into the mountains, to seek and search them out, whither they have been scattered in the dark and cloudy day? And when thou hast found them, blessed Shepherd, dost thou not lay them on thy shoulders rejoicing? And when thou bringest them home, dost thou not cause thy angels to rejoice with thee over them that were lost? Surely, Lord, thou hast done all this for me; thou didst seek me out, for else never should I have sought thee. Thou hast brought me into the fold of thy church, and never, never shall I want. Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou causest thy flock to rest at noon! Yes, thou wilt feed me in wholesome pastures, even thy blessed word, and by thine ordinances; thou wilt cause me to drink of that river, the streams whereof make glad the city of God; thou wilt heal me when diseased; thou wilt bind me up when torn; thou wilt defend me from the lion's den, and the mountains of leopards; thou wilt clothe me with the garment of thy righteousness; thou wilt separate me from the goats, and the unclean; thou wilt cause me to lie down, with present joy and safety, upon the green pastures of thy glorious person and glorious work, thy covenant righteousness, relations, and characters; and I shall lie down hereafter in thy bosom, where thou puttest the lambs of thy flock. Yes! yes! thou almighty Shepherd, all this, and infinitely more, wilt thou do for me, and in me, and by me, until thou bringest home all thy flock into one fold; when everyone shall pass again under the hand of him that telleth them, to manifest that of them the Father hath given thee none is, or can be lost; that none of thy sheep can perish, nor any pluck them out of thine and thy Father's hand. And at length, blessed Jesus, thou wilt bring thy whole fold around thyself in glory, where thou wilt lead them to fountains of living waters, and all tears, shall be wiped away from all eyes.