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fome have fondly and delufively imagined; but the blefling of God accompanying them which renders them efficacious. They are only the means and not the nourishment itself. It is the gracious influences of the holy spirit in and by the means which are strictly and truly the nourishment. The powerful application of these are of a fpiritually ftrengthening nature, and they go from ftrength to ftrength. Thus the spirit takes the things of Chrift, and by the facred inftitutions fhews them to the believer; hence he grows by the fincere milk of the word, and in this way he is faid to grow in grace.

Jefus Chrift feeds his fheep, by giving his fpirit to dwell in them. By his agency he opens their understandings to perceive the glorious things of religion. By his agency the word and ordinances become effectual means of the conviction, converfion, fanctification and falvation of finners. Hence our Lord prays, "Sanctify them by thy truth, for thy word is "truth." From this arifes the difference which chriftians experience at different feasons, respecting the fame truths and ordinances. At one time their hearts are filled with holy affections, and burn within them, as the hearts of the disciples did when they converfed with our Lord on the road to Emaus, while they pray, read or hear the word, or attend upon a facrament. At other times, under the fame means, and employed in the fame duties, all is coldnefs, darkness and ftupidity. The reafon of this difference is, that the fpirit is prefent by his agency at one feafon and not at another. Sometimes divine inftitutions feed their fouls as with marrow and fatnefs, and refresh them as with the richeft wines; at others they are weak and feeble, deftitute of power and authority. The various frames of christians frequently arife from the prefence or abfence of the fpirit, when they are attending the means of grace.

Secondly, the good fhepherd leads, guides and directs his fheep. This is a great and diftinguishing bleffing. Tho' his government is over all, yet he performs no fuch acts in respect

to the rest of our guilty race. Thus fpeaks the Pfalmift from his own experience, "He leadeth me befide the ftill waters; "he reftoreth my foul; he leadeth me in the paths of righte **oufnefs for his names fake." Thus he leads his people by his word, his fpirit and his ordinances. He guideth Jofeph as a flock. This is his conduct not only toward his church in general, but towards every believer in particular. The ftill waters by which they are led afford them pleafant profpects, many comfortable views of divine things, many a cooling and refreshing draught when they are thirty or weary. confolations of religion which flow from those living springs of water, are gladness, joy, and pleasure to their fouls. Thofe who are led in the paths of righteousness, that is, in the way of duty, enjoy fweet peace, tranquility and hope.

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Thirdly, protection is another thing which Chrift as a fhepherd renders his fleep. It is an effential part of the office of a fhepherd, to protect the flock. Its need of a fhepherd arises from its weaknefs, expofednefs, and danger. As beafts of prey are ever seeking the deftruction of sheep, so there are numerous enemies continually lying in wait to devour the flock of Chrift. As fheep are the most impotent and defenceless tribe of animals, fo when our Lord fuftains the character of a fhepherd, it must imply his defence and protection of his people. The eyes of Jefus obferve from afar every difficulty and every danger which threatens them in all the variety of conditions and circumftances in which they may be. Satan, their grand enemy, is watchful of every opportunity, and fkilful to improve it to their injury. He employs various ways with unfuspected art to tempt their feet aftray, and betray them into his fnare; and were it not for the protecting interpofition of the good fhepherd, total ruin would be the allotment of every faint. He guards them againit the devil, the world, and the fiefh, that tho' they may fuffer from them, they fhall not be deftroyed. He is their pro. tector against the peftilence that walketh in darknefs, and the

plague that smiteth at noon day. If the earth be removed eut of her place, if it reel to and fro like a drunken man, and become an uninhabitable wreck, their almighty fhepherd has another mansion prepared for their reception, he has another even an eternal kingdom for them which cannot be moved.

A brief reflection or two must close the subject.

Firft, how kind and condescending does Jefus Chrift appear while he exhibits himself to us in the gentle and tender image of a fhepherd? Are we not overcome with wonder and aftonishment, that he should defcend to act this humble, tho' most friendly part. Let us call to mind his native dignity, his uncreated glory, that he is and ever will be God over all, and can we avoid adopting the extatic emotion of the apostle, when he cries out, behold, what manner of love is this! O how meek and lowly does the Saviour appear! how amiable in his humiliation as well as majestic in his interceffory character, at the right hand of his father! Who does not feel with pleasure the power and force of fuch inimitable friendship, gentleness, goodness and condefcenfion?

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Secondly, how happy and bleffed are all they who have Jefus Chrift for their fhepherd? They are not to be appalled tho' the earth be removed and the mountains caft into the midft of the fea, tho' the waters thereof roar and be troubled. Lord of hosts is with them and puts underneath them his ever lafting arms. Jefus is their shield and refuge, and a present help in every time of trouble. "Fear not little flock it is your father's "good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Altho' the fig-tree "shall not bloffom, neither fhall fruit be in the vines; the la"bour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat ; " the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there fhall be no "herd in the stalls, yet rejoice in the Lord, and joy in the God of your falvation. The Lord thy God in the midst of thee

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"is mighty, he will fave, he will rejoice over thee with joy." Who would not be a real chriftian, one of Chrift's sheep, in preference to the highest happinefs this world can raise its favorites to? Confider the preferableness of the poorest and meaneft believer, to the greatest, highest and most dignified finner.

Thirdly, how awful and melancholy is the fituation of thofe who have no interest in the care, protection and love of this good fhepherd? Are there not many who have the greatest reafon to be affured that this is their true flate? Pray, my dear hearers, confider the danger and terriblenefs of your fituation. You run the risk every moment of finking into the horrible pit of eternal destruction. Your life is a vapour, and you live by the mere forbearance and sufferance of that God, who is angry with you every day. Confider what you will do if death should arrest you while you are in this condition. The thought is painful and dreadful, and it had been good for you you had never been born.

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Wherefore, awake, arife, flee to the arms of the good shepherd; escape for your lives to the city of refuge, to the hope fet before you in the gospel, ere it be forever too late. Remember the Lord will shake this earth to pieces, and the elements will melt with fervent heat. "Wherefore give all diligence to make your calling and election fure."

SERMON XXIV.

Some Marks of Christ's Flock.

Maiah, xl. 11. He shall feed his flock like a fhepherd, he shall gather the lambs with his arms, and carry them in his bofom, and fhall gently lead thofe that are with young.

THE defcriptions of Jehovah contained in this chapter,. are inimitably grand and majestic. They have never been equalled by any pencil, and it is impoffible they should be exceeded. How inimitable is the following painting?-With what bold ftrokes, with what energy and life, with what force of expreffion, does it exhibit and difplay the exceeding great-ness and incomparable majesty of the Moft High. "Who "hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and "meted out heaven with a fpan, comprehended the duft of "the earth in a measure, weighed the mountains in fcales and "the hills in a balance ?-Behold the nations are as a drop of a "bucket, and are counted as the fmall duft of the balance : "behold he taketh up the ifles as a very little thing. And "Labanon is not fufficient to burn, and the beafts thereof

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