presumptuous. Hence it is that we feel so little encouraged by meditating on such a passage as that now before us; this is the reason why the fear of death is so little overcome; why we have so little appearance of happiness to comfort us in the prospect departing hence.

And shall we be contented to let things remain so? Shall we willingly pass on toward the awful hour of dissolution, without any thing to cheer us? Shall we be satisfied to go down to the grave without knowing whether we are about to enter upon everlasting joy or endless woe? No, my brethren! let us arouse ourselves from this state of stupid insensibility. There are cordials provided for us in this melancholy vale. There are supports to be had under all our troubles. The valley of the shadow of death may be made light about us. Death may be made gain. We may rise to a state in which we may be always confident. We may fix our minds on the joys above, with an assurance that they are all our own. But it will not be attained by dull inactivity, or by stiff formality in religious duties. It must by careful keeping of the heart-by steady watchfulness against sin-by constant faith in the Lord Jesus Christ-by abounding in love-by "holding fast the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end."

SERMON VI.

JOHN x. 27, 28.

MY SHEEP HEAR MY VOICE, AND I KNOW THEM, AND THEY FOLLOW ME: AND I GIVE UNTO THEM ETERNAL LIFE; AND THEY SHALL NEVER PERISH, NEITHER SHALL ANY MAN

PLUCK THEM OUT OF MY HAND.

THE parables of our Lord are most beautiful representations of heavenly things, by means of similies taken from scenes and incidents with which we are well acquainted. But beautiful as they are, they were in some measure connected with that shadowy system of instruction, by which God was pleased for many ages to teach his people the grand truths of religion. Had not the subsequent parts of the New Testament more clearly revealed the things signified, we should probably now feel the same difficulty in comprehending them, that they did to whom the parables were first spoken. To this, allusion is made in the sixth verse, "this parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them." Accordingly we find

our Lord giving several intimations that he employed this figurative style, because there were some of his hearers so much prejudiced, that either they could not, or they would not understand him, had he used ever so great a degree of plainness in his expressions. On persons of this character, the obscurity of the parables was intended to act as a punishment; that "seeing they might see and not perceive, and hearing they might hear and not understand." But there was also another reason why our Lord spake in this obscure manner;-as yet the mystery of redemption was not fully completed; and to have more clearly displayed its nature, and the means by which it was to be effected, would have been improper, and would in fact have thrown insuperable obstacles in the way of its accomplishment. But our Saviour intimated that the time was coming "when he would no more speak unto them in parables, but would shew them plainly of the Father;" there would then be no more occasion for those dark and figurative forms of instruction; but the whole counsel of God should be fully unfolded. This took place after our Lord's resurrection from the dead, when "he breathed on his disciples, and said, receive ye the Holy Ghost; the Holy Ghost;" and still more fully "when the Spirit was poured upon them from on high," to " guide them unto all truth." From that period, the language of parable was laid aside; and we find no traces of the Apostles

having ever imitated their Master in this particular kind of address.

While then we have great cause for thankfulness, that we are blessed with the full display of gospel truth, we may, if we become diligent students of the Bible, derive infinite benefit from the careful perusal of these parables of our blessed Lord, illuminated as they now are by the clearer light of the dispensation of the Spirit.

May that Holy Spirit enlighten our minds while we proceed to consider the figurative language used by our Saviour in this passage-" My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand."

These words appear to teach us

I. THE CHARACTER AND CONDUCT OF THE TRUE DISCIPLES OF CHRIST. And

II. THE UNSPEAKABLE HAPPINESS BELONGING TO THAT CHARACTER.

I. We have a peculiar view given us of the

CHARACTER AND CONDUCT OF THE DISCIPLES OF CHRIST.

Our Lord in this chapter shews that He is the true Shepherd, who has displayed the amazing extent of his love by "laying down his life for the sheep." This flock, which the Shepherd purchased with his blood, is the whole company of

true believers and real Christians, wherever they are scattered throughout the world, or in whatever age they may chance to live; these constitute the church of God, which his ministers are to feed as a flock, and which he purchased with his own blood.

In the preceding verses, for the sake of illustrating the character of the under shepherds of this flock-the ministers of his church,-and the source whence they derive their authority, our Lord uses a different emblem, and says, "I am the door of the sheep," thereby teaching us that none can enter into the fold of God, and become an heir of heaven and of immortal happiness, but by him: nor can any one become a shepherd over the flock of God, or a true minister of his church, unless he be appointed by Christ, and moved by his Holy Spirit, to take that office upon him.

The emblem of sheep is so constantly employed to represent the people of God, both under the Old Testament dispensation and the New, that there must be something peculiarly appropriate in it. Man, as a sinner, is a sheep that is gone astray. The sinner reconciled to God through Christ, is a sheep whom the good Shepherd has sought and brought back again to the fold. 1

Let us then inquire what there is in this emblem which particularly suits and illustrates the charac

1 Peter ii. 25.