against dead works, but against a dead faith; against spiritual pride, evil tempers, evil speaking, love of the world, and sinful compliances; if he insists that the branches of the true vine should bear grapes, and not the same fruit as the bramble; hearers of this stamp will think they do God service by censuring all he can say, as low and legal trash. How awful! that people should be blinded by the very truths which they profess to believe! Yet I fear such cases are too frequent. God grant a delusion of this kind may never be found amongst us! "For if the salt" itself "should lose its savour, wherewith shall it be salted*?" May we come simply to the light, with a desire of seeing more of ourselves, and more of our Saviour; that we may be more humble and spiritual, more afraid of sin, more watchful and successful in striving against it? and, in our whole conversation, more conformable to our glorious Head! But to return. From what has been offered upon this subject, we may observe, 1. That true Christianity is friendly to society, and to the common interests of mankind. It is the source of peace, tenderness, benevolence, and every humane temper. It is calculated to sooth the fierce disposition, to enlarge the selfish spirit, and to transform the lion into the lamb. What then must we think of those pretended friends to liberty and free inquiry, whose unhappy zeal is employed to rob us of the only light and balm of life? who, by their misrepresentations and cavils, endeavour to persuade others, though they cannot effectually persuade themselves, that the Gospel, a scheme so wise in its constitution, so salutary in its * Matth. v. 13. design, so powerful in its effects, is no better than an imposition, the contrivance of superstitious or artful men! Why should they attempt to take away the foundation of our hope, and the spring of our comfort, (if they were able,) when they know they have nothing to substitute in their place! Let us think of them with that compassion which their state calls for; and pray for them, "if peradventure God will give them repentance to the acknowledgment of the truth." 2. The change thus wrought is great, marvellous, and, if not so frequent, might be styled miraculous. It is more than education, example, persuasion, or resolution can perform. It is the work of God alone, to open the blind eyes, to change the heart of stone into flesh, and to raise the dead. This thought should exclude boasting. The happy subjects of this change were no better by nature or practice than others. They have nothing but what they have received. The glory and praise is due to the Lord alone. It should likewise soften their censure of those who are still in a state of alienation from God, or at least prevent the emotions of anger and resentment towards them. They know not what they do. Their danger should excite our pity, and our friendly endeavours to recover them from the error of their way. And especially, we should be careful, so to regulate our behaviour, "that if they obey not the word, they may "without the word be convinced and wont," by the force of our example. If the Lord be pleased to do that for them which he has done for us, their dislike of us, and their opposition to us, will be quickly at an end; and though they set out after us, they may possibly make a swifter progress in the Christian life than we have done. Thus, though Saul of Tarsus approached Damascus, as an enemy and a persecutor, when the scales fell from his eyes, he not only immediately joined the disciples, but in a little time became a pattern to them. That the change is the work of God, should likewise be considered by those, who, from a sense of the greatness of their sins, and the strength of their sinful habits, are ready to sink into despair. Whatever apparent difficulty there may be in your case, it is easy to divine power. "All things are possible with God*," and "all "things," likewise, "are possible to him that be"lievetht." The promises invite you to apply to him who is the Author and Finisher of faith, and who has said for your encouragement, "Him that cometh unto me, I will in nowise cast out." SERMON XIII. THE GREAT SHEPHERD. ISAIAH xl. 11. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd; he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom; and shall gently lead those that are with young. It is not easy for those whose habits of life are insen T sibly formed by the customs, of modern times, to conceive any adequate idea of the pastoral life, as it obtained in the eastern countries, before that simplicity of manners, which characterized the early ages, was corrupted by the artificial and false refinements of luxury. Wealth, in those days, consisted principally in flocks and herds; and Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and others, who were, to speak in modern language, persons of high distinction, were likewise shepherds. The book of Genesis, which is an authentic and infallible history of the most ancient times, exhibits a manner of living so different from our own, that, perhaps, few persons are qualified to enter fully into the spirit of the description. The poets seem to have derived the idea of the golden age from some imperfect tradition of this primitive state; and if we compare it with the state of things around us, methinks we have reason to say, "How is the gold become dim, and the fine gold changed!" The opulence of Jacob may be conjectured from the present he sent to his brother Esau t. Yet Jacob attended his flocks himself "in the 'drought by day, and in the frost by night." The vigilance, the providence, the tenderness, necessary to the due discharge of the shepherd's office, have been frequently applied in describing the nature and ends of government; and it has been esteemed a high encomium of a good king, to style him The shepherd of his people. This character MESSIAH, the Saviour, condescends to bear; and happy are they, who, with a pleasing consciousness, can say, "We are his people, and the sheep "of his pasture§." The passage will lead me to speak of the Shepherd, the flock, and his care and tenderness over them. I. Our Lord expressly styles himself the "Shepherd," * Lam. iv. 1. † Gen. xxxii. 14, 15. § Psal. c. 3, the "good Shepherd of the sheep," and the apostle Peter styles him the "chief Shepherdt." His faithful ministers have the honour to be under shepherds; he appoints and qualifies them to feed his flock. They are the messengers of his will, but they can do nothing without him; they can only communicate what they receive, and cannot watch over the flock, unless they are themselves watched over by him. For, with respect to efficacy, he is the chief, and indeed the sole Shepherd. The eyes of all are upon him, and his eye is upon and over all his flock. The Old Testament church had a shepherd, and their shepherd was Jehovah§. Unless therefore the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls likewise be Jehovah, we fall unspeakably short of the privilege of ancient Israel, if their Shepherd was almighty, and if ours could be but a creature. Surely we could not then say, what yet the apostle affirms, that we have a "better covenant, established upon better promises||;" since MESSIAH himself is expressly declared to be the surety and the mediator of this covenant. But would it not be better, upon this supposition, with David, who could say, Jehovah is my Shepherd, than with us, who are intrusted to the care of a delegated and inferior keeper, if Jesus be not Jehovah? Besides, who but Jehovah can relieve the necessities of multitudes in all places, in the same moment, and be equally near and attentive to them in every age? The sinner, who is enlightened to know himself, his wants, enemies, and dangers, will not dare to confide in any thing short of an almighty arm; he needs a shepherd, who is full of wisdom, full of care, full of power; able, like the sun, to shine upon millions at once, * John x. 11. 14. † 1 Pet. v. 4. Heb. viii. 6. Psal. cxxvii. 1. |