grave, never saith, It is enough." All the creatures are to him what the husks were to the prodigal; they yield a momentary relief, but no real nourishment; he endea. vours to feed upon them, “but still he hath appetite, his soul is faint," and he perisheth with hunger.

Again, this figurative representation denotes a state of danger as well as of indigence and dissatisfaction. Few animals are beset with more enemies than sheep; and perhaps none are possessed of less cunning to elude, or of less courage to resist them. Their safety depends entirely upon the shepherd's care; for if they wander beyond the reach of his protecting arm, they become at once, to every ravenous beast, not only a tempting but an easy prey. With what awful precision doth this part of the similitude exbibit to us the state of unconverted sinners! Their spiritual enemies are both numerous and mighty; and the subtilty of the serpent and the strength of the lion are but faint representations of their craft and power; yet such is the presumption of carnal men, so fatal the security of those who are far from God, that instead of avoiding their blood-thirsty fues, they roam without fear through their most frequented haunts, and rash headlong into those snares that are laid for their destruction.

Once more;– Though sheep are not the only crea. tures that are prone to wander, yet it may justly be affirmed of them, that they, of all others, discover least sagacity in finding the way back to the place from whence they strayed; so that in them we likewise behold a pro per and most descriptive emblem of man's helpless and impotent state by nature, and of his utter inability, by any efforts of his own, to regain his primeval happiness and glory. That the apostle intended to convey this idea is more probable, from the form of his expression in the latter part of the verse; where, speaking of the recovery of wandering sinners, he doth not say, Ye have returned, as if, by their own sagacity, they had discovered their error, and then rectified it by the activity of their own natural powers. But it deserves our notice, that he puts the word into the passive voice, ye are returned; that is, converted, or caused to return, as the same word is elsewhere rendered. For what our Lord said to his first disciples, may be addressed to believers in every age of the church: “ Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you.” “ It is God that worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” “ By grace we are saved, through faith; and that not of ourselves, it is the gift of God.” Nor can any words be conceived more absolute and decisive than these, which are uttered by Christ himself: “No man cometh unto me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him."

In all these particulars, the resemblance can be traced with a critical exactness. But still there remains one other ingredient in man's apostacy from God, to which the similitude, comprehensive as it is, cannot be extended; the fatal ingredient I mean is guilt.

A sheep gone astray is an object of pity rather than of blame; the owner feels no emotion of anger against the simple wanderer; he doth not view it as faulty, but as unfortunate: he therefore seeks it with anxiety; and when he hath found it, so far is he from punishing it as a criminal, that he cherisheth it as a sufferer, takes it tenderly into his arms, and brings it home with joy. Whereas, in our departure from God, every crime is united that render us loathsome and odious in his sight. Man's apostacy was the effect, not of weakness, but of wilfulness: the guilt that lieth upon us is nothing less than proud and obstinate rebellion : rebellion blackened

with the vilest ingratitude; unprovoked rebellion against the Father of our spirits, and the former of our bodies, the God in whom we live, the generous author of those distinguished gifts, which, by the most impious abuse, we have turned into hostile weapons against himself.

Such monsters, my brethren, are all unconverted sinners. Happy! thrice happy they! of whom it can only be said, Such indeed ye were; “but ye are washed, ye are sanctified, ye are justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the spirit of our God.” To you, O believers, my text is addressed: look back to the waste and howling wilderness, “ to the lions dens,” 6 and the mountains of leopards," where lately you wandered, “hungry and hard bestead," surrounded with enemies, and unable to resist them.--Now that you are established upon that Rock of ages, against which the gates of hell shall never prevail, it can surely do you no harm to cast your eye downward to the horrible pit and the miry clay, where you are ready to perish, when mercy interposedl, and brought you seasonable relief; on the contrary, the remembrance of the dangers you have escaped, will heighten your gratitude, and only add solemnity to your present joy, while, from the humbling review of what you were by nature, I lead you to the contemplation of what you are by grace. Which was the

Second thing proposed in the method : Ye are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

The progress of a sinner in his return to God was formerly described, when I opened the import of these kind invitations. “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden* ;” and, “Turn ye to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hopet.” My present aim is to

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comfort the souls of those who have already complied with the heavenly call, and to congratulate them upon the happy change that is wrought in their condition. Hail, ye blessed of the Lord !

Ye are returned to him who came from heaven to earth " to seek and to save that which was lost;" who, though infinitely offended by your criminal apostacy, bath himself made atonement for your past wanderings, and expiated your guilt with his own precious blood : “He was wounded for your transgressions, and bruised for your iniquities, that by his stripes ye might be healed.” “ This is that good shepherd who laid down his life for the sheep;" who " was made sin for us, though he knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him;"--who “suffered, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God,” with filial boldness, in the humble, yet assured hope, that we shall “ obtain mercy, and find grace to help in every time of need."

Ye are returned to him,--who not only bore your griefs, and carried your sorrows, but hath likewise conquered all your enemies, and triumphed over them, as the chosen head and representative of his people. He hath in his own person “ spoiled principalities and pow- . ers;" and his success is a pledge of your final victory over them. Annoy you they may, but they cannot hurt you; by the blood of the Lamb you likewise shall overcome. Ere long “ the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet,” and put that new song into your mouth, “ Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ; for the accuser of the brethren is cast down, who accused them before our God day and night."

Ye are returned to him, who will henceforth watch over you with peculiar care, and guard you as his pro

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perty, which he purchased with his blood. “This shepherd of Israel, this bishop, this overseer of souls, never slumbers nor sleeps.”—Many seasonable, though unknown deliverances, did he work for you, even while you ungratefully despised and rejected him. Often did he pluck you out of the jaws of the bear and the lion, before you were acquainted with him, or had any thought of craving his protection : but now bis eye is continually upon you, his ear is at all times open to your cry, bis everlasting arms are around and underneath you; and therefore you may boldly say, “the Lord is my light, and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid? Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid : for the Lord Jehovan is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation."

Ye are returned to him,-who hath not only almighty power to guard you against danger, but infinite compassion likewise to sympathize with you

in all
your

distresses, and to comfort you in all your sorrows. He is meek and merciful, patient and condescending: “ He gathers the lambs with his arms, and carries them in his bosom, and gently leads those that are with young." He pities their infirmities, and pardons their errors; he spares them when they are weary, and attends them when they are sick: nay, what no other shepherd can do, he imparts strength to the faint, and health to the diseased; and not only bestows food, but gives them an appetite to feed upon it: he also blesseth their provision, and causeth it to nourish them.

What shall I say more? This shepherd and bishop of souls continues to be their guardian even until death; neither doth he leave them at that awful period, but enters with them into the deep and darksome vale, sup