SERMON X.

JOHN X. 11.

Jesus said, I am the good shepherd."

It has pleased God to reveal his co-equal Son, Jesus Christ, in various characters, all of which have express relation to the redemption of sinners; but in no one character is he more graciously revealed, than that which he declared of himself, when he said, "I am the good shepherd." It is, indeed, impossible to consider the great Redeemer of the world under a more endearing or affectionate character and relation. We shall be more sensible of this, when we consider the state and character of those he came to save, as described by the unerring word of God; when we shall see the absolute necessity of such a deliverer as him, who has styled himself the good shepherd. In the language of the Prophets, the Israelites are described as a flock; as sheep that

have gone astray; as a flock that had been scattered by the enemy-" We are the people of his pasture," said the Psalmist, "and the sheep of his hand." Speaking of their deliverance out of Egypt, he said, "He made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock."-" He led them like a flock, by the hand of Moses and Aaron." Speaking of their wanderings, by reason of sin, the Prophet Isaiah characterises them, and not them only, but all, who in every age, have professed themselves as belonging to the flock of Christ— "All we, like sheep, have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way." In conformity to which character, we are taught, in the language of our church, to approach God with this humble confession, "We have erred and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep." Perhaps there is no emblem better calculated to represent a lost sinner, than that of a lost sheep. When a sheep strays from the fold, instead of returning, it wanders farther out of the way; being totally defenceless, it is exposed to every danger; and unless sought out, and found, and brought back by the shepherd, it is never restored to the flock, and, consequently, it perishes. What a striking picture of man in his lost estate; wandering from the path of peace, he has gone astray in a wil. derness of sin and misery; and unless he is brought back to the sheepfold of Christ's flock,

ever.

by the great Shepherd and Bishop of our souls, he must perish in that state; he must be lost for That such is the state of mankind in general, we are ready enough to acknowledge; and that it is our own case we have this day confessed with our lips, and on our bended knees, in the presence of our God-but this is not sufficient; we may have done so, for a length of time; and may to-day have renewed our confession; while we continue to wander out of the way, in the wilderness of this world, and contented to do so, choosing to follow the devices and desires of our own hearts; while we continue deaf to the voice of the good shepherd, who would call us back; warning us of the danger which lies before us; and endeavouring to per"to It suade us" to flee from the wrath to come."

is this circumstance which proves, beyond any doubt, the very low state into which man has so unhappily fallen: if left to himself, he prefers the devious paths of sin and death, to the ways of Christ's sheep, which are ways of pleasantness; and to those paths, into which the good shepherd conducts his flock; and which are, indeed, paths of peace. Such, I say, is the character and state of man, if left to himself; and such would it continue to be, to the end of time, had not Christ come to seek and to save that which was lost.

The Bible, which is the word of God, and

which contains the only revelation of his will to mankind, presents to our view two great and important objects-a world lost in sin, and a Saviour seeking to save that which was lost. We are all of that lost world, and therefore, a Saviour from that lost state, is the most important, the most desirable object that can possibly be set before us. But before we can sufficiently esti mate the unspeakable value of such a Saviour and shepherd of our souls, we must see ourselves as we really are, and learn to take a correct view of the dreadful ruin which awaits impenitent sinners, in the world to come. It is not that we have, sometimes, departed from the right way; that we have, occasionally, transgressed some of God's commandments; and for which we may hope to make atonement, by better obedience for the time to come. The word of God positively declares, that we are "estranged from him from the womb;" that "as soon as we are born we go astray, speaking lies;" that is, living and acting deceitfully-that "we are altogether gone out of the way"--that we have turned every one to his own ways, which are directly contrary to the ways of God; so that "there is none that even seeketh after God; there is none that doeth good, no, not one." Again, it is not merely that we have deserved punishment for a few sins or transgressions, on account of which alone we have to dread the judgments of God hereafter,

but which may possibly be counterbalanced by some good works, which we flatter ourselves we have performed; but it is, that our whole nature is depraved and sinful; so that, consequently, we are utterly unfit to enter into the presence of that holy God, who is of purer eyes than to behold evil; or into that holy place, where nothing that is unclean or unholy can ever come; but are only fitted for the society of lost spirits, who are always in rebellion against God; and can only go into that place which is prepared for them; where hope can never enter; but where all is anguish and unavailing sorrow, horror, and despair"blackness and darkness for ever." And do not suppose, my brethren, that I have stated this in too strong language, for the purpose of exciting unnecessary alarm in your minds-be assured I have not, for it would be impossible for me to do so. No, as eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive the good things which God has prepared for them that love him;" so I am confident, that neither human language, nor the utmost stretch of the imagination of man, could picture the extent or nature of that place of torment, that everlasting fire, into which the wicked and impenitent will be cast, at the last day. Such must be the dreadful end of every unsaved sinner; of every one who is not brought out of the wilderness of sin; the natural state in which he