—of self-denial, of humility, meekness, and pa.... tience. Can you say, that you are following him in the dispositions of your heart; in the tenor of your life; in the discharge of your relative and social duties; or can you honestly say, that to do this, is the earnest desire and prayer of your heart? if so, it is a good evidence to yourself and to others, that you belong to the sheep of Christ's flock. Nor let any humble penitent be cast down, because he still feels the evil of his heart working against him, "so that he cannot do the things that he would," while he is endeavouring to do them; or question his interest in the good shepherd, because he feels his faith weak; for this very state of mind, proves that he has come to Christ, and been received into his fold. He should remember, that it is the nature and character, that determines the sheep, and not its strength or maturity: there are lambs in the fold of Christ; there may also be weak and diseased sheep; but still they are the sheep of his pasture; they belong to him who "feeds his flock like a shepherd, who carries the lambs in his bosom, and gently leads those that are with young;" who has promised that "he will bind up that which was broken, and strengthen that which was sick." "Fear not, little flock, it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." You have every encouragement to hope; you have every privilege

R

to enjoy; you have every promise you can re

quire, on which to door," said Christ;

by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved; and shall go in and out, and find pasture. I know my sheep, and am known of mine; and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish; neither shall any pluck them out of my hand. My Father which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand." Here is the security of those who belong to Christ, "who are kept by the power of God, through faith, unto salvation." But remember well, it is the sheep alone, who can lay claim to these blessed promises; they do not belong to any others: "Examine yourselves therefore, whether ye be in the faith;" whether your nature and character is that of a sheep of Christ. Remember you are not so by nature, you must be made so by grace: your nature must be changed; external ordinances and ceremonies cannot do this-privileges cannot secure it; profession, will not be sufficient to prove it. You may have all these; and under the disguise of these, you may appear among the flock of Christ in his visible church; but all this will profit you nothing, if you are not in reality a sheep of his fold; for a day is drawing near, when the good shepherd, will divide the great flock of the world, and "shall separate them one from an

other, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats; and he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left." In this world, they are mixed together, even in the congregation of a visible church; but all are now known to him. "I know my sheep,"-" the Lord knoweth them that are his." Judge therefore yourselves in this matter, by the word of God applied to your conscience; if you deceive yourself, or allow yourself to be deceived, the loss will be entirely your own; your ruin will be eternal: if you are not brought home to the fold on earth, by a change of heart and nature, as distinct from your natural state, as a sheep is from a goat; be assured you can never enter into the fold above; nor hope to stand on the right hand of Christ in the day of judgment. Be persuaded then, to hear the voice of the good shepherd, while he still calls you to return; be not led astray by those who are determined to follow their own way through this wilderness of sin and death; but seek for Christ, which is "the door;" seek for him, who "is the way, the truth, and the life." Seek for him who has given his life for the sheep, and who has promised, that "he will in no wise cast out those that seek him :" if He is your shepherd, you shall not want for any thing; he will "make you to lie down in green pastures, and lead you beside the still waters;" he will restore your

soul; so that " though you walk through the valley of the shadow of death, you need fear no evil," for the good shepherd will be still with

you; but if you harden your heart, and refuse

to hear, the very heathen from among whom Christ is now calling his sheep, will condemn you; for many of them at this day, have heard his voice, have renounced their idols, and have taken Jehovah to be their God. He therefore that hath ears, to hear the Lord speaking in his word and in his Providence, “let him hear."

SERMON XI.

ACTS xxvii. 23.

"For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve."

THESE are the words, and this the declaration of the Apostle Paul; a man whose history, above all those mentioned in the New Testament, is most deserving of our consideration. In early life, his character had been the very reverse of what is declared in the text. He had persecuted Jesus of Nazareth; and, "breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord," had persecuted them unto the death; binding and delivering into prisons both men and women; and, when they were put to death, he gave his voice against them; but when it pleased God, who separated him from his mother's womb, and called him by his grace, to reveal his Son in him, that he might preach him among the heathen, immediately he conferred not with flesh and blood-he hesitated not, nor took counsel of men, but promptly and implicitly gave himself