fold, can restore the joy of their soul. Even the Angels failed to comfort the weeping Mary. They could not dry her tears.

The voice of Jesus, like "music on the breezes,” alone can say " Peace be still!"

He has promised-" Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me."

8. If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds' tents.

This is the answer of the good Shepherd, in reply to the appeal made in the previous verse.

In this answer of Jesus, we may notice, (I.) how graciously He commends—and (II.) how readily He answers the petition which the Church had made to Him (I.) "Oh! thou fairest amongst women.”

The Church is here spoken of under the figure and similitude of a "woman:"-and is described as

66

being among women the fairest."-This is the more striking, if we refer to the Church's own confession, in the 5th and 6th verses, where she speaks of herself personally as lacking both comeliness d beauty.

1. Ps. 1. 15

The Saints of God, that are in the earth, though uncomely, by reason of manifold infirmities (“for the infection of their fallen nature doth remain even in them that are regenerate,") yet, being washed in the Lamb's blood, and clothed with His righteousness, (which is like fine linen, clean and white)— and adorned with the graces of the Holy Ghost, are very fair and beautiful in the Saviour's eyes.

Indeed, they are fairest in Jesus' sight, when blackest in their own-For observe, it is after the Church, in 5th verse, confesses "I am black," that Jesus says to her "thou fairest among women.”

So it is written in the Gospel, concerning a broken hearted Publican, who smote upon his breast, crying "God be merciful to me a sinner,"-that Jesus testified "I tell you this man went down to his house justified rather than the sther—for whosoever humbleth himself shall be exalted, and whosoever exalleth himself shall be cast down."

Then it is He sees a peculiar beauty and excellence in His people, when He sees their souls humbled to the dust: when he hears them bemoan themselves as the least of Saints.

"Be ye therefore clothed with humility," not the mere "shew of humility," but "heartfelt humility,”.........not merely "putting on" humility as a loose garment-but as the word properly sig

1. Luke xviii. 14.

nifies-be clothed with it as with an outer and ornamental garment, which the ancients used to wear tied closely to their bodies with knots.

Professing Church of Christ! learn of the Apostle, (yea, of your own Lord and Master,) to be clothed with humility. Cherish it in your hearts. Pray much for the Spirit of humility. It is the Spirit of Christ himself. "He resisteth the proud, but giveth grace (pours it out plentifully) upon the humble."

II. How readily does Christ respond to the entreaty of His Church! "Go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the Shepherd's tents." This direction is two-fold, (i.) "Go forth by the footsteps of the flock."(ii.) "Feed thy kids beside the Shepherd's tents.”

I apprehend that it is the flock of Jesus which is here referred to. That flock which the Father has given Him, which, it is also said, He, as Mediator, purchased with His own blood, and which he feeds continually, like a Shepherd.

It is called "THE" flock, by way of emphasis, as distinguished from the flocks of those other Shepherds mentioned in the 7th verse. There is but ONE "Good Shepherd," so there is but one flock."

JESUS HAS BUT ONE FLOCK. As compared with the many who will not recognize Him and do

not heed His voice-it is a small flock. At the last it will be found to be composed of "a great multitude, such as no man can number !”1

This flock is a chosen one, elect and precious.Some of them have already entered into their rest, and others are yet in the wilderness, guided and watched over by the good Shepherd.

Soon they too will enter into heavenly pastures. They will no longer be DIVIDED as Jacob's flocks were, when he put a space betwixt drove and drove. There will be but one fold in Heaven, as there is but one Shepherd on Earth.

"In the dispensation of the fulness of times, God will gather together in one, all things in Christ, both which are in Heaven and which are in Earth."3

From various sections of the Church Catholic, shall they come. All shall be ONE in Christ Jesus. Every Shibboleth of Party shall be forgotten. This alone, will be the rallying point-the key-note of their eternal song" Unto Him that loved us and washed us in His blood, be glory, and honour, dominion and power, for ever and ever!"

Blessed souls, whose names shall not be blotted out of the book of Life! Blessed and happy Believer, who can say, with all David's confidence

1. Rev. vii. 9.

2. Jno. x. 16.
Rev. i. 5.

3. Eph. i. 10.

J

"The Lord is MY Shepherd, therefore I shall not want."1

A little while and your wanderings will be over. Soon you will enter into the fold from which you will never be tempted to stray.

As the flock is one, so also is the way along which that flock goes. There is but one way in which the flock of Christ hath ever walked..

In the same good old paths by which patriarchs and prophets and apostles and martyrs trod in the ways of the Lord, we must follow. Many disputes have been raised about it by men who are ignorant of the "way,"-but wherever such disputes originate, we know only of one way in which to walk-"I am the way," saith the Lord-" No man cometh to the Father but by me.”

Thus hath Jesus, by His own express words, as well as by the examples of Saints of old, clearly marked out the paths in which he would have His people walk.

These are the footsteps of the flock in which he bids the inquiring soul go forth.

Here, mark a great truth, viz.-"That the faith and obedience of God's Saints, (as to the substance of them generally speaking,) have been the same in all ages."

There never has been but "one faith: one

1. Ps. xxiii. 1.

2. Jno. xiv. 6.