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they follow me." True believers are not contented with merely sitting under the hearing of the word; nor even with reading it themselves; they seek to follow Christ according to the rule and power of that word; for they know from that word, that if they are "hearers only and not doers, they are deceiving themselves: for "if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass; for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.' This is a true description of one who hears the word of God, and does it not: how many are there who, while sitting under the hearing of the word, are affected with the sense of their sinfulness, their misery and their danger; acknowledge the great evil of sin, and their need of Christ for salvation but they no sooner leave these walls, than all is forgotten; convictions are lost; good affections, purposes and resolves, all vanish away, "like the early dew" upon the grass, or clouds before the rising sun. Our sins are the spots which are discovered by the glass of God's law; the Gospel displays the blood of Christ as the laver, in which all sin may be washed away; but it is in vain we hear this law, and look into this Gospel glass, whilst we go away, forgetting our spots, and never once thinking of applying the remedy which the Gospel has pointed out,

in order that they may be washed away: "But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work; this man, shall be blessed in his deeds "-observe, not for his deeds, but in his deeds; as the Psalmist describes the blessedness of such a man, where "Whatsoever he doeth, it shall pros

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Another distinguishing character of Christ's sheep is, that "they know his voice;" they are acquainted with the word of life, and understand its spiritual meaning and application; for they are "taught of God;" it is this which preserves them from being led astray by false teachers, who may come to them in sheep's clothing; who are designated by Christ, as thieves and robbers, "but the sheep will not hear them;" "a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him, for they know not the voice of strangers." These strangers are false teachers, who teach not according to the truth of God's word; though they may profess to do so: "They enter not by the door into the sheepfold, but climb up some other way." They do not hold forth Christ in their preaching, as the sum and substance of the Gospel; though he has declared that he is the door of the sheepfold: that "by him, if any man enter in, he shall be saved ;" and in another passage he has declared himself to be

"the way, the truth, and the life and that no man can come unto the Father, but by him." Yet false teachers have in every age, pointed out other ways of coming to God, and seeking to be reconciled to him: following the guidance of their own dark understanding, and seeking to propitiate the favour of God, by what they call the merit of their own works. But if any are thus led astray, it is their own fault; it is because they choose it: Christ has warned all to whom the Gospel is sent, to "beware of false Prophets who come to them in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves, ye shall know them," said he, "by their fruits,;" by the fruit of their teaching, and the fruit of their lives. St. John also, speaking of false teachers, has plainly designated them thus: "They are of the world therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them." Speaking of himself and fellow Apostles, he said, "We are of God: he that knoweth God, heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us: hereby," said he, "know we the spirit of truth and the spirit of error." We see then, that every thing in this matter, is left to a man's free choice; and according to the choice he makes, he gives a proof, whether he belongs to the sheep of Christ, or not. My sheep hear my voice, and they follow me; and a stranger will they not follow, for they know not the voice of strangers." Jesus had often preached

and testified to the Jews, but they believed him not; and he declared to them the reason why, "but ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you."

The voice of the good shepherd has for a length of time been heard in our land; ever since that day when the first missionary reached our once Heathen shores, bearing the precious Gospel with him from that day the good shepherd has been calling in his sheep, and many have, no doubt, heard his voice, who have in successive ages been removed to his fold above. The same voice is sounding daily in our ears; and the word of life put into our hands; that we may acknowledge it, believe in it, and live. But seeing that in all ages of this merciful dispensation, many have refused to receive this word, and others have abused it; thus giving sad proof that they were not the sheep of Christ; should not we take good heed, and examine ourselves most particularly in this matter: we have all heard the shepherd's voice with our outward ears; but so did the Jews, even from his own lips; of whom our Lord said, "Ye are not my sheep." The voice must reach our hearts, with its transforming powerour hearts are naturally hard and obdurate, “like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ears, refusing to hear the voice of the charmer;" but the word of God, where it comes with power, is as "a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces:" it is able

to subdue the hardest heart; but we must beware of hardening our own hearts against it; remember Pharoah; he first hardened his heart against the Lord; and then we read, that "the Lord hardened Pharoah's heart." The Jews also did so, and shut their eyes against the truth; till the Lord, in just judgment, "made the hearts of that people hard, and closed their eyes, so that they should neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor be healed." O beware of this dreadful judgment, ye who have only heard the shepherd's voice as yet, with your outward ears; and whether this is the case with any of you who now hear me, you must judge for yourselves. If you have received the word into your heart, you are the sheep of Christexamine then, whether you bear the mark and character of Christ's sheep; you may have the mark, without the character-the profession, without the reality; but Christ has said, "by their fruits you shall know them;" " knowledge that you were as sheep going astray," but can you say, that "you have returned to the shepherd and bishop of your souls ?" You read in the Scripture, that "Christ has left us an example that we should follow his steps ;" and you also read, that "his sheep follow him." Christ was an eminent pattern of every thing that is lovely and of good report: he was a signal monument of devotedness to God, and benevolence to man,

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