October 7

"I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord God." Ezra, 34:15.

This is spoken of the subjects of divine grace.

Individually considered, they are called sheep to remind us of their personal qualities—their weakness, meekness, gentleness, harmlessness, patience, and submission. Some, in their affliction, toss like a wild bull in a net. Lay hold of a swine, and the neighborhood is alarmed. But observe the fleecy sufferer. She indeed palpitates. And the Christian may palpitate, and tremble, and be ready to faint; but his very manner silently says, I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me. Let thy loving-kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant.

Distinctively considered, they are not all sheep. Many of them are lambs. But these are sheep in nature and degree, and are equally dear to the Shepherd with the older part of his charge. Yea, he gathers the lambs with his arms, and carries them in his bosom; and gently leads those that are with young. The margin is, those that have young. Lowth renders it, "The nursing ewes he will gently lead." And we are persuaded that the force of this tender image applies to the lambs,

Mons. East.

31 and not to the mothers. If the latter were driven on fast, the former could not keep up with them, especially in rough ground; and thus losing their maternal supplies, would droop and perish.

Collectively they are a flock. And one flock only, according to our Saviour's words, "one fold and one shepherd." Whatever differences there are among them, they are only the differences of sheep and of lambs. What difficulty is there in believing this? Essential sameness is not destroyed by circumstantial distinction. Unity is not incompatible with variety. Many branches make but one tree; many members but one body. Bigots would banish harmony from the church of God, for there can be no harmony where all the sounds are the same. God promised that he would give his people one heart and one way. And our Lord prayed that his followers might be one. Have this prayer and this promise been fulfilled? We dare not suppose the contrary; but if they have been accomplished, we may see what kind of 'oneness' was intended. Not a oneness of opinion; not a sameness in forms of worship and modes of discipline, for these never have been found; but a oneness, a sameness consistent with the variations that have obtained among them. A unity of spirit; a community of principles; a fellowship of privileges: all being redeemed by the same blood, justified by the same righteousness, renewed by the same grace, and joint-heirs of the same glory. "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female; for ye are all one in Christ Jesus."

And is this flock ever forsaken or forgotten by him? "I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord God." But tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou fiedest; where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon. For why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions?

"Fain would I feed among thy sheep, Among them rest, among them sheep."

What says David? "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; he leadeth me beside the still waters."

This is grace. What is glory? Hear the angel to John: "They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters; and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes."

There is another flock in the world. This consists of goats. They also have a shepherd. It is the devil, and they are taken captive by him at his will. He also has under-shepherds to do his work, and to him they are amenable; and what a reward will he render them! But his flock, his direful flock—what food, what repose have they? What in time? What in eternity? The way of transgressors is hard. The end of these things is death, the second death. And if any of them should be intermixed with the flock of Christ, and escape detection here, "before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, 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." "And these shall go away into everlasting punishment; but the righteous into life eternal."