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not a stranger nor a hireling, but the shepherd of the sheep: "All we, like sheep, have gone astray: we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”—Isa. liii. 6. (2.) Because he finds the sheep: "What man of you having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost until he find it?"-Luke xv. 4. Every sheep in the fold has been found by Jesus. (3.) Because he carries the sheep: "And when he hath found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing."-Luke xv. 5. He gathers the lambs with his arm, and carries them in his bosom. (4.) Because he leads and feeds the sheep. They "go in and out, and find pasture.”—Verse "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."-Ps. xxiii. 1, 2. "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."-Rev. vii. 17. 2. The marks of the good shepherd.

9.

this.

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(1.) He entereth by the door. You may be surprised at Is not Christ himself the door? How can he enter by himself? Ans. It was just by himself that he entered. Compare Heb. ix. 12, "By his own blood he entered in once into the holy place," with x. 19, 20, Having, therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us through the veil, that is to say, his flesh." Christ himself entered in by this way to the Father, namely, by his own blood; and by this way every faithful servant of Christ enters in: "He that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep." O that God would raise up many such in Scotland-men who have entered in by the door into the sheepfold--men who can speak of sin because they have felt it of pardon because it is sweet to them.

(2.) He calleth his own sheep by name. In the east country, the shepherd frequently speaks to his sheep. He calls upon them, and they hear and know his voice. So is it with Christ. He is not a stranger shepherd nor a hireling. He calls his own sheep by name. This intimates1st, His knowledge of them. When Zaccheus, a lost and wandering sheep, was straying far away from the fold, Jesus called him by his name: "Zaccheus, come down." When Nathanael was wandering under the fig tree, Christ

name

saw him, and called him by his name. When Mary did not know Jesus, he said unto her, "Mary: she turned herself and saith unto him, Rabboni." Christ. knows all in this congregation who are his. He could name them over. He does often name them. Man does not know you— ministers do not-you may not know yourself; but Christ knows you. He calleth his own sheep by name. 2d, He deals in a very endearing manner with his own sheep. This is implied. When you love a person, you love his e-it has music in it. So Christ loves to call his own sheep by name. He loves the name of those for whom he died. He holds sweet and daily communion with them. 3d, He changes their nature. When Abram became a believer, Christ gave him a new name; so with Peter. So, when the Jews are brought to Christ, it is said, "Thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name."-Isa. lxii. 2. "But now, thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that redeemed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee; I have called thee by thy name: thou art mine.”—Isa. xliii. 1. "Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out; and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is the New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name."-Rev. iii. 12.

If one of you were brought to Christ this day, you would get a new heart and a new name. You would no more be

called

worldling-swearer-drunkard-wanton; but disciple-child of God-heir of glory-Christian indeed. Has Christ called you by your name?

3. He goeth before them. He did so while on earth. He went through all that he calls us to follow him in. He went before us in faith and holiness. He went before us in labours of love—in reproaches—in necessities-in sufferings -in death. He does not ask you to go through anything that he did not go through. He still goes before his sheep; often unseen, often unfelt and unheeded, but still present. He will not leave you orphans: "When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee."-Isa. xliii. 2.

My dear friends! are you following Jesus, the good

shepherd, or a stranger? Ah! flee from strangers. Flee from the company of the world, where you cannot hear the voice of Jesus. It is not safe to be there. Flee from those houses where the voice of Jesus is not heard, but the voice of strangers. Follow Jesus. Keep your eye on the Master. Believe on him, and do not let him go.

LECTURE XVI.

CHRIST THE DOOR.

"Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."-JOHN X. 7-10.

CHRIST is a kind teacher. He was speaking to stupid, prejudiced, and ignorant Pharisees; and, as we have seen from the context, "they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them."-Verse 6. They did not understand his first parable, and here he explains it over to them. He showed them the difference between the true and false shepherd-that the true shepherd enters by the door, but the other climbs up some other way. The two points they did not understand were, 1st, What is the door? and, 2d, Who is the true shepherd? These he now proceeds to explain: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep."

Christ is a kind teacher still. He can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way. How long he bears with those of you who are stupid and prejudiced by your lusts! He gives “ precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little and there a little."-Isa. xxviii. 10. He will readily explain his word to those of you who are seeking after him.

He will open your understanding to understand the Scrip

tures.

I. Christ is the door into the sheepfold: "I am the door of the sheep." All that ever came another way were thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not hear them. "I am the door." There is no way of entering into the Church of God, but by conversion and faith in Christ.

1. There is no other way for shepherds. Many, in all ages of the Church, have entered into the ministry by another way than by conversion and saving faith in Christ. Jesus here says, they are thieves and robbers. Many have entered in by their learning-masters of sciences and of many languages-many who have written learned volumes in defence of Christianity. Now, learning is good, and not to be despised; but it is not the door. Christ is the door of the sheep; and unless a minister enter by this door, he is but a thief and a robber. Many have entered in by their gifts-men of human eloquence-mighty in word, either for good or evil-men of rich imagination, strong judgment, and fluent tongue. The world runs after them. Still these gifts are not the door, and the men are but thieves and robbers. Many have entered in by the favour of the great -by the patronage of the rich and powerful. They have great influence, and are held in esteem. Still this is not the door: "I am the door of the sheep." All who are faithful shepherds enter in by this door. As poor, lost sinners, they come in through the blood and righteousness of Christ. Ah! none can speak of sin, but those who have been taught by the Spirit to feel the load. None can speak of Christ's beauty, but those who know and love him. None can speak of forgiveness, but those who have tasted it. Hold such in reputation: "Esteem them very highly

in love for their work's sake." Flee from others. The sheep do not hear them. Whatever be their gifts-their learning their eloquence-flee from them. They are strangers-thieves and robbers. They come not "but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy."

2. There is no other way for the sheep. Many enter into the Church in other ways; many come into the fold of the Lord's table by another door; many enter by their knowledge. They have learned the plan of salvation through Christ. They can answer questions upon it. They have a form of sound words; but nothing more.

Ah! this is

not the door. Conversion to Christ is the only true door. Many enter by their blameless character. Many are members of the visible Church because of their blameless character in the sight of man, though unconverted in the sight of God. You do not live in any way of open sin, and, therefore, you think you have a good right to sit down at Christ's table. Alas! you are but wolves in sheep's clothing. Christ is the door. Unless you have entered in by himby his obedience and blood-you are but a thief and a robber. "Friend, how camest thou in hither?" may be addressed to multitudes. How did you come to the Lord's table among the sheep of Christ? Was it by a true conversion and faith in Christ? or was it in some other way? If you came in by your knowledge-by your serious airby your blameless character-and not by Christ, you are but a thief and a robber. You have stolen into the fold. You will soon be cast out among the liars.

3. Christ is the door at present : "I am the door." There is plainly an emphasis on the words, I am. All to whom the Gospel comes have a short time in their existence when the door is open to them-when the rent veil is open -when the way into the holiest, the way into the Father's love, is made manifest to them. That time is short. Compared with the long eternity that is to follow, it is but a moment-it is but a breathing-time. The few short years that each sinner has the open door before him will soon pass away; and then the door will be shut to all eternity. Each of you, in eternity, will look back upon this sweet time when the door stood open before you: "I am the door." Oh! my brethren, if I could promise you that the Gospel door would stand open for you a hundred years, still it would be the part of true wisdom to enter in now; or, if I could say, for fifty, or twenty, or ten years, it would still more be the part of true wisdom to enter in. But I cannot say for one year, nor for one month, nor for one day. All I can say is, that Christ is now the door. To-day there is a way of pardon and eternal life open before you. To-morrow it may be closed for ever.

II. The invitation. invitation, what?

1. The persons to whom. 2. The

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1. To whom. 66 Any man." Some of the sweet invitations of Christ are addressed to the thirsty: one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters

"If

Ho, every

any man

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