lack nothing." But lest any thing should be wanted to complete the Scripture Portrait of our Shepherd King, He himself said, in the days of His flesh, “I am the good Shepherd."

Behold then, Brethren, ye that are of the true flock, what a Shepherd ye have to tend you; not only "God's Shepherd," - not only the "One Shepherd,”—not only the "Chief Shepherd,"and the "Great Shepherd,"

Shepherd."

but the "Good

But, if Holy Writ thus sets forth Jesus in the character of a Shepherd, so does it say, that “He hath a flock to feed." And so it is written in the Prophets, "He shall feed His flock like a Shepherd."-" His flock," the people whom He has chosen and on whom He has set His love: whom the Father hath given Him and for whose redemption He paid the price in blood. These know His voice and follow Him, whithersoever he goeth, but the voice of a stranger will they not follow. Now just, as the Shepherd has many titles in Scripture, so also hath his flock. It is called "a flock of slaughter." Zechariah, by the Spirit of Prophecy, spake this concerning the Saints of Christ, of whom St. Paul saith, "We are killed all the day long, and accounted as sheep for the slaughter.'

Even now the Great Fowler-our adversary, the

1. Zach. xi. 4.

Devil-goeth to and fro like a hungry lion, and seeking the flock that he may devour them.

St. Luke calls it a "little flock," and so it is, many may be called but few chosen. Not every one that hath baptism and outward church communion, hath the electing grace of Jesus Christ in his soul. And let a man be what he may and have every sort of privilege, it shall profit him nothing if his soul be not made the temple of the Holy Ghost.

What think you of this flock? It is true that it is a "little flock" and a "flock of slaughter." Have you reason to think that you are one of its sheep? If you are, His mark is upon your soul. His blood has been sprinkled upon your heart You know His voice and follow Him, and His Spirit dwells within you. Is it thus with your soul. Examine and see. Do not take it for granted that you are one of Christ's flock, because you go out among that flock now. Alas! how many baptized hypocrites, like Simon Magus-unsound professors like Ananias-lovers of the world, more than lovers of Christ, like Demas-will be discovered and cast out from the flock in the last gathering of the true sheep.

How many that are now first shall then be last and the last first. Instead of green pastures and

1. Luke xii. 32.

still waters and rivers of brooks of waters from the fountain of life, and the hidden manna, how many will be doomed to feed upon ashes, and drink in for ever and ever the liquid flames of the wrath of God?

If, while your eye rests upon this

page, you are conscious that you are not of the flock of Jesus Christ, well may you cry out, from the bottom of your soul—“Tell me O Lord where thou feedest Thy flock: lead me by the way I know not, that I may enter in and be at rest.”

But not only hath Christ a flock, but he also feeds them, and this leads us to notice more particularly, the request of the Believer in the text— "Tell me where thou feedest."

In the second verse of the sixth chapter of this Song, we read "My Beloved is gone down into his garden to the beds of spices, to feed in his garden.” By "gardens," are to be understood the churches of the living God, in which are assembled companies of faithful men, where the word of God is read and preached and the sacraments duly administered, according to Christ's appointment. In these "gardens," does Christ feed his flock and provide them with feasts of fat things, even the fatness of His house. He feeds them with Himself, who is the "Bread of Life."

Reader, if thou art of the flock and feedest upon

this bread by faith, thou shalt never know hunger again, neither shalt thou taste the second death"His flesh is meat indeed, and His blood is drink indeed." He is ever ready to distribute His blessings among the sheep of His pastures. Go to Him oft as thou wilt, thou canst not come once too often: thou art ever welcome. Ask what thou wilt, thou canst not ask too much; too little, thou mayest, perhaps ask, too seldom thou mayest come-but thou canst not come too often, or put up thy petition too largely. Thy Shepherd hath all the power to give. He hath none at all to refuse.

But, the request in my text, may be read, "Tell me how thou feedest," and then the Believer seems to ask how-in what manner, by what instrumentality-does "Christ feed His flock." He does so by His ministers, who are His servants, stewards, ambassadors. He puts them in trust with His Gospel, to feed, admonish, and provide for his flock. "Their office and dignity is very high and weighty. They are to teach, premonish, and provide for the Lord's family, to seek for Christ's sheep, which are dispersed abroad and for His children which are dispersed abroad in the midst of this mighty world."

Pause, Reader, and think how great and awful is the responsibility of every minister of Jesus Christ! Think of the difficulties which encompass us. Have

1. John vi. 55.

some compassion for your ministers. They are men of like passions with yourselves. Be more full of charity towards them than censure. Forget not they have a "great work to do about their own souls and a still greater about yours.' They have all your trials and temptations and some that belong only to the minister. Help them in their work of "winning souls to Christ." Pray for them that the word of the Lord may run and be glorified.But Christ also feeds His flock by His ordinances. He spreads out before them rich feasts, saying"Eat, O my friends! yea, drink, O Beloved." And these ordinances when rightly used as means to an end, are channels of Divine Grace to the soul, whereby the spiritual nature of the man is strengthened, and refreshed faith is confirmed and hope increased. But it is the Spirit that quickeneth the flesh profiteth nothing.

Oh! that minister and people continually thought upon these things! then would the heavens be no longer like brass, neither the vineyards of the Lord dry and parched as a barren soil. The ministry of the word would become sharp as a two-edged sword. The ordinances of the Lord's house, precious channels of the waters of life-giving nourishment to the feeble, to the weary and afflicted, strength and consolation.

Oh! that the people would seek the Lord's pre