close to the fide of its parent, or else in plaintive, though inarticulate language, folicits the kind protection of the fhepherd's hand. Quiet and harmless itself, it fhrinks from the fiercer and more favage nature of its rude companions. It is a stranger to wrath and resentment: it preferves its meekness under the most cruel treatment. Even, when led to the flaughter, it fawns upon the hand that is ready to fhed its blood.

Need I tell you, then, that the Lambs mentioned in my text, are all thofe, who being poffeffed of this gentleness of nature, and from an inward consciousness of their own weak and helpless state, put themselves under the Protection of CHRIST, their Spiritual Parent and Shepherd; who, with meeknefs and unwearied patience, sustain every affront and indignity from without, and every rude affault of temptation and distress within; whose wills

treatment of the Great Lover of Souls. To " gather them with his Arm, and carry them in his Bofom," implies, not only protection from all injuries and infults, but an intimate Union of Hearts, a tender Communication of Love. "Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly "in heart; and ye shall find reft to your "fouls:”—reft and fecurity from every evil passion, from every fpiritual assault within or without. A likeness of spirit, temper, and difpofition, brings us into his arms, and lodges us in his Bofom. A likeness of spirit, temper, and disposition, makes us One with his Father and Himself.

Behold," faid the infpired Baptist, "the Lamb of GOD, that taketh away "the fin of the world!" Ah! finner, deceive not thyfelf, it is the Lamb of God that is to take away thy fins: it is the meek, gentle, and loving spirit of CHRIST, turned to and embraced in thine heart, that is to deliver thee from

the

the proud, selfish, wrathful nature, in which thou art born, and whofe fad effects thou canst not but feel. This is the Atonement, the Satisfaction, the Redemption of CHRIST, even that Allconquering Meeknefs, which must finally extinguish all that is evil in the whole system of things, and leave not one fingle enemy to GoD and Goodnefs unfubdued.

Many, however, there are, who though very fenfible of the numberless corruptions of nature, and very defirous of being delivered from them, have not yet reached the state of those, who are here diftinguished by the name of Lambs; that is, according to the language of Scripture, in whose hearts "CHRIST is not yet "formed." But notwithstanding their weak and imperfect state, they are still the objects of the Shepherd's care; and it is of these the Prophet fpeaks, when he fays, "he fhall gently lead thofe that are with young."

It is delightful to contemplate the various methods, by which a good and gracious GOD is perpetually seeking to reclaim his wandering creatures. Prosperity and adverfity, health and fickness, virtue and vice, good and evil, are all, by his Wisdom, rendered fubfervient to this grand and falutary purpose. The proud fpirit that can brook no controul, but is lifted up by its own vain imagination, fo as to admire itself as a little deity, frequently bends to the ftroke of Omnipotence, and is taught Humility in the fchool of affliction. The covetous, the voluptuous, the angry, envious, and malicious fpirits, fome by one difpenfation, fome by another, are led to feel the restless misery of nature unredeemed, and with earnestness to seek for deliverance and peace.

The Good Shepherd waits with the most affectionate anxiety for the first appearance of this conflict with nature.

His Wisdom and Goodness manifeft themselves by fuch a gentle treatment of the afflicted spirit, as will not obstruct the falutary purpose, by too fudden a removal of the painful fenfibility on the one hand, or too long a continuance of it on the other. The former might lead to prefumption, the latter to melancholy' and despair.

Some little flights of Goodness, some dawnings of the Heavenly Life, may now and then appear in the young and unexperienced Chriftian: but till the principle is brought forth into a clear manifestation, till the temper and difpofition are habitually changed, much care and tenderness are neceffary. To emerge at once out of the deep horrors of a dungeon, into the broad blaze of day, would be a fhock too great for the strongest organs of vifion. The Heavenly Beam must be gradually introduced; the day must break and dawn

upon