vites to. Many would shrink back if he were to propose open sin all at once. He does not say, Come and be a drunkardCome and be an open profligate; but he invites you to secret sin. This is the way he destroys simple ones, who are without understanding. He says, Come and take a little secret sin; no one shall ever know. He does not allow you to remember that no sin is secret-that what you do in dark places is all naked and open to the eye of Him with whom you have to do--that the lusts and unclean imaginations in which you delight yourself are all open as day before the eye of God. He says, They are sweet and pleasant; but he does not tell you that at the end it biteth like an adder. He does not tell you that the end of these things is death.

This is the way he calls those who are under concern, going right on to Christ. Stop, he cries; "Stolen waters are sweet.' Are you going to leave all your pleasures--the glass, the dance, the song, the game, the pleasant companion? May you not take a little secret sin, and be saved too? You do not need to let it be known. Do it secretly, Ah, how many here have been thus turned quickly out of the way!

This is the way he calls those who are Christ's own, going right on the way of holiness. He invites to secret sin. A skilful fisher lets his fly fall gently on the stream; if he show the line or make the line splash the water, the fish are alarmed, and the bait is thrown in vain. But he lets it fall gently and secretly upon the stream; the sharp-barbed hook is concealed beneath the shining fly, and so the silly fish is caught. So when Satan catches men, he does not show the hook. He says, Take a little secret sin; do it so that none shall see and none shall know. The poor believer catches at the bait, and feels the iron enter into his soul.

Beware of secret sin. No sin is secret. All is naked and laid open, and all will be made known before an assembled world. Do not say you do not need to fear, for it is but a small temptation. Satan always begins with a small temptation. Take heed of going as far as you can in temptation without committing the sin. Thus fell Noah and Samson, and David and Solomon. "She hath cast down many wounded; yea, many strong men have been slain by her."

IV. The end of Satan's house: "He knoweth not that the dead are there, and that her guests are in the depths of hell."

Are there many who hear the voice of Folly? Ah! look to your crowded taverns, teeming with God-defying brawlers-look to your theatres and other haunts of wicked pleasure crowded with shameless worshippers of Satan-look at your crowded steam-boats on the Sabbath, or your crowds of daring Sabbathbreakers that pollute the highway-look to the heaven-defying

profanities of the Chartist meeting-house. All those began with the "stolen waters that are sweet, and the bread eaten in secret that is pleasant." And what becomes of all that enter there? "The dead are there"-the eternally dead. Ah! this is the end of sin. 66 What shall the end be of those that obey not the Gospel?"-The depths of hell! Those who are now going right on their ways, who turn aside and die in their sin, sink into the depths of hell.

He knoweth not. Satan hides this from you. When Satan bids you enter, he shows you nothing but what is sweet and pleasant. The cup is sparkling, the lights are glancing-all that your eye can desire to see is there. But ask to see the inner chamber -ask Satan to show you the innermost room; "The dead are there, and her guests are in the depths of hell."

Choose this day whose voice you will hear. On the one hand, Christ invites you to receive pardon, and a new heart, and eternal life. On the other hand Satan beckons you to receive stolen waters, and then the depths of hell. O, pray that your eyes may be opened-pray that you may not be deceived for eternity.

LECTURE XV.

THE GOOD SHEPHERD.

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in at the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice; and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them."-JOHN X. 1-6.

.6

WE may learn from verse 6, that this parable is difficult ana dark to the natural eye: They understood not what things they were which he spake unto them." How much need, then, have I of a fresh baptism of the Holy Spirit while I open it to you! and how much need have you to have the face of the covering destroyed from off your hearts, and to receive the unction of the Holy One, that you may know all things!

1. The thief and robber.

2. The good shepherd.

I. The thief and robber: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, the same is a thief

66

and a robber."-Verse 1. There can be no doubt that this chapter is a continuation of the preceding. Jesus was showing the Pharisees what blind and guilty teachers they were. They were deeply offended at him. In this chapter he goes on to show them the marks and defects of false teachers. It seems plain, however, that Jesus speaks mainly of one thief and robber. He calls him "a stranger"-verse 5; "the thief" verse 10; "the hireling"verse 13; and he contrasts him with the good shepherd, who gives his life for the sheep. Who is this thief and robber, who climbs over the wall of the sheepfold? this stranger, who tries to lead away the sheep of Christ? this thief and robber, who comes not but for to kill, and to steal, and to destroy? I have no doubt that it is Satan-the god of this world-the prince of the power of the air-he that entered into Judas-he who filled the heart of Ananias and Sapphira.

Satan has three ways of attacking the sheepfold.

(1.) Through Antichrist. There can be no doubt that Satan is the grand master-mover of all the workings of Antichrist. We are told so in 2 Thess. ii. 8, 9: "And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: even him whose coming is after the working of Satan, with all power, and with signs, and lying wonders." Again, Rev. xii. 9: " And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent called the devil and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world." And again, Rev. xiii. 1, 2: "And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

66

... And the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority." This is Satan's grand plan for killing and destroying the sheep of the sheepfold. Thus he wears out the saints of the Most High. (2.) Through the world. Satan is the god of this world. From the days of Cain the world has come over the walls of the sheepfold, to kill, and steal, and destroy. The world, whether it smiles or frowns, hates the Christians, and seeks to leap over the wall of the fold. (3.) Through worldly ministers. Satan entered into Judas, and no doubt enters into many ministers still: "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light." There is no way in which Satan has done more damage to the Church than by thrusting unfaithful shepherds over the wall of the fold. Such were the Pharisees of old-such are careless ministers to this day.

1. The mark of the false shepherd. The false shepherd "entereth not by the door, but climbeth up some other way." The door of the fold we know to be Christ: I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved."-Verse 9. This is the

66

sure mark of Satan and all his underlings-they do not enter in, and are not saved through Christ. It is so with Satan himself. Unhappy spirit of evil, the strait gate of life was never opened to him. He leaps over the wall into the fold, seeking to devour the sheep himself lost and unholy. So it is with Antichrist and all his ministers. They have never themselves entered by the door. They deny Christ to be the door. They would have men climb over some other way.

66

2. The object of the false shepherd: "The same is a thief and a robber. The thief cometh not but for to steal, and to kill and to destroy."-Verse 10. The object of Christ in coming to this world was to seek and to save that which was lost: For the Son of Man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them."-Luke ix. 56. "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."—John x. 10. So with all his ministers. Our heart's desire and prayer to God for you all is, that ye may be saved. We cease not from "warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus."-Col. i. 28. "I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some."-1 Cor. ix. 22. But the object of Satan and all under him is, "to steal, and to kill, and to destroy." 1st, They seek to rob God. Antichrist robs God of his throne, changing the very law of God-robs Christ of the glory of being the only Mediator between God and man. The world robs God of his throne in your hearts; and worldly ministers rob God of his glory by concealing it-keeping back the counsel of God for man's salvation. The same are thieves and robbers. 2d, They seek to rob man. Antichrist robs man of the Bible-of the preached Gospel-of the way of pardon and peace. The world tries to rob you of your peace-of your way to holiness and eternal life. Worldly ministers seek to rob you of your precious, never-dying souls.

Awake, my friends; you are in a dangerous time. Beware of false shepherds, which come to you in sheep's clothing. Beware of Antichrist, in whatever form he may come to you. Beware of the world, whether in its frown or in its bewitching smile. Beware of cold worldly ministers.

II. The good shepherd: "The shepherd of the sheep."

1. The shepherd of the sheep is the Lord Jesus Christ: "I am the good shepherd."-Verse 11. "I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine."-Verse 14. Why does he get this name? (1.) Because he died for the sheep. He is not a thief nor a robber-he is 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 9. "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.

(1.) He entereth by the door. You may be surprised at this. 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 holies 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.

66

(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 intimates-1st, 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 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 name 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