else. In this Man thou wilt find all things, if thou but remain under his protection, and lie still upon his shoulders. But all the joy that can be obtained out of him, is not the true joy of the heart; even if thou call in to thy help all creatures, and enjoy all the pleasures and delights that the world can give!

Glory to God the greatest and the highest.

SERMON II.

CONCERNING THE GOOD SHEPHERD.

JOHN X.

I am the good Shepherd, &c.

THIS Gospel contains great consolation; setting forth the Lord Christ in a kind of fertile description; -- what his character is, what his works are, and how he is affected towards men; saying, "I am the good Shepherd." And we cannot more clearly present this to the eyes of our understanding, than by setting forth in a comparison, the difference between light and darkness, day and night; that is, between a good and a bad shepherd; for this is what Christ does here.

You have already repeatedly heard, that God has ordained a twofold preaching to the world. The one, which sets forth the precepts of God -- that we are not to have strange gods, not to murder or steal, not to commit adultery; and which threatens death to the transgressors in these things; and which moreover, does not purify any man's heart from these things; for although a man may, by these precepts, be so restrained from these sins as to have an external show of civil righteousness, yet, in his heart, he fosters a hatred of the law, and would that there were no law at all. The other

office of preaching is, the Gospel; which shews you where that strength is to be obtained that shall enable you to do those things which the law prescribes: this preaching does not drive men by force, nor threaten them, but sweetly invites them. It does not say, “Do this thing or that;' but it says, 'Come unto me; I will shew thee to whom thou must go, and whence thou art to obtain power to become righteous. Behold here is Christ, who will give thee this abundantly.'

Wherefore, these two things have this difference between them the one is taking, the other giving : the one is exacting, the other freely bestowing: and this difference is to be most carefully observed. In this way it is that God ever has governed, and still does govern, the world. To carnal and lust-gratifying men, who are not touched with the Gospel, the law is to be preached; which may act as a schoolmaster over them, and may restrain them until they be humbled and acknowledge their diseases. . When this is done, then the Gospel must be set before them.

These are the two offices of preaching which were ordained from heaven of God. But beside these, there are others; which, indeed, were not sent down from heaven, but are the inventions of men; which the Pope and our bishops have introduced, in order to disturb consciences; who are unworthy the name of shepherds, or indeed of hirelings, but are those very persons whom Christ calls thieves, robbers, and wolves. But if we will rule men wholesomely, we must do it by the Word of God; for where the Word of God is neglected in this government of men, there a certain anarchy prevails.

Moreover, Christ here assumes another office, representing it most descriptively. He makes himself the principal, and thus, the only shepherd; for, that which he does not feed, is without pasture. Let us then look into this preaching, which is so excellent, and so abounding with consolations.

Ye have heard, then, that our Lord Christ, after his crucifixion and death, came forth alive and ascended up on high, and was translated into a state of total

freedom from the power of death: not that he sits in heaven at ease (as they say) with folded hands, vainly amusing himself, and, according to the old proverb, enjoying himself; but rather, he holds the reins of empire, and himself governs his kingdom, and acts as king, as many of the prophets have spoken of him, and as the whole scripture abundantly testifies. Wherefore, let us believe, that he is continually with us; and let us not so fix him on that throne above, as though he sits on it given up wholly to slothful ease; but let us be assured that he, from the seat above, observes and governs all things; as Paul saith, Ephes. iv. that he above all things has his eye fixed on his own kingdom; which is, the Christian Faith.

Wherefore, the kingdom of Christ must go on here among us upon earth. Concerning this kingdom, we have said that it is so ordained, that we may all increase more and more, and become more and more pure every day. Moreover, that it is not administered by force, but by the preaching of the mouth; that is, by the Gospel. This preaching did not proceed from men, but was ordained and performed by Christ himself, and afterwards inspired into the hearts of his apostles and their successors, that they might, by mouth, preach it to others. This then is the kingdom of Christ; it is thus that he reigns; so that, all the power and efficacy of his administration are placed in the Word of God. And those who hear and believe this Word belong to this kingdom which Word, is rendered so powerful, that it eflects all things that are necessary for man, and carries with it a certain full treasury of all good things: "for it is the power of God unto every one that believeth," as Paul saith, Rom. i. and is able to save all men. Wherefore, if thou believe that Christ died and rose again to deliver thee from all destruction, and if thou cleave to that Word, it is so sure and certain, that no creature can overthrow it. And as no creature can subvert the Word, so thou canst not in any way be deceived when thou restest upon it as upon a certain foundation. And being thus fortified by the Word, thou wilt

conquer sin, death, evil spirits, and hell: and thus, thou wilt come and be drawn into that state where the word itself is; that is, into eternal peace, joy, and life: and, to be brief, thou wilt be made partaker of all the blessings that are contained in the word!

This kingdom, therefore, is wonderful. The word itself is present, and is thundered forth by a living voice before all but its power is quite hidden : nor can any one have a proof of its energy, nor know that it is so powerful, but he who believes it. Moreover, you must feel and taste it in your own heart. We ministers can do nothing else than become the mouths and instruments of our Lord Christ, though which he sensibly preaches his word. He permits the word to be proclaimed openly, that all may hear it. But for the heart itself to digest it and feel it within, that is the operation of faith, and is the mystical work of Christ; which he works, according to his divine predestination, where and when he will.

And this is the sum of what he saith, "I am the good Shepherd. For who is a good shepherd? A good shepherd layeth down his life for the sheep; I also lay down my life for my sheep." In this description of his power he comprehends all things at once, and sets before us a sweet comparison drawn from sheep. You see that the nature of this animal is altogether so foollike and simple, that it has even furnished a proverb which is usually applied to persons that have stupid and senseless heads- He is a sheep!' Or, 'He has a sheep's head!' That is, he has the ways of a sheep. Though its nature is also this:- that it hears the voice of its shepherd sooner than any other animal whatever : nor will it follow any other than the shepherd of its own, flock. And it is so devoted, that it will cleave to none other but its shepherd; to whom alone, when it is in trouble, it flees. It cannot help itself, nor of itself feed and be taken care of; but depends absolutely upon the care of another in every respect. The nature of this animal, Christ uses as a comparison; and, by a parable; makes himself the shepherd; wherein he beautifully

sets forth, of what nature his kingdom is, and in what it consists. As though he had said, My kingdom is nothing else than my presiding over sheep; that is, miserable and troubled men in this world; who can know and find, out of me, no succour, no counsel to help themselves!

MOREOVER, to set this forth more clearly, and that it might be the better understood, let us adduce out of the prophet Ezekiel, ch. xxxiv., those words in which he thunders against evil shepherds who are opposed to Christ: saying, "Wo unto the shepherds that feed themselves! should not shepherds feed the flocks? Ye eat the fat and ye clothe you with the wool: ye kill them that are fed, but ye feed not the flock. The diseased have ye not strengthened; neither have ye healed that which was sick; neither have ye bound up that which was broken; neither have ye brought again that which was driven away; neither have ye sought again that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them. And they were scattered because there was no shepherd; and they became meat to all the beasts of the field when they were scattered. My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill," &c.-God here rebukes the shepherds for being negligent in feeding the cattle. Only weigh the contents of the words. In this place, that which he the most seriously and with the greatest concern sets forth, is, that the weak, the sick, the broken, the driven away, the lost, should be strengthened, healed, sought out, and brought back to the fold. This (says he) is what ye shepherds ought to have done, but ye did it not. Wherefore, I will take upon me the office of a good shepherd; as he saith a little after, "I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away; and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick."

Here you see, that the nature of the kingdom of Christ, is to be occupied in the care of the weak, the sick, and the broken; and that Christ is set before them for that very end, that he may administer to them