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Q. What do you say of a faith which embraces these great truths?

A. It is the most elevating, consoling, and joyinspiring belief that the Christian heart can in this life obtain.

LESSON XVIII.

Parable of the Lost Sheep.

"What man of you, having a 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? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbors, saying unto them, rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost."-(Luke xv. 4-6.)

Q. From what did the Redeemer draw this parable?

A. From the pastoral occupations of the Jews.
Q. Did they possess great numbers of sheep?
A. They did.

Q. How were their sheep taken care of?

A. They were divided into separate flocks, and placed under the care of shepherds.

Q. What was the duty of a shepherd?

A. It was his duty to guard the flock entrusted to his charge to protect it from thieves and ravenous beasts-and to lead it into places where the safest and richest pasturage could be found.

Q. Were the shepherds often compelled to lead their flocks to a great distance, and into unfrequented places, to find good pasture?

A. They were.

Q. What do you say of the nature of sheep?

A. They are weak and defenceless animals, and, in a domestic state, are extremely dependent upon their keepers for protection.

Q. Are they liable to stray?

A. When kept as anciently, roaming at large, in the vast solitudes of Syria, under the care of a single man and his dog, they were constantly liable to stray from the flock and become lost.

Q. What is the shepherd's duty in this case?

A. It is his duty to seek for the lost sheep, and bring it back to the fold.

Q. On what occasion did Jesus utter the parable of the Lost Sheep?

A. It was when addressing a large concourse of "publicans and sinners," among whom were also some Pharisees and scribes.

Q. Who were the "publicans and sinners?"

A. Publicans were Roman tax-gatherers, appointed to collect the tribute which the Jews were compelled to pay to Rome. Sinners was a general title given to the Gentiles, or heathen-to all, indeed, who were not Jews.

Q. In what estimation were the " publicans and sinners" held by the Jews?

A. They scorned and despised them, and cherished for them a most malignant hatred and enmity. Q. While Christ was addressing the publicans and sinners, who uttered a complaint against him? A. "And the pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, this man receiveth sinners and eateth with them."

Q. Why did they murmur?

A. Because it was considered not only disgraceful but wicked, for a Jew to mingle, or have any intercourse, with publicans and sinners.

Q. Did Jesus consent to the propriety of this national prejudice of the Jews?

A. He did not; but uttered the parable now under

consideration, to correct this prejudice, and to justify himself in associating with publicans and sinners, and eating with them.

Q. How did the Saviour commence the parable?

A. "What man of you, having a 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?

Q. Does he not put them a very plain question here?

Q. Would not a shepherd, when one of his flock had become lost, leave the rest, and seek that which had strayed?

Q. Does the word wilderness, in the parable, represent, as with us, a dense forest?

A. It does not. It signifies simply, a retired or lonely place. There are in Syria or Judea, no extensive woods, like the American forests.

Q. Who does the Saviour represent in the parable, by the owner or shepherd of the sheep? A. He represents himself.

Q. Is Jesus frequently represented in the New Testament, as a Shepherd ?

A. He is. In one instance he is called the "great Shepherd of the sheep,"-in another, "the chief Shepherd,""-and in another, "the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls."

Q. If Jesus is the Shepherd, who are his sheep? A. On a certain occasion the Redeemer exclaimed, "the good Shepherd giveth his life for the sheep." -(John x. 11.) He is the Shepherd, therefore, of all for whom he gave his life.

Q. For whom did he give his life?

A. St. Paul answers this question,-" that he by the grace of God, should taste death for every man. (Heb. ii. 9.) "Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time."—(1 Timothy 2-6.) "He died for all."-(2 Cor. v. 15.)

Q. What do we learn from these passages? A. We learn that as Christ, the Good Shepherd, gave his life for all mankind, all are his sheep.

Q. What is the declaration of Dr. Clarke on this point?

A. He says, "the whole flock of mankind, both Jews and Gentiles, belongs unto this divine Shepherd."

Q. Who is represented by the sheep which wandered away and became lost?

A. This represents the sinner. Every sinner is here depicted by Jesus, as a lost sheep.

Q. Are sinners frequently represented, in the Scriptures, under the figure of lost sheep?

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A. They are. "All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way.' -(Isa. liii. 6.) David, in confessing his sins, exclaims," I have gone astray like a lost sheep: seek thy servant."-(Psalm cxix. 176.)

Q. Did Christ and his Apostles represent sinners under the same figure?

A. They did. In reference to the sinful Jews, Christ said to his disciples,-"But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”—(Matt. x. 6.) The Apostle Peter, in speaking of the former sinfulness of those to whom he directed his epistle, said, ye were as sheep going astray."-(1 Pet. ii. 25.) Q. After the sheep had strayed away and become lost, how does the parable represent the owner or shepherd, as proceeding?

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A. It is said he will " 'go after that which is lost, until he find it."

Q. Can he be considered a good and faithful shepherd, who does not seek for his sheep when they are lost?

Q. How long will a faithful shepherd continue to search for his sheep?

A. "Until he find it." He will never feel himself at liberty to relinquish the search-he will never consider his duty discharged and his work doneuntil the lost sheep is found.

Q. What does this part of the parable repre

sent?

A. It represents that Jesus Christ, the good Shepherd, came to seek and find the lost sheep of his great flock-the sinful part of mankind.

Q. Does the Redeemer declare this important truth in plain language?

A. He does most emphatically: "The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." (Luke xix. 10.)

Q. Who are lost?

A. All sinners are lost-they are lost sheep-they have strayed from the fold of God. And Jesus, the Shepherd, has come to find and to save them.

Q. How long will Christ continue to seek for the lost sheep-the sinful part of the world?

A. The parable authorizes us to believe he will continue to seek until he finds them.

Q. Is this the manner in which the shepherd is represented as seeking, in the parable?

LESSON XIX.

Parable of the Lost Sheep-Continued.

Q. If it is a proof of a faithful shepherd to search for his lost sheep until he find them, is it not equally a proof of a faithful shepherd of souls, to seek for sinners until he finds them?

Q. Is not a human soul of vastly more value than a sheep?

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