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they appear to the whole world to be no sheep of his, yet this is only the knowledge of the world. Christ does not thus know his sheep, nor does he regard of what particular kind they are; but this is what he observes,— whether they have the name of sheep, and be sheep indeed. His eyes are on the sheep, not on the wool!

In a word, those are real shepherds, and they follow the footsteps of Christ, and know sheep as he knows them, who keep their eye upon the person, and not upon the diseases or the defects; and who thus make a difference between the sheep and the disease. "My Father (saith Christ) knoweth me, but the world knoweth me not." When that time shall come, that they shall nail me to the cross, and punish me with an ignominious death, then shall they all say with one voice, What! Is this the Son of God! No! he must be some condemned

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apostate wretch out of the refuse of mankind, whose soul and body are both under the full power of the devil!' The world shall hold and consider me to be some such vagabond as this. But my Father shall say, 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased! He is my King, and my Saviour!' He will not look at my affliction, my wounds, my cross, and my death, but at my person; that is, he will look at me my very self. Wherefore, although I may be in the very belly of hell, and in the very jaws of the devil, yet I must of necessity be delivered therefrom, for my Father cannot cast away all his care for me! And thus it is that I know my sheep, and they know me. They are fully persuaded that I am that good shepherd, and they know me as such and therefore, they flee unto me and cleave close unto me: nor are they in the least terrified at being subject to diseases and imperfections of many kinds; because they well know, that I embrace none but sheep of such a sort.

And now he concludes and says, "Other sheep I have which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and there shall be one fold and one shepherd."Some have so handled this scripture, as to say, that it is to be fulfilled in the last days, when Antichrist shall

come in, and Elias and Enoch shall appear; but all this is nothing at all; and this opinion was engendered in the minds of men by that evil spirit, Jaoplanus, that they might believe, that all the world should in the end become Christian. And he tried to bring men into this persuasion, that the true doctrine being obscured, no one might be able to attain unto it. Wherefore, I charge thee to beware of this imposture. For this scripture was verified and fulfilled immediately upon the ascension of Christ, and is still going on to be fulfilled at this day. When the Gospel was first promulgated, it was preached to the Jews, and that people then became part of this fold. And where he here says, "Other sheep I have which are not of this fold, them also I must bring, and they shall be one fold;" he here shews that the Gospel must be preached to the Gentiles also, that they also might believe in Christ, that the Jews and Gentiles might, become one church. Which thing Christ afterwards wrought by the apostles, who preached the Gospel to the Gentiles, and won them over to the faith. So that now, there is one body, one church, one faith, one hope, one love, one baptism, &c. And the same work is going on also to this day in power, and will still go on unto the last day. Wherefore, entertain not a persuasion, that all the world and all men will become holy members of Christ's church. The cross, as a certain external sign, attends Christians: and therefore, there must be the greatest part of the world of that body who persecute the disciples of Christ. But the Gospel must still go on to be preached without intermission, that some may be continually won over to Christianity. For Christ's kingdom is not yet perfectly accomplished, but will be fully perfected in the life to come.-This is a compendious explanation of this Gospel!

. . ..

SERMON III.

CONCERNING THE SEVEN LOAVES.

MARK Viii.

In those days, the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him; and saith unto them, I have compassion on the multitude, &c.

I HOPE, my dearest friends, that the meaning of this Gospel is by no means unknown to you for your understanding has taken root in these mysteries sufficiently deep, to make it easy for you to comprehend what knowledge you may derive from this Gospel, and what is therein set forth unto us. Namely, the true principle and nature of faith! And this is the end for which Christ is set forth unto us by all the evangelists, as being so full of all tenderness. For although the various circumstances and events are described by them with some variation, yet the simplicity of faith which they all set forth, is every where the same. And this Gospel sets forth Christ unto us, in his own colours, with so descriptive a pencil, that each one of us may with certainty know, what he may promise to himself from him : namely these things.-That he is merciful, kind, presenting himself unto us, setting himself before us, and easy of access unto all who will flee unto him. And this is the view of him that faith should ever have before itself. The scripture sets before us two objects of contemplation. The one, full of fear: which sets before our eyes the terrible wrath of God, in the sight of whom no one can stand under which contemplation, all of necessity despair, unless they be supported by faith. But, opposed to this is another object: that is, of grace: which object,

come in, and Elias and Enoch shall appear; but all this is nothing at all; and this opinion was engendered in the minds of men by that evil spirit, Jaoplanus, that they might believe, that all the world should in the end become Christian. And he tried to bring men into this persuasion, that the true doctrine being obscured, no one might be able to attain unto it. Wherefore, I charge thee to beware of this imposture. For this scripture was verified and fulfilled immediately upon the ascension of Christ, and is still going on to be fulfilled at this day. When the Gospel was first promulgated, it was preached to the Jews, and that people then became part of this fold. And where he here says, " Other sheep I have which are not of this fold, them also I must bring, and they shall be one fold;" he here shews that the Gospel must be preached to the Gentiles also, that they also might believe in Christ, that the Jews and Gentiles might become one church. Which thing Christ afterwards wrought by the apostles, who preached the Gospel to the Gentiles, and won them over to the faith. So that now, there is one body, one church, one faith, one hope, one love, one baptism, &c. And the same work is going on also to this day in power, and will still go on unto the last day. Wherefore, entertain not a persuasion, that all the world and all men will become holy members of Christ's church. The cross, as a certain external sign, attends Christians: and therefore, there must be the greatest part of the world of that body who persecute the disciples of Christ. But the Gospel must still go on to be preached without intermission, that some may be continually won over to Christianity. For Christ's kingdom is not yet perfectly accomplished, but will be fully perfected in the life to come.-This is a compendious explanation of this Gospel!

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SERMON III.

CONCERNING THE SEVEN LOAVES.

MARK Viii.

In those days, the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him ; and saith unto them, I have compassion on the multitude, &c.

I

HOPE, my dearest friends, that the meaning of this Gospel is by no means unknown to you for your understanding has taken root in these mysteries sufficiently deep, to make it easy for you to comprehend what knowledge you may derive from this Gospel, and what is therein set forth unto us. Namely, the true principle and nature of faith! And this is the end for which Christ is set forth unto us by all the evangelists, as being so full of all tenderness. For although the various circumstances and events are described by them with some variation, yet the simplicity of faith which they all set forth, is every where the same. And this Gospel sets forth Christ unto us, in his own colours, with so descriptive a pencil, that each one of us may with certainty know, what he may promise to himself from him : namely these things. That he is merciful, kind, presenting himself unto us, setting himself before us, and easy of access unto all who will flee unto him. And this is the view of him that faith should ever have before itself. The scripture sets before us two objects of contemplation. The one, full of fear: which sets before our eyes the terrible wrath of God, in the sight of whom no one can stand under which contemplation, all of necessity despair, unless they be supported by faith. But, opposed to this is another object: that is, of grace: which object,

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