and none more so than the collect for St. John the Evangelist's day: "Merciful Lord, we beseech Thee to cast Thy bright beams of light upon Thy Church, that it being enlightened by the doctrine of Thy blessed Apostle and Evangelist St. John, may so walk in the light of Thy truth, that it may at length attain to the light of everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

III. THE GOOD SHEPHERD AND THE HAPPY FLOCK.

"I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine." John x. 1-30.-See also Psalm xxiii. Isaiah xl. 11.

THE shepherd has just led his flock into a fresh pas ture. He had a lamb in his bosom, as he guided them along the flinty road; and so gently and tenderly did he lead them, that you would have said, the flock must be his own. They are now feeding in the rich meadow, beside the pleasant stream.

He

So tenderly does a good shepherd feel for his helpless charge, that in countries where they are exposed to wolves, or other beasts of prey, he will defend them from such dangers, at the hazard of his life. knows his sheep by name, and they also know his voice, and are ready to follow him, whithersoever he may lead them.

The Lord Jesus is the good Shepherd; and we are "the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand."1 We are His own flock: for He bought us with His own blood; and He knows us all by name, and He desires to lead each of us to those pastures which are most suited to our spiritual wants. Especially does He care for the young, the weak, the helpless; and He will, as it were, carry them in His bosom, and guide them to the waters of comfort. He

1 Ps. xcv. 7.

knows that there is a wolf-that is, Satan-ever seeking to enter the fold, that he may carry away the sheep and destroy them; and such was our Shepherd's love for His flock, that He laid down His life for our sake, to save us from that ruin.

Shall we not trust in the mercy and carefulness of this good Shepherd, under every temporal and spiritual sorrow? Shall we not "know His voice," and follow His blessed guidance, and keep within His happy fold? No wolf can ever pluck us out of His hands, if we thus look to Him for help. Let us be meek, and harmless, and useful. So shall we lack nothing that is really good for us in this world; and even in the valley of the shadow of death, His rod and staff will comfort us.

IV. THE LOST 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? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing." Luke xv. 4-7.-See also Psalm cxix. 176. Isa. liii. 6. 1 Pet. ii. 25.

As I came over the heath, where the rock shows itself under the scanty pasturage, I noticed asolitary sheep, which had evidently wandered from its fold. It bleated piteously, and was scared at every sound and every shadow. It seemed to be calling for its companions, and vainly trying to recover and retrace the path by which it had so rashly strayed from its home.

I went towards the poor wanderer; but it fled from a stranger;' and would probably have perished in that solitude, had not the shepherd missed it from the fold, and come in time to seek it. As soon as he espied it from a distance, he hastened towards it; and the

1 John x. 5.

sheep, aware of his kindly purpose, suffered him to come near, and take it in his arms. He raised it on his shoulders, and bore it away, rejoicing.

And such, (as I pursued my path,) I said to myself, is the state of one who has wandered from God and happiness, in the maze of sinful lusts and worldly vanities. He finds, at last, that there is no satisfaction in the ways of evil; and that he must have perished in his sin, had not Christ come down from heaven to seek and to save the lost.' That gracious Saviour seeks the poor transgressor in the desert, and hastens to persuade him to return. He finds him,

and guides him into the path which he was too blind and helpless to recover; and rejoices in bearing back the wanderer to His fold.

V. THE POLISHED CORNERS OF THE TEMPLE.

"That our daughters may be as the polished corners of the temple." Psalm cxliv. 12, Prayer-book version.—See also Gal. ii. 9. Eph. ii. 20-22. Rev. iii. 12.

How gracefully is the roof supported by that range of columns! What strength and beauty do they add to the sacred building! Each one follows the other in a perfect order and an exact proportion to the part assigned to it, in supporting the entire fabric.

Thus fair and glorious is the sight, when the young press forward, with a zeal that is tempered with modesty and reverence, to do their work in the Church of God. What gives such strength and beauty to a Church, as when our sons and daughters thus bear the part which the Master-Builder has assigned to each; and when "young men and maidens" alike "remember their Creator in the days of their youth?" Then is early piety most full of promise,

'Luke xix. 10.

2 Ts. cxlviii. 12. Eccles. xii. 1.

when its fervour is most orderly, and ready to spend itself in lowly services and a meek obedience.

VI. THE HIRELING LOOKING FOR THE EVENING.

"Is there not an appointed time to man on earth? are not his days also like the days of an hireling? As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work? so am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me." Job vii. 1-3.-See also Job xiv. 5, 6, 14. Matt. xxii. 1-16. John ix. 4.

LET us watch the labourer at his toilsome task for a few minutes. How faithfully does he exert his strength, that he may honestly earn the hire for which he has undertaken to bear the burden and heat of the day! Now and then he looks wistfully at the lengthening shadows, and notices how far the sun has gone down in the heavens. Most welcome to him will be the hour of rest and payment; but he does not suffer himself to suspend his work, until the time agreed upon is come.

Thus is man set upon the earth, to work the work of God for an appointed season; and thus faithfully should he spend himself and be spent in the service of his gracious Maker. He owes to his Maker every faculty of soul and body; and that gracious Being has promised to all who serve Him truly a rich reward when the day of life is over. The reward, indeed, will be of grace and not of debt; for at best we are unprofitable servants, who have done only what it was their duty to do.' And who of us has done even so much?

Let us not waste in folly or in sin the time that is due to God. There is no reason, indeed, why we should not wish for the season of rest, so long as this desire does not make us less diligent in duty. The time for rest will come, when the time for work is over. If we faithfully give ourselves up to our duty

1 Luke xvii. 10.

where God has placed us, we may with comfort watch the lengthening shadows, and humbly hope, through the merits of our blessed Saviour, that He will own us as His true servants, when the day is come to its close.

VII. THE LITTLE CHILD.

"And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, and said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." Matt. xviii. 2, 3.-See also Job xxxiii. 25. Psalm cxxxi. 2. 1 Cor. xiv. 20. Eph. v. 1. 1 Pet. i. 14.

THOSE who are entrusted with the nurture of a little child, may learn from him lessons as precious as any which it will be their duty and happiness to teach him. The seeds, indeed, of an evil nature are in his heart, even though he has been regenerated in baptism by God's Holy Spirit; but still he is untainted by the world, and fresh from his Maker's hands; and our blessed Saviour has made him the type of a child of God.

His artless ways, and his ignorance of worldly craft, are a lesson of that simplicity and freedom from guile which should mark a Christian. He does not desire the first place; but knows himself to be unworthy of notice, except through the condescension and kindness of his elders. He does not thirst for gold or greatness; but loves those who show him kindness, whether they be rich or poor. With real humility he feels his own helplessness and dependence upon others; and never fancies that he can do without their aid. If we see a child venturing, as it were, to stand alone, and trust in his own power; or if we see him already spoilt by affectation, and the love of finery and the world, we say, How little is it childlike! How soon has a withering blast spoilt the freshness of an opening flower!

A little child is trustful and confiding; open, unsuspicious, and forgiving; teachable, and ready to believe. He does not cavil and question. He knows