observed that no creature strays more easily than a sheep; nor is more heedless, and incapable of finding its way back to its home when once gone astray-it will bleat for the flock, and still run in a direction opposite to the place where the flock is. No creature is more defenceless than a sheep, or more exposed to be devoured by dogs and wild beasts :-even the fowls of the air seek to destroy them :-ravens often attempt to destroy lambs by picking out their eyes, when they have succeeded in which, as the creature does not see whither it is going, it soon falls an easy prey to its destroyer. Buffon, the naturalist, describes the sheep as "devoid of every art of selfpreservation, without courage and even deprived of every instinctive faculty; we are led to conclude that the sheep, of all other animals, is the most contemptible and stupid." But to return to the parable. Was the one stray sheep of any value in comparison to the ninety and nine? No.

But still what was the shepherd's conduct? He left the ninety and nine and went after it. And when he had found it, how did he shew his pity?

He laid it on his shoulders rejoicing in its recovery.

That sounds as if the poor sheep were tired, and quite unable to walk. And when this tender shepherd arrived where he had left the rest of his flock in safety, was he satisfied to enjoy this pleasure alone?

No. "He called together his friends and neigh

bours, saying unto them, rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost."

Now we must try to understand the application of this instructive parable. Who was the creator of the Angelic Host and the whole human race?

The Lord Jesus Christ, for St. Paul says, "For by him (i. e. Christ) were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him."-Col. i. 16. Do you not now perceive who the one stray sheep represents?

Yes. I think it is an emblem of all mankind, and of each one of us in particular.

Repeat texts where this is expressed?

"All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way."-Isa. liii. 6. "I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments." -Ps. cxix. 176. Our Lord calls the Jews lost sheep. "Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."-Matt. x. 6.

Can you recollect any part of the Church service where we compare ourselves to helpless sheep?

Yes. In the Confession we say "Almighty and most merciful Father, we have erred and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep."

Have sinners either the wish or the power to return to God?

No. God says, "My people are bent to backsliding from me; though they called them to the

Most High, none at all would exalt Him."-Hos. xi. 7. "The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are altogether become filthy, there is none that doeth good, no, not one."Ps. xiv. 2, 3.

I told you how wandering sheep are exposed to great danger. You must know that backsliders are particularly subject to the attacks of their great enemy, satan, who is called in Rev. ix. 11, "Apollyon," the destroyer, or him who lays waste. The name bears a near relation to that state in which our Lord tells us He found all mankindlost, desolated, and ruined. So it appears that satan and man have the nearest affinity to each other as the destroyer and the destroyed-the desolater and the desolated-the loser and the lost. But in this forlorn state were we left to perish ?

No. God says "I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold; therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me.—Isa. lxiii. 5; lix. 16. In tenderness He says, "O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help."-Hos. xiii. 9. "For the Son of Man is come to save that which was lost."-Matt. xviii. 11. "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."-John iii. 16.

In what way can we say Christ now seeks wandering sinners?

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By His Spirit, word, and providence. "Thou gavest also thy good Spirit to instruct them."Neh. ix. 20. "The word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword; piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Heb. iv. 12. "Thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left."-Isa. xxx. 21. "Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know, therefore, and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord God of Hosts."-Jer. ii. 19. "I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the Lord my God. Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh: I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth."-Jer. xxxi. 18, 19. "For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons: for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons." "Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous; nevertheless

afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby." -Heb. xii. 6.

Do we not in the collects confess that God's grace (free pardon) is required to incline us to the ways of holiness?

Yes. In the 17th Sunday after Trinity we say "Lord, we pray thee, that thy grace may always prevent (go before) and follow us; and make us continually to be given to all good works, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen." And in the 19th, "O God, forasmuch as without thee we are not able to please thee; mercifully grant, that thy Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen." With what dispositions should we return to God?

With repentance, or a hatred of, and turning from sin-with humility, faith, and obedient love for God's unmerited goodness.

Will these feelings naturally spring up in the heart?

No. They are the gift of God. "Him hath God exalted with his right hand, to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins."-Acts v. 31. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.”—Eph. ii. 8. "We love Him, because He first loved us." John iv. 19.

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Does any idea strike you when thinking of the shepherd carrying home the lost sheep?

Yes. I think it may remind us of our absolute dependance on the merits of Christ for salvation.