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But this office of the shepherd, which David here ascribes to God, He elsewhere takes unto himself. Our Lord instructed the prophet thus to foretell his coming: "He shall feed his flock like a shepherd, he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and shall gently lead those that are with young." And, when in the fulness of time he came, he fully assumed the office unto himself, and thus spake: "I am the good Shepherd. The good Shepherd layeth down his life for the sheep. I am the good Shepherd; and I know my sheep, and am known of mine. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also must I bring; and there shall be one fold under one Shepherd."

Afterwards, when he was about to ascend up on high, he committed his people to his apostles' charge, and these were the words of his commission: "Feed my sheep: feed my lambs." Thus has the apostolic been ever the pastoral office, and bishops the overseers of Christ's flock.

complaining bears ample witness to its own | rience of almost all the relations of life, as insufficiency. Listen as we will (except from warrior, exile, king, he could think of no those with whom Christ left his peace) we metaphor by which he could more fitly cannot hear a note of perfect happiness; or, express the care and protection of his God. if we do, it is the voice of some dreamer, who wakes up soon and finds out the deception. Now, let us turn from this spectacle to that presented in this psalm. If there be any in the wide world who, above all others, should claim our attention, it is one who has found that for which we are seeking, who enjoys the happiness we but desire. It may be that he will tell us his secret, and lead us to the wells from which he hath drawn living water, and drinking thereof thirsts no more. Here there is one who lacketh nothing: he lieth down in green pastures and beside the waters of comfort; and what is more, far more, he enjoys that feeling of security which is denied to others: he fears no evil: the valley of the shadow of death hath lost for him its terrors; and the cup of his happiness is full. Let us listen to such a one, my brethren: let us ask him of the secret spring of his happiness. Why can he lack nothing? Why does he fear no evil? We, it may be, lack many things, and look timidly to the future, not knowing the evils to come, But more than this. He who laid down nor daring to measure our strength with them. his life for the sheep still calls himself their It is but one word in which he answers: Shepherd, and instructs the apostles to pro"The Lord is my Shepherd; therefore I lack claim him by this title to his saints: "The nothing." Lord Jesus, the chief Shepherd of the sheep :" David, who wrote this psalm, was himself" that chief Shepherd," who, when he shall a shepherd once; and, therefore, whilst it appear, shall bestow the crowns of glory that was most natural for him to choose this meta-shall not fade away. phor to express the care and protection of God for him, he knew all that was implied in it, all the tenderness of the shepherd, all the weakness of the flock. As one of those few sheep whom he had tended in the wilderness, such in the fold of God was he himself had delivered his flock from the paw of the lion and of the bear-he had risked his life in their defence: even so would the Lord protect the sheep of his pasture. It was in watching his flocks by night (according to the custom of that country) that he had learned to look upon the starry heavens as they declared the glory of God, and listened whilst one night certified another: even so he that keepeth Israel would neither slumber nor sleep. It is, indeed, very interesting to carry back our thoughts to the days and nights which the youthful David spent on the banks of Jordan, tending there his sheep alone, and to trace in his psalms the recollections of his youth; but especially is it so here, because it assures us that he knew all the care of the shepherd, all the need of the flock, all the calm security of the fold; and, knowing all this, though he had had expe

So that all through the scripture, in prophet, evangelist, apostle, this figure of the shepherd seems that by which the Holy Spirit delights to represent the care of Christ for his people. Every member of the church of Christ has thus full warrant to adopt the words of the psalmist, and to utter as his own this hymn of joy and confidence: "The Lord is my Shepherd; therefore I shall lack nothing. He maketh me to lie down in green pasture, and leadeth me forth beside the still waters."

What pasture, brethren? Surely no other than the pasture of his church, where by the ministration of his blessed word and holy sacraments he feeds their souls with angels' food. What water is that which flows in these still streams of comfort? The waters of their baptism, wherein he first bathed their torn and defiled fleeces, and made the sins that were as scarlet to become as wool; and every channel, too, through which flow the streams of his purifying grace; in every private prayer, in every public ordinance, wherein descend the refreshing dews of his pardoning and cleansing grace. He leads them forth beside the waters of comfort. "He

converteth my soul: he leadeth me forth into the paths of righteousness." That was his pardoning, this his strengthening grace. There he recalled the wanderer: here he directs his steps, and keeps him in the way of his commandments. "For his name's sake:" not for their merits, but for his promise; not for their deserving, but for his honour, he leads them in the way of pleasantness, and guides their footsteps in the paths of peace. "All we like sheep have gone astray, and turned every one to his evil way;" but the good Shepherd hath gone into the wilderness to seek the lost; weary and affrighted he hath brought back the wanderers, and hath opened a fountain wherein to wash away their sin and their uncleanness. By his rod and by his staff he guideth them, and leadeth them by his word, that their footsteps slip not. In the valley of the shadow of death they fear no evil, for he still is with them; and, though there be many which trouble them, many who would tempt them into the wilderness, many who would scare them from the fold; though the devil, like a roaring lion, wandereth about seeking whom he may devour, yet in the presence of their enemies he hath prepared for them a table, and filled a cup of blessing; he hath anointed their head with oil, the chosen emblem of his spiritual comfort. All the days of their life does his loving kindness and mercy follow them; yet with life it does not forsake them: they will dwell in his house for ever, for therein are many inansions, and a place of his goodness prepared for them.

Thus, verse by verse, may we Christians use the words of David, rejoice like him in the care of an almighty Protector, the tenderness of a Shepherd who laid down his life for the sheep.

And here I would make one observation. You must have remarked a certain correspondence in the terms applied to our Lord. He is the Priest; he, too, the Sacrifice: he is the Teacher, yet is himself the Word: he is the Shepherd; yet is he too the Lamb, the chosen Lamb of God. And this is, indeed, what we shall expect. How became Christ the Shepherd of the flock?-how but by becoming one of their number, coming into the lone wilderness, being led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before the shearers is dumb, so opening not his mouth? Remember this: he is "the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world." It was as one of the flock that he was smitten and as the Lamb he sitteth on the throne, and receiveth honour and praise and adoration from the hosts of heaven. This may well go to complete the happiness and security of his

;

flock-that he, their Shepherd, has lived among them, borne their sorrows, been acquainted with their griefs. As man he knows all their wants: as God he can relieve them infinitely.

You see, then, where true peace and complete serenity can alone be found-in the fold of Christ. You cannot see the limits of that fold: you cannot tell of a certainty who they are that belong to it; for as yet the goats and the sheep are mingled, until the day when the Son of man shall appear, and separate them by an everlasting decree. To whom, then, is this peace and security offered? It is offered, at least, to all here; for upon all here the Lord Jesus, the chief Shepherd, has set his mark, signing them with the sign of the cross, and calling them by his name, a Christian name. He is the door: by him may all enter in, and find pasture.

But there is an especial point to which I would now draw your attention; desiring to speak plainly, so as to be understood by all. It is quite clear that the fold of Christ is open to the youngest as to the aged; that there is no child who may not in his strength be led into the paths of righteousness, and drink freely of the waters of comfort. Turn, again, to that beautiful promise of the Lord's care for his people: "He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs in his arms." By innumerable acts of tenderness, when he was on earth, he showed his eare for his little ones. He took them up in his arms, he blessed them, he set them in the midst of his disciples as the pattern subjects of his kingdom, he ordained praise from out of 1 their mouths, and by their weakness set at nought the strong things of the world. And yet there does widely prevail a most mis chievous, a most unhappy notion, that mature life is especially the time for serving God. For serving man it is indeed so, because thea it is the result, the produce which gives value; but it is not so with God, who has ordained praise from out of the mouths of babes and sucklings, and shall receive honour from the lisp of an infant as great as from the homage of a king or the confession of a philosopher. Mature life is indeed the time for rendering to God the service of maturity; there is, indeed, such a thing as a Christian man; but there is, beside, such a thing as a Christian youth, as a Christian boy, a Chris tian child, aye, a Christian babe. And the surest and the safest way (nay, the only sure and safe way upon which we may calculate beforehand) to become the Christian man, is to be the Christian youth, the Christian boy, the Christian child, the Christian babe. This is the very purpose of God, the method of his

institution of a Christian church, that men might be born into the fold of Christ, and brought up by Christian parents in the law of Christ. Does this seem self-evident? as a thing confessed, needing no proof? From this place it may; but it is strangely at variance with the maxims and the practice of mankind: "Let him have his run"; "He will sober down by-and-bye"; "Boys will be boys"; and "Young men will be young men. And so, in very truth, they are; laying up stores of wretchedness and selfreproach for their declining years, and building up obstructions against their return unto the way of peace.

Is there any conceivable reason why a man should become better simply because he becomes older? The passage of time is, in itself, only a pledge that he will become worse. But can you tell at what moment a child is first possessed of a will? Can you mark the instant at which reason dawns? or where duty and responsibility first commence? Can you draw a distinct and decided line, and say that on this side duty is, and on that is not on this side responsibility, on that none?

of the flock, those whom he carries in his arms.

But this is an important view of the Christian life. I doubt not it is a true one; as true as that wretched notion of giving to God the worn-out remnant of an ill-spent life is loathsome and hateful in his sight. There are solemn consequences which must be drawn from it-solemn thoughts for parents, children, god-parents, and teachers; for young, for old; for each, for all. I may have other opportunities to enforce them: meanwhile, let this summary suffice.

There is not one so young but that he may belong to that fold of which the Lord Jesus Christ is the good Shepherd; not one upon whom he has not set his mark, and claimed you for his own-opened for you the streams of comfort, and filled for you the cup of grace. You may walk in the ways of pleasantness, and plant your footsteps in the paths of peace. But there is not one, younger or elder, in any age or station or circumstance whatever, if only reason has begun to dawn and a will sprung up within him, but has his proper service to render. You are not at liberty to serve God now, or to delay your service as I believe that there is a simple faith, which you will. You may not stray into the wila very young child may hold; a simple ser- derness, presuming upon the forbearance of vice, which a very young child may render. your heavenly Shepherd that he will seek Very early he may learn that the great God you yet again and save you. It is the wisdom, made him; and soon may he be taught that nay, rather it is the folly, of the world: it is the Lord Jesus redeemed him. How much the ruin of souls: it is the snare of him who is meant by creation, how much more by re- lieth in waiting for the sheep. My brethren, demption, he goes on through life to learn, young, old, let us each remember our calling, and never learns entirely on this side the its duties. Let us live to-day the Christian grave. If a complete intelligence be neces- life of to-day, that, by the leading of the good sary to a religious faith, how could a man Shepherd, we may live unto the advancement believe at all in this world? for, without a of to-morrow, pressing onwards towards perdoubt, the greatest knowledge which he can fection. For, this if we do, he will now and reach below, of things divine, be he the ablest throughout our life lead us onward in the of the sons of men, shall seem but utter dark-paths of righteousness. He will be with us ness when the eternal day shall dawn, and the full light of heaven break upon his soul. As the understanding ripens, the objects of faith do indeed grow more distinct; but this does not hinder but that the child may believe with a faith, O how much more trustful than many a full-grown man! It is the same in the matter of obedience: as years increase, duties and responsibilities increase; but no one can say when they begin, or how early a child may serve its God. But, though you cannot tell when a child first gains a will and power of choice, or when duties begin, this thing of a sad certainty we know that then Satan by temptation works immediately, and nature by its corruption aids him. Blessed, then, be God, who is before all with his grace, who bids us bring our little ones to him in baptism, enrol them there among the lambs

in the valley of the shadow of death; and, purifying us into the likeness of his own perfection (1 John iii. 1), he will take us to dwell with him in his house for ever. Amen.

THE CANON LAW.

No. V.

WITH distinction 15, Gratian enters on a consideration of the councils of the church. In the first canon we find it said: "Among other councils we acknowledge four venerable synods which comprise principally the whole faith, like the four gospels, or the four rivers of paradise." The four Ephesus, and Chalcedon; and it is added: "These are then enumerated, of Nice, Constantinople, are the four chief synods, most fully proclaiming the doctrine of faith."

The second canon is from Gregory the Great,

to the following effect: "As the four books of the holy gospel, so I confess that I receive and reverence the four councils; viz., that of Nice, in which the perverse doctrine of Arius is destroyed; that also of Constantinople, in which the error of Eunomins and Macedonius is condemned; the first too of Ephesus, in which the impiety of Nestorius is judged; and that of Chalcedon, in which the wickedness of Eutyches and Dioscorus is reprobated these with entire devotion I embrace, and with most perfect approval I keep; because in them, as in a squared stone, the structure of the holy faith rises, and there is established a rule of every one's life and conduct. I equally venerate the fifth synod also, in which the epistle, said to be of Ibas, is condemned, being full of error; in which Theodorus, separating the person of the Mediator between God and man into two substances, is proved to have fallen into faithless impiety; and in which also the writings of Theodoret, in which the faith of blessed Cyril is censured, are refuted as being produced with insane audacity. All persons whom the aforesaid venerated councils reject I reject: those whom they respect I embrace; because, since they have been established by general consent, he destroys himself, and not them, who presumes either to loose those whom they bind, or to bind those whom they loose."

The next canon is a remarkable one. It is ascribed to pope Gelasius in a council of seventy bishops held at Rome; but its credit appears to rest only on the more than doubtful authority of Isidorus Mercator. We find here an authorization of the first four general councils: "And, if there are any other councils hitherto held by the holy fathers besides the authority of these four, them we decree and command to be kept and received." Then follows a list of works which the catholic church sanctions and receives. Among the names of authors recited are those of Cyprian, Athanasius, Gregory of Nazianzum, Basil, John Chrysostom, Theophilus of Alexandria, Cyril of Alexandria, Hilary of Poictiers, Ambrose, Augustine, Jerome, Prosper, Leo; and generally, it is added, "the treatises of all the orthodox fathers, who neither have deviated in anything from agreement with the holy Roman church, nor have varied from the declaration of its faith, but have by the grace of God been participant in its communion to the last day of their life-these we decree to be read." Also," it follows, "the decretal epistles, which the most blessed popes at different times have given from the city of Rome, for the counsel of different fathers, are with reverence to be received." There are also enumerated, as equally sanctioned, "the acts of the holy martyrs,' "the lives of Paul, Antonius, Hilarion, and other hermits, which the most blessed Jerome wrote," "the acts of St. Sylvester, bishop of the apostolic see," "the writings of the finding of the cross of our Lord," and "of the head of St. John the Baptist." A qualified praise is given to Ruffinus and also to Origen, of whom it is said that "those works are authorized for reading which the most blessed Jerome does not refuse; but all the rest, with their author, we declare are to be rejected." There is afterwards a long list of works and authors pronounced apocryphal and condemned. Among them may

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be mentioned the "Itinerary of the apostle Peter," ascribed to St. Clement, the "Acts" of St. Andrew, St. Philip, St. Peter, &c.; the "Gospel" by St. Thomas, St. Barnabas, &c. "The book which is called, The Shepherd," "the book called the Acts of Tecla and the apostle Paul," "the book of the Canons of the Apostles," "the works of Tertullian," "the epistle of Jesus to king Agbarus," &c., &c.-these and all like them are, with their authors and the followers of their authors, condemned for ever under the indissoluble bond of anathema."

The canon ends with the assignment of certain portions of scripture to the various parts of the ecclesiastical year as lessons, together with appropriate homilies.

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SINCE I last wrote, religious liberty in France has been still further restrained. Protestantism is chilled and discouraged: difficulties are raised to its exercise: its professors are excluded from the honours of the state, and viewed coldly by the authorities: in a word, without being openly persecuted, it is everywhere stifled and opposed as much as possible. It is the practice of the hutainly not: nothing so cruel; but continual barkmane ratcatcher repeated. No lives taken-cering of dogs and tinkling of ferret-bells, stopping curious places, and perpetual watching, under holes everywhere, suspicious morsels laid in animals are starved or

which

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frightened to death, or break their hearts, and disappear from the scene.

ligious intention, but with the object of conNor is this done with a generally infidel or irreciliating and exalting Romanism. Not long ago a deputation of protestants waited on Louis Napoleon to state their position, and ask for its amelioration. All was cold as marble-no corin general by the prince-president, as if to show dial accueil, so superfluously given to deputations how civil he can be when he likes, but a stern, silent reception. It was intimated in diplomatic terms that the protestants were not distinguished by obedience to the laws, &c., and generally that they were at liberty to retire, which they did, gaining little by their motion. More recently a high functionary, in talking with the president on the subject of religious tolerance, received the significant answer, "Entendez vous bien, je suis de la religion du pape," in which the speaker expressed the very truth without intending it, as in reality he is neither catholic Gallican nor Roman, but papist-a follower of the pope in his temporal character, a political catholic, and nothing more.

As far as we may judge from appearances, everything points to the re-establishment of Romanism as the state religion. The priestly influence is great still; and, to a man like Louis Napoleon, every influence is important. It is not as if he was a member of an ancient dynasty. Then tra dition, old connexions, and party ties would combine to uphold him; but now, a demi

* See Nos, 907 and 910.

THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND MAGAZINE.

usurper, just lifted into a tottering throne, surrounded by bitter, though temporarily weak opponents, by nature selfish and intriguing, he naturally seeks all aids to consolidate his power. And what aid so powerful as that of the old religion of the country? True that, practically, France is infidel; but still, as Bacon remarks, "men reason from theory and experience, but act from custom"; and so the people would submit without opposition, and perhaps even receive with readiness the decree which again reinstated the Roman-catholic religion as the religion of the state. The president loves and worships the principle of centralization as the means of carrying out his other great principle of order, which, being interpreted, means the spider's web, and himself in the centre of it; and the Roman-catholic church offers every help to him to carry out this idea.

He used them as tools, just so far none of them. as he pleased, but no further; and when it suited him he placed the pope under a forced contribution of a million and a-half, imprisoned him in St. Angelo, ravaged Rome of her finest pictures and statues, laughed at his bull of excommunication, and finally made him come to Paris to One tyrant he thought grace his coronation. No state church or religious despotism for him. enough at a time; and that should be himself. Accordingly, he granted toleration widely to all sects, even to the Jews; allowed all equally to practise their religion; and paid all the ministers, catholic, protestant, and Jewish, alike; and doubtless would have done so with a Turkish mufti, had they possessed a congregation. All this makes a great difficulty for his nephew. "Twixt his uncle's ghost and the pope he has no The other day, in speaking on this subject, sinecure; for pull together they will not; and this he said: "We must have order and unity is my only hope for protestantism in France. It everywhere, all departments united, but sub- is a sad thing to see religious liberty hanging by fall out, rogues ordinate as circles within circles, but directed such a rotten thread; but it is not the first appliultimately by one head." Paris at this moment is cation of the proverb that, when " honest men may come by their own." a visible example of this. Telegraphic wires conBut I will give you an instance of the political nect the great departmental towns with the government offices in Paris; and thus the govern-justice granted to protestantism. In a country

ment is informed in a moment of all that passes like France, containing some thirty millions of soin the country. Similar wires connect the same called catholics, and some three millions of prooffices with the president's own cabinet; and thus testants, with inhabitants fond of amusement and he is enabled to direct every movement; and full of gaiety, and with sufficient love of literature those who know the facts say that the aerial to relish wit and sarcasm, without troubling themselves to go into the depths of controversy, it is to messages run in a perpetual stream. Never was a dictatorship more strictly carried out in any be expected that the majority endeavour to keep kcountry; and, if Louis XIV. was entitled to say, down the minority, and that in the war of the pen, "L'etat, c'est moi," much more truly may Louis which must naturally arise, the attacks and Napoleon say, " Moi, je suis l'etat." With these charges must be frequent and fierce. A wise views, we may imagine how useful would be the government would foresee this, and would give a support of the catholic religion. The perfection fair field to all, bounding it only by the equal line and subordination of its hierarchy, the gorgeous- of the law, and placing that line so far from the ness and splendour of its pageantry, its diligent centre as to allow room for healthy exertion. But inculcation of passive obedience, its aptitude for not so is the matter treated in France. There exercising political power, its influence on the Roman-catholics may write what they please In the conscience in the confessional, its ramifications against protestantism; but let not protestants through all grades and classes of society, all com- presume to touch Roman-catholicism. state balance to call a Romish priest's character in bine to point it out as a most powerful buttress to a government unscrupulous of means and desti- question weighs 500 francs, while you may exCompared with such haust the catalogue of abuse upon a protestant for tute of moral strength. qualifications plain protestantism offers nothing at nothing. This has been proved repeatedly; and, all in its black gown and white surplice. It is too in consequence, the grossest libels on protestants stiff-necked, and carries itself too erect, is perhaps and protestantism, sanctioned by the approbation poor withal, and has an unpleasant trick of speak- of bishops and archbishops, circulate freely, while ing its mind without fear or favour; and plain protestants are often forbidden to write at all. I Martin and John must therefore stand aside, and have myself seen charges of adultery, fornication, All things point to theft, lying, and drunkenness openly made against give place to their betters. the re-establishment of Romanism as the state re- protestant clergy in general, in a pamphlet publigion; and meanwhile the ecclesiastics are exert-lished under episcopal sanction, and sold openly ing all their power on the side of the government. and without fear, while I have also seen a mere The pope sends letters to his "beloved son Louis"; quotation of history reflecting against the papacy, the jesuits are in full life and activity; priests by a protestant, punished by fine and imprisoneverywhere look rampant and speak loudly: all ment. The latter happened in the case of the things announce the wedding. The only hope I celebrated M. Roussel, an excellent preacher and see at present is in the shade and memory of writer, the publishers of whose tract, "The popes Napoleon the Great. It is well known that Louis painted by themselves," were sentenced to a year's Napoleon follows, with an almost religious exac-prison and 500 francs fine. But, worse than this, titude, the traces of his celebrated uncle; and it is amusing to see the stumbles he makes in trying with his shorter limbs to step the long strides of his namesake. Now, Napoleon the Great hated the priests with a perfect hatred; and would have

in a recent instance the authorities refused per-
mission to protestants to publish a monthly peri-
odical, although there was nothing controversial
Now this is infamous—the pro-
in it-nothing, in fact, but very simple matter of a
general nature.

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