"The Flock" here mentioned, can be no other than our whole fallen race, who by virtue of that " incorruptible feed," that was inspoken into the first Adam, are put into a capacity of regaining Eternal Life, through the Redeeming Power of CHRIST, their second Adam and heavenly progenitor. The free gift of GOD IN CHRIST, is as universal as the fall: and though I am far from asserting, that all men will be saved, yet Scripture sufficiently warrants me to affert, that all men might be saved, if they would; or, in other words, that there is in every man, that is born into this world, a hidden power or capacity of being "born again" into an higher and heavenly world. Sincerely to be pitied is that narrow heart, which cannot receive this large and luminous truth; but would confine the LOVE OF JESUS within the scanty limits of a partial redemption. No, "He feeds his Flock like a Shep "herd." He administers to every hu VOL. II. D man man foul the nourishment it needs; in fuch proportion, indeed, as it is capable of receiving it, and in fuch a way as is best suited to its particular state and circumstances. Do you think the Savage that roams the howling wilderness, is deftitute of his Paftoral Care? Do you imagine, that the cloud of ignorance and error, with which he is enveloped, conceals him from his Father's penetrating eye? No -the Heavenly Ray frequently darts through the obstructing medium: the Celestial Manna drops like filent dew, to cool the fiery foil of nature : the grim visage of the painted warrior is changed into more than female foftnefs; the tear of fympathy starts through the reluctant eye-lids; and the man, yea the Angel, shines through the brute. O Shep O Shepherd of Ifrael! are not these, then, of thy fold? Are they not also thy children, nourished by thy heavenly food, and sometimes manifesting thy own sweet and heavenly tempers ? -Haften, O hasten the happy time, when these wandering sheep shall be gathered to thy flock; and they, with us, shall know and feel, that we are all but one Fold, belonging to one and the same Heavenly Shepherd! But though the Shepherd's Love is thus universal, and all men are the objects of his Paftoral Care; though they are all his children by redemption, all supplied with proper food and nourishment from his tender and beneficent hand; yet all do not alike follow the "Shepherd's Voice;" all are not equally willing to be fed with his "Bread "of Life." This difference in the conduct of men, does not altogether proceed from any difference in their outward D 2 or their outward ward circumstances modes of religion. The Heathen and the Christian would, in this respect, be upon an equal footing, were it not that the latter is favoured with an external Revelation, acquainting him with what the former can only know by an internal sensibility. The motives of the Christian, therefore, must be more in number, and far more powerful than those of the Pagan, upon whom the Light of an outward Gospel hath not yet shone. But then let it be remembered, that that " Light, which light"eth every man that cometh into the "world," shines equally in every breast, by whatever various names it may be called; and nought hinders it from being equally efficacious to the salvation of all, but what the Scripture hath fo clearly told us: " Light is come into "the world; but men loved darkness " rather than light, because their deeds "were evil." Afk Ask not, therefore, why there are so many different religions in the world, or so many different sects of those that profess the same religion. There never was, there never can be, but One True Religion in the universe, and that eternal and immutable as God himself. And what is this, or what can it be, but "the will of the creature fully " and implicitly furrendered to the will " of the Creator;" knowing, that as all Goodness is centered in him, so no being in the whole compass of univerfal nature, can be good, but by an Influx from him? A meek, holy, resigned waiting upon their Creator, as so many living forms, empty of themselves, but to be filled out of the Fulness of GOD, is the Religion of Angels. A perpetual adherence to themselves, and not to God, hungering after and feeding upon their own dark empty fiery natures, instead of the luminous meek and chearful element of Heaven, is the state of devils D 3 |