another and undoubtedly the fear of scorn or reproach is a strong feeling. It is part of "this present world:" a part of it which clings to us most closely. But " he that is born of God overcometh the world." The Holy Spirit can so represent to the mind the vanity of worldly applause, as compared with the divine favour,-the worthlessness of anything earthly compared with " the glory that shall be revealed," as to overpower all carnal influences, and enable the man to stand" complete and firm in all the will of God." When Herod appears before the judgment seat, to answer for this accession to all his other crimes ;— what will the opinion of those who sat at meat with him avail him there? Just as little will it avail any man, to have shrunk from what he felt to be a duty, or to have borne a part in anything which his conscience condemned, for the sake of following instead of opposing a multitude. "He that doeth the will of God, abideth for ever." But the fashion of this world passeth " 4 1 John ii. 17. James i. 10. LECTURE XXXVII. SHEEP WITHOUT A SHEPHERD. MARK VI. 30-34. 30. And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught. Their state of mind may be conceived from the words of the seventy whom Jesus sent forth in the same manner, and on the same errand. St. Luke tells us, that" the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name." 1 The spirit of the Lord was raised in exultation at this commencement of the victory which he came to achieve, this fulfilment of the purpose for which "the Son of God was manifested." "And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven." But to the feeble heart of man there is danger even in spiritual things. St. Paul assures us that a man may have all faith, so that he could remove mountains, and be nothing." The Lord, therefore, solemnly warned the Seventy not to take pleasure in the success granted them, or the power possessed by them, except as it was a sign of the favour of God. 'Luke x. 17. 21 Cor. xiii. 2. "Notwithstanding, in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you, but rather rejoice, that your names are written in heaven." 3 And so we may believe that now when the apostles reported to him what they had done and what they had taught, he warned them of the evils which beset the natural heart, and exhorted them to use all diligence, lest "whilst they preached to others, they themselves should be cast away." He would not be neglectful of the infirmities of the heart. For we see by what follows, that he was attentive to the infirmities of the body, and provided that it should have the refreshment which it requires. 31. And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest awhile: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure, so much as to eat. 32. And they departed into a desert place by a ship privately. 33. And the people saw them departing, and many knew him, and ran afoot thither out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together unto him. 34. And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things. Yet there were those in Judea, whose business it was to lead and tend the flock. When the Lord divided the land of Canaan among the ten tribes of Israel, he separated the tribe of Levi "to bear the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and to bless in his name. He appointed a high priest, who should 4 3 Luke x. 20. Deut. x. 8. have them under his superintendence, saying, " Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister unto him." And they shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole congregation, to do the service of the tabernacle. And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and his sons; they are wholly given to him out of the children of Israel." Afterwards their duties are enjoined them by the prophet Ezekiel. 6 They shall teach my people the difference between the holy and the profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean. And in controversy they shall stand in judgment, and they shall judge it according to my judgment; and they shall keep my laws and my statutes in all mine assemblies and they shall hallow my sabbaths." 66 Thus He who is the owner of the flock, had provided that they should not be as sheep without a shepherd. But it was the constant reproach of the nation, that they rejected their own mercies. "As with the people, so with the priest. The prophets prophesy falsely, and my people love to have it so."7 The word of the Lord spoke by the mouth of Ezekiel,R "Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things; they have put no difference between the holy and profane, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them." Jeremiah also severely rebukes the shepherds, who neglected their flocks, and allowed them to stray at large. "From the prophet even unto the priests, every one 5 Numb. iii. 6-10. 7 Jer. v. 31. dealeth falsely: they Ezek. xliv. 23, 24. 8 Ezek. xxii. 26. have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace, when there is no peace." 9 "Woe be to the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture, saith the Lord :' Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people: Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them; behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the Lord." The people themselves are warned against listening to the words which ought to have guided and instructed them. "Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you; they make you vain; they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the Lord. But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings." 2 3 The latest of the prophets makes the same complaint as those who had spoken many hundred years before and says, "Now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you. The priests' lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts. But ye are departed out of the way: ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the Lord of Hosts." Such had been the unfaithfulness of those in charge. And now the promise was to be performed, which had been long foretold: "I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed the flock; and 9 Jer. vi. 14. See also xiv 13. 1 Ib. xxiii. 1. |