Shepherd is coming after that which was lost, until He find it? Once more. Consider the effect of domestic trials on the human heart. A man is over-fond of wife or child: (for it is possible to be too fond of any created thing:) what is the loss of wife or child but a sign of the pursuit of the Good Shepherd? . . . A man is proud and boastful: what more humbling than disgrace incurred by those who bear our name? and herein also, is not the same Shepherd discovered to be in pursuit? Loss of Fortune checks a wicked self-confidence. Loss of Health deadens the love of pleasure. Loss of Friends robs life of its zest and relish. What, then, are all such casualties but signs that the Good Shepherd is in pursuit of His lost sheep awakening in one, a sense of dependence on GOD; in another, creating indifference to worldly amusements; in a third, drawing the heart heavenwards, even by wrenching away the bonds which fastened it down to Earth? : Need we proceed in our enumeration of earthly sorrows? How grievous is the disappointment of our hopes; the frustration of our plans; the prolonged denial of our petitions! May it not however be that those hopes, those plans, those petitions, are but efforts, more or less successful, to break away from the Fold? from the Fold? What then are hopes deferred, and plans defeated, and requests denied, in many instances, but the Good Shepherd's efforts to reclaim,-yea, to save those who, left to their own devices, would infallibly be 'lost ?' It will be readily felt that unexpected mercies, no less than unforeseen distresses; instances of Divine love, no less than examples of Divine chastisement; admit of the same interpretation, and may all be regarded in the same light. When a man is intent on a downward path, how can he better interpret the impediments which seeming accident throws in his way; how more intelligibly account for the opportunities of escape opened to him; than by recognising the Hand of Divine love, -the pity of the great Shepherd of the sheep,-endeavouring to recover and restore him? We are bold to say that in this short Parable a precious clue is provided by God Himself, whereby men may understand the ways of His Providence; the design of all His dealings with them. It may perhaps be further thought that the truth of this will be admitted or denied, in proportion as men realize to themselves the truth of the picture presented in the parable; believe, (with the Psalmist,) that the LORD is their Shepherd; sincerely mean what they say, when they profess themselves daily in the condition of 'lost sheep;' and desire beyond all other things their own restoration and recovery. We have ventured to call the teaching of the present parable a precious clue to the dealings of ALMIGHTY GOD with His creatures, because we know of nothing more precious than that which invests the common incidents of our daily life with meaning: enabling us to walk by faith, when to walk by sight is impossible; and filling the soul with a comfortable sense of God's love, or with an awful conviction of His nearness to every one of us. Most certain is it that too little of Divine significance is attached to the common events of every passing day. We are too ready to see second causes, and to overlook the One great Cause of all. Not until the thought is fully realized that the things of Time are meant to be a preparation for the things of Eternity; that earthly pains and pleasures, joys and sorrows, checks and encouragements, are intended to minister to our Heavenly growth and to our truest good; not until we have opened our eyes to the minuteness as well as to the vastness of God's Providence, can we be thought - to have attained to that knowledge which is designed to be the blessed inheritance of the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His Hand;' which is intended to invest life with lofty pleasure; to supply Faith itself with its daily bread;' to shew us the Good Shepherd ever drawing near us; and to inspire our humbled hearts with the desire to draw nearer unto Him. The Fourth Sunday after Trinity. THE PROSPECT OF FUTURE GLORY. ROMANS viii. 18. I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. THIS was the reckoning of one who was not likely to be mistaken; or rather, of one who could not mistake.-For the text is not to be regarded as the opinion of the great Apostle, but as the declaration of GOD Himself, put forth for the eternal comfort of His Church. It is as if St. Paul had said,- GOD bids you to comfort your fainting hearts, and to strengthen your feeble knees, and to take courage; for He has assured us of this solemn truth,-that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.' And this leads us to remember how very little is said in Holy Scripture of the glories of the |