fruitful field be counted for a forest p." Though the corn be but an handful, and cast on the summit of a barren mountain, its produce shall be great, and your harvest sureq.]
2. What encouragement also for those who are dejected on account of the state of their own souls —
[When all your grounds of dejection are stated, they amount to no more than this, that your hearts are a very " desert." But " God's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, nor is his ear heavy that he cannot hear." Possibly you may feel additional ground of despondency, because you have backslidden from the Lord, and therefore fear that he will give you up to final impenitence. If so, then plead with him that promise which is made to persons in your very condition ; and rest assured, that he will fulfil it to you, if you trust in himr. You may wait long, as the husbandman does, for the fruit of your labour ; but you shall not wait in vain s.]
p Isai. xxxii. 15.
i Ps. lxxii. 16. Here would be the place to enlarge, if it were a Mission or a Visitation Sermon.
r Hos. xiv. 4 — 7. s Jam. v. 7, 8.
Isai. xxxv. 3, 4. Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a, fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God tvill come with vengeance, even God with a recompence ; he ivill come and save you.
OUR blessed Lord, as the great Shepherd of the sheep, has set an example to all inferior pastors, how to watch over their flock a. And in the words before us he gives them special direction how to treat the weak and the diseased.
I. Consider the characters here described —
Among the people of God, all of whom are weak as sheep, there are many that, from their peculiar weakness and infirmities, are characterized rather as " lambs, or as sheep that are big with young." These are described in the text,
1 . As feeling their weakness —
a Ezek. xxxiv. 11 — 16. Isai. xl. 11. r °