M it went, were accepted, as was the woman with her alnb11Ster box, and the widow with t~e two mites. 'l'he illuminating gospel of Christ leaves us without excuse as to what. will plea~c God. We know that the old sacrifices never could hBve pleased him in them- 11elves. He could not eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats. But now no offering can please unless it be in it~elf helpful to men or glorifying to God. II. h.'"TELLIGE~"T PRAISE PLEASES GoD. Praise which comes from overflowing heBrl• experienc_cs must always be acceptable to God. For the fruits from outward possessions are substituted the fruits from an inward life. The habitual acknowledgment of God'~ Name means an habitual consciousness of all the services he renders in supplyin" all ?ur needs from the highest down to the lowest. It is not enough that there be pr~ise; 1t must be praise abounding in the right elements. Mere words of the lip can give no more pleasure to God than the mere slaying of animals. III. THE DOING OF GOOD PLEASES GoD. Praise cannot stand by itself. Real doin" of good shows that God's Spirit of love, direction, and power is working in us. Work must not stand instead of praise, nor praise instead of work; going together, they are as the sacrificial body and the smell proceeding from it. Note the si~ificant injunction not to forget. How much easier it is to go through a round of praise than to muster the self-denial needed for a course of practical good! IV. FELLOWSHIP PLEASES GoD. Christians must associate. Real Christians coming together cannot but associate. God delights in the process of mutual givin" and receiving observable in every Christian community. Making up for each other's d~fects, bearing each other's burdens, having fellowship as the eye has with t.he hand, the head with the feet, let this be the sight God ever sees when he looks upon his people. So shall the carcases of all beasts slain in sacrifice be glorified when we think of the real offerings which they typified, and towards which they in some manner prepared.-Y. Ver. 17.-The 'UJ<dcliful leaders. Under the details of this exhortation there seems to lie a reference to the shepherding of sheep. The shepherd goes before hie sheep, leading them out and in, and finding pasture. '!'his reference made probable by the further reference in ver. 20. Consider, then- I. 'l'RE SHEPHERD'S AUTHORITY. Christians must maintain the liberty wherewith Christ hath set them free, but at the same time there is a discipline also to be main- tained, a provision and protection to be accepted. Few are the Christians who can do without counsel, comfort, and spiritnal supply from those who in varioUB ways are qualified to give these. We must look for the shepherd ability and tenderness wherever we can find it. Those formally constituted shepherds may have very few of the qualifications. Let intrinsic authority be recognized; more than that, let it be looked for. It is quite possible to be the shepherd in relation to certe.in fellow-Chris. tians aud the sheep in relations to others. II. THE SHEPHERD'S FIDELITY. He remembers that he has to give account. H any of the sheep be lost or slain he has to explain how it happened, and show that the blame did not lie with him. This makes a true shepherd ever vigilant and foreseeing, always ready to suspect danger under an appearance of the greatest safety. III. Tm: SHEPHEBJ>'s DIFFICULTY. 'l'he lit.eral shepherd has difficulties enough. He has to do with stupid sheep who have to be watched continually. But, then, he can always employ main force. The spiritual shepherd, on the other hand, deals with human beings. They have to be persuaded. H they are bent on going into pasture- less and dangerous places, then the shepherd cannot stop. He warns, he expostulates, be entreats, with tears in his eyes, again and again; and that is all he can do. Bence the need of appeal to those who add the responsibility of a human being to the help- lessness of the sheep. IV. THE SHEPHERD'& ACOOUNT. The faithful shepherd can keep the day of account before him, with a calm and ready heart. He can justify himself for every sheep com- mitted to his trust. But all this will not prevent him bewailing the sheep that are lost. Every one with the shepherd instinct in him will think whh deepest sorrow of those who would listen to no counsel and believe in no peril. V. THE SHEPHERD'S BEWABD. He is rewarded according to his faithfulness, He may have to present a most deplorable list of lost sheep; but if he can show that no blame is his-that every one ha.& been lost purely through self-will-then his profiting w•.U ou. xm.1-26,] TIIE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 419
11.ppear all the same. The shepherd will have sorrow for a season, but ho cannot suffer in the end. The sole suffering and loss remain in the end with those who reject the counsels.-Y.