vine word; to take all the care and oversight of you which the circumstances of an immense parish will allow; and in doing this, to avoid reluctance, covetousness, ambition; and to act with cheerfulness, with devotion of heart, and, above all, with unfeigned humility.

Nor do I doubt that I shall be supported in my feeble efforts by the constituted authorities in this place, by the chief persons of weight and consideration in its different quarters, and by parents and heads of families generally. I shall peculiarly need your aid.. My state of health will, as I fear, disqualify me for some months for any the least exertion. Even now I am acting directly contrary to the injunctions of my physician. But if I were ever so strong, a minister can do little by himself. You must help me in your families and respective neighbourhoods, by the due performance of family devotion, by a conscientious observance of the sabbath, by the instruction of your children and servants, by maintaining and increasing our schools, by concurring in all reasonable plans for the enlargement of our accommodations for public worship, by discountenancing vice and immorality, and encouraging piety and virtue, in those dependant upon you: in short, by becoming yourselves truly the sheep of Christ by a lively faith, and acting as such in every part of your conduct.

This, indeed, is the high end of our ministry, to bring you unto Christ the good shepherd, and to feed you in his sacred pastures. This will be the desire of my heart, that every soul in this vast parish may return to the fold, and enter in and be saved. This will be the chief aim of all my labours, to nourish you with the food that endures to everlasting life. This will be the sum of all I shall preach, the Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, who was brought again from the dead by the blood of the everlasting covenant. This will be the sum of all I shall proclaim, that exuberant grace of Christ which can heal all the maladies of the soul, and restore it to pardon, obedience and peace. This will be the sum of all I shall inculcate, that holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. And do Thou vouchsafe to hear, O thou shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; do Thou shine forth, thou that dwellest between the cherubims! do Thou vouchsafe unto us, both shepherd and flock, such a measure of thy grace and Holy Spirit, that we may all be gathered into thy fold, and follow thy ways; so that when thou shalt appear again at the last solemn judgment, we may be partakers of thy glory, and receive a crown of glory which fadeth not away!

GOOD CHILDREN THE LAMBS OF CHRIST'S

FLOCK.

A

SERMON

ADDRESSED TO THE CHILDREN.

OF THE

Schools for Religious Instruction,

AT

ST. JOHN'S CHAPEL, BEDFORD ROW,

On Easter Tuesday, April 8, 1817.

FIFTH EDITION.

A

SERMON,

&c.

JOHN, XXI. 15.

Jesus saith unto him, Feed my Lambs.

My dear Children, you are now come to the end of another year of your schooling; and before we distribute the books which you are severally to have as rewards, I mean to talk to you about religion. But I shall speak, not only to the children of my own school, but to all other children before me; and as I mean to be as short as I can, I hope every child will attend to what I say. I shall try to speak in so plain a manner, that the youngest child here may understand me. But then you must all pray that God would bless what I say to you, and make you good; for I cannot do that: I can only speak, but I cannot change the heart of the least among you; only the Spirit of God can do that; and therefore every little child should pray for the grace of that blessed Spirit. Now, Children, I should suppose there are