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St. John X.27.

"My Sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me:"

Observe 1. That all sincere and faithful christians
are Christs sheep and he is their great and good Shepherd. This
relation implies tender affection powerful protection and
plentiful provision. The tenderness of Christs affection towards
his sheep appears by pitying their infirmities by having a
fellow-feeling with them in thier Sufferings by [raiting?] their
temptations to the degrees of their graces. His care in providing
for them appears in affording to them the holy scriptures the ministry
of the word the administration of the sacraments the operation of
his holy Spirit to make all efficacious and effectual to them.
His protection of them discovers itself by preparing them for trials
by supporting them under them and by delivering them out of them
and by sanctifying all th them causing them to work together
in subserviency to his own glory and his peoples good.

2. That Christs sheep hear his voice and answer the call of their
great shepherd. They hear the voice of Christ speaking to them in the
scriptures in the ministry of the word in their own consciences
in providences and they hear Christs voice speaking to them in
and by his holy Spirit and as they hear Christs voice so do they
answer his call now the right answer to the call of Christ in the
gospel is a present answer a willing answer and an abiding
answer.

3. That all Christ's Sheep do follow him thier Shepherd.
They follow him (1.) In his doctrine. and (2.) In his example in his
contempt of the world in his freedom in reproving sin in the holiness
and heavenly mindedness of his conversation in his meekness
and