more with Him. It is so still, it will be so always. Just as many of
the old Israelites loathed the manna and said, "Our souls are dried
away; there is nothing but this manna before our eyes," so there always
will be faithless disciples who when they hear the invitation to
partake of the Body of Christ, the true Manna, will say, "This is a
hard saying," and will thenceforth no more walk with Him.

XL.

_RECEIVING AND REJECTING._

3rd Sunday after Trinity.

S. Luke, xv. 2.

"This Man receiveth sinners."

INTRODUCTION.--In to-day's Gospel our Lord represents Himself as a Good
Shepherd seeking His lost sheep, going out into the wilderness after
them, to bring them back into the fold.

The fold is that place where He keeps His flock shut behind the hurdles
of the Ten Commandments. Every now and then a sheep leaps one of these
hurdles, or pushes his way between them, and runs away into forbidden
pastures. Then the Good Shepherd goes after the erring sheep, and
brings it back. "And when he cometh home, he calleth together his
friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me, for I have
found my sheep which was lost."

SUBJECT.--Christ is not always to be regarded as the Saviour receiving
sinners. The time will come when He will be the Judge, rejecting them.
He is a shepherd now, bringing back the straying sheep, and replacing
them in the fold, but one day He will do just the contrary, He will go
to His fold, and pick out the incorrigibly bad sheep, and cast them out.

I. We will consider Him now as the Good Shepherd. What is His purpose
in bringing back the straying sheep? That they may remain within
bounds for the future. Christ has come to save sinners, that is to
say, He brings them to repentance, and pardons their transgressions, in
order that, for the future, they may walk in newness of life, and not
commit the sins of which they were guilty before. Thus if He brings
back one who has been a liar, it is to truth that he returns, and
Christ expects him to speak the truth ever after. If He brings back a
drunkard, it is to temperance, and He expects him to be sober for the
future. If He brings back one who has sinned through impurity, it is
to chastity and modesty. This is what S. Paul means when he says, "Put
off concerning the former conversation, the old man, which is corrupt
according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your
mind. Wherefore putting away lyin