clearly and minutely sees how far our sufferings and emotions resemble those, of which he was himself the subject. If reason can climb no higher, faith lends her wings to ascend the final step, and place us in the full enjoyment of the consolatory truth, that in the tender sympathy of his heart with us, as well as in the power of his arm for us, he is "Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever." We may go through every scene of his history, as it is related by the Evangelists; we may cherish the deepest impression which can be derived from every individual act of mercy which is recorded; we may combine the result of the whole, in one clear and powerful conception, the influence of which shall never weaken or decay; and yet be assured, that we are far from apprehending the extent and tenderness of the condescending sympathy which he still exercises with every sufferer, who comes to God by him. In proportion as we increase in the knowledge of this fact, our devotional exercises will be characterized by freedom and delight; our duties, otherwise difficult, will become easy and pleasant; our sorrows will be sweetened by ingredients, which will make them blessed in their endurance, as well as in their result; we shall be able to rejoice in tribulation, and in every thing to give thanks.

How are those to be pitied, who, instead of having the character of the sympathising Redeemer unfolded to their view, are directed to the saints, who cannot succour, who cannot even hear the prayers which are presented to them. If they could hear-if they could succour-who, knowing the character of the Redeemer, and listening to the invitations which he gives, would have recourse to them? How obviously false-how subversive of his honour, and of the design for which he came into the world-how deeply injurious to the peace and happiness of men-is the principle which is assumed; that the saints, because they partake of our nature only, are more ready to pity and to sympathise with us, than is He, who, with all human excellencies, combines all divine perfections!

Where have those who assume this injurious principle learnt what our nature is, when not associated with him, who is Immanuel, God with us? Not in the school in which David was taught. He said, He said, "Let us fall now into the hand of the Lord; for his mercies are great: and let me not fall into the hand of man.”* Where have they learnt the character of God? Not where Isaiah was inspired to teach it. He

* 2 Sam. xxiv. 14.

describes him as saying, "My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."" With what eyes have they read the Gospels, and marked the contrast between the character of the Redeemer, and those of his disciples whom they have placed highest in the calendar of the saints? Can they hope for more kindness and pity from Peter, than from the Redeemer? Let Malchus correct their folly, by telling them, who struck the blow which was intended to cleave him in the midst, and which, glancing aside, cut off his ear; and who, putting forth his finger, though it was to touch one who had come out with the multitude against himself, restored it, as it was before. Can they hope for more pity and kindness from James and John, than they can from the Redeemer? Let the Samaritan villagers correct their folly, by telling, who would have called down fire from heaven to consume them; and who rebuked the fiery indignation of the brethren, and said unto them, "Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them." Can they hope for more prompt * Isa. lv. 8, 9.

and condescending attention to their desires from any of the Apostles than from the Saviour? Let the women who brought their little children, that they might receive a blessing, tell them, by whom they were roughly repelled; and who, displeased because they had been repelled, said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God;" and then, exceeding the desires and expectations of the mothers themselves, took the children up in his arms, as well as put his hands upon them, and blessed them.

Whatever kindness and pity was possessed by the Apostles, or by any of the saints, at any period of their history, they copied from the example of Christ, and exercised in the power of his grace. In him, there is the original and ever-flowing fountain; in them, the drop only, which the vessel formed by him could receive and contain. Let who will go to the saints, we are content with access only to the Saviour. We can find no condescension like his, who stooped from heaven to earth, and veiled the glories of his deity beneath the humble form of our humanity;-no compassion like his, who bare our griefs, and carried our sorrows ;no long-suffering like his, who endured the contradiction of sinners against himself;—no pity like

his, who wept over Jerusalem, when its inhabitants were just about to reject and crucify him ;-no grace so prompt and abounding as his, who, in answer to the request of lips which had previously reviled him, said, “To day shalt thou be with me in paradise ;"-no gentleness like his, who took little children in his arms, and folded them to his bosom, before he put his hands upon them, to bless them ;-no sympathy like his, who wept at the grave of Lazarus, in fellow-feeling with the disconsolate mourners, before he exerted his divine power to raise the dead, and change the tears of sorrow into the raptures of joy. So, though he is himself above the power of death, and reigning in the regions of immortality; yet is he touched with the feeling of our infirmities, who dwell around the sepulchres of our departed brethren -the sepulchres in which, weary at length of life's vanities and vexations, we ourselves must rest. But he is contemplating the day, at whose sweet dawn, the stone shall be rolled away from them; and his voice shall call us, to put on incorruption and immortality, and to come forth, radiant in his own image; the day, when our sorrows, in which now he sympathises, shall be changed for the fulness of joy, and he shall lead us to living fountains of waters, and wipe away all tears from our eyes.