33

ON CHRISTIAN SENSIBILITY.

"

* Jesus wept *!”

IN the contemplation of our blessed

Lord's character at the tomb of Lazarus, we view him, not as a Saviour, displaying the greatness of his power, performing miracles beyond the compass of human understanding, expounding parables, reproving the sinner, or judging the hy pocrite; not in the awful Majesty of his Divine Character, suffering with fortitude, or bearing our sins on the cross: we view him yielding to the sensibilities of human nature, weeping with the afflicted sisters of the Disciple whom he had

John xi. 35.

loved: "Jesus wept!" What heart can be unmoved at the remembrance of such sacred tears! What mind does not aspire to assimilate with a Being so divine, so spiritual, and yet so indulgent to the sorrows and feelings of humanity! After having indulged in the contemplation of this endearing instance of our Lord's sensibility for the sufferings of others, how contemptible appear those stoical arguments of philosophy, which would reduce all feeling to a cold and rigid system, neither to be affected by the evil or the good in this present state of existence: How would the whole tenor of our Saviour's life prove to us, what is the just criterion of that sensibility which springs from the feelings of nature, and leads to the social duties of life. To enumerate every instance, where he acted from the pure principles of that Religion which he came to promulgate, were but correctly to copy the narrative

of the four Evangelists. "Doing good," was the general occupation of his life. He pretended not to any vain enthusiasm of spirit, or to occasional transports of devotion; practical piety led to the active duties of benevolence, and justice was ever tempered with the milder attribute of mercy He not only relieved the casual distresses of the multitude, but he sought out the retreats of indigence, the objects of peculiar sufferings, and administered relief to all. It is not enough that we admit He possessed all the virtues of our nature, without its weakness; we must endeavour to imitate him; we must not only weep with those that weep, but mitigate their sorrows, by participation and sympathy. A momentary feeling must not evaporate in professions without actual exertion for the good of others; for, be it ever remembered, sen sibility is not that affectation of feeling which, though it weep the ready, tear of

commiseration over human distresses, flies from scenes of calamity with childish dread; and loses the remembrance of them in the gay scenes of worldly dissipation neither is it that weak and unchecked emotion, which loudly laments every unfortunate occurrence, every untoward accident, or paints in desponding colours the miseries of life. It is not to affect any peculiar singularity of manners, to condemn the chearfulness of a social hour, and those rational enjoyments which Religion sanctions and even inspires; it is not a fanatical devotion which hurts the temper, harrows the heart, and engenders an irritable or censorious spirit! It is a feeling, founded.on practical piety, lenient in the judgment. of others, and commiserating, with thẹ blessed Redeemer of the world, the sorrows of affliction; it is that delicate propriety of action which can administer relief to "a mind diseased," as well as

pecuniary assistance to the indigent and distressed; it is "to go about doing good."

That Christianity is, sometimes, only a nominal profession; a very limited experience will confirm. Our Saviour's precepts and example are acknowledged as the criterion of perfection, yet the former are neglected, and the latter inconsistently practised. As the contemplation of His life and actions must convince us what is and what is not that Christian sensibility which the Gospel inculcates, we should endeavour to follow his example, nor affirm that huaynature is incapable of some de gre of success. We may strive to be humble under disappointment, charitable in prosperity, in all things kindly "affectioned one towards another;" and it is a glorious privilege to consider, that there is no quality of the mind, or disposition of the heart, by which we can so nearly assimilate with the Divine