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316 DISCOURSE XVII.

As the great heavenly Physician, he went about among them to heal their distempered Souls. Far was he from discouraging any Beginnings and Tendencies towards Good: He did not break the bruised Reed, nor quench the Smoking Flax. Matt. xii. 20. What wonderful Love and Piety breathe in that most gracious and melting Invitation so worthy of the Saviour of Mankind, Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavyladen, and I will give you Reft. Take my Yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in Heart; and ye shall find Rest unto your Souls. For my Yoke is easy, and my Burden is light. Matt. xi. 28, 29, 30. The Evangelist Matthew, after giving an Account of Chrift's going about all the Cities and Villages, teaching in their Synagogues, and healing their Diseases, observes that, when he saw the Multitudes, he was moved with Compassion, his Bowels within him yearned over them, as the Word in the Original fignifieth, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as Sheep having no Shepherd. Then faith be to his Difciples, The Harvest truly is great, but the Labourers are few. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the Harvest, that he will fend Labourers into bis Harvest. Matt. ix. 36, 37, 38. And not only on this, but on several other Occafions, we read of his being moved with Compaffion.

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Compassion. Thus, Matt. xiv. 14, we are told that Jesus went forth and faw a great Multitude, and was moved with Compassion towards them, and healed their Sick: And, as St. Mark tells us, in the parallel Pafsage, he began to teach them many Things. Mark vi. 34. And, as they were in a defart Place, and it was growing late, when bis Disciples would have had him dismiss them, that they might go the neigbouring Villages, and buy themseves Victuals, he, in Pity to them, wrought that fignal Miracle of Feeding five thousand Men, besides Women and Children, with five Loaves and two Fishes: And, in a like Cafe, he, not long after, wrought another Miracle of the same Kind, being not willing to send the Multitude away fasting, left they should faint by the Way. Matt. xv. 32, &c. Indeed all his Miracles in general were Acts of Godlike Benevolence as well as Power: He healed the most defperate Diseases, cleansed the Lepers, caused the Dumb to speak, the Lame to walk, and the Blind to fee, and, as St. Peter expresseth it, healed all those that were oppreffed of the Devil. Acts x. 38. None, that ever applied to him for Assistance and Relief, went away unheard or unanswered from his Prefence. He seemed indeed at first to reject the Request of the Syrophœnician Woman, who would have had him come and heal her Daughter; but it appeared, in the Issue, that this was only to quicken her Application, with a View to render ber Faith, as well as his Mercy, more illustrious.

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When the Samaritans in a certain Village refused to receive and entertain him, and two of bis Disciples, out of a just Regard, as they thought, for the Honour of their Lord and Master, and a Zeal against fuch Heretics and Schifmatics, as they looked upon the Samaritans to be, defired that he would allow them to command Fire from Heaven to come down and confume them, even as Elias did, he gave a remarkable Proof of the great Goodness and Benevolence of his Mind, in the Answer he returned to them: We are told that he turned, and rebuked them, and faid, 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 fave them. Luke ix. 54, 55, 56.

But, besides this general Love and GoodWill which he exercised towards all, he thewed the Tenderness of his Heart by a most pure and generous Friendship towards those with whom he cultivated special Intimacy. Who, that hath any generous Feelings in his own Breast, can, without Emotion, read the Account given us of his Conduct, with Regard to Lazarus? First, First, There was a Message sent to him in these moving Terms, Lord, behold, be whom thou lovest is fick. John xi. 3. And, when, two Days after, he acquainted his Disciples with Lazarus's Death, he did it in a Manner that plainly shewed the tender Friendship he bore him: Our Friend Lazarus Sleepeth, but I go that 1 may awake him out of Sleep. Ver. 11. When afterwards he was brought to Lazarus's Grave, and faw Mary weeping, and the Jews alfo weeping that came with her, be groaned in the Spirit, and was troubled. Ver. 33. and, foon after, his Concern expressed itself by his Tears; for we are told, Ver. 35, that Jesus wept: Upon obferving which the Jews could not help faying, Behold how he loved him! There was one of the Twelve who is described by this Character, that he was the Disciple whom Jefus loved, i. e. for whom he had a special Affection and Friendship, viz. the Apofile John, as is manifest from John xiii. 23. xxi. 20, 24. And he appears to have well deserved it, as he was of a most amiable Disposition, whose Soul overflowed with Love to God and Mankind; of which we have manifest Proofs in his excellent Epiftles. But our Saviour's Friendship was not confined to him: He thewed a wonderful Love to all bis Disciples. This appeared in his his whole Conduct towards them through the Course of his personal Ministry: But especially what a pure and inviolable Affection and Friendship towards them breathe in his excellent valedictory Discourses, a little before his last Sufferings! What wonderful Expressions are those! As the Father bath loved me, fo have I loved you; continue ye in my Love. John xv. 9. And again, This is my Commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you; greater Love hath no Man than this, that a Man lay down his Life for his Friends. Ver. 12, 13. Of which Friendship he himself gave the most finished Example; so that one may justly wonder, that any should pretend they can find no such Thing as Friendship in the Gospel, when it is so effectually recommended by the Precepts and the Example of the holy Jesus. What a tender Concern doth he shew for his Disciples, when they were grieved at the Thoughts of his Departure from them! What excellent Instructions doth he give them! What encouraging and reviving Promises ! Never was there united so much Dignity and Tenderness, as in the Prayer he offered up, when he was entering on his bitter Paffion. In what affectionate Strains doth he recommend them to his heavenly Father! Now I am no more in the World, but these are in

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