As the great heavenly Phyfician, he went about among them to heal their diftempered Souls. Far was he from difcouraging 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 fo 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 Reft unto your Souls. For my Yoke is eafy, and my Burden is light. Matt. xi. 28, 29, 30. The Evangelift Matthew, after giving an Account of Chrift's going about all the Cities and Villages, teaching in their Synagogues, and healing their Difeafes, obferves that, when he saw the Multitudes, he was moved with Compaffion, his Bowels within him yearned over them, as the Word in the Original fignifieth, because they fainted, and were fcattered abroad, as Sheep having no Shepherd. Then faith be to his Difciples, The Harveft 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 feveral other Occafions, we read of his being moved with Compafion.

Compaffion. Thus, Matt. xiv. 14, we are told that Jefus went forth and faw a great Multitude, and was moved with Compaffion towards them, and healed their Sick: And, as St. Mark tells us, in the parallel Paffage, he began to teach them many Things. Mark vi. 34. And, as they were in a defart Place, and it was growing late, when his Difciples would have had him dismiss them, that they might go the neigbouring Villages, and buy themfeves Victuals, he, in Pity to them, wrought that fignal Miracle of Feeding five thousand Men, befides Women and Children, with five Loaves and two Fishes: And, in a like Cafe, he, not long after, wrought another Miracle of the fame Kind, being not willing to fend the Multitude away fafting, 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 Difeafes, cleanfed the Lepers, caufed the Dumb to speak, the Lame to walk, and the Blind to fee, and, as St. Peter expreffeth it, healed all those that were oppressed of the Devil. Acts x. 38. None, that ever applied to him for Affiftance and Relief, went away unheard or unanswered from his Prefence. He feemed indeed at first to reject the Request of the Syrophœnician Woman, who would have had bim

come

come and beal ber Daughter; but it appeared, in the Iffue, that this was only to quicken her Application, with a View to render ber Faith, as well as his Mercy, more illuftrious.

When the Samaritans in a certain Village refused to receive and entertain him, and two of his Difciples, out of a juft Regard, as they thought, for the Honour of their Lord and Mafter, 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 Anfwer he returned to them: We are told that be 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 deftroy Men's Lives, but to fave them. Luke ix. 54, 55, 56.

But, befides this general Love and GoodWill which he exercised towards all, he thewed the Tenderness of his Heart by a moft pure and generous Friendship towards thofe with whom he cultivated fpecial Intimacy. Who, that hath any generous Feelings in his own Breaft, can, without Emotion, read the Account given us of his Conduct, with Regard to Lazarus?

First, There was a Meffage fent to him in these moving Terms, Lord, behold, be whom thou loveft is fick. John xi. 3. And, when, two Days after, he acquainted his Difciples with Lazarus's Death, he did it in a Manner that plainly fhewed the tender Friendship he bore him: Our Friend Lazarus fleepeth, but I go that I 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 expreffed itself by his Tears; for we are told, Ver. 35, that Jefus 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 Difciple whom Jefus loved, i. e, for whom he had a Special Affection and Friendship, viz. the Apofile John, as is manifeft from John xiii. 23. xxi. 20, 24. And he appears to have well deferved it, as he was of a most amiable Difpofition, whofe 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 fhewed a wonderful Love to all his Difciples. This appeared in

his

his whole Conduct towards them through the Course of his perfonal Ministry: But efpecially what a pure and inviolable Affec tion and Friendship towards them breathe in his excellent valedictory Difcourfes, a little before his laft Sufferings! What wonderful Expreffions are thofe! 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 bath 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; fo that one may justly wonder, that any should pretend they can find no fuch Thing as Friendship in the Gospel, when it is fo effectually recommended by the Precepts and the Example of the holy Jefus. What a tender Concern doth he fhew for his Difciples, when they were grieved at the Thoughts of his Departure from them! What excellent Inftructions doth he give them! What encouraging and reviving Promises! Never was there united fo 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