of their sins, which have grown up unto heaven, and are a load upon their conscience too heavy for them to bear ? How should we pant after an opportunity to make known to them the glad tidings of salvation through a crucified Redeemer; that so we may " give unto them the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness!" Are any in danger of being " turned away from their steadfastness ? " How should we burn with holy impatience to ascertain their state, and to " establish their hearts1!" In a word, we should so feel with all the members of Christ's mystical body, as to be able to say with the Apostle, " Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn notk?"
Nor should our compassion be withheld from those who are insensible of their guilt and danger : on the contrary, they on this very account require it so much the more. Like Paul, we should " have continual heaviness and sorrow in our hearts for our brethren's sake1 ;" and, like our blessed Lord, we should weep over them, though we knew that they were just ready to imbrue their hands in our blood"1.
If, on the other hand, any return to their Father's house, how should we rejoice over them, and join in the pious festi- vities of prayer and praise"! If afterwards they advance in the divine life, our joy and exultation should be proportionably increased0. The angels in heaven are not indifferent spectators of such events P; and should we? No: next to the salvation of our own souls, we should pant after, and delight in, the spiritual welfare of all around us.]
Such is the nature, and such the extent, of Christian sympathy : the value of which, however, will be better seen, if we consider,
II. The benefits resulting from it —
It is of incalculable use,
1. To him by whom it is exercised —
[The heart of man by nature is selfish : but grace expands it ; and, by interesting it in the behalf of others, gives scope for the exercise of better feelings. The man whose cares and pleasures centre all in self, has his happiness extremely con- tracted, at the same time that it is also of a low and sordid character. But the man who has learned to sympathize with others, derives pleasure from all around him, and makes all the happiness he beholds his own. The smiles of universal nature,
» 1 Thess. iii. 5. k 2 Cor. xi. 29. ' Rom. ix. 2.
m Luke xix. 41. n Luke xv. 24, 32.
° 1 Thess. iii. 6 — 10. p Luke xv. 7, 10.