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النشر الإلكتروني

No deep charm, from Jesu's name,
To their parting spirit came.

Christians! whilst ye weep, rejoice!
Lift to Heaven the tearful eye!
Thence was heard, at length, a voice
Bidding gloom and error fly,

Chasing every tyranny

From the heart that would be free.

Not with doubtful, human tone-
Tone of earthly sage, or dreamer—
But with language of thine own,
Speak again, Divine Redeemer !
Speak to us; and let thy breath
Break the spell of sin and death.

CHAP. II. VER. 17.

When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

How much is the mercy of our Lord's descent upon earth enhanced by the fact that he quitted a world where mental disease and corruption are altogether unknown! In the corrupt state of human nature, the understanding is in a great degree blind to the bright and glorious realities of religion; the conscience is seared; the best and noblest affections of the soul are seduced from their allegiance to God, and enlisted under the banner of his enemies; and languor and fickleness haunt the servant of the Lord, even

in the most solemn engagements of religion, and amidst the recesses of the sanctuary. But in the heavenly world, ever since the awful moment in which the rebel angels were driven out, and consigned to the region of immeasurable woe, sin has never found a place. Not a breath of discord ever ruffles the fathomless depths of its purity and joy. From day to day the blest inhabitants proclaim, without cessation or weariness, the praises of Him who has "on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King of kings, and Lord of lords."

If such be the contrast of the two worlds, what must have been the pang with which the purest of all minds contemplated this lower region of guilt and sorrow; and what the power of that love, which constrained Him to exchange the one for the other!

And yet it is this very contrast in the constitution of heaven and earth, which renders the presence and influence of the Son of God so indispensable to the fallen inhabitants of this world. It is conceivable, indeed, that even the angels derive a portion of the stability and purity of their character from the close contemplation of the perfections of the Son of God -that they are like him, "because they see him as he is;" that they are bright, because they kindle their lamps in the bright flame of his glorious presence. But, if his presence and influence are thus important to those children of his family who have never wandered from his house, or forfeited his favour, how essential are they to ourselves! We need Him for all things -to pardon, to regenerate, to sanctify us; to rescue us from the fires of

perdition; to draw the first outline of religion on the character, and to fill up the last; to fold us in his arms amidst the trials of life, and to lead us onward to the still waters and green pastures of heavenly enjoyment.

And how unspeakable is the comfort, that the promised assistance is fully adequate to the emergencies of the case! It is impossible not to be affected with the picture, presented to us in the Gospel, of the people, when "the sun was setting," availing themselves of its last beam to carry into the presence of Jesus those who were sick of divers diseases. And it is said, that "as many as touched him, were cured of whatsoever diseases they had."-And are there not multitudes amongst the great family upon earth, the sun of whose earthly existence is now rapidly setting? Is

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