Christ's Sympathy with his People.
I HAVE been thinking of Jesus and reflecting upon his character, as a sympathizing Saviour. While passing through this rough and stormy world, how much the Christian needs the sympathy of Christ; he cannot live in the enjoyment of his love without his help and sympathy. He knows how to sympathize with us, for he is acquainted with all our wants. He knows our character, and how frail we are. He can sympathize with us in every circumstance in which we may be placed in life; for by the discipline of his life of humanity, he is prepared to sympathize with, and succor his people in every time of trial and temptation. "He was tempted in all points like as we are," and when temptation comes upon us, we can confidently look to him for strength and grace to enable us to overcome the fires of temptation, and to resist the great adversary of our souls. It seems to me that the present is a time of trial and temptation to the church, and the people of God, when they need much the aid of their divine leader, and to feel their dependence on him for grace to bear up under the trial of faith, which they are called to endure. There is evidently a tendency with many at the present day, to exalt morals above regeneration, and to cut loose from the great doctrines of the Gospel—repentance and faith in God, and their exhibition in the fruits of a well ordered life and godly conversation—and adopt instead thereof the maxims of the world, and to engage in the wrangling and bitter strife of contending parties, which have no higher aim than the honor and enjoyment of office, or the triumphs of favorite political creeds. Christ has no sympathy with the spirit of the world. The Scribes and Pharisees could never draw him into the contentions of political parties. He met them with the command, to "render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's and unto God the things that are God's." How different would it be with the church, if Christians lived for Christ and labored for the conversion of sinners to God, as is their privilege and duty to do. How different would it be if all ministers would preach Christ and him crucified and glory in nothing save the cross of Christ. [Sel.