116 A HOPEFUL YOUTH [SEIM. VII. a love of beneficence. And this our Lord Jesus prac- tised abundantly, even to those whom he did not say- ingly enlighten and convert. by his gospel ; for it was his character, that he went about doinggood. Acts x. 38. 5. This love of Christ includes in it compassion for the young man, and some degree of sorrow to think that he should miss of heaven; that he should be so hardened in self-confidence, so puft up with a conceit of his own righteousness, and so hard to be convinced of his weakness and guilt, as to stand to it boldly, that he had kept all the commandments of God : and at last, that he should be so entangled with a love to money, as tet despise the treasures of heaven, and to let Christ and salvation go. Such a mournful pity did our Lord express to Jeru- salem, in the days of his flesh; O Jerusalem, Jerusa- lem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee: How often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under herwings, and ye would not! Luke xiii. 34. And he mingled the tears of love and sorrow when he came near the gates : for the same evangelist tells us, that he beheld the city, and wept over it, with this melting lan- guage, " If thou hadst known, even thou,, in this thy day, the things that belong to thy peace ; but now they are hid from thine eyes," Luke xix. 41, 42. When we behold a noble palace, a well-contrived garden, a piece of painting of uncommon art : " It is pity, we cry, that suet a building should be reduced to ashes, such a garden overspread with desolation and disorder, or such a picture be all defaced." We have a sort of pity for these inanimate beauties, and we are ready to mourn their danger or ruin. And the passion is innocent and becoming: But the grief and the love rise higher still, when we see a living soul, a fellow-creature of our own rank, a man, or woman dressed in agreeable accomplishments, ànd yet making haste to wilful de- struction:. Such love and such grief are comely for a wise and good man, and they became our Saviour well.. Blessed Savio.ur ! that ever thy love should lay itself out on such objects, as would awaken thy grief, and give thee so painful a compassion ! But this was only in the days of his flesh : He pities mankind now under their
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