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forlorn and helpless Circumftances; and he who is no otherwife moved by their deftitute and forfaken State, than to think them a more fafe and eafy Prey, must be the most inhuman and barbarous Creature in the Universe. On the other hand; if Difinterestedness adds to the Virtue of our Compaffion; if our own Complacency rifes in proportion to that which we communicate to others; if the Cheapness of our Relief be any Inducement; the Stranger is an Object in which all these Ends are to be answer'd in the most signal manner; on whom our Words, our very Countenance can confer fuch Measures of Happiness.

I pafs on to the third Particular, viz. The Reason or Motive affign'd in my Text, Te know the Heart of a Stranger, Seeing ye were Strangers in the Land of Egypt.

The

The Jews had a fore Experience of the Difcouragements and Abuses which Strangers ftand expos'd to, whilft they fojourned in the Land of Egypt. Their Male-Children were flain with the Sword; their Youth worn out with hard Labour and bitter Bondage; and, after all their Services, they were only an Abomination to the Egyptians. And in this grievous Oppreffion, they had no Hope of Redress; there was no Ear open to their Complaint; instead of Relief, new Burdens were laid upon them.

They knew the Sentiments of their own Souls under thefe Circumstances, and fo could not be ignorant of the Heart of a Stranger, who, as far as in their Condition, must feel their Grief. The Sight of a diftreffed Stranger must revive the Senfe of their own Sufferings, fet the Brick-kiln before their Eyes, and bring all the In

fults

fults of Pharaoh into their Remembrance. Could they, who groan'd under the Oppreffion of Tyranny, and cry'd aloud for Liberty, be deaf to the very Complaints which they themselves had utter'd; or difregard those Troubles in others, which in themselves they knew to be so pitiable? No, their Bowels must be mov'd for them; they must hear their Cry, and make haste to help them. For Men thus experienc'd in Misery, to be without Mercy, feems inconfiftent, as well with the Mechanism of our Body, as the Reason of our Mind.

Nothing but a like Experience of our own, can give a thorough Knowledge of the Heart of the Diftreffed. Whoever has been opprefs'd by any Calamity of Life, must have acquir'd from thence greater Degrees, I may Lay, new Powers, of Senfibility: Others indeed may have a general fluggish Idea of fome indefinite Evil, from its

outward

outward Signs or Symptoms; but this must differ vastly from having it brought home to our own Organs, to our immediate Senfation. Those Ideas which are attended with these strong Senfations, are always deep and lafting; and they are fuddenly and forcibly rais'd by every Likeness of Circumstance; and that, not wholly without the Senfations which at firft introduced them; the whole Train of our own Suffering is not barely recollected, but in fome measure felt; fo that by looking in upon our own, we fee the fecret Labour of the other's Breaft: His Pains strike upon our very Nerves; and we do not only know from our own Experience how to administer a fuitable Comfort to him, but we feel those inward Promptings to relieve him, that Yerning and Sounding of the Bowels towards him, which Men unexperienced in his Grief are infenfible of. They may look on

with Indifference, and hear without Concern or Commotion.

St. Paul tells us, That God comforted him in all his Tribulations, that he might be able to comfort them which are in any Trouble, by the Comfort wherewith he himself had been comforted of God; if he was afflicted, it was for their Confolation. His Afflictions made him more willing and capable of comforting the Afflicted. Hence arose that ready Difpofition of his to mourn with thofe that mourned; hence he asks, who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is offended, and I burn not? It is faid of our Lord alfo, that it behoved him, in all things, to be made like unto his Brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful High Prieft; for in that he himself hath fuffered, being tempted, he is able to fuccour them that are tempted. Here it is intimated to us, that the Son of God himself learnt Pity towards us from VOL. I.

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