Discourses on Various Subjects, Vol. 1 (of 2)Duché, Jacob
Religion
Discourses on Various Subjects, Vol. 1 (of 2)
Duché, Jacob
Episcopal Church -- Sermons; Sermons, American
II. This look was accompanied with a sigh. A sigh seems to indicate
distress. An anxious oppressed and afflicted heart is sometimes so full,
as to deprive the tongue of the power of utterance; it vents itself,
therefore, in a sigh. But what could oppress or afflict the heart of the
Meek and Innocent JESUS? His body, though a fallen one, does not seem to
have been sick or in pain; his soul was sweetly attempered to Divine
Love, and could have felt nothing but inward peace and serenity--and
yet, he sighs!--The poor deaf and dumb sinner, who stood before him, had
reason enough to sigh: but he was insensible of his misery, and
therefore sought not for relief. The truth is this: The BLESSED JESUS,
as the Second Adam, the Father and Regenerator of our whole lapsed race,
voluntarily assumed our nature, and became as intimately united to it,
as the head to the members of the body. In consequence of this union,
"he knows whereof we are made, he remembers that we are but dust." His
sympathetic heart is sensible of every want and distress of every son
and daughter of Adam. He is persecuted with the church that Saul
persecuteth; and who--"so toucheth his children, toucheth the apple of
his eye." Yea, he feels for those, who feel not for themselves; and
sighs over the sad state of those, who are blind to their true
happiness; "who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for
light, and light for darkness."
It was from such a tender sensibility of human woe, that our Lord
sighed; whilst he was preparing to perform this miracle of love. This
look, this sigh, seem to have uttered some such language as this: "O
Heavenly Father! I am come into this world to fulfil thy blessed will,
in the restoration of fallen men to their primeval light and glory. My
desire of accomplishing this great work, which is continually called
forth by a general view of their complicated misery, as well as by the
particular wants and distresses of individuals, now solicits, in favour
of the poor mortal that stands before me, the application of those
healing powers, which I have received from thee!" This expression of our
LORD'S desire, coinciding with the Eternal Will to All Goodness,
immediately produced the Divine Ephphatha.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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