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for we trace [following text obscured] the working of
his heart even the Jews said "Behold how he loved
him" - May we not learn from here
that though our Creator demands the highest
of our affections yet sorrow of the acutest
kind is not forbidden to us when we are
bereaved of those we love - We are it is true
forbidden to sorrow as those who have
hope & we are blamed if we take no com
-fort at the same time - Insensibility forms no part of the
Christian Character the religion of Christ has
nothing to do with hardness of heart -
exalt us to the dignity of the children
of God it does not destroy in us those na
-tural affections which are common
to other men - No Religion while it strength
-ens; it governs & directs all our feelings
in a right channel - Abraham was an
eminent servant of God & full of faith yet

when his beloved wife [following text obscured]
He came to mourn for Sarah & to weep for her -
they were devout men who carried Stephen to
his burial & yet they made great lamentation
- A want of feeling under trials of this
kind is to be as much guarded against as
fainting or despair - "My son despair not thou
the chastening of the Lord" is the language of
the most high & teaches us that if we grieve not
our hearts must be hardened & consequently exposed
to the wrath of God - The man of the world
may condemn this conduct as childlike & the inex
-perienced professor may doubt the sincerity of
faith but Jesus who knows all his peoples
weaknesses will remember his tears & will not
be angry or offended at ours -

The tears of Christ might also be occasioned by
a view of the instability of all
happiness - The habitation
now found full of mourning &
if he had often found full of mourning &
grief he had often found a habitation appear