sidered. They are to seek not only the promoting of the intellectual and moral character of each other, but their saving acquaintance with true religion. On evangelical piety only can a consistent morality be erected. The fear of the Lord as it is the beginning, so is it the consummation of genuine wisdom and virtue. While we love to take sweet counsel, with those who are to us as our own souls; let us above all delight to go to the house of GOD in company, and to sit down together at the table of CHRIST. Be our most solicitous effort, our most importunate prayer, that our friends be the friends of our Saviour, that "they believe in Him to the saving of their souls," that "their faith work by love and overcome the world." Thus "walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless, truly our fellowship will be with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ." Thus we may indulge the hope, and hold fast the confidence, and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end, that death will not be the final severing of the ties which connect our affections and hearts as one.

To the improvement, and, as far as is attainable, to the perfection of one another, in

all these respects, the tender fidelity which was named, as another primary obligation of friendship, will prove a powerful auxiliary. All that are in this tabernacle do groan being burdened with sin, and assailed by temptation; suffering under infirmity, prone to transgression. Until the reign of righteousness shall commence, one indispensable office of earthly friendship must be, to watch with faithful care over those whom it embraces. Here, as before, the enquiry crowds on the mind how should each frail mortal, with "this body of sin and death," "keep the heart with all diligence ;" "watch and pray not to fall into temptation"? How should we explore every recess of the soul, to detect remaining corruptions, and scrutinize every thought and way, to ascertain the iniquities that still cleave to us? So too should each with fidelity examine, with tenderness but justice reprove, the faults and sins of his other self. Thus mutually watching over one another, the cognizance of conscience, the vicegerent of heaven, over the heart and life, is as it were doubled. Another judge of character is secured; with the immense benefit of a

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decision from a tribunal not indeed remote from any influence of affection, but not under so controlling a bias from self-love, as our own judgment. Mistakes in conduct, long indulged, become habitual; errours in opinion, long cherished, become deep rooted. We discern them with greater difficulty, we canvass them with more complacency, than would another. Here then is one most important service, one most kind office of the friend; to point out with scrupulous exactness every foible that violates the decorum, or lessens the usefulness, or impairs the dignity of a rational being; still more to mark and reprobate whatever is a failure of duty, or verges towards guilt. They who thus probe us to the quick, not to inflict suffering or display skill, but to convince and to heal, these are our benefactors indeed. "Faithful are the wounds of a friend." "Let the righteous smite me, it shall be a kindness, and let him reprove me, it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head."

If the subject now discussed, appear of less magnitude, than those on which it is usually my effort to engage your attention; still

it is hoped, that it will not be regarded as unuseful, especially to the younger part of those to whom it is addressed. Be exhorted to examine the views given, from time to time, of the great doctrines and the momentous duties of our holy religion, by the unerring oracles of GOD. There too you are desired to look for the sublimest maxims, and most captivating patterns, of all the social virtues. It is peculiarly congenial to your susceptible age, to ponder on the precepts and examples which enforce and illustrate the nature and operation of friendship. To the gospel you are referred for information, what is its pure and spotless form. Of this, as of every possible excellence, JESUS has given a perfect model. To remind you of what was before mentioned, respecting the happy family at Bethany, might suffice to justify this remark. But allow me to ask you particularly to notice the more explicit and more affecting illustration he gave, in the prospect and under the sufferings of death. See the preeminently favoured disciple indulged with the sacred privilege of leaning on JESUS' bosom. Mark him, alone of the little fraternity, attending

with the most blessed among women at the foot of the cross, the witnesses of all its agony and of all its triumph. Listen to the touching expression of confidential friendship which the DIVINE SUFFERER gave; at once the most decisive evidence of his perfect self possession, and compassionate solicitude for others. "When JESUs saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Behold thy son. Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother." Let the admirer of the truly sublime, in character or composition, relinquish the fruitless search after one parallel to this, in all the compass of human history or literature. Let the enthu siastick student of classick beauties, or the votary of sensibility make no pretence, that in all the treasures of eloquence or poetry, produced by human genius, is one passage of comparable simplicity and pathos. If the scriptures had not infinitely higher claims, they would be inestimable, as the most important and authentick history, the most perfect models of beauty and sublimity in writing. Be intreated then most diligently to study, and to make perfectly familiar, this blessed volume; in