afford an innocent and virtuous gratification, it will not require much attention to be convinced. People who have lived long, and been almost wholly engroffed by the objects of ambition or avarice, are apt to estimate every thing by its tendency to purchase power or riches. And fuch men pafs for being wonderfully fhrewd, and for having acquired a thorough knowledge of the world. But in truth they have only viewed it in one particular light they have confidered men merely as they appear engaged in political or commercial purfuits. But there are very many portions of human life which must be occupied with other concerns, and other pleafures. I appeal to the experience of my hear

ers,

if the converfation or prefence of a friend, or even the recollection of his amiable qualities, does not allay many griefs, and heighten many joys, even where he is not able to remove the caufes of the one, and has no connexion, as the world is apt to judge of connexion, with the objects of the other. Is not this the fecret working of providence, which hath united men by many other ties befides that of intereft, or the power of promoting each others fecular views?

If

If a good man is confined in a dungeon, the reflection that he has the approbation and fympathy of a virtuous friend under his unjuft fufferings, will have a powerful tendency to fupport him, though he fhould be debarred from enjoying his company by the clofenefs of his prifon, the feverity of his keeper, or the distance of a thousand miles: while the wealth of worlds could not fupport. a tyrant in the fame circumftances, confcious as he must be that he merits univerfal deteftation. It is a law in the material world, that if one body is put in motion, and ftrikes another, it lofes fo much of the force with which it was impelled, and communicates it to that other. In like manner, it is a law in the moral world, that fympathy, either perceived in another, or reflected on as actually exerted, heightens our pleasures, and alleviates our pains. The very knowledge or recollection of a virtuous friendship, I do maintain it, will pour balm into the festered foul, and revive the dejected fpirit, when gold, that idol of the world, cannot purchase the smallest relief or confolation. In exquifite pain, incurable disease, or the immediate prospect of death, riches lofe all their lustre,

and

and the pursuits of ambition, like objects thrown at a distance, appear altogether diminutive. Turn your views to scenes of this kind, and you will feel the difference between a fplendid apartment, a foft bed, numerous attendants, skilful physicians, which the worst of men may often command, and the affection and approbation of one virtuous friend. I put the matter ftrongly, because men are often infenfible to the plainest truths; of which class I hold this propofition to be one, that the consciousness of poffeffing such a virtuous friendship, abftracted from every external advantage it may bring, affords a high gratification to the mind. I need only add, that the more excellent the perfon is with whom we are connected by this tie, the greater will be the enjoyment arifing from it. But the character of Chrift, confidered as exhibiting'every neceffary qualification for the most endearing friendship, is truly ftriking. What meeknefs, what condefcenfion, what humane and generous fentiments, what tender and affectionate feelings did he display on a thousand occafions! Recollect his lamentations over Jerufalem: behold his tears at the tomb of Lazarus:

fee his beloved disciple leaning on his bosom : accompany him while he walks with his difciples to Emmaus : review the history

of his whole life: hear his fublime difcourses: attend to his just, yet mild rebukes: listen to the spirit and fervour of his prayers, and fay, is it poffible for your hearts to be unaffected, uninterested, uninflamed? O that I knew where I might find him, that I might come unto him, even unto his feat!

I believe there are very few readers of the gofpel who will not allow that the peculiar attachment which our Saviour fhewed to John, must have imparted a very fingular fatisfaction to that difciple. Confider what constitutes the real and effential felicity of human nature, and I doubt if ever any one enjoyed fo large a portion of it as this happy man, though he was neither rich, nor powerful, nor flattered, nor gratified in any worldly paffion, nor exempted from the fevereft perfecutions. Confider the state of the apostles in general. The pleasure they had in fitting at the feet of Jefus, and hearing his inftructions while he remained

on earth, and their ardent wishes to be abfent from the body and prefent with the Lord after his ascension into Heaven, are not only free from all erroneous enthusiasm, but perfectly natural, and what every one might expect in their circumstances. I do not fay that the consciousness of our Saviour's friendship, which is promised to all his difciples, will affect us fo powerfully as it did those with whom he converfed, who witnessed his living virtues, who faw his face, and heard the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. Faith muft fall fhort of vifion; but will it have no effect at all? Or must not every well-disposed mind be deeply fenfible of its influence? But, my brethren, the pleafure refulting from a sense of the attachment of the most worthy character in the world, is not the fole or chief advantage proceeding from the friendship of our Saviour. It is attended with the most beneficial effects, and exerted in the most effectual manner for procuring and conveying the greatest bleffings.

Friendship is naturally active. It exerts itself in profecuting useful plans, and in bestowing agreeable tokens of its fincerity and ardour.

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