who must benefit others by their instruction and example, and who, if they are offended in the approaching time of trial, will fall away to perdition. In this passage life alone is supposed to be dearer

than the closest human relations.

:

Though our Lord was a prophet mighty in word and deed, he was not ashamed of his mean kinsfolk at Nazareth and though his fellow citizens rejected him, and even compelled him to preserve his life by miracle, yet he a second time attempted their conversion such attention did he shew not only to the great object of his ministry in general, but to the ties of consanguinity in particular.

When Jesus declined attending the feast of tabernacles in company with his brethren, no part of the transaction shews want of mutual love. Though his kinsmen withheld their belief from him, they acknowledged his miraculous power, and exhorted him to display it still more publicly at Jerusalem. But in the work of his ministry, he disregarded their suggestion, acted as prudence required, and mildly assigned the reasons of his conduct.

The last act of natural affection in Jesus's life is the most striking. While he hung on the cross, his mother in company with some other women stood near it, and fulfilled Simeon's prophecy that a sword should 'pierce through her soul. At this time, when his injunction would be most deeply impressed, he shewed true filial piety by saying to the disciple whom he loved for his peculiar sweetness and benignity of * John v. 2-16

Luke iv. 16, &c. Matt. xiii. 54, &c.

Luke ii. 35.

disposition, “Behold "thy mother;" one whom thou art to treat with the same honour and tenderness, as if she really stood in that relation to thee.

SECTION XI.

OF OUR LORD'S FRIENDSHIPS.

IN such a disposition as our Lord possessed, we may naturally expect to find a readiness to approve and love the amiable and excellent qualities of others. A heart in which there was so much sensibility and affection could not but be susceptible of friendship.

Every man is more or less inclined to this pleasing and generous attachment, which many moralists have placed in the number of virtuous habits. And it is very observable throughout our Lord's discourses, that he always supposes human nature to be what we actually find it. In the following words a love of preference is mentioned as common among mankind. "If you love them who love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if you salute your friends only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so ?" "Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend,

d

in John xix. 27. 1. p. 268. Du Val.

Η φιλία ηθική τις ἕξις δοκεῖ εἶναι. Arist. Eudem. viii. Matt. v. 46, 47. pinas, which explains v. 46. is the true reading and not adness, which seems a correction from the Vulgate. Cod. Brix. in Blanchini has amicos.

See also c. xv. 6, 9, 29.

Luke xi. 5, 6:

lend me three loaves: for a friend of mine on a journey is come unto me, and I have nothing to set before him?" In another place the order of enumeration is remarkable: "Call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, nor thy f kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours." It is likewise mentioned by Christ as a very aggravating circumstance, that, in the season of persecution, his disciples should be betrayed both by relations and friends. Again: his remark is, "Greater I love than this hath no man, that a man lay down his life for his friends." It must be allowed that in these passages the existence of friendship, and the disposition of men towards it, are plainly supposed.

i

But it is expressly mentioned that friendship had a place in our Lord's breast, where every thing resided that was truly laudable and good. Lazarus, and his two sisters Martha and Mary, lived at Bethany near Jerusalem. The circumstances concerning them, related in the gospels, are worthy of our attention. On one occasion, Martha was commendably intent on a hospitable reception of our Lord; but Mary was still more commendably employed in sitting at Jesus's feet and hearing his words. After Lazarus's death, we read that many of the Jews affectionately visited these sisters to comfort them for the loss of their brother. On Jesus's approach to Bethany, Martha respectfully went forth to meet him; and, a fit occasion offering, expressed a firm belief in his

e Luke xiv. 12.

← Mudè tès auggereis 08 is wanting in Beza's msand Cod. Lat. See also Cod. Vercell. in Blanchini. It seems a gloss on the foregoing clause. Eut see Luke xxi. 16.

8 Luke xxi. 16.

h John xv. 13.

Luke x. 38-42. * John xi. 19-32.

divine power, and explicitly acknowledged his high character as the Messiah. Mary seems to have been more overwhelmed with grief; but when Jesus called for her, she also shewed him honour by rising hastily and coming to him. Her words shewed a like persuasion of our Lord's supernatural power; and yet that he would restore one to life who had lain in the grave during four days, and had seen corruption, was too great and stupendous a miracle to enter their imaginations. We also read that, when 'Simon the leper received Jesus at Bethany, Lazarus sat at meat, Martha served, and Mary anointed our Lord with very precious ointment, and even wiped his feet with her hair which act of respect, and of gratitude for raising her brother from the dead, our Lord not only graciously received but extolled, and expressed a lively sense of it. The evangelist St. John informs us that towards these three disciples Jesus had conceived a "friendship; which was founded, no doubt, on their eminently good qualities. His regard for Lazarus appears to have been well known: for, when he wept as he was going to Lazarus's tomb, the Jews mistook the cause of his tears, and said, ❝n Behold

how he loved him."

Our Lord's benevolent disciple St. John, whose writings breathe so remarkable a spirit of love, has • five times mentioned himself under the description of" the disciple whom Jesus loved;" and has " thrice

recorded the circumstance that he reclined in the bosom of Jesus at the last supper. Such was his sense of this eminent distinction; such was his gratitude for it; and with such tenderness did he recollect every circumstance by which it was expressed. And we may observe that, when our Lord's mother was committed to his care, duty and friendship seem to have jointly operated on his mind: for " from ↑ that hour," in the day of his Lord's abasement, and before the triumph of his resurrection, this "disciple" as he humbly styles himself, "took her to his own home."

r

Worthiness of character always struck and engaged our Lord. When a person, whom St. Matthew twice calls a youth, declared that he had kept the commandments from his earliest years, we read that Jesus beheld and loved him.

Our Lord acted towards all his immediate followers as his friends: "I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body." And particularly his language of comfort and support at leaving them was the language of friendship: "Ye are my "friends, if ye do whatever I command you.” Though I am your lord and master, and my disciples may be properly called my servants and God's; if ye obey me "I no longer call you servants; for the servant knoweth not what his master doeth : but I call you friends: for all things [expedient for you] which I have heard of my Father, I have made known unto " you."

W

9 John xix. 27.

a John xv. 14, 15.

c.i. sect. 10, p. 50, 1.

W

c. xix. 20, 22.

• Mark x. 21.

Luke xii. 4.

w See some further remarks on this subject, p. i.