be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me." (Rom. i. 12.) This we are sure of; for no sooner did Mary hear from her sister's lips, "The Master is come, and calleth for thee," (ver. 28,) than she instantly recognized the name and the call; "she arose quickly, and came unto him.” (ver. 29.) And "when" she " was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died." (ver. 32.) And when Mary afterwards" anointed the feet of Jesus" from "an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair," (Matt. xxvi. 7. John xii. 3,) Christ, in attestation of this deed of faith and love, declared it to be done for his burial, and added, "Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her." (Matt. xxvi. 12, 13.)

In these two sisters we see a beautiful instance of mutual confidence in the power, and of mutual love towards the person, of their divine Saviour. And unless sisters be thus united in the bonds of Christian friendship through joint love towards their Lord Jesus Christ, it is not a friendship which will endure. At best it is founded upon natural affection only; and if our natural affections are not sanctified by "the love of Christ constraining us," they must, sooner or later, come to an end: for they will expire of themselves, or lose their object, by the intervening circumstances of this earthly pilgrimage-separation or death.

In the consideration of these two sisters as examples of that near and tender relationship in every condition of life, let me urge you all to remember how very much domestic happiness depends upon those divine principles of faith and love which actuated them, being brought into constant exercise. One sister, one single

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member of a family, may embitter the whole circle of domestic comfort, as one member of the body, being diseased, will cause pain to all the other members. To avoid this sad and painful interruption, let domestic life be ornamented, as it ought to be, by the fullest exercise of the Christian courtesies. It is quite false, and a very great slander upon the gospel, to say, as some have ventured to say, that it makes no provision for the courtesies of life. The doctrines and precepts of the gospel are the only effectual provision for all that is really valuable in the constitution of social happiness. It not only bids all, and especially those who dwell together in the bonds of natural affection and kindred ties, as brethren, to "be of one mind, having compassion one of another," to "love as brethren," and to "be pitiful," and "courteous ;" (1 Pet. iii. 8;) but it enjoins every individual to regulate his words and actions by the Christian rule of "so fulfilling the law of

Christ," in "whatsoever things are lovely," and "of good report." (Phil. iv. 8.) Our homes especially call for the exhibition of the Christian temper, that "these things be in us and abound," that so we may "neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ," (2 Pet. i. 8,) upon those occasions, and in that society where Christian principle meets with its best and most urgent opportunities. Do you Do you who are sisters especially think upon this. You are brought much, some of you, perhaps all your lives, into very close contact with each other. You share your wants, your temptations, your difficulties; and no small portion of your peace and happiness, while you join together in the pilgrimage of human life, will depend upon the exercise of the Christian graces in mutual forbearance, mutual kindness, and Christian confidence in each other.

But let us extend the consideration of this relationship beyond that view of it

which regards our union by blood; let us look to what the gospel puts before us all in the covenant which we profess to enter into as members of that one body of which Christ is the head. In virtue of that relationship, we profess to be bound together by one common bond of spiritual interest in our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named." (Eph. iii. 15.)

But while we all profess this relationship, how fearful is the Scripture view of the few, the very few, who uphold it! The same distinctions between the people of the world and those who have renounced the world, still continue; and the same awful disproportion between the professed and the real followers of Christ still holds, which, in the former case, receives its illustration from the broad and the narrow road, and in the latter, from the many called and the few chosen; the many to whom the gospel is offered, the few by whom the gospel is heartily embraced.