This beautiful picture of friendship has been drawn by moralists, sentimentalists, and poets. But the reality is only found where Divine grace has melted away natural selfishness into disinterested love. If virtue is the best ground of friendship, then is this most heavenly virtue the firmest ground of all. What passes under the name is too often, as Bishop Hall† describes it, ‘brittle stuff.’ This fickle excitement cools by distance, or by the coldness of our friend. Degradation of worldly circumstances converts it into indifference (Job 6:14, 15), or even into hatred.† The friend who hath left the right path is forsaken, instead of being followed, watched over, and every opportunity improved for reclaiming him. But the true friend loveth at all times, through “evil as well as good report.” He does not change when circumstances change. He is the same, whether we are in wealth or need. He proves himself in adversity, by rising in warmth, and exerting every nerve in proportion as his aid is needed.† He is not ashamed of poverty or of a prison.† In any jarrings of the flesh, adversity cements love.† The loving friend becomes now a brother born for adversity.† Such was the love of Joseph to his brethren; unshaken by vicissitudes, unabated by ingratitude.† Such was the firm cleaving of Ruth to her desolate mother;† the unity of heart between David and Jonathan;† the affectionate sympathy of the beloved disciple to the mother of his Lord (John 19:27); the faithful love of the brethren to the great Apostle in his adversity.†

We must not indeed look for perfection. Can we doubt the sincerity of the disciples, while we are humbled, instructed, and warned by their frailty? (Matthew 26:40, 41.) For frailty it was; not wilfulness, nor hypocrisy. “Ye are they that have continued with me in my temptations” — was their Master's kindly acknowledgment at that season of infirmity, when they all forsook him, and fled.†

But — Ah! it is to him that we must look as the perfect exemplar. To see the Son of God in our nature, that he might be our friend and brother (Hebrews 2:14); to hear him “not ashamed to call us brethren” (Ib. verses 11-13) — this is a mystery of friendship — unsearchable. Truly is this Friend — he alone, worthy of our unlimited confidence. Such is the constancy of his love — at all times (John 13:1) — even unto death† — unaltered by the most undutiful returns — “turning and looking upon” the disciple (a look so full of tenderness and power!) (Luke 22:61) whom we should have [would have] excommunicated. Such the sympathy of his love — born for adversity; so united to us — the friend and the brother we need; never nearer to us than when in our lowest depths of trouble; and, though now our glorified Brother in heaven, yet still “touched with the feeling of our infirmities” (Hebrews 4:15); still “afflicted in all our afflictions” (Isaiah 63:9); presenting us to his Father, as his own elect, the purchase of his blood, “the members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.” (Ephesians 5:30.) Here is sympathy in all its fullness, and all its helpfulness. ‘Here is indeed a Brother born for adversity. “Trust him,” O ye trembling believers, “at all times,” and in all places. You will then be possessed of the happy art of living beyond the reach of all disappointment.’†