FRI 
ture of its object, it implies, in the next place, an affertion 
-nolefs contrary to fa€& ; for although friendfhip could not, 
-either in reafon or juftice, have been commanded by the pre- 
cepts, it is evi aa encouraged by. the fpirit of Chriftiani- 
univerfal benevolence, or 
vital peace that san 
evangelical morality ; and itis by a proper cultivation of this 
_ enlarged and comprehenfive virtue, that the heart is beft pre- 
ed to enter into the engagements, and dif- 
e the offices of private friendfhip. This the is 
moralift himfelf acknowledges in another place. ‘ Do 
think,’’ he fays, «¢ that particular friendfhip c can. well fib. 
fift without fuch an enlarged pi jaa on ci fenfe of obliga- 
tion to fociety ??? This kind of reafon Sates ree es 
applied to alee re w a not Tatisty his cae s on- 
tends ae - o effential part of a Chrittian? 8 cha. 
rity.” tif: there were ay force in this objeion, it would 
over ares a intended aim, and wound natural religion no lefs 
than revealed ; as friendfhip,. for the reafons above affigned, 
ean no more be the effential a of a theift’s benevolence, than 
it is ofa Chriftian’s. 
It deferves alfo to be confidered, that our bleffed Lord 
aéted wifely in not inculcating, by exprefs and pofitive 
ommand, private friendfhip, though ae oo it ge- 
nerally bo his oh Zea and ex amp commiffion 
was pri marily. addreff the Jews, a e his fier was de- 
figned to abolifh all ae diftinctions of nation, pil and 
external privilege, that feparated between them and the Gen- 
tile world. ‘The Jews were prone to indulge felfith and 
limited affeCtions, and to reftri@ their benevolence to perfons 
of their own nation and aie Our Lord therefore very 
wifely declines. to recommend by pofitive law private friend- 
and inculcates univ af benevolence.as beft adapted to 
oe. 
yeu 
e preparation fo 
Gentiles to a partic ipation ion in common. wit 
benefits and privileges which he was noeneet to im- 
part. 
_ 
o 
fary implication, .or circumftantial inferences, that t 
Chriftian revelation recognizes friendfhip. It ftrongly and 
exprefsly recommends and encourages this amiable alliance ; 
if, exhibiting it in the nobleft and moft animating examples 
_may be allowed to = an immediate and direct influence 
over the heart of man, Tv 
this purpofe.occur in t abe hiftory , 
vangeliit, in relat peel the miracle which Chrift performed at 
Bethany, by reftoring a perfon to life, who had lain fome 
days in rave, introduces his narrative by emphatically 
obferving that “ Jefus loved Lazarus,” intimating, it fhould 
feem, that the fentiments which Chrift entertained of Laza- 
rus were a diftin& and peculiar fpecies of that Soutien benevo- 
lence with which he was actuated tow rards all mankind. A 
a 
' 
_but pointing hi o Jefus by a 
équally n notorious defignation, ae terms of their meflage 
sie “© Behold! He whom thou loveft is fick.”? An 
when our: Lord informs his diples of the notice he had thus 
friend Lazarus fleepeth.”’ 
«< friend”? in its loofe, undiltinguifhing acceptatio on, but in 
a reftrained, and ftriétly appropriated ae ; as is manifelt, 
this plain account of the itfelf,. but. as 
her evinc or, as he was “vdvancin \e to the 
rave, accompanied with the relations of the decealed, he 
difcovered the fame emotions of grief as {welled the bokes 
good will to. mankind, 38 = 
5 
e Jews, of the ferted, 
We may obferve, however, thatit is not folely by necef- 
a ae 
FRI 
of thofe Livy whom Lazarus had been mott intimately. cone 
nected ; ympathizing with their comm 
melted : into tears, ‘I‘his 
it muft neceflarily 
every reader, = aie and obvious reflection, se “behold ! 
‘how he. lov ed h 
apoitles, and who. is defcribed — he hiftorian as ‘* the difci- 
ple Ww shomi he loved ;’’ he diftinguifhed him moft con- 
vincing inftarice of fuperior confidence, efteein, and | affeGtion 
that was ever exhibited to the admiration of mankind. For, 
under a uaproaiies of the moit agonizing torments, when 
it might be thought impoffible for human nature to retain 
any other fenfibility but that of its own inexpreffible fuffer- 
gs, he recommended to the ay and protection of this 
his tried and approved friend, in 
an pseu oe the mo r 
rivate affectio Bu language can repefent this pa- 
thetic and one fcene with a force and energy e equal to 
the fublime fimplicity of the evangelift’s own narrative : 
«© Now there ftood by the crofs of Jefus his mother, and 
his mother’s fifter, and Mary Magdalen. When Jefus faw 
his mother, and the difciple ftanding by, whom he loved ; he 
faith to his mather, behold thy fon! then he faith to "the 
i And from that hour . that 
mae 
a] 
as 
coed 
ee 
hes 
9s 
ao 
o 
lo 
gS, 
Pu 
co 
aon 
we 
3 
[2 
Ao 
oe & 
- 
between ‘Enudamidas and Aretheus. "But when the 
ses 
ie aay it muft be cele eee that ‘the 
former rifes as much above - the latter in the proof it exhi- 
bits of fublime Pica as it does in the sien of the 
ned. 
characters concer 
ro’s ‘ Jelius,’? or, *¢ -on 
cus Tullius Cicero,’? with remarks, p. —343. 
RA, in Geograph by, a town of Portugal, in the 
province of Tra los Montes; 12 miles S. ie of Outeiro 
_ FRIER’S Cowt, in Botany. See Anu 
Frier’s Head, a cape on ‘the E. an ‘of the ifland of 
ntigua. N. lat. 17° 11’. W. long. 61° 22 
FRIESACH, a town of Germany in the Middle Mark 
of oe on ie ine ; 3 28 miles N.. W. of Berlin. 
Nw lat. 52 ong. | 40", 
PRILGEN a en of the duchy of Stiria ; 9 miles N. 
N. E. of Wendifchgratz. 
FRIESLAND, 
