COMPANIONS, EVIL, ARE DANGEROUS- -SHOULD BE CAREFULLY AVOIDED. WARNING TO YOUNG AND OLD.

And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord above all that were before him. And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him.—1 Kings xvi. 30, 31.

And he went up from thence unto Beth-el: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald-head; go up, thou bald-head. And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the Lord and there came forth two she-bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.-2 Kings ii. 23, 24.

I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers. I have hated the congregation of evil-doers; and will not sit with the wicked.--Psalm xxvi. 4, 5.

My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.-Proverbs i. 10.

Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.— Proverbs iv. 14, 15.

He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.-Proverbs xiii. 20.

Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.-Ecclesiastes xi. 9.

And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.-Luke xv. 13.

Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. Romans xiii. 13.

Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.—1 Corinthians xv. 33.

And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those thing which are done of them in secret.-Ephesians v. II, 12.

COMPANIONS, GOOD, TO BE CHOSEN-SHOULD HELP AND ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER. CHRISTIAN CONDUCT.

And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.-1 Samuel xviii. I.

Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust. O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee; but to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight. —Psalm xvi. 1-3.

I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts.-Psalm cxix. 63.

For my brethren and companions' sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee. Because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek thy good.-Psalm cxxii. 8, 9.

Then

Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would show the king the interpretation. Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions: that they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.-Daniel ii. 16-18.

And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the son of David; they were sore displeased, and said unto him, Hearest thou what they say? And Jesus said unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise.—Matthew xxi. 15, 16.

And all that believed were together, and had all things common; and sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. -Acts ii. 44, 45.

And, being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them.-Acts iv. 23.

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? and what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? and what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. -2 Cor. vi. 14-16.

COMPASSION, Tenderness, and SYMPATHY OF Jesus Christ. PRECIOUS ILLUSTRATIONS.

He shall feed his flock like a shepherd; he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.-Isaiah xl. 11.

I will mention the loving-kindnesses of the Lord, and the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his loving-kindnesses. For he said, Surely they are my people, children that will not lie: so he was their Saviour. In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.—Isaiah lxiii. 7-9.

So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.— Matthew xx. 34.

And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.—Luke vii. 13-15.

And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. Luke xix. 41, 42.

When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, and said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept.-John xi. 33-35.

For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered, being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted. -Hebrews ii. 16-18.

COMPASSION, TENDERNESS, AND SYMPATHY OF MAN IN
GENERAL. CHRISTIAN CHARACTER.

And the king said, Bring me a sword. And they brought a sword before the king. And the king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one and half to the other. Then spake the woman whose the living child was unto the king, for her bowels yearned upon her son, and she said, O my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it. Then the king answered and said, Give her the living child, and in no wise slay it: she is the mother thereof.— I Kings iii. 24-27.

Did not I weep for him that was in trouble? was not my soul grieved for the poor?—Job xxx. 25.

It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting : for that is the end of all men ; and the living will lay it to his heart.-Ecclesiastes vii. 2.

Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.—Isaiah xlix. 15.

Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.— Matthew vii. 12.

Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off: and many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.—John xi. 18, 19.

Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.-Romans xii. 15, 16.

And be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.-Ephesians iv. 32.

Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered. Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous.-.-1 Peter iii. 7, 8.

But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed, and in truth.—1 John iii. 17, 18.

CONSCIENCE-WHEN GOOD AND GUILTLESS YIELDS MUCH HAPPINESS.

My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.—Job xxvii. 6.

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.-Proverbs iv. 23.

And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.— Acts xxiii. I.

And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.—Acts xxiv. 16.

For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another.--Rom. ii. 14, 15.

For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.—2 Corinthians i. 12.

But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For every man shall bear his own burden.—Gal. vi. 4, 5.

This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare; holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck.— I Tim. i. 19.

How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?-Heb. ix. 14.

Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.-1 Peter ii. 18, 19.

And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.-1 John iii. 19-21.