958 Chap. 42. eonExpofitien upon the Book, of Jo s. Verf® 11; that followed him for the loaves,, fo have we too. Frieodfhip fol- loweth the purfe, the bag and when all is gone, fuch friends are gone, WhenChrift himfelf was in rfflióion, thofe that were in veer relation to him, his very Difciples, left him.; theyall left him, and Peter denied him. When the Apof le Paul was in a great afili6ion, and flood as a prifoner, to anfwer for his life be- fore Nero,his friends durff not appear ; At myfr1l anfwer(faith he, z Tim,4, t 6.) no manfledwith me,afl men forfookme.He had not a friend that would own him, nor appear for him, in the time of his afflì5tionand perfecution ; and heprayed that God would not lay it to their charge, that theyhad been thus unfriendly co- him. Then, Firft,Letusnot trufi in friends, no, not in a brother ; and not only, not in a brother at large, but not in abrother in the firiiefi fence, not ina brother of the fame blood and bowels with us, no, not in a brother of the fame faith with Aus (Mick: 7. 5 ,) 7'rufl yenot in a friend, putye not eonfiderree inaguile; keep thedoors of thy mouthfromher that lyeth in thy bojam, Trutt not in neerefl friends, no, not in godly friends ; they may fail Though we are to truft them fo, as not to fufpe& them, yet we arc not to ttuft them fo,as to rely upon,them,or tomake them our flrength;for then they prove Egyptian reeds, which will not only not fupport, but wound us. That's good counfel(lfa, 2.21) Ceafe yefromman (let him be who he will,though a brother, though of mot+ intrinfick and neereft acquaintance, though never fo great andpotent, yet ceafe from him; the reafon there given, is) bit breath is in his noflrils ; the man is frail, his life is fhort and un- certain, he may not Taft long. And we may take another reafon from the Point in hand ; his love is uncertain, as well as his life, andhis affeetions feldom late long ; let us thereforehave weaned affe&ions from thofe that afieet us, 'and are friendly to us. $hen, Secondly, 'Ti: our wild= to get Chrill for a friend ; he isa friend for. ever : He that would have a friend to flick to him in adverfity, as well as profperity, let him get Chriff tobe his friend, who is unchangeable, whole love fails not ; that's our greatefi and furefi interefi. Chrift having loved his own which were in the world,he loved them unto the end (John 13, Y.) That's the fpirit of unfeigned friendfhìp (Prov. 17. 17.) Afriend!m- eth at all times, andabrother is bornfor advertty. That's true of H cal
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