Chap.. 42. an Expofitionupon the Book of J o B. Verf. t a real friend, who lives up to the rule of friendaip, He loveth at all times, and therefore to the end. When the Prophet Ma- lachi faith (Chap. i . 6.) ACon honoureth bisfather, his meaning is, ;afon fhould or ought to honour his father, or,a fon who know- eth his duty, will honour his father ; fo, a friendought to loveat all times, and a truefriend will : yet that Scripture in the Pro- verbs is chiefly true of Chrifl, and abfolutely true of him only; he alone is fucka friend as loves at all times. Hence that divine challenge (Ram. 8. 35.) who [hallleparateusfrom the Love of Chrift ? And then the Apoale proceeds from who, to what. As no perfon, fono thing, can feparate us from the love of Chrifl. Shall tribulation, or angui(h, or peril, or fword? (hall thefe fepa- rate us from the love of Cod ? no, thefe fhall not, thefe cannot;. chefe cannot make Chrifl orange to us, nor love us the lefs; he loves in tribulation, as well as out of tribulation; in flreighcs, as well as in our greatefl inlargements; in ficknefs, as well as in health;in difgrace with men,as well as when moll honoured and cryed up by them; whennaked,as well as when cloathed; as well in rags, as in the richefi array. Hence that confident conclufion (verf. 38.) lamperfwaded, that neither death, nor life, &c. /hall he able tofeparate usfrom the love of God, which is in Chrifl Ìefue our Lord.And if fo,thenwe fee where our true interefl lyeth :Let us make Cure of Chrifl ; he will never leave us; all earthly friends may. Friends are a great mercy, but they are not a fure mercy. Again, Confider yobs friends, who came not at him when in that affli9 ed condition ; yet as Coon as ever God turned his cap- tivity, and made himprofper in the world, then they would own him, then they came. Hencenote, Thirdly ; Such as are no friends in adverfity, will readily Chew then, [elves friendly in profperity. That they came then, is an intimation, if not a proof, that they came not before; but then they came. What Chrifl fpake in another cafe, I may apply by way of allufion to this ; Wheretbe carcafe iá, thither will the Eagles begathered together. When jàb . WASup, his friends appear'd. 1111 are re44y to war(hip the riling Sun. When the face of things and times change with us, then the faces of friends change towards us, then they have other re- fpeas 959
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