244Chap. to An expofirion upon the Book of JOB. Verf I g the doingof a thing, or the doing of it negligently, as to re- member a thing, imports, not onely thedoingof ir, but the do- ingof it diligently. And fo, thofe former expreffìons, They are eft#rangedfromme, they havefailed, are the fame with this, They have forgotten me, All fignifying and fpeaking the unkindneffe of his friends to him in that low condition. Hence obferve ,Yíß, u4dverfîtie and offlit7ion are the touch- icne of That's the time to try friends, to know what friends are, or who are friends. And as adverfitie is the demonftration, or touchfloneoffriends, io'risa high commendation to continue friendfhip inadverfì tie. Chritl tells his Dilciples ( Luk, 22.2.8 ) and he puts an accent ofhonour upon it ; Te are they, who have continuedwithmein my temptation ; As if he had fai I ; All bave not done thin, nor couldye have done it, unleffe it bad been givenyou fromabove and when the temptation, that is, the tryall and fufferiugs ofChrift grew very high, they began to faile in do- ing it, and fhrunke from their Mafter ; yet Chrift Cooke their farmer conttancy to, and continuance with him - -fo well, that he did not onely give them the honour of this acknowledge. n ent, "leare they ; but prefently tells them ofan honourable reward, andI appoynt untoyooc a Kingdome, at my fatherbath ap- pointedunto me. It is an eafie matter to abide with Chrift, or with thole that are Chrift, in times of peace, or in the dayof their confolation, but when we are under temptations, attlieti- onr, and troubles\then to abide and keep clofe to Chrift,and,thofe who profeffe Che iftf, here's the proofe offriendthip, and Gofpel- love. Many will run to friends to aske fhelter,when themfelves are in a ftorme (aswe tire to betake our (elves to the shelter of a fpreading tree in a flormeof f )ule weather) who quickly leave them when the ftrome is blowne over, and the weather fayre. But how few are there who run to their friends when they are in a ftrorne to offer them shelter ? TheApoftle complaines of his clefertion in loch a condition (2 Tim. 4. 16.) At myfirfl an- firer no man floodwithme , but all men forfooke me : Ipray God that it may not be laid to their charge':.And he remembers it to the praife of Onifephorur, for whom alto upon that account he }vayes (z Tint. x, 16. ) TheLordgivemercy to theknife of Oui- (ephorus,
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