Chap 19. An Expofition upon theBook of J OB Verf. 14, The alienation offriends,or their abatement' of love, iT a very great encreafe ofour forrow in times offorre». The kindneffe of friends is comfortable at all times, much more in fad times. And as their unkindneffe leffens our com- forts in good times, fo it adds toour forrow in evill times, and that upon a threefold confederation. Firft, Becaufe they are obliegid by received courtefies. Secondly, Becaufe they have obl eg d themfelves by pro- miredkindneffes. It doth not trouble us much to fee them un- courteous to us, who never received courtefìe from us, or to fee thornunwilling to doeus a kindneffe, who never promifed any. But when we fee our courtefies loft upon any man, or him fitting bole to us, notwithftanding all his ovine promifes, this goes to the heart, and cuts deepe. At unexpected croffe is not fo grievous to us, as the crofling our unexpe&ation. God himfelfe callsHeaven andearth to witneffe againft fuch as faile him in obedience, when he bath fill'd and followed them with benefits, ( Ifa. i. 2.) Ihave noeerifed and brought up children ( faith the Lord)and they have rebelled againflme. Though when any man rebelleth againft God, he croffIth his will, yet many re- bell again him of whom ( in a fence) we may fay, that they doe not croffe his expectation ; for though he path deferved better at the hands of all, yet he lookes for no better at the handsoffome : But when children, and children whom he bath tenderly brought up and nourifhed, rebell againft him ; when . they whom he bath even ftudied to pleafe, care not to pleafe him, when they from whom he had reafon to expea all obe-` dience, and nothing but obedience, pay him with rebellion, he will beare no longer. 'Tis thus in a proportion betweene man and man,as between God and man.Heace David complaines often of the unkinde alienation of friends, (Pfal. 3 t. I t .) I was a reproach among all mine enemies ( that was not fo much, he couldexpeá no better) butfpecially amongif myneighbours, and a feare to mine acquaintance, they that didfee me without fledfrom me. David fpeakes here ofthree forts ; Firft, enemies ; Secondly, neighbours ; and Thirdly, acquaintance ; That his enemies re- proached him, was a trouble to him, yet the leaft ofhis trou- bles ; the thing which troubled him mufti was,that his neigh-` bours 247
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