zso Chap. 19. AnExpofition upon the Book of JO B. Verf. 14° love toman is not eafily fulfilled ; Where the truehabit of love is, there may be a great defect in the exercife of ir. As he that bath faith, doth not alwayes ar`t faith, fometimes he as as an unbeleever ; and as he that hath the graces of patience and hu- miluie, doth not alwayes arc the patient, and the humble man fo he that hath love, and is a friend at his heart, may yet thew himfelfe unfriendly;Nor onely may carnali and graceleffe friends, but even fpirituall and gracious friends prove very vaine and un- ftable to us. As Alexander the Copper- fmith, a temporary be leever, turn'd enemy. againfi Paul, and did him much evilf, ( z Tim. 4. i4.) fo they who were truebeleevers and found in the faith, were not true to him in their friendfhip ; for they all forfooke him, though not through unfaithfulnefTe, yet through feare in an evill day, as he complaines at the r 6th verfe of the fame Chapter. At my fyrft anfwer no manflood with me, allfor- looks me. Paul had not a friend to owne him, or thew him any love when hewas brought before Nero. How great the fin of this univerfall defertion was,, wee may colierQt from that ferions interceon, Ipray God it be not layd to their charge. Unleffe free mercy come in with pardon and difcharge, our cowardly withdrawings from Saints in times of danger as well as our withdrawings from Chrift and his truth, will be charged fadly .upon us. When Chrift himfelfe was betrayed by rudas, and attached by the ?ewes, all his Difciples (even ?ohn theBeloved Difciple, who but a little before leaned on his bofome) forfooke him, and fled : And as all they fled from him , fo Peter who followedhim, followed him a farre off,. and when he was come neere to Chrift in his bodily pretence, even unto the High Priefts Pällace , he then forfooke and fled from Chrift more then all his fellowDifciples, he denied him and forfworehim : Our Lord Jefus Chrift might fay indeed, My familiars and ac- quaintance are verily eftrangedfromme. Therefore in fuch for- fakings and failings offriends, let us not be fcandalizd, as iffotne new thing had happened, or as- ifthis were not a temptation common toman. Whilewe remember that Chrift was forfaken, that Patti was forfaken, that yob was forfaken, who are we, . that we fhouldnot be forfaken ? Men may fay it, and yet fayle, onelyGod hath fayd it, who cannot.faile ;. Iwonever leave thee norforfake thee.. . To
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=