Offriendes,andfriendfiip. 311 rç k is a good thing, anda rarc,in writingco our friendcs toadinonilli themoftheir (nines. CHAP. 30. Ho1ò terra* andtoexamine our feluesmhen Friendes forfakevs. Tis anvfualleuill, thataman fometime(ball be forfaken turn of his ownekindred, fothatthoughhecomevntothemlayingopenhispit- tifulleftate,ifheput them inminds ofthebrotherhood bad bttweene them,fire vrgeth them with their promife,ifhefueth in the tide ofhis neede,&in the name of Ielùs Chrift,ifhecharged' them with theforce _ ofnaturallaffe&ion; yetthey are deafeand willnot hearehismoane. Strange, yet anvfuall euillit bath bin heretofore, is now, andwill be hereafter. Wherefore itIhallbeprofitable tolearne , howwee flraitRandaffe&edinthis trial!before the Lord. The beftway is notas borne hauedone, to repineat this euillasat a thingbut lately fprungvp,faying, whowas euer fo forfakenofhis friendes asIam , who wasever fo vnkindlydealt wich,theworld wasneuer fo wicked,mensharts wereneuer fo hard:butthefureftcourfeistoenterintoour owns foules, and tolookewhat fruiteweare Theefeof d¡ to reapevnder the hand oldieLord,whoby this kind of aflli&ion eyther ppunifhcth foam ffiefien. finne,or proueth our faith,or worked' invs tomefusthermortification,or ftirrcth vs vp to r s 3. 4' a more carefull cling ofthe tonnes of ourfaluation , or els to amoreearneft contempt of S' 7' this iife,andmore hungrie longingfor thelife to come. a Firfttherefore letvs examine our felues in this vnkindnes ofourfriendes tovs, whe- therheretoforewehaue not offered fomevnkindnesuntoourfriends,wherebyGodin his Tuft iudgement fhould meets withvs, and by rayfingvs vp others todealevnnaturallie with vs,to punilh ourunnatural dealings with others. If hereinour coufcience condernne vs not,let vs reachout this examination a degreefurther, and let vsfee whether wee haue not fought the fauourof man more then the fauour of God, whetherwee toned not our friendes rathercarnally then fpiritually,and whetherweebanenot beetleinitrnmentesto themoffsnning,or we our felues lienotin lome fecret finvurepenredof. Ifinanisofthere refeeke meat we beguiltie,we are to thinke,chat the Lord by the vnkindnesof ourfriendes correeteth fanoar more fomewhatinvs eitherour prepofterous loue orourh ocrifie orourcorru Gtdefarrqur P Y YF pp ofGod. tion,louing for backeandbellie. Wellif inall this our hearts doeacquire vs, itmaybe the Lordwilltrie our faith,whether we louehim for his ownefake,or forhire,whetherwe fol- low him,folong as ourwelt doingis rewarded, or whether weare carefuilfor the zealeof hisownegloeieeuenin our affis lionstowalkswithhim:althoughhe veterly vncafe and ftripvsout ofall hisornamentes. Such in deede is our faith,as it is in temptation, fuchare our fruites,as they be sis the triahi, and then wegiueacleareteftimonieof ourfaith tothe world,whenbeingdeftituteofallhelpwe canbeholdGodtakingvs vp, and fay : Though my Fatheraidmymotherreill forfakeme,yet Godwilltai¿eme op,Pfal. z7.whenthe helpof man forfakingvs wedoubt not of the helpofAngels, when theworldfrowningonvs, weefee theLord fauouring vs. Towhichend theLord oft fequeftrethourfriends farfrom vs, to knit and gluevs nearer tohimfelfe. Fork isacommon corruption invs to ftay.ourfelues too confidently inour friendes,as the childtoo truftinglieand wholie ro depend in hisfa- thersprouiding for him, as thewifeonly tofee and'fearth helpin herhusband,as afermata to count hismalter ashis God inrelieuing him : which vnbelecfeinGod, and too much trult in man,the Lordto cleare thecafe before oureyes, putted) man from this prehémi- Hence inhelping anylonger,and taketh the prerogative of the itewardfhipwholytohim lelfe,that they that willfetch,muft of neceflitiefetchat his bandes. Tothis triailthe Lord Both ioyne the confirmationofourfaith, as when bee rnakethvsexiles and forlorne Pil- grimesamongmen,that we might beentertainedofhim,asofa loitering Father, for that he miniftrethto vsin diftrelfegreater comforts immediady by hisfpirit,then euer we ,, rafted
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