386 C H R I S T THE BELIEVERS F R I E N D. Book 11. A FRIEND. knowing ol it, if in Trouble, that he may redrefs it. XIlr. A true Friend will not fuffer him he loves to lie under Millakes or Sin, becaufe he knows it will turn to his Bkmifh and great Difadvantage, and therefore in Love, will tenderly admonifh, being grieved to think that he fhould be fo enfnared : And this is according to the Mind of God, yea and it is according to the De– fire of the Godly ; fuch Reproofs fo given are a great Demonft:ration 'Of Friendfhip, L ev. xix. 17. Pfal. cxli. 5· XIV. The Counfel of fuch a Friend is profitable, and fhould be acceptable, in Profperity it is fafe; in Adverfity, it is fweet; in Sorrow and Mifery it is comfortable, it ufually mitigates Sorrow and aug– ments Comfort. XV. It is the Property of a true Friend, to b< much troubled and concerned at the Abfence of fuch whom heloves, and nothing more fweet than the Meeting of Friends after a long Ablence; as appears by Jofeph and his Brethren at their meeting, when they knew one another, Gen. xlv. XVI. It is a great Trouble to a true Friend to fee his Love and Friendfhip fiighted ; yet he will not eafily withdraw his Love, but Jabors to pafs by many Offences, and U nkindneffes. XVII. A true Friend will not fuddenly or eaftly hear any evil Report againft his Friend. PARALLEL. he did to the poor blind Man, JI!Iark x. 51. even fo he will not fuffer his People to lie under Sin, becaufe he knows 1t wtll turn to their Difadvan– tage. XIII. Even fo Chrift will not fuffer his People to Ire under Stn, he knows tt wtll turn to their Difadvantage ; 0 how is he concerned when they are enfnared ! which doth fignify his great Trou– ble, and therefore gtves friendly Reproofs and Admonitions in order to reclaim them; and Be– lievers have found his Reproofs to be peculiar Acts of Friendfhip : I know thy Works that thou haft a Name to live, and art dead,-I have not found thy Works perfe8 before God, &c. Pfal. cix. 67, 7r. Re-v. iii. 1, 2 . XIV. 0 how profitable is Chril1:'s Comfort! It teacheth them in Profperity to carry it humbly; in Adverfity, to carry it contentedly; in the Midft: of their Sorrow andMifery it comforts them; this is that which above all Things affwageth the Believers Grief: Hence it is that Believers fo much prize the Counfel of Jefus Chril1:, Pfal. xlix. 19. xvi. 7· and lxxiii. 25. XV. Even fo Chrill loves to hear from his People, and is concerned at their Silence ; they are always welcome to him, he takes their Ab– fence unkindly ; and afterwards when they come to vifit him again with the Acknowledgment of their Mifcarriages; 0 how welcome are they! fuch a Meeting is on both ftdes very fweet and pleafanr. XVI. Even fo it is with Chrift, to fee his pre– cious Love fiighted. Ingratitode is a Sin which is very offenftve, it being a Sin againft Truth and J uftice. Againit Truth, for it is in effect a deny· ing of the Kindnefs received: Againlt J uftice, which calls for a rendering of fomething back in token of Thankfulnefs. XVI!. So Chrilt; he cloth not (as I may fay) take up every evil Report the Devil, Sin, or wick– ed Men bring againft: them : Chrift: will not take Meafnres by their Information, but by that per– fect Knowledge he bath ·of them, and if they have done amifs, he will reprove them, but gently, for their Profit, Heb. xii. 8. X VIII. If he be fenlible of any XVIII. Soch is the Love and Care of Chrift to Combinations againft him he will his People, that. if any Combination be againft: fpeedily difclofe it, a• Paul's them, he wtll gtve the~ feafonable lnformatton :Friends did, touchmg the Cof!l· of tt, for as much as nothmg can efcape hts Know· bination of the Jews, Afls. XXlll. ledge, he bemg ommfctent, &c. 14, 20, &c. XIX. A true Friend greatly re– joyceth in the Profperity of ·his Friend, and cannot but be troubled at fuch as would rejoice at his Ruin. XIX. Chrift: the Believers Friend, doth great· ly rejoice in the Profperity of his People, which is evinced from his Bounty towards them; he leaves them not without Counfel, without a Guide, witho\lt Comforts; but is large in diftributing all Means
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