Book II. C H R I S T THE BELIEVERS F R I E N D. 387 Means of Help to them, as may conduce to their profperous Supply, and he hath a fevere Eye upon fuch as either help on, or rejoice at their Afflictions. A F R I E N D. P A R A L L E L. XX. He chat is a Friend indeed XX. Chrift is the Believers faithful Friend ; will be faithful ; fuch an one was he haeh been abundant. y cried, but never fail– Jonatban tO David. He will not ed any chat crufted in him. He never left his, Jeave his Friend in Straits, chat bebut was full ofKindnefs to them in all their Trou– in"' a Time that calls for his Help: bles, nor unmindful of chofe great Concerns, A~d if he hach any Thing commitcommitted to the Charge of this their choiceft ed to his keeping, he will be faithFriend. Having loved his own that were hz the ful and careful, he will be true to W orld, be loved them unto the End, John xiii. I. his Truft, and keep fafe chat -Yet neverthelefs the Lord flood by me, &c. wherewith he is encrufl:ed. 2 'I'im. iv. 17. A FRIEND. I . FRIENDSHIP amongft Men is ufually occafioned from the Suicablenefs of the Object : Man with Man is fuicable for Af– fociarion, and thts is the great moving Caufe of their Friendfhip ; not Man with another Creature, or rarely a King with a Beggar, or a Courcier or .Scatefman with an illiterate Country-man, as the Subject of his Illeffing, or Object of his Delight. II. Ufuallythryapprchend fame– thing of Merit in the Perfon on whom they beftow their Friend– fhip: Either it is deferved by the Good they fee in him, or may be requited by the Help they may re– ceive from him; it is poffible and ufual, for a poor Man to be ufeful to a rich Man, and the weakeft to him that is f1rong. Ill. No fuch Friend hath done fo much, but it is known, and may be declared. Chrifl: faith, Greater Love bath no Man tban this, that he lays down his L ifefor his Friend ; wherein their Love is plainly leen, 3nd may be comprehended. IV. The befl: nat-ural Man may fomecimes forget his Friend, either through a multitude of Bufinefs, lncumbrance, or W eaknefs of Me– mory, during which Time he may fuffer much. Heart jhall be on them perpetually: I Kings ix. 3· Matt. xxviii. ult. V. Such a Friend knows no more of his Friend's Condition than is revealed to him, neither is he able to pafs right Judgment refpecting D IS PAR IT Y. I. BUT Chrifl grounds not his Friend!hip here, there being in fallen Man no Suitablenefs of Affociacion; Man being polluted, Angels might be thought much more fuitable: But it is Love and free Grace, chat notwichftanding there was nothing defirable in fallen Man, he being altO– gether finful, and fo not fuirable for Affociacion ; yet J efus Chrift haeh made choice of Man, and is become his true and faithful Friend, Heb. ii. r6. II. But Jefus Chrifl: grounds not his Friend– fi,ip on this Bafis; for fallen Man is altogether undeferving; nothing that was in them could be the Caufe of his Friendfhip, but meerly his own good Will and Pleafure, Man being utterly un" able co requite his Love and Kindnefs, or co give any Thing to him in requital; fo chat it is unde– ferved Friendfhip. Ill. But Chrift hath done fo much for his Peo– ple, as is not known, nor can be conceived ; and all this when they were Enemies, I John iii. I. 1 Cor. ii. 10. Rom. v. 5, 6. If it be confidered what he did for them before Time, what he haeh done in Time, and what he hath prepared for them .in after-Times, it will appear chat there is no fu'ch Friend as Chrifl:, who entertain.s all his with eternal Manfions of Glory. IV. But this Friend will never forget thee, wherever thou art, though ever fo remote; let thy Condition be what it will, he is ever mindful of thee, and of his Covenant, !fa. xlix. 15, I6. Heb. xiii. 5, 6. Pfal. xl. '7· What God faid con– cerning the Temple that Solomon builr, Chrifl: f.1ith the fame to his People : Mine Eye and my Lo! I am with )'OU always to the End of the World, V. Buc Chrifl: knows our Conditions, and can pafs right J udgmenc concerning us, and can reach our HeartS to comfort and fupport them. He knows the Ways I take, faith Job, Job xxiii. ro. He.
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