38S C H R I S T T 11}: BELIEVERS F R I E N D. Boo_k IJ, A F R 1 EN D. him, as in 'Job's cafe, therefore can– not reach the Heart with Comfort. VL Sllch may be thy Condition, that thy beft Friend may not know how to help thee, though willing, fuch may be the Affairs he is to manage. VII. Though a natural Friend may know what will help thee, yet it may not be in his power to help thee. The tender Mothers in 'Ju– dah and 'Jerufaletn, their Bowels moved for the ftarved and languifh– ing Babe~ of their own Bodies ; and they knew that Food' would have fuccoured them, but it was not in their power to procure it. D I 5 PAR IT Y. He is a Soul-Friend, he it is that teacheth the Way to true Happinefs, and adorns the Soul with Grace; that is the Friend to be delired. VI. But Chrifl: can take riaht Meafures of thy Conditi?n, and k~ows alway~ how to help thee, 2 Pet. n. 9· He IS never at a lofs how to help his People ; he knows how tO deliver thee. There are none of thy Affairs too hard foc Jefus Chrift to manage. · Vll. As Chrift hath Wifdom, fo he hath Power. All Power in Heaven and in Earth is given unto me, Matt. xxviii. 18, 19. What was linfully faid of Simon, 'This Man has the great Power of God, may be righteoufiy and truly !aid of Chrift, dtls viii. 10. 0! here is a Friend indeed, that knows in every State how to relieve thee, 1 Cor. i. 24. We may weep and mourn over our dear Friends, that are in Sorrow and Mifery; as they did over Lazarus in the Grave, 'John xi. 33· and as the \Vomen did over Dorcas, when they were not able to help: So thy Condition may be fuch, that thy deareft Friend may fay of thy Help, as the Depth and Sea faid concerning Wifdom, It is not in me. 0 ! but it is to be found in this Friend J efus Chrift : He hath given fufficient Proof of his Bowels of Pity to his People, and of his Wifdom and Power in their greateft Straits. VIII. Thefe natural Friends may VIII. But this Friend of Believers nothing can be removed from thee, or thou feparate from them, no, not Death itfelf, for he from them, and fo thou mayeft be is immortal. Was not Chrift with Paul and Si/as left de!titute, and this Friend!hip in Prifon? 0 how fweet ·is the Prefence of a dear come to an end. Many have been Friend in Trouble! Alas I Walls and Guards clapt up in a Dungeon, and fequefmay keep offother Friends, but nothing can keep trated from their deareft worldly or hinder J efus Chrift from coming unto his Friends, therefore they are uncerPeople, Rom. viii. 39· dtls xvi. 25, 26. cain at beft; however, if no Dungeon, yet Death will fepatate them. IX. Natural Friends may be made unable to perform their Pro– miles. A real Friend, through an over-heated Zeal, doth fometimes out-bid himfelf, and is not able to make r<ood his Word ; which lays a M:a;{ under great Difappoint– ments. I relied on my Friend's Promife, but he hath failed me. Nay, a Friend, when he promifes, may at that Time be able to make aood his Promife, but fome ftrange Providence may fuddenly difable him. IX. But Chrift is able to make good his Word to the utmoft; he never out-bids himfelf. Who was ever laid under any Difcouragemeni or Difappointment, that trufted in him ? In all Changes, in all Providences, Chrift is the fame. Thou mayeft commit great Concerns into the Hands of thy fuppofed Friend, and he may fail thee; nay, into the Hand of thy real Friend,~ and yet be uncertain of Security ; Fire may de-· ftroy, or Thieves may rob him, fo that being im– poverifhed, he cannot make good what he re– ceived: But Chrift cannot, nay, will not difap– point thee. A P P L I C A T I 0 N. I. JS Chrift a Friend, fuch a Friend? Then how greatly doth it concern poor Souls to make fure of this Friend ! Doth not Self-Intereft lead Men to feek for Friendfi1ip, and as much as in them lies, with fuch as are likely to do the part of a Friend? &c. . . . . II. Doth not this reprove the Ignorance and Folly ~f thofe that fi1ght and reJeCt thJS great and good Friend? How many, intl:ead. of feekmg hJS .Favor, are 10 Fnendlh1p with the World, and their Lufts, and by thm w1cked l'rachces are b1ddmg Defiance to him as though neither hi~ Favor nor Frowm were to be regarded r ' 2 lit It
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