Friends often prove as the reed of E•t, 1as a broken staff, and as a deceitful •ke, that fails the weary passenger […] Summer time, when there is most •ed of refreshing; and it is the unhap•esse of men otherwise happy in the •rld, that during their prosperous •dition, they know not who be their ends, for when their condition de•es, it plainly appears, that many •e friends of their estates, and not of ⟨p. 396⟩their persons: But when men will know us least, God will know us most, he knows our souls in adversity, and knows them, so as to support and comfort them, and that from the spring head of comfort, whereby the sweetest comforts are fetched. What God conveyed before by friends, that he doth now instill immediately from himself. The immediate comforts are the strongest comforts. Our Saviour Christ told his Disciples, that they would leave him alone, yet (saith he) I am not alone, but 2the Father is with me. At S. Pauls first 3appealing, all forsook him, but the Lord stood by him. He wants no company, that hath Christ for his companion. I 4looked for some to take pity (saith David) but there was none. This unfaithfulness 5of man, is a foil to set out Gods truth, who is never nearer then when trouble is nearest. There is not so much as a shadow of change in him or his love.
Friends often prove as the reed of E•t, 1as a broken staffe, and as a deceitfull •ke, that failes the weary passenger 〈…〉 Summer time, when there is most •ed of refreshing; and it is the unhap•esse of men otherwise happy in the •rld, that during their prosperous •dition, they know not who be their •nds, for when their condition de•es, it plainly appeares, that many •e friends of their estates, and not of ⟨p. 396⟩their persons: But when men will know us least, God will know us most, he knowes our soules in adversity, and knowes them, so as to support and comfort them, and that from the spring head of comfort, whereby the sweetest comforts are fetcht. What God conveyed before by friends, that he doth now instill immediately from himselfe. The immediate comforts are the strongest comforts. Our Saviour Christ told his Disciples, that they would leave him alone, yet (saith he) I am not alone, but 2the Father is with me. At S. Pauls first 3appealing, all forsooke him, but the Lord stood by him. Hee wants no company, that hath Christ for his companion. I 4looked for some to take pitty (saith David) but there was none. This unfaithfulnesse 5of man, is a foile to set out Gods truth, who is never neerer then when trouble is neerest. There is not so much as a shadow of change in him or his love.
- 1Job 6. 15.Iob 6. 15.
- 2Joh. 16. 32.
- 3Solus non est cui Christus comes est. Cypr.
- 4Tim. 17.
- 5Ps. 69. 120
