Christs temptation and transfiguration practically explained and improved in several sermons /

(2.) Reproofs; That is also a part of Friendship, Prov. 27. 6. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. A faithful Friends Wounds are a more sincere Testimony than an Enemies Kisses and so afterwards they will be interpreted, Prov. 28. 23. He that rebuketh a man afterward shall find more favour than he that flattereth with his Tongue. For this we must trust God, though for the present we displease our Friends. So Lev. 19. 17. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart by suffering sin upon him. It is kindness to his soul to reprove him. In the General, Holy Friendship must be improved to the use of edifying, Rom. 1. 11, 12. I long to see you to impart some spiritual gift unto you, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith of you and me.

6. After the best care is used you must remember that our Friends are but an outward help, which God can continue or withdraw at his Pleasure; and that our chief Help, Comfort and Counsel cometh of God. So it was with Christ, Joh. 16. 32. ⟨p. 25⟩Behold the hour is come that ye shall be parted every man to his own, and shall leave me alone, and yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. Christ was forsaken of his Disciples but not forsaken of his Father, so Paul, 2 Tim. 1. 16. At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me, Psalm 41. 9 My familiar Friend in whom I trusted hath lift up his heel against me, those that have been acquainted with the secrets of your Soul may not only grow strange to you but betray you, therefore do not overvalue any earthly Friend: man will be man still, that God may be God, all in all unto his people; and when we are deserted of men we must learn to trust in God who never faileth us, fail who will,