that follow the Court. It is the priviledge of the godly that they are set at the Counsell table where the very secret mysteries of the kingdome are disclosed It is something which is spoken Psal 45. 15. They shall enter into the Kings Palace It is somwhat to be Courtiers to bee outwardly members of the Church but yet this is not all the priviledge of the faithfull there is a further matter Cant. 1. 4. The King hath brought me into his Chambers they come not onely into the King Palace but into the Kings Chambers The Kings chamber is the place of greatest secresie 2 King 6. 12. Elisha the Prophet that is in Israel telles the King of Israel the words thou speakest in thy bed-chamber The King hath brought mee into his Chambers he hath revealed and imparted unto me the secrets of his heart made them knowne to mee in his privie chamber So that the priviledge of the godly is that they are not onely of the Court but of the Counsell they doe not onely know the Kings face but the Kings heart and the secrets in his breast Nay the godly are not onely of the Court and the Counsell but they are the choyce and peculiar friends and favourites of God It is sayd of Zabud that he was principal officer and the Kings friend 1 King 4. 5. Hee was Solomons favourite and a favourite is more than a Counsellour and is acquainted with those secrets that every ordinary Counsellour knowes not even with Cabinet secrets All Gods people are Zabuds Gods friends and favourites and therefore God communicates his secrets to them Abraham is here called Gods friend and see how God speakes of him Gen. 18. 17. Shall I hide from Abraham the thing that I will doe As if he had sayd Abraham is my friend and therefore I may not conceale my minde from him It will not stand with the lawes of friendship to hide my purpose from him Ioh. 15. 15. Henceforth I call you not servants for the servant knowes not what his Lord doth but I have called you Friends and so I will use you as friends But how In entertaining communion with you and communicating my secrets unto you For all things that I have heard of my Father I have made knowne unto you See what a priviledge followes being the friends of Christ When friends doe conceale secrets each from other and communicate onely some trifling common things one to another it is a signe of a crazed and a loosened 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost ubi supra friendship not of a true entire love but only of an artificiall personated complementall kinde of love onely for fashion sake to hold ends together but true friendship makes a man communicative of his greatest and choycest secrets It had some strength in it which Delilah spake to Samson Iudg. 16. 15. How canst thou say I love thee when thine heart is not with mee that is when thou wilt not disclose the secrets of thine heart to mee as appeares vers 17 18. shee therefore concludes his hart was not with her because he told her not all his heart But now Gods people being his friends the Lords heart is with them and therefore hee telles them all his heart the very deepe secrets of his heart 1. Cor. 2. 7. 12. Eph. 1. 7-9 When once men have God for their friend hee will not bee daintie of his secrets but will communicate them unto them And the more inward and entire the friendship is the greater secrets he wil communicate unto them All his Disciples were his friends and therfore Iohn 15. 15. he made known unto them all things he had heard of his Father But yet there was one Disciple which was the Disciple whom Iesus loved Ioh 13. 23. and he leaned on Iesus bosome Iohn was that Disciple that was his speciall beloved bosome-friend and therefore when Peter desired to know that secret which of them it was that should betray him he beckned to Iohn that hee should aske who it should be of whom he spake Ioh 13. 24. Peter knew he was his bosome-friend and therefore the likelier upon asking to come acquainted with that secret and upon his asking it is revealed to him vers 25. 26. Nay Iohn being the bosome friend of Christ hee did not onely when on earth use him as a friend in communicating speciall secrets to him that not to the rest but after hee was ascended into heaven did still use him as his bosome friend in revealing to him greater secrets and mysteries than to any of the rest To him he revealed all those mysteries and secrets which are comprehended in the booke of the Revelation The Revelation of Iesus Christ c. And hee sent and signified it by his Angell unto his servant Iohn Apoc. 1. 1. But why unto Iohn Why not unto Peter Why not unto some of the rest Because Iohn was the Disciple whom hee loved Iohn had lien in his bosome and therefore being his bosome friend hee should have the honour and the favour to have these bosome secrets imparted unto him Speciall secrets revealed to Iohn because Iohn a speciall friend and favourite yea when men are speciall friends indeed God will whisper in their eares and discover such secrets to them as not to others It is said 1. Sam. 9. 15. That God told Samuel in his eare of Sauls comming a day before hee came A man will whisper in his friends eare and tell him a secret that other shall not know so doth the Lord deale with his friends hee hath his secret whisperings with his Saints and tells them secretly in their eares that which every one shall not know So Christ dealt with Iohn in discovering Iudas to be the traytour he spake it not out but secretly whispered that in his eare which he speakes to him Ioh. 13. 26 The rest of the Disciples heard it not as appears vers 28 29 If Christ had spoken that in the hearing of all the Disciples that he spake to Iohn they might easily have understood our Saviours meaning in his speech to Iudas And so still doth God deale with the godly which were his friends hee secretly reveales that in their eares which neither eye hath seen nor eare hath heard nor hath entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him 1 Cor. 2. 9. Indeed men of the world they beleeve not that a godly man hath any such priviledge as to be acquainted with Gods secrets more than themselves they measure a godly man by themselves and therefore say in this case as Eliphaz spake to Iob in that case Iob. 15. 8 9 11. Hast thou heard the secret of God What knowest thou that we know not What understandest thou that is not in us Is there any secret thing with thee But yet a godly man doth know that a worldly man knowes not he doth understand something that is not in him there is some secret thing with
him and hee hath heard the secret of God which hee hath not heard The secret of the Lord is with them that feare him Psalm 25. And this is the first thing in which their communion with God stands namely his communication of his secrets unto them being his friends Communion between friends stands in Consultation A man when he is in a pinch or streight and knowes not well which way to winde or turne himselfe whither goes hee for counsell advice and direction but to his friends And wherein doth or can a friend shew greater love than in communicating unto him the best advice and counsell that he can No man consults with strangers or enemies neither doe nor will such give a man counsell in his need what 's the best course to be taken Prov. 27. 9. Oyntment and perfume rejoyce the heart so doth the sweetnesse of a mans friend by heartie counsell or counsell from the heart from the soule A friend hee gives heartie counsell counsell from the heart and that which comes from the heart goes to the heart and the sweetnesse of a friend his oyntment and perfume never smells so sweet as in his heartie counsells See how David speakes of him whom he had taken for his faithfull friend Psal 55. 14. Wee tooke sweet counsell together not onely counsell but sweet counsell In those sweet counsels there was the sweet oyntment and sweet perfume that rejoyced the heart There is a great deale of sweetnesse in friendship by reason of communion in this kinde There was a wondrous entire friendship between David and Ionathan The soule of Ionathan was knit unto David and Ionathan loved him as his owne soule 1 Sam. 18. 1. He was a true and a close friend to him And see wherein hee shewed himselfe a friend unto him indeed in nothing more than in his counsels See 1 Sam. 19. 2 3. and 1. Sam. 20. through the whole chapter When David was in danger and streights Ionathan gave him counsell and advice what to doe in those streights therein he shewed himselfe a friend and did a true friends office unto David And thus doth God shew himselfe a friend to his people and thus hee communicates himselfe to them in the sweet counsells he gives them Hee gives them counsell from the heart their pinches exigents are many times very sore they know not which way to winde or turne themselves In such streights they goe to God as to their friend and they aske counsell of him and hee gives them counsell and so advises and directs them that their hearts are eased and a way showne them how to extricate themselves out of their difficulties David was much disquieted and troubled in his spirit about that case of the prosperitie of the wicked and the afflictions of the godly Psa 73. His feet were almost gone his steppes had well-nigh slipt vers 2. His heart was grieved and he was prickt in his reines vers 21. He goes into the Sanctuarie to aske counsell of God and God did give him counsell Thou holdest mee by my right hand thou shalt guide me with thy counsell vers 23 24. God in this perplexitie so counseld him that his heart was eased We finde David in a perplexitie of spirit upon an harder case than this Psalm 13. He was under a desertion God seemed to forget him and to hide his face from him and see vers 2. How long shall I take counsell in my soule having sorrow in mine heart daily David calles all his thoughts and wits to counsell in this streight sets all the powers of his soule on worke for the clearing of this question hee takes counsell in his soule long and his heart is daily disquieted and full of heavinesse And yet in the end of the Psalme we find his heart eased and the case cleared to him But how came it so surely by that very way that is specified Psalm 16. 7. I will blesse the Lord who hath given mee counsell my reines also instruct mee in the night seasons Though Gods people at one time may say How long shall I take counsell in my soule yet they shall have cause to say at another time I will blesse the Lord who hath given mee counsell Though at one time they are pricked in their reines Psalm 73. 21. yet at another time their reines shall instruct them That 's the happinesse of Gods people that howsoever they may have pinching exigents and streights that may make them with Iehoshaphat say Lord wee know not what to doe 2 Chron. 20. 12. yet they have a great and a good friend in heaven that failes them not but as he is mightie in counsel so he is ready in his counsels and will counsell them what to doe in all their streights An hard case it is when a mans spirit is in streights to bee friendlesse not to have a friend with whom a man may consult and into whose bosome hee may emptie and powre out his heart but it is the happy condition of the godly that in their streights they have him who is the mighty God to be their friend and counsellour Isai 9. Communion between friends stands in societie cohabitation dwelling together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Ethic. 8. c. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Id. Ethic. 8. c. 5. friends desire to live and dwell together as much as may be that they may have as much occasion as may be of shewing and expressing their love each to other When Barzillai the Gileadite had shewed himselfe so true a friend to David he was loath to part with him he desired his societie so as to have him live with him Come thou over with me and I will feed thee with me in Ierusalem 2. Sam. 19. 33. Friends alwayes desire the presence of their friends for howsoever as the Philosopher observes that distance of place dissolves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Ethic. 8. c. 5. not friendship yet notwithstanding it hinders the many acts of friendship that cannot bee exercised betweene friends in their absences and distances each from other and therefore the dearer friends are the nearer they desire to be to be under the same roofe And thus doth God shew himselfe a friend in this communion though his dwelling bee in the highest heavens yet he will come down to them and dwell and make his abode with them Ioh 14. 23. If any man love mee hee will keepe my words and my Father will love him and wee will come unto him and make our abode with him Such an abode as to take up our dwelling with him Happy is that man that is Hoast to such Guests And that is the happinesse of the godly who having the Lord to their friend are also sure to have him for their Guest not a guest for a night and so away but a guest that will make his abode with them Communion betweene friends stands in Coambulation Confabulation in conversing in walking and talking together Friends take
desires another mans friendship must bee often in his company must have converse with him and frequent conference with him It was a neere bond of love and friendship that was betweene David and Ionathan 1 Sam. 18. 1. The soule of Ionathan was knit with the soule of David and Ionathan loved him as his owne soule But how and upon what grew this friendship how came Ionathan so to affect David see the beginning of the verse And it came to passe that as David had made an end of speaking unto Saul Hee was in Davids company he heares him speake and sees a sweet spirit in him and thereupon hee is wonderfully taken with him If David had not beene in Ionathans presence and company if Ionathan had not seene him and heard him speake hee had never been so taken with him as to make him his choyce and deare friend but now when hee is in Ionathans company and there speakes in his audience it came to passe that as hee had made an end of speaking that the soule of Ionathan was knit unto the soule of David In that converse that Ionathan had with David was his heart knit to him It is so here in prayer a man converses with God hath conferences and soliloquies with him and so by the often frequenting of Gods company and conversing with him he growes into acquaintance with him See how Christ speakes to his Church Cant. 2. 14. Let mee see thy countenance let me heare thy voyce for sweet is thy voyce and thy countenance comely A praying countenance is comely in Christs eye and a praying voyce is sweet in his eare And as he desires to see that countenance Let mee see thy countenance and as hee desires to heare that voyce Let mee heare thy voyce so when he doth heare that sweet voyce and see that comely countenance hee is wonderfully taken with it falles exceedingly in love with it Cant. 4. 9. Thou hast ravished mine heart my sister my Spouse thou hast ravished mine heart with one of thine eyes Thou hast wounded mine heart or thou hast taken my heart out of me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Greeke hath it Thou hast unhearted me as a friends heart lives Bene quidam dixit de amico suo dimidium animae meae Nam ego sensi animam meam animam illius unam fuisse animam in duobus corporibus ideo mihi horrori erat vita quia nolebam dimidius vivere ideo forte mori metuebam ne totus ille morreretur quē multum amaveram August Confess lib. 4. cap. 6. in his friends bosome it is gone from himselfe unto his friend Thou hast taken away mine heart from mee with one of thine eyes If one eye did it what would both have done All serves to shew how Christs heart is wonne in prayer that looke as soone as David had made an end of speaking Ionathans heart went out of himselfe and his soule was knit with the soule of David so after a faithfull soule hath done speaking in prayer Christs soule is knit to his soule and such converse makes Christ love a man as his owne soule Nothing more knits and rivets the heart of Christ and a Christian together in a league of sweet acquaintance then conversing with him in the duty of prayer In this duty God and his people take acquaintance one of another and grow into a familiarity each with other See Zech. 13. 9. I will say it is my people and they shall say The Lord is my God I will take acquaintance with them and they shall take acquaintance with mee I will owne them and they shall owne me and there shall be a mutuall stipulation of friendship and familiarity betweene us Well but when shall this be done marke the words immediately going before They shall call upon my Name and I will say c. This entercourse of kindnesse and familiarity shall bee in and upon the duety of prayer In and upon that shall there bee these mutuall friendly passages and owning each of other Yea if at any time we doe that which may cause God to fall out with us and to looke strange upon us yet prayer is a speciall meanes to worke us in with God againe and a godly man prayes himselfe friends with God The Apostle Peter hee advises married couples to love each other and to live together in conjugall friendship that their prayers may not bee interrupted 1 Pet. 3. 7. And so a man may wish them to pray together that their loves bee not interrupted As love will keepe prayers from interruption so prayers will keepe love from interruption As it is true keepe friends that you may pray love that you may pray so it is true pray that you may keepe friends pray that you may love Prayer is that which will keepe them friends But sometimes it may be there may be some breach betweene man and wife It is possible there may be some interruption of their love there may bee a rupture in conjugall friendship What is to be done then let both goe together to God in prayer and hee will set all in joynt and send them from him better friends then ever Prayer will make up such rupture againe So is it in this case Prayer will prevent an interruption of our friendship with God or if we do that which may cause a rupture yet if we doe but goe to the Lord in prayer and seeke earnestly to him in that duty hee will at last bee friends with us againe and send us better friends from him then before Prayer will pervert and will heale ruptures in this blessed friendship Thus now wee see how we may come to get this honour and happinesse of being Gods friends and therefore now let us seriously set upon this course and make triall of these conclusions I pray thee saies Eliphaz acquaint thy selfe with him and be at peace with him thereby shall good come to thee Iob 22. 21. All this good of communing with God of boldnesse with him of speeding in the petitions of defence and assistance in time of troubles of peace and friendship with the creatures all this good shall come to thee upon friendship with God So much good how ambitious should it make us of this honour of being Gods friends How many waste their very estates out of a desire to have the friendship and favour of the great ones of the earth and yet hardly get or more hardly keepe it when they have done Many a man is undone with the friendship of great ones and loose by it and many times bring their houses to ruine by it but this friendship is for good there is gaine by it never did or shall any man loose by it by having God for his friend There be three times in speciall that a man shall finde it to stand him in stead to have God for his friend and to be in the number of his friends First at the Time of the
great delight in communion of this kinde Psalm 55. 24. We walked together wee had a great deale of chat and friendly talke together Can two walke together except they be agreed Am. 3. and so can two bee agreed and knit together in the bonds of love and friendship but they will walke together It is that which exercises and increases love and friendship And thus doth God vouchsafe cōmunion with the godly being his friends He will as a friend come walke and talke with them Hee takes turnes with them in his walkes and galleries Cant. 1. 17. Our galleries are of firre yea as one friend fallen in company with another is so tyed that hee knowes not how to part and come away so Cant. 7. 5. The king is held tyed or bound in the galleries as if the Lord were loath to leave those walkes in his ordinances in which he converses with his people Hee cals out his friends to take a walke with him Cant. 7. 11. Come my beloved let us goe forth into the fields let us get up early into the vine yards let us see if the vine flourish Come let us walke out together into the fields let us have a walke into the vineyards And as they commune with the Lord in the secret of their soules so God doth commune with them by his spirit he hath his sweet and secret conferences and Colloquies with them Gen. 17. 22. The Lord left off talking with Abraham Gen. 18. 33. And the Lord went his way as soone as hee had left communing with Abraham Exod. 31. 18. And he gave unto Moses when he had made an end of communing with him two Tables of Testimony And see in what a familiar manner the Lord used to talke with Moses Exo. 33. 11. And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face as a man speakes unto his friend And though no man may come neere to Moses in that speciall priviledge of familiarity yet in that measure and proportion the Lord vouchsafes unto all his Saints these familiar and friendly conferences in a speciall manner Fifthly communion between friends stands in mutuall friendly visitations One friend will visit another and where there is an entire friendship indeed there will bee an entercourse of frequent visits each of other Mary went to Elizabeth to visit her at her house in the hill country And so God hath his times when hee makes his visits with his people Ioh. 14. 23. Wee will come unto him Psal 106. 4. Remember me O Lord with the favour thou bearest unto thy people O visit me with thy salvation As if hee had said Lord remember me to be one of thy friends and vouchsafe me some such gracious friendly visits as thou usest to afford to thy friends and favourites Hee shewes his friends hearts by his visitations sheds his love into their hearts by the Holy Ghost gives them sweet assurances of his favour filles their hearts with peace hee comes and brings them the hidden manna and the white stone brings his friendly tokens with him Sixthly Communion betweene friends stands in mutuall feasting and banqueting each with other Friends will invite each other will call their friends to their tables and will goe to their friends tables Psal 41. 9. My familiar friend that eate of my bread He therefore used to have his familiar friend at his table and to feast him with his good cheere So God deales with his people and holds communion with them of this kinde Apoc. 3. 20. If any man will open unto mee I will come in unto him and I will suppe with him and hee with mee Canticles 5. 2. Eate O Friends and drinke abundantly O beloved Looke what sweete communion friends have together in mutuall feastings each of other such sweet spirituall communion vouchsafes the Lord to his people Lastly there is yet another expression of that communion that is betweene friends That which was betweene David and Jonathan 1 Sam. 20. 41. And they kissed one another and 2 Sam. 19. 39. David kissed Barzillai So of ancient friends used to expresse their friendly love each to other And thus doth God expresse his communion with his people as they kisse the Sonne Psal 2. and Cant. 8. 1. When I should finde thee without I would kisse thee so doth the Lord kisse them as his friends Cant. 1. 1. Let him kisse mee with the kisses of his mouth That 's a great Honour and Happinesse It is an honour and a favour to kisse the kings hand but when once wee are the friends of Christ the friends of God he gives us not his hand but his lips his mouth to kisse And thus in those things the godly have commnnion with God and this communion they have by being his friends and this is the first benefit wee have by having him our friend The second benefit by having God their friend is Boldnesse and Familiarity of Accesse to God in all our wants and necessities When God is once our friend wee may with an holy boldnesse and familiarity come into his presence and make knowne our wants unto him when God is a mans enemy or when God is but a stranger to a man hee cannot bee so bold with him It is the rule wee live by amongst men If a man bee our enemy though wee stand in need of him and hee might be beneficiall to us yet we will not wee cannot have the face to bee so bold and familiar with him as to acquaint him with our necessities because being our enemy wee conceive hee will but despise us and bee glad of an occasion that hee may looke darkely and angrily upon us Nay if a man bee but a stranger unto us though there be no unkindnesse or quarrell betweene us wee cannot indure to make bold with him If wee bee put upon it our plea is Alas hee is a meere stranger to me hee is one with whom I have very slender or no acquaintance at all hee will wonder I should make so bold with him But now if a man have a speciall friend with whom hee is inwardly well acquainted if he want his helpe his counsell his good word to speake for him hee can without any adoe make bold with him A man we use to say may be bold with his friends And who should a man make bold with but with his friends The case is so here whilest God is our enemy or a stranger unto us we cannot have the face or the heart to goe to him in our wants and to make our cases knowne unto him we thinke that hee may well give us such answer as Isaac gave to Abimelech and the rest that came with him Gen. 26. 27. Wherefore come yee to mee seeing ye hate me what meane you to come to mee who am your enemy who am at the easiest a stranger to you in whom you have no manner of Interest Did yee not hate me saies Iephthah to them Iudges 11. 7. And why are yee come unto me now
all vvhich passage vve see how many strong reasons our Saviour brings to assure us that God vvill grant our desires and they are grounded upon this that vve are the friends of God This is therefore the great priviledge and benefit of being Gods friends that they shall be sure to speed with God when they seeke to him Indeed many times in cases of necessity a man shall finde but poore helpe from his friends Prov. 19. 7. All the brethren of the poore doe hate him how much more doe his friends goe farre from him hee pursues them with words yet they are wanting unto him But it is not so with God he ownes and agnizes his friends in their necessities he vvill not be wanting to his friends Doe but see vvhat Christ hath done for his friends Iohn 15. 13. greater love hath no man then this that a man lay downe his life for his friends Did not Christ make dainty of his blood of his life for his friends and shall vve thinke that he will be straight handed or streight hearted to them in smaller matters That friend that vvill lay downe his life for his friends will he deny his friends his purse vvill he deny them three loaves no such matter They shall be vvelcome though they come at midnight So happy a thing it is to have God for a friend It is an happy thing vvhen a man hath a faithfull friend to whom he may breake his minde when his heart is troubled It is an ease to disburdon ones mind into the bosome of a friend though he cannot helpe us and give us remedy against our griefe How much more then is it an happinesse to have God for our friend into whose bosome we may disburdē our minds in prayer when he is such a friend as will make good the prayers of his people and helpe them in their needs How many prayers doe many make to God how many petitions put they up and yet speed not How many begge three loaves and yet get not one and what 's the reason they have not God their friend they are none of Gods friends and therefore their speed is suitable The fourth benefit the godly have by having God for their friend is defence and protection in all cases of wrong injury and oppression at least pitty and compassion and a fellow-feeling with them in their troubles yea such a pitty and compassion as will stirre up God to stand to them and by them in all their afflictions so it is with friends amongst men If a man see his friend in misery and trouble his heart earnes towards him and his soule bleeds within him and all his thoughts and wits Adversas vero res ferre difficile esset sine eo qui illas graviùs etiā quam tu ferret Cicer. in Lelio are vvorking to take a course for his help and reliefe See how Iob speakes Iob 19. 21. Have pitty vpon me have pity upon me O ye my freinds But vvhy should he call upon his friends to pitty him see the reason Iob 6. 14. To him that is afflicted pity should bee shewed from his friend It is a friends part and duty to be compassionate to his friend in his extremity and when friends doe not so it is a signe that they forsake the feare of the Almighty as there Iob speakes We see when Iobs three friends heard of all the evill that was come upon him they come every one from his owne place for they had made an appointment together to come to mourne with him and to comfort him Iob 2. 11. That was a friendly part so should friends doe and so will friends doe Prov. 18. 24. There is a friend that stickes closer than a brother And therefore well might Iob complaine of it as a strange case Iob 19. 19. All mine inward friends abhor me and Iob 16. 20. my friends are my scorners Your friend will not only have compassion but if it be in his power he will stand to and by his friend to maintaine his cause and his right against all such as would wrong and abuse him A mans blood rises when hee heares or sees his friend wronged and many a man loses his life in his friends quarrell Marke how David speakes to Abiathar 1 Sam. 22 23. Abide thou with mee feare not hee that takes thy life shall take my life also as some Translations have it And thus is it with the people of God being his friends God will have compassion upon them in all their afflictions his friendly heart will have a fellowfeeling with them in all their miseries Isay 63. 10. Hee was turned to be their enemy and he fought against them but before that hee vvas their friend till by their sinnes they made him their enemy And vvhen he was their friend then it was otherwise ver 9. in all their affliction he was afflicted God as a friend sympathized with them in their sorrowes yea and hee will friendly stand to them by them in all their vvrongs he is a friend that sticks closer then a brother When Paul vvas imprisoned Acts 23. 11. The Lord stood by him and said feare not The Lord as a friend came to him in prison as a friend encouraged him and animated him therein making good Salomons proverb Prov. 27. 17. Iron sharpens Iron so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend When a man is dejected disconsolate and sad of countenance if his friend come to him and comfort and cheere him with words of consolation it refreshes his spirit and puts such life into him as makes his countenance lightsome Thus the Lord as a good friend comes to Paul in prison and cheares his spirit and sharpens his countenance It was no friendly part of those 2 Tim. 4. 16. At my first answere no man stood Paravit animum adversus vinculalaturum opem Cum primum crepuerit catena discedet Senec. ep 9. with me but all men forsooke me Those that profest themselves Pauls great friends durst not owne him when he was convented before Nero there his friends failed him but yet vers 17. The Lord stood with me and strengthned me God shewed himselfe a faithfull friend to Paul hee did goe to the barre with Paul and stood with him there and strengthened him there And to this purpose is that worth the noting that when our Saviour was to hearten and encourage his Disciples against the feare of persecutions he calls them by the name of friends Luke 12. 4. And I say unto you my friends bee not afraid of them that kill the body c. As if he should have said you shall meete with a great deale of hard measure in the world you shall be persecuted to the very death but yet be not afraid of these persecutors And why not afrayd I say unto you my friends be not afraid You are my friends and therefore I will not be wanting unto you I will stand by you either to deliver you or
Ionathans soule was knit to the soule of David and he loved him as his owne soule Such love as this is knitting and sodering love and when a friend is loved thus hee will hold friendship with us But if a man seriously and in good earnest offer friendship to another and hee sees no returne no reflexion of love and like affection onely some outward faire carriages some respective formalities some formall visits and invitations but the mans heart closes not with him hee will happily for some respects hold faire but yet he makes him but a friend for his credit but will have another for his counsell and secrecies Here such a man though he earnestly desired friendship yet finding not that knitting love that should bee betweene friends he gives over to woo a friend that at best will bee but a friend with his reserved distances and so lets his friendly affection die and gradually quench and goe out If he must be onely a friend for a turne to put some credit and respect upon another or to accommodate him onely with some conveniences but the heart of the man holds off and goes another way such a man hath in such a case the wisedome to have done and let such an one goe Secondly a friendly love is a durable continuing love Prov. 17. 17. A friend loves at all times Not for a time till hee hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristot Rhetor. 2. Amicitia quae desinere potuit nunquam vera suit Senec. his fill and his glut and then falls off and gives up but at all times Prov. 27. 10. Thine owne friend and thy fathers friend forsake thou not If a man have chosen a friend upon whom hee sets his heart and hee perceives his friends affections to slake to chill and at last to fall quite off this unglues and dissolves the joynt of friendship Now thus it is in this case God hath made us his friends and therefore hee must have a friends love from us we must shew our selves friendly to him First our love to him must be an hearty love Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart with all thy soule Luk. 10 27. This will keepe us in Gods friendship and keep him our friend But if wee complement with God and hold faire with him in the outward performance of the duties of his worship wil pray will come to Church and heare and receive Sacraments and will professe our selves the friends of God because it would otherwise turne to our discredit and disgrace to be out with or strangers to him If wee make him our friend onely for our ends to serve a turne upon him have him our friend for our credit respect profit but yet make him not our friend for our counsels and comforts but will have the world our profits our pleasures for our choyce friends and our hearts close and goe with them God will doe in this case as any wise man would doe Any man so used can have the wit to see how the world goes and can returne complement for complement but never put such an one into the catalogue of his friends neither will hee let out his heart and affections to such an one nor have hearty and intire communion with such as with familiar friends And so will the Lord doe if men complement with him if hee be not unto them as their owne soule if mens hearts bee not knit unto him so as to love him as their owne soules hee sees that their love is not hearty and serious he will shake them off and keepe aloofe and keep distance as well as they do they shall never have Abrabams honour to bee called the friends of God Those the Prophet speakes of Isai 58. 2. and Ezek. 33. 31 32. They heare thy words but they will not doe them for with their mouth they shew much love but their hearts goe after their covetousnesse those were pretenders of friendship but God saw them to be formall complementers and hee kept his heart as far from them as they kept theirs from him Secondly our love to God it must bee durable wee must love him for ever Thine owne friend and thy fathers friend forsake thou not He is our friend and the friend of our father Abraham he must bee loved at all times hee must never bee forsaken If we once let fall our affections to God and let the stream of them runne another way he will have done with us and wee loose a friend of him We see it is so with friends amongst men if a man have had ever so deere a friend in the sweetenesse of whose society hee hath beene much delighted and their hearts have beene close knit yet if hee see his friend beginne to bee remisse and that hee sits loose and communion is entertained with another with the neglect and a slighting dis-regard of the first yea with an exclusion of him what followes but a slaking of his affections thus slighted excluded and neglected In like manner if God sees our affections cooling and slaking and new acquaintances taken up and wee and our new friend never well but when together and closely together and himselfe scarce minded or looked after God will in such a case casheere us and out us hee will have nothing to doe with such slippery leviculous and fickle fancied friends We shall goe for him as good lost as kept If therefore we would keep in with God and hold friends with him love him with a friends love with an hearty and a lasting durable affection Thirdly Have a care to make much of Gods friends Be a true and hearty friend to all Gods friends A man that either is or meanes seriously to be and continue another mans friend will bee kinde and friendly to all his friends and will make those his friends whom hee sees to affect for his choyce friends Great was the friendship that was betweene David and Ionathan And Ionathan being Davids friend David shewes a great deale of kindnesse unto Mephibosheth for Ionathans sake On the other side this is that which will separate very friends or as Salomon speakes in that case chiefe friends Prov. 16. 28. When a man shall slight and set light by his friends friends especially if hee shall oppose and hate those whom hee cordially affects We will not wee cannot close kindly with those that slight our dearest friends though they seeme to desire our friendship ever so much it is a provocation to enmity and cannot but breed ill blood Now thus it is here all Gods people are his friends if we would hold in and maintaine friendship with God we must be friends kinde and cordial friends to them Many talke of being Gods friends and yet are but backe-friends unto and slighters of his friends they looke coyly and strangely upon them cannot afford them a good word doe scorne and abuse them and yet they will needs goe for Gods friends But how can this be Iudge by