CanTherebeUnity
what they are able to bear: He supplies them with daily grace for their daily conflict. Their poor services are acceptable to Him: He is well pleased with them as a parent is with his child's efforts to speak and walk. He has caused it to be written in His book, that "The LORD takes delight in His people," and that "the LORD delights in those who fear Him." [Psalm 149:4; [147:11] There is no love on earth that can be named together with this! We love those in whom we see something that deserves our affection, or those who are our flesh and bone: the Lord Jesus loves sinners in whom there is nothing good. We love those from whom we get something in return for our affection: the Lord Jesus loves those who can do little or nothing for Him, compared to what He does for them. We love where we can give some reason for loving: the great Friend of sinners draws His reasons out of His own everlasting compassion. His love is purely impartial, purely unselfish, purely free. Never, never was there so truly loving a friend as Jesus Christ. 5. Do we want "a wise and prudent friend?" Such a friend is the Lord Jesus Christ Man's friendship is sadly blind. He often injures those he loves by overbearing kindness: he often errs in the counsel he gives; he often leads his friends into trouble by bad advice, even when he means to help them. He sometimes keeps them back from the way of life, and entangles them in the vanities of the world, when they have almost escaped. The friendship of the Lord Jesus is not that way: it always does us good, and never evil. The Lord Jesus "never spoils" His friends by extravagant indulgence. He gives them everything that is really for their benefit; He withholds nothing from them that is really good; but He requires them to take up their cross daily and follow Him. He commands them to endure hardships as good soldiers: He calls on them to fight the good fight against the world, the flesh, and the devil. His people often dislike it at the time, and think it difficult; but when they reach heaven they will see it was all well done. The Lord Jesus "makes no mistakes" in managing His friend's affairs. He orders all their concerns with perfect wisdom: all things happen to them at the right time, and in the right way. He gives them as much of sickness and as much of health, as much of poverty and as much of riches, as much of sorrow and as much of joy, as He sees their souls require. He leads them by the right way to bring them to the city that will be their eternal home. He mixes their bitterest cups like a wise physician, and takes care that they have not a drop too little or a drop too much. His people often misunderstand His dealings; they are silly enough to imagine that their course of life might have been better ordered: but in the resurrection-day they will thank God that not their will, but Christ's will was done. Look around the world and see the harm which people are continually getting from their friends. Note how much more ready men are to encourage one another in worldliness and levity, than to spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Think how often they meet together, not for the better, but for the worse—not to quicken one another's souls in the way to heaven, but to confirm one another in the love of this present world. Yes, there are thousands who are wounded unexpectedly in the house of their friends! And then turn to the great Friend of sinners, and see how different a thing is His friendship from that of man. Listen to Him as He walks by the way with His disciples; mark how He comforts, reproves, and exhorts with perfect wisdom. Observe how He times His visits to those He loves, as to Mary and Martha at Bethany. Hear how He converses, as He dines on the shore of the sea of Galilee: "Simon son of John, do you truly love me?" [John 21:16] His company is always sanctifying. His gifts are always for our soul's good; His kindness is always wise; His fellowship always edifies us. One day with the Son of Man is better than a thousand days in the society of earthly friends: one hour spent in private communion with Him, is better than a year in kings' palaces. Never, never was there such a wise