September 7

Cease ye from man whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of? - Isaiah 2:22.

PERHAPS there is nothing to a person of a tender spirit that is more productive of distress than disappointment in friendship; and it is well when the providence of God, as well as Scripture, thus addresses us. We can turn to him, as the church did in the days of Micah, and say, “Therefore I will look unto the Lord, I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.” Sometimes we lose our friends from infirmity, temper, ignorance, prejudice. Others of them,-who are rotten at the very core,- these were sure to fail us in the hour of distress. They were friends for prosperity.

As soon as ever David experienced the affliction which arose from the rebellion and treason of his son, when, with his head uncovered, and barefooted, he walked up the side of the Mount of Olives, where afterwards stood the garden of Gethsemane, in which his son and his Lord agonized, one ran to him and said, “Behold, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” It was on this occasion that he said, “It was not an enemy that did this; then I could have borne it: but it was thou, -a man mine equal, my guide, and my acquaintance. We took sweet counsel together, and walked to the house of God in company.” Then it was that he said, “Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away and be at rest. Lo, then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness.” Thus it was with Job. Job therefore says, “My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they pass away, which are black by reason of the ice, and wherein the snow is hid; what time they wax warm they vanish; when it is hot they are consumed out of their place.” Thus it was with Paul: when he had appeared unto Cæsar, and when he was going to Home, in order to appear before the emperor, the brethren came down from Rome along the fine Appian Way, as far as Appii Forum and the Three Taverns,-fifty-two miles: when Paul saw this “he thanked God, and took courage.” Surely he could rely upon these in the evil hour.

Alas! no; not even upon one of them; and therefore says he, “At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me. I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.” “To him that is afflicted, pity should be shown from his friend, but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty.” We may meet with cold sympathy, if it deserve the name; but, instead of assisting us in our trouble, many may seem to take advantage of our distress.