Cofiant y diweddar Barch Robert Everett/The Best Friend

Cofiant y diweddar Barch Robert Everett

gan David Davies (Dewi Emlyn)

THE BEST FRIEND

Prov. 18: 24.-"A man that hath friends must show himself friendly; and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother."

Friendship is a blessing which we can not too highly appreciate. God has made us social beings, capable both of participating of the kindness of others and of communicating, by acts of kindness and affection, toward the happiness of others. And we are in a world of woes, where we need and where there is common and constant need of the exercise of this spirit. He that hath friends, then, let him "show himself friendly." That is, let him be and act in such a way as not to be unworthy of the affection and confidence of his friends. Let him maintain a spirit of ingenuousness and integrity which is so worthy of the man and of the Christian; let him cherish a spirit of tender regard for the comfort of others; and let him extend the kind hand of relief to those who are in want, whether in a temporal or spiritual sense-let him "show himself friendly." Friendship should be mutual, and thus shall it be continued and extended in its sweet and blessed effects.

"There is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother." This may be considered (literally) as a reason, to show how greatly we should appreciate the blessings of friendship; a man may have a friend more valuable to him in the day of adversity than any earthly relative. The idea is not that a friend sticketh closer than an unworthy brother-there is no such intimation in the words; but the Holy Spirit designed to teach us, through the medium of these words, the value of a Savior. He, in an eminent degree, is the friend referred to in the text, and to him I shall now attempt to direct the attention of this audience-to that Savior who left the realms of glory on our behalf; who endured the cross, despising the shame, and who is now at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

I. The character of Jesus as "a friend."

1. He is a true and sincere friend. Sincerity is generally esteemed a quality highly valuable in the character of a friend. Some make professions of friendship, who are not so at heart. But Jesus is a reliable friend. He manifested his love, not in words only, but in deeds, and deeds the most amazing and wonderful. If you question his love, witness his condescension-"He who thought it not robbery to be equal with God, made himself of no reputation," &c. If you question his love, witness his blood, witness his groans, witness his death; the Lord of life dies for rebel man! O, what love! Sinner, will you despise this friend any longer? can you continue to abuse that Savior who shed his blood for you?

2. He is a kind friend-infinitely kind and tenderhearted; never was compassion manifested like his. "In all their afflictions (referring to the Jewish church) he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them; in his love and in his pity he redeemed them, and he bare them and carried them, all the days of old." Is. 63: 9. What expressions of sympathy, of solicitude, and of paternal care toward a gainsaying and disobedient people. And again, the apostle says, "We have not an High Priest who can not be touched with the feeling of our infirmities." The apostle's meaning is not that He sympathizes with the sinful infirmities of his people; he abhors their sins, but he sympathizes with them in their trials, in their afflictions, and especially in the persecutions which they may suffer for his sake, and the gospel's. When they fled "to the holes and caves of the mountains," his eye was upon them, his heart felt for them, and the banners of his love were spread over them. Never did an earthly parent manifest such affection and solicitude for his household-no, nor a thousandth part of what Jesus has manifested toward his church from age to age. He has placed under them his everlasting arms, and his walls of fire are about them-their names are on the palms of his hands, and their walls are continually before him. He sees their affliction, and flies to their relief with wings swifter than the dawn of the morning!

3. He is an able friend. I would here invite the attention of the sinner to this friend. Not only is he sincere and kind, but he is almighty. His name is "the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the ending, the Almighty." It was his hand that made the heavens and the earth, and all their hosts; and it is by the word of his power that all nature is sustained in existence. The wheels of divine providence are moved by his hands, the "powers that be" are in his hands; all thrones, all principalities and powers are under his control, and he can turn the heart of the king, as the farmer turns the river of waters to fertilize any part of his field. When the "kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his Anointed, he that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh, the Lord shall have them in derision." What a friend Zion has! He has all nature at his command, all dominion over heaven, earth and hell. The church of God needs not fear the power of the enemy, while she has such a friend.

4. He is a present friend. We may be in circumstances, in a natural sense, when our best friend may not be able to grant us any relief, because he may not know of our peculiar distress, or may not be present— but not so with regard to the Savior. His presence fills the heavens and the earth; he is with his children in all their trials and distresses. You recollect what he said to his disciples-" where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." And again, "I will be with you alway, even unto the end of the world." What a full promise! If they are cast on a bed of affliction, he will be with them, and will "make all their bed in their sickness." If they are thrown into prison, he will accompany them, and the dark sides of the prison shall be lighted by the smiles of his countenance.

5. He is a wise friend-wise in his counsels and admonitions.

6. He is an unwavering, consistent and eternal friend. Men are changeable creatures. We may have friends to-day, who will forsake us to-morrow. We may have friends in the day of prosperity, who in the day of adversity fail us; but Jesus is not such a friend. He is "the same yesterday, to-day and forever." They who have him, have an eternal friend. He will be with them "when the elements shall melt with fervent heat;" when the heavens shall pass away "as with a mighty tempest, and when the earth and the works that are therein shall be burnt up."

How great the honor of having such a friend! For you will then have angels, and saints; yes, and God himself; that being whom you have offended by your sins, he will be your friend.

II. Consider the particular commendation contained in the text. He "sticketh closer than a brother." I would make two or three remarks on this expression. 1 It intimates that a day of tribulation, a season of anguish and distress awaits the sinner, in which he shall greatly need a friend. This is the day of death; that dark day, sinner, or that dismal night, in which you must die. And O, what an awful time! You may be planning for a long life, when death has already commenced his work of destruction in your frail tenement of clay. Little did the foolish virgins think that they were so soon to be called by the bridegroom; they hoped, at least that he was not coming that night, and therefore they slumbered and slept; but "at midnight," when it is least expected, a cry is heard which disturbs their slumbers. The sinner must die, though unprepared. His days are numbered, and all the physicians in the world can not spare his life. He feels that he must die; a solemn conviction rests upon his mind that he is dying-and he is unprepared; his sins have not been forgiven; he has no interest in the Savior. Earth, with all its busy scenes, recedes from his view, and the realities of eternity break upon his bewildered vision. Shall you not need a friend then? Will you not be sorry that you rejected the Savior so long? that you disregarded the silent but powerful warning of your conscience? and that you turned a deaf ear to the entreaties of your friends to repent and give your heart to God?

2. At that awful time, no earthly enjoyment can afford us any essential relief. It is well to have kind and endearing relatives to minister to our necessities while we live; but when we die, our dearest ones can only stand by and weep. Neither brother nor sister, however sincere their attachment; neither husband nor wife, however overwhelmed with sorrow at the sight; nor father nor mother, though with tender solicitude and deep anxiety they may desire to help us, they will be utterly unable to do so. The deeper our distress, the more intense our pain, and the nearer the approach of death, the less help can they afford. Our friends may sympathize with us, they may shed tears; but death disregards their tears, and proceeds with a steady hand to dissolve the union. Kind friends may give the dying sinner advice and instruction, and they may pray for him; but their prayers and instructions can do no good, unless he himself repents, and believes on the name of the Son of God.

3. Christ will be infinitely sufficient to those who trust in him at that trying moment. The Christian, when he comes to die, knows that it is his Father that calls him home from a life of sorrow to a world of eternal joy; and he knows that it is right that he should call his children home when he pleases. He can realize the truth that death, however dreadful and terrible to nature, is to the soul of the pious and genuine disciple of Jesus, an eternal gain.

Inferences: 1. How steadfast the believer's attachment ought to be to the cause of the blessed Jesus.

2. How safe the state of the believer is. It is well with him now; and when he looks forward to the contingencies of futurity he has an assurance of the presence of the Savior.

3. How awful the state of those who have no friend in Christ.