The Christians converse with God, or, The insufficiency and uncertainty of human friendship and…

1. You must not make this any pretence for the undervaluing of your useful Friends; nor for your unthankfulness for so great a Benefit as a Godly Friend: nor for the neglect of your Duty in improving the Company and help of Friends: Two is better then one: The communion of Saints, and help of those that are wise and faithful, is a mercy highly to be esteemed. And the undervaluing of it, is at least a sign of a declining Soul.

2. You must not hence fetch any pretence to slight your Friends, and disoblige them, or neglect any duty that you owe them, or any means therein necessary to the continuation of their Friendship.

3. You must not causelessly withdraw from humane society into Solitude. A weariness of converse with Men, is oft conjunct with a weariness of our Duty: And a retiring voluntarily into Solitude, when God doth not call or drive us thither, ⟨p. 93⟩is oft but a retiring from the place and work which God hath appointed us: And consequently a retiring rather from God, than to God. Like some idle Servants, that think they should not work so hard, because it is but Worldly business, and think their Masters deal not Religiously by them, unless they let them neglect their labour, that they may spend more time in serving God: as if it were no serving God to be faithful in their Masters Service.

3. You must not causelesly withdraw from humane society into Solitude. A weariness of converse with Men, is oft conjunct with a weariness of our Duty: And a retiring voluntarily into Solitude, when God doth not call or drive us thither, ⟨p. 93⟩