The saints inheritance and the worldlings portion representing the glorious condition of a child…

And then learn this, it is a great privilege to have a praying friend, a praying companion. Many of you ⟨p. 276⟩love friends that are delightful, of a cheerly nature, and merry; but are they praying ones: praying friends are the special friends: because prayer can prevail with God. To have a friend in the Court, that can obtain any petition, we think it a privilege; to have one great friend in heaven is a great privilege. Many people when they lie on their sick beds, they send to such and such to pray for them: why do they not send to their companions, that they did drink with, and swear with, to pray for them? O, they dare not. Here is enough to convince any mans conscience, who are the best men, whatsoever they say.

And then learn this, it is a great priviledge to have a praying friend, a praying companion. Manie of you ⟨p. 276⟩love friends that are delightfull, of a cheerly nature, and merry; but are they praying ones: praying friends are the speciall friends: because prayer can prevail with God. To have a friend in the Court, that can obtain any petition, we think it a priviledge; to have one great friend in heaven is a great priviledge. Many people when they lie on their sick beds, they send to such and such to pray for them: why do they not send to their companions, that they did drink with, and swear with, to pray for them? O, they dare not. Here is enough to convince anie mans conscience, who are the best men, whatsoever they say.

Suppose thy condition were thus, that thou diddest lie on thy death-bed, and thy life did depend upon the prayers of four or five men. If God should speak thus from heaven, thou art at the brink of destruction, only this favour thou shalt find; thou shalt have leave to choose where thou wilt four or five men to pray for thee, and according as they pray so it shall be ⟨p. 277⟩with thee; thou hast liberty to choose through the world whom thou wilt. I appeal, would a drunkard choose four or five drunkards, or a swearer choose swearers, or unclean ones that they most delighted in all their life time? If all should depend upon it thou wouldest not choose such; therefore thou art convinced in thy conscience, thou knowest that those are not precious in Gods eyes, (however thy lust have prevailed) but that the other are better men, that are gracious and have more credit in heaven. Learn to prise praying friends, that can prevail with God.