Heaven upon earth, or, The best friend in the worst of times. Delivered in…

15. He is a Soul Friend, Soul Friends are the best friends. As soul affairs are the mightiest affairs; so those that give us the greatest help in those matters ought to be valued. God is the great Soul Friend; expect not to find him a friend to thy lust, this scares the wicked from him, who would be glad to be acquainted with God, if he would gratify their lusts, and please their wicked humours, and give them eternal happiness after a life of wickedness; that is, would ungod himself for their sakes. But hold there man; you shall sooner see the Sun black, and have fire cold, and find a heaven in hell, then have God a friend to your Sin. God doth not promise to furnish all his acquaintance with provision for their sensuality, he will not put a knife into thy hands to stab himself, or to cut thy own throat. There are too many of such friends in the world, and men are generally so foolish as to count them friends, which deserve another name; these are they which help men to Hell, and show them the shortest cut to eternal misery, and this must go for a special kindness. Sure men and woman will scarce be always of this mind. Must poison in a gilded cup go for a Cordial, and a kiss, though with a dagger, be taken for true love, Seneca had more wit then to reckon such among benefactors. He that can teach me the way to true happiness, he that can help me to adorn, dress and trim my Soul; he by whose instructions ⟨p. 149⟩I shall be more in love with virtue, and out of love with sin; he by whose directions I may be acquainted with my self, and made truly to value that which is really most excellent, this shall be my friend, this shall be my companion. And where are such friends to be found? How few of them in the world? Do not most, that go under that sweet name of friends, do one another the greatest unkindness that can be imagined! How do they encourage one another in an evil way, Prov. 1. Psal. 2. How do men tug and pull to get one another apace into damnation; and if the wise world may be Judges, none must go for a friend, but he that would do me most mischief; none must be counted an enemy, but he that desires to do me the most real kindnesses. This sounds strangely: yet for all that, did it lie in my way, I could easily prove it. Yet I must confidently affirm, that every ones experience, first or last will say as much.