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enemies of godliness will prove hurtful companions to us--though these<br />
indeed are chiefly to be avoided; but too frequent society with persons<br />
merely civil and moral, whose conversation is empty and unedifying, may<br />
much divert our thoughts from heaven. Our backwardness is such, that we<br />
need the most constant and powerful helps. A stone or a clod is as fit to rise<br />
and fly in the air, as our hearts are naturally to move toward heaven. You<br />
need not hinder the rocks from flying up to the sky; it is sufficient that you<br />
do not help them; and surely, if our spirits have not great assistance, they<br />
may easily be kept from soaring upward, though they should never meet with<br />
the least impediment. O think of this in the choice of your company! When<br />
your spirits are so disposed for heaven that you need no help to lift them up,<br />
but, as flames, you are always mounting, and carrying with you all that is in<br />
your way, then, indeed, you may be less careful of your company; but, till<br />
then, as you love the delights of a heavenly life, be careful herein. What will<br />
it advantage thee in a divine life, to hear how the market goes, or what the<br />
weather is, or is likely to be, or what news is stirring? This is the discourse of<br />
earthly men. What will it conduce to the raising of thy heart to God, to hear<br />
that this is an able minister, or that an eminent Christian, or this an excellent<br />
sermon, or that an excellent book; or to hear some difficult but unimportant<br />
controversy? Yet this, for the most part, is the sweetest discourse thou art<br />
like to have from a formal, speculative, dead-hearted professor. Nay, if thou<br />
hadst been newly warming thy heart in the contemplation of the blessed joys<br />
above, would not this discourse benumb thy affections and quickly freeze thy<br />
heart again? I appeal to the judgment of any man that hath tried it, and<br />
maketh observations on the frame of his spirit. Men cannot well talk of one<br />
thing and mind another, especially things of such different natures. You,<br />
young men, who are most liable to this temptation, think seriously of what I<br />
say; can you have your hearts in heaven while among your roaring<br />
companions in an alehouse or tavern? or when you work in your shops with<br />
those whose common language is oaths, "filthiness, or foolish talking or<br />
jesting?" Nay, let me tell you, if you choose such company when you might<br />
have better, and find most delight in such, you are far from a heavenly<br />
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