Friendship with God

 I am also to recommend to you this other great thing, friendship with God. And in reference to that, I would also say somewhat both by way of excitation and direction. I can speak but briefly to many things. For excitation consider, 1. Is it not your great privilege to live here in this world in a state of friendship with God? for what more exalted privi lege is there to poor creatures living in mortal flesh ? Here I live in flesh, dwell in flesh ; but it is in friendship with God. In low circumstances, amidst a great many troubles and difficulties, but in friendship with God. Who would not choose this way of living, when it is represented to our option, when it is propounded to ns as matter of choice ? 2. Consider there is no middle state (for you to whom this overture is made) between these two, a state of friendship with God, and a state of enmity to him ; you must: be either his friends or his enemies. There can be no neutrality in this case ; and will it not make a man's heart sink within him to think of this ? I must either live God's friend or God's enemy. Dare I venture when the matter is laid before me as a matter of deliberation, to say, I will live the latter, I will live his enemy ? You that were alienated, and enemies in your minds by wicked works j you see how the case is stated : you must still be enemies in your minds, through wicked works, till you are reconciled' and become friends. There is no neutral state, you must go from day to day, up and down in this world, eitheras God's friends, or his enemies. 8. Consider that this friendship with God which we recommend to you, and into which the gospel continually calls you, is no impossible, no impracticable thing, for it is prescribed to us as matter of duty : " Every man as he is called, let him therein abide with God." 1 Cor. vii. 24. " If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar : for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen ?" John iv. 20.