t 6 2 Children andRelations baw to be denied. rife up as malignant enemies againif them that d i o t. 2. Again, When God hath convinced you of duty, if a carnal friend, a husband or a parent dobut contradict it, and perfwadeyou from a known duty or a holy life, how com- monly do mea obey, becaufe forfooth they are Cheir friends that do perfwade them ? 3. Moreover, Wien. the cafe falls out that a man cannot followGod and his duty, and be true to his foul, but he is like to lofe his friends how commonly is God denied, that friends may not be denyed,and confcience wounded, and duty bawkt, that the favour of friends may not be loft. 0 faith one, rho are 'he friends tktat I live b?, any h'velyhood t4 in their hang , 1 sin.ione if they eali me of Well ! take them, and make thy bell of them and keep them as long as thou canft ; if thou mail live better without God then them or canft fpare Gods favour better then theirs, and they are better friends to thee then Chilli is, and would be, take thy courfe, and judge at 'aft whether the' friend that thoudidft clitifeor that thou didft negleftand abufe;was the better,&would have hood thee in moreflead in thydeepeil extremities. Chrift hath refoived youonce for all, that he that loveth Father, or Mother more thenhim,is not worthyofhim,and cannot be his Difciple:Nay ifhe hatenot Father, Mother, and all ; that is, If he wil not raft them all away, , and forfake them as men do hated things, rather then forfakeChrill and the glorywhich he bath promi- fed, /Ai! 14.. 26, 33. And therefore feeing Chrift bath thought meet to inflance in the forfaking of carnal friends for his fake, as a duty of all that will be his Difciples,, you may lee that this is a very confiderab e part of your felf-denyal. And doubiefs, it is a point that Chriftians are ufually put to the tryai in, or elfe Chrift would not have inflanced in it. Few turn to Chrift, but their carnal friends will turn from them. No greater enetnies to aman in the matters of his falvation ( except carnal fa) then carnal friends and therefore ei,her God or they mull be denied. For when God is for ho-- line fs, and they againft it ; when they are-for finful pleafdre, and Fain, and God againft it, both cannot be pleafed ; and therefore oneof themmuft be denied, God or. they. C H A
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