ON THE CHOICE OF COMPANIONS
ON THE CHOICE OF COMPANIONS.
Of all the snares to which the Christian is exposed, perhaps the most fatal, the most ruinous, are those which spring from improper companions. These are often Satan’s grand and most successful instruments for entangling and finally destroying some who bid fair for Heaven. To have no intercourse with those who are strangers to religion, is in the present state of things impossible; “for then must we needs go out of the world.” And to seclude ourselves from the world so as to neglect opportunities for doing good to the bodies or souls of those who are perishing around us, would be conduct opposed, both to the precepts and example of the holy Jesus. Yet with equal plainness and solemn authority, the God of the Bible forbids his children selecting their intimate companions and friends from among those who are strangers to his saving grace. The word of God expressly forbids associating with evil companions. “Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it and pass away.” “If sinners entice thee, consent thou not. My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path.” “Be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers; for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” As the Most High thus forbids intimate friendship between his children and the followers of the world, so his word abounds with weighty motives for obedience to these commands. It describes those as blessed who avoid irreligious associates. “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.” Separation from the evil is also described as necessary, if we wish to walk in the ways of piety. The Psalmist said, “Depart from me ye wicked men; for I will keep the commandments of my God.” As if he had said, I cannot keep those commandments and associate with you; but I will keep them, therefore we must part. On the other hand to cherish intimate acquaintance with those who are strangers to vital religion is represented as the way to destruction. “A companion of fools shall be destroyed.” The history of Lot affords one of the most striking examples possible of the effects of evil society. When Abraham departed from his country at God’s command, Lot went with him, and probably then was influenced by a similar spirit of devoted piety; but when attracted by the fertility and beauty of the plain of Jordan, he went to dwell there, how dire was the result. Part of his family perished at the burning of Sodom, his daughters infected with the depravity of that guilty city, debased their father by rendering him drunk, and committing with him the most atrocious incest. They became the parents of a guilty and idolatrous race, and he stands upon record a monument of the bitter fruits of plunging into the society of the evil, for the sake of worldly advantage. But you may inquire, what company is evil? Not that only of the profligate and profane, of the dissolute and abandoned; but that of all those who are strangers to vital piety. The vain, giddy, thoughtless multitude, who disregard the interests of eternity, and live109without God in the world, although moral in their conduct, and amiable in their manners, are associates that would be ruinous to your best interests. There is no snare by which young professors of religion are more likely to be undone than by this. To urge you therefore to shun this snare, consider its numerous evils. Should you make those who are strangers to religion your bosom friends, you will most probably become like them. If they are lewd and debauched, they will gradually lead you to the same guilty excesses. Though at first you may tremble at their abominations, you will by and by join in their revelry, and partake of their crimes. If they are scoffers and infidels, though you may think your faith too firm to be shaken, you will soon find your confidence weaken, your hopes decline, your value of the gospel and religion lessen, and you will go on step by step, till Jesus and salvation forsaken, you sit in the seat of the scorner. But if your companions are of a less openly wicked kind, yet their influence and example will be immensely mischievous to you. Religion will languish and decline. When you see your favorite friends neglecting that one thing needful, and perhaps representing devout attention to eternal things as enthusiasm, you will most probably imbibe their spirit. At first perhaps be silent, then laugh with them at what they deem preciseness, then venture on the sinful follies they call harmless pleasures. Your soul will grow cold and dead to the Saviour and his love. With such companions you will learn to profane your Sabbaths. Devotion will become burdensome, and then perhaps be altogether neglected. Your mind will be alienated from its sacred exercises, and have no longer any relish for its pleasures. Can you imagine that when you have spent your evenings with those whose chief concern seems levity, laughter, and mirth, you can retire to meditate and pray? Ah, no! the duties of devotion will become a burdensome task; its most important exercises dull and tedious; your heart will be estranged from God and fixed upon your beloved but vain and destructive companions. With them, too, you will incur the heavy guilt of wasting many precious hours—hours given you by God to secure a glorious eternal life—hours which are worth more to you than worlds. When you have lost the power of religion, you will probably go on from sin to sin. Perhaps, as thousands have been, you may be drawn into crimes, which may ruin your reputation, blast your prospects, destroy your comforts, or even shorten your days. If this should not be the case when drawn aside from religion, there will be little hope of your ever enjoying its blessings again. Few backsliders are restored. You may live forsaken of God, with a heart hardened in impenitence; by your example you may be a curse to your children; and at last meet death without hope. Then the hours of sinful pleasure you have spent with your companions will be past; their delights will have reached an eternal close; their laughter at religion and their cheerful songs will be terminated, and all that rendered their intercourse delightful will have come to an eternal end. Then will be fulfilled the dreadful declaration, “The companion of fools shall be destroyed.” Were you sure that you should not be drawn altogether from religion by worldly companions, yet there would be many reasons to forbid such intimacies. All that are strangers to converting grace have the carnal mind, which is enmity against God; and “should you love them that hate the Lord?” Should you take chief pleasure in those, in whose ways God takes no pleasure? Should you find your chief delight in them who have no delight in your Saviour, and in whom he has no satisfaction? Is it right that they should have your heart, while the world has theirs? What though their friendship should not be ruinous to your best interests, yet what pleasure should you find in those who are hastening to eternal death? Shortly there must be a separation between the children of this world and the children of light. It is best for the Christian to begin this separation now. It is best for the Christian to form those friendships now which may be renewed in Heaven, and perpetuated forever. Choose those, therefore, for your friends, who are the friends of God—friends that will be friends forever . They can sympathize with you in your sorrow—the worldly can only do this in part; they can obtain blessings for you by their prayers—the gay and thoughtless would gain you none, but deprive you of the blessings your own prayers might obtain. They would do you good in your pilgrimage, and you might indulge the comfortable hope of meeting them in Heaven, and of joining them there in all the noble employments and exalted pleasures of that happy, holy place. How much better, how much happier, to travel to Heaven with beloved companions, heirs with you of the grace of life, than to have associates that are without hope, without God, and without Christ! Besides all these motives for shunning evil company, the blessed God has graciously furnished a motive, wonderfully endearing and encouraging. He promises you his own friendship, if you renounce the friendship of the world. When he says, “Come out from among them and be separate,” he graciously adds, “and I will receive you, and be a father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters.” With such a promise proclaimed to you, can you hesitate whether to choose the friendship of God, or the attachment of some, perhaps amiable, but ungodly, companions? His friendship for eternity, or theirs for an inch of time? His that would bless you with eternal life, or theirs that would rob you of that prize, and sink you in destruction? His favor, that would fill your soul with present peace, and enrich you with blessings that will be enjoyed without intermission through an eternal day of glory; or theirs, which, when it does its utmost, can but please a few short hours with vain mirth that is like a transient blaze, followed by eternal darkness? Selected for the Review by C. A. O. from Pike’s Guide.