The Drunkards Character, Section 199
§ 199.
3 OUr entirenesse with wicked men feoffes us,3 That we may not be infeoffed in their punishments. not only in their sinnes, but oftentimes in their punishments also; as it fared with the 36. men which were slaine before Aye, for Achan's sake, Ioshua 7. where we see the innocencie of so many thousand Israelites was not so prevalent, to expiate his one sinne; as his one sinne was, to tainte and bring judgement upon all Isr…el. If the Storke be taken damagefeceant with the Cranes, she is enwrapped in the same net, and cannot complaine that …he is surprised. He that walketh with the wise (saith Salomon) shall be wise; but a companion of fooles, shall be afflicted, Pro. 13. 20. This Augustine well observes, speaking of the religious, taken amongst the rest of the Gothes, Iure amaram vitam sentire, quia peccantibus amari esse nolue… unt. And hereupon Moses separates Israel from Corah, Dathan, and Abiram, saying, d…part from the Tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs; le…st ye perish with them, Num. 16. 26. And doth not God himselfe say to his people, touching Babylon, Goe out of her, my people, that ye be not partaker of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues? Rev. 18. 4. Where sinne is let in, punishm…nt will not be kept out. Yea, if Lot had stayed in Sodom, he had beene destroyed: if his Sonnes would have gone out, they had every man escaped.
Indeed, we cannot be too farre off from such company; and it were happy if they were kept by themselves; for so long as the infected person is shut up, his plague doth not spread. And besides the benefit of our safety, wickednesse would soone be ashamed of it selfe, if it were not for the encouragement of companions. Solitarinesse is the fittest Antidote for spirituall infection. It were happy for the wicked man, if he would be separated from himselfe. Antisthenes would often say, It was a great oversight, sithence they purged their Wheate from Darnell, and their warres from cowardly Souldiers, that they purged not their common wealth from lewd and wicked people.
Or if our persons escape scot-free, yet we may suffer in our estates, and be crost in our most weighty designes and determinations, only for joyning in league or friendship with Gods enemies. Because thou hast joyned thy selfe with Ahaziah (saith Eleezar to Iehosophat) the Lord hath broken thy workes; and the Ships were broken, that they were not able to goe to T…rshish, 2 Chro. …0. 37.
But admit they can not infe…ffe us, either in their sinne or punishment: yet their society will be a shrewd vexation to us. As let a religious man fall into their company, as an honest man may fall into the hands of theeves, they will conspire how to affl…ct his eyes, with unchast visions; his eares, with fearefull oathes, his unwilling appetite, with drunken healths; which even a civilized Pagan would abhor. We read that Clitomachus the wrestler (though a great company-keeper, yet) if he had heard but one filthy word, would presently depart. How was just, Lot vexed with the uncleanly conversation of his wicked neighbours? Sodom was worse then a Jaile to his righteous soule: and report lyes, if our Jailes be not much like to Sodom, the very dens of mischiefe, the Scholes of wickednesse: a Malefactor learnes more vilany there, then ever he knew before: drunkennesse and blasphemy, usurpe the place of mortification and humility.
Or lastly, if their society be not a vexation to our minds; at least it will be a great disparagement to our names▪ every one will conclude, almost infallibly, such as our company is, such is our disposition. The common Proverb is, like will to like, And, Birds of a feather, will flock together. When Iepthah was himselfe in banishment, there gathered to him idle fellows, such as himselfe, Iudges 11. 3. When David was in trouble, and vexed in minde himselfe, their flockt unto him all those that were in trouble, vexed in mind, or that were in debt, even foure hundred of them, to the Cave of Adullam, 1 Sa. 22. 2. Yea, our Saviour meetes no lesse then ten Lepers in one knot. Fellowship is that we all naturally affect, though it be in Leprosie: even Lepers will flock to their fellows, where sh…ll wee finde one spirituall leper alone? drunkards, prophane persons, hereticks, will be sure to consort with their matches. And hereupon the Laced…m onians, when they would certainly bee informed, what the disposition and behaviour, of any one was, would wisely inquire with what persons, they were linked in fellowship. And indeed, he that makes himselfe a companion of all, sells his reputation very cheape: it being as great an indecorum, for a holy Christian to be in the company of gracelesse persons, as it is for a reverend Divine to sit upon the Stage in a publike Theater; or an old man to dance with little children in the streetes.
Base company (saith one) kills both our fame, and our soules: it gives us wounds, which will never admit of healing. How many have irrecoverably lost their good names, by keeping company with suspected persons? and whether the report bee true or false, it is no easiething to disprove a slaunder, for like an unruly spirit once raised, 'tis hard to conjure downe againe. A mans good name is much easier kept, then recovered,
And thus you see, that evill company endangers our soules: or could our soules be free, yet our persons are in danger; or could our soules and persons both bee safe, yet our estates are in jeopardy: or could our soules, bodies, and estates be secure, yet our fame would suffer, and our good name lye at the stake. Wherefore &c.